Elon Musk Criticizes White House Trade Adviser Over Tariff Policies
Elon Musk has reignited his criticism of President Trump’s senior trade adviser, Peter Navarro, labeling him a “moron” in a social media post. The Tesla CEO’s comments arrive amidst a growing rift with the White House concerning its tariff strategies. Musk’s outburst followed Navarro’s appearance on CNBC, where he questioned Tesla’s role as more of a “car assembler” rather than a manufacturer, hinting at a conflict with Trump’s tariff directives. This controversy arises as President Trump unveils broad tariffs affecting numerous countries, which is anticipated to stir market fluctuations and possibly hike car prices significantly.
Navarro pointed out, “If you visit Tesla’s Texas plant, many of the engines or batteries are sourced from Japan and China, with electronics coming from Taiwan.” He further stated, “Our aim differs from Elon’s in that we desire the tires to be crafted in Akron, transmissions produced in Indianapolis, and engines fabricated in Flint and Saginaw, culminating in cars being made here.” Musk retorted on X, “Navarro is truly a moron,” disputing Navarro’s claims. Musk went on to insult Navarro further while asserting, “Tesla manufactures the most American-made cars,” and described Navarro as “dumber than a sack of bricks.” He elaborated on Tesla’s vertical integration, boasting the highest U.S. content among auto manufacturers, and ridiculed Navarro’s fictional expert, Ron Vara.
Tesla has consistently topped the American-Made Index by Cars.com since 2021, factored by aspects like assembly sites, part origin, engine pedigree, transmission genesis, and the U.S. manufacturing workforce. Nonetheless, Tesla isn’t immune to tariffs, and Musk has acknowledged their impact. “The tariff effect on Tesla remains significant,” he stated last month on X. Musk’s latest comments follow a deleted post where he derided Navarro’s Harvard PhD and questioned his accomplishments. Meanwhile, Navarro brushed off the disagreement with Musk, remarking to CNBC that “everything is good with Elon, no problem.”
Musk’s divergence from Trump on tariffs includes promoting free trade through videos and advocating for zero tariffs between the U.S. and Europe at an Italian event. The Washington Post revealed Musk’s “direct appeal” to Trump, highlighting it as just another instance of Musk’s policy disagreements with Trump. The tariff debate marks a substantial divergence between the president and one of his prominent supporters. However, the White House appears nonchalant about Musk’s remarks. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt commented, “Obviously, they have contrasting views on trade and tariffs. Boys will be boys, and their public back-and-forth will continue.” She added that it reflects the president’s openness to a broad spectrum of opinions within the highest levels of his administration.