Tech billionaire and close Trump ally Elon Musk tangled with the president’s trade advisor Peter Navarro on tariffs over the weekend, as the administration’s new import taxes have roiled the stock market.
Musk, who has voiced opposition to tariffs in recent days, took aim at Navarro on his social platform X early Saturday.
“A PhD in Econ from Harvard is a bad thing, not a good thing. Results in the ego/brains>>1 problem,” Musk wrote in reply to a video of Navarro explaining the administration’s reasoning for its latest slate of tariffs.
The Tesla CEO reportedly also slammed Trump’s trade advisor, saying, “He ain’t built s—.” However, the post appears to have since been deleted.
During a recent appearance at a conference hosted by Italy’s right-wing League party, Musk argued for a “zero-tariff situation” between the U.S. and Europe.
“Both Europe and the United States should move, in my view, to a zero-tariff situation, effectively creating a free trade zone between Europe and North America,” he said, adding, “That has certainly been my advice to the president.”
Navarro pushed back on Musk’s comments Sunday, arguing he “doesn’t understand” and pointing to his business interests as Tesla’s CEO.
“It was interesting to hear Elon Musk at the beginning talk about a zero-tariff zone with Europe. He doesn’t understand that. And the thing that’s, I think, important about Elon to understand, he sells cars. That’s what he does,” Navarro said on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures.
When asked whether there was a rift forming within the administration, Navarro emphasized that Musk is “great” when he’s “in his DOGE lane,” referring to the tech billionaire’s role leading the administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
“But we understand what’s going on here,” Navarro continued. “We just have to understand. Elon sells cars and he’s in Texas assembling cars that have big parts of that car from Mexico, China, the batteries come from Japan or China, the electronics come from Taiwan.”
“And he’s simply protecting his own interests as any business person would do,” he added. “We’re more concerned about Detroit building Cadillacs with American engines. And that’s what this is all about. So it’s fine, there’s no rift here.”
Musk’s Tesla has taken a hit along with the rest of the stock market. His electric vehicle (EV) company’s stock has fallen 19 percent since President Trump announced sweeping new tariffs last week.
Tesla was already struggling in recent months in connection with Musk’s prominent role in the administration.
While the EV firm will likely be shielded from the worst impacts of the tariffs given that it builds all of its North American cars at U.S. factories, it has previously warned it could be exposed to retaliatory tariffs as other countries respond.
