Elon Musk has been vocal in his criticism of Peter Navarro, a senior trade adviser to US President Donald Trump, referring to him as a “moron” on social media. This exchange was triggered by Navarro’s recent comments during a CNBC interview, where he suggested that Tesla’s classification as a “car assembler” rather than a full car manufacturer could conflict with the administration’s tariff policies.
Navarro’s remarks coincided with President Trump’s announcement of broad tariffs affecting numerous countries, which are expected to cause market fluctuations and potentially raise car prices significantly. Navarro argued that much of Tesla’s components, such as batteries and electronics, are sourced from countries like Japan, China, and Taiwan, rather than being manufactured in the US, emphasising a desire for more local production of automotive parts.
In a series of posts on the platform X (formerly Twitter), Musk responded fiercely to Navarro’s assertions, declaring that the comments were “demonstrably false.” He further accused Navarro of lacking intelligence, labelling him as “dumber than a sack of bricks.” Musk staunchly defended Tesla, claiming it produces more American-made cars than any other manufacturer and called upon Navarro to reconsider his stance, referencing a fictitious expert he had invented.
Tesla has maintained a leading position on Cars.com’s American-Made Index since 2021, a ranking that takes into account factors like assembly locations and the origins of parts and workforce. However, Musk has acknowledged that Tesla is not exempt from the impacts of tariffs, stating last month that the consequences for the company are indeed substantial.
Musk’s harsh criticism also extended to Navarro’s educational background, expressing that his Harvard PhD might be more of a liability than an asset and implying that Navarro has never contributed meaningfully to automotive innovation. In contrast, Navarro downplayed the significance of Musk’s comments, dismissing any tension between them and maintaining that there were no issues.
This public spat highlights a growing rift between Musk and Trump, particularly regarding tariffs. Musk has been advocating for zero tariffs between the US and Europe, showcasing his divergence from Trump’s policies.
The White House’s official response to the controversy was to downplay the dispute, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stating that differing views on trade are common and expressing the president’s openness to diverse opinions within his administration.