By Zo Terrana
Staff Writer
Tech billionaire and President Trump’s senior advisor Elon Musk has recently clashed with top trade advisor Peter Navarro pertaining to the tariff sector. Navarro drew the ire of Musk in an CNBC interview, stating that Elon Musk is a car assembler that wants cheap foreign parts. Navarro also criticized multinational auto company Tesla, stating that the company is “not a car manufacturer,” according to USA Today. Navarro ultimately ended the interview by stating that “all is good with Elon,” according to NBC News.
After the interview, Musk issued retaliatory remarks on the platform X, stating, “Navarro is truly a moron. What he says here is demonstrably false,” and in a second X post, “Tesla has the most American-made cars. Navarro is dumber than a sack of bricks,” according to USA Today. Later, Musk “sarcastically” offered an apology, stating the comparison was “unfair to bricks,” according to NBC News.
Before the friction between Musk and Navarro, Musk “broke” from Trump’s decision, which entailed sweeping tariffs on most foreign nations. Musk, conflicting with Trump's tariff plan, wanted a "zero-tariff situation” with Europe, according to NBC News. While speaking at the “League of Congress,” hosted by Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, Musk stated the possibility of a “free trade zone” between Europe and North America, which could be achieved through the “zero-tariff situation.”
Narvarro, after hearing Musk's comments on the tariff propositions, offered his own remarks in a Fox News interview, stating, “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.”
The Trump trade advisor later quelled the conflicts between himself and Musk by stating that there wasn't an internal rift in the administration, according to NBC News.
Navarro, since occupying a position in Trump’s first term, has a prolonged history with the Trump administration. Navarro has positioned himself to be a key person in Trump’s inner circle. He also has reportedly conflicted with other White House officials during Trump’s first term, according to NBC News.
Last year, Navarro, who is now 75, served four months in federal prison in Miami. Navarro resisted a congressional House committee subpoena, which investigated the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, according to NBC News. Navarro also spread false election claims echoed by Trump after losing the presidential election to Joe Biden in 2020.
The trade advisor has remained steadfast in his support of tariffs and Trump’s implementation of them, according to NBC News.
As the conflict between Musk and Navarro has supposedly settled, the Trump administration has proceeded with implementing the recent tariff measures. According to Reuters, Trump has paused the reciprocal tariffs on 57 trade partners including the European Union, Japan and South Korea for 90 days. Navarro has defended the administration's decision, according to NewsWeek. The pause occurred after an immense dip in the stock market which has been the worst decline since 2020.
The pause in the administration's eyes was seen as a “strategic opening” which then could lead the president’s team to negotiate trade terms with over 75 countries. Navarro expressed optimism about the pause, stating, "We're going to get a great deal for America, and we're going to get a great deal for the world," according to NewsWeek.
