Elon Musk clashes with trump adviser over tariff fallout and car manufacturing claims. called Trump adviser “moronic” after Navarro claimed Tesla only assembles imported car parts
The U.S. economy is reeling from a sweeping new wave of tariffs.
Meanwhile, a heated public feud has erupted between billionaire Elon Musk and former Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro
The Tesla CEO didn’t hold back, slamming Navarro’s comments as “moronic” and calling him “dumber than a sack of bricks.”
At the heart of the conflict lies a growing tension over trade, tariffs, and Musk’s increasingly vocal stance on the direction of U.S. policy under Donald Trump’s second term.
Elon Musk lashes out at Peter Navarro over car manufacturing claims
The dispute began after Peter Navarro criticized Musk’s business model during a Monday appearance on CNBC’s “Squawk Box”.
Navarro argued that Musk is “not a car manufacturer” but merely “a car assembler,” pointing to Tesla’s reliance on imported components such as batteries.
Musk swiftly fired back on X, formerly Twitter: “Navarro is truly a moron. What he says here is demonstrably false.”
In a follow-up post, Musk defended Tesla’s manufacturing practices:
“Tesla has the most American-made cars. Navarro is dumber than a sack of bricks.”
He even mocked Navarro’s name, referring to him as “Peter Re—d-o” in a jab that quickly trended on social media.
White House attempts to downplay the feud between Musk and Navarro
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt attempted to downplay the escalating war of words. During a press briefing on Tuesday, she brushed off the tension:
“These are obviously two individuals who have very different views on trade and on tariffs. Boys will be boys.”
Leavitt praised Trump’s willingness to hear from “all sides,” but offered little in terms of clarity on how the administration plans to navigate growing unrest among business leaders.
Musk’s frustration grew after Trump announced sweeping tariffs last week
Tensions had been simmering since last week, when Trump announced the most aggressive tariff measures in nearly a century.
The new policy includes a 10% baseline tariff on nearly all foreign imports, effective immediately. Even higher, country-specific rates are set to follow
Peter Navarro, a key architect of the policy, defended the strategy in a Fox News interview. He accused Musk of protecting his own interests, saying:
“Elon, when he’s in his DOGE lane, is great. But Elon sells cars — he’s simply protecting his own interests.”
Navarro added that Musk’s massive platform gives him a unique ability to shape public opinion, but he maintained that the administration is unbothered by the criticism.
Musk criticizes unpredictable tariffs and warns of global supply chain risks
This isn’t the first time Musk has warned against the consequences of tariffs. In a past interview with Joe Rogan, Musk said:
“You need to be careful with tariffs… when there are sudden changes, it messes everything up.”
He emphasized that the global supply chain — especially in the automotive sector — is highly complex and sensitive to policy shifts. Sudden tariffs disrupt operations and delay domestic manufacturing adjustments, according to Musk.
He reiterated this message over the weekend during a video call with Italian politician Matteo Salvini. Musk advocated for a **zero-tariff free trade zone between Europe and North America**, stating:
“At the end of the day, I hope both Europe and the United States agree to move to a zero-tariff situation.”
Musk also pushed for easier international labor mobility, saying that people should be free to work across continents without bureaucratic barriers.
Although Musk has held significant sway in Trump’s second term — particularly through his leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) — he hasn’t been immune to the fallout.
According to Bloomberg’s Billionaire Index, Musk has lost nearly $50 billion in net worth over the past two weeks amid the market’s sharp downturn.