Elon Musk has launched a fierce attack on Donald Trump’s top trade adviser, Peter Navarro, as frustration over new U.S. tariffs explodes into a public fight.
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk took to his platform, X, to express anger about the newly introduced “Liberation Day” tariffs. These sweeping financial measures have shaken the global economy and caused U.S. markets to fall sharply.
In a post on Saturday, Musk insulted Navarro, saying he “ain’t built s–t” and mocked his Harvard PhD in economics as “a bad thing, not a good thing.” He also replied “yup” to a quote by economist Thomas Sowell that said:
“In every disaster throughout American history, there always seems to be a man from Harvard in the middle of it.”
Elon Musk now taking open shots at fellow top WH adviser Peter Navarro, who happens to be an architect of the Trump tariffs Musk has largely avoided commenting on. pic.twitter.com/UGH7JI82uF
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) April 5, 2025
Musk added another jab, writing that Navarro suffers from the “ego/brains >> 1 problem,” suggesting Navarro has too much confidence and too little real knowledge.
Navarro: Musk Is Just Protecting His Own Business
Peter Navarro, one of Trump’s closest trade allies, responded quickly. In a Fox News interview, he downplayed the feud and said Musk’s complaints were self-serving.
“Elon sells cars. He’s simply protecting his own interests,” Navarro said. He added that while Musk is a big public figure, “we don’t mind him saying whatever he wants.”
Navarro, who served a jail sentence last year for not cooperating with the January 6 investigation, has long defended tariffs. He believes they help U.S. businesses by making foreign imports more expensive, pushing consumers to buy American-made goods. But the latest tariff wave has caused huge losses on Wall Street, with the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq seeing their worst drops since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Musk Pushes for Free Trade with Europe
Later on Saturday, Musk appeared by video at a conference hosted by Italy’s League party, where he urged Europe and the U.S. to remove all trade barriers. He said he hopes both sides could create a “zero-tariff situation,” like a free trade zone.
He also made controversial comments about immigration and censorship in Europe and criticized French far-right leader Marine Le Pen’s recent conviction. Musk suggested that tighter ties between Europe and North America would bring more freedom and better cooperation.
Elon Musk on Tariffs: In my view Europe and USA should move to zero tariff situation. pic.twitter.com/OYS5qPMTDK
— wiggle (@w1991e) April 5, 2025
Musk vs. MAGA?
Musk’s ideas about closer U.S.-EU ties clash with several top officials in Trump’s administration, including Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Both have strongly criticized European leaders in recent months.
Vance called EU leaders “commissars” and said they were running away from their voters. He accused Europe of giving up on its core values. Hegseth was less vocal in public but said in a leaked message that he shares Vance’s “loathing” of Europe and called European policies “PATHETIC.”
Trump himself has made wild claims about Europe, even saying the EU was created “to screw the U.S.” and threatening to pull out of NATO agreements if European countries don’t increase their defense spending.
A Feud That May Escalate
As Musk’s feud with Navarro spills into the public, it’s unclear how much more tension will grow between the tech billionaire and Trump’s inner circle. One source told Semafor that this might become a battle “Elon won’t win.”
With the global economy already shaking and political divisions growing deeper, this high-profile fight between Musk and MAGA figures could mark a new chapter in the conflict between business interests and far-right trade policy.
The Information is Collected from CNBC and MSN.
