Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has publicly lambasted President Donald Trump’s top trade adviser, Peter Navarro, in a heated exchange over tariffs and manufacturing practices. Musk took to social media to call Navarro “truly a moron” and “dumber than a sack of bricks,” escalating a simmering feud between the two.
The conflict began when Navarro, during a CNBC interview, criticized Tesla’s reliance on foreign-made parts, suggesting that Musk’s company was more of a “car assembler” than a manufacturer. Navarro argued that Tesla’s use of imported batteries and electronics from countries like Japan, China, and Taiwan was at odds with the Trump administration’s push for domestic manufacturing and its new tariff policies.
Musk fired back on X, the social media platform he owns, stating that Navarro’s claims were “demonstrably false.” He emphasized that Tesla has the most American-made cars and is the most vertically integrated auto manufacturer in the United States. Musk also sarcastically apologized for comparing Navarro to bricks, saying it was “unfair to bricks”.
The feud highlights the deep divisions within the Trump administration over trade policy. Musk, who serves as a White House adviser on federal spending cuts, has been critical of the tariffs, which he believes could hurt Tesla’s global competitiveness. The billionaire has called for a “zero-tariff situation” between the U.S. and Europe, where Tesla sells about half of its vehicles.
Despite the public spat, Navarro downplayed the tension, telling NBC News that “everything’s fine with Elon” and that he had been called worse. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also dismissed the conflict, saying, “Boys will be boys,” and emphasizing the administration’s transparency.
The clash between Musk and Navarro underscores the broader debate over the impact of tariffs on American businesses and the global economy. As the Trump administration continues to implement wide-ranging tariffs, the disagreement between two of the president’s top advisers reveals the complexity and potential pitfalls of such policies
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