Elon Musk challenges Trump over new tariff policies
Elon Musk directly appealed to Donald Trump regarding the president's decision on tariffs, but it had no effect, writes "The Washington Post".
According to "The Washington Post", Elon Musk personally spoke with Donald Trump to try to change his stance on tariffs. This marks the most significant disagreement so far between the president and a close associate.
Over the weekend, Elon Musk posted several entries on social media criticizing one of the main White House advisors, Peter Navarro, for the plan to impose tariffs. The billionaire also personally appealed to Trump about the tariffs, the article notes.
However, Musk's personal attempts at intervention have not yet achieved the desired results.
Musk on tariffs: Questions Trump's decision
Last weekend, at a conference in Florence organized by the Italian party League, Elon Musk proposed creating a free trade zone between the USA and Europe. Musk emphasized that the ideal solution would be to eliminate tariffs, creating a free trade zone between Europe and North America.
Musk suggested that, in an ideal scenario, Europe and the United States would eliminate tariffs altogether, effectively establishing a free trade area spanning Europe and North America.
Donald Trump was later asked about Elon Musk's proposal. The US president remarked that the issue lies in Europe having profited greatly at America's expense, highlighting that Europe maintained a substantial trade surplus with the United States and has treated the country unfairly.
He concluded by saying that the United States has introduced significant tariffs on Europe, prompting European representatives to seek negotiations. However, he stressed that no discussions would take place until Europe compensates the U.S. — not only moving forward but also for previous imbalances — as he accused Europe of having extracted considerable wealth from the country, something he declared would no longer be tolerated.
What are the reactions to the new US tariffs?
Donald Trump's new tariffs, including 20% tariffs on imports from EU countries, have elicited mixed reactions. Italian Minister of Economy Giancarlo Giorgetti called for a de-escalation of tensions with Washington and warned against retaliatory actions.
Meanwhile, the European Union, as announced by the head of the EU trade commission, Maros Sefcovic, plans to respond calmly and organizedly to the US tariffs.
Source: "The Washington Post", WP News
