Navarro and Musk clash over trade policy and tariffs debate
Peter Navarro, criticized by Elon Musk, is a proponent of high tariffs and an advisor to President Donald Trump on trade. On Sunday, he declared that the owner of Tesla does not understand how other countries "cheat" the USA in trade matters, as reported by the Axios portal.
During a Sunday interview with Fox News, Navarro reiterated a previous claim that the United States is facing "cheating" by other countries. This includes the application of significant trade barriers other than tariffs and the dumping of product prices. Musk "doesn't understand this," even though "he is great" in his work at the Department of Government Efficiency, Navarro assessed.
Elon when he’s in his DOGE lane is great, but we understand what’s going on here. Elon sells cars. He’s simply protecting his own interests, the economist noted.
Musk has a "big microphone"
Navarro emphasized that there is no conflict between Musk and the Trump administration. - There’s no rift here. Look, Elon, he’s got X, he’s got a big microphone. We don’t mind him saying whatever he wants. But, just, the American people need to understand that we understand, what that’s all about, and it’s fine, admitted the presidential advisor.
The day before, Musk expressed his opposition to tariffs (which the US president imposed last week on foreign goods suppliers). During an online speech at the Italian right-wing League congress of Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, Musk stated that he prefers a world based on free trade and that this is the kind of advice he offers President Trump.
The world's richest person, arguing on platform X with a Navarro supporter, responded, "A PhD in Econ from Harvard is a bad thing, not a good thing. Results in the ego/brains>>1 problem." When attempting to argue with his interlocutor, Musk retorted that the presidential advisor "hasn't built a damn thing."
