It comes as Peter Navarro, trade advisor to President Donald Trump, called out Elon Musk’s Tesla during an interview
Elon Musk has labeled one of President Donald Trump’s top adviser a ‘moron’ after he was criticised over the assembly of his Teslas.
Trade War of Words: Peter Navarro Calls Out Elon Musk, Who Fires Back with Scathing Insults
Peter Navarro, senior counselor to the president on trade and manufacturing, sparked headlines after taking aim at Elon Musk, urging the billionaire to fully manufacture his electric vehicles in the U.S. instead of relying on foreign suppliers to cut costs.
But the Tesla CEO—never one to back down—hit back hard on Twitter, the platform he owns. Musk slammed the 75-year-old former Trump advisor, writing: “Navarro is truly a moron. What he says here is demonstrably false.”
The feud escalated quickly, with Musk defending Tesla’s domestic production record, claiming his company produces the “most American-made cars” on the market—more than even legacy automakers like Ford. He didn’t stop there, adding: “Navarro is dumber than a sack of bricks.”
The spat drew attention all the way to the White House. When asked to weigh in during a press briefing on April 8, spokesperson Karoline Leavitt brushed off the clash. “These are obviously two individuals who have very different views on trade and on tariffs,” she said, before chuckling, “Boys will be boys—we’ll let their public sparring continue.”
So what exactly ignited Navarro’s fury?
His remarks came during an interview with CNBC, where he weighed in on Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff strategy—a policy Navarro has long supported. He used the opportunity to challenge Musk, urging him to align Tesla’s manufacturing more closely with America-first trade ideals.
With neither side backing down, this fiery exchange may just be the opening salvo in a broader battle over trade, tech, and political loyalties.
“When it comes to tariffs and trade, everyone in the White House—and frankly, the American people—understand that Elon isn’t exactly the all-American carmaker he claims to be,” Navarro said in a sharp critique during his CNBC appearance.
“He may be known as a car manufacturer, but in reality, he’s often just assembling the pieces. Take a look at his Texas plant—sure, it’s impressive, but many of the key components, like the EV batteries, are imported from Japan and China. The electronics? They’re sourced straight from Taiwan.”
“The core difference between our vision and Elon’s,” Navarro explained, “is that we believe in making every part of the vehicle right here in the United States. We want the tires made in Akron, the transmissions built in Indianapolis, and the engines coming out of Flint and Saginaw. And most importantly—we want the entire car assembled on American soil.”
He continued, drawing a sharp comparison: “Right now, it’s like the model we see with BMW and Mercedes, where they roll into Spartanburg, South Carolina, and have us assemble cars using German engines and Austrian transmissions. That may look like manufacturing, but it’s not. It’s not good for our economy, and it’s certainly not good for our national security.”
“As for Elon—look, we get it. He’s a car guy. That’s his thing. And sure, he’s going to chase lower costs by sourcing cheaper foreign parts. But we’re saying, bring it home. We want him building here, for the sake of American workers, our economic stability, and national security. It’s nothing personal. We just want him home.”
