Tesla CEO, Elon Musk has sharply criticized senior White House trade advisor Peter Navarro, calling him “truly a moron” and “dumber than a sack of bricks,” in response to recent comments about Tesla’s manufacturing practices.
The clash marks a deepening rift over President Donald Trump’s escalating tariff policy—an approach Musk has repeatedly voiced concerns about, despite his close ties to the administration.
Navarro had recently downplayed Tesla’s role in U.S. manufacturing, claiming the electric vehicle company is “not a car manufacturer” but merely “a car assembler.” He argued that Tesla heavily relies on imported components such as batteries, electronics, and tires, suggesting that Musk supports using “cheap foreign parts.”
PETER NAVARRO ON ELON MUSK:
“We all understand in the White House (and the American people understand) that Elon’s a car manufacturer. But he’s not a car manufacturer — He’s a car assembler.
In many cases, if you go to his Texas plant, a good part of the engines that he gets… pic.twitter.com/mkp1wRGcvX
— Ron Pragides (@mrp) April 8, 2025
In response, Musk posted on X (formerly Twitter) under a video clip of Navarro’s remarks, stating:
“Tesla has the most American-made cars. Navarro is dumber than a sack of bricks.”
Musk has long advocated for the creation of a free-trade zone between North America and Europe—an idea that stands in stark contrast to Trump’s aggressive tariff strategy.
Despite growing criticism from some corners of the Republican Party and retaliatory measures from China, President Trump remains firm on his trade stance and has ruled out any rollback of the tariffs.