Elon Musk has once again stirred controversy, this time unleashing a barrage of criticism against Peter Navarro, a former top trade advisor under Donald Trump.
The verbal clash erupted on X (formerly Twitter), where the Tesla and SpaceX CEO took direct aim at Navarro’s comments regarding Tesla’s manufacturing credentials.
The friction began after Navarro claimed during a CNBC interview that Musk is “not a car manufacturer, but a car assembler,” alleging that Tesla relies heavily on foreign-made components. This accusation did not sit well with Musk, who immediately fired back in a series of strongly worded tweets defending his company’s American roots.
“Tesla has the most American-made cars. Navarro is dumber than a sack of bricks,” Musk posted on X, doubling down with another tweet: “Navarro is truly a moron. What he says here is demonstrably false.”
Musk, a prominent supporter of Trump and now heading the White House DOGE initiative, has recently shown increasing frustration with some of the administration’s trade policies. As Trump doubles down on protectionist tariffs, Musk has positioned himself as an advocate for more balanced trade practices – especially those that won’t hurt American innovators like Tesla.
In an earlier post, which was later deleted, Musk took an even harsher tone, saying Navarro “ain’t built s—.” He also questioned Navarro’s academic background, writing, “A PhD in Econ from Harvard is a bad thing, not a good thing.”
The spat is drawing attention not only for the public insults but also for the deeper policy debate it reflects within Trump’s inner circle. Musk’s comments signal a growing divide between tech-driven industrial leaders and traditional economic nationalists. Despite Musk’s involvement in the Trump administration’s DOGE (Digitization of Government and Economy) initiative, it’s clear he’s willing to call out what he views as regressive or uninformed rhetoric – even from those within the same political orbit.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt seemed unfazed when asked about the ongoing feud. “Whatever,” she said during a press chat. “We are the most transparent administration in history expressing our disagreements in public.”
The underlying dispute centers on the credibility of Tesla’s manufacturing operations. Tesla has long boasted that its cars are among the most domestically manufactured vehicles in the United States, based on components and assembly locations. The company’s massive Gigafactories in Nevada, Texas, and California are a central part of its push to boost American industrial output in high-tech sectors.
Musk’s argument appears to be not just about defending Tesla, but also about ensuring that U.S. policy reflects modern supply chains and the reality of globalized manufacturing. In a time when the U.S. is aiming to compete with China in both electric vehicles and advanced tech, Musk’s position underscores the need for smart trade decisions that don’t inadvertently hurt domestic innovators.
While Navarro has yet to publicly respond to Musk’s latest posts, the clash marks one of the most public fallouts between two high-profile figures with ties to the Trump administration.
As the tech mogul continues to use his platform to challenge narratives and shape economic policy debates, one thing is certain – Elon Musk isn’t backing down.
