Elon Musk has now reportedly targeted Peter Navarro, a former trade advisor, over comments defending President Donald Trump’s tariffs as U.S. stocks experienced significant declines.
Musk, who has remained relatively quiet about Trump’s tariff policies as they caused a drop in Tesla stock—down 10% and costing him billions—vented his frustrations via social media.
Navarro appeared on CNN, where he argued that Trump’s tariff strategy would lead to a manufacturing boom in the U.S.
He claimed that prior trade agreements had unfairly shifted wealth abroad and outlined various economic principles meant to justify the tariffs, including economic manipulations from trading partners. He asserted that the U.S. should not suffer from chronic trade deficits.
Musk was unimpressed with Navarro’s defense, highlighting Navarro’s lack of practical experience in building companies.
In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), Musk criticized Navarro for not contributing significantly to industry or infrastructure, stating bluntly that “he ain’t built shit.”
He even questioned the value of Navarro’s Harvard PhD in Economics, asserting that it leads to an imbalance of ego over practical intelligence.
Navarro responded to the market’s downturn by insisting it was simply a part of a necessary economic restructuring, encouraging people to “trust in Trump” and suggested that the media should temper its alarmism regarding falling stocks.
As the markets continued to react negatively to tariff announcements, Musk’s cutting remarks underscored a growing divide among Trump’s advisors regarding economic management and the real-world implications of their policies.
The exchange highlights the tension between business leaders like Musk and political figures advocating for aggressive trade strategies.
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