The White House on Tuesday played down a fiery public feud between Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Trump’s senior trade adviser Peter Navarro, after the two clashed over the administration’s aggressive new tariff strategy.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the dispute during her briefing, describing the clash as little more than a difference of opinion.
“These are obviously two individuals who have very different views on trade and on tariffs,” Leavitt said. “Boys will be boys, and we will let their public sparring continue.”
The feud ignited over the weekend after President Donald Trump imposed sweeping tariffs affecting imports from multiple countries — a move supported by Navarro but publicly criticised by Musk.
Navarro, a vocal supporter of protectionist trade policies, suggested in a interview that Tesla doesn’t fully qualify as a US manufacturer due to its reliance on components from overseas.
He argued that Trump’s tariffs were meant to bring manufacturing back to American cities like Akron and Flint.
Musk fired back sharply on social media, calling Navarro “truly a moron” and “dumber than a sack of bricks.”
In another post, he used a slur, referring to the adviser as “Peter Retarrdo,” and claimed Navarro’s statements were “demonstrably false.”
“Tesla has the most American-made cars,” Musk wrote. “By any definition, we are the most vertically integrated US auto manufacturer.”
Tesla has topped Cars.com’s American-Made Index since 2021, based on where parts are sourced and where vehicles are assembled.
Despite the personal tone, the White House brushed off the controversy, framing it as part of a broader culture of openness in the administration.
“The president takes all opinions in mind, and then he makes the best decision based on the best interests of the American public,” Leavitt said.
This isn’t the first time Musk has diverged from Trump publicly, but the trade dispute marks a more pronounced policy split between the president and one of his highest-profile allies.
Musk has previously advocated for free trade, even calling for zero tariffs between the US and Europe during a public event in Italy.
Navarro, when asked by CNBC about the dispute, downplayed it: “Everything is good with Elon, no problem.”
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