Elon Musk tears into Trump's trade adviser

By CHARLIE SPIERING, US POLITICAL REPORTER

Published: | Updated:

Billionaire CEO of Tesla Elon Musk on Tuesday savaged President Donald Trump 's trade advisor Peter Navarro after he criticized the DOGE advisor's car company. Navarro described Musk as a 'car assembler,' as his Tesla vehicles made in the United States required parts manufactured in foreign countries such as China, Japan, and Taiwan.

Billionaire CEO of Tesla Elon Musk on Tuesday savaged President Donald Trump 's trade advisor Peter Navarro after he criticized the DOGE advisor's car company. Navarro described Musk as a 'car assembler,' as his Tesla vehicles made in the United States required parts manufactured in foreign countries such as China, Japan, and Taiwan.

'When it comes to tariffs and trade, we all understand in the White House - and the American people understand - that Elon is a car manufacturer, but he's not a car manufacturer. He's a car assembler,' Navarro said in an interview.

'When it comes to tariffs and trade, we all understand in the White House - and the American people understand - that Elon is a car manufacturer, but he's not a car manufacturer. He's a car assembler,' Navarro said in an interview.

Musk responded angrily on X to Navarro's claim. 'Navarro is dumber than a sack of bricks,' Musk replied on X. 'Navarro is truly a moron. What he says here is demonstrably false.'

Musk responded angrily on X to Navarro's claim. 'Navarro is dumber than a sack of bricks,' Musk replied on X. 'Navarro is truly a moron. What he says here is demonstrably false.'

Musk shared a 2023 Cars.com study that showed Tesla as having four of the top 10 most American-made cars followed by the Honda Passport, the Volkswagen ID.4, and the Honda Odyssey.

Musk shared a 2023 Cars.com study that showed Tesla as having four of the top 10 most American-made cars followed by the Honda Passport, the Volkswagen ID.4, and the Honda Odyssey.

The study shows that the 'Big Three' car companies like Ford, GM, and Stellantis lower on the list because of the parts imported from foreign countries. The 2024 Cars.com ranking , however, is slightly less favorable to Tesla, even though Tesla's Model Y is in the number one slot but the Honda Passport at number two, the Volkswagen ID.4 at number three, and the Tesla Model S in number four. The Honda Odyssey rounds out the top five.

The study shows that the 'Big Three' car companies like Ford, GM, and Stellantis lower on the list because of the parts imported from foreign countries. The 2024 Cars.com ranking , however, is slightly less favorable to Tesla, even though Tesla's Model Y is in the number one slot but the Honda Passport at number two, the Volkswagen ID.4 at number three, and the Tesla Model S in number four. The Honda Odyssey rounds out the top five.

The study, however, considers parts from both the United States and Canada as domestic manufacturing. The author of the study American University associate professor of information technology and analytics Frank DuBois confirmed that Tesla does rely on Chinese parts for the manufacturing of their vehicles, even though they also build motors and batteries in the United States.

The study, however, considers parts from both the United States and Canada as domestic manufacturing. The author of the study American University associate professor of information technology and analytics Frank DuBois confirmed that Tesla does rely on Chinese parts for the manufacturing of their vehicles, even though they also build motors and batteries in the United States.

Navarro dismissed Musk's concerns about Trump's tariffs, noting it was understandable as coming from a 'car person.' 'He's a car person. That's what he does, and he wants the cheap foreign parts,' he said. But Musk was not pleased with Navarro's claim.

Navarro dismissed Musk's concerns about Trump's tariffs, noting it was understandable as coming from a 'car person.' 'He's a car person. That's what he does, and he wants the cheap foreign parts,' he said. But Musk was not pleased with Navarro's claim.

'By any definition whatsoever, Tesla is the most vertically integrated auto manufacturer in America with the highest percentage of US content,' he wrote on X. Trump has hailed Tesla as an American-made car, even promoting it at the White House after the left started attacking Musk's company and vandalizing Tesla dealerships and vehicles in the streets.

'By any definition whatsoever, Tesla is the most vertically integrated auto manufacturer in America with the highest percentage of US content,' he wrote on X. Trump has hailed Tesla as an American-made car, even promoting it at the White House after the left started attacking Musk's company and vandalizing Tesla dealerships and vehicles in the streets.

'They're harming a great American company,' Trump said during the event at the White House where he praised Musk as a 'patriot.' 'He's built this great company, and he shouldn't be penalized because he's a patriot,' he said.

'They're harming a great American company,' Trump said during the event at the White House where he praised Musk as a 'patriot.' 'He's built this great company, and he shouldn't be penalized because he's a patriot,' he said.

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Elon MuskPoliticsDonald TrumpTesla

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