Donald Trump’s top trade adviser, Peter Navarro, has responded to Elon Musk calling him a “moron” and “dumber than a sack of bricks”, saying there is no issue between them.
Peter Navarro, who helped design Trump’s trade policy, especially the ‘Reciprocal Tariffs’, told NBC News that he’s not bothered by Elon Musk’s harsh words. “Everything’s fine with Elon,” Navarro said, laughing. When asked about being called a moron, he replied, “I’ve been called worse,” and added, “Elon and I are agreeing. It’s not an issue.”
Read More: How Trump’s Tariffs Are Shaping Investment Strategies in a Volatile Market
Why Did Elon Musk and Navarro Argue?
The tension began when Elon Musk criticized Trump’s tariffs on Twitter. Musk even deleted a comment where he said Navarro’s PhD from Harvard is a ‘bad thing’ and that Navarro hasn’t “built anything.”
In response, Navarro made comments in a interview, saying Musk is not a true car manufacturer because Tesla imports parts from China, Japan, and Taiwan. Navarro said, “We want the tires made in Akron, the transmissions made in Indianapolis, the engines made in Flint and Saginaw, and the cars manufactured here in America.”
Musk fired back on Twitter, calling Navarro a “moron” and saying Tesla makes the most American-made cars. He even joked that the insult was unfair to bricks.
White House Response
The White House didn’t take the fight seriously. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “These are two people with different views on trade and tariffs. Boys will be boys—we’ll let them continue their public sparring.”
