Elon Musk criticized President Trump’s top trade adviser as “dumber than a sack of bricks” on Tuesday, revealing a significant division within the president’s inner circle regarding the extensive tariffs impacting the global economy.
The ongoing feud between Mr. Musk and Peter Navarro, the architect of many of Mr. Trump’s trade strategies, has intensified recently as the new tariffs implemented by the administration have led to substantial losses in global financial markets.
Despite the clash between his top aides, Mr. Trump has not publicly commented on the situation, claiming to hold both individuals in high esteem. Mr. Musk’s criticisms of Mr. Navarro mark a rare instance of a key adviser criticizing Mr. Trump’s policies.
Since Mr. Trump announced broad tariffs on foreign countries on April 2, Mr. Musk, the wealthiest person in the world, is estimated to have lost around $31 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
The dispute escalated when Mr. Navarro claimed on CNBC on Monday that Mr. Musk was not a “car manufacturer” but a “car assembler” due to Tesla, Mr. Musk’s electric vehicle company, relying on components from various countries.
In response, Mr. Musk referred to Mr. Navarro as a “moron” and “dumber than a sack of bricks” in a post on X, the social media platform he owns. Later, Mr. Musk reiterated his stance, apologizing to bricks and using a derogatory term to describe Mr. Navarro.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt downplayed the feud, stating, “Boys will be boys, and we will let their public sparring continue,” when addressing reporters.
Mr. Navarro declined to comment on Mr. Musk’s social media posts when questioned by reporters at the White House on Tuesday afternoon.
Mr. Trump has a history of allowing, and sometimes encouraging, conflicts among his top advisers, but it is uncommon for such animosity between aides to be displayed so openly. Mr. Navarro, a senior official on trade matters during Mr. Trump’s first term, has remained loyal to the president, even serving time in jail for contempt of Congress.
Mr. Musk, a prominent figure in the president’s inner circle, has generally supported Mr. Trump’s policies but has taken exception to the tariffs. He has advocated for “zero tariffs” between the United States and Europe, criticizing Mr. Navarro’s economics background and lack of constructive contributions.
Mr. Musk’s brother, Kimbal, has also voiced opposition to the tariffs on social media, defending his brother and condemning the president’s actions as detrimental to American consumers.
Mr. Musk frequently utilizes his X account to confront his critics and engage with his massive following. He has previously targeted judges ruling against his companies and expressed frustration at hindered cost-cutting measures within the government.
Since the announcement of the tariffs, administration officials have provided varying explanations about the president’s plan. While Mr. Navarro insists the tariffs are not a negotiation tactic, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggests Mr. Trump is open to discussions as countries seek new trade agreements.
“President Trump, as you know, is better than anyone at giving himself maximum leverage,” Mr. Bessent stated on Fox News.
Kate Conger and Maggie Haberman contributed to this report.