Peter Navarro, the White House Senior Counselor for trade and manufacturing, dismissed Elon Musk’s insults during an interview with NBC News’ Kristen Welker on Sunday. Navarro assured that everything was fine between them, despite Musk’s criticism of the Trump administration’s tariff policies. “First of all, Elon and I are great. This is not an issue,” Navarro confidently stated when Welker inquired about Musk’s remarks. “I’ve been called worse. Everything is fine with Elon. And look, Elon is doing a very good job with his team addressing waste, fraud, and abuse. That’s a tremendous contribution to America, and no one engaging in such efforts should face threats like having his cars firebombed by extremists.”
Musk had referred to Navarro as “dumber than a sack of bricks” and a “moron” after Navarro remarked that Musk was not a car manufacturer, but merely a car “assembler.” Welker questioned Navarro about Musk’s stance on President Trump’s tariff policy, as Musk had been an advocate for “zero tariffs” and a free-trade zone between the U.S. and Europe.
Navarro discussed the disagreement with Musk during NBC’s “Meet the Press,” emphasizing the challenges of dealing with non-tariff barriers, currency manipulation, dumping, VAT tax, and other issues that are currently only addressable through tariffs. When asked about reports of being sidelined, Navarro nonchalantly responded, “I’m here. I’m here on ‘Meet the Press,’” as Welker transitioned to a commercial break.
Musk’s call for zero tariffs was highlighted during a recent video interview with Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, where he shared his recommendation to Trump regarding strengthening the relationship with European countries. Musk proposed a zero-tariff situation between Europe and North America to foster a free trade zone.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the Musk-Navarro dispute during a press briefing, acknowledging their differing views on trade and tariffs with a lighthearted perspective. Leavitt commented, “These are obviously two individuals who have very different views on trade and tariffs. Boys will be boys, and we will let their public sparring continue,” emphasizing the administration’s commitment to transparency.
