'Boys Will Boys': White House Reacts To Elon Musk's Tariff Clash With Trump Adviser Peter Navarro

A recent online clash between Elon Musk and former Trump advisor Peter Navarro over tariffs has drawn a sharp response from the White House. The exchange, marked by pointed accusations and strong words, has ignited a debate about economic policy and political rhetoric, highlighting the ongoing tension between key figures in business and politics.

Elon Musk went after Donald Trump's top trade advisor Peter Navarro again on Tuesday, labelling him a 'moron' on social media, as the Tesla CEO further distanced himself from the White House's tariff plans. The White House, in response, brushed aside Musk's remarks.

White House Reacts To Musk-Navarro Clash

The White House reacted to the disagreement between Musk and Navarro, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stating during a Tuesday briefing, '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.'

'I think it also speaks to the president's willingness to hear from all sides that he has people at the highest levels of this government, in this White House, who have very diverse opinions on very diverse issues,' she added.

The Spark Of The Disagreement

Musk's statements came after a CNBC interview with Navarro, broadcast on 7 April. In the interview, the White House trade advisor discussed how Tesla's role as more of a 'car assembler' than a full vehicle producer might conflict with Trump's tariff plans.

These remarks followed Trump's announcement of broad tariffs on numerous countries, which stirred market uncertainty and could potentially raise car prices by thousands.

'In many cases, if you go to his Texas plant, a good part of the engines that he gets, which in the EV case are the batteries, come from Japan and come from China. The electronics come from Taiwan,' Navarro said.

'The difference is, in our thinking and Elon's on this, is that we want the tires made in Akron,' he added. 'We want the transmissions made in Indianapolis. We want the engines made in Flint and Saginaw. And we want the cars manufactured here.'

Musk Responds To Navarro's Tesla Claims

In an X post replying to a video clip of Navarro's remarks circulating on the social media site, Musk declared that Navarro 'is truly a moron.' The billionaire then stated, 'What he says here is demonstrably false,' before adding another insulting remark, referring to Navarro as 'Peter Retarrdo.'

In another set of posts on X, Musk asserted that 'Tesla has the most American-made cars,' further adding that 'Navarro is dumber than a sack of bricks.' He said, 'By any definition whatsoever, Tesla is the most vertically integrated auto manufacturer in America with the highest percentage of US content. Navarro should ask the fake expert he invented, Ron Vara.'

Tesla has consistently topped Cars.com's American-Made Index since 2021, a ranking determined by factors such as assembly site, origin of components, engine and transmission sources, and the size of the US manufacturing team.

Tesla, Tariffs, And Trump

Nevertheless, Tesla is still subject to tariffs, a point Musk himself has recognised. 'The tariff impact on Tesla is still significant,' Musk wrote in an X post last month. Before his Tuesday remarks, Musk had also posted, and subsequently deleted, a comment that called Navarro's Harvard PhD 'a bad thing' and accused him of having 'built sh*t.'

Speaking to CNBC on Monday, Navarro brushed aside worries about a conflict with Musk, stating, 'Everything is good with Elon, no problem.' Differing from Trump's tariff policies, Musk has publicly promoted free trade by sharing videos and expressing his belief in zero tariffs between the US and Europe at an Italian event.

On Monday, The Washington Post reported that Musk also made a 'direct appeal' to Trump. While Musk has disagreed with Trump on policy and personnel before, this tariff dispute marks a major difference in viewpoint between the president and a key supporter and advisor.