White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt responded to a question regarding Elon Musk's recent scathing remarks about President Donald Trump's trade adviser Peter Navarro.
When asked about the feud, and how it could impact the public's understanding of Trump's tariffs, Leavitt said Tuesday, "These are obviously two individuals who have very different views on trade and on tariffs. Boys will be boys, and we will let their public sparring continue. You guys should all be very grateful that we have the most transparent administration in history."
Why It Matters
Musk called President Donald Trump's trade adviser Peter Navarro "truly a moron" and "dumber than a sack of bricks" in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday. Musk, a top White House adviser on federal spending cuts, was responding to comments made by Navarro on CNBC about how Tesla makes its cars.
The clash between Musk and Navarro—two of the president's most influential advisers—over Tesla's manufacturing practices reflects a deeper and ongoing debate at the heart of U.S. industrial and trade policy, one that reaches right into the White House as it pursues historic tariffs.
What to Know
Navarro referred to Musk is "a car assembler" who relies on imports of foreign-made parts to build his electric vehicles with Tesla.
Navarro was defending the White House's policy on tariffs in his comments, arguing they were needed to rebuild American manufacturing capacity and prevent sectors—like the automotive industry—from sourcing parts from overseas.
"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 in many cases," Navarro said.
"Navarro is truly a moron. What he says here is demonstrably false," Musk responded on X, replying to a user who had posted the clip of Navarro. "Tesla has the most American-made cars. Navarro is dumber than a sack of bricks."
Musk continued: "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."
The reference to "Vara" is regarding a fake economist cited previously by Navarro in his work. The name is an anagram of Navarro.
On Monday, Kimbal Musk, the younger brother of Elon Musk, also criticized President Trump's tariffs in a post on X, formerly Twitter Monday, describing them as a "structural, permanent tax on the American consumer."
He also said that Trump is shaping up to be "the most high-tax American President in generations."
What People Are Saying
Leavitt continued during her weekly press conference: "It also speaks to the president's willingness to hear from all sides. He has people at the highest levels of this government, of this White House, who have very diverse opinions on very diverse issues. The president takes all opinions in mind, and then makes the best decision based on the best interest of the American public."
Navarro told CNBC: "What we want, and the difference is in our thinking and Elon's on this, is that we want the tires made in Akron, we want the transmissions made in Indianapolis, we want the engines made in Flint and Saginaw. And we want the cars manufactured here.
"With Elon, it's fine. He's a car person. That's what he does. He wants the cheap foreign parts and we understand that. But we want them home for our national security and our economic security. And everything's good with Elon."
What Happens Next
As the policy divide plays out publicly, it could influence how tariffs are addressed in the Republican agenda heading into the 2026 election cycle, particularly if the economy worsens.
Update: 4/8/25, 2 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and remarks.
Update: 4/8/25, 2:13 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and remarks.
Update: 4/8/25, 7:26 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and remarks.
