Elon Musk slams Trump adviser Peter Navarro: "Dumber than a sack of bricks"

Washington DC - Elon Musk had some insulting things to say about trade adviser Peter Navarro recently, in yet another instance of internal fighting within President Donald Trump's administration.

In recent social media posts, Elon Musk (r.) criticized President Donald Trump's close friend Peter Navarro after he insulted the car company Tesla.
In recent social media posts, Elon Musk (r.) criticized President Donald Trump's close friend Peter Navarro after he insulted the car company Tesla.  © Collage: IMAGO / ABACAPRESS & Robin LEGRAND / AFP

On Monday, Navarro did an interview with CNBC in which he alleged that Musk's electric car company, Tesla, uses foreign parts.

This would mean the company is not operating under MAGA's America first principle, which Navarro says is "bad for our economics" and "bad for our national security."

On Tuesday, Musk commented on a clip shared on X of Navarro's remarks, describing his colleague as a "moron" and the claims as "demonstrably false."

Elon Musk: Elon Musk says DOGE will save the government $150 billion – far below earlier claims
Elon Musk Elon Musk says DOGE will save the government $150 billion – far below earlier claims

"Tesla has the most American-made cars. Navarro is dumber than a sack of bricks," he said in another post.

The beef between the two MAGA allies comes after President Trump imposed tariffs on dozens of countries, sparking trade wars, tension with allies, and drops in markets worldwide.

Navarro is a longtime ally of Trump who worked in the president's first administration. Last year, he served four months in federal prison after he was convicted of contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena from the House committee that investigated the January 6 Capitol riots.

Right after his release from prison, Trump gave Navarro a job in his new administration.

Musk, on the other hand, has caused a stir since Trump got re-elected, as he has clashed with members of the administration and sparked widespread backlash as head of the made-up Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

A recent report claimed Musk could soon be removed from his political role, but a Trump official has called the claim "garbage."

Democrats and Republicans react to Elon Musk and Peter Navarro's clash

The clash between Musk and Navarro has garnered reactions from members of both sides of the political aisle.

While speaking on the Senate floor on Tuesday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer brought up Musk's "moron" comment, arguing the administration's tariff plan is "so crazy, so controversial, that this administration cannot get its act together" without calling each other names.

When White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked about the clash during a news conference on Tuesday, she responded, "Boys will be boys."

"These are obviously two individuals who have very different views on trade and on tariffs," Leavitt added. "We will let their public sparring continue."

Cover photo: Collage: IMAGO / ABACAPRESS & Robin LEGRAND / AFP

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