WP: Elon Musk is trying to persuade Trump to give up customs tariffs and attack the US President's trade counselor
US billionaire Elon Musk is making efforts to convince President Donald Trump to give up the imposed customs tariffs, according to sources familiar with the situation.
Elon Musk/Photo: Shutterstock
The director of Tesla has published a series of posts on social networks criticizing one of the main councilors at the White House for the aggressive tariff plan, writes The Washington Post.
Thus, this break is the most important divergence between the president and one of his basic counselors, who donated $ 290 million during the campaign for the November presidential election.
The two also had misunderstandings in terms of H1-B visas and how the Department for Government Efficiency (Doge) acted to reduce administrative expenses.
On Saturday, April 5, Musk attacked the trade counselor Peter Navarro, talking about his qualification.
“A doctorate in the economy at Harvard is a bad thing, not a good one“Wrote Musk.
Navarro did not respond to this attack, but Karoline Leavitt, the spokesman of the White House, said “The president has created a remarkable team made up of very talented and experienced individuals who come up with different ideas, knowing that President Trump is the one who makes the final decision. ”
In an interview with the Italian deputy Matteo Salvini from the weekend, Musk said he would like between Europe and the US to have a “free exchange zone”.
“At the end of the day, I hope it will agree that both Europe and the United States should advance, ideally in my opinion, to a situation with zero rates.” Musk said.
Elon Musk, who is also the executive director of the Tesla car giant, sees the rates as harmful to his business, in the context in which the company depends on the US and China as key production and consumption centers.
Musk was also opposed to Trump's first term, when Tesla filed a complaint to cancel the Tesla import tax to the United States.
Many businesses in the field of technology have been marked when they learned of the president's decision on tariffs, but also disappointed that they have not been able to exert their influence on the measure.
People around Musk came with requests directly to Trump's close friends, such as JD Vance or Elon Musk, pleading for what they considered to be more sensitive free trade policies.
Many supported Trump last year, at the elections, while they were aware that he would apply the tariffs that would harm the business industry but also to the American economy in general, but they expected Trump to be influenced by counselors such as Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, to impose some milder rates.
The businessmen did not even anticipate the fact that the Secretary of Trade, Howard Lutnick, who had been one of Musk's main channels to Trump's close circle, will become such a powerful supporter of protectionist policies.
The conflict between the president and one of his most influential advisers comes just a few weeks before Musk, the richest man in the world, will leave the administration post. It also appears in an increasing pressure context on Tesla to reverse the signs of a declining demand-partially caused by Musk's foray into politics.
Tesla shares remained at Monday at $ 233.29 per share, down by over 2.5%. So far, the shares have lost more than 38% of their value.
