Elon Musk isn’t one to sit quietly when his pride and joy gets a jab, and boy, did he let loose when White House trade advisor Peter Navarro called Tesla more of a “car assembler” than a true manufacturer. The feud erupted after Navarro, a big cheerleader for President Trump’s hefty tariff plans, took a swing at Musk’s operation, suggesting Tesla’s just piecing together foreign parts—think Japan, China, and Taiwan—instead of building cars from scratch like a good ol’ American outfit. Musk, never one to back down from a scrap, hit back hard, standing up for Tesla’s red, white, and blue credentials and tossing some choice words Navarro’s way.
Navarro’s dig came during a TV spot where he was hyping up Trump’s push to bring manufacturing back home—think tires from Ohio, engines from Michigan, the whole nine yards. He painted Musk as a guy who’s happy snapping together cheap overseas bits to keep costs low, which didn’t sit well with the Tesla chief. Musk clapped back on X, slamming Navarro’s take as flat-out wrong and doubling down on Tesla’s street cred. He bragged that his company’s cars are as American as it gets, pointing out they’ve got more U.S.-made parts than pretty much anyone else in the game. And he didn’t stop there—Musk got personal, poking at Navarro’s credentials and even dragging up an old scandal where Navarro got caught quoting a made-up expert in his book. Ouch.
Fans and critics on X are eating it up. Some are cheering Musk for sticking it to the man, with one user crowing, “Elon’s out here proving Tesla’s the real deal—Navarro’s just talking smack.” Others aren’t so sure, siding with Navarro and arguing Musk’s just sore because tariffs might mess with his bottom line. After all, Tesla’s got factories humming in Texas and California, but it’s no secret they lean on global suppliers for batteries and electronics. With Trump’s tariffs—slapping 34% on Chinese goods and 20% on Europe—hitting hard, some reckon Musk’s fighting to keep his costs from skyrocketing.
The whole spat’s got folks wondering if there’s deeper tension brewing. Musk’s been cozy with Trump, even snagging a gig leading the Department of Government Efficiency, but his love for free trade puts him at odds with Navarro’s tariff-happy crew. Is this just a one-off beef, or a sign of bigger cracks in the team? For now, Musk’s holding his ground, hyping Tesla’s homegrown hustle while Navarro’s out there waving the tariff flag. One thing’s clear—this showdown’s got everyone picking sides, and it’s not dying down anytime soon.