Musk casts doubt on his belief in Trump’s tariffs
Elon Musk has expressed skepticism regarding tariffs endorsed by the Trump administration as he defends free trade principles. In a recent video, Musk shared economist Milton Friedman’s arguments for free trade, illustrating how global cooperation is essential for creating products, as exemplified by the multifaceted origin of a pencil. although Musk serves as an adviser to President trump and is regarded as head of the Department of Government Efficiency, he has distanced himself from the administration’s tariff discussions, which have revealed internal divisions among officials about their permanence as a trade strategy.
Musk has publicly clashed with Peter Navarro, a prominent advocate for tariffs in the administration, criticizing the qualifications of economists towards trade policy and asserting that their insights lack practical value.Despite potential tensions, Navarro downplayed the situation, commenting that Musk is simply voicing his personal opinions influenced by his business interests.The ongoing dialog highlights a broader debate within the administration regarding trade policies and their long-term implications for the economy.
Musk casts doubt on his belief in Trump’s tariffs with defense of free trade
Elon Musk posted a video featuring a defense of free trade, seemingly adding to his jabs at pro-tariff forces inside the Trump administration.
Musk is an adviser to President Donald Trump and is the de-facto head of the Department of Government Efficiency within the White House, but he has not been part of the White House‘s tariff plan rollout. The Trump administration’s messaging on whether the tariffs are permanent or not has been mixed, with some pro-tariff officials, including White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, arguing they are a solution with staying power.
NAVARRO SEEKS TO COOL TENSION WITH MUSK OVER TARIFFS: ‘THERE’S NO RIFT HERE’
On Monday morning, Musk posted a video on X of economist Milton Friedman defending free trade by using a pencil as an analogy for how it would only be possible with such policies in place.
“The impersonal operation of prices that brought together and got to cooperate to make this pencil so that you could have it for a trifling sum. That is why the operation of the free market is so essential. Not only to promote productive efficiency but even more, to foster harmony and peace among the peoples of the world,” Friedman said in the video, explaining all the pieces of the pencil coming from around the world.
Musk’s post comes days after he took a swipe at Navarro for his defense of tariffs as a sound policy for the Trump administration. Musk responded to a post on X featuring a video of Navarro discussing trade deficits and attributing it to countries taking away factories and jobs from the U.S.
“A PhD in Econ from Harvard is a bad thing, not a good thing,” Musk said in a post on X responding to the video. “Results in the ego/brains>>1 problem.”
A subsequent reply to Musk’s post defended Navarro, to which the billionaire responded, “he ain’t built s***.”
WHITE HOUSE ADVISERS SPLIT ON DEFENDING TRUMP TARIFFS AS PERMANENT OR A NEGOTIATING TACTIC
Navarro was asked about the comments on Fox News’s Sunday Morning Futures and if there was a rift in the administration. He responded that Musk was “simply protecting his own interests,” noting that Musk “sells cars.”
“So it’s fine. There’s no rift here. Look, Elon, he’s got X, he’s got a big microphone, we don’t mind him saying whatever he wants, but the American people need to understand that we understand what that’s all about, and it’s fine. It’s fine,” Navarro said.
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