Musk also ridiculed Navarro’s past controversies, referencing the fictitious “Ron Vara” persona Navarro reportedly used in his academic work, quipping, “Navarro should ask the fake expert he invented, Ron Vara.”
The very public feud sheds light on growing divisions between Musk’s advocacy for free trade and the Trump camp’s protectionist policies, particularly as the US ramps up new tariffs expected to impact companies heavily reliant on global supply chains like Tesla.
Over the weekend, Musk continued his attacks, questioning Navarro’s academic background and joking that holding a Harvard degree might be “a bad thing, not a good thing.”
Navarro, for his part, accused Musk of caring only about his “own self-interest.”
‘Boys will be boys’: White House brushes off Musk-Navarro spat
Attempting to play down the controversy, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told CNBC:
“We are the most transparent administration in history expressing our disagreements in public,” dismissing the Musk-Navarro exchange with a curt “whatever.”
“Look, these are obviously two individuals who have very different views on trade and on tariffs,” Leavitt told reporters at a briefing when asked about the spat between the Trump administration colleagues.
“Boys will be boys, and we will let their public sparring continue,” she said.
While former President Donald Trump reportedly made the final call on the latest wave of tariffs, Navarro is widely believed to have been instrumental in shaping the policy, which could pose challenges for companies like Tesla that rely on international suppliers.
Musk, who previously expressed support for Trump, has become increasingly critical of broad-based tariffs, warning they could harm American innovation and competitiveness.
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