ELON AND TARIFFS.

 

GROK

Based on the available information, Elon Musk does not agree with Donald Trump's tariff approach. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the evidence:

Musk has publicly and privately expressed opposition to Trump's tariff policies. According to a Washington Post article from April 8, 2025, Musk made personal appeals to Trump to reverse the sweeping tariffs, which included a 34% tax on imports and a threatened 50% tariff on Chinese goods. Musk’s efforts were unsuccessful, and the article notes that this disagreement marks the "highest-profile disagreement between the president and one of his key advisers." Musk also posted on X, criticizing the tariffs by stating, “Who would have thought that Trump was actually the most high tax American President in generations,” highlighting how the tariffs act as a "structural, permanent tax on the American consumer." Additionally, he shared a video of economist Milton Friedman advocating for free trade, signaling his preference for international trade cooperation over protectionist policies like tariffs.

The Guardian’s April 9, 2025, report further supports this, noting that Musk’s failure to sway Trump on tariffs is seen by some as evidence of a growing rift between the two. At a conference in Italy, Musk advocated for zero tariffs between the US and the EU, stating, “That has certainly been my advice to the president.” He also engaged in a public feud with Peter Navarro, a key Trump ally and architect of the tariff strategy, attacking Navarro’s credentials and economic rationale for the tariffs.

Musk’s opposition isn’t just ideological; it ties to his business interests. The Guardian’s May 28, 2025, article mentions that Trump’s "One Beautiful Bill Act" would end a $7,500 tax credit for electric vehicles and impose a $250 annual registration fee for EV owners—policies that directly impact Tesla, Musk’s electric vehicle company. Tesla has already suffered financially, with a 71% drop in first-quarter profits to $409 million in 2025 (compared to $1.39 billion in 2024) and a 25% loss in market value since Musk joined the Trump administration, as reported by the same Guardian article. The Washington Post on April 9, 2025, also notes a backlash against Tesla, including protests and vandalism at dealerships, partly due to Musk’s political involvement, which may have been exacerbated by tariff-related economic tensions.

Musk’s role in the Trump administration as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) also created friction. His focus on reducing federal spending clashed with Trump’s tariff-driven economic policies, which Musk criticized for increasing the budget deficit. The BBC reported on May 28, 2025, that Musk was "disappointed" with Trump’s "big, beautiful" tax bill, which included tariff-related defense spending increases, stating it “undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing.” This bill, which also extended tax cuts and raised the debt ceiling to $4 trillion, was seen by Musk as contradictory to his cost-cutting efforts, further highlighting his disagreement with Trump’s broader economic strategy, including tariffs.

In summary, Musk’s public statements, private lobbying efforts, and the economic impact on Tesla all indicate that he strongly disagrees with Trump’s tariff approach, favoring free trade policies instead. This tension has contributed to a strained relationship between the two, despite Musk’s earlier support for Trump’s 2024 campaign, where he donated over $250 million, as noted by the BBC on May 28, 2025.