Musk Urges Trump to Remove Tariffs - WaPo
Elon Musk has reportedly reached out directly to US President Donald Trump, encouraging him to rethink the recently imposed tariffs on American trading partners, as reported by the Washington Post on Tuesday. The publication noted that numerous...
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Elon Musk has reportedly reached out directly to US President Donald Trump, encouraging him to rethink the recently imposed tariffs on American trading partners, as reported by the Washington Post on Tuesday. The publication noted that numerous business and tech leaders who backed Trump's election campaign have also expressed criticism of the tariffs, labeling them as excessively aggressive.
Last week, Trump announced a significant increase in tariffs on global imports, which included a 34% duty on goods from China. In retaliation, Beijing vowed to impose a matching 34% tariff on American exports, which led Trump to threaten an additional 50% tariff.
Over the weekend, Musk, who is the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX and serves as Trump's government efficiency czar, took to social media to voice his concerns about White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, who is a key figure in driving the president's tough tariff policy. Musk stated, “A PhD in Econ from Harvard is a bad thing, not a good thing.”
Musk has also sought to make a personal appeal to Trump, although sources familiar with the situation told the Washington Post that his efforts have yet to produce any results.
As Tesla's leader, Musk has consistently viewed tariffs as detrimental to the company's objectives, particularly since both the U.S. and China are significant manufacturing hubs and critical markets for Tesla.
According to the Post, many business leaders who supported Trump have expressed frustration over their inability to sway the policy, proposing that a more moderate 10% tariff rate combined with negotiations would have sufficed.
Individuals close to Musk have similarly sought to engage with allies in the Trump administration, such as Vice President J.D. Vance, advocating for policies that would align more closely with free trade principles. Investor Joe Lonsdale, a Musk associate, commented on X that he had recently urged “friends in the administration” to reconsider the tariffs, cautioning that they are likely to hurt American companies more than those in China.
In response to the growing concerns, a coalition of business leaders has started to form an informal group aimed at lobbying members of the Trump administration for more moderate trade policies, as revealed by an anonymous source familiar with the initiative.
Trump has stood by his decisions, asserting that “sometimes you have to take medicine to fix something,” and he has promised a return of jobs and investments to the U.S., claiming it will become “wealthy like never before.”
Aarav Patel for TROIB News
Last week, Trump announced a significant increase in tariffs on global imports, which included a 34% duty on goods from China. In retaliation, Beijing vowed to impose a matching 34% tariff on American exports, which led Trump to threaten an additional 50% tariff.
Over the weekend, Musk, who is the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX and serves as Trump's government efficiency czar, took to social media to voice his concerns about White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, who is a key figure in driving the president's tough tariff policy. Musk stated, “A PhD in Econ from Harvard is a bad thing, not a good thing.”
Musk has also sought to make a personal appeal to Trump, although sources familiar with the situation told the Washington Post that his efforts have yet to produce any results.
As Tesla's leader, Musk has consistently viewed tariffs as detrimental to the company's objectives, particularly since both the U.S. and China are significant manufacturing hubs and critical markets for Tesla.
According to the Post, many business leaders who supported Trump have expressed frustration over their inability to sway the policy, proposing that a more moderate 10% tariff rate combined with negotiations would have sufficed.
Individuals close to Musk have similarly sought to engage with allies in the Trump administration, such as Vice President J.D. Vance, advocating for policies that would align more closely with free trade principles. Investor Joe Lonsdale, a Musk associate, commented on X that he had recently urged “friends in the administration” to reconsider the tariffs, cautioning that they are likely to hurt American companies more than those in China.
In response to the growing concerns, a coalition of business leaders has started to form an informal group aimed at lobbying members of the Trump administration for more moderate trade policies, as revealed by an anonymous source familiar with the initiative.
Trump has stood by his decisions, asserting that “sometimes you have to take medicine to fix something,” and he has promised a return of jobs and investments to the U.S., claiming it will become “wealthy like never before.”
Aarav Patel for TROIB News
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