Tech billionaire Elon Musk has publicly voiced his opposition to President Donald Trump’s newly announced tariffs, calling for a “zero tariff situation” between the United States and Europe.
His comments, made over the weekend to Italian conservative politicians, contrast sharply with the administration’s recent push to impose sweeping new trade barriers.
Speaking with Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, Musk emphasized the potential benefits of eliminating tariffs between the US and European nations.
“At the end of the day, I hope it’s agreed that both Europe and the United States should move ideally, in my view, to a zero tariff situation—effectively creating a free trade zone between Europe and North America,” he said.
Musk also suggested that greater freedom of movement for workers between the two regions would be beneficial, stating:
“That has certainly been my advice to the president.”
Trump’s latest tariff plan, announced last week, includes a baseline 10% duty on all imports and higher tariffs on several major trading partners, including the European Union and China. The move is consistent with Trump’s campaign rhetoric, where he has framed tariffs as a tool to address trade imbalances and bolster American manufacturing.
“The tariffs give us great power to negotiate. Always have,” Trump said to reporters on Air Force One.
Despite his past support for Trump, Musk has now found himself at odds with the president over trade policy. According to reports, Musk made direct but unsuccessful appeals to Trump, urging him to reconsider the tariff measures.
Musk also took aim at one of the architects of the tariff policy, White House trade adviser Peter Navarro. In a series of posts on his social media platform, X, Musk responded dismissively to praise of Navarro’s economic credentials, stating:
“A PhD in Econ from Harvard is a bad thing, not a good thing.”
When another user defended Navarro, Musk responded more bluntly, using an expletive to suggest that the adviser had no experience in building businesses.
Tesla, the electric vehicle company led by Musk, has already been affected by shifting trade policies. The company has long relied on a global supply chain and international markets, making it sensitive to tariffs that could disrupt its operations. Analysts suggest that the new tariff measures could increase costs for Tesla and other automakers, while also triggering retaliatory trade actions from other nations.
Stock market concerns over the potential economic fallout from Trump’s trade policies have been growing. Tesla’s stock price has dropped by over 38% since the start of the year, with analysts warning that escalating trade tensions could further impact demand.
Despite Musk’s public stance, Trump has continued to double down on his tariff policies. On Monday, he threatened to impose an additional 50% tariff on Chinese imports, adding to the 34% duties announced the previous week. While the president has signaled openness to negotiations on some aspects of his trade plan, no immediate changes appear likely.
Reuters, Fortune, the Washington Post, and USA Today contributed to this report.
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