Elon Musk made a direct appeal to US President Donald Trump over the weekend to roll back new tariffs, but the effort was unsuccessful, according to a report in the Washington Post citing two unnamed sources.
The intervention marks a rare public disagreement between Trump and Musk, a close adviser to the president. It follows the announcement of a 10% baseline tariff on all imports, alongside steeper duties targeting specific countries.
During a virtual event hosted by Italy’s League Party, Musk called for zero tariffs between the US and Europe. Tesla has been hit hard by the trade measures, with sales falling and shares down more than 42% this year. The stock closed at $233.29 on Monday.
Musk has previously described the impact of the tariffs on Tesla as “significant”. Economists warn the measures risk reigniting inflation and raising living costs, complicating Trump’s pledge to lower prices for US households.