Elon Musk has lashed out at Donald Trump’s trade adviser Peter Navarro, calling him a “moron” and “dumber than a sack of bricks” in a heated exchange on X, the social media platform owned by Musk.
The clash followed comments from Navarro, who dismissed Musk as merely a “car assembler” whose Tesla vehicles rely heavily on parts sourced from countries such as China, Japan and Taiwan.
In response, Musk posted a study claiming Tesla produces more American-made cars than any other manufacturer.
The dispute marks a fresh flare-up between two high-profile figures at the centre of US politics and business, with trade policy and electric vehicles once again in the spotlight.
Musk recently departed the political scene after a brief sojourn as head of the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE for short.
It is understood he also lobbied Trump not to impose the wide-ranging tariffs that put the world on the cusp of an all-out trade war.