White House trade adviser Peter Navarro has denied any tensions between him and Tesla CEO Elon Musk over tariffs on US trading partners. In an interview with NBC News, Navarro laughed off reports of a public spat between the two men after Musk called Navarro a “moron” in a series of posts on social media.
Navarro said he and Musk are “agreeing” on key issues related to trade policy, including reducing barriers to trade and promoting American-made goods. However, Navarro also explained that there is a difference between the two men’s views on the issue, with Navarro advocating for more protectionist policies and Musk supporting a more open approach.
Navarro defended President Trump’s original decision to impose steep hikes on tariffs and his subsequent reversal of some of those measures. He said the temporary reduction in tariffs has created opportunities for negotiations with other countries and that he is optimistic about reaching deals with several nations, including the UK, EU, India, Japan, South Korea, and Israel.
When asked about China, Navarro accused the country of killing people with fentanyl and taking American jobs, but did not rule out talks with Beijing. He also addressed concerns over tariff exemptions for electronics, saying that the US is investigating the chip supply chain to ensure stability and resilience.
In a separate interview on ABC’s “This Week”, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick echoed Navarro’s views, signaling that the exemption from reciprocal tariffs on certain electronics was only temporary and that new duties targeting semiconductor chips would be forthcoming.
Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/peter-navarro-denies-tensions-elon-musk-musk-calls-moron-rcna201038