“Navarro is truly a moron. What he says here is demonstrably false,” Musk wrote on the social platform X in response to a video of Navarro discussing Tesla’s assembly process for its electric vehicles.
Navarro, in the CNBC interview, claimed Musk’s Tesla is not a “car manufacturer,” but rather a “car assembler” that puts together parts from other countries.
Tesla, led by Musk, has long touted itself as a leader in U.S. domestic production. The company produces all of its North American vehicles in the U.S. at factories in California and Texas, though some of its parts come from outside the country.
Musk pushed back on Navarro’s claims, stating Tesla “has the most American-made cars.”
“Navarro is dumber than a sack of bricks,” he added, writing later, “By any definition whatsoever, Tesla is the most vertically integrated auto manufacturer in America with the highest percentage of US content. Navarro should ask the fake expert he invented, Ron Vara."
Trump’s 25 percent auto tariff went into effect April 2 as part of his larger trade war. The president argues the tariffs will encourage foreign car manufacturers to move production into the U.S. and add American jobs.
Despite Tesla’s focus on U.S. production, the company still took a hit amid the global market rout, with its stock falling 19 percent since last week's tariff announcement.
Tesla previously warned it could be further exposed to retaliatory tariffs should other countries respond to Trump’s tariffs.
The White House dismissed concerns about the tension, calling it an example of transparency from the Trump administration.
“These are obviously two individuals who have very different views on trade and tariffs. Boys will be boys, and we will let their public sparring continue,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said during Tuesday’s briefing with reporters.
“You guys should all be very grateful that we have the most transparent administration in history.”
Read more in a full report at TheHill.com.
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