THE head of the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Elon Musk personally urged US President Donald Trump to reverse sweeping new tariffs on Chinese imports, The Washington Post reported.
As Trump threatened to slap a 50 per cent tariff on goods from China, Musk took to social media to voice his opposition. Behind the scenes, the DOGE chief also made direct appeals to the President, hoping to convince him to scale back the measures.
Reports indicated that Musk had direct talks with Trump, trying to stop the aggressive tariff hike. However, his attempts haven't been successful.
On Monday, Trump said he would impose 50 per cent tariffs on Chinese goods, on top of the 34 per cent already announced. However, Trump did indicate he is willing to negotiate his policy.
That same day, Musk, who hasn't explicitly spoken out against tariffs, shared a video of economist Milton Friedman on his social media platform X. Friedman explained in the clip how international trade benefits everybody, pointing to the example of a simple pencil and how all its components are made from everywhere around the world.
With the help of video, Musk subtly indicated his stance on the issue: he believes increased tariffs are bad for global collaboration.
In an interview with Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini on Saturday, the billionaire said, "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."
"That has certainly been my advice to the president," he added.
Musk Clashed With Trump’s Team?
Musk is particularly against tariffs that impact Tesla, his electric car firm, which relies on both US and Chinese markets for manufacturing and sales.
Over the weekend, Musk lashed out at Peter Navarro, the White House adviser who is responsible for the tariff policy. Musk ridiculed Navarro's educational background, stating, "A PhD in Econ from Harvard is a bad thing, not a good thing."
In response, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said, "The President has put together a remarkable team of highly talented and experienced individuals who bring different ideas to the table, knowing that President Trump is the ultimate decision maker."
Musk's battle against tariffs dates back years. In 2020, Tesla sued the Trump administration for tariffs on components imported from China. Initially, Musk backed the lawsuit, calling the policy unfair. However, he became sceptical, fearing it would make him appear as if he were aligning with China and against Trump's "America First" agenda, reported The Washington Post.
Tesla’s stock dropped more than 2.5 per cent on Monday, closing at US$233.29. The company’s value has fallen by over 38 per cent since the start of the year. - April 8, 2025
