Elon Musk made ‘personal appeals’ to Donald Trump against US tariffs: Report
Trump tariffs: Elon Musk’s “attempted intervention” has not yielded success so far.
- Apr 8, 2025,
- Updated Apr 8, 2025 1:14 PM IST
Tech mogul Elon Musk had advised and made “personal appeals” to US President Donald Trump against the tariffs imposed by the administration on the nation’s trading partners. Musk also, over the weekend, put up a series of social media posts, criticising one of the lead White House advisers.
According to a report in the Washington Post, Musk’s “attempted intervention” has not yielded success so far.
In fact, Trump threatened to impose a 50 per cent tariff on China, who retaliated with its own tariffs of 34 per cent following US’ reciprocal tariffs announcements.
Further demonstrating his concerns with tariffs, posted a video on X of late conservative economics Milton Friedman on the benefits of international trade cooperation. He also, speaking with Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini over the weekend, said he would like a ‘free trade zone’ between Europe and the US.
“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,” he said, adding that European and American people should have more freedom to move between countries “if they wish”. “That has certainly been my advice to the president,” he said.
The chief executive of electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla, has consistently expressed concerns about tariffs, viewing them as obstacles to the company's business objectives. Tesla, which considers both the United States and China as vital manufacturing and consumer markets, may face challenges due to new tariffs. Analysts suggest that other car manufacturers could be more adversely affected by these tariffs.
Musk's opposition to tariffs dates back to the former administration of Trump. During that period, Tesla filed a lawsuit aiming to overturn tariffs on its imports from China to the United States.
Musk, the world's richest individual, is anticipated to leave his advisory role soon. This development also coincides with mounting pressure on Tesla to address signs of declining demand, partly attributed to Musk's involvement in political matters.
Tech mogul Elon Musk had advised and made “personal appeals” to US President Donald Trump against the tariffs imposed by the administration on the nation’s trading partners. Musk also, over the weekend, put up a series of social media posts, criticising one of the lead White House advisers.
According to a report in the Washington Post, Musk’s “attempted intervention” has not yielded success so far.
In fact, Trump threatened to impose a 50 per cent tariff on China, who retaliated with its own tariffs of 34 per cent following US’ reciprocal tariffs announcements.
Further demonstrating his concerns with tariffs, posted a video on X of late conservative economics Milton Friedman on the benefits of international trade cooperation. He also, speaking with Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini over the weekend, said he would like a ‘free trade zone’ between Europe and the US.
“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,” he said, adding that European and American people should have more freedom to move between countries “if they wish”. “That has certainly been my advice to the president,” he said.
The chief executive of electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla, has consistently expressed concerns about tariffs, viewing them as obstacles to the company's business objectives. Tesla, which considers both the United States and China as vital manufacturing and consumer markets, may face challenges due to new tariffs. Analysts suggest that other car manufacturers could be more adversely affected by these tariffs.
Musk's opposition to tariffs dates back to the former administration of Trump. During that period, Tesla filed a lawsuit aiming to overturn tariffs on its imports from China to the United States.
Musk, the world's richest individual, is anticipated to leave his advisory role soon. This development also coincides with mounting pressure on Tesla to address signs of declining demand, partly attributed to Musk's involvement in political matters.