White House trade adviser Peter Navarro has pushed back against Elon Musk’s recent comments on US tariffs, suggesting the Tesla CEO is acting out of self-interest as the billionaire’s fortune takes a major hit.

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Musk’s fortune dented by market crash

Musk, who heads both Tesla and SpaceX, reportedly lost around $11 billion following President Donald Trump’s new tariff announcements last week. That brings his total losses in 2025 alone to more than $110 billion, according to Bloomberg data tracking the world’s wealthiest individuals.

Also read: 'Free trade zone': Elon Musk wants 'zero tariff situation' between US, EU after Tesla loses BILLIONS amid Trump's tariff war

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Despite being a political ally and a major backer of Trump, Musk’s business has not escaped the fallout. Tesla, which manufactures cars in Texas, relies heavily on international supply chains.

“Teslas are made in Texas, but a lot of their content comes from China, Mexico, Japan and Taiwan,” Navarro said. “So, he’s particularly exposed. Elon sells cars. He’s simply protecting his own interests,” he added.

Musk calls for zero-tariff deal with Europe

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Musk on Saturday appeared by video at an event hosted by Italy’s right-wing coalition partner Matteo Salvini. There, he said that he hoped that the Trump administration would ease the 20 percent tariff levied on European goods.

“Ultimately, I hope there can be agreement that both Europe and the United States should move, ideally in my view, to a zero-tariff situation, effectively creating a free trade zone between Europe and North America,” Musk said.

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He also said, “If people wish to work in Europe or in North America, they should be allowed to do so in my view. This has certainly been my advice to the president.”

Musk jabs at Navarro’s credentials

Earlier, responding to a post praising Navarro, Musk took a swipe at the adviser’s academic background, saying, “A PhD in Econ from Harvard is a bad thing, not a good thing. Results in the ego/brains >>1 problem.”

Navarro didn’t directly address the comment.

“Elon when he’s in his DOGE lane is great,” Navarro said, “but we understand what’s going on here,” he added.

Also read: Trump channelling Elon Musk? France accuses US President of ‘interference’ after he labels Le Pen ruling ‘witch hunt’

Trump’s tariffs rock global markets

President Trump’s tariff policy, which he dubbed “the largest slate of US tariffs in a century,” has thrown global markets into chaos. Announced during his “Liberation Day” speech last Wednesday, the plan imposes a 10 percent baseline tariff on nearly all imports.

What is Elon Musk's stance on tariffs?

In past comments, Musk has warned that sudden tariff changes can cause massive disruption. Speaking to Joe Rogan last year, he said: “I think you need to be careful with tariffs… sudden changes mess everything up.”

Posting on X recently, Musk said, “To be clear, this will affect the price of parts in Tesla cars that come from other countries. The cost impact is not trivial.”

In another post, he added, “Important to note that Tesla is NOT unscathed here. The tariff impact on Tesla is still significant.”

(With inputs from agencies)