Athira Sethu
Kochi, 8 April 2025
Elon Musk himself requested Donald Trump to lift new tariffs that may damage American businesses, reports said. The tariffs, including a proposed 50% tax on Chinese imports, have been causing concern for Musk, particularly because they may adversely affect his business, Tesla.
Musk expressed his disapproval of the tariffs on social media and even attempted to sway Trump himself, Elon Musk unsuccessfully appealed to Trump to roll back tariffs, says a US newspaper.
This is not the first time Musk has been at odds with Trump regarding trade policies. In 2020, Tesla sued the Trump administration regarding previous tariffs. While Musk was an early supporter of Trump’s trade policies, he later criticized them, and the lawsuit became controversial, with some criticizing Musk for being too close to China.
With the new tariffs, many business executives, including Musk’s supporters, are concerned. Others have attempted to persuade Trump’s officials to reverse the decision, explaining that the tariffs would cause damage to American companies more than Chinese ones. One of Musk’s friends, investor Joe Lonsdale, publicly debated that these tariffs would damage U.S. companies and devastate the economy.
In the background, certain business executives have come together to advocate for less extreme trade policy. But since the arrival of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who is an advocate of protectionism, these efforts have been complicated.
The timing is particularly difficult for Musk and Tesla. Tesla’s sales have slowed down, and most attribute Musk’s increasing political profile for the firm’s woes. Tesla’s stock price has fallen sharply in recent months, and the company has lost a significant portion of its value this year.
Musk has appeared to relax his tone slightly, making a positive comment about a post in defense of the tariffs. Nevertheless, his brother, Kimbal Musk, chastised Trump for being the “highest tax” president in history.
Musk has also slammed Peter Navarro, Trump’s trade advisor who was instrumental in designing the tariffs. Musk’s remarks are evidence of his discontent with the present trade policies.
Musk has been against tariffs for a long time, as they can be detrimental to Tesla’s business, particularly with both China and the U.S. operations. Musk has advocated for a tariff-free future, envisioning a world where trade moves freely between Europe and the U.S. His conflict with Trump over tariffs reflects the increasing tensions between Silicon Valley and the political leaders they once backed.
