The Blubber

Elon Musk Urged Trump to Reverse Tariffs — But Was Unsuccessful, Report Says

Tech billionaire and Tesla CEO Elon Musk made a direct appeal to President Donald Trump over the weekend in an effort to reverse newly announced tariffs, but the attempt was unsuccessful, The Washington Post reported Monday, citing two sources familiar with the exchange.

According to the report, the interaction represents the most high-profile public disagreement between Musk and Trump to date. It comes in the wake of Trump’s announcement of a sweeping 10% baseline tariff on all U.S. imports, along with steeper duties targeting dozens of specific countries.

Neither the White House nor Musk responded to Reuters’ requests for comment.

Musk, who serves as an adviser to Trump and has been working on initiatives to reduce federal spending through a newly created “Department of Government Efficiency,” advocated for eliminating trade barriers between the U.S. and Europe. His comments came during a virtual appearance at a congress hosted by Italy’s right-wing League Party in Florence over the weekend.

Tesla has been feeling the impact of the escalating trade tensions. The company’s quarterly sales have fallen sharply, and shares closed at $233.29 on Monday—down more than 42% year-to-date.

Musk has previously warned that Trump’s auto tariffs would have a “significant” effect on Tesla.

Economists, meanwhile, caution that the new tariffs could reignite inflation, increase the chances of a U.S. recession, and add thousands of dollars to the average American household’s annual expenses—posing a potential political liability for a president who campaigned on lowering the cost of living.