Elon Musk, billionaire entrepreneur and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has reportedly made direct appeals to President Donald Trump to reconsider the administration’s sweeping new tariffs on foreign imports. The Washington Post reported on April 8 that Musk, who currently serves as Trump’s “government efficiency czar,” has taken a vocal and increasingly personal stance against the tariff policy, which many business leaders view as a threat to global supply chains, consumer prices, and American competitiveness.

The rift highlights a growing tension between the White House and parts of the business and tech communities that once backed the president, particularly during his 2024 re-election campaign. Trump’s imposition last week of a 34% tariff on Chinese goods – with threats of an additional 50% tariff should Beijing retaliate – has set off alarm bells across corporate America, particularly in sectors reliant on international markets and supply chains.

Over the weekend, Musk reportedly reached out personally to Trump in an attempt to change his mind on the tariffs. While details of their conversation remain private, two sources familiar with the outreach told the Post that the intervention had, so far, failed to influence the president’s decision.

Musk also took to social media to openly criticize Peter Navarro, Trump’s trade adviser and one of the primary architects of the tariff strategy. In one particularly pointed post, Musk

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