Tech CEO Elon Musk, who has remained relatively quiet about President Donald Trump’s tariff policy, said on Saturday he hopes to see a “free trade zone” between the U.S. and Europe.
“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, effectively creating a free trade zone between Europe and North America,” Musk told far-right Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini at a virtual event.
Musk’s comment came days after Trump announced a blanket 10% tariff on imports entering the U.S. from every country and a harsher 20% tariff on those in the European Union, including Italy.
Italy’s premier, Giorgia Meloni, called Trump’s tariffs “wrong” and said they do not benefit either side.
“We will do everything we can to work towards an agreement with the United States, with the aim of avoiding a trade war that would inevitably weaken the West in favor of other global players,” Meloni said in a translated Facebook post.
Musk told Salvini he wants to see greater work mobility between the U.S. and Europe, stating: “If people wish to work in Europe or wish to work in North America, they should be allowed to do so in my view.”
“That has certainly been my advice to the president,” Musk said.
Musk, who has become a close adviser to Trump and defended the President’s agenda, had remained relatively quiet about the tariffs until Saturday. However, stock prices in his tech company, Tesla, have taken a drastic nose-dive following Trump’s so-called Liberation Day.
In a series of replies on his social media site X, Musk slammed White House aide Peter Navarro, a Harvard graduate who earned a Ph.D. in economics and backed Trump’s tariff policies.
“A PhD in Econ from Harvard is a bad thing, not a good thing,” Musk wrote. “Results in the ego/brains>>1 problem.”
Musk launched another swing at Navarro in a reply to a user who defended the economist, posting: “He ain’t built shit.”
Another post quoted conservative economist Thomas Sowell: “In every disaster throughout American history, there always seems to be a man from Harvard in the middle of it.”
Musk replied, “Yup.”
Some predict Musk will step back from his role spearheading the so-called Department of Government Efficiency in May, when his title of special government employee hits its 130-day expiration.