Elon Musk against Trump: Calls for Zero Tariffs with Europe

The bromance is overโ€”Elon Musk and Donald Trump are officially at war.

In a fiery new twist to Americaโ€™s brewing trade war, Elon Musk has publicly broken ranks with Donald Trump, calling for โ€œzero tariffsโ€ between the U.S. and Europe. The bombshell moment signals a dramatic shift in their once-tight allianceโ€”and itโ€™s shaking up the global political and business stage.

What once looked like a tech-billionaire-meets-president power duo is now unravelingโ€”fast.


โ€œZero Tariffsโ€: Musk Goes Rogue

During a high-profile video call with Italyโ€™s far-right League leader Matteo Salvini, Musk made a move that no one saw coming. Speaking during the Leagueโ€™s party congress in Florence, Musk shocked everyone by slamming Trumpโ€™s new tariffs and proposing a zero-tariff zone with Europe.

โ€œIdeally, there should be a free trade zone between Europe and North America,โ€ Musk said. โ€œA zero-tariff zone. Thatโ€™s where we should be heading.โ€

BOOM. Thatโ€™s the sound of Elon Musk slamming the door on Trumpโ€™s America First economic agenda.


Tariffs Tear the Trump-Musk Relationship Apart

The comments come just days after Trumpโ€™s sweeping new tariffs went into effect, hitting global goods with a baseline 10% tax and setting the stage for an all-out trade war. And Musk? Heโ€™s had enough.

Once dubbed Trumpโ€™s โ€œtech whisperer,โ€ Musk was quietly removed last week from his controversial post as head of the Department of Government Efficiencyโ€”a position Trump personally created for him.

Now, with Musk turning on Trump publicly, insiders are calling it the biggest political falling out of the year.

โ€œThe honeymoon is over,โ€ said one Washington insider. โ€œAnd now? Weโ€™re in for a brutal breakup.โ€


Trump Doubles Down as Musk Ditches the Plan

While Musk calls for free trade, Trump is going full steam ahead with his economic war machine.

In an all-caps post on his social platform X (formerly Twitter), Trump wrote:

โ€œTHIS IS AN ECONOMIC REVOLUTION, AND WE WILL WIN.โ€

Tariffs as high as 50% are now targeting countries including Lesotho, Cambodia, and Madagascar. Additional tariff hikes are expected to roll out Wednesday, with Europe, China, and Canada bracing for impact.

But with Musk publicly opposing the plan, cracks are forming in Trumpโ€™s inner circleโ€”and fast.


British and French Leaders Sound the Alarm

The fallout from Trumpโ€™s tariffs isnโ€™t just an American issue. World leaders are scrambling to respondโ€”and theyโ€™re not happy.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron held an emergency call Saturday to discuss Trumpโ€™s trade offensive.

โ€œThey agreed that a trade war was in nobodyโ€™s interest,โ€ said a joint statement. โ€œBut nothing is off the table.โ€

Translation: Donโ€™t poke the global economy.


Muskโ€™s Message: Open Markets, Not Trade Wars

This isnโ€™t the first time Musk has zigged when Trump zaggedโ€”but it might be the most aggressive.

Muskโ€™s comments during the Florence broadcast were sharp, calculated, and unmistakable:

โ€œTrade barriers only serve to divide people and slow progress.โ€

And while Salvini nodded in agreement, political analysts say Muskโ€™s message was meant for an entire continentโ€”and aimed directly at Trump.


Trouble in Paradise: From Allies to Enemies?

Letโ€™s rewind.

For years, Trump and Musk were strange-bedfellows-turned-bestiesโ€”a populist president and a space-bound billionaire who shared mutual admiration, ambition, and ego.

Trump tapped Musk for government roles. Musk defended Trump in tech circles. They backed each other in battles against โ€œthe deep stateโ€ and mainstream media.

But now? The gloves are off.

โ€œThis is a full-on clash of titans,โ€ says one political analyst. โ€œAnd itโ€™s about more than tariffs. Itโ€™s about power, influence, and who really controls the economic narrative in 2025.โ€


Will Muskโ€™s Words Influence Policy?

Musk may be out of Trumpโ€™s cabinet, but heโ€™s not out of the spotlight.

With over 160 million followers across platforms, he can shift opinion with a single tweetโ€”or, in this case, a single live-streamed speech in Italy.

The question now: Will Trump listenโ€”or retaliate?

Already, rumors are swirling that Trump may look to target Tesla or SpaceX with regulatory probes. Others say Musk is preparing to back an independent โ€œpro-tradeโ€ candidate if Trump keeps doubling down.


Wall Street Watchesโ€”and Worries

Traders werenโ€™t thrilled by the public feud.

Markets slid slightly on Saturday morning as news broke of Muskโ€™s anti-tariff stance. Tesla shares dipped 2.8%, and other multinational firms tied to European trade followed suit.

โ€œIt creates confusion,โ€ said one analyst. โ€œYouโ€™ve got the most powerful man in the world and the most influential businessman in a public economic slap-fight. No one knows whatโ€™s next.โ€


What Does This Mean for You?

Short answer: Prices could skyrocket. And this clash just made things even more unpredictable.

Hereโ€™s how the Elon Musk Trump tariff clash could hit your wallet:

  • ? Electronics: Higher prices on smartphones, laptops, and gadgets made in Europe
  • ? Groceries: Imported wines, cheeses, and meats could soar in price
  • ? Cars: Luxury car brands like BMW and Mercedes could face huge price hikes
  • ? Fashion: European clothing and textiles are tax up to 25%

Will This Rift Go Nuclear?

With both men doubling down and refusing to back off, insiders fear the feud could explode even further.

  • Will Musk openly campaign against Trump in 2026?
  • Will Trump try to crush Muskโ€™s companies through policy and regulation?
  • Could this fracture the Republican base, especially among younger tech-focused voters?

If this continues, 2025 might go down not as the year of tariffsโ€”but as the year Trump and Musk declared war on each other.


Elon Musk Trump Tariff Clash Just Starts

What began as a quiet policy disagreement is now a full-blown economic and political battle.

With Trump declaring tariff revolution, and Musk demanding free trade and open markets, the world is watchingโ€”and waiting for the next move.

The billionaire and the president were once untouchable allies. But now? Theyโ€™re on a collision course.

And when giants clash, the world shakes.

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