In a remarkable move, Elon Musk - head of the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) - directly suggested that President Donald Trump reconsider the plan to impose tariffs on imports. However, according to The Washington Post, Musk's advice did not receive a nod from the head of the White House.
The newspaper said that the disagreement between Elon Musk and President Trump has become the most prominent disagreement between the President and one of his closest advisors since the Trump administration returned to power.
This is not only a confrontation over a specific policy, but also shows signs of a rift within Mr Trump's senior advisory team - which is considered an "ethique group" with a significant voice in the White House's policy making.
Not stopping at tariffs, Elon Musk is said to have significant disagreements with other senior officials about visa policies for highly skilled immigrants, as well as DOGE's approach to government spending.
These tensions show that Elon Musk still maintains the same "independent criticism" style as when he was a technology entrepreneur.
Also according to The Washington Post, on April 5, Mr. Elon Musk publicly criticized White House trade advisor Peter Navarro - who played a key role in designing the new tariff policy.
On social media platform X, Elon Musk wrote: A PhD in economics from Harvard is a bad thing, not a good thing - a controversial straightforward statement.
In addition to opposing current policies, Elon Musk has made bolder proposals: creating a free trade zone between the US and Europe.
In the end, I hope both sides can agree that both Europe and the US should move towards a duty-free zone that is my ideal view, Musk said in an interview over the weekend.
He stressed his desire not only for free trade but also for freedom of movement between the two regions: I want people to be able to move freely between the US and Europe, if they want to. That is what I advised the President.
In response to speculation about the conflict within the administration, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt issued a reassuring statement: President Trump has built a team of outstanding individuals, with a wide range of experiences and diverse views. Everyone gives their opinion, but the President makes the final decision.
She also emphasized: "Once a decision is made, everyone must work together in one direction to implement it. That is why this administration has done more in the past 2 months than 4 years ago.
