Kimbal Musk Critiques Vance’s Support for Trump’s Tariffs

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Kimbal Musk, the younger brother of billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, criticized U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance on Wednesday over his support for President Trump‘s tariff policies, which Musk claims are harming underserved communities.

In a series of social media posts, Kimbal Musk responded directly to Vance’s comments regarding Democrats’ criticisms of Trump’s economic policies. Vance had tweeted about Democrats seeking assistance from Trump after previously accusing him of benefiting the wealthy. Musk took issue with Vance’s assertion that Democrats were in favor of reliance on Chinese supply chains, calling the tariffs a “tax” that has driven prices for everyday goods higher. “Republicans for higher prices. How about that? This Trump tariff-tax has driven prices for every day goods through the roof,” Musk wrote.

Kimbal Musk also addressed Vance specifically, stating, “I read your book. It’s good. I’d think you’d have more sympathy for your community’s cost of living. Inflation sucks for everyone, but it especially hits our underserved communities the most.” He echoed similar sentiments earlier this week, describing Trump as “the most high tax American President in generations,” linking tariffs to a “structural, permanent tax on the American consumer.”

Musk expressed concerns about the negative economic impact of the tariff strategy, arguing that while the intentions may be to bring jobs back to America, the tariffs still result in high prices due to inefficiencies in domestic production. “A tax on consumption also means less consumption. Which means less jobs. Which in turn leads to less consumption. And then even less jobs,” he explained.

His comments come amidst ongoing tensions between Trump’s administration and prominent figures in the business community. Earlier this week, Trump’s senior trade adviser, Peter Navarro, dismissed Elon Musk’s contributions to the automotive industry, claiming that he is merely a car assembler rather than a manufacturer. Navarro’s remarks drew a swift response from Kimbal Musk, who criticized Navarro’s understanding of Tesla vehicles, stating, “Just the fact that Navarro thinks that Tesla’s have engines says it all. Wow. And this guy is in charge of trade?”

The feud escalated when Elon Musk rebutted Navarro’s claim by suggesting that having a PhD in economics from Harvard can lead to intellectual arrogance rather than effective solutions.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt commented on the public spat, indicating that the ongoing disagreements between the Musk brothers and the administration are part of the political landscape, stating simply, “boys will be boys.”