April 8 - Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO Elon Musk privately urged former U.S. President Donald Trump to reconsider escalating trade tariffs on Chinese imports, but his efforts have so far failed to move the needle, according to a Tuesday report by The Washington Post citing sources familiar with the matter.

Musk, who also serves as a Trump adviser, reportedly appealed to the Republican candidate amid rising concerns from business leaders over the economic fallout of proposed duties as high as 50%, layered on top of an existing 34% tariff. Critics say the measures could raise consumer prices and deepen recession risks.

While Musk has voiced his disagreement publicly, sharing a video of economist Milton Friedman defending free trade and criticizing Trump adviser Peter Navarro on X, the White House remains firm on its stance. When he makes a decision everyone rows in the same direction, said press secretary Karoline Leavitt in a statement.

Investor Joe Lonsdale, a longtime Musk ally, has also raised concerns within administration circles, warning that tariffs could harm U.S. firms more than Chinese rivals. Meanwhile, Tesla board member Kimbal Musk called Trump's trade policy a structural tax on American consumers.