Peter Navarro, the US Trade Representative during Donald Trump’s presidency, strongly attacked billionaire Elon Musk after Musk’s social media platform, X, fact-checked Navarro’s controversial post about India’s oil imports from Russia. Navarro accused India of buying Russian oil purely for profit and alleged that these purchases helped finance Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Navarro’s Strong Accusations Against India
In recent months, Navarro has frequently targeted India, using harsh words to justify Trump’s decision to impose 50% tariffs on Indian goods. On Friday, Navarro posted on X, arguing that India bought Russian oil solely to benefit financially and help Russia’s military effort. He wrote, “FACTS: India’s highest tariffs cost US jobs. India buys Russian oil purely to profit/Revenues feed the Russian war machine. Ukrainians/Russians die. U.S. taxpayers shell out more. India can’t handle truth/spins.”
X Provides Context with a Community Note
Shortly after Navarro’s post, X added a community note titled “Readers added context they thought people might want to know.” The note explained that India’s purchases of Russian oil served its energy security needs and did not violate any international sanctions. Moreover, it pointed out that the United States itself continued to import uranium and minerals from Russia, calling this a double standard.
The community note read: “India’s Russian oil purchases are for energy security, not just profit, & don’t violate sanctions. While India has some tariffs, the US has a trade surplus with it in services. US also continues to import certain commodities from Russia, which is hypocritical.”
Navarro Fires Back at Elon Musk
Angered by the fact-check, Navarro accused Elon Musk of spreading propaganda through X. He responded aggressively,
“Wow. @elonmusk is letting propaganda into people’s posts. That crap note below is just that. Crap. India buys Russian oil solely to profiteer. It didn’t buy any before Russia invaded Ukraine. The Indian government’s spin machine is moving high tilt. Stop killing Ukrainians. Stop taking American jobs.”
Wow. @elonmusk is letting propaganda into people’s posts. That crap note below is just that. Crap. India buys Russia oil solely to profiteer. It didn’t buy any before Russia invaded Ukraine. Indian govt spin machine moving high tilt. Stop killing Ukranians. Stop taking… https://t.co/Uj1NMUrVOM
— Peter Navarro (@RealPNavarro) September 6, 2025
X Fact-Checks Navarro Again
Soon after Navarro’s counter-attack, X fact-checked his statements once more. The platform emphasized that India’s decision to purchase Russian oil was a sovereign action and fully legal. Additionally, it reiterated that the United States also imports certain commodities from Russia, thereby showing inconsistency in its position.
Background: The Trump-Musk Relationship
Interestingly, Peter Navarro’s sharp response to Elon Musk comes after a brief period of camaraderie between Musk and Donald Trump during Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign against then-Vice President Kamala Harris. At that time, Musk supported Trump in certain ways, and they shared a friendly relationship. However, their alliance ended publicly after a disagreement over Trump’s controversial “big beautiful bill.”
The debate over India’s purchase of Russian oil has intensified following Navarro’s accusations and X’s fact-checks. While Navarro continues to push a strong anti-India narrative, the fact-checks highlight a more complex reality of global trade and geopolitical decisions. Meanwhile, India maintains that its oil imports are driven by energy security needs and remain fully compliant with international laws.
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