US President Donald Trump’s aide, Peter Navarro, and billionaire Elon Musk have exchanged words after Navarro’s controversial post on X (formerly Twitter) was fact-checked. The heated exchange revolves around India's oil trade with Russia and the accusations Navarro leveled at New Delhi. However, Musk, defended the platform’s fact-checking mechanism.
Trump’s aide’s anti-India remarks
Navarro in a post on X accused India of "profiteering" from Russian oil imports, which he claimed were funding the war machine in Russia. However, Navarro got fact-checked on X, with his claims being called "hypocritical."
"FACTS: India highest tariffs costs US jobs. India buys Russian oil purely to profit/Revenues feed Russia war machine. Ukrainians/Russians die. U.S. taxpayers shell out more. India can't handle truth/spins," Navarro wrote.
X fact-checks Navarro
To this, the X's fact-checking note corrected him, comments that India's Russian oil purchases are for "energy security" and they "do not violate sanctions". "While India has some tariffs, the US has a trade surplus with it in services. The US also continues to import certain commodities from Russia, which is hypocritical," it read.
"Navarro's claims are hypocritical. India's legal, sovereign purchases of Russian oil for energy security do not violate international law,” it said adding that though “the US is pressuring India over its oil trade, they themselves are continuing to import billions in Russian goods, like uranium, and "exposing a clear double standard".
Navarro hits back: Calls fact-check ‘crap’
Navarro then responded to the fact-check with a fiery retort, dismissing it as "crap." He also targeted Musk personally, accusing the billionaire of allowing "propaganda" to spread on his platform.
“Wow. @elonmusk is letting propaganda into people’s posts. That crap note below is just that. Crap. India buys Russian oil solely to profiteer,” Navarro tweeted. He further claimed that India hadn’t bought Russian oil before the invasion of Ukraine, labeling the Indian government’s stance as a “spin machine” aimed at profiting from the war. Navarro wrapped up his message with a stark appeal: “Stop killing Ukrainians. Stop taking American jobs.”
Musk responds
Musk, however, took a firm stance in defense of his platform's fact-checking, claiming that “Community Notes” would correct anyone, regardless of their position. “On this platform, the people decide the narrative. You hear all sides of an argument. Community Notes corrects everyone, no exceptions,” Musk said in a post. He went on to add that all fact-checking data and code are public, further promoting transparency.
Navarro's repeated attacks on India
Peter Navarro's attacks on India are not new. After the Trump administration imposed secondary tariffs on India due to its oil trade with Russia, Navarro intensified his rhetoric. He accused India of running a "profiteering scheme" by continuing to import Russian oil and even labeled the country a "laundromat for the Kremlin."
This year, Trump imposed additional 25% duties on Indian imports, bringing the total tariffs to 50%. Navarro’s repeated anti-India comments came amid these heightened trade tensions, as well as India’s growing ties with Russia and China. US President Trump also later backtracked on comments suggesting that the US had “lost India to China,” reaffirming that India and the US share a "special relationship."
