Elon Musk on Sunday responded to US President Donald Trump’s aide, Peter Navarro, after he criticised him for his social media platform X fact-checking his anti-India post, saying his community notes “corrects everyone without exception”. However, the billionaire did not directly respond to Navarro, nor did he mention his name in the post.
In a post on X, Musk wrote: “On this platform, the people decide the narrative. You hear all sides of an argument. Community Notes corrects everyone, no exceptions. Notes, data, and code is public source. Grok provides further fact-checking.”
On this platform, the people decide the narrative.
You hear all sides of an argument.
Community Notes corrects everyone, no exceptions. Notes data & code is public source.
Grok provides further fact-checking.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 7, 2025
Navarro, who has been repeatedly attacking India over its trade policies with Russia, posted yet another message accusing New Delhi of “profiteering” from the Russian oil imports. However, he 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,” the Trump aide wrote.
X promptly fact-checked Navarro’s assertions, pointing out that India’s purchases of Russian oil were motivated by the need for energy security and did 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 said.
“Navarro’s claims are hypocritical. India’s legal, sovereign purchases of Russian oil for energy security do not violate international law,” another note added.
The platform also highlighted that, while the US criticises India’s oil trade, it actively imports billions of dollars in Russian commodities such as uranium, “exposing a double standard”.
Navarro Reacts To Fact-Checks By X
In response to the fact-checks, Navarro dismissed them as a “crap note” and lambasted Musk for allegedly allowing misinformation on the platform and letting “propaganda in people’s posts”.
“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. Indian govt spin machine moving high tilt. Stop killing Ukrainians. Stop taking American jobs,” he said.
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
Navarro’s criticism of India intensified following Trump’s secondary tariffs targeting the country for its oil imports from Russia. As of now, the US tariffs imposed on Indian exports are above 50 per cent, which is one of the highest levies in Trump’s latest trade policies.
Since the announcement of tariffs, Navarro has repeatedly linked India’s actions to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, labeling it “Modi’s war” and accusing New Delhi of acting as a “laundromat for the Kremlin” through its continued oil purchases.
