A surprising public rebuke of Donald Trump came from Elon Musk’s brother, Kimbal Musk, following last week’s imposition of retaliatory tariffs affecting global markets.
Kimbal Musk, 52, a prominent businessman with interests in the restaurant industry – he owns The Kitchen Restaurant Group – and a board member at Tesla, has strongly criticized Trump’s trade policies. He characterized the tariffs as a “structural, permanent tax on the American consumer,” arguing they will ultimately harm the nation’s economy.
Musk voiced his concerns on X (formerly Twitter), stating:
“Who would have thought that Trump was actually the most high-tax American President in generations?”
He elaborated, “Through his tariff strategy, Trump has implemented a structural, permanent tax on the American consumer. Even if he is successful in bringing jobs onshore through this ‘tariff tax,’ prices will remain elevated and the burden of higher costs will persist because we are simply not adept at producing everything ourselves.”
Musk further warned about a potential downward spiral: “A tax on consumption leads to less consumption, which translates to fewer jobs. This cycle then diminishes consumption further, resulting in even fewer job opportunities.”
He emphasized the importance of leveraging America’s strengths instead of attempting to compensate for weaknesses, advocating for a global approach based on those strengths.
Beyond his roles at Tesla and The Kitchen Restaurant Group, Kimbal Musk maintains involvement with various food and technology startups. He previously served as a director at both SpaceX and Chipotle.
Notably, Kimbal also held a position related to government efficiency initiatives before recent shifts in policy. His efforts focused on streamlining federal spending, including reducing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs – actions that have drawn criticism from some former federal employees.
Despite the criticism, Trump indicated he has no intention of reversing course amid ongoing international trade tensions and market instability.
While acknowledging the potential for short-term economic disruption, some Republican senators express hope that these tariffs will gradually subside over time. Senator John Cornyn stated that members of the Senate Finance Committee are seeking clarification on the overarching strategy: “What’s the ultimate goal here?”
He suggested a path forward, stating, “If the goal is zero tariffs and truly free trade, I think that’s a huge win for President Trump.”
