Elon Musk Thinks Trump Is an Idiot, Former White House Communications Director Reveals

In a candid and revealing moment at the U.K.’s Hay Festival, former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci made a striking claim that Tesla CEO Elon Musk thinks President Donald Trump “is an idiot.” Scaramucci’s comments expose a fissure between two of the most influential figures in American politics and business, suggesting that beneath the public surface of occasional political alignment lies a deep and fundamental disdain.

Scaramucci, a Wall Street financier-turned-political figure best known for his infamous 11-day tenure in the Trump White House in 2017, shared these insights during an on-stage interview with Alastair Campbell, a veteran political strategist and former press secretary to former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair. The conversation took place at the annual Hay Festival, a renowned gathering for intellectuals, writers, and cultural figures, where The Independent is a sponsor.

The bluntness of Scaramucci’s revelation was matched by his confidence in how he came to understand Musk’s true feelings about Trump. “Musk thinks Trump’s an idiot,” Scaramucci stated without hesitation. “And let me tell you how I know, because Musk doesn’t think like we do.”

The former communications chief explained the context in which Musk’s views were most clearly expressed: Musk’s public denouncement of Trump’s senior trade adviser Peter Navarro. Last month, Musk took to the social media platform X—formerly Twitter—to call Navarro “as dumb as a box of rocks,” followed by a sarcastic apology to the box of rocks for being insulted by the comparison.

Scaramucci interpreted Musk’s jibe at Navarro as a proxy criticism of Trump himself, since Navarro and the president share a near-identical stance on trade policy. “This is Navarro’s trade policy. This is Donald Trump’s trade policy,” Scaramucci said, using his hands to gesture in close alignment.

“You see, he thinks he’s an idiot,” Scaramucci added, underscoring Musk’s low opinion of Trump’s economic agenda.

This revelation adds new dimension to what had appeared a complex relationship between Musk and Trump. While Musk’s political affiliations and public statements over the past several years have at times aligned with Trump’s positions, Scaramucci’s comments suggest the Tesla CEO harbors deep reservations about Trump’s intellectual capacity and policy decisions.

Scaramucci’s insights come amid signs that Musk is stepping back from the political frontline. In recent weeks, Musk has announced plans to scale back his political spending and activity, citing the need to “do a lot less in the future.” This retreat follows mounting public backlash and poor polling numbers linked to Musk’s recent political interventions.

Musk’s foray into politics has been marked by notable missteps, including a high-profile failure in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race. According to a GOP operative who spoke to Politico on condition of anonymity, Musk’s attempts to sway the election were met with derision.

“He’s finished, done, gone. He polls terribly. People hate him,” the operative said. “He’d go to Wisconsin thinking he can buy people’s votes, wear the cheese hat, act like a 9-year-old. It doesn’t work. It’s offensive to people.”

The operative’s assessment paints a picture of a billionaire CEO whose political ambitions and unconventional approach failed to resonate with voters, undermining his influence within conservative circles.

Scaramucci agreed with the assessment, telling Campbell plainly, “He’s out. Trust me.”

The “Mooch,” as Scaramucci is often called, has a front-row seat to political rise and fall. His own brief and turbulent White House stint—lasting just 11 days before being fired—serves as a cautionary tale of the risks involved in the volatile Trump administration.

Reflecting on his experience, Scaramucci characterized his acceptance of the communications director role as driven by ego and a sense of “Greek tragedy hubris.” “That was a very big mistake,” he said, “and I have to own that for the rest of my life.”

Scaramucci’s critique of Musk dovetails with his broader analysis of the Trump administration and its inner workings. His recent remarks included speculation about who might next fall victim to Trump’s frequent cabinet purges.

Following the recent ousting of National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, Scaramucci suggested that Senator Marco Rubio might be next to get the boot, warning that Rubio’s rising profile could threaten Trump’s grip on power. “Rubio could get axed, getting too much attention,” he mused.

On the future of the MAGA movement beyond Trump’s possible second term, Scaramucci was skeptical about Vice President JD Vance’s chances of succeeding Trump’s mantle. “If [Trump] makes the full term, he will destroy Rubio and Vance,” Scaramucci predicted. “He will eat them alive, he’s already got Vance in the wood chipper.”

This blunt political forecast highlights the combative and unforgiving nature of Trump’s political strategy, which often involves aggressive sidelining of perceived rivals within the Republican Party.

Elon Musk’s relationship with Donald Trump has always been complicated. Early in Trump’s presidency, Musk served on advisory councils and publicly supported some of Trump’s policies, such as deregulation efforts and space exploration initiatives, notably SpaceX contracts with NASA. However, Musk resigned from Trump’s councils after the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord, signaling a rift.

Musk’s public persona has long been that of an independent disruptor, often willing to criticize political orthodoxy across the spectrum. His recent disparagement of Navarro and, by extension, Trump’s trade policies fits this mold.

Scaramucci’s comments underscore this tension, suggesting Musk’s apparent public alignment with some Trump policies masks a deeper frustration and skepticism. The billionaire’s criticism of Navarro as “as dumb as a box of rocks,” followed by the ironic apology, signals not only a rejection of trade policy but also a scathing dismissal of Trump’s inner circle and by implication, Trump himself.

The revelation that Musk “thinks Trump’s an idiot” marks a defining moment in understanding the complex interplay between business magnates and political leaders in the current American political landscape.

For a figure like Musk, whose influence straddles both technology and politics, the stakes are high. His ventures—Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, and others—are deeply intertwined with government policies, contracts, and regulations. Yet Musk’s willingness to openly deride the president’s closest advisers suggests a fracture that could limit his political influence going forward.

It also reflects the broader challenge faced by billionaires navigating the polarized political environment, where support for one faction risks alienating large segments of the public and political establishment.

As a former insider with firsthand experience of the Trump White House’s chaotic inner dynamics, Scaramucci’s perspectives carry particular weight. His dramatic rise and fall within the administration gave him a front-row seat to the administration’s power struggles, communication failures, and political calculations.

His reflections on his own “ego” and “hubris” serve as a sobering reminder of the high personal and professional costs of operating within Trump’s orbit.

Now, as an outspoken commentator, Scaramucci’s revelations about Musk add to the narrative of disillusionment and internal dissent that characterize the Trump era’s political ecosystem.

Elon Musk’s reported view of Donald Trump as “an idiot,” as revealed by Anthony Scaramucci, punctuates a complex and often contradictory relationship between one of the world’s most high-profile businessmen and the president of the United States. Musk’s biting criticism of Peter Navarro and tacit rejection of Trump’s trade policy signal a fundamental disagreement that runs deeper than public appearances suggest.

Meanwhile, Musk’s withdrawal from active politics and poor polling numbers indicate that his political influence may be waning. Scaramucci’s blunt assessments and insider knowledge provide a window into the turbulent intersections of power, personality, and policy that define contemporary American political life.

As Trump continues to consolidate power within the Republican Party and prepare for a possible second term, the dynamics between political leaders and influential business figures like Musk will remain a critical factor shaping the nation’s political and economic future.