Elon Musk is never one to shy away from a hot topic. Whether it’s immigration, federal judges, or government bloat, the billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX has made himself one of the loudest voices in Donald Trump’s orbit.
From fiery tweets to viral soundbites, Musk has weighed in on nearly every major issue of the day, often stirring controversy, and sometimes influencing policy. He’s rarely off the grid.
But now, as Trump unveils one of his biggest economic moves yet—a sweeping package of tariffs on foreign imports, Musk has gone nearly silent. And people are noticing.
For someone so publicly invested in shaping government direction, the silence is becoming its own kind of statement.
Social Media Reacts to Musk’s Silence
“Genuinely hilarious Elon has just been totally silent on tariffs,” posted X user, sparking a flood of speculation and memes.
“He’s on his walk of shame right now,” wrote another. Others speculated Musk is trying to stay quiet because speaking up would only highlight how much he benefits from the policy, or how deeply it’s hurting him.
“Had he said anything, you’d be screaming ‘conflict of interest’ from the top of your lungs,” noted one person.
Missing From the Rose Garden
The silence is striking given Musk’s front-row role in the Trump administration. As head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk has been a central figure in efforts to cut government spending and lay off federal workers.
Yet when Trump revealed his signature tariff policy—a baseline 10% tax on imports, with even higher rates for countries with trade deficits, Musk was nowhere near the Rose Garden stage.
Instead, he spent that day retweeting Starlink success stories and jabs at Democratic politicians.
Tesla and SpaceX Take a Hit
Behind the scenes, however, Musk seems to understand the damage. “Important to note that Tesla is NOT unscathed here,” he posted on X last week. “The tariff impact on Tesla is still significant,” Musk wrote.
Dan Ives, global head of technology research at Wedbush Securities, described the situation in an email to Forbes as “a debacle of epic proportions for the whole auto industry, including Tesla.”
Tesla, which builds most of its U.S. vehicles in Austin and California, still sources about 30% of its Model Y parts from overseas.
The company’s stock dropped 14% in just two days, shaving billions off its market value. Musk’s personal fortune has taken a hit too, down more than $40 billion since the start of the week.
SpaceX is also feeling the heat. Many of its key components come from Taiwan, Vietnam, and Thailand—countries now facing tariffs as high as 46%. Plans for a $1.5 billion investment in Vietnam may now be at risk.
Sidelined or Strategizing?
And with Tesla sales already slipping and his approval ratings in decline—60% of Americans now view Musk unfavorably, according to Forbes—some think Trump himself is sidelining the billionaire.
Musk’s absence from the Rose Garden event has fueled rumors that he may be on his way out at DOGE. Despite the backlash and financial loss, Musk has made no public effort to clarify his stance.
While he met recently with CIA Director John Ratcliffe to discuss DOGE initiatives, and with NSA chief Gen. Timothy Haugh, he has avoided addressing the policy hammering his businesses.
A Rare Quiet Moment
“He is stunned,” one person posted.
Whatever the reason for Musk’s silence, what stands out is this: the man who usually has something to say about everything suddenly doesn’t have much to say about the issue that might hurt him the most.
IMAGE CREDIT: “Elon Musk” by Gage Skidmore, via Flickr. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Image adjusted for layout.