American electric car manufacturer Tesla is expressing concern that President Donald Trump's aggressive trade policies could have serious economic consequences for the company.
Tesla has warned in a letter to the US Trade Representative, Jamieson Greer, that Trump's tariffs could lead to retaliatory reactions from other countries and thus make the production of electric cars in the US more expensive.
This is reported by the Financial Times and Reuters , who have gained access to the letter.
According to Tesla, American companies risk being disproportionately hit when foreign governments respond to the trade measures implemented by the Trump administration.
The company emphasizes in the letter that it is important to handle trade conflicts without harming American industry.
The letter, which is not signed by a specific Tesla representative, also mentions previous episodes where retaliatory tariffs have affected Tesla's business.
Among other things, the EU and Canada have previously introduced increased tariffs on electric cars in response to US trade restrictions.
An unusual criticism from Tesla
Tesla's announcement is quite remarkable, given that the company's founder, Elon Musk, has a close relationship with the Trump administration. Musk, among other things, heads the newly created Office of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which works to reduce waste and inefficiency in the US government.
Despite this connection to Trump, the letter emphasizes that Tesla fears a negative impact on their global business if trade conflicts escalate.
The US government has already imposed a 25 percent tariff on steel and aluminum, which has prompted a backlash from the EU.
The Commission has announced a similar tariff on US goods worth 26 billion euros – equivalent to almost 194 billion kroner.
Tesla has not commented further on the letter, and it is not yet known how the Trump administration will respond to the criticism.
