According to a report by the Washington Post, Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, engaged directly with President Donald Trump over the weekend in an effort to reverse tariffs, but his appeals were unsuccessful. This interaction represents a notable disagreement between the two. Trump had recently announced a 10% baseline tariff on all imports into the United States, along with increased duties on many other countries.

Both the White House and Musk have not responded to requests for comment from Reuters. Musk, who serves as an advisor to Trump and has been focused on cutting unnecessary government spending, advocated for no tariffs between the U.S. and Europe during a virtual event at a congress in Florence hosted by Italy's League Party.

Tesla has experienced a significant decline in quarterly sales following backlash against Musk's efforts to improve government efficiency. The company's stock price has dropped by over 42% since the start of the year, closing at $233.29 on Monday. Musk has previously expressed concerns about the impact of Trump's auto tariffs on Tesla.

Economists warn that these tariffs could lead to inflation, elevate the risk of a recession in the U.S., and increase costs for American families by thousands of dollars. This poses a potential challenge for Trump, who campaigned on lowering living expenses.