Peter Navarro Lashes Out at India’s Russian Oil Trade, Blasts Musk Over ‘Crap Note’ on X

Former White House advisor Peter Navarro went on an online tirade Sunday after X’s community fact-checkers flagged one of his posts criticizing India’s purchase of Russian oil. Navarro accused India of profiteering from Russian crude, claiming the revenues were fueling Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

For once, however, his remarks were publicly challenged. A community note attached to his post clarified that India’s imports from Russia were driven primarily by “energy security, not just profit,” and further noted that the trade did not breach sanctions. The note also pointed out that the United States itself maintains certain imports from Russia, while still holding a trade surplus with India in services—a detail, users said, made Navarro’s attack appear hypocritical.

Unmoved, Navarro dismissed the fact-check as “crap” and directed his anger at X owner Elon Musk, accusing him of allowing “propaganda” to filter into user posts. Doubling down, he again charged India with “profiteering” and added, “India didn’t buy Russian oil before the Ukraine invasion. The Indian govt spin machine moving high tilt. Stop killing Ukrainians. Stop taking American jobs.”

Peter Navarro‘s criticism of India

The flagged post is the latest in a string of verbal assaults Navarro has launched against India since the Trump administration announced a 50% tariff on Indian goods. In earlier posts, he accused New Delhi of “feeding revenues into Russia’s war machine” while costing “U.S. jobs” and taxpayer money.

Citing a Washington Post report that flagged the harsh rhetoric emerging from Washington, Navarro also revived his past barbs, labeling India “the Maharaja of tariffs,” a “laundromat for the Kremlin,” and even alleging “Modi’s war in Ukraine.” He escalated further in a recent outburst, saying “Brahmins are profiteering at the expense of Indian people.” That comment was swiftly rejected by India’s Ministry of External Affairs. “We have seen some inaccurate statements made by him. We reject them,” spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated last week.

Trump’s additional 25% tariff hike on Indian goods announced in response to India’s energy dealings with Russia came into effect on August 27, lifting the total duty level to 50%. Despite the economic and diplomatic friction, Navarro’s remarks continue to stir controversy, with his latest “crap note” rant once again drawing attention on social media.