Musk Defends X Fact-Checks After Navarro’s India Oil Claim

Elon Musk responded to criticism from Peter Navarro, Donald Trump’s former senior trade adviser, saying that on X, the people shape the narrative, and Community Notes corrects everyone without exceptions.

Musk highlighted that Community Notes data and code are open source, while Grok provides additional fact-checking.

Earlier, Navarro criticized X’s fact-check on his India–Russia oil post, calling Community Note “crap” and accusing Musk of allowing propaganda.

Navarro wrote on X, “Crap. India buys Russia oil solely to profiteer. It didn't buy any before Russia invaded Ukraine. Indian govt spin machine moving high tilt. Stop killing Ukrainians. Stop taking American job.”

X’s Community Note clarified that India purchases Russian oil for energy security, not profiteering, and that these imports do not violate sanctions.

The note also highlighted that the U.S. maintains a trade surplus with India in services and itself continues to import certain goods from Russia.

India dismissed Navarro’s remarks as “inaccurate and misleading,” with MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reaffirming the strength of U.S.–India ties based on shared interests, democratic values, and people-to-people connections.