Elon Muskhas stood in defence of his platform X’s ‘Community Notes‘ and ‘Grok’ features, hours after Donald Trump’s trade and manufactruring adviserPeter Navarrowas fact-checked by the social networking site on his claim over India’s Russian oil purchase.
Musk said that X is a platform where ‘people’ decide the narrative, even as Navarro called the site ‘propaganda’.
“On this platform, the people decide the narrative. You hear all sides of an argument. Community Notes corrects everyone, no exceptions. Notes data & code is public source. Grok provides further fact-checking,” said Elon Musk.
Navarro, however, continued his attack on X, alleging that Indian special interests were using the platform to distort domestic debate in the US.
“On earlier post, you can see Indian special interests trying to interfere with domestic dialogue with lies about India buying Russian oil. Should X present this crap as comments from ‘diverse viewpoints’?” Navarro said on Sunday.
He added: “Should X put up posts like one below where foreign interests masquerade as objective observers and interfere with domestic U.S. economics and politics? See SCREEN SHOT! Take poll on next post.”
Navarro calls X Community ‘crap’
Calling the community note on X “crap,” Navarro alleged that Musk was allowing “propaganda” and reiterated his charge that India was purchasing Russian oil only to make profits.
“Wow. @elonmusk is letting propaganda into people’s posts. That crap note below is just that. 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,” Navarro wrote on X.
His response came after an earlier post in which he had accused India of profiteering from Russian oil and alleged that India’s tariffs cost “Americans’ jobs.” That post was in reaction to a Washington Post article describing the Trump administration’s internal conflicts over improving ties with India.
A community note added to Navarro’s post on X stated: “India’s Russian oil purchases are for energy security, not just profit, & don’t violate sanctions. While India has some tariffs, the U.S. has a trade surplus with it in services. U.S. also continues to import certain commodities from Russia which is hypocritical.”
Navarro was not the only former Trump official to use sharp language. In recent days, several administration figures, including him, targeted India over its energy policy. Just last week, Navarro had said India’s oil lobby had turned the country into a “massive refining hub and oil money laundromat for the Kremlin.”
‘Inaccurate and misleading’: India’s response to Navarro’s charge
India rejected Navarro’s remarks on Friday, calling them “inaccurate and misleading.”
The war of words unfolded against a backdrop of strained India-US ties after two decades of close cooperation. Trump has repeatedly claimed that he resolved the military conflict between India and Pakistan in May — a claim India has rejected, saying the conflict ended after direct talks between the two sides.
Bilateral trade between India and the US stood at around USD 130 billion last year, with projections of further growth. However, sharp differences over agriculture and dairy prevented a final agreement.
The US has also criticised India’s deepening energy ties with Moscow. India, however, has defended its Russian crude purchases as being dictated by national interest and market dynamics. After Western sanctions pushed Moscow out of traditional markets in 2022, India began buying discounted Russian crude.
The shift was stark: Russia’s share in India’s oil imports rose from just 1.7 per cent in 2019-20 to 35.1 per cent in 2024-25, making it India’s largest oil supplier.
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