A clash of opinions occurred on Grok after Peter Navarro, a former aide to Donald Trump, criticized the platform’s fact-checking of a post related to India. In response to the criticism, Elon Musk defended the neutrality of Community Notes but did not directly address Navarro. Musk’s statement was, “On this platform, the people decide the narrative. You hear all sides of an argument. Community Notes corrects everyone, no exceptions. Notes, data, and code is public source. Grok provides further fact-checking.” The controversy commenced when Navarro, previously critical of India’s trade and its relationship with Russia, accused India of “profiteering” from Russian oil imports. His post read, “FACTS: India highest tariffs costs US jobs. India buys Russian oil purely to profit/Revenues feed Russia war machine. Ukrainians/Russians die. U.S. taxpayers shell out more. India can’t handle truth/spins.” X’s fact-checking notes contested Navarro’s claims, stating that India’s oil purchases were for “energy security” and did not violate sanctions. The notes also highlighted the US’s trade surplus in services with India and the US’s continued import of commodities from Russia as hypocritical. Further, it was added that Navarro’s claims were hypocritical. X described this as a “clear double standard,” highlighting the US’s pressure on India while buying goods from Russia. Navarro dismissed the fact-checking as “crap” and accused Elon Musk of promoting “propaganda.” This incident adds to Navarro’s ongoing criticism of India, particularly after the Trump administration imposed tariffs on Indian exports. Navarro has made various claims against India, including allegations that India is supporting Russia’s military actions, running a “profiteering scheme,” and acting as a “laundromat for the Kremlin,” as well as making a racist remark against India.
