Prominent right-wing podcaster Steve Bannon recently vowed to take down Elon Musk, a billionaire and ally of Donald Trump‘s, by the president-elect’s inauguration next week.
Newsweek has reached out to Musk and Trump’s transition team via email for comment on Sunday afternoon.
Why It Matters
Bannon, who served as the CEO of Trump’s 2016 campaign as well as a White House adviser in his former administration, and Musk, who donated over a quarter billion dollars to help get the president-elect across the finish line in 2024, are two of the Republican leader’s top allies. However, Bannon has long been critical of Musk and routinely criticized his business ties to China.
Tensions between the two have continued as Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX who has been appointed by Trump to co-lead the Department of Government Efficiency or (DOGE), alongside biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, has been vocal about his support for H-1B visas. Trump has since sided with Musk over H-1B visas.
What To Know
On Wednesday in an interview with the Italian daily Corriere della Sera, Bannon took aim at Musk as he vowed to take him down, adding that he’ll run Musk “out of here by Inauguration Day.”
“He is a truly evil guy, a very bad guy. I made it my personal thing to take this guy down. Before, because he put money in, I was prepared to tolerate it; I’m not prepared to tolerate it anymore. I will have Elon Musk run out of here by Inauguration Day. He will not have a blue pass to the White House, he will not have full access to the White House, he will be like any other person.” Bannon said.
Bannon’s remarks come after his most recent rift with Musk over H-1B visas erupted after conservative activist Laura Loomer criticized Trump’s appointment of Indian-born entrepreneur Sriram Krishnan as his senior policy adviser on artificial intelligence (AI).
Musk, a South African naturalized U.S. citizen, found himself at odds with Make America Great Again (MAGA) supporters over H-1B visas as they have long pushed for stricter immigration policies.
The H-1B visa allows American companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations. These typically require theoretical or technical expertise in fields such as information technology (IT), engineering, mathematics, finance, medicine, science, or other professional disciplines.
In December, Musk took to X, formerly Twitter, to defend legal migration.
“The reason I’m in America along with so many critical people who built SpaceX, Tesla and hundreds of other companies that made America strong is because of H1B. Take a big step back and F*** YOURSELF in the face. I will go to war on this issue the likes of which you cannot possibly comprehend,” he wrote.
A screenshot of the post was then shared by Bannon on Gettr as he wrote: “Someone please notify ‘Child Protective Services’— need to do a ‘wellness check’ on this toddler.”
Musk, the world’s wealthiest man, has benefited from the H-1B program personally and professionally. He first came to the United States on a J-1 academic visa that he says transitioned into an H-1B. Tesla is also among the companies to rely on the program.
However, MAGA loyalists, like Bannon and Loomer, believe Musk’s influence within Trump’s circle serves his own interests. In Wednesday’s interview, Bannon singled out Musk and his tech allies, like PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, alleging they use the immigration system to their advantage.
“This thing of the H-1B visas, it’s about the entire immigration system is gamed by the tech overlords, they use it to their advantage, the people are furious. Seventy-six percent of engineers working in Silicon Valley are non-Americans. No Blacks or Hispanics have any of these jobs or any access to these jobs, Bannon told Corriere della Sera.
He added: “Peter Thiel, David Sacks, Elon Musk, are all white South Africans. He should go back to South Africa. Why do we have South Africans, the most racist people on earth, white South Africans, we have them making any comments at all on what goes on in the United States?”
What People Are Saying
Donald Trump told the New York Post in late December that he supports H-1B visas: “I’ve always liked the visas, I have always been in favor of the visas. That’s why we have them. I have many H-1B visas on my properties. I’ve been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. It’s a great program.”
Mark Shanahan, who teaches American politics at the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom, previously told Newsweek: “Alliance with Trump offers access to power to many disparate opinions—most of whom would never choose to cross paths outside the Beltway bubble. Musk and co. are motivated only by burnishing their wealth while their opponents in the H1-B spat gain power by continually playing the immigration card.”
He added: “These factions will never reconcile, and this week’s social media storm is merely a harbinger of the chaos that could engulf the new presidency even before Trump gets his feet under the Resolute desk.”
The conservative “End Wokeness” X account, which has over 3.3 million followers, posted in December: “We can debate and have dialogue but it would be foolish to alienate Elon in the process. Look how that turned out for the left.”
What Happens Next
The debate over H-1B visas and other immigration topics will be among the top priorities for Trump as he takes office next week.
While Trump has been vocal about his plans for illegal immigration, he has previously talked about the prospects for legal immigration reform, suggesting that students who got an advanced degree deserved the opportunity of a green card.
The debate over H-1B visas may also play a role in determining how the Republican Party approaches the issue. It will also be a question for Democrats, as some in the party have argued it must reshape its approach to immigration issues following Vice President Kamala Harris‘ defeat.
The post Steve Bannon Vows to Take Down Donald Trump Ally Elon Musk appeared first on Newsweek.
