Influence on the US government: Conflict in the Trump camp: Bannon stirs up sentiment against Musk

Donald Trump’s former campaign strategist and representative of the ultra-right in the USA, Steve Bannon, is increasingly raising sentiment against tech billionaire Elon Musk. Musk has invested millions and used his Platform X to help Trump return to the White House – and is now considered a close advisor to the future US President.

In recent days, Bannon has made it clear in his podcast “War Room” and in two interviews that he has nothing against Musk’s multi-million dollar support for Trump and that he hopes for similar support for ultra-right movements in Europe. At the same time, he clearly expressed what he believed should not follow from this: too much influence from Musk on the new US government.

Bannon: Will get Musk expelled

“He’s earned his seat at the table. But seat at the table doesn’t have to be at the head, and it certainly doesn’t mean making demands or giving orders,” Bannon said in a “War Room” episode last week.

In the Italian daily Corriere della Sera, Bannon questioned not only Musk’s ability to understand problems, but also his intentions. “He has the maturity of a child,” Bannon said. He also said people around Trump had had enough of the tech billionaire. “We have seen how pushy he is, how little he understands the real problems and how much he only cares about his own benefit. His only goal is to become a trillionaire.”

It’s not just the influence of Musk and other billionaires from the tech industry that bothers Bannon – he’s bothered by the fact that they are also against illegal immigration, but really want to bring foreign IT specialists to the USA. Bannon and other representatives of the ultra-right want these jobs to be reserved for locals. Musk himself came to America from South Africa.

In the “Corriere” interview, Bannon went so far as to describe it as a personal concern to stop Musk. “I will make sure Elon Musk is kicked out by the inauguration,” Bannon said. He wanted to prevent Musk from having full access to the White House.

How important is Bannon to Trump?

However, it is questionable how great Bannon’s influence over Trump still is. The Washington Post points out that several Trump advisors were recently guests on his podcast and that Bannon is also said to have visited Trump at his Mar-a-Lago property. But it is Musk who has been constantly seen at Trump’s side since the election. The Republican has appointed Musk as an external advisor to cut government spending.

Like Musk in 2024, Bannon was seen as a decisive factor in Trump’s election victory in 2016. In the White House, Trump made the right-wing publicist his chief strategist, but he only stayed at government headquarters until the summer of 2017. A few months later, Bannon’s statements about Trump’s family led to a major rift. Apart from that, Bannon remained loyal to Trump – and Trump has repeatedly expressed his appreciation for Bannon’s support.