Former White House strategist Steve Bannon escalated his criticism of tech billionaire Elon Musk on Thursday, June 5, urging President Donald Trump to investigate Musk’s immigration status and seize control of his SpaceX company amid the public feud between the two high-profile figures.
During his “War Room” podcast on Thursday evening, Bannon called for Trump to immediately invoke the Defense Production Act to take control of SpaceX after Musk threatened to decommission the company’s Dragon spacecraft used for NASA missions to the International Space Station. Bannon argued that Trump should sign an executive order before midnight to seize the rocket company.
The Defense Production Act, a Korean War-era provision, grants presidents authority to require private companies to accept and prioritize government contracts for national defense manufacturing. Trump previously invoked this act during his first term to compel businesses to produce ventilators and test swabs during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the act does not explicitly provide presidents with power to seize private companies outright.
Bannon also demanded a federal investigation into Musk’s immigration status, telling The New York Times that he believed Musk was in the United States illegally. Bannon stated, “I am of the strong belief that he is an illegal alien, and he should be deported from the country immediately.” Musk became a naturalized American citizen in 2002 after arriving in the United States on a student visa from South Africa.
The former Trump adviser recommended that the administration probe Musk’s alleged drug use, which has been previously reported, and investigate claims that the South African-born entrepreneur attempted to obtain classified Pentagon briefings on China. Bannon suggested suspending Musk’s security clearance during any investigation and canceling federal contracts with his various companies.
The confrontation stems from the deteriorating relationship between Trump and Musk over the president’s legislative priorities. Musk, who previously served as head of Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, publicly criticized Trump’s comprehensive tax and spending bill, describing it as a disgusting abomination and urging lawmakers to oppose the legislation.
Trump expressed disappointment with Musk during an Oval Office meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on June 5, noting that their previously strong relationship might not continue. The president later threatened to terminate billions of dollars in government subsidies and contracts awarded to Musk’s companies, including Tesla and SpaceX.
The public dispute escalated when Musk initially threatened to begin decommissioning SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft immediately, which would have effectively cut off NASA’s access to the International Space Station. However, Musk later backed down from this threat after several hours, agreeing to de-escalate the situation.
Musk responded to Bannon’s calls for deportation and company seizure by criticizing the former White House aide on social media platform X. The Tesla CEO called Bannon a criminal, referencing the podcast host’s previous legal troubles. Bannon served four months in federal prison after being convicted in July 2022 of two counts of contempt of Congress for refusing to provide documents and testimony to the House committee investigating the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
Trump had previously granted Bannon a pardon during the final moments of his first presidency, clearing him of federal charges related to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering in connection with allegedly defrauding donors to a border wall construction fund.
The feud between Trump and Musk has created anxiety among staff members at the Department of Government Efficiency, with personnel embedded within federal agencies expressing concerns about potential political targeting and career implications. Several key Musk associates who served as special government employees, including operational lead Steve Davis, departed with Musk when he left the administration.
Bannon has been a long-standing critic of Musk’s involvement in Trump’s campaign and presidency. In previous interviews, he referred to Musk as a parasitic illegal immigrant and criticized his influence within the administration. During Thursday’s podcast, Bannon argued that Trump had empowered Musk beyond anyone in government history, but claimed the billionaire had been working primarily for personal interests.
The conflict between the president and the world’s richest individual has extended beyond policy disagreements, with Musk endorsing Trump’s impeachment and making allegations about the president’s potential connections to convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Tesla shares dropped 14 percent following the public dispute, losing approximately $150 billion in market value on June 5.
Sources:
https://nypost.com/2025/06/05/us-news/steve-bannon-calls-on-trump-to-deport-elon-musk-strong-belief-that-he-is-an-illegal-alien/
https://www.aol.com/news/elon-musk-bashes-steve-bannon-191635149.html
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/06/05/trump-musk-feud-takeaways/84058570007/
https://m.economictimes.com/news/international/us/can-trump-really-seize-spacex-the-law-that-could-let-a-president-take-control-of-elon-musks-empire-elon-musk-news-spacex-news-donald-trump-news/articleshow/121683876.cms
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/trump-vs-musk-doge-staff-fear-fallout-public-feud-sparks-anxiety-over-political-targeting-report/articleshow/121684666.cms
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2549803/steve-bannon-calls-for-musks-deportation-from-the-us
https://www.pennlive.com/news/2025/06/ex-trump-advisor-urges-president-to-deport-musk-and-seize-space-x.html
