Trump's Ex-Adviser Declares War on Elon Musk
Donald Trump with Elon Musk and Tulsi Gabbard, 2024. Photo courtesy of the Office of Speaker Mike Johnson. Public domain.
Elon Musk and Donald Trump were political allies not long ago, but their relationship has erupted into a bitter public battle, one that's now sparked shocking calls for deportation, federal seizure, and even legal action under wartime statutes.
Former White House strategist Steve Bannon ignited fresh controversy this week by calling for the immediate deportation of Musk and the federal takeover of his private spaceflight company, SpaceX. The demands came during Bannon's June 5 episode of his "War Room" podcast, marking a dramatic escalation in the growing feud between the two billionaires.
The Fallout: From Allies to Adversaries
Until recently, Musk had been one of Trump's most prominent supporters. He reportedly spent $292 million backing Trump and other Republicans in the 2024 election, promoted Trump's agenda on X (formerly Twitter), and briefly served as head of the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
But after stepping down from DOGE in May, Musk turned sharply against the President. Within days, he publicly criticized Trump's economic policies, called for his impeachment, and even accused the President of being listed in the Jeffrey Epstein files — a claim for which Musk provided no evidence.
Trump responded in kind, hinting he would revoke billions in government contracts for Musk's companies, stating on Truth Social, "The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon's Governmental Subsidies and Contracts. I was always surprised that Biden didn't do it!" according to Newsweek.
The Seizure Threat: Bannon's Use of a Wartime Law
Steve Bannon seized on the opportunity to escalate the conflict. During his podcast, he urged Trump to invoke the Defense Production Act, a Korean War-era law that allows the federal government to compel private companies to prioritize government contracts, to take control of SpaceX "before midnight," he said according to the Independent.
While the law grants broad emergency powers, legal experts quickly pointed out it does not authorize the outright seizure of private firms. Nevertheless, Bannon insisted this was the only way to prevent Musk from disabling SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, which ferries astronauts to the International Space Station — a mission now central to NASA's plans.
Musk had publicly suggested he would decommission the vehicles, although by the end of the same day, he appeared to walk back that threat.
The Immigration Angle: Is Musk a Citizen?
Bannon also doubled down on his claim that Musk is in the country illegally and should be deported. "Elon Musk is illegal. He's got to go too," Bannon said on air, according to the Independent. "Deport immediately."
The legal basis for such a claim remains murky. Musk was born in South Africa in 1971 and moved to the United States in 1992 by way of Canada. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2002.
However, questions about Musk's early immigration history resurfaced after a Washington Post article alleged he violated visa terms in 1995 by founding a company while on a student visa, despite not enrolling in the university program required by that visa. Musk denied the claim, posting on X, "I was in fact allowed to work in the U.S.," according to Newsweek.
According to immigration law experts, denaturalization is technically possible if citizenship was obtained through fraud, but such cases are extremely rare and generally require evidence that citizenship was "procured by concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation," according to Newsweek.
Neama Rahmani, a legal analyst, told Newsweek that even with allegations of early visa violations, proving Musk knowingly lied to gain citizenship would be a legal uphill battle.
What's Next?
Despite Bannon's provocations, Trump himself has not called for Musk's deportation or supported the seizure of SpaceX. The two men were reportedly set to speak privately the day after Bannon's podcast aired and Musk has since expressed regret for his earlier statements about the President. Many of the inflammatory posts have been deleted.
Whether this clash fully fizzles out or deepens could depend on whether any formal investigation of Musk's immigration record takes place. For now, Bannon's remarks appear to be rhetoric — loud, divisive, and highly public — rather than a formal policy stance.
But if one of America's largest defense contractors is suddenly at the center of a legal or political battle, the implications could stretch far beyond this high-profile feud.
References: Could Elon Musk Be Deported by Donald Trump? What To Know | Steve Bannon Calls on Trump to Deport Elon Musk and 'Seize' SpaceX: 'Strong Belief That He Is an Illegal Alien' | Steve Bannon Calls for Trump to Seize SpaceX Now and Deport Musk as Feud Spirals
