Once upon a time, Steve Bannon and Elon Musk were two of the most influential figures orbiting Donald Trump’s political universe—just not at the same time.
Now, their ongoing rivalry is sparking one of the biggest ideological battles within the MAGA movement.
And at the heart of the clash? A fight over access, loyalty, and who truly speaks for the future of Trumpism.
Bannon Says Musk’s White House Influence Crumbled Over War Briefings
Steve Bannon, Trump’s original political whisperer, has finally shed light on the quiet collapse of Elon Musk’s influence in Trump’s second White House run.
According to Bannon, everything fell apart when Trump was blocked from sharing secret war plans—specifically, military scenarios involving China—with Musk during a Pentagon visit.
“You could feel it. Everything changed.
The fever had been broken,” Bannon told The Atlantic in a striking interview, signaling the end of what he sarcastically called a bromance between Trump and Musk.
Trump Denies Plans Were Ever Shared With Musk
Back in late March, Trump tried to shoot down what he called “fake news” reports that Musk had been given access to highly classified Pentagon material.
He even vowed to hunt down anyone leaking such sensitive claims.
But when pressed at a press conference alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Trump gave a more nuanced answer.
He acknowledged that, despite Musk’s massive contributions to government efficiency efforts, the billionaire’s deep business ties to China posed a risk.
“I don’t want to show it to anybody,” Trump said, making it clear that potential war plans were strictly off-limits—even for his wealthiest supporters.
The Pentagon Visit That Changed Everything
Officially, Musk’s visit to the Pentagon was about streamlining spending—rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse. But behind the scenes, it sparked deep unease.
Letting a businessman with global interests, including in China, get close to military strategies was always going to raise red flags.
Musk’s position as a key player in Trump’s cost-cutting crusade seemed to be expanding into more sensitive territory, creating both political and ethical dilemmas.
Bannon’s Longstanding Disdain for Musk Boils Over
Bannon hasn’t exactly kept quiet about his dislike for Musk.
From the very beginning, he’s viewed the Tesla and SpaceX CEO as an opportunistic outsider—an elite “interloper” in a movement Bannon helped build from scratch.
His language has been scathing. Musk, according to Bannon, isn’t just misguided—he’s “parasitic,” “amoral,” and “truly evil.”
That might sound over the top, but Bannon’s camp insists it’s about protecting the soul of MAGA, not personal vendettas.
Trump Tries to Play Peacekeeper Between His Two Power Players
Despite the tension, Trump has reportedly made efforts to mend fences between Bannon and Musk.
According to insiders, Trump personally urged Bannon earlier this year to ease up on the attacks and even suggested the two meet in person.
So far, that meeting hasn’t happened—and probably won’t anytime soon.
It’s a tug-of-war that reflects deeper ideological cracks in Trump’s base: populist nationalism versus tech-savvy globalism, all under the same red hat.
Musk Fires Back With a Jab—and Then Retreats
Elon Musk, usually more focused on rockets and AI, hasn’t been drawn too deeply into the war of words.
But last month, he did post a rare clapback on X (formerly Twitter):
“Bannon is a great talker, but not a great doer.
What did he get done this week? Nothing.”
Still, for the most part, Musk is steering clear. His recent remarks at the Qatar Economic Forum suggest a broader retreat from political life.
Musk Says He’s Stepping Away From Politics—But Is He Really?
Speaking at the forum, Musk said he’s dialing back his political spending.
“I think I’ve done enough,” he joked, drawing laughter from the audience.
Sources close to him say that while he’s unlikely to go all-in on political rallies or massive donations this time around, they wouldn’t rule out a few moves during the midterms.
Trump Goes Quiet on Musk on Truth Social
In a surprising shift, Trump has noticeably stopped mentioning Musk on Truth Social.
Not once in April or May did he post about Musk or his accomplishments—a sharp contrast to earlier times when he would regularly cheer on Musk’s ventures and even meme about Dogecoin.
This cooling-off suggests that Trump, too, is taking a step back from what was once a headline-grabbing alliance.
CPAC Highlighted the Divide—Even in the Applause
Their rivalry came to a head onstage at CPAC, where both men were met with thunderous applause.
In a rare moment, Bannon even referred to Musk as “Superman.”
But he quickly pivoted, reminding the crowd that only Trump and MAGA should stand at the center of this movement—not individual egos.
He made sure the message landed: This is bigger than Musk, and it’s certainly bigger than Bannon.
Bannon Doubles Down on Warnings About Musk’s Loyalty
In interviews since then, Bannon has refused to back down. He insists Musk is still a “globalist,” not a “populist nationalist,” and warns that billionaires like him will abandon MAGA the moment it stops serving their interests.
He’s especially harsh on Musk’s support for H-1B visas, which Bannon believes undermines American workers—a cornerstone of his nationalist platform.
What’s Next?
The MAGA movement may still revolve around Trump, but the growing divide between Bannon’s fiery populism and Musk’s business-centric pragmatism is pulling the tent in two different directions.
Whether Trump can continue to balance both forces—or whether one eventually gets pushed out—could define the post-2024 landscape of right-wing politics in America.
Let me know if you want a version focused more on the political implications or just Musk’s role.