Steve Bannon, former aide of US President Donald Trump, has launched a scathing attack on Elon Musk, calling him a “parasitic illegal immigrant” in a recent interview. The remarks have reignited debates about Musk’s immigration history, his role in the Trump administration, and his growing influence in US politics.
Speaking to British news outlet UnHerd, Bannon accused Musk of pushing radical ideas, stating: “Musk wants to impose his freak experiments and play-act as God without any respect for the country’s history, values, or traditions.”
Bannon, a key figure in Trump’s political movement, has positioned himself as Musk’s most vocal critic, claiming the Tesla and SpaceX CEO is more dangerous than left-wing political figures. South Africa-born Musk has become an aggressive critic of undocumented immigrants.
Bannon also alleged that Musk overstayed his visa while building his business empire in the US – an accusation he has denied.
Despite past tensions with Trump, Musk has become an influential figure in the administration, playing a key role in implementing executive orders and budget cuts. His growing political clout has made him a target for Democrats and critics of Trump, shifting some of the attention away from the former president.
Bannon acknowledged Musk’s effectiveness but criticized his priorities, saying, “The president is using him as an armor-piercing shell against the administrative state, but Musk’s work is more performative than substantive.”
Musk has largely ignored Bannon’s repeated attacks but recently responded on X (formerly Twitter) with a dismissive post: “Bannon is a great talker, but not a great doer. What did he get done this week? Nothing.”
