Steve Bannon calls for federal investigation into Musk after split with Trump

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Steve Bannon has urged the Trump administration to launch a federal investigation into Elon Musk following a public fallout between Musk and former President Donald Trump. This clash, characterized by a series of biting social media exchanges, came to light on Thursday.

Bannon, who previously served as White House chief strategist and remains an ally of Trump, expressed his concerns during a phone interview with CBS News. He emphasized the necessity for the administration to look into alleged drug use by Musk and scrutinize his immigration status. “They have to do that. You have to take his security clearance. Investigate drug use and investigate his involvement” with China, Bannon stated. Furthermore, he questioned the legitimacy of Musk’s American citizenship, suggesting that if there were issues related to overstaying visas or providing false information, they needed to be addressed. “It has to be investigated,” he insisted.

Once a prominent supporter of Trump, Musk has seen the dynamics of their relationship shift dramatically. The billionaire invested approximately $277 million supporting Trump’s election campaign and was previously praised for the initiatives of the Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency. However, tensions have now arisen between the two.

Bannon has also called for a closer examination of Musk’s cryptocurrency dealings, questioning if data from Dogecoin was used to enhance artificial intelligence models. He labeled this a “national security” concern, arguing that Musk’s behavior is erratic. “Did they take data sets to feed into their AI model? This has to be investigated now. He’s an unstable individual. What did DOGE do? What did DOGE find?” he asked.

His commentary follows years of criticism toward Musk, which intensified in March 2023 when Bannon accused Musk of being “owned by the Chinese Communist Party.” Earlier this year, he described Musk as “out of control.”

On Friday, Bannon mentioned he has been in contact with the White House at various levels. His remarks arrive in the wake of a notable breakdown in relations between Trump and Musk. The former president criticized Musk for attacking Republican budget and tax proposals, asserting that Musk “went CRAZY!” and hinted at the possibility of revoking Musk’s government contracts. In response, Musk claimed that Trump could not have secured the presidency without his support, endorsed calls for impeachment, and alleged a connection between Trump and Jeffrey Epstein’s legal troubles.

Amid this exchange, Trump continued to stand by the budget plan that Musk has publicly opposed. “I don’t mind Elon turning against me, but he should have done so months ago. This is one of the Greatest Bills ever presented to Congress,” Trump posted on his social media platform.

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Marcus Delaney
Marcus covers Wall Street, small business, and economic trends. With an MBA and journalism background, he simplifies complex financial stories into sharp, practical insights for American professionals and investors.

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