Former White House strategist, convicted felon and longtime Elon Musk adversary Steve Bannon fueled the escalating feud between Musk and President Donald Trump on Thursday, calling on Trump to deport the world's richest man.
In a phone interview with the New York Times, Bannon said he is urging the Trump administration to cancel all government contracts with Musk and initiate multiple investigations, including into what he claims is Musk's questionable immigration status.
"They should initiate a formal investigation of his immigration status because I am of the strong belief that he is an illegal alien, and he should be deported from the country immediately," Bannon said, offering no evidence to support the claim.
Bannon also called for probes into Musk's alleged drug use and his attempt to obtain a classified intelligence briefing on China from the Pentagon. Bannon insisted Musk's security clearance should be suspended pending the outcome of such investigations.
The comments mark a dramatic escalation in the rift between Trump allies and Musk, who has recently turned on Trump's "big, beautiful bill," and lashed out at Republican lawmakers. Trump has been relatively restrained in his response so far, expressing "disappointment" in Musk, and alluding to the possibility of canceling government contracts with Musk's companies. Neither Musk nor the White House has yet responded to Bannon's claims.
Originally published on Latin Times
