Steve Bannon has called for a thorough investigation into Elon Musk by the Trump administration, following a public feud between Musk and President Donald Trump.
Bannon, who previously served as the White House chief strategist and remains a staunch ally of the President, expressed his concerns to CBS News regarding Musk's alleged drug use and his immigration status as a South African native.
In a phone interview, Bannon stated, "They have to do that. You have to take his security clearance. Investigate drug use and investigate his involvement with China. And you have to investigate his status as a citizen."
Bannon raised questions about the legitimacy of Musk's path to U.S. citizenship, suggesting that any discrepancies in his visa history warrant scrutiny. "If it turned out he overstayed visas and lied about it, it's not right. It has to be investigated," he added.
According to CBS News, Musk initially held significant influence within the White House, having contributed approximately $277 million to support President Trump's election campaign. The President once praised Musk's cost-cutting initiatives within the Department of Government Efficiency during a speech to Congress.
However, the relationship between Musk and the President has since deteriorated, prompting Bannon to call for increased oversight of the department. Bannon questioned, "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 emphasized the importance of this inquiry as a matter of "national security."
Bannon has been a vocal critic of Musk for several years, asserting in March 2023 that Musk was "owned by the Chinese Communist Party." Earlier in January, he described Musk as "out of control." Bannon maintains that he is in "touch with the White House at many levels," indicating his continued influence within the administration.
The recent breakdown in relations between President Trump and Musk was marked by a series of public exchanges, sparked by Musk's harsh criticism of the Republican tax and budget bill. President Trump responded by accusing Musk of going "CRAZY!" and threatened to terminate Musk's lucrative government contracts.
Musk, in turn, claimed that President Trump could not have secured the presidency without his support, expressed backing for impeachment, and alleged that the President's name appeared in documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, the financier who died by suicide while facing sex trafficking charges.
Despite the escalating tensions, President Trump stood by the budget bill that Musk opposed, stating, "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," on his social media platform.
The unfolding drama between these two influential figures continues to capture public attention, as the implications of their feud extend beyond personal grievances to matters of national interest.
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