MAGA rapprochement: Donald Trump pushes Steve Bannon to bury the hatchet with Elon Musk and privately meet DOGE leader in surprise power move

US President Donald Trump has asked his former chief strategist, Steve Bannon, to stop his public assaults on billionaire Elon Musk and broker a private meeting between the two, as per a report.

Steve Bannon’s criticism of Elon Musk

According to The New York Times, in mid-February, Trump told Bannon that he wanted him to back off from the attacks on Musk and schedule a private meeting with the SpaceX and Tesla founder.

Bannon has been vocal on his War Room podcast, has spoken critically of Musk's presence within the MAGA movement, New York Times reported. He has condemned Musk's history of working with the Chinese government and his initial hesitation to endorse Trump's 2024 run in full, as per the report. Bannon has also spoken out against Musk's endorsement of H-1B visas, which permit skilled foreign workers to fill jobs in the US, according to New York Times.


In recent months, Bannon's criticisms of Musk have only gained strength. He's called Musk a "parasitic illegal immigrant" and has made waves with his threat to "rip his face off" and boot Musk out of Trump's universe, New York Times reported.

Concerns about Silicon Valley billionaires’ loyalty to MAGA

According to Bannon, Musk's transformation from a liberal-leaning businessman to a more right-wing individual is part of a broader pattern of Silicon Valley billionaires who, in his view, are not true MAGA supporters and will turn on the movement when it is convenient for them, as per New York Times.

FAQs

Why is Bannon criticising Elon Musk?
Bannon has criticised Musk’s ties to China, Musk's early reluctance to fully back Trump’s 2024 campaign, and his support for H-1B visas.

Will Bannon and Musk meet as Trump requested?
It remains unclear whether the meeting between Bannon and Musk will actually take place.