Steve Bannon, former chief strategist to Donald Trump, has renewed his calls for Elon Musk to be deported to South Africa, describing the tech billionaire's presence in the United States as “totally illegal.” Speaking on his “War Room” podcast, Bannon said he wanted to “toss out” Musk and send him back to his country of birth.
The comments came after President Trump was seen shaking hands with Musk at a memorial for Charlie Kirk, just months after a public falling out. Bannon’s remarks coincided with Trump signing an executive order requiring US companies to pay a $100,000 annual fee for each foreign employee hired through an H-1B visa, a programme used to bring highly skilled workers to the country.
Musk and Bannon have clashed repeatedly over visa policy. Musk, who first entered the US on a J-1 academic visa that later became an H-1B, has defended the programme and said he was ready to “go to war on this issue.” Bannon has compared the visas to “indentured servitude” and accused Musk of exploiting foreign labour to the detriment of American workers.
The two men had a public falling out after Musk left his White House role running the Department of Government Efficiency. Musk later described Trump’s budget bill as a “disgusting abomination” and claimed the president appeared in the Epstein files. Tensions cooled in June after Musk expressed regret and Trump said he held “no hard feelings.”
In June, Bannon urged a special counsel investigation into Musk’s immigration history and alleged drug use. Musk responded by calling Bannon a “fat, drunken slob.” The latest exchange highlights the ongoing rift over immigration and corporate reliance on skilled foreign workers.
