In a recent conversation, Steve Bannon, a former advisor to the next President, expressed his determination to distance Elon Musk, a recently allied billionaire, from the top ranks of the Trump administration. He intends to do this reset before the new President is officially inaugurated. Bannon confidently predicted, ‘Before the new President is sworn in, Musk will no longer have special access to the White House. He’ll have to abide by the same rules as everyone else.’
Bannon and Musk have been in an ongoing debate over the future trajectory of the Make America Great Again (MAGA) campaign and the policies about who should be allowed into the coalition as well as matters of national immigration. A group of passionate anti-immigration advocates within MAGA, including prominent figures such as Laura Loomer, have been vehemently opposing the H-1B visa program. The program permits the employment of foreign professionals in specialist roles or to work as fashion models.
The H-1B visa program necessitates applicants to hold a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent at the minimum, as per the guidelines laid out by the Department of Labor. Predominantly, this visa is awarded to individuals specializing in areas like mathematics, engineering, or technology. Musk, who holds the title as the world’s wealthiest person and leads several companies in these industries, came to the US as an international student, and admits to having worked under an H-1B visa.
In a written statement, Musk said, ‘The reason myself and so many people who have been key to the success of companies like SpaceX and Tesla are here in America, is because of H1B.’ Concurrently, Musk pointed out flaws in the program, calling it ‘broken’ and in need of ‘major reform.’ This triggered an elaborate debate on Bannon’s War Room podcast, where he took a swipe at Musk, terming him an apprentice within the MAGA movement.
In his podcast, Bannon instructed Musk to take a step back and learn about the movement, saying, ‘We appreciate fresh faces in our ranks, but they need to spend considerable time understanding and internalizing our values and the fine details of what we stand for.’ Yet, Trump, who previously called the H-1B program counterproductive for domestic workers and suggested its termination, showed Musk support in disagreement with Bannon.
During an interview in December with Jon Levine of the New York Post, Trump admitted his support for the visa system, saying, ‘I’ve always been a proponent of the visas. That’s the reason for their existence.’ This divergence of views led to an intensification of the already prevalent infighting within MAGA regarding the definition of Trump’s principles and allies as he heads into a second term.
There is a noticeable divide within MAGA. Musk, whose influence on the president-elect has been growing, backed ‘Trump-friendly’ political action committees with over $250 million during the last phase of the campaign. In contrast stands old-guard MAGA, represented by figures like Bannon, who was graciously pardoned by Trump in 2021 for a supposed fraud involving a project to ‘Build the Wall.’
In response to an online post delineating the ‘tech right and right right’ as ‘two factions,’ Musk acknowledged this internal schism within MAGA. Bannon, in his interview, brought up this post, claiming that Musk had ‘suffered a significant setback in America on H1B visas,’ labeled their movement with derogatory remarks, and had ultimately ‘lost’.
Bannon went on to belittle Musk, claiming he possessed ‘childlike maturity’ and that he was changing topics to escape past failures and restore his tarnished image. He also asserted that those in Trump’s circles were ‘tired’ of Musk’s antics. Bannon’s backlash further heightened tensions within MAGA, affecting internal unity.
In 2022, after Trump’s tenure ended, Bannon was held guilty for ignoring a congressional subpoena from the January 6 House committee investigating the uprising at the US Capitol. His penalty included a four-month imprisonment along with a $6,500 fine. He regained his freedom in October 2024, and immediately hit the campaign trail for Trump on his first day as a free man.
Bannon showed a newfound confidence in foretelling the next Trump administration. However, the relationship between Trump and the people presently backing him, including Bannon, hasn’t been consistently harmonious. Bannon played a pivotal role in propelling Trump’s first victory and served as one of his closest advisors at the onset of Trump’s presidency.
Eventually, however, disagreements emerged between the two, forcing Bannon to step down from his position in the White House. This marked a significant shift in the dynamics of the then administration. Nonetheless, Bannon continues to be influential within the MAGA camp, despite these ups and downs.