Steve Bannon calls for SpaceX to be nationalized, Elon Musk deported

Bannon said that Trump should sign an executive order invoking the Defense Production Act to "seize SpaceX tonight. Before midnight, the US government should seize it."

Bannon went on to say, "look, if you’re going to deport illegal aliens, you got to deport illegal aliens… They got to go back to this, as Stuart Stevens talked about, and go through everything about his immigration status. I happen to believe, given the facts that I’ve been shown, that he’s an illegal alien, and illegal aliens got to be deported." Musk became a US citizen in 2002.

Bannon also called into question the alleged drug use by Musk that was reported by the New York Times. "The drug use in the New York Times, if that’s a fact, that ought to be investigated." He later said that Musk’s security clearance should be taken away "and all contracts should be suspended pending that investigation."

Bannon told the New York Times in a phone interview, "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."

Musk has been outspoken in regards to Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" working its way through Congress, labeling it as a "disgusting abomination" for the levels of spending it contains. "This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it," Musk had posted earlier in the week.

Trump responded to the comments during a meeting in the Oval Office on Thursday, saying, "Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we will anymore." He later added, "He knew the inner workings of the bill better than anybody sitting here... He knew everything about it. He had no problem with it."

The two exchanged jabs throughout Thursday, with Musk floating the idea of creating a "new political party" and accusing Trump of being in the Epstein Files and saying that this was "the real reason they have not yet been made public."

Trump suggested Musk's government subsidies and contracts could be canceled to save money in the budget, and defended the "Big Beautiful Bill," saying "I didn’t create this mess, I’m just here to FIX IT."