Quick Hit:

Steve Bannon is calling for President Trump to deport Elon Musk and take control of SpaceX under the Defense Production Act. The call comes after Musk threatened to take one of the company’s spacecraft offline, intensifying his public feud with the president.

Key Details:

• Bannon accused Musk of being an “illegal alien” and called for his immediate deportation.
• He urged Trump to seize SpaceX under the Defense Production Act before midnight.
• The war of words between Musk and Trump has grown increasingly personal and politically charged.

Diving Deeper:

Steve Bannon, the former White House strategist and Trump ally, escalated the mounting clash between President Donald Trump and billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk, demanding sweeping federal action to remove Musk from the U.S. and seize his rocket company.

Speaking on his "War Room" podcast Thursday, Bannon said the president should invoke the Defense Production Act to take over SpaceX after Musk hinted he would pull the company’s Dragon spacecraft from NASA missions. “President Trump tonight should sign an executive order calling for the Defense Production Act to be called in on SpaceX and seize SpaceX tonight, before midnight,” Bannon said.

The Defense Production Act allows the president to prioritize government contracts in the name of national defense. Trump used it during the COVID-19 pandemic to compel manufacturers to produce ventilators and medical supplies. But legal experts note it does not explicitly give the president authority to seize private companies.

That didn’t stop Bannon from pushing for aggressive action. He accused Musk—who was born in South Africa—of being in the country illegally and called for his deportation. “They should initiate a formal investigation of his immigration status, because I am of the strong belief that he is an illegal alien,” Bannon told the New York Times. “He should be deported from the country immediately.”

Bannon also floated a federal investigation into Musk’s alleged drug use and efforts to obtain classified Pentagon briefings on China. He called for Musk’s security clearance to be revoked and for all government contracts with SpaceX and Tesla to be suspended while investigations are conducted.

Bannon, never shy about criticizing Musk, has long been wary of his influence in MAGA circles. In a February interview with UnHerd, Bannon labeled Musk a “parasitic illegal immigrant,” accusing him of having no respect for American values.

“He turned on President Trump. He turned on MAGA. But most importantly, he turned on the country and the American people,” Bannon said Thursday. “Let’s get ahead of it.”

 (AP Photo/LM Otero)