Steve Bannon on UnHerd Friday called for a full investigation into what he said were Elon Musk’s efforts to secure highly classified briefings on U.S. war plans against China, accusing the billionaire of improperly seeking sensitive information.
During an interview with Unherd’s Freddie Sayers, Bannon questioned Musk’s motives, asking why he, with no clear need for such information, would push to gain access to highly classified Pentagon briefings. Bannon’s comments stem from a report by The Atlantic, which reported that a planned Pentagon briefing for Musk was met with strong opposition from President Donald Trump, who believed Musk’s business ties to China made him unfit for sensitive national security discussions, especially regarding potential conflicts with Beijing.
“Why is Elon Musk, who has no need to know of that whatsoever, why was he forcing himself into the Pentagon to get a highly-classified brief? That has to be investigated. And his security clearance should be held in abeyance, and with no security clearance he can’t run the companies,” Bannon said.
The former Trump advisor said Musk should not be privy to national security matters, particularly regarding Taiwan and the Chinese Communist Party.
“Yesterday as a CEO and founder and major shareholder of a company that gets 80% to 90% of its revenues off government contracts, he just willy-nilly said he’s canceled one of the biggest programs, coupled with the reports that have not been refuted. He didn’t want to deal with it in the Oval when he was asked a question by the Fox reporter,” Bannon said. “So you have two major companies controlled by this guy, and I say the easiest way to do it is use the Defense Production Act. You’ve got a management team that I hear underneath him is quite stable.”
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“They would run it until that time of his security clearance was sorted out. But I think that has to be done today. I’m the leading fighter against the Chinese Communist Party, of which, let’s be blunt, he’s an agent of influence of the Chinese Communist Party. He’s owned lock, stock, and barrel. I’ve said this for years,” Bannon said.
Bannon added that Trump was furious upon learning that Musk had pressured Pentagon officials to provide him with a highly classified briefing on U.S. military strategies regarding China.
“President Trump was outraged when he found out that Elon Musk determined himself to force the generals and the senior staff of the Pentagon to give him a highly classified briefing on the war plans with China. Why would Elon Musk need that other than to maybe talk to his business partners about it?” Bannon asked. “He has no need to know the business plan or the strategic plan and the warfighting plan against the Chinese Communist Party, particularly around Taiwan.”
Musk frequently clashed with Sergio Gor, director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office, over staffing decisions and engaged in disputes over policy issues, an official told The Daily Caller. Secretary of State Marco Rubio kept him out of the State Department. His access to the Pentagon was restricted. (RELATED: Mike Benz Narrows Down Why ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Is ‘Inflaming’ Elon Musk)
Trump and Musk publicly clashed on Thursday, exchanging attacks and financial threats. Trump suggested that Musk’s anger stemmed from the bill’s failure to align with his vision, saying Musk’s criticism emerged only after learning the bill removed the EV mandate, implying financial motives rather than principle.
Musk responded on X, denying Trump’s accusations and said he never reviewed the bill, which he criticized for being rushed through Congress. After Trump’s 2024 win, he appointed Musk to head the Department of Government Efficiency, where Musk was tasked with cutting wasteful government spending, but by the end of May, Musk announced his tenure as a special government employee had ended.
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