Steve Bannon, former Trump adviser and host of the War Room podcast, entered the ongoing debate over immigration within the MAGA movement on Friday, directing harsh words at Elon Musk. Bannon called Musk a “toddler” and urged the billionaire to “bring it” as tensions flared over Musk’s stance on H-1B work visas. Musk has been outspoken in his support for the visa program, which allows U.S. companies to hire highly skilled foreign workers, a position that contradicts the anti-immigration rhetoric championed by the MAGA right.
Bannon made his comment in a post on the social media platform Gettr, writing: “Someone please notify ‘Child Protective Services’— need to do a ‘wellness check’ on this toddler,” a response to Musk’s aggressive defense of his position.
Musk Responds Aggressively
Musk’s remarks came after a critic on X (formerly Twitter) challenged his position on immigration. In response, Musk told the critic to “f*** yourself in the face” and stated that his success in America was tied to the H-1B visa program, writing: “The reason I’m in America along with so many critical people who built SpaceX, Tesla and hundreds of other companies that made America strong is because of H1B.”
He further escalated the debate by saying, “Take a big step back and F*** YOURSELF in the face. I will go to war on this issue the likes of which you cannot comprehend.”
Musk, who was born in South Africa, and tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy have both voiced strong support for the H-1B program, defending it as essential for securing the skilled talent needed to drive innovation in tech industries like Silicon Valley. This stance has caused a sharp divide within the broader American right, particularly in relation to the MAGA movement’s “America First” and anti-immigration policies.
Elon Musk And Ramaswamy: Support for H-1B Visas
In an ongoing exchange, Musk endorsed a post that referred to American workers as too “re***ded” to perform the high-skilled jobs that foreign workers on H-1B visas often fill. Meanwhile, Ramaswamy, who has also supported the H-1B program, blamed American popular culture for promoting mediocrity and undervaluing intelligence.
“If we’re really serious about fixing the problem, we have to confront the TRUTH: Our American culture has venerated mediocrity over excellence for way too long,” Ramaswamy wrote. He suggested changes in American childrearing, advocating for “more math tutoring, fewer sleepovers… more creating, less chillin’.”
Bannon’s Retort Against Elon Musk And Escalating Tensions
Bannon’s response to Musk’s fiery rhetoric was equally forceful. On Gettr, he posted: “Bring.It.Dude—All of It.” He continued with a message asserting that H-1B visas were part of a strategy by “Tech Oligarchs” to suppress wages and undermine the spirit of American workers. “American Jobs for American Workers: H1B Visas are a TOOL of the Tech Oligarchs to Keep Wages Down While Destroying the Spirit of American Citizens,” Bannon wrote.
Bannon further criticized Musk by invoking historical references to American defiance, stating: “American Citizens Have Never Bent the Knee—to the British Empire, the Bolsheviks, the Nazis—Ain’t About to Start with South Africa.”
On his War Room podcast, Bannon took aim at Musk’s personality and social behavior, suggesting that Musk and other tech leaders were “on the spectrum” and lacked social skills. “The nerds don’t take criticism,” Bannon said, adding, “They’re kind of, you know, they’re a little bit all on the spectrum, right? They don’t know—they’re not deep in social skills.”
Musk Faces Allegations of Censorship
On top of the ongoing immigration debate, Musk faced accusations of retaliation against critics on his social media platform. Laura Loomer, a far-right activist known for her controversial views, and other individuals claimed that Musk’s platform removed their verification badges and restricted their ability to monetize their accounts in an act of retribution. Musk was accused of using his platform to punish critics, further intensifying the animosity between him and elements of the far-right.
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