Former White House strategist Steve Bannon has called on President Donald Trump to invoke the Defense Production Act to seize SpaceX and deport Elon Musk, citing national security concerns and questioning Musk’s immigration status. The remarks were made during Bannon’s “War Room” podcast on June 5, 2025, amid escalating tensions between Trump and Musk over policy disagreements and public accusations.
Bannon stated, “The action that President Trump should be taking immediately, I think, is when [Musk] threatens to take one of the big programs out of Space X — 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.
“The U.S. government should seize it. If a guy’s going to sit there and start making quotes — also, as we — Stuart Stevens talked back in January, I don’t know why we haven’t had a full investigation. Look, if you’re going to deport illegal aliens, you’ve got to deport illegal aliens — the good go with the [bad], you know, the goose and the gander.
“They gotta 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.”
Bannon urged immediate action, stating that if Musk threatens to withdraw key programs from SpaceX, the U.S. government should seize the company before midnight. He emphasized the need for a thorough investigation into Musk’s immigration status, expressing a belief that Musk is in the country illegally. Bannon also referenced reports of Musk’s alleged drug use, suggesting that such behavior should be scrutinized due to potential implications for security clearances.
The feud between Trump and Musk intensified after Musk criticized the administration’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” a significant legislative initiative. Musk accused Trump of being associated with Jeffrey Epstein and called for the president’s impeachment. In response, Trump threatened to terminate government contracts with Musk’s companies, including Tesla and SpaceX.
The public fallout has led to significant financial repercussions, with Tesla shares dropping 14% and Musk’s net worth decreasing by approximately $34 billion.
