Steve Bannon Attacks Elon Musk Over New Party: 'You're Not American'
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Steve Bannon has attacked Elon Musk over his plans to create a new political party.
Speaking on his War Room podcast, President Donald Trump's former chief strategist called out the South African-born billionaire, who has U.S. citizenship, and said he was "not American."
The Context
On Saturday, Musk—who supported Trump during the 2024 presidential election campaign and who the president put in charge of the Department of Government Efficiency before the pair fell out—announced he was forming a new political party called the "America Party."
He had previously posted a poll on July 4, asking respondents if they wanted a new party, with 65.4 percent saying that they supported the idea.
Steve Bannon is seen at the 2025 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland, on February 21, 2025.
Steve Bannon is seen at the 2025 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland, on February 21, 2025.
Credit: Annabelle Gordon/CNP Photo by: Annabelle Gordon - CNP/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images
On X, formerly Twitter, he wrote: "Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom," citing the poll.
As a foreign-born U.S. citizen, Musk cannot run for president but he can support third-party candidates, who can put themselves on the ballot in every state, if they have enough signatures to support their bid. It is rare for third-party candidates to break through significantly.
What To Know
On his podcast on Friday Bannon said: "The foul, the buffoon. Elmo the Mook, formerly known as Elon Musk, Elmo the Mook. He's today, in another smear, and this—only a foreigner could do this—think about it, he's got up on, he's got up on Twitter right now, a poll about starting an America Party, a non-American starting an America Party."
He added: "No, brother, you're not an American. You're a South African. We take enough time and prove the facts of that, you should be deported because it's a crime of what you did—among many."
What People Are Saying
Responding to a clip of Bannon's comments that was posted on X, Musk wrote: "The fat, drunken slob called Bannon will go back to prison and this time for a long time. He has a lifetime of crime to pay for."
Dafydd Townley, an American politics expert at the University of Portsmouth, previously told Newsweek that "third parties do not tend to have a long lifetime in American politics," adding that Musk's new party "would likely split the Republican vote, potentially resulting in a Democrat-dominated House of Representatives, at least in the short term, due to the winner-takes-all electoral system."
What Happens Next
It is not known how the party will be structured and what other figures will be involved in it. Whether it manages to break through the two-party system and enjoy success remains to be seen.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
"He's Just Throwing Another Tantrum": People Are Slamming Elon Musk For Attempting To Form His Own Political Party
Elon Musk wants to start his own political party. On July 5, the Tesla founder and former adviser to President Donald Trump announced on his X account that he's forming the America Party. Just the day before, Elon posted a poll suggesting that "Independence Day is the perfect time to ask if you want independence from the two-party (some would say uniparty) system! Should we create the America Party?" Related: His poll surprisingly received over 1.2 million votes, with over 65% voting "yes." In another post, he added, "One way to execute on this would be to laser-focus on just 2 or 3 Senate seats and 8 to 10 House districts. Given the razor-thin legislative margins, that would be enough to serve as the deciding vote on contentious laws, ensuring that they serve the true will of the people." Elon shared another post officially announcing the launch of the new US political party. "By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it!" he wrote. "When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy. Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom." He followed up by resharing a meme of a two-headed snake and the caption "End the Uniparty." He replied, "Yes." Elon's been teasing (or threatening) to form a third party for a while. On June 5, he posted a poll asking, "Is it time to create a new political party in America that actually represents the 80% in the middle?" Related: Then, on June 30, Elon made an internet promise that if Congress passed Trump's "Big, Beautiful Bill," which he's been a vocal critic of, he would form the "America Party." Well, it looks like good ol' Elon is serious about this next move, and the internet is not holding back with many people taking to social media to criticize the SpaceX founder for even floating the idea. One person wrote, "The 'america party'. A party created and funded by south african born billionaire. The onion couldn't make a better headline." Related: "He's just throwing another tantrum as usual when he doesn't get his way. He 'helped' Trump cuz he wanted Trump to not terminate all those EV incentives cuz he feels it will hurt his EV sales but Trump did it anyway. Now he wants to create a new political party cuz he did all that work and got nothing out of it but a big fat no🙄," another person wrote. Someone said, "Another Billionaire is launching a new political party, to 'represent the common people' LOL Ahhh you couldn't make this stuff up." There were some folks who believed, "The two leading parties have become rotten," and "this country needs a new party." This user wrote, "OMG . can US politics get more of a joke at the suffering of regular citizens 😱😱" Related: "You're telling me he gets mad that there's nothing in the bill that provides support for any of his fancy electric cars, so he gets mad and declares he's making his own party. The irony!" this social media user pointed out. Some people were saying, "USA has become one big reality show." This person joked, "Finally!! A party run by a candidate that can relate to every day middle class Americans. Being a South African billionaire Musk is well versed in the every day struggles of the American people." And finally, this person wrote, "The America Party is the most generic name for an American political party imaginable." What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments below. Also in In the News: Also in In the News: Also in In the News:
Politico
an hour ago
- Politico
Details emerge on Gaza ceasefire proposal as Netanyahu heads to White House
The document outlines plans for a 60-day ceasefire during which Hamas would hand over 10 living and 18 dead hostages, Israeli forces would withdraw to a buffer zone along Gaza's borders with Israel and Egypt, and significant amounts of aid would be brought in. The document says the aid would be distributed by United Nations agencies and the Palestinian Red Crescent. It does not specify what would happen to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the American organization that has distributed food aid since May. Israel wants it to replace the U.N.-coordinated system. As in previous ceasefire agreements, Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli facilities would be released in exchange for the hostages, but the number is not yet agreed upon. The proposal stops short of guaranteeing a permanent end to the war — a condition demanded by Hamas -- but says negotiations for a permanent ceasefire would take place during the 60 days. During that time, 'President (Donald) Trump guarantees Israel's adherence' to halting military operations, the document says, adding that Trump 'will personally announce the ceasefire agreement.' The personal guarantee by Trump appeared to be an attempt to reassure Hamas that Israel would not unilaterally resume fighting as it did in March during a previous ceasefire, when talks to extend it appeared to stall. Displaced Palestinians bake bread in a school now serving as a shelter in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, on July 6, 2025. | Abdel Kareem Hana/AP Trump said last week that Israel had agreed on terms for a 60-day ceasefire, but it was unclear if the terms were those in the document reviewed by the AP. Hamas has requested some changes but has not specified them. Separately, an Israeli official said the security Cabinet late Saturday approved sending aid into northern Gaza, where civilians suffer from acute food shortages. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the decision with the media, declined to give more details.
Business Insider
2 hours ago
- Business Insider
Musk Forms ‘America Party' after EV Tax Credit Slashed – Tesla (TSLA) Risks Grow as Trump Bill Passes
Elon Musk is taking his fight with Washington to the next level. The Tesla (TSLA) CEO announced the formation of a new political party called the America Party, just one day after President Trump signed a tax-and-spending bill that Musk called 'insane.' Don't Miss TipRanks' Half-Year Sale Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. Make smarter investment decisions with TipRanks' Smart Investor Picks, delivered to your inbox every week. The move follows Musk's public exit from the Department of Government Efficiency, a short-lived role he held after backing Trump in the 2024 election. The catalyst was a bill that eliminates the $7,500 EV tax credit earlier than expected and lifts the federal debt ceiling by $5 trillion. Musk argues the bill hurts future-focused industries and hands cash to 'sectors of the past.' Say Hello to the New America Party Musk ran a poll on X, where 65% of over 1.2 million voters supported the idea of a new party. He followed up with: 'You want a new political party and you shall have it!' To date, there have been no official filings with the Federal Election Commission. The America Party isn't aiming for the White House yet. Instead, Musk plans to target a handful of House and Senate races in 2026. With Congress so evenly split, flipping even a few seats could give his new party outsized influence. Trump has fired back, threatening to review federal contracts with Musk's companies, including Tesla and SpaceX. He even joked about deporting Musk, who became a U.S. citizen in 2002. Legal experts say that's not happening. Then again, maybe Trump will launch a rival to SpaceX and start building 'the biggest, most beautiful spaceships you've ever seen.' Is There Room for a Third Party? So, what are the odds this party actually matters? Historically, third parties struggle. The American political system has traditionally favored two major parties. But Musk has billions of dollars, a built-in media platform, and no shortage of name recognition. If anyone can break through, it might be the guy who tweets markets into motion and sells flamethrowers for fun. Still, it's a long road from social media poll to political power. Investors will want to watch how this plays out, especially with EV policy and federal contracts now tangled in politics. The America Party may never dominate the ballot, but it could swing enough seats to make a difference. Is Tesla a Buy, Sell, or Hold? Back to Musk's actual business, Tesla boasts a Hold rating on the Street, based on 35 ratings. The average price target for TSLA stock is $293.09, implying a 7.06% downside potential.
