Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon tore into Elon Musk on Wednesday over Musk's criticism of President Donald Trump's Stargate project.
Newsweek reached out to SpaceX via email Wednesday for comment from Musk.
Why It Matters
Bannon's criticism reveals yet another fissure in the MAGA world over the Stargate project, a massive artificial intelligence initiative aimed at positioning the United States as a global technology leader.
Stargate is a joint venture between SoftBank Group, OpenAI, Oracle Corp. and MGX that will invest $500 billion over the next four years to build AI infrastructure, with an initial $100 billion already in the books.
What To Know
Musk, the CEO of Tesla and head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), bashed Stargate, Trump's first major initiative as president, in a series of posts on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday and Wednesday.
"They don't actually have the money," Musk wrote on X late Tuesday. "SoftBank has well under $10B secured. I have that on good authority."
"Sam is a swindler," Musk wrote Wednesday afternoon, referring to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
Musk co-founded OpenAI with Altman and several others in 2015. He has since sued the company, accusing it of deviating from its original mission as a nonprofit and prioritizing profits over the public good.
The SpaceX founder also amplified a post alleging that the announced $500 billion investment in AI infrastructure is a "ridiculous number and no one should take it seriously."
Bannon, a staunch ally of Trump and the host of the War Room podcast, didn't mince words when responding to Musk's comments.
Musk "should not reverse what the president's already talked about," Bannon told reporters Wednesday. "It's unacceptable and unsatisfactory. You see how out of control he is."
Bannon: “[Elon Musk] should not reverse what the president’s already talked about. It’s unacceptable and unsatisfactory. You see how out of control he is.” pic.twitter.com/U2LV1jfCnK
— Grace Chong, MBI (@gc22gc) January 22, 2025What People Are Saying
When Musk suggested SoftBank has less than $10 billion in funding secured, Altman responded on X: "[W]rong, as you surely know. [W]ant to come visit the first site already under way this is great for the country. [I] realize what is great for the country isn't always what's optimal for your companies, but in your new role [I] hope you'll mostly put [America] first."
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Trump is committed to Stargate: "The American people should take President Trump's and those CEOs' word for it: these investments are coming to our country."
SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son said during Tuesday's White House briefing announcing Stargate: "This will help people's lives. This will help solve many, many issues ... with the help of AI."
What Happens Next
As of Wednesday evening, Trump has not responded directly to Musk's comments, but the Tesla founder's comments are sure to rankle the president, who in the past has punished people, including those in his inner circle, who publicly undermine him.
Stargate will be based in Texas, where construction on 10 new data centers has already begun.
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