Elon Musk rages against Steve Bannon after call for drug investigation

Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News on Jun 10, 2025

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Elon Musk’s feud with Steve Bannon intensified Tuesday after Bannon suggested President Donald Trump rethink government contracts with Musk’s company and appoint a special counsel to investigate the mercurial billionaire’s alleged drug use.

“Bannon is such a r——d liar,” Musk raged on his social media platform in the very early morning hours, using a slur for people with intellectual disabilities. “Dumber than a doorstop.”

Musk was replying to comments Bannon made on the debut episode of the “Sunday Night With Chuck Todd” streaming series. The clip that appeared to get under his skin showed Bannon suggesting Musk has government contracts to thank for adding as much as $150 billion to his net worth and suggested, therefore, U.S. taxpayers should own a share of his SpaceX company.

Musk’s rant took issue with Bannon’s math, but moreso his reasoning.

“If Bannon’s dumb as f–k reasoning made any sense, then anyone who bought products from any company would automatically own that company,” he posted before again insulting Bannon’s mental capacity.

According to Bannon, if any other CEO threatened to decommission one of the rockets his company uses in its work with the government after a personal spat with a U.S. president — as Musk did last week — that executive would be fired.

Bannon also told Todd that President Trump should further look into a recent bombshell New York Times story hinting Musk’s alleged drug use could be problematic, which Musk flatly denied.

“I think the best way to do it is as a special counsel that can kind of oversee everything,” Bannon said. “Pull his security clearance for the drugs, temporarily, investigate the whole drug situation.”

The Times reported May 30 that Musk was “using drugs far more intensely than previously known” while campaigning for Trump. His substance use reportedly included ketamine, ecstasy, psychedelic mushrooms and pills that appeared to be the ADHD stimulant Adderall.

Bannon, who served in Trump’s first administration, has a history of butting heads with Musk, who headed the Department of Government Efficiency in Trump’s second administration.

Tensions escalated last week when Musk posted a message online suggesting Justice Department records show that Trump’s friendship with disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein would present problems for the president. Musk later deleted that post.

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