Bannon Claims Tech Billionaires Are Bowing to Trump Ahead of Inauguration

Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon claimed that the attendance of billionaire CEOs and tech moguls at President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration represents a surrender from "the oligarchs."

Speaking on ABC’s This Week, Bannon described figures such as SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos as “supplicants” rather than influential elites.

"They’re not there as the oligarchs,” Bannon said. “President Trump broke the oligarchs, he broke them, and they surrendered."

Bannon, a leading voice in the MAGA movement, has been critical of Trump’s alignment with Musk, whom he called “a truly evil guy” in an interview with Italian outlet Corriere della Sera. He claimed Musk would betray Trump and vowed, "I will have Elon Musk run out of here by Inauguration Day.”

The presence of Zuckerberg at the inauguration has also drawn Bannon’s ire. Zuckerberg, who banned Trump from his platforms following the January 6 Capitol riot, will co-host a reception Monday alongside other billionaire GOP donors, according to the Associated Press.

Bannon characterized Zuckerberg as “a criminal” and expressed skepticism about his loyalty. “That guy will flip on President Trump and us the second it’s convenient for him,” Bannon said.

Bannon’s remarks highlight tensions between the conservative movement and major tech figures, despite their donations to Trump’s inauguration. Several CEOs have visited Mar-a-Lago since Trump’s election victory, prompting the president-elect to declare, “Everybody wants to be my friend.”

However, Bannon views their actions differently, suggesting they are simply trying to secure favor. "They’re trying to get a landing slot to get in there and be a supplicant,” he said.

Bannon’s criticism comes amid his own return to the public eye. Released from prison in October after serving a four-month sentence for contempt of Congress, he remains a vocal critic of both the tech elite and their relationship with Trump.

His assertions reflect ongoing debates within the Republican Party about the influence of tech billionaires and their role in shaping the political landscape.