Steve Bannon, one of the most prominent voices of the MAGA movement and a longtime ally of President Donald Trump, unleashed a fierce tirade this week against Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, calling him “close to an unmitigated disaster” and placing the blame for his appointment squarely on Elon Musk, whom Bannon has repeatedly ridiculed as a “parasitic illegal immigrant.”
On his War Room podcast Monday, Bannon criticized Lutnick’s media appearances, inconsistent messaging on tariffs, and lack of understanding about American manufacturing. “Let me be blunt. Lutnick, who is Elon’s pick for Secretary of Treasury, I think he’s close to being an unmitigated disaster. We should see a lot less of Lutnick on TV,” Bannon said, referring to the commerce chief’s multiple high-profile interviews in which he made contradictory statements about factory automation and American labor.
Bannon especially mocked a recent Face the Nation segment where Lutnick claimed iPhone factories would return to the U.S. using “millions and millions of human beings” to screw in tiny components, before pivoting moments later to a pitch about automation. “We’re not doing this so robots can have a better life,” Bannon said, scoffing at what he characterized as incoherent economic messaging. “No, Howard Lutnick, it’s not going to all be done by robots. You can’t be ‘America First’ without bringing back real jobs.”
Bannon also took the opportunity to offer a list of names he believes would be better suited for leading the administration’s economic messaging, including Elon critic and Trump loyalist Peter Navarro, current Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. But perhaps most strikingly, Bannon called for Stephen Miller — known for his role shaping Trump’s immigration policy — to step forward as the public face of the administration’s trade agenda. “Stephen Miller should be doing more about trade and about this new economic order that we’re trying to hammer through,” Bannon said.
Lutnick, the former CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, has quickly become a polarizing figure within Trumpworld. Though fiercely loyal to the president, critics say his Wall Street background and erratic public statements make him a poor fit for a populist administration pushing hard on tariffs and reshoring jobs. A March Politico report cited unnamed administration officials claiming Lutnick is “constantly auditioning for Trump’s approval” and lacks a clear understanding of economic fundamentals.
Despite the internal grumbling, President Trump has so far stood by Lutnick. During the Commerce Secretary’s swearing-in ceremony in February, Trump praised Lutnick’s personal story — notably his survival of 9/11, when he missed being in the Cantor Fitzgerald offices in the World Trade Center because he was taking his son to school. Trump, ever fond of loyalty, called him “a fighter” and joked that he should love that son “more than the others.”
A White House spokesperson downplayed the criticisms, saying, “President Trump has assembled the best and brightest trade team in modern American history to reignite American greatness.” However, whether Lutnick will survive the internal crossfire — or become the first major casualty of Trump’s second administration — remains to be seen.
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Steve Bannon is making too much noise. He is not elected and his noise do not help the president.
Steve is right. Trump is a fool though he doesn’t come right out and say it. Trump loves bootlickers. Has a stupid loyalty to Musk and the other hedge fund billionaires.
What a stupid comment, Bannon has never implied, inferred, or disparaged President Trump. You want bootlickers, just turn on any legacy media outlet, they all lick the liberal boots nonstop.
You probably need to dive a little deeper into Bannon’s beliefs before you trot your feelings out. Bannon has been on point with many, many issues long before mainstream picks up his musings.