By Charles Switzer
1:06pm PST, Feb 14, 2025
Bannon Warns Trump and Musk on Medicaid Cuts
Steve Bannon issued a cautionary statement to President
Donald Trump and
Elon Musk on Thursday, February 13, arguing that Medicaid is a complicated program to cut. Trump tasked Musk with leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a controversial initiative aimed at slashing federal spending by freezing funds and laying off government employees.
The program has already sparked lawsuits and judicial rebukes. Bannon, a longtime advocate for deficit reduction, warned that Washington is in "confusion and mayhem" as Musk attempts to cut $2 trillion dollars from the federal budget — a staggering goal, considering reports of the 2024 budget totaling $6.9 trillion dollars, with $600 billion dollars allocated to Medicaid.
Here are three other points the Trump strategist highlighted.
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Bannon Questions Musk's $2 Trillion Dollar Budget Cut Plan
On his show
War Room, Bannon expressed skepticism about Musk's ability to deliver significant budget cuts, stating, "Show me the trillion dollars in cuts."
He pointed out that a proposed $1.5 trillion dollar reduction over 10 years would amount to only $150 billion dollars per year, which he believes "is not gonna work." Bannon pressed for transparency, demanding that Musk and DOGE identify specific waste, fraud and abuse in government programs.
He called for drastic cuts in discretionary spending, including the Pentagon and Medicaid, but emphasized that
Medicaid cuts must be handled carefully because many Trump supporters rely on it.
Bannon: Medicaid Cuts Could Backfire on MAGA Base
Despite his support for government downsizing, Bannon warned that Medicaid is not an easy target for budget cuts, saying, "Medicaid is going to be a complicated one. Just can't take a meat axe to it, although I would love to."
He acknowledged that many
MAGA voters depend on Medicaid, contradicting claims from some Republican strategists who assume Trump's base would support the cuts. Bannon's remarks highlight the political risks of gutting Medicaid, which could alienate low-income Trump voters who rely on the program for healthcare.
Bannon's History of Clashing with Musk
Beyond budget concerns, Bannon has long been critical of the planet's richest human, particularly regarding Musk's financial ties to
China. In 2023, Bannon labeled Musk a "phony" and accused him of being "beholden to the Chinese Communist Party," citing Tesla's massive Shanghai factory as evidence of the billionaire's conflicting interests.
His latest remarks suggest that his distrust of Musk extends to the billionaire's role in the Trump administration, particularly in overseeing government budget cuts. Whether Bannon's concerns will influence Trump or Musk's strategy remains to be seen.
