On a recent episode of his popular podcast Bannon’s War Room, Steve Bannon, former advisor to President Trump, took aim at Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, accusing him of betrayal and interference in the 2020 election. Bannon, known for his sharp criticism of Silicon Valley elites, didn’t mince words when discussing Zuckerberg’s actions.
“Zuckerberg can’t be trusted, not at all,” Bannon asserted. “He showed up at the Oval Office when I was there, and I went absolutely bonkers. But despite that, he still got in the door.” He went on to accuse Zuckerberg of using his wealth to manipulate the 2020 election, saying, “Later, he put up $450 million of his own money to steal the election. To steal the 2020 election.”
This sharp rebuke came as part of Bannon’s broader critique of Big Tech and its increasing involvement in politics. He believes these companies, driven by their own self-interest, work to undermine democracy and manipulate public opinion. He warned that the real power in Washington no longer lies with the people, but with tech moguls and their corporate agendas.
Bannon’s comments about Zuckerberg echo his broader disdain for the tech elites. His criticism doesn’t stop with Meta’s CEO—he also recently took aim at Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX. In a recent interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, Bannon labeled Musk “a truly evil guy” and vowed to make it his personal mission to “take this guy down.” Bannon believes that figures like Zuckerberg and Musk, while presented as free-market champions, are just another form of political powerbrokers.
These accusations are timely, following Meta’s recent announcement that it will scale back its content moderation policies and focus more on promoting free speech. Zuckerberg himself pointed to government and media pressure as a driving force behind previous censorship, and even described confrontations with Biden administration officials over pandemic-related content. Despite these claims of a shift towards free speech, Bannon remains skeptical, saying, “The only thing Zuckerberg and these corporations care about is protecting their own self-interest. Anything beyond that? You’re fooling yourself.”
For conservatives, Bannon’s stance serves as a reminder of the deep concerns many have about the growing influence of Big Tech in our lives and politics. With President Trump’s return on the horizon, Bannon warns that these corporate giants will have to reckon with a new political era—one where the American people, not Silicon Valley, call the shots.