Latest news with #Bannon
Extra.ie
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
A swim in the sea or a pint in the pub? It's hard to choose admits Dermot Bannon
TV Architect Dermot Bannon says swimming in the sea has become an integral part of his life, even as important as going to the pub for a pint. The 52-year-old Room to Improve host regularly meets up with a group of friends for a dip, no matter how cold the weather. 'There is something about me and cold water,' he says in an interview with today's Magazine. 'I love it and always have, ever since I was a child growing up in Malahide. I was never a natural sports person, but I could swim. When people started going to the gym, I'd head to the pool. Dermot Bannon. Pic: RTÉ 'Now I love sea swimming. For me, it's a reset. If I'm ever feeling stressed or worried about stuff, I go to the sea and I throw myself in. It rights everything for me, and I come out of it in a much better place.' Asked to choose between a trip to the pub for a pint or a sea swim followed by a flask of hot coffee and a chat on the beach, Bannon admits it would be a hard call. 'They're nearly equal at this stage,' he laughs. 'Nearly.' Dermot Bannon. Pic: Tom Honan Bannon said spending time with friends is something he now prioritises after being a self-confessed 'workaholic'. But a health scare last year prompted him to reassess his priorities. 'I've always been a bit of a workaholic – work now and enjoy life later was my mantra. But I live in the present now. I don't really care as much about the future. I grab on to what I have right in front of me, which has been an eye-opener. 'Maybe you should be doing those things now. Work can always wait.'
Axios
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Axios
"White With Fear" film examines the "white fear industrial complex"
A new documentary investigates the long-running efforts by politicians and the media to stoke racial tensions and frame white Americans as victims. Why it matters: "White With Fear," set to begin streaming on Tuesday (June 3), examines the origins of white grievance in the U.S. and how it contributed to the rollback of decades of civil rights gains. The big picture: The film uses interviews with scholars, journalists, former Republican operatives, former and current right-wing influencers, Hillary Clinton and Steve Bannon to show how white grievance became a potent weapon. From former President Richard Nixon using crime as a racist dog whistle to racist Tea Party attacks on former President Barack Obama, the documentary follows the evolution to today's polarized politics. Director Andrew Goldberg tells Axios the idea for the film came during the pandemic and the aftermath of George Floyd's murder, when the nation appeared to be ready for a new conversation about race. "We set out to think about a film that would explore this concept of whiteness." That soon changed as the backlash to the Black Lives Matter movement retooled boiling white grievance that dismisses racial discrimination and was inflamed by conservative media, social media, and later Donald Trump, Goldberg said. Goldberg said it became clear with book bans, laws limiting the discussion of slavery in schools and the spreading of misinformation and racist material online that he had another project on hand. Zoom in: Operatives would use President Obama's middle name, Hussein, in mailers, rare crimes by immigrants would be highlighted and immigration reform would be dubbed as a demographic and economic threats CNN media critic Brian Stelter tells Goldberg that the buildup of the "white fear industrial complex" drove up wedges and sparked more racial tension. Katie McHugh, a former writer/producer at Breitbart, said she would write racist news stories for the website while getting cheered up by Trump supporters. Stuart Stevens, a former Romney 2012 campaign strategist and co-founder of The Lincoln Project, said the environment now isn't about solving problems but stirring racial animus for election victories. The intrigue: In the film, former Trump advisor Bannon offers an honest assessment of how he and others flooded the media ecosystem with far-right, conservative articles to influence opinion. "We kind of put a network together of people that just continue to put out more information," Bannon said. "If you put out information and you have force multiples that just drive it, people will start to sort it out themselves." Bannon said that involved stopping bipartisan immigration reform by publishing articles daily and targeting broadcast networks nonstop. The film shows clips of conservative commentators then repeating racist stereotypes about Latino immigrants. Case in point: McHugh said the film strategy was to take "reactionary, racist feelings" against non-white immigrants and show how the "elites" betrayed the working white man. McHugh said that after she wrote such pieces, prominent Trump officials would email her and flatter her as a young 20-something. State of play: The film comes as the Trump administration reinterprets Civil Rights-era laws to focus on " anti-white racism" rather than discrimination against people of color. Trump also has embarked on a systematic effort to unravel President Lyndon B. Johnson's civil rights legacy, rolling back protections that have shaped American life for nearly six decades. Bottom line: Goldberg concluded that white Americans have been manipulated for short-term electoral gains.
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
Steve Bannon Says Elon Musk and Scott Bessent Had ‘Physical Confrontation'
Elon Musk allegedly got into a heated discussion with a senior White House official that turned physical during his time as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), according to Steve Bannon. A former chief strategist during President Donald Trump's first term in office, Bannon told the Daily Mail that Musk's turbulent time in the White House took a dramatic turn when he allegedly "shoved" 62-year-old Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during a heated exchange. Musk said on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday night that his scheduled time as a "special government employee" at DOGE was coming to an end. As head of DOGE, Musk has led the charge on cuts to federal spending. During that time, the Trump administration faced a lawsuit alleging that it had violated federal privacy laws by granting DOGE access to systems containing personal information on millions of Americans without their consent. Musk has faced fierce backlash over his drastic cuts to the government's budget, including canceling thousands of federal jobs, and the dismantling of entire agencies. Amid the uproar, Tesla cars and property have been targeted by protesters, causing the company's market share to decline. According to Bannon, Bessent confronted Musk over his sweeping but unfulfilled promises to deliver $1 trillion in budget cuts. "Scott Bessent called him out and said, 'You promised us a trillion dollars in cuts, and now you're at like $100 billion. Nobody can find any savings. What are you doing?'" Bannon recounted. "And that's when Elon got physical. It's a sore subject with him," Bannon said. "It wasn't an argument, it was a physical confrontation. Elon basically shoved him." According to Bannon, the clash occurred as Musk and Bessent moved from the Oval Office to outside Chief of Staff Susie Wiles' office, and then past the office of then-National Security Adviser Mike Waltz. "Trump 100 percent sided with Bessent after the clash," Bannon added. "I don't think Bessent has any bad blood, but he's got a job to do and he's going to do it." Revelations of the alleged Musk-Bessent clash emerged following a New York Times report alleging Musk was using "a cocktail of drugs on the campaign trail including ketamine, ecstasy and psychedelic mushrooms." When questioned about the report an Oval Office press conference alongside Trump, Musk dismissed the allegations by criticizing the publication, stating, "Let's move on, next question." According to Bannon, Musk's status in Trump's orbit also diminished after the March leak that he was slated for top-secret military briefings on China, which Trump abruptly canceled. Bannon noted, "The president backed [Bessent] just like the president didn't allow the briefing on China," adding, "People in the administration and the White House realized he didn't have any idea what he's doing. They cauterized the damage." Bannon emphasized that this marked a turning point: "That's the inflection point, you see Elon all changed from that moment." Bannon also criticized Musk's handling of his DOGE promises, particularly after Trump's State of the Union address that referenced millions of allegedly fraudulent Social Security recipients over age 100. Musk's claims of fraud were debunked as "primarily due to an accounting error," with Bannon stating, "Not one penny was ever shown to have been sent to these people." "Is anyone trying to talk to Elon now? No," Bannon remarked, attributing the fallout from the White House's "Big Beautiful Bill" to Musk. He explained that Republicans in Congress had counted on Musk's promised spending cuts, but "he didn't deliver." Bannon said, "The political class on Capitol Hill willingly got behind a pied piper and wasted five months." "The people at fault here are Congress. They wanted to have a fairy godmother come in and wave a magic wand and say, it's all fraud, and get them off the hook. Particularly [House Speaker Mike] Johnson…they didn't invite Musk to Capitol Hill because they think he's politically radioactive, and they all lined up and didn't do the work on these bills…There's no cuts." Bannon's remarks come after Musk announced on Wednesday that he would be leaving his role at DOGE. Musk's time as a "special government employee" was only meant to last five months, so there had been much speculation that he would leave his role. But it is still unclear exactly why he is leaving. Eric Schiffer, a top tech investor and the chair of the private equity firm Patriarch Organization and chairman of Reputation Management Consultants, told Newsweek that Musk's decision to step down was likely a strategic move to recover his image, with polls acting as real-time barometers of his personal brand health. "The polls are the new SEC [Security and Exchange Commission] filings where prospectuses around CEO reputation is the real hidden ticker," he said. Pollster Nate Silver's tracker shows Musk's approval rating has declined since the start of the Trump administration, with 54 percent of Americans viewing him unfavorably and just 40 percent favorably, down from 41 percent favorable and 47 percent unfavorable. His net favorability has fallen from -5 to -14 points. Meanwhile, polls from HarrisX, Echelon Insights, and Global Strategy/Navigator Research show widespread dissatisfaction with Musk's role in government, particularly his handling of DOGE, with 55 percent disapproving of his involvement and 28 percent believing Trump gave him too much power. As Musk's reputation has dropped, so has that of his companies. The Axios Harris Poll 100 places Tesla and SpaceX near the bottom of the rankings, at 95th and 86th, respectively. On Thursday, Musk appeared in the White House for a press conference with Trump following news of his departure. During the press conference, Musk appeared to have a black eye. When asked about it, he joked that he wasn't "anywhere near France," a reference to an incident where French President Emmanuel Macron's wife Brigitte was seen pushing her husband before they walked off an airplane. Musk then revealed that his 5-year-old son, X, was responsible for the bruise. "I was just horsing around with little X and I said, 'Go ahead punch me in the face,' and he did," Musk explained. Trump, who said he hadn't noticed Musk's black eye, smiled at the story and added, "X could do it. If you knew X, he could do it." Musk further clarified, "I didn't really feel much at the time, and I guess it bruises up, but I was just horsing around with the kid." When asked about the Tesla chief's future in the White House, both Musk and Trump confirmed that he would always be on standby to provide guidance to the president. When questioned about the alleged confrontation between Musk and Bessent, White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, told the Daily Mail: "It's no secret President Trump has put together a team of people who are incredibly passionate about the issues impacting our country. "Disagreements are a normal part of any healthy policy process, and ultimately everyone knows they serve at the pleasure of President Trump." Following news of Musk's departure, Scott Bessent publicly praised the billionaire on X, writing: "@DOGEand@elonmusk have set some very important work in motion—which we are committed to continuing. The Trump administration is cutting costs and making the government more productive for the American people." Musk will likely pivot back to focusing on his businesses after leaving his role at DOGE. Tesla reportedly missed its first quarter projections by more than 70 percent. Related Articles Steve Bannon Suffers Legal SetbackSteve Bannon's Warning on Trump Budget Bill-'Don't See How the Math Works'Steve Bannon 'Very Upset' Over Trump's Big Beautiful BillMap Shows Where Manufacturing Is Growing 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
a day ago
- Business
- Newsweek
Steve Bannon Says Elon Musk and Scott Bessent Had 'Physical Confrontation'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Elon Musk allegedly got into a heated discussion with a senior White House official that turned physical during his time as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), according to Steve Bannon. A former chief strategist during President Donald Trump's first term in office, Bannon told the Daily Mail that Musk's turbulent time in the White House took a dramatic turn when he allegedly "shoved" 62-year-old Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during a heated exchange. Why It Matters Musk said on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday night that his scheduled time as a "special government employee" at DOGE was coming to an end. As head of DOGE, Musk has led the charge on cuts to federal spending. During that time, the Trump administration faced a lawsuit alleging that it had violated federal privacy laws by granting DOGE access to systems containing personal information on millions of Americans without their consent. Musk has faced fierce backlash over his drastic cuts to the government's budget, including canceling thousands of federal jobs, and the dismantling of entire agencies. Amid the uproar, Tesla cars and property have been targeted by protesters, causing the company's market share to decline. Elon Musk, center, speaks during a news conference with President Donald Trump, right, as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, far left, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, listen in the Oval Office at the White House, Friday,... Elon Musk, center, speaks during a news conference with President Donald Trump, right, as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, far left, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, listen in the Oval Office at the White House, Friday, May 30, 2025, in Washington. More Evan Vucci/AP What To Know According to Bannon, Bessent confronted Musk over his sweeping but unfulfilled promises to deliver $1 trillion in budget cuts. "Scott Bessent called him out and said, 'You promised us a trillion dollars in cuts, and now you're at like $100 billion. Nobody can find any savings. What are you doing?'" Bannon recounted. "And that's when Elon got physical. It's a sore subject with him," Bannon said. "It wasn't an argument, it was a physical confrontation. Elon basically shoved him." According to Bannon, the clash occurred as Musk and Bessent moved from the Oval Office to outside Chief of Staff Susie Wiles' office, and then past the office of then-National Security Adviser Mike Waltz. "Trump 100 percent sided with Bessent after the clash," Bannon added. "I don't think Bessent has any bad blood, but he's got a job to do and he's going to do it." Revelations of the alleged Musk-Bessent clash emerged following a New York Times report alleging Musk was using "a cocktail of drugs on the campaign trail including ketamine, ecstasy and psychedelic mushrooms." When questioned about the report an Oval Office press conference alongside Trump, Musk dismissed the allegations by criticizing the publication, stating, "Let's move on, next question." According to Bannon, Musk's status in Trump's orbit also diminished after the March leak that he was slated for top-secret military briefings on China, which Trump abruptly canceled. Bannon noted, "The president backed [Bessent] just like the president didn't allow the briefing on China," adding, "People in the administration and the White House realized he didn't have any idea what he's doing. They cauterized the damage." Bannon emphasized that this marked a turning point: "That's the inflection point, you see Elon all changed from that moment." Bannon also criticized Musk's handling of his DOGE promises, particularly after Trump's State of the Union address that referenced millions of allegedly fraudulent Social Security recipients over age 100. Musk's claims of fraud were debunked as "primarily due to an accounting error," with Bannon stating, "Not one penny was ever shown to have been sent to these people." "Is anyone trying to talk to Elon now? No," Bannon remarked, attributing the fallout from the White House's "Big Beautiful Bill" to Musk. He explained that Republicans in Congress had counted on Musk's promised spending cuts, but "he didn't deliver." Bannon said, "The political class on Capitol Hill willingly got behind a pied piper and wasted five months." "The people at fault here are Congress. They wanted to have a fairy godmother come in and wave a magic wand and say, it's all fraud, and get them off the hook. Particularly [House Speaker Mike] Johnson…they didn't invite Musk to Capitol Hill because they think he's politically radioactive, and they all lined up and didn't do the work on these bills…There's no cuts." Bannon's remarks come after Musk announced on Wednesday that he would be leaving his role at DOGE. Musk's time as a "special government employee" was only meant to last five months, so there had been much speculation that he would leave his role. But it is still unclear exactly why he is leaving. Eric Schiffer, a top tech investor and the chair of the private equity firm Patriarch Organization and chairman of Reputation Management Consultants, told Newsweek that Musk's decision to step down was likely a strategic move to recover his image, with polls acting as real-time barometers of his personal brand health. "The polls are the new SEC [Security and Exchange Commission] filings where prospectuses around CEO reputation is the real hidden ticker," he said. Pollster Nate Silver's tracker shows Musk's approval rating has declined since the start of the Trump administration, with 54 percent of Americans viewing him unfavorably and just 40 percent favorably, down from 41 percent favorable and 47 percent unfavorable. His net favorability has fallen from -5 to -14 points. Meanwhile, polls from HarrisX, Echelon Insights, and Global Strategy/Navigator Research show widespread dissatisfaction with Musk's role in government, particularly his handling of DOGE, with 55 percent disapproving of his involvement and 28 percent believing Trump gave him too much power. As Musk's reputation has dropped, so has that of his companies. The Axios Harris Poll 100 places Tesla and SpaceX near the bottom of the rankings, at 95th and 86th, respectively. On Thursday, Musk appeared in the White House for a press conference with Trump following news of his departure. During the press conference, Musk appeared to have a black eye. When asked about it, he joked that he wasn't "anywhere near France," a reference to an incident where French President Emmanuel Macron's wife Brigitte was seen pushing her husband before they walked off an airplane. Musk then revealed that his 5-year-old son, X, was responsible for the bruise. "I was just horsing around with little X and I said, 'Go ahead punch me in the face,' and he did," Musk explained. Trump, who said he hadn't noticed Musk's black eye, smiled at the story and added, "X could do it. If you knew X, he could do it." Musk further clarified, "I didn't really feel much at the time, and I guess it bruises up, but I was just horsing around with the kid." When asked about the Tesla chief's future in the White House, both Musk and Trump confirmed that he would always be on standby to provide guidance to the president. What People Are Saying When questioned about the alleged confrontation between Musk and Bessent, White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, told the Daily Mail: "It's no secret President Trump has put together a team of people who are incredibly passionate about the issues impacting our country. "Disagreements are a normal part of any healthy policy process, and ultimately everyone knows they serve at the pleasure of President Trump." Following news of Musk's departure, Scott Bessent publicly praised the billionaire on X, writing: "@DOGEand@elonmusk have set some very important work in motion—which we are committed to continuing. The Trump administration is cutting costs and making the government more productive for the American people." What Happens Next Musk will likely pivot back to focusing on his businesses after leaving his role at DOGE. Tesla reportedly missed its first quarter projections by more than 70 percent.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
'Next Victory: H-1B scam': MAGA now rallies behind Steve Bannon after China visa crackdown
US crackdown on Chinese students' visa is seen as a victory of the Bannon camp. Donald Trump's former aide Steve Bannon shot to the centerstage Friday as the Trump administration's recent visa decisions were seen as a victory of the Bannon camp. Bannon, an avid hater of the H-1B visa programs that allows US companies to hire foreign talent, quickly reacted to the accolades, as he wrote, "Next Victory: H1B Visa Scam". A POLITICO report gave the verdict that it was the Bannon camp's win over the tech camp as Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the administration would now revoke the visas of Chinese students. The Silicon Valley camp would definitely not like this decision as 70 per cent of Silicon Valley's highly educated tech employees are from overseas and China supplies more than any country except India, the report said noting how silent the tech industry is on this major policy change -- though very little has been shared by Rubio. Meta, Google, Microsoft and NVidia formally declined to comment to POLITICO and it said Tesla, Amazon and Apple did not respond to its emails. "The visa move looks like another win for the Bannon wing," the report gave its verdict. What Steve Bannon thinks about H-1B Steve Bannon has openly called the H-1B program a scam. Openly declaring a war against Elon Musk, he called for an end to the program. Bannon thinks H-1B is a scam of the highest order that deprives Americans of their jobs. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like USDJPY đang đi lên không? IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Reacting to the USCIS's latest approval of over 120,000 H-1B applications for 2026, Steve Bannon said it's outrageous at a time when AI is posing a threat to US jobs. "The number of H-1Bs we need this year is ZERO. Everyone issued one should go home, and every billet should be filled by an American," Bannon said. The recent layoffs announced by companies, including Walmart, have been linked to the H-1B and US tech workers are demanding H-1B ban.
