Does Trump favor billionaires over ‘forgotten men and women?’



Steve Bannon, former chief strategist to Donald Trump, has long positioned himself as a champion for blue-collar white Americans. His ideology centers around economic nationalism and populism, which he believes appeals strongly to working-class whites who feel left behind by globalization and elite policies.

Bannon frames his political philosophy as a struggle between “economic nationalists” and “globalists.” He argues that globalization and free trade have gutted the American working class, particularly blue-collar whites. In his view, the “globalists” have created a middle class in Asia at the expense of American workers.

He believes this economic populism resonates strongly with blue-collar whites in particular, who he sees as the backbone of the “MAGA” movement.

In a recent interview on ABC’s “This Week,” Bannon faced tough questioning from host Jonathan Karl regarding the apparent contradiction between Trump’s campaign promises and his current associations with billionaires.

As Trump’s inauguration approaches, set for Monday, January 20, 2025, Karl pointed out that prominent tech moguls such as Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos are expected to have prime seats at the event. 

This seating arrangement seems at odds with Trump’s previous rhetoric about championing the “forgotten men and women” of America.

Bannon, however, attempted to spin this situation by claiming that these billionaires are present as “supplicants” rather than oligarchs. He argued that Trump has effectively “broken” these tech giants, forcing them to surrender to his movement.

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Despite his defense of Trump’s actions, Bannon didn’t hold back his criticism of the tech leaders. He labeled Mark Zuckerberg a “criminal” for his actions during the 2020 election, calling for a special prosecutor to investigate. He also referred to Elon Musk as a “truly evil person,” citing Musk’s past comments about the MAGA movement. And he expressed skepticism about the sincerity of these billionaires’ support for Trump, suggesting they would “flip” when convenient.

One key point of contention between Bannon and the tech leaders, particularly Musk, is the issue of H-1B visas for skilled immigrant workers. Bannon opposes these visas, arguing they disadvantage American workers, while Musk has advocated for Trump to support them.

Jonathan Karl challenged Bannon’s narrative, suggesting that Trump might be using Bannon while actually aligning with the billionaires’ interests. This questioning highlights the potential disconnect between Trump’s populist rhetoric and his actions as he prepares to return to the White House.

As Trump’s inauguration approaches, the presence of tech billionaires in prominent positions has raised questions about the true nature of his second-term priorities. While Bannon attempts to frame this as a victory for the MAGA movement, critics argue that it demonstrates Trump’s continued alignment with wealthy elites rather than the “forgotten” Americans he claimed to champion.

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