Billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk, once a favored ally of the America First movement, is now accelerating his estrangement from MAGA conservatives by leveling explosive—yet unsubstantiated—allegations against one of President Donald J. Trump’s most prominent former advisors.

In a post Tuesday on X, Musk claimed:

“Bannon is in the Epstein files,”
offering no source, citation, or context.

The accusation was made in response to another post by longtime Trump loyalist Roger Stone, who raised legitimate questions about Steve Bannon’s past interactions with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

“Why would Bannon meet with Jeffrey Epstein both at his New York home and in Paris after Epstein was convicted on sex crimes in Florida?” Stone asked. “Why would he coach Epstein for his 60 Minutes appearance?”

According to the Daily Mail, Bannon allegedly advised Epstein during a 2019 prep session for a CBS “60 Minutes” interview that never aired. Michael Wolff’s book Too Famous includes a supposed quote from Bannon encouraging Epstein:

“You’re engaging, you’re not threatening, you’re natural, you’re friendly, you don’t look at all creepy, you’re a sympathetic figure.”

However, Bannon later denied coaching Epstein, stating to The New York Times that his interactions were part of a broader effort to expose Epstein’s depravity through a documentary project.

Still, Musk has continued throwing rhetorical bombs at Trump-world figures. Just weeks ago, he floated an equally baseless claim that President Trump himself appeared in the “Epstein files,” despite offering no documentation. After swift backlash from Trump’s base, Musk quietly backpedaled.

Now, Musk is using a newly leaked Justice Department memo to revive the controversy, posting on X:

“How can people be expected to have faith in Trump if he won’t release the Epstein files?”

The memo in question asserts that no official “Epstein files” exist—prompting skepticism among Trump supporters and independent media figures alike.

President Trump addressed the issue head-on during a Cabinet meeting, dismissing the topic with characteristic candor.

“Are you still talking about Epstein? This guy has been talked about for years. Are people still talking about this creep?” Trump said, before Attorney General Pam Bondi partially addressed the matter.

Many in the conservative movement have voiced frustrations over the Justice Department’s lack of transparency, accusing Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel of concealing vital information.

“If Jeffrey Epstein had no client list, didn’t have elites raping girls on his island and hadn’t taken part in any blackmail schemes… Then… Why’d he kill himself?” conservative commentator Robby Starbuck asked on X. “Doesn’t pass the smell test, Pam Bondi.”

Earlier this year, President Trump invited a contingent of conservative influencers to the White House for a closed-door briefing on the Epstein investigation. The guests were seen leaving with binders they claimed contained bombshell evidence—yet the documents largely consisted of rehashed, previously public material.

In February, Attorney General Bondi claimed Epstein’s “client list” was “sitting on her desk.” That assertion, too, has since been walked back without further clarification.

Bannon, who once helped architect Trump’s 2016 victory, has in recent months become one of Musk’s most vocal critics, labeling him a tool of the Chinese Communist Party and even calling for the Tesla founder’s deportation.

The deepening rift between Musk and America First stalwarts raises real questions: Has Musk become a willing mouthpiece for forces aiming to fracture the conservative coalition? Or is this simply the erratic behavior of a billionaire obsessed with attention?

Whatever the case, the MAGA base remains laser-focused on getting answers about Epstein—and exposing the rot in America’s elite institutions.