Elon Musk: The Steve Bannon of 2024
Parallels with 2016
In 2016, Steve Bannon used Breitbart to spread content that fueled controversy and polarization, key factors in gaining support. The site became a partisan media outlet that generated controversy and polarization, allowing for the creation of a network of conservative media outlets that expanded Trump’s influence and ideas in the public sphere.
Musk’s Acquisition of Twitter
Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter in 2022 not only gave him control of a social network but also a platform with the potential to shape public opinion. Initially without clear motivations, the acquisition has led to changes that benefited Trump’s campaign in 2024. By reducing content moderation and allowing the circulation of conspiracy theories and misinformation, Twitter has become a space that amplifies the right-wing message.
Twitter as a Tool for Ideology
From the name change to “X” to the reduction in staff, Musk’s decisions seem to align more with an ideological agenda than with business logic. Despite the deterioration in user experience, Twitter’s political relevance as a propaganda space has given Musk a privileged position of influence in American political discourse, reminiscent of Bannon’s influence in the past.
