Steve Bannon had a meltdown on his podcast when he suggested a conspiracy between Elon Musks’ brain-interface technology company Neuralink and the impending 2022 midterm election.
Bannon—the co-founder of far-right news site Breitbart News and former advisor to former President Donald Trump—talked about the controversial technology on his podcast Real America’s Voice.
He suggested there was no regulation on the brain chips Musk wants to develop and no one knows what’s going to happen.
Steve Bannon is worried because Elon Musk is putting chips in people's brains before the 2022 midterms.pic.twitter.com/fDVDxhHKLH— David Edwards (@David Edwards) 1639494414
In the video, Bannon is speaking with his guest about Elon Musk and brings up Neuralink. While Musk is known for Tesla and SpaceX, Bannon suggests the Neuralink brain chip is Musk’s most dangerous project.
This led to wild and meandering speculation.
“So you can tell what's going to happen here. Totally unregulated.”
“Nobody's asking these tough questions of exactly what's going to happen when you start putting chips not into monkeys, not into pigs, but when you start putting them into human brains. Where does that go?”
Mostly, the plan is to use the chips in the brains of tetraplegics and quadriplegics, patients the chip hopes to help with daily life.
But yelling wild conspiracy theories online has worked well for Bannon so far.
Steve Bannon Flips Out: Elon Musk Will Put Chips In Your Brain!https://bit.ly/3m0YQ87— Jeffrey Levin (@Jeffrey Levin) 1639505554
I don't know why Bannon is getting his knickers in a twist. Surely, said chips will only work on people with a functioning brain?https://www.rawstory.com/steve-bannon-brain-chips/\u00a0\u2026— George Francis (@George Francis) 1639504058
Bannon doesn't know it but he was born with a chip in his head. It has ruffles...— Marc Page (@Marc Page) 1639538278
I would believe someone took something OUT of Steve Bannons brain.https://www.rawstory.com/steve-bannon-brain-chips/\u00a0\u2026— The Revenant (@The Revenant) 1639510037
@tech5960 #brainlessbannon\nOh wait, Steve your disqualified since your brainless! https://twitter.com/DavidEdwards/status/1470772292607164427\u00a0\u2026— Techfpvflyer (@Techfpvflyer) 1639507362
I'm glad I don't drink the same water these assholes drink. Jezzus\n\nSteve Bannon melts down because Elon Musk is putting chips in people's brains before the 2022 midtermshttps://www.rawstory.com/steve-bannon-brain-chips/\u00a0\u2026— Susie Mecum (@Susie Mecum) 1639521493
Neuralink is a company attempting to make a brain-interface technology. The chip would be implanted in people’s brains to record and stimulate brain activity.
It’s believed this would allow for more effective treatment of spinal-cord injuries and neurological disorders.
Musk recently pushed back his estimate for human testing to 2022, but said:
“Neuralink's working well in monkeys, and we're actually doing just a lot of testing and just confirming that it's very safe and reliable, and the Neuralink device can be removed safely.”
This is an ongoing promise, with Musk previously promising human testing in 2020 and then 2021.
Bannon likely has little to fear from Musk attempting to rewire people’s brains for the 2022 election, but that may not be what he’s really thinking.
Some commenters think he’s just stoking the fires of fear.
Is Bannon insane or just stupid? Or does he know better and is lying? Next he'll claim that all brain surgery has the purpose of rewiring brains so the patients vote Democrat.https://crooksandliars.com/2021/12/steve-bannon-flips-elon-musk-will-put\u00a0\u2026— Kurt Butler (@Kurt Butler) 1639506810
Sounds like Sloppy Steve is preparing an INSANITY DEFENSE for charges related to the TRUMP COUP ATTEMPT!\n\nSteve Bannon melts down because Elon Musk is putting chips in people's brains before the 2022 midtermshttps://www.rawstory.com/steve-bannon-brain-chips/\u00a0\u2026— Jerry Breen (@Jerry Breen) 1639496268
There's free speech and stupid speech, Bannon goes all in for stupid.\nSteve Bannon melts down because Elon Musk is putting chips in people's brains before the 2022 midtermshttps://www.rawstory.com/steve-bannon-brain-chips/\u00a0\u2026— cummingshawk (@cummingshawk) 1639508209
First Alex Jones with the weather machine and now this...what's a Q to do?— Mary Anne G. \ud83c\udf0a (@Mary Anne G. \ud83c\udf0a) 1639516840
he may be surprised to learn we already use chipped medical technologies, like pacemakers.https://twitter.com/RawStory/status/1470777306788597772\u00a0\u2026— Karen Greener Than You (@Karen Greener Than You) 1639521789
I wish Bannon actually believed this nonsense, because then we could write him off as a lunatic.\n\nBut no, Bannon doesn't really believe this tripe, it's just something to keep the #MAGA base riled up. Bannon doesn't care if he looks like a fool as long as he controls the mob.https://twitter.com/RawStory/status/1470777306788597772\u00a0\u2026— Real Patriots Wear Face-Masks (@Real Patriots Wear Face-Masks) 1639495931
Bannon is currently facing criminal contempt charges for refusing to answer a subpoena over the January 6 attack on the United States Capitol.
Previously, he faced charges as part of a “Build the Wall” scam, but was pardoned by former President Donald Trump before he left office.