OXON HILL, Md. — Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk made a dramatic appearance at a conservative convention near Washington, D.C., on Thursday, brandishing a chainsaw and voicing strong opinions on various political issues, including calls for an audit of the Federal Reserve and accusations of treason directed at Democrats.
Musk, known for his role as CEO of Tesla and his prominent advisory relationship with former President Donald Trump, delivered remarks aimed at reducing government spending and shrinking the federal workforce through the new Department of Government Efficiency. His participation as a speaker at the Conservative Political Action Conference sparked enthusiastic cheers from the assembled crowd.
Earlier in the day, Musk met with Argentine President Javier Milei—who has garnered Musk’s admiration—prior to taking the stage. Milei is known for his fervent campaign proposals advocating for significant cuts to public spending and had popularized the use of a chainsaw as a symbol during his political efforts.
When he took the stage wearing sunglasses and a “Make America Great Again” hat, Musk welcomed Milei, who presented him with a red chainsaw. The tool was adorned with Milei’s slogan, “Viva la libertad, carajo,” meaning “Long live liberty, damn it.” Musk humorously introduced it as “the chainsaw for bureaucracy.”
Musk criticized the previous administration led by President Biden, specifically spotlighting an immigration app that reportedly facilitated entry for almost a million individuals via two-year work permits. He suggested that the Democrats used this strategy as a tactic to gain an advantage in key electoral states.
“A lot of people don’t quite appreciate that this was an actual real scam at scale to tilt the scales of democracy in America,” Musk asserted. When asked by Newsmax host Rob Schmitt if he viewed these actions as treason, Musk replied affirmatively, saying, “Treason.” When Schmitt probed further about auditing the Federal Reserve, Musk readily agreed. “Yeah, sure, while we’re at it,” he said, remarking on the prevalence of waste in government operations.
In a lighter moment, Musk recounted a conversation with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, who expressed concerns for Musk’s safety. Bukele, known for his tough stance on crime and criminal activity in his country, ironically seemed to worry more about Musk than himself.
“President Bukele, who managed to put in prison like a hundred thousand murderous thugs, called me. ‘I am worried about your security,’” Musk shared, adding his disbelief at Bukele’s concern. “I’m like, ‘Dude, you are worried about my security?’”
Musk also described his mental landscape as quite tumultuous, stating simply, “My mind is a storm.” Following his remarks, Steve Bannon, a well-known ally of Trump, took the stage, acknowledging the challenge of succeeding Musk’s performance with a less enthusiastic reception from the audience.
“How did I draw the card to follow Elon Musk?” Bannon humorously questioned, referencing Musk’s significant star power. “C’mon man! You bring out the world’s wealthiest guy, Superman. I’m supposed to follow it? I’m just a crazy Irishman!”
