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National Harbor, Maryland
Elon Musk made a surprise appearance at CPAC Thursday afternoon, where Argentinian president Javier Milei presented him with a chainsaw. “This is a chainsaw for bureaucracy!” Musk said, brandishing it before a whooping crowd.
The Department of Government Efficiency chief took to the stage with Newsmax host Rob Schmitt. Musk wore his MAGA hat — “dark gothic MAGA!” as he said — a black jacket and mirror shades, which he kept on for the duration of his appearance.
The X CEO called for America to “legalize comedy” and agreed with Schmitt that legacy media companies receiving USAID money from the federal government were becoming “mouthpieces for the state.”
WATCH: President @JMilei of Argentina presents @ElonMusk with the 'Chainsaw for Bureaucracy' at @CPAC⤵️ pic.twitter.com/6x9kfq5S8P
— CPAC (@CPAC) February 20, 2025
“I am become meme,” Musk said early on, stressing how “in Europe they put people in prison for memes.”
Llegó la motosierra a DOGE…!!!
— Javier Milei (@JMilei) February 20, 2025
The Chainsaw has arrived at DOGE…!!!
VIVA LA LIBERTAD CARAJO
Cc: @elonmusk pic.twitter.com/jr7vwwGFKU
Musk also touched on the idea of reimbursing American taxpayers with a check from the savings recouped by DoGE — “the spoils of battle,” as he termed it. “I talked to the president and he’s supportive of that,” he said.
“By the way why do we still know nothing about that guy in Butler, what’s going on?” Musk said. “We’re gonna have Kash get to the bottom of that,” referring to the confirmation of Kash Patel as FBI director earlier in the day.
The world’s richest man also mocked the idea that he was getting as close as possible to the center of power in order to enrich himself further. “If I steal some Social Security I can finally buy some nice things,” he joked. He also was derisory about the idea that he was a “bought asset of Putin,” saying, “he can’t afford me.”
Musk also offered his perspective on the Ukraine war: “What’s happening is those poor guys are being sent into a meat-grinder for money.” And when asked about what’s going on inside his head at any given moment, he said, “my mind is a storm.”
An hour or so before Reform Party leader Nigel Farage had praised “hero of free speech Elon Musk.” Musk took to the stage at around 5:15 p.m. ET. Steve Bannon, who last week branded Musk a “parasitic illegal immigrant,” had been scheduled to speak at around that time. Bannon eventually followed the CEO at 5:50. And Musk’s CPAC appearance took place after President Trump’s Black History Month event with Tiger Woods a few miles away at the White House — a savvy way to head off any accusations that he was pulling focus from his boss.
During Musk’s remarks, a Trump campaign email went out with the subject line “They want me to fire Elon Musk.” “URGENT: STAND WITH ELON!” read the message. “D.O.G.E. is tearing through Washington’s corrupt bureaucracy like a tornado, and Democrats are in FULL MELTDOWN MODE. First, they SUED ME. Then, they tried to IMPEACH ME. Now, they want me to FIRE ELON MUSK.”
Opponents of the administration have been laser-focused on any cracks in Trump’s broad coalition: whether there are rifts between Trump and Musk, or Musk and Vance. In the face of all that, at CPAC, the Republicans presented a united front.
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