Elon Musk made headlines at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington, DC, on Thursday when he was seen backstage wielding a golden chainsaw. Musk, who was meeting with Argentine President Javier Milei, later brought the chainsaw on stage before his interview with Newsmax’s Rob Schmitt.
“This is the chainsaw for bureaucracy!” Musk shouted as he swung it over his head, drawing cheers from the crowd. Milei, who joined Musk on stage, handed him the chainsaw in a dramatic moment. Schmitt looked on, seemingly unsure how to react as Musk waved the tool around before moving across the stage.
Backstage, a video showed Musk’s children playing around him as he inspected the golden chainsaw. Milei greeted him enthusiastically with a hug and presented the chainsaw as a gift. Musk appeared to examine the tool closely before posing for pictures with Milei.
Musk, a close adviser to President Donald Trump, reportedly called the chainsaw his “DOGE sword,” referencing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a controversial group he leads. The organisation, which is not officially recognised as a government agency, has been making drastic cuts to what Musk and Trump consider unnecessary government spending.
Recently, DOGE oversaw the merger of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) with the State Department, a move that led to employee layoffs and sparked a national security controversy. Some top officials were placed on leave after refusing to hand over sensitive documents to DOGE.
Musk has also pushed for deep cuts in other government agencies. Just this week, the Trump administration announced plans to fire 6,000 IRS employees in the middle of tax season, drawing widespread criticism.
Musk’s growing political influence is now facing legal challenges, as several states have sued the Trump administration and DOGE for allegedly overstepping their authority.