OXON HILL, Md. — Billionaire Elon Musk appeared at a conservative gathering outdoors Washington on Thursday waving a chainsaw within the air, displaying openness to auditing the Federal Reserve and accusing Democrats of “treason.”
Musk, the Tesla CEO who has grow to be maybe President Donald Trump’s most influential adviser, spoke about his campaign to chop authorities spending and downsize the federal workforce with the administration’s Department of Government Efficiency.
The entrepreneur was first introduced earlier that day as a speaker, drawing enormous cheers from activists gathered on the Conservative Political Action Conference. Earlier than his look, he met with Argentine President Javier Milei, who has been continuously praised by Musk and popularized the facility instrument whereas campaigning in 2023 and proposing slashing public spending.
After Musk appeared onstage, sporting shades and his trademark black “Make America Nice Once more” hat, he mentioned Milei had a present for him. The Argentine chief then walked onstage with the pink chainsaw and handed it to Musk. The chainsaw was engraved with Milei’s slogan, “Viva la libertad, carajo,” which is Spanish for “Lengthy stay liberty, rattling it.”
“That is the chainsaw for forms,” he mentioned.
Musk slammed the earlier Biden administration for its immigration insurance policies, particularly naming an app that was utilized by practically 1 million folks to be allowed into the U.S. on two-year permits with eligibility to work. He accused Biden and Democrats of doing that as an “funding” to get extra help in swing states.
“Lots of people don’t fairly recognize that this was an precise actual rip-off at scale to tilt the scales of democracy in America,” Musk mentioned earlier than Newsmax host Rob Schmitt requested him, “Treason?”
Musk responded, “Treason.”
When Schmitt requested him if he would take into account auditing the Federal Reserve, Musk responded, “Yeah, certain, whereas we’re at it.”
“Waste is just about in all places,” Musk mentioned.
The billionaire joked that Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele has informed him he’s nervous about his safety and mentioned he was open to concepts on learn how to enhance his security measures.
“President Bukele from El Salvador, who managed to place in jail like 100 thousand murderous thugs, and he known as me. ‘I’m nervous about your safety,’” he mentioned the Central American chief informed him. “I’m like, ‘Dude, you’re nervous about my safety?’”
When requested to explain what it’s like inside his thoughts, Musk replied: “My thoughts is a storm. It’s a storm.”
Steve Bannon, a well-liked Trump ally who as soon as served as his chief strategist, adopted Musk’s look and acknowledged he was not the night’s prime attraction as he took the stage to a far much less enthusiastic reception.
“How did I draw the cardboard to observe Elon Musk?” Bannon requested a few man he has continuously criticized as insufficiently loyal to Trump. “C’mon man! You carry out the world’s wealthiest man, Superman. I’m alleged to observe it? I’m only a loopy Irishman!”
—Related Press author Jill Colvin contributed from New York.
