OXON HILL, Md. (AP) 鈥� appeared at a conservative gathering outside Washington waving a chainsaw in the air, showing openness to auditing the Federal Reserve and accusing Democrats of 鈥渢reason.鈥�
Musk, the Tesla CEO who has become perhaps President Donald Trump鈥檚 most influential adviser, spoke Thursday about his crusade to cut government spending and downsize the federal workforce with the administration鈥檚 .
The entrepreneur was first announced earlier that day as a speaker, drawing huge cheers from activists gathered at the Conservative Political Action Conference. Before his appearance, he met with Argentine President Javier Milei, who has been frequently praised by Musk and popularized the power tool while campaigning in 2023 and proposing slashing public spending.
After Musk appeared onstage, wearing shades and his trademark black 鈥淢ake America Great Again" hat, he said Milei had a gift for him. The Argentine leader then walked onstage with the red chainsaw and passed it to Musk. The chainsaw was engraved with Milei鈥檚 slogan, 鈥淰iva la libertad, carajo,鈥� which is Spanish for 鈥淟ong live liberty, damn it.鈥�
鈥淭his is the chainsaw for bureaucracy,鈥� he said.
Musk slammed the previous Biden administration for its immigration policies, specifically naming an app that was used by nearly 1 million people 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 鈥渋nvestment鈥� to get more support in swing states.
鈥淎 lot of people don鈥檛 quite appreciate that this was an actual real scam at scale to tilt the scales of democracy in America,鈥� Musk said before Newsmax host Rob Schmitt asked him, 鈥淭reason?鈥�
Musk responded, 鈥淭reason.鈥�
When Schmitt asked him if he would consider auditing the Federal Reserve, Musk responded, 鈥淵eah, sure, while we鈥檙e at it.鈥�
鈥淲aste is pretty much everywhere,鈥� Musk said.
The billionaire joked that Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele has told him he is worried about his security and said he was open to ideas on how to improve his safety measures.
鈥淧resident Bukele from El Salvador, who managed to put in prison like a hundred thousand murderous thugs, and he called me. 鈥業 am worried about your security,鈥�" he said the Central American leader told him. 鈥淚鈥檓 like, 'Dude, you are worried about my security?鈥欌��
When asked to describe what is like inside his mind, Musk replied: 鈥淢y mind is a storm. It鈥檚 a storm.鈥�
Steve Bannon, a popular Trump ally who once served as his chief strategist, followed Musk's appearance and acknowledged he was not the evening鈥檚 top attraction as he took the stage to a far less enthusiastic reception.
鈥淗ow did I draw the card to follow Elon Musk?鈥� Bannon asked about a man he has frequently criticized as insufficiently loyal to Trump. 鈥淐鈥檓on man! You bring out the world鈥檚 wealthiest guy, Superman. I鈥檓 supposed to follow it? I鈥檓 just a crazy Irishman!鈥�
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Associated Press writer Jill Colvin contributed from New York.
Adriana Gomez Licon, The Associated Press
