On February 20, billionaire Elon Musk, tasked with reducing U.S. federal government spending, made an appearance at a conservative conference near Washington. Musk was presented with a gift from Argentina's libertarian President Javier Milei: a chainsaw. Holding up the glistening power tool at the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, Musk declared, "This is the chainsaw for bureaucracy."
The red metallic chainsaw, given to Musk by Milei earlier that day, bore an engraving on its side with the Argentine leader's bold Spanish slogan: "Viva la libertad, carajo," roughly translating to "Long live freedom, damn it!"
As part of his efforts under U.S. President Donald Trump, Musk is driving significant cuts that have impacted various sectors, including bank regulators, forest workers, rocket scientists, and tens of thousands of other government employees.
During the conference, approximately 6,000 employees at the U.S. Internal Revenue Service were informed about impending changes, according to a reliable source.
Known as the CEO of Tesla and the wealthiest person globally, Musk has actively supported Milei's speeches. Prior to becoming Argentina's president in late 2023, Milei frequently wielded a chainsaw at campaign rallies symbolizing his commitment to reducing the government's size.