‘Cringe AF’: Elon Musk’s CPAC stunt is torn apart by the internet
Tech billionaire Elon Musk drew the internet’s ire for standing on stage with Argentine President Javier Milei with a chainsaw. Instead of condemning Musk, Milei clapped in awe.
Normally, presidents all over the globe wouldn’t be standing near armed men while delivering speeches. But Milei, a right-wing populist, isn’t so concerned, as he gave the customized chainsaw to Elon Musk himself. At the 2025 Conservative Party Action Conference (CPAC), Milei attended and gifted the notorious chainsaw to Musk, whom he referred to as his friend. The fully functioning chainsaw had “Vive la libertad, carajo” (long live liberty, d*mn it) engraved on it, which was Milei’s 2023 campaign slogan.
When Milei was called on stage, he walked out proudly with the chainsaw. He then handed it to Musk, who waved it around like a toy. “This is the chainsaw for bureaucracy,” Musk said of the Argentine President’s gift. It’s no wonder that Musk and Milei have a warm friendship, given their shared vendetta against the government as an institution.
Regardless, social media users were disappointed but perhaps not surprised by Milei’s and Musk’s antics. One YouTube commenter thought of this display as out of the ordinary, writing, “South Park is normal compared to this.” A disturbed X user said of the event, “Elon Musk waves around a chainsaw at CPAC while Argentinian president Javier Milei gives the thumbs up. These people are cringe AF and utterly unglued.”
Another reply scoffed, “I bet Elon couldn’t start the chainsaw, lol.” That probably explains why the tool wouldn’t roar to life on stage.
Milei’s love of chainsaws
Javier Milei’s choice of a gift for Musk is strangely unsurprising. Unfortunately, his love of chainsaws has nothing to do with Chainsaw Man. The power tool best represents his 2023 platform during Argentina’s presidential race. His “Chainsaw Plan” was a reform to slash government spending and cut down government bureaucracy. Controversially, Milei also carried a chainsaw around his rallies. Milei’s messaging reached voters, as Argentina had been suffering from inflation. Soon enough, Milei’s followers waved chainsaws around to support his platform.
Earlier this month, President Milei was involved in a cryptocurrency scandal. The memecoin endorsed by Argentina’s president, $LIBRA, soared after his endorsement. After the coin was launched, its price plummeted. Suspicions that insider trading took place swirled, and investors accused Milei of participating in a rug pull scheme. We know Musk loves cryptocurrency, too. Maybe that’s why they seem to be such good friends.
Milei denied any responsibility for the crypto crash. “If you go to a casino and lose money, what’s there to complain about when you knew the risks?” Milei said of the crash. But he also claimed that he did not promote the cryptocurrency. Rather, he minimized his responsibility and said that he merely shared the coin through his social media account. The Argentine president is facing a corruption probe but, for now, is holding on to his position in government and partying with Elon Musk on stage at CPAC.
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