Elon Musk regrets waving chainsaw over his head onstage during CPAC: 'It lacked empathy'
AUSTIN, TEXAS: Tech billionaire Elon Musk expressed regret over waving a chainsaw over his head onstage during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in February 2025, saying "it lacked empathy."
Musk made the remarks while responding to an X user who argued that the SpaceX CEO’s behavior, in his role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), detracted from the department’s wo
Valid point. Milei gave me the chainsaw backstage and I ran with it, but, in retrospect, it lacked empathy.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 1, 2025
Elon Musk regrets waving chainsaw over his head
An X user responded to Musk’s post that read, "Hitting the debt ceiling is the only thing that will actually force the government to cut waste and fraud. That’s why the debt ceiling legislation exists!"
The user replied, "Maybe you shouldn't have taken the chainsaw on stage and acted a fool. Maybe you could have gotten more done if you weren't so worried about looking cool."
Hitting the debt ceiling is the only thing that will actually force the government to cut waste and fraud.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 1, 2025
That’s why the debt ceiling legislation exists!
The Tesla CEO then responded, "Valid point. Milei gave me the chainsaw backstage and I ran with it, but, in retrospect, it lacked empathy."
The multi-billionaire appeared to take partial responsibility for the incident but also pointed to Argentinian President Javier Milei as the one who initiated the stunt.
According to the outlet, Milei had reportedly given Musk the chainsaw as a symbol of his push to slash federal spending.
The moment occurred during Musk’s appearance at CPAC in February, where his erratic behavior became one of the event’s most talked-about moments.
Musk, wearing sunglasses, a gold chain, and a T-shirt under a blazer, delivered a bizarre speech at the conference, at one point declaring, "I am become meme."
Philip Low warns Elon Musk will do 'everything to damage' Donald Trump
Elon Musk's former friend, Philip Low, claimed that the ex-DOGE head would do everything he could to damage President Donald Trump.
Low shared during an interview with Politico on Monday, June 30, that he has had his share of blowouts with the Tesla CEO over the years.
"I’ve had my share of blowouts with Elon over the years. Knowing Elon the way I know him, I do think he’s going to do everything to damage the president," Low told the outlet.
Musk spoke out against Trump’s signature “One, Big, Beautiful Bill,” calling it “a disgusting abomination” in an X (formerly Twitter) post in early June.
I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 3, 2025
This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination.
Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it.
He renewed his attacks against the bill on June 28, arguing on X that it would destroy millions of jobs and “cause immense strategic harm to our country."
Low told Politico, “He has been humiliated. The whole idea that Elon is going to be on his side and help woo Congress and invest in election campaigns for right-wing judges, Elon might do all of that, but deep down, it’s over.”
Meanwhile, Low is a neuroscientist and founder of the company NeuroVigil. He has known Musk for 14 years and fired him from NeuroVigil’s advisory board after Musk expressed a desire to be removed, thereby preventing him from exercising stock options to harm the company, according to Politico.
Moreover, the report added that both Musk’s and Trump’s camps indicated tensions had cooled since their viral online spat earlier in June. The tech billionaire had apologized, and Trump said there were no “hard feelings,” as per Fox News.
