Kinzinger: Musk's chainsaw moment will feature in Democratic attack ads

Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) said Sunday that tech billionaire Elon Musk’s recent moment with a chainsaw at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) will be featured in Democratic attack advertisements in coming campaigns.

“Elon Musk smiling and giggling on the stage of CPAC with a chainsaw, that is going to come back in every commercial against every Republican candidate about, ‘Yeah, you didn't get your Social Security check on time?’ or, ‘You know veterans that have taken their own life? This guy was laughing about it on the stage with a chainsaw,’” Kinzinger said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

Kinzinger, now a CNN political commentator, has also been critical of Democrats in recent weeks, saying they have appeared "surprised and flat-footed" in response to Musk and President Trump's initial efforts to gut the United States Agency for International Development and gain access to sensitive data at the Treasury Department.

Argentina's president, Javier Milei, gave Musk the chainsaw at CPAC. Musk lifted the chainsaw while a crowd cheered, exclaiming, “This is the chainsaw for bureaucracy."

The tech billionaire has led efforts to cut the federal budget and workforce. On Saturday, Musk gave a warning to federal employees about a new policy requiring them detail their work in an email or risk losing their jobs.

“Consistent with President @realDonaldTrump’s instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week,” Musk said in a post on his social platform X.

“Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation,” the tech billionaire continued.

Musk didn’t outline any more details on X, but a copy of a message that federal employees were sent has been reviewed by The Hill.

“Please reply to this email with approx. 5 bullet points of what you accomplished last week and cc your manager. Please do not send any classified information, links or attachments,” said the email, setting a deadline of Monday at 11:59 p.m. EST.

The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment.

Topics

Musk, a chainsaw and an adoring crowd

Welcome to The Hill's Technology newsletter {beacon} Technology Technology The Big Story Musk's rock star chainsaw moment at CPAC Tech billionaire Elon Musk was one of the main attractions at ...
The Hill - 1d
Elon Musk waves 'bureaucracy chainsaw' gifted by Argentina

Argentina's president gifted Elon Musk a chainsaw to symbolise cuts to bureaucracy.
BBC News - 2d
Musk boasts federal cuts by hoisting chainsaw at conference

Elon Musk drives home his rapid shredding of the federal government by hoisting a chainsaw representing the slashing of jobs and spending during a conference. Some Republicans are facing pushback ...
NBC News - 2d
Musk wields his Doge chainsaw - but is a backlash brewing?

Facing constituents angry about the impact of sweeping government job cuts, some Republicans are expressing concern.
BBC News - 2d
'Ultimate d‑‑‑ boss move': Democratic senator rips Musk email

Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) slammed tech billionaire Elon Musk over an email sent to federal employees requesting information on “what you accomplished last week.” “This is the ultimate d‑‑‑ boss ...
The Hill - 4h
Mark Kelly, brother hit back at Musk's attack on astronaut

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and his brother, Scott Kelly, both retired astronauts, on Friday called out tech billionaire Elon Musk over his attacks on an astronaut on his social platform X. "Hey ...
The Hill - 1d
Musk may be the wedge Democrats need to separate Trump from his working-class base

Elon Musk is dominating the media and the political landscape, with his influence over President Trump and his role in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) raising concerns about his ...
The Hill - 3h
‘Trump and Musk are gaslighting’: anti-apartheid artist on how US president and his billionaire ally are attacking South Africa

Ahead of a career retrospective, Sue Williamson tells how the US pair are dragging her country ‘through the mud’. For more than 50 years, Sue Williamson’s art has been shining a light on South ...
The Guardian - 14h
The Incompetence of DOGE Is a Feature, Not a Bug

A series of mistakes by DOGE shows just how arbitrary and destructive this slash-and-burn strategy can get.
Wired - 3d