According to a report by Reference News, Argentine President Milei met with Musk at a conservative political action conference in the suburbs of Washington and presented him with a chainsaw, alluding to Musk's ongoing measures to cut redundant staff in the U.S.

Since the government efficiency department led by Musk was officially established, it has been continuously wielding the "layoff axe." Recently, the momentum has not slowed, with cuts targeting multiple departments including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NASA, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Department of Homeland Security. The Federal Reserve may become the next target.

According to reports, footage from the scene shows that after receiving the chainsaw, Musk raised it high above his head, displaying it from all angles, and said to the cheering audience, "Milei has a gift for me." The Argentine presidential office stated that the chainsaw is a replica of the one in Milei's office.

The chainsaw was once a signature symbol for Milei. As early as during the campaign, Milei would often raise a chainsaw high to signify his intention to "slash spending drastically." The image of him holding a chainsaw also became one of the promotional visuals used in his campaign advertisements.

The Department of Government Efficiency, led by Musk who received the chainsaw as a gift, is responsible for cutting U.S. federal government spending to improve efficiency. Musk has previously stated on various occasions that he hopes to reduce multiple federal agencies to a few and can cut trillions in government expenditures.

At the meeting in Japan, Musk also stated that he is considering an audit of the Federal Reserve. Previously, Musk had repeatedly criticized the Federal Reserve for being "severely overstaffed" and suggested that the "Department of Government Efficiency" initiate an audit of the Federal Reserve.

According to a CCTV News report, informed sources revealed that the U.S. "Office of Government Efficiency" has demanded the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reduce its staff to a certain number, with most of the cuts targeting probationary employees. Notably, this agency oversees Tesla's autonomous vehicles.

Such sweeping reforms inevitably caused chaos. According to a previous report by the Global Times, the U.S. government urgently "recalled" a group of recently dismissed employees from the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) because they possessed "highly sensitive national secrets."

At the same time, this has also sparked strong dissatisfaction among American labor unions. According to reports, the largest union representing U.S. government employees—the American Federation of Government Employees—filed a lawsuit in federal court in Washington D.C. at the end of last month to block the Trump administration's plan to reclassify up to tens of thousands of federal workers, making them easier to fire.

The American Federation of Government Employees, along with four other unions, filed a lawsuit last week to prevent the government from firing hundreds of thousands of federal employees and offering buyout plans to those who voluntarily resign. However, on the local date of month, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper in Washington, D.C., ruled that the Trump administration could proceed with the mass dismissal of federal employees for now, rejecting the request made by the union organizations.

It is reported that the current ruling is provisional, and the litigation is still ongoing.