OXON HILL, Md. (AP) — During an annual meeting of conservative activists, the iconic red “ Make America Great Again ” caps made famous by President Donald Trump were accompanied by a noticeable presence of the black “Dark MAGA” hats popularized by Elon Musk.
This event underscored Musk’s growing influence, highlighting how the world’s wealthiest man — who previously supported Democrats Barack Obama and Joe Biden — has evolved into a conservative powerhouse in his own right through his connections with Trump.
“He is an authentic and distinctive individual. I’m pleased he’s part of the team,” remarked Whitney Mason, a 62-year-old real estate agent visiting from Seattle.
Musk unexpectedly served as a guest of honor at the Conservative Political Action Conference, his presence revealed just hours before he took the stage holding a chainsaw. The prop and his remarks left little doubt regarding his influence, just days after the Trump administration asserted in court that Musk was not overseeing his hallmark Department of Government Efficiency.
CPAC speakers often mentioned DOGE, named after a meme coin featuring a Shiba Inu dog that gained popularity through Musk in 2021. Perspectives on Musk varied, with supporters calling him a “white knight,” a “hero of free speech,” and even labeling him “Superman,” according to one of his sharpest critics, Steve Bannon.
“What Elon and his team are accomplishing is what Congress has failed to achieve,” stated House Speaker Mike Johnson to the conservative audience. “They’ve cracked the code from within the belly of the beast of the bureaucracy, and the algorithms are on the move.”
Under Musk’s guidance, the Trump administration has terminated thousands of federal employees without prior notice. The administration provided employees with the option to resign while dismantling agencies without congressional oversight. The CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, who acquired Twitter in 2022, has committed to identifying areas for cost-cutting and service streamlining, aiming to save trillions of taxpayer dollars, resulting in directives that have caused confusion and sparked protests across federal agencies.
As Trump addressed the CPAC audience on Saturday, Musk indicated that federal employees would receive an email detailing their achievements over the previous week, adding that “failure to respond will be interpreted as a resignation.”
“Elon is doing an excellent job,” Trump declared in his Saturday speech. “We love Elon, don’t we? He’s quite the character.”
Critics suggest that Musk stands to gain from his close ties to Trump, as federal investigations and safety regulations threaten Tesla’s ambitions to create fleets of robo-taxis and self-driving vehicles. Additionally, Musk’s SpaceX holds significant contracts with the Pentagon, NASA, and intelligence agencies.
Colin McEvers, a 19-year-old Trump voter who admires Vice President JD Vance, commended Musk’s business skills but expressed concern regarding Musk’s increasing power within the federal government and the diminishing regulations safeguarding workers from corporate interests.
“I appreciate the fundamental idea of improving government efficiency and cutting costs,” stated McEvers, a political science student at Salisbury University. “However, I wonder if there’s a substantial self-interest at play, with the wealthiest man globally exerting considerable influence on government to reduce regulations that could ultimately benefit his enterprises.”
The Trump administration has not yet introduced any initiatives that could favor Tesla or Musk’s other ventures.
Musk’s views on topics such as H-1B visas for skilled immigrant workers have made him a target of prominent MAGA figures like Bannon, who formerly served as Trump’s chief strategist and now hosts the influential “War Room” podcast. Musk, originally from South Africa, was previously on an H-1B visa.
Bannon has previously depicted Musk as a “parasitic illegal immigrant” and an “oligarch,” stating he would abandon Trump when he no longer finds him useful. Despite this, Bannon refrained from criticizing Musk at CPAC, drawing scrutiny instead for performing a straight-arm gesture on stage, which critics likened to a Nazi-style salute. Bannon clarified he was merely waving to the audience.
A short distance away, over a thousand anti-Trump activists and thought leaders convened at the Principles First Summit, laughing as billionaire Mark Cuban criticized Trump for “overselling” and claimed Musk’s efforts weren’t aiding Trump’s supporters.
“Elon is only complicating things for his job,” Cuban asserted, using expletives to express that Musk is indifferent to the concerns of Trump voters.
On Saturday, Trump took to Truth Social to express that he “WOULD LIKE TO SEE HIM GET MORE AGGRESSIVE.” During his address, Trump dismissed concerns that Musk lacks an official role in his administration despite his significant influence on decisions in the early stages of his presidency.
“People questioned, ‘What official position does he hold?’ I say patriot,” Trump remarked.
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Associated Press writers Jill Colvin in New York and Bill Barrow in Washington contributed to this report.
