During his visit to the United States, Javier Milei surprised Elon Musk with an usual gift: a customised chainsaw.
The object was not chosen at random. For Milei, the chainsaw is the symbol of his libertarian agenda, representing the slashing of bureaucracy and shrinking the state. In the United States, Musk has been entrusted with the same task by President Donald Trump via the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
The Milei-Musk was swiftly shared on government channels. First came images, then a video of the exchange. Accompanied by the song 'Bad to the Bone' by George Thorogood & The Destroyers, Argentina's President strides in, his sister Karina Milei in tow, and declares: "I have a gift for you," unveiling a sleek black box with a gleaming chainsaw inside.
Milei sees Musk as an ally in his war on red tape. He claims DOGE, which the billionaire leads, was inspired by his own Deregulation & State Transformation Ministry, headed by Federico Sturzenegger.
In the video, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO is delighted with his gift, asking "Does it work?" and brandishing it, as his daughter plays just a few metres away.
Musk loved it so much that he even took it onstage for his appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), with Milei recreating his gift presentation before a cheering crowd.
Milei's official account on the X social media platform, which incidentally is owned by Musk, described the chainsaw as a "replica" of the one displayed by the President in his office at the Casa Rosada.
But there is a subtle difference. The chainsaw was handcrafted, like Milei's, but its creator tweaked the design for Musk.
While Milei’s bears the engraving ‘Las Fuerzas del Cielo' ("The forces of heaven"), Musk’s features the libertarian’s other battle cry: "¡Viva la libertad, carajo!’" (Long live freedom, dammit!).
A chainsaw for Washington
Milei’s gift originated from a present he himself received.
Mariano Ditro, better known as ‘Tute’ Di Tella, is a mechanic and self-taught inventor from the Villa Urquiza neighbourhood of Buenos Aires City. Spotting an opportunity for libertarian-themed merchandise during the 2023 election campaign, he crafted a unique chainsaw for the President.
On social media, he calls himself a "master chainsaw builder," a claim backed by years of modifying and customising the machines. His workshop, packed with altered chainsaws, features several emblazoned with ‘Milei Presidente’ branded on them.
But the one that landed in the President’s hands was special. Built with a bronze base and finished in black, gold and silver, the original chainsaw has ‘Las Fuerzas del Cielo’ laser-etched onto its cutting blade. It weighs around eight kilogrammes.
According to the Office of Anti-Corruption’s Register of Gifts and Travel, Milei received it as a gift on November 26, 2024. The following day, the Presidency sent Di Tella a letter of thanks, describing the chainsaw a symbol of Milei’s work that would hold "a prominent place within the presidential setting."
The craftsman proudly shared the letter online. He never imagined his creation would end up in the Casa Rosada — or that Milei would start commissioning more chainsaws as official gifts.
A passion for chainsaws
Di Tella’s love for chainsaws began long before Milei’s rise. At 14, he watched The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and was hooked. A year later, he bought his first saw and began modifying it.
The Milei-inspired one isn’t his only unique creation. He also crafted one in Argentina’s national colours, complete with a miniature World Cup on the blade and a flag near the motor. He named it ‘La Scaloneta,’ a tribute to the nation's World Cup-winning side.
Di Tella said he was inspired to create the chainsaw after seeing Milei wield mass-produced Chinese ones at rallies. "They were good tools, but they had no identity,’ he told Forbes Argentina in an interview. "I saw him revving the saw and thought, 'I’ll make him a custom one.'"
Given his success, Di Tella set himself a new goal: building chainsaws for Musk and Trump. At first, the idea seemed far-fetched. But on Thursday, one of his creations landed in Musk’s hands, and the image went viral worldwide.
The chainsaw Milei gifted to Musk also came from Di Tella’s Villa Urquiza workshop. On January 23, the craftsman announced on Instagram: "With pride, I can say the President has commissioned me to build a power saw for Elon Musk."
This one has one another unique touch: while Milei’s chainsaw has a mostly red motor casing, Musk’s was tweaked for a sleeker look.
Musk has enthusiastically embraced the gift. He said Thursday it would be displayed at DOGE's headquarters. Holding it aloft at CPAC, to the cheers of Trump-loving Republicans, he dubbed it "the chainsaw against bureaucracy."
—Times/Perfil
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