The conservative base cheering on Musk at his first CPAC appearance marks a critical moment for the billionaire who previously voted for Democrats and even recently has come under fire from key leaders in the MAGA movement.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk joined the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) stage Thursday wielding a chainsaw, underscoring his efforts to slash the federal budget and workforce through President Trump’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency panel.

NBC News Correspondent Vaughn Hillyard and CNBC Tech Reporter Lora Kolodny join Meet the Press NOW to discuss the Trump administration’s sweeping federal job cuts and their similarities to Elon Musk’s business strategy at X,

Steve Bannon slammed the Department of Government Efficiency, calling it an ineffective mess that failed to deliver significant budget cuts

"It's pretty evident the president's using him as an armor-piercing shell that's delivering blunt force trauma against the administrative state," added Bannon in an interview

Stephen Bannon, a top adviser during President Trump’s first term and a popular figure among his supporters, said Elon Musk wants to “play-act as God” as part of his push to overhaul the federal government.