Elon Musk and former President Donald Trump have launched harsh criticisms against the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), with Musk calling the agency a "criminal organization" and Trump claiming it’s “run by radical lunatics.”
Musk's attack on USAID, posted on his X platform, came in response to a video suggesting the agency was involved in "rogue CIA work." Musk escalated the claims by alleging that USAID, using taxpayer money, funded bioweapon research, including research tied to the COVID-19 pandemic, although he offered no evidence. These claims had previously been linked to Russian disinformation campaigns.
Trump, in a Sunday interview, echoed Musk’s sentiments, saying that USAID has been "run by a bunch of radical lunatics" and indicated that steps were being taken to remove them, though he didn’t elaborate on the future of the agency. He emphasized his support for Musk, calling him “a good job.”
The criticism of USAID marks a broader shift in Trump’s stance towards government agencies, with Musk increasingly positioned as a powerful ally. The two have advocated for limiting government spending and reducing waste. In 2024, Trump froze all foreign aid for three months, though waivers allowed humanitarian aid to continue.
USAID, which manages a budget of $42.8 billion for global humanitarian aid and development, is an independent agency. However, reports suggest Trump is considering rolling it into the State Department. Some U.S.-based organizations fear this could signal the end of non-emergency aid programs.
Musk’s efforts to streamline federal spending also involve his new initiative, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which aims to reduce the federal deficit and cut down on waste and fraud. Musk has described progress in his mission but has yet to provide concrete details. Despite not being a government official, Musk has been vocal about his plans to reform federal agencies and tackle inefficiency.
The relationship between Musk’s DOGE and USAID has been strained. Reports suggest that senior USAID officials were placed on leave after blocking DOGE staff from accessing classified documents, though Musk’s team denied the reports.
Democratic leaders, including Senator Chris Murphy and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have criticized the dismantling of USAID and raised concerns about Musk's influence over U.S. government operations. Ocasio-Cortez called Musk’s actions a "grave threat to national security," pointing out that he is an unelected billionaire with personal financial interests.
Amid the controversy, USAID’s social media accounts have been disabled, and its website is offline, further fueling the debate over its future.
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