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Musk brands USAID as ‘criminal organization’ amid row

 

Elon Musk

Elon Musk


Elon Musk attacked the US Agency for International Development on Sunday, calling it a “criminal organization” after Donald Trump moved to freeze the bulk of Washington’s foreign assistance for three months.

The Trump administration has since issued waivers for food and other humanitarian aid. But aid workers say uncertainty reigns — and that the impact is already being felt by some of the world’s most vulnerable.

Trump has tasked Musk with cutting the government workforce and slashing what the Republican calls waste and unnecessary spending under the guise of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is now reportedly taking aim at USAID.

 

“USAID is a criminal organization,” Musk wrote on his X platform, replying to a video alleging USAID involvement in “rogue CIA work” and “internet censorship.”

In a subsequent post, Musk doubled down and, without giving evidence, asked his 215 million X followers, “Did you know that USAID, using YOUR tax dollars, funded bioweapon research, including Covid-19, that killed millions of people?”

He did not elaborate on the allegations, which officials in the previous administration linked to a Russian disinformation campaign.

There have been reports Trump wants to roll USAID into the State Department. His team did not respond to AFP calls for comment.

USAID’s account on X had been disabled, AFP confirmed, and the agency’s website was still offline.

USAID, an independent agency established by an act of Congress, manages a budget of $42.8 billion meant for humanitarian relief and development assistance around the world.

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy has criticized the “total destruction” of the agency.

Greenmatt reported that two senior security officials at USAID were put on forced leave after they barred staff from Musk’s DOGE from accessing classified documents as part of their sprawling effort to inspect the government’s books.

 The two DOGE representatives also wanted to access staff files and security systems at USAID’s headquarters, the broadcaster reported, citing multiple sources.


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