Elon Musk has launched a scathing attack on the US Agency for International Development (USAID), labelling it a criminal organisation over growing tensions between the agency and the Trump administration. The remarks come after Donald Trump initiated a move to freeze much of Washington’s foreign aid for three months, although waivers for food and humanitarian assistance have since been issued. Despite this, aid workers report a climate of uncertainty, with the impact of the freeze already being felt by vulnerable communities worldwide.
Musk’s criticism of USAID follows Trump’s appointment of the billionaire to oversee cuts to the government workforce and reduce spending in what is called the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Trump has claimed that the department will target wasteful expenditure, including potentially slashing funds to USAID. Musk took to his X platform, where he referred to USAID as a criminal organisation in response to a video alleging the agency’s involvement in “rogue CIA work” and “internet censorship.” He later doubled down on his claims, suggesting, without offering evidence, that USAID had funded bioweapon research, including the development of COVID-19, and implied that millions had died as a result. These accusations echo disinformation campaigns previously linked to Russia.
Reports suggest that Trump is considering merging USAID with the State Department, although his team has not responded to media inquiries on the matter. Meanwhile, USAID’s X account has been disabled, and its website remains offline.
USAID, an independent agency with a budget of $42.8 billion, is responsible for administering humanitarian and development assistance globally. The agency’s future has been called into question by Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, who criticised what he described as the total destruction of the organisation.
In addition, two senior security officials at USAID were reportedly put on forced leave after blocking DOGE staff from accessing classified documents during a government audit. The DOGE representatives also allegedly sought access to staff files and security systems at USAID’s headquarters, according to CNN sources.
