Billionaire Elon Musk attacks USAID

Attacks and accusations

The attack on the agency responsible for overseas humanitarian aid marks a major new front in Mr. Trump’s move to give Musk unprecedented power to change government agencies and combat what both see as wasteful public spending and government overreach.

On February 2, Mr. Trump declared that the US Agency for International Development "has been run by a group of insane extremists, and we are removing them... and then we will decide (about the future of this agency)." The US leader did not explain further.

Mr Musk – the billionaire owner of Tesla and SpaceX who has become President Trump’s most powerful backer – responded to a video accusing USAID of engaging in “shadowy CIA operations” and “internet censorship”, writing on his X platform: “USAID is a criminal organization.”

In a later post, Musk continued to insist, and without providing evidence, asking his 215 million X followers: "Did you know that USAID, using YOUR tax dollars, funded bioweapons research, including Covid-19, which killed millions?"

Mr. Trump initially froze all aid for three months, and although he later granted waivers to continue food aid and other humanitarian assistance, aid workers said there remains uncertainty about the agency’s future as an independent organization.

USAID, an independent agency created by an act of the US Congress, manages a $42.8 billion budget for humanitarian aid and development assistance worldwide.

A senior official at a US-based organisation fears that prioritising “emergency” aid is part of a larger plan in which Washington will stop funding any other activities.

It is reported that Mr. Trump wants to merge USAID into the US State Department, however, his team has not yet responded to media requests for comment.

'Total destruction'

Musk said he will update the work of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in a speech broadcast live on the X platform at midnight Washington time (12:00 on February 3, Hanoi time).

It is unclear what the event will cover, but it could provide insight into Mr. Musk’s unchecked efforts to scrutinize government spending and operations.

Since Mr. Trump took office, billionaire Musk has spoken to far-right groups in Europe, performed a salute that has been compared to Nazi Germany, and criticized the Treasury Department for making authorized payments on behalf of the government.

DOGE was created as part of a so-called “executive office of the president,” which will operate on an 18-month temporary basis. The agency does not have the status of a full government department, which would require congressional approval, and Mr. Musk is not a federal employee or government official. It is unclear to whom DOGE is accountable.

CNN reported that two senior security officials at USAID were suspended after they prevented DOGE staff led by Musk from accessing classified documents during a large-scale audit of government finances.

Two DOGE representatives also wanted access to staff records and security systems at USAID headquarters, CNN reported, citing multiple sources.

PBS also reported that DOGE staff attempted to gain access to “secured areas.”

Steven Cheung, a senior adviser to Mr. Trump, posted on X that the PBS story was "actually FAKE NEWS. Absolutely not true at all. This is unserious and unreliable media reporting."

AFP confirmed that USAID's X account had been disabled, and the agency's website remained offline.

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy condemned the "complete destruction" of the agency.

"The people elected Donald Trump as president – ​​not Elon Musk," Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X.

“The fact that an unelected billionaire, with debts and foreign motives, hacked into classified American information is a grave threat to national security,” she said.