Billionaire Elon Musk attacks USAID.

Attacks and accusations

The attack on the agency responsible for overseas humanitarian aid marks a significant new front in Trump's move to give Musk unprecedented power to reform government agencies and combat what both see as wasteful public spending and excessive government interference.

On February 2nd, Trump declared that the U.S. Agency for International Development “has been run by a group of deranged extremists, and we are getting rid of them... then we will decide (about the future of the agency).” The American leader offered no further explanation.

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 "CIA shady activities" and "internet censorship," writing on his X platform: "USAID is a criminal organization."

In a subsequent post, Musk continued his insistence without providing evidence, asking his 215 million X followers: "Did you know that USAID, using YOUR tax money, funded biological weapons research, including Covid-19, which killed millions of people?"

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

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

A senior official at a U.S.-based organization is concerned that prioritizing "emergency" aid is part of a larger plan in which Washington will cease funding any other operations.

There are reports that Trump wants to merge USAID into the State Department; however, his team has not yet responded to requests for comment from the media.

'Total destruction'

Musk said he would provide an update on the work of the Department for Government Efficiency (DOGE) in a speech streamed live on the X platform at midnight Washington time (12 PM on February 3rd Hanoi time).

It's unclear what the event will be about, but it could offer deeper insight into Musk's unchecked efforts to scrutinize government spending and operations.

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

DOGE was established as part of the so-called "office of the president," operating temporarily for 18 months. This agency does not have the full status of a government department, which would require approval from the U.S. Congress, and Mr. Musk is not a federal employee or government official. It is currently unclear who DOGE is accountable to.

CNN reported that two senior security officials at USAID were suspended after they prevented employees of DOGE, led by Musk, from accessing classified documents in an effort to conduct a large-scale audit of government finances.

According to CNN, citing multiple sources, two DOGE representatives also sought access to employee records and security systems at USAID headquarters.

PBS also reported that DOGE personnel attempted to access "secure areas."

Steven Cheung, a senior adviser to Trump, posted on X that the PBS report was "ABSOLUTE FAKE NEWS. Absolutely untrue. This is unprofessional and unreliable media coverage."

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

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy condemned the agency's "total destruction."

"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 ulterior motives abroad, could access classified U.S. information is a serious threat to national security," she said.