Elon Musk attacked the U.S. Agency for International Development, calling it a "criminal organization" on Sunday, sparking fear over the intensity of President Donald Trump's unprecedented scrutiny of the work of the civil service.
The assault on the agency tasked with humanitarian relief overseas marks a significant new front in Trump's move to give unprecedented power Musk to upend government departments and counter what the two political allies consider wasteful official spending and overreach.
Since Trump's inauguration Musk has addressed far-right groups in Europe, given an infamous raised-arm gesture compared to a Nazi salute, and attacked the Treasury for making authorized payments on the government's behalf.
"USAID is a criminal organization," Musk, the billionaire owner of Tesla and SpaceX who has become the president's most powerful backer, 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.
Trump initially froze all aid spending for three months, and though he subsequently issued waivers for food and other humanitarian aid to continue, aid workers say uncertainty reigns with the future of the organization as an independent agency far from assured.
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.
A senior official from a U.S.-based organization feared that the prioritization of "emergency" assistance was part of a broader plan in which Washington would discontinue funds for anything else.
Musk has indicated he will give an update on the work of DOGE in a talk broadcast on his X platform at midnight Washington time.
It is unclear what will be covered in the event, but it could give further insight into the unchecked effort by Musk to map out government expenditure and operations.
DOGE was founded as part of the so-called "executive office of the president," as a temporary 18-month organization under the repurposed United States Digital Service.
It does not enjoy full status as a government department, which would require the approval of Congress, and Musk is neither federal employee nor a government official. It is unclear to whom DOGE is accountable.
There have been reports Trump wants to roll USAID into the State Department. His team did not respond to AFP calls for comment.
CNN 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.
PBS also reported that DOGE staff attempted to gain access to "secure spaces."
Steven Cheung, a senior aide to Trump, posted on X that the PBS report was "legitimately FAKE NEWS. Not even remotely true at all. This is how unserious and untrustworthy the media is."
USAID's account on X had been disabled, AFP confirmed, and the agency's website was still offline.
Democratic Senator Chris Murphy has criticized the "total destruction" of the agency.
"The people elected Donald Trump to be President -- not Elon Musk," Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X.
"Having an unelected billionaire, with his own foreign debts and motives, raiding U.S. classified information is a grave threat to national security," she said.
© 2025 AFP
34 Comments
I'veSeenFootage
Of course he didn't "elaborate the allegations". He is conman and a pathetic liar who pretends to be a genius inventor (who didn't invent anything) and a pro gamer (who pays people to play instead of him), with a profound lack of understanding for pretty much any topic he gleefully opens his mouth on. Really one of the worst people on this earth.
wallace
Musk is a conspiracist spreading fake rumors.
deanzaZZR
The criminal part can be found right here.
JJE
Essentially it has become a rogue agency for nefarious purposes.
Amongst the terrible, unaccountable things it does is funding "media activities" in all sorts of lands, that pollute people's minds with nonsense.
Really one of the worst organizations on this earth.
Ken
Encouraging misinformation is criminal
TaiwanIsNotChina
Yeah it is criminal that we keep people alive so they don't start wars or flood our borders.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Yeah I know factual information terrifies you to no end.
I'veSeenFootage
Yes, X really is a terrible organization and Musk is evil incarnate. Glad we agree!
iknowall
Musk is right and Trump just called USAID lunatics.
virusrex
False claim, there is no evidence that this is the case only well debunked claims that don't even make sense.
Musk is wrong, demonstrably, and calling people names do absolutely nothing to prove anything.
I mean, Trump called Musk a liar, if your argument is that this is enough to prove it then you contradict yourself.
JJE
They are trying to obstruct an audit.
fallaffel
Or maybe, just maybe, Musk is clueless. Him and his boss think they know everything about a topic after reading a tweet about it.
R B Quinn
Mr. Musk, like his current buddy convicted felon and former Insurrectionist-in-Chief , is a dangerous embarrassment.
lincolnman
King Elon the Autistic needs an immediate mental health intervention - this guy is truly wacko-dacko...
Call the guys in the white uniforms and straight jackets - get Elon in an institution before he completely melts down...
Desert Tortoise
To access classified material one must possess a security clearance equal to or higher than the classification of the material they wish to view, they must have a need to know and they must sign a non-disclosure agreement with the OCA, the Original Classification Authority. The US AID employees were not only correct to deny access but would have broken multiple Federal laws had the granted access.
Desert Tortoise
Elon Musk does not have a security clearance due to his well known and very public drug use / abuse. He cannot legally enter classified spaces at Space-X but he thinks he can waltz in and look at classified materials at a Federal agency.
stormcrow
If not the U.S., then who? China?
bass4funk
No, he’s spot on.
Blacklabel
Notice the emphasis on preventing people from seeing things. That’s “classified!l”
not that there is nothing there for you to see. Just that you aren’t allowed to.
Elon has access to every payment made by the US Treasury. Amount and recipient.
beentofivecontinents
I don't remember Elon Musk being elected to anything...
patkim
Kind of like when Trump claimed that ingesting bleach will kill the Covid-19 virus. Musk obviously has taken a page out of Trump's playbook (which contains anything that comes from Trump's fantasy world in his head).
TaiwanIsNotChina
When you run around calling people lunatics for no gd reason, it is clear who the lunatic is.
geronimo2006
Algorithm says No.
patkim
The actions of an unelected person like Musk, leading an unofficial shady organization like DOGE strongarming their way into offices and people's lives are the same thing the Russian government does to their people. Make no mistake, the U.S. is headed in that direction, and it's only less than a month into Trump's presidency. MAGA wanted an autocracy, then an autocracy it will get.
Underworld
JJE
I agree. DOGE certainly is.
Underworld
Blacklabel
And he has absolutely no right to that information.
Desert Tortoise
That is PII, Personally Identifiable Information that no, not everyone has the right to see or the authority to demand to see it. It is not classified per se but treated similarly to classified material.
As for material that is classified, one must go through the process to gain access and not everyone qualifies. One does not get to view classified material unless they have a security clearance of the appropriate level, a need to know and a signed Non-Disclosure Agreement NDA with the Original Classification Authority OCA. That is how it is done correctly.
Anyone who controls access to classified material would be guilty of serious felonies were they to allow individuals to view classified materials without those three pre-requisites mentioned above.
patkim
Trump talks on and on about DEI hiring, but couldn't Musk and other people in the DOGE also be considered as hires not based on merit? Hiring your friend or family member, or someone who you simply like are not valid reasons.
Cephus
DOGE as an auditor requires every file to be scrutinized.
Blacklabel
And this too:
Presidential authority is great, isn’t it? No more hiding all your dirt of the last 4 years behind unnecessary classifications.
Desert Tortoise
Congress has not authorized the existence of DOGE. It is not an official government department and Elon Musk and the others are not Federal employees. They really have no right to see anything unless Congress specifically authorizes them to do so.
Blacklabel
What are you so afraid they will see?
Underworld
Blacklabel
Nobody is afraid about what they will see. They are just making payments that Congress has agreed.
The danger is if Musk decides he wants to change what gets paid. These guys are playing fast and loose with the law and this type of corruption could occur.
nishikat
Including ones for Medicare, SS, and federal (including military) pensions. Remember, he's stoned when dealing with things and Tesla is crashing especially with the Nazi salute. Attention SS Trump recipients in Japan: What if President Elon decides to stiff you of this entitlement or reduce it saying the Yen is weak enough and you can simply live off that weak currency.
Why does Musk bring his kid to meetings all the time. Can't afford a baby sitter? Or human shield of some kind? A lot of Trump's businesses are a fraud. What happened to the Tesla semi? Or the cybertaxi? And we are going to colonize to Mars when?