The Trump administration recently made waves by claiming it halted $50 million in funding intended to purchase condoms for Hamas in Gaza. This assertion originated from White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and was subsequently echoed by State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce. However, the claim quickly unraveled under scrutiny, revealing no such shipment of condoms to Gaza. Instead, a modest consignment of contraceptives valued at $45,680 was dispatched to Jordan, not Gaza. The assertion aimed to justify a broader order by former President Donald Trump to freeze federal funding, citing "important new research" from Elon Musk's "Department of Government Efficiency" (Doge) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
Experts in U.S. aid to Gaza expressed bewilderment over the claim. Anera, a non-profit organization collaborating with USAid on a $50 million health initiative in Gaza, denied purchasing condoms. Similarly, the International Medical Corps, which runs two field hospitals in Gaza, refuted receiving U.S. government funding for condoms. A comprehensive report released by USAid in September confirmed that no family planning funds were allocated to Gaza, with the majority of such funds directed towards Africa.
“Doge and OMB also found that there was about to be 50m taxpayer dollars that went out the door to fund condoms in Gaza,” – Karoline Leavitt
Leavitt emphasized that the decision to pause funding was driven by a commitment to responsible stewardship of taxpayer money.
“That is a preposterous waste of taxpayer money. So that’s what this pause is focused on: being good stewards of tax dollars.” – Karoline Leavitt
Former President Trump reinforced the narrative, asserting that his administration had intervened to prevent $50 million from being allocated for condoms to Hamas.
“stopped $50m being sent to Gaza to buy condoms for Hamas” – Donald Trump
Contrary to these claims, the International Medical Corps clarified that no U.S. government funds were used for procuring or distributing condoms.
“No US government funding was used to procure or distribute condoms.” – International Medical Corps
Steve Fake, an expert on U.S. aid to Gaza, expressed puzzlement over the origins of this claim.
“We have asked around, and no one is sure what this is referring to,” – Steve Fake
The claim quickly gained traction online, partly fueled by Elon Musk himself. Amidst the controversy, Dan Evon highlighted a critical point regarding past spending on contraceptives during Trump's tenure.
“It’s also worth noting that this is not a Biden program. Trump, too, spent funds on sending contraceptives around the globe. In 2019, about $40m was spent on contraceptives by the Trump administration.” – Dan Evon