In a surprising development, Elon Musk has lent his influential voice to conspiracy theories surrounding the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), an agency renowned for delivering billions of dollars in humanitarian aid globally. The recent backlash against USAID stems from allegations led by Mike Benz, a former Trump administration official, who claims the agency is a "viper's nest of radical-left Marxists who hate America." Musk has been actively promoting these claims on X, formerly known as Twitter, describing USAID as "evil" and "a criminal organization."
Bipartisan support for USAID in Washington has waned amid these allegations, fueled by Benz's assertions that the agency played a role in funding the impeachment of former President Donald Trump in 2019—claims that lack substantive evidence. Benz, a key figure behind these allegations, does concede, however, that while reform is necessary, the portrayal of USAID as criminal or evil is unfounded.
"If you ask me does an organization like USAID scream for reform, along with pretty much every part of the U.S. government, the answer is, of course, yes," said Mike Benz.
Despite this, Musk has engaged with Benz on social media over 40 times in the past week, further fueling the narrative and drawing significant attention to the controversy.
The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), a global investigative consortium partially funded by USAID, has been lauded for its work, including the groundbreaking Panama Papers. However, it has also become embroiled in the claims against USAID. Critics argue that USAID's funding enriches an elite few and serves as a front for biowarfare research. These allegations contribute to a growing narrative that USAID operates without proper oversight and accountability.
"Two narratives permeate the MAGA argument against USAID," said Eric Curwin. "That it's a tool of the left and that it's a lawless organization, without oversight and rife with fraud."
The situation escalated when USAID's inspector general began investigating SpaceX's Starlink service in Ukraine as part of standard accountability checks. This investigation coincided with heightened scrutiny from Democrats on the House Oversight Committee, who initiated their probe into USAID last year. The agency, now under intense pressure, faces potential downsizing from 5,000 to approximately 290 employees.
Amidst these controversies, critical medical supplies and essential food aid are being withheld from international recipients due to the shutdown of the agency. The implications of this disruption are vast; USAID has been instrumental in providing aid to over 100 countries worldwide.
"So our U.S. tax dollars were used effectively to, in the end, kill Americans, which is insane," Musk stated in one of his tweets.
Further complicating matters is USAID's involvement with Tesla and SpaceX. Tesla holds a stake in Zola, a company partially funded by USAID to supply renewable energy to agricultural communities in sub-Saharan Africa. Additionally, SpaceX partnered with USAID to deploy Starlink satellite internet service to Ukraine in 2022.
Following Trump's executive order freezing foreign aid, which included a list of projects funded by USAID aimed at supporting diversity and inclusion, the agency's operations have come under increased scrutiny. Accusations of money laundering through intermediaries have also emerged from Musk.
"The money laundering is done through several intermediaries," Musk claimed.