Trump's DOGE Czar, Elon Musk, Takes on the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)

Published February 3, 2025

Trump's DOGE Czar, Elon Musk, Takes on the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) 

This initiative has led to the removal of key personnel and the suspension of the agency's online presence.

Two senior USAID security officials were placed on administrative leave after they attempted to prevent members of Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing classified information. Following this incident, USAID's official website and its social media account became inaccessible. 

Elon Musk has been vocal in his criticism of USAID, labeling it a "criminal organization" and advocating for its dissolution. He highlighted that USAID allocated $53 million to EcoHealth Alliance, an organization that has faced scrutiny for its involvement in gain-of-function research on coronaviruses at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. This type of research has been controversially linked to the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

These developments are part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to reevaluate and potentially reduce U.S. foreign aid expenditures. The restructuring of USAID has led to significant operational disruptions, including instructions for most staff to work remotely and the removal of the agency's online platforms.