Musk Labels USAID ‘Criminal,’ Trump Slams Its Leaders as ‘Radical Lunatics’

Elon Musk criticizes USAID, calling it ‘criminal,’ while Donald Trump labels its leaders ‘radical lunatics,’ sparking controversy over the agency’s role and policies.

On Sunday, Elon Musk criticized the US Agency for International Development, labeling it a “criminal organization,” while President Donald Trump accused the agency of being “run by radical lunatics” and mentioned he was contemplating its future.

The attack on the agency responsible for overseas humanitarian relief signifies a significant new step in Trump’s efforts to grant Musk unprecedented authority to disrupt government departments and challenge what they both view as wasteful official spending and overreach.

“USAID is a criminal organization,” wrote Musk, the billionaire owner of Tesla and SpaceX who has emerged as the president’s most influential supporter. He made this comment on his X platform in response to a video claiming USAID’s participation in “rogue CIA activities.”

In a later post, Musk reiterated his point and questioned his 215 million followers on X without providing evidence: “Were you aware that USAID used your tax dollars to fund bioweapon research, including Covid-19, which resulted in millions of deaths?”

He didn’t provide further details about the allegations, which officials from the previous administration connected to a Russian disinformation campaign.

According to Trump on Sunday, USAID has “been managed by a group of radical lunatics,” and they are in the process of removing them. He added that a decision regarding its future would be made afterward but did not provide further details.

He emphasized his backing of the billionaire, telling reporters on Sunday night that he believed Musk was “doing a good job.”

Initially, Trump suspended all aid spending for a span of three months. Although he later granted waivers allowing food and other humanitarian assistance to proceed, aid workers report ongoing uncertainty about the organization’s future as an independent agency remains far from certain.

USAID, an independent agency created by congressional legislation, oversees a $42.8 billion budget dedicated to providing humanitarian relief and development assistance globally.

A senior official from a US-based organization expressed concern that prioritizing “emergency” assistance might be part of a larger strategy where Washington would stop funding other activities.

Reports have surfaced suggesting that Trump intends to merge USAID into the State Department. His team did not respond to AFP’s requests for comment.

In a talk held on his X platform at midnight Washington time (0500 GMT Monday), Musk mentioned that Trump “agreed we should shut down USAID.”

The X session, attended by businessman Vivek Ramaswamy and two Republican senators, focused on Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is responsible for reducing federal spending.

Musk mentioned that “tremendous progress” had been achieved, but he did not offer any specifics.

Musk stated, “If we can reduce the deficit from two trillion dollars to half and align economic growth with this reduction, it would result in no inflation.” He added that he plans to focus on tackling “fraud and waste.”

DOGE was established as a temporary 18-month organization under the restructured United States Digital Service, within what is known as the “executive office of the president.”

It does not have full status as a government department, which would require approval from Congress. Additionally, Musk is neither a federal employee nor a government official. It remains unclear to whom DOGE is accountable.

According to CNN, two senior security officials at USAID were placed on forced leave after preventing staff from Musk’s DOGE from accessing classified documents.

PBS also reported that DOGE personnel tried to enter “restricted areas.”

Trump’s senior aide, Steven Cheung, posted on X that the PBS report was “completely untrue.”

AFP confirmed that USAID’s account on X had been disabled, and its website remained offline.

Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat, has expressed criticism over the “complete destruction” of the agency.

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X, “The people elected Donald Trump to be President—not Elon Musk.”

An unelected billionaire with foreign debts and motives accessing US classified information poses a serious threat to national security.