Elon Musk revealed that he discussed the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) with U.S. President Donald Trump, and according to Musk, Trump agreed with his proposal to close the agency.
Musk shared this information during a late-night conversation with former DOGE co-chair Vivek Ramaswamy and Senator Joni Ernst. He mentioned that he had asked Trump multiple times if he was sure about his decision to close USAID, to which Trump allegedly agreed. Trump’s representatives did not immediately comment on Musk’s statement, but the former president had earlier on Sunday called the employees at USAID “radical crazies,” vowing to remove them and later decide on the agency’s future.
Musk also criticized USAID for its “excessive political bias.” Senator Ernst, who had previously conducted an investigation into the agency, pointed out that despite some potentially positive programs, USAID had been tarnished by the actions of “dishonest elements.” She suggested transferring useful programs to the State Department, a proposal that Musk supported.
Ernst emphasized the need for strict oversight of the agency, while Ramaswamy expressed the opinion that USAID should be abolished. Musk, in turn, stated that USAID is a “bowl of worms” that needs to be eliminated, as the agency “cannot be restored.”
Last week, around 100 USAID employees were put on leave, and Musk declared that it was time for the “death” of the agency. On January 25, 2025, the U.S. suspended non-military international aid for 90 days, and USAID was instructed to halt its projects in Ukraine.
