Berliner Tageszeitung - Musk brands USAID 'criminal', Trump calls its leaders 'radical lunatics'

The assault on the agency tasked with humanitarian relief overseas marks a significant new front in Trump's move to give unprecedented power Musk to upend government departments and counter what the pair consider wasteful official spending and overreach.

The United States Agency for International Development has "been run by a bunch of radical lunatics, and we're getting them out... and then we'll make a decision (on its future)," Trump said on Sunday without elaborating.

"USAID is a criminal organization," Musk, the billionaire owner of Tesla and SpaceX who has become the president's most powerful backer, wrote on his X platform, replying to a video alleging USAID involvement in "rogue CIA work" and "internet censorship."

In a subsequent post, Musk doubled down and, without giving evidence, asked his 215 million X followers, "Did you know that USAID, using YOUR tax dollars, funded bioweapon research, including Covid-19, that killed millions of people?"

He did not elaborate on the allegations, which officials in the previous administration linked to a Russian disinformation campaign.

Trump initially froze all aid spending for three months, and though he subsequently issued waivers for food and other humanitarian aid to continue, aid workers say uncertainty reigns with the future of the organization as an independent agency far from assured.

USAID, an independent agency established by an act of Congress, manages a budget of $42.8 billion meant for humanitarian relief and development assistance around the world.

A senior official from a US-based organization feared that the prioritization of "emergency" assistance was part of a broader plan in which Washington would discontinue funds for anything else.

There have been reports Trump wants to roll USAID into the State Department. His team did not respond to AFP calls for comment.

- 'Total destruction' -

Musk has indicated he will give an update on the work of his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in a talk broadcast on his X platform at midnight Washington time (0500 GMT).

It is unclear what will be covered in the event, but it could give further insight into the unchecked effort by Musk to map out government expenditure and operations.

Since Trump's inauguration Musk has addressed far-right groups in Europe, given an infamous raised-arm gesture compared to a Nazi salute, and attacked the Treasury for making authorized payments on the government's behalf.

DOGE was founded as part of the so-called "executive office of the president," as a temporary 18-month organization under the repurposed United States Digital Service.

It does not enjoy full status as a government department, which would require the approval of Congress, and Musk is neither federal employee nor a government official. It is unclear to whom DOGE is accountable.

CNN reported that two senior security officials at USAID were put on forced leave after they barred staff from Musk's DOGE from accessing classified documents as part of their sprawling effort to inspect the government's books.

The two DOGE representatives also wanted to access staff files and security systems at USAID's headquarters, the broadcaster reported, citing multiple sources.

PBS also reported that DOGE staff attempted to gain access to "secure spaces."

Steven Cheung, a senior aide to Trump, posted on X that the PBS report was "legitimately FAKE NEWS. Not even remotely true at all. This is how unserious and untrustworthy the media is."

USAID's account on X had been disabled, AFP confirmed, and the agency's website was still offline.

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy has criticized the "total destruction" of the agency.

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

"Having an unelected billionaire, with his own foreign debts and motives, raiding US classified information is a grave threat to national security," she said.

H. Müller--BTZ