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Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk delivers remarks as he join U.S. President Donald Trump during an executive order signing in the Oval Office at the White House on February 11, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump is to sign an executive order implementing the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) "workforce optimization initiative," which, according to Trump, will encourage agencies to limit hiring and reduce the size of the federal government. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

There’s more to Elon Musk targeting USAID than meets the eye, and none of it looks good for him

I am shocked! Shocked! Well.. not that shocked.

Elon Musk has been aggressive in his quest to influence President Trump’s second term and the first point on his agenda was decimating USAID. Musk has claimed he only wants this because the agency is corrupt, comparing it to “a ball of worms.” However, California Senator Adam Schiff and multiple reports have suggested that Musk’s motives might be entirely different — covering up his ongoing investigations by multiple agencies.

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Musk’s special advisory status in the Trump administration came with a promise to cut the annual budget by $2 trillion during the 2024 election campaigns. Experts pointed out multiple reasons why that would be impossible, as it would require Musk to make inroads into vital government agencies. Still, Musk remains adamant that cuts will be made. True to his word, Musk and President Trump set their sights on USAID. Musk has previously described the agency as a criminal organization. What he hasn’t described, however, is his direct relationship with USAID in providing Starlink terminals to war-torn Ukraine, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

The New Republic reports that Musk’s Starlink made $1 million from USAID off these deals. Musk was clearly proud of aiding Ukraine, as he took to his X account to take sole credit for providing the Ukrainian army with Starlink terminals, even calling it the backbone of their entire military communication. What he failed to mention, however, was that the Ukrainian army only received these terminals with the help of the so-called “arm of the radical-left globalist.”

This pattern of Musk omitting vital information has prompted Schiff to demand answers regarding Musk’s potential conflicts of interest. Citing Musk’s multiple companies running federal contracts, Senator Schiff sent a letter to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, stating in part: “Mr. Musk’s compliance with federal conflicts of interest and other related obligations remains unknown to Congress and the public.”

Moreover, several of Musk’s companies are currently under investigation by government agencies. For instance, the USAID project in Ukraine was under inspection to determine how the Ukrainian government used the Starlink terminals USAID provided. The Guardian also reports that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating Tesla for design flaws in its autopilot feature that led to avoidable crashes. Meanwhile, the FDA and the Department of Agriculture are investigating Musk’s company Neuralink for its animal testing practices, which resulted in the deaths of 1,500 animals at Neuralink facilities.

Schiff’s letter expressed concern that Musk may use his new government agency to shield his multiple companies from federal scrutiny. These incoming revelations, though gradual, have already led other senators to join in the outcry over Musk’s growing influence within the government. Senator Bernie Sanders released a lengthy TikTok video accusing Musk and the rest of his “broligarchy” crew of seeking a new state of affairs where they are never held accountable because they believe they have a “divine right” to be above the rest of society.

@bernie

Oligarchs are waging a war on the working class, and they are intent on winning. But this is what I know:   The worst fear that the ruling class in this country has is that Americans come together to demand a government that represents all of us, not just the wealthy few.

♬ original sound – Bernie Sanders

There’s hardly a single person who has had a close relationship with Musk over the years who has given a positive assessment of his lust for power. Yet — somehow — we’re supposed to believe that his self-appointed role in DOGE is purely driven by altruism. All signs point to Senator Sanders being right: this administration’s entire goal is to exploit conservatives’ trust in them to build empires off the backs of the most disenfranchised groups in society.


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Author
Image of Fred Onyango
Fred Onyango
Fred Onyango is an entertainment journalist who primarily focuses on the intersection of entertainment, society, and politics. He has been writing about the entertainment industry for five years, covering celebrity, music, and film through the lens of their impact on society and politics. He has reported from the London Film Festival and was among the first African entertainment journalists invited to cover the Sundance Film Festival. Fun fact—Fred is also a trained pilot.