Musk says USAID is 'beyond repair,' Trump wants it shutdown
What's the story
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who heads US President Donald Trump's initiative to downsize the federal government, has announced plans to dismantle the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
In a post on X, a platform owned by Musk himself, he called USAID "beyond repair," adding that Trump has also "agreed" that it should be shut down.
Musk made the statement in conversation with former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and Republican Senators Joni Ernst and Mike Lee.
Accusations
Musk labels USAID a 'criminal organization'
Previously, Musk has also slammed USAID, calling it a "criminal organization."
Responding to an X post that accused USAID of "rogue CIA work" and "internet censorship," he wrote, "USAID is a criminal organization."
In another post, he questioned the agency's use of tax dollars for controversial research: "Did you know that USAID, using YOUR tax dollars, funded bioweapon research, including COVID-19, that killed millions of people?"
Twitter Post
Take a look at Musk's post
Did you know that USAID, using YOUR tax dollars, funded bioweapon research, including COVID-19, that killed millions of people? https://t.co/YVwyKA7ifs
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 2, 2025
Presidential backing
Trump supports Musk's cost-cutting efforts
Despite their occasional disagreements, President Trump has shown his support for Musk's cost-cutting efforts.
"I think Elon is doing a good job. He's a big cost-cutter," Trump said.
The endorsement comes after representatives from Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) were denied entry into restricted areas at the USAID headquarters in Washington, DC, despite requesting access to security systems and personnel files.
Staff changes
Trump administration dismisses top USAID security officials
After the denied access incident, two top security officials at USAID were placed on leave by the Trump administration.
The move is part of a larger shake-up at USAID as President Trump seeks to curtail the agency's independence and possibly bring it under State Department control.
Nearly 100 senior staff members have already been placed on leave, including about 30 employees from the Legislative and Public Affairs office who unexpectedly lost access to their emails.