Summary

Elon Musk amplified conspiracy theories about USAID, calling it “evil” and a “criminal organization,” leading to its shutdown under Trump.

USAID, historically bipartisan, has faced criticism, but Musk’s claims—largely derived from fringe influencers like Mike Benz—gained traction on X.

Trump has signed an order freezing foreign aid, slashing USAID’s workforce. False accusations of fraud and biowarfare links fueled the decision, impacting global humanitarian efforts.

Aid deliveries are now halted and international relief efforts disrupted, demonstrating the real-world effects of misinformation.

  • FuglyDuck@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    53
    ·
    1 day ago

    USAID was looking into what happened with money that had been given for starlink in Ukraine.

    he shut them down because they were targeting one of his businesses.

  • moon@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    7
    ·
    18 hours ago

    You couldn’t invent a more cartoonishly evil guy than ‘than world’s richest man, who actively took food out of the mouths of starving people so he could save a little bit on taxes’

  • Spitzspot
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    24
    ·
    1 day ago

    Sacrificing the health and safety of the poor to fatten your own wallet is on brand for billionaires.