Elon Musk early on Monday said he had spoken with President Donald Trump who “agreed” with him that the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) should be shut down, just hours after the president attacked the aid agency’s leadership by calling them “a bunch of radical lunatics.”
Two officials from the United States Agency for International Development were placed on administrative leave over the weekend after attempting to block Musk's representatives from accessing their internal systems.
Musk’s remarks were made during an X Spaces stream that began at midnight EST to discuss the work of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
The billionaire said he checked with him a few times and asked “Are you sure?” and Trump said yes, “so we’re shutting it down.”
Without offering evidence, Musk attacked the aid agency by claiming its work was “incredibly politically partisan.”
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, who was also on the stream said if there are “truly good pro-American programs” that were under the USAID’s ambit they should be moved under the State Department and “make sure we have proper oversight.”
Earlier on Sunday evening, Trump was asked by reporters the state of USAID and said: “Well it's been run by a bunch of radical lunatics, and we're getting them out...and then we'll make a decision.”
This is a developing story.
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