The Elon Musk-headed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) reportedly audited the agency’s systems last week
US President Donald Trump has attacked the leadership of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), claiming the organization has been poorly managed by “radical lunatics.” The criticism came after two top USAID security officials were reportedly put on leave after trying to stop the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing its systems.
USAID is an organization tasked with promoting American interests abroad through various forms of assistance to foreign governments and international institutions.
When asked on Sunday about the agency, Trump said that “it’s been run by a bunch of radical lunatics, and we’re getting them out, and then we’ll make a decision” on its future.
The comment followed reports that representatives of the Elon Musk-headed DOGE accessed USAID headquarters in Washington DC for an audit last week. Over the weekend, USAID’s official website went offline, and its X account vanished amid reports that the White House was considering merging the agency into the State Department.
Early on Monday, Musk revealed he had spoken with Trump, who “agreed” that USAID should be shut down.
Musk made the comments during an X Spaces stream overnight Sunday into Monday, where he discussed DOGE. He said he checked with Trump multiple times, asking, “Are you sure?” and the president confirmed, “so we’re shutting it down.”
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO earlier accused USAID of financing bioweapon research, including projects that allegedly led to the emergence of Covid-19, branding the agency a “criminal organization.”
On Friday, a team of DOGE inspectors gained access to USAID’s internal systems, including its website and key databases, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
Among the systems accessed were those containing reports on past and ongoing programs and also those used to track congressionally mandated and performance data for all USAID programs globally, according to the outlet.
The group also reportedly took control of a software system used by USAID for tracking and managing the agency’s budgeting, accounting, and financial transactions.
Two senior security officials at USAID were reportedly placed on forced leave after they tried to prevent DOGE staff from accessing classified documents during their effort to review the agency’s finances.
Last week, around 60 senior career officials at USAID were placed on administrative leave. The action followed Trump’s executive order initiating a 90-day suspension of most foreign aid in order to conduct a comprehensive spending review.
