DOGE DISCOVERIES: Musk takes hammer to 'insane' government spending and USAID

According to Fox News, the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, is targeting what the network characterizes as wasteful spending at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The video presents allegations of frivolous expenditures and corruption while documenting Democratic opposition to the agency’s proposed shutdown.

Fox News’s Claims on USAID Spending

Fox News host Jesse Watters alleges in the video that USAID functions as “a CIA cutout” and “a $40 billion slush fund for social justice warriors.” Watters claims the agency has allegedly “been caught staging coups across Latin America” and “been kicked out of dozens of countries.” The broadcast cites specific spending examples including alleged expenditures of $1.5 million to advance DEI in Serbia’s workplaces, $770,000 for a DEI musical in Ireland, $47,000 for what they describe as a “transgender opera” in Colombia, and $32,000 for a “transgender comic book” in Peru.

According to the segment, Watters further alleges that “Barisma got a contract with USAID through Hunter Biden” and that “the Obama people looked at it and canceled it” because it appeared corrupt. The video presents White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt listing these alleged spending priorities and characterizing them as “insane.”

Opposition and Humanitarian Concerns

The broadcast features former Biden administration USAID Global Health official Dr. Atul Gawande warning of consequences. Fox News presents his claim that USAID work “is critical” and involves “20 million people of whom 6.5 million are children with HIV.” According to Gawande in the video, there is allegedly an Ebola outbreak in Uganda where “USAID all activities have been shut down.”

The segment shows Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez questioning Musk’s intelligence and authority, with Senator Elizabeth Warren allegedly stating that “Elon Musk wasn’t elected.” Fox News presents a hypothetical from co-host Jessica Tarlov asking viewers to imagine if “George Soros had been given access to the treasury payments” to run a similar efficiency operation.

Rubio’s Defense and Review Process

According to the video, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, serving as acting USAID director, defends the 90-day funding freeze. Fox News presents Rubio alleging that USAID employees have an attitude of “we don’t work for anyone, we work for ourselves.” The broadcast reports Rubio’s claim that “we have issued a blanket waiver if the program saves lives.”

Congressman Brian Mast, chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, tells Fox News that the shutdown approach is necessary because USAID officials allegedly “will go in, they will delete these things off of servers.” According to Mast in the video, when he chaired Foreign Affairs oversight, USAID officials would allegedly say to his face “it’s not what we did” when confronted.

Young Engineers and Musk’s Role

The segment reports that Musk has allegedly recruited engineers as young as 19 years old to audit government spending, with the oldest being 25. Fox News shows President Trump defending these individuals, allegedly stating “they’re very smart people.” According to the broadcast, at least 20,000 federal workers have allegedly taken Trump’s buyout offer. The video presents Musk allegedly polling his followers about whether DOGE should “audit the IRS.”

In Fox News’s Own Words

“USAID is a CIA cutout, it’s basically like a dark money group that’s been caught staging coups across Latin America.”

“As an American taxpayer I don’t want my dollars going towards this crap and I know the American people don’t either.”

“Four out of 10 projects are not complete, are not fulfilled objectives fail, that’s self-reported.”

Why This Matters

The USAID controversy represents a significant test of executive authority over Congressional appropriations and raises questions about oversight of foreign aid spending. According to reporting in the video, Congress appropriated USAID funding through legislation in 1998, potentially setting up what Fox News characterizes as “another legal battle for the Trump administration.” The debate pits allegations of wasteful spending and ideological programming against concerns about humanitarian aid disruption, business impacts on government contractors, and America’s geopolitical influence. Whether legitimate oversight or governmental overreach, the outcome could reshape how billions in foreign assistance dollars are allocated and monitored, with Fox News suggesting this represents just the beginning of broader federal spending scrutiny under the Trump administration’s efficiency initiative.