U.S.AID, Elon Musk's adversary, was scrutinizing Starlink's agreements in Ukraine
Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency has been making waves in the international aid community, with USAID, the agency responsible for distributing food and supplies worldwide, potentially on the chopping block. Recent developments suggest that USAID was investigating equipment from one of Musk's companies at the time of his public denouncement of the agency.
The Lever revealed on Tuesday that USAID's inspector general was conducting an investigation into its partnership with Musk's Starlink and the Ukrainian government. The investigation, which started in 2024, aimed to examine how the Ukrainian government utilized Starlink terminals provided by USAID and how the agency monitored their usage 1.
Musk's fierce criticism of USAID, labeling it as "evil" and a "criminal organization," could potentially have ulterior motives. The reason for this speculation lies in the ongoing investigation into Starlink activities by USAID at the time. However, the current status of this investigation remains unknown 2.
It's worth noting that concerns about the legality of Musk's actions have surfaced across several federal agencies, including Treasury, Education, and the White House budget office 3. Furthermore, an organization defending federal workers has filed a lawsuit against DOGE, alleging potential breaches of a federal privacy law 4.
The DOGE team, mostly comprised of young adults in their 20s, find themselves in an unprecedented, potentially perilous situation. With DOGE's activities being scrutinized for potential legal violations, the future of these individuals is uncertain. Musk's "army of anti-bureaucracy grunts" might just be considered expendable if things take a turn for the worse 5.
USAID's history is marred with controversy, often accused of serving as a front for the CIA. Despite this, it is far from encompassing the radical ideologies that Sean Hannity described 6. Given Musk's stance against the agency, his alignment with the "deep state" critique seems contradictory.
(#footnote1) Source: https://thelever.com/usaid-was-investigating-elon-musks-starlink-in-ukraine-at-the-time-he-attacked-the-agency/(#footnote2) Source: https://thelever.com/usaid-was-investigating-elon-musks-starlink-in-ukraine-at-the-time-he-attacked-the-agency/(#footnote3) Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/03/24/musk-communications-company-concerns-about-potential-illegal-activity/(#footnote4) Source: https://www.law360.com/articles/1392850/union-sues-doj-over-elon-musks-hijacking-of-treasury-computer-systems(#footnote5) Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musks-dojo-is-basically-him-being-followed-around-by-a-bunch-of-gregs-2023-3?utm_source=reddit.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=organic(#footnote6) Source: https://www.foxnews.com/media/sean-hannity-democrats-nhrc
The ongoing investigation into Starlink's activities by USAID has raised questions about Elon Musk's criticism of the agency. This investigation, focusing on Starlink's involvement with Ukraine, started in 2024 and is still under review, suggesting that technology and tech companies like Starlink might have a significant role in shaping the future of international aid and government partnerships.
As the investigation into Starlink continues, the future of technology and its relationship with government agencies could evolve substantially, potentially leading to stricter regulations or fostering greater collaboration.
