Tech billionaire Elon Musk claimed Tuesday that deaths across Africa have decreased following sharp US cuts to foreign aid funding, attributing the trend to the end of programmes that allegedly fueled instability.
The SpaceX CEO made the claim in response to criticism of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiatives, which Musk has supported, that significantly reduced funding for the US Agency for International Development.
According to Refugees International, US humanitarian funding fell from $14 billion in 2024 to $3.7 billion in 2025, with the organisation describing the closure of USAID as the “most prominent manifestation” of a broader decline in international humanitarian assistance.
The Center for Global Development also reported that USAID spending declined by about 58 per cent in 2025 compared with 2024.
However, health experts and aid organisations have warned that the funding reductions could have severe humanitarian consequences.
