Musk criticized USAID and removed the agency's account from social media platform X.

Billionaire Elon Musk declared on Sunday that it is time for USAID to die. This is the latest indication that the Trump administration is preparing to eliminate or significantly restructure the 64-year-old U.S. Agency for International Development.

This was reported by RBK-Ukraine citing Politico.

"USAID is a criminal organization. It's time for it to die," Musk wrote.

On the same day, an ally of U.S. President Donald Trump made another post accusing USAID of funding biological weapons research, including COVID-19.

Politico notes that these past weekends have been tumultuous for USAID, as discussions about potentially merging the agency with the U.S. State Department "are increasingly resembling a concrete action plan."

Specifically, Republican Brian Mast from Florida stated on Sunday that the agency "will likely be more closely monitored" by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

He added that he is working alongside the Secretary of State "to ensure proper command and control over these agencies," as currently only 10-30% of U.S. development funding handled by USAID actually goes to aid.

Meanwhile, the social media platform X has removed the organization's account, which had nearly a million followers. The website is also shut down. Furthermore, dozens of USAID officials have been placed on leave.

A Democratic congressman and two Senate Democratic staffers, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that representatives from DOGE (the group focused on government efficiency led by Musk) ultimately gained access to classified and other systems of USAID on Saturday.

The situation has drawn condemnation from leading Democrats, who are attempting to rally their Republican colleagues, as rumors spread that DOGE representatives are trying to access several government systems without the appropriate security clearance.

"Reports that individuals without the proper clearance may have accessed USAID's classified data, as well as personal information of American citizens, are incredibly serious and unprecedented. We are seeking immediate answers regarding any implications for our national security and are assembling a bipartisan group of senators on this issue as soon as the Senate returns tomorrow," said Senator Jeanne Shaheen.

According to Democratic Senate staff, about eight DOGE representatives—some with proper clearances and some without—arrived at USAID's main offices demanding access to all doors and floors. When USAID's security service denied them access, DOGE staff warned that they would call the U.S. Marshals Service to force the agency to let them in. Ultimately, DOGE officials gained substantial access.

Earlier on Friday, congressional Democrats stated that the president does not have the authority to unilaterally strip the agency of its autonomy.

USAID's Activities and the Agency's Assistance to Ukraine

USAID is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government responsible for non-military aid to other countries.

In Ukraine, the agency supports humanitarian programs—restoring schools, providing medical services, and repairing critical energy infrastructure.

In particular, prior to Russia's invasion, USAID was allocating hundreds of millions of dollars to Ukraine for democracy and human rights projects. However, now Ukraine is the largest recipient. Currently, the agency is implementing 40 projects in Ukraine.