Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur, recently expressed support for a suggestion from former Congressman Ron Paul to eliminate foreign aid from the U.S. budget. Paul took to social media, stating, “It’s taking money from the poor and middle class in the U.S. and giving it to the rich in poor countries, with a cut to the facilitators in between!” He emphasized that many Americans do not want their government to borrow more to fund foreign aid, calling it an immoral transfer of wealth.
Musk responded positively to Paul’s idea, asserting that “Ron is not wrong.” Alongside Musk, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, who is also part of the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) formed by President-elect Donald Trump, highlighted that a significant amount of U.S. foreign aid is not even authorized by Congress.
The DOGE aims to provide fresh insights from outside the government to drive reforms in public spending. Trump noted that the department would work closely with the White House and the Office of Management and Budget to instill an entrepreneurial spirit in government operations, which has been lacking for years.
Ramaswamy pointed out that the funding for non-governmental organizations should be thoroughly examined, labeling it as an area ripe for reducing wasteful spending. He urged for greater transparency regarding foreign aid and its connection to pressing issues like the ongoing border crisis.
The push to scrutinize foreign aid comes amid a broader call for reform from several leading figures in the conservative movement, reinforcing the idea that taxpayer dollars should primarily benefit American citizens, not subsidize wealth in other nations.
