Aravind Srinivas, the Indian-origin CEO of Perplexity AI, stirred controversy by playfully challenging Elon Musk in the wake of the USAID shutdown. In a bold post on X, he quipped, “Considering raising $500B from USAID. Funding secured. Stop me if you can @elonmusk,” taking a direct jab at the Tesla and SpaceX chief.
This remark followed a drastic move by the Trump administration, which ordered the largest dismissal in USAID history, citing corruption as the main reason. The agency, which once employed over 10,000 individuals worldwide—two-thirds of them stationed outside the US—saw thousands of employees let go. Reports indicate that fewer than 300 staff members will remain as the government works toward merging USAID with the State Department, now under the oversight of Marco Rubio, whom Trump appointed as its acting administrator.
Trump and Musk have both criticized USAID’s financial practices, with Musk labeling it a “criminal organization” and Trump calling it a “radical lunatic-run agency.” According to official statements, as of February 7, nearly all USAID personnel were placed on administrative leave, except for a select group managing mission-critical operations.
Public backlash has been swift, with hundreds gathering in Washington DC to protest the decision. Meanwhile, the Trump administration continues to expose what it describes as years of wasteful spending in USAID, arguing that taxpayer money was misused on “ridiculous” projects. On X, Trump declared that the agency’s unchecked influence had ended, while Musk echoed the sentiment, condemning the agency’s financial mismanagement.
With USAID’s future hanging in the balance, the administration remains firm on its restructuring plans, while critics question the long-term impact of dissolving the organization.
