Elon Musk announced plans to sue Representative Ro Khanna following Khanna’s claim that Musk’s budget cuts while leading the Development Oversight Group for Emergency (DOGE) may have contributed to the deaths of 4.5 million children worldwide. Musk denounced the allegation as false and labeled Khanna a liar in response.
The controversy stems from Khanna’s call for congressional investigations into Musk’s role in cutting funds from USAID programs during his time at DOGE. Khanna urged Democrats to subpoena Musk and hold him accountable once they regain control of Congress. He highlighted that despite celebrating Musk’s success in making thousands of SpaceX employees wealthy, the human cost of these cuts, which allegedly affected millions of vulnerable children, demands scrutiny.
Musk defended the funding cuts by explaining that DOGE’s policy required recipients of aid to provide verifiable contact information to prevent fraud. He claimed that some aid money had been misappropriated by corrupt officials pretending to be beneficiaries. Musk accused Khanna and others of dishonesty and unethical behavior, urging that such individuals belong in prison rather than positions of power.
Khanna’s criticism drew notable attention considering his congressional district includes the location of Tesla’s largest factory, employing thousands of Musk’s workers. The dispute adds to a broader debate about Musk’s growing influence and wealth following SpaceX’s initial public offering, which made him the world’s first trillionaire. Musk has previously rejected accusations of racism and antisemitism leveled against him by some commentators.