Elon Musk has announced that HIV/AIDS relief administered through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has been halted globally under the cost-cutting measures of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). This comes as Musk has denounced USAID as a “criminal organization” and called for its dissolution, despite providing no supporting evidence for his claims.

However, DOGE is not an official federal executive department, as its creation would require congressional approval. Therefore Musk’s actions can be considered unlawful.  

Last week, the Trump administration froze billions of dollars in USAID funding. Although a partial exemption has been granted for some funds linked to the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which is estimated to have saved 26 million lives since 2003, crucial medical supplies are still failing to reach those in need.

Experts warn that Musk’s decision could lead to a surge in HIV/AIDS infections and potential outbreaks in vulnerable regions.  

Trump’s decision also includes a 90-day suspension of foreign aid for development projects. Many of the organisations relying on this funding operate within their respective countries, employing both local and American staff. Without immediate financial support, thousands of workers face imminent job losses, threatening the long-term stability of global health and humanitarian programmes.  

International organisations have condemned the cuts warning of catastrophic consequences. ILGA World and the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) issued a joint statement, accusing the Trump administration of wielding foreign aid as a “deadly political weapon”.  

“The US, currently the largest provider of Official Development Assistance (ODA), is choosing to abandon the world’s most marginalised populations in pursuit of far-right, regressive policies,” the statement read.  

“This is a war on development. People will die because the Trump administration is using life-saving funding as leverage to advance a dystopian agenda. With new conditions placed on American aid, it will be impossible to reach the most vulnerable, undoing decades of progress in health, security, and human rights.”