Elon Musk claims Africa deaths fell after US aid cuts
June 30, 2026 10:57 am
Technology magnate Elon Musk asserted on Tuesday that mortality rates across Africa have declined subsequent to significant reductions in U.S. foreign aid, linking this pattern to the cessation of programs he claims fostered instability. The head of SpaceX issued this statement while addressing critiques of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiatives, which he has endorsed, and which substantially cut appropriations for the U.S. Agency for International Development.
Refugees International reported a drop in U.S. humanitarian funding, from $14 billion in 2024 to $3.7 billion in 2025. The group characterized USAID’s discontinuation as the “most prominent manifestation” of a wider decrease in global humanitarian support. Furthermore, the Center for Global Development indicated that USAID expenditures decreased by approximately 58 percent in 2025 when contrasted with 2024 figures.
Nevertheless, medical professionals and relief agencies have cautioned that these funding cuts might lead to grave humanitarian repercussions. A research paper released in The Lancet in July 2025 estimated that these reductions could result in over 14 million fatalities worldwide by 2030, among them more than 4.5 million children. In a similar vein, Nicholas Kristof, a columnist for the New York Times, referenced projections from the Center for Global Development last year, stating that over 1.6 million individuals might perish within twelve months absent U.S. assistance for HIV prevention and care.
Conversely, Musk posted on X, presenting 2025 mortality statistics from various African nations that indicated no discernible increase in deaths following the funding cuts. “Deaths in Africa DECREASED after USAID funding was cut, because they’re no longer able to push for violent revolution to install leftist regimes!” he wrote, quoting an analysis that highlighted <a href="https://absafricatv.com/xenophobia-fg-demands-compensation-for-nigerians-abandoned-businesses-in-south-africa/" title="Xenophobia: FG demands compensation for Nigerians’ abandoned businesses in South Africa“>South African all-cause death statistics.
The cited information featured a chart illustrating weekly deaths in South Africa from January 2023 through May 2026, encompassing the timeframe subsequent to USAID/PEPFAR reductions. The recorded excess deaths were noted as close to zero, even dropping beneath earlier projections made before the cuts. The accompanying analytical report referenced research that challenged the wider health effects of international aid, such as a 2019 study that found negligible statistical correlations between aid amounts and enhancements in life expectancy or death rates in developing countries.
Musk has consistently argued that the aid cutbacks are essential to eradicate inefficiency, graft, and the misapplication of public funds for political agendas instead of genuine humanitarian endeavors. He contended that previous USAID operations in the area fueled violent uprisings intended to establish leftist governments, and that discontinuing this funding removed a.
