Ro Khanna calls for investigation into Elon Musk over USAID cuts

Rep. Ro Khanna came out with a strong statement against former presidential advisor Elon Musk, who recently became the world's first trillionaire. Khanna claimed that Musk had to face the consequences of sentencing millions of children around the world to death, as he played a crucial role in the U.S. government's dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) program, which used to provide aid to those in need around the world, including children.

"Once we take power, there needs to be accountability," Khanna said during an interview with Jennifer Welch. "There needs to be accountability for Elon Musk. They’re celebrating that he created 4,400 millionaires, but they don't talk about the 4.5 million children around the world whom he possibly sentenced to death by dismantling USAID. He needs to answer for that. He needs to be subpoenaed; he needs to face investigation." The Democrat said that the Oversight Committee and the Judiciary Committee would be used for such cases.

Khanna also stated that Musk needed to be accountable for the actions of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The Donald Trump administration had tasked DOGE with cutting down federal spending and jobs. According to a BBC report, the dismantling of the USAID program could lead to more than 14 million additional deaths by 2030, a third of which are predicted to be children. Some of the services cut include providing prosthetic limbs to soldiers injured in Ukraine, clearing landmines in a number of countries, and checking the spread of Ebola in Africa.

Khanna also called for taxing the wealthy, like Musk, claiming that a one-time 5% tax could go a long way in providing universal child care in the country, and that it would not even lead to the trillionaire losing any wealth over the long term. "For a 5% tax one time on Elon Musk, you could have universal child care in America. $10 a day for every family," he said. The SpaceX CEO reacted to the clip on X, calling the United States Representative a liar.

The Democrat responded to Musk on X, urging him to pat "the 5% instead of hurling random insults." During a recent interview with Bill Maher, Khanna claimed that taxing billionaires like Musk could help Americans struggling to pay off student loans. "If you're working class, you're first in your family to go to college, you have all this debt, and then you're paying off your debt until you're 50 or 60 and can't get a house, we can pay off that debt. And you know how we pay for it? Tax Elon Musk. Tax the billionaire," he said.

The California congressman is not the only Democrat who has criticised DOGE's actions. Taking to X, he claimed that the screwworm problem, which American farmers are having to contend with, is the responsibility of Musk and President Donald Trump. "Reckless cuts by DOGE continue to hurt America. For 60 years, our screwworm eradication program has protected U.S. livestock from these pests. Now, thanks to Elon Musk and Trump, the problem is back. Ranchers will suffer. Beef prices will rise. And Americans who already can't afford groceries will have to pay more at the check-out line," he wrote.