During a recent episode of a well-known podcast, U2’s lead singer Bono engaged in a heated discussion concerning the controversial actions of renowned tech mogul Elon Musk. Bono, who has dedicated years of his life to working alongside the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), voiced harsh criticism of Musk’s handling of the government department known as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Bono cited research indicating that Musk’s reductions within DOGE may have indirectly led to upwards of 300,000 deaths globally.
As per the rock star’s explanation, perishable food supplies are wasting away in storage containers and on ships due to Musk’s dismissal of key personnel tasked with their distribution. Bono emphasized his understanding of an inclination towards minimizing overgrown governmental structures, however, he warned Rogan and listeners of the potential tragic fallout of such decisions.
The choosing of which malnourished children must be disconnected from their only lifelines was a decision that Bono couldn’t fully comprehend. He hesitated to label such decision-making as ‘evil’, yet he insisted that such a term, typically associated with pleasure derived from ruthlessly squandering human lives, seemed apt in this context. He emphasized his belief that it’s never too late to change course, regardless of whether these harmful outcomes were brought about unintentionally or due to outright incompetence.
Bono unveiled that he had taken his concerns straight to the US Secretary of State, who currently also serves as the interim administrator of USAID — Marco Rubio. The politician, according to Bono, refuses to acknowledge that people are perishing as a result of these policies, despite the damning evidence in hand.
“In a world that continuously aspires to integrate globally, when the US recedes from its existence as a global player into an isolated entity… it ceases to be the America we know”, added Bono. This philosophical perspective was a prominent theme throughout their conversation.
The podcast host, during this exchange, acknowledged the counterproductive consequences of slashing the USAID funding, even as he alluded to claims of undue spending. Elon Musk had notably declared an ambitious plan to trim a staggering $2 trillion from federal expenses via the DOGE.
However, reports from the Financial Times contradicted that claim, stating that the actual volume of cuts fell far below even an initial publicly declared figure of a meager $170 billion. Rogan opined, ‘Undeniably, there are instances of fraud and cases of money laundering within the system.’
Despite these flaws, Rogan pointed out the invaluable role that this agency plays when it comes to uplifting less fortunate populations across the globe. Whether it’s establishing wells to provide clean drinking water to local communities in the Congo, or ensuring the delivery of essential food and medical aid to remote corners of the world. These vital initiatives, in Rogan’s view, should have been spared from any budgetary reductions, a realization that should have been evident before implementing these drastic cuts.
Rogan advocated for a more measured approach, arguing that Musk should have allowed these agencies to properly equip themselves and devise operational changes in order to forestall unnecessary human suffering. Regrettably, the stark reality as per a recent Financial Times investigation revealed that far from achieving their purported saving goal of $2 trillion, they had fallen drastically short.
In an eye-opening revelation, the DOGE has achieved savings that fall way below even the $170 billion it once claimed to have saved. The report underlines the extent to which the department has overreached and under-delivered, raising questions about the effectiveness of the cost-cutting measures that have been implemented.