Why did USAID give $68+ million to the World Economic Forum?

Since the Department of Government Efficiency leader Elon Musk threatened to shut down the US Agency for International Development (USAID) last Monday, there has been a flurry of queries regarding its “wasteful” expenditures, where money was reportedly channeled to companies, businesses, and organizations like the WEF, without accountability.

Citizen journalist on X, Kanekoa the Great, has raised the alarm on several questionable instances where the US Agency for International Development (USAID) spent taxpayer’s funds, including a $68.3 million funding to the World Economic Forum.

Why did USAID give $68+ million to the World Economic Forum? pic.twitter.com/1J5VkCDiHz

— KanekoaTheGreat (@KanekoaTheGreat) February 5, 2025

USAID supporters argue that these funds were directed toward initiatives aimed at fostering economic development, trade, and public-private partnerships worldwide.

USAID’s ties to global organizations

One Reddit user listed programs that could have been funded by USAID, which include boosting agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa. The initiative reportedly generated $2.3 billion in private-sector investment, benefiting over 10 million farmers and creating nearly 88,000 jobs. 

Another project mentioned was the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation, purported to have received $13 million from 2015 to 2022 to help reduce global trade barriers and foster economic growth. The Enterprises for Development, Growth, and Empowerment (EDGE) Fund was also planned to receive $50 million to mobilize private sector resources for global development challenges through public-private partnerships. 

The USAID does not account for most of its expenditure, so it’s rather more speculative than true to say the funds really went towards the initiatives.

USAID gave $400M (R7.4B) to Anova – a South African NGO with a broken website & a deactivated X account. pic.twitter.com/AMesaLvBpF

— The Kiffness (@TheKiffness) February 5, 2025

In an X post on February 5, Kanekoa brought to light resurfaced reports that the US agency had funded research on coronavirus at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. A 2014 archived USAID report detailed the agency’s collaboration with the Wuhan-based lab, where researchers studied SARS-like coronaviruses in bats. 

Kanekoa revealed the USAID funded research issued findings that the newly identified viruses were capable of binding to human ACE-2 receptors, further explaining the potential for direct transmission to humans.

“Was research on novel bat coronaviruses at the Wuhan Institute of Virology a good use of American taxpayer funds?” the social media journalist concluded.

Media influence and more foreign spending

A report cited by the Columbia Journalism Review claimed that USAID supported over 6,200 journalists, 707 news outlets, and 279 media sector civil society organizations across 30 countries. 

Although no publications were specified, critics argue that this level of media funding raises questions about editorial independence and the uniformity of global news narratives.

Beyond journalism, USAID has also been accused of using taxpayer money to support political movements abroad. El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele has long been exasperated by the US agency’s involvement in his country. 

In a repost of his 2021 statement, in which Bukele explained that the agency funds opposition movements against his administration despite his high approval ratings, the president told his followers, “This explains what USAID does with US taxpayers’ money.”

US taxpayers should know that their government is using their money to fund communist movements against a democratic elected (and with a 90% approval rating) government in El Salvador.

It’s not working though 😂

The people of El Salvador won’t go back to that terrible past. pic.twitter.com/xPa3YA9xdO

— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) December 12, 2021

Speaking at the White House on Monday, POTUS Trump bashed the USAID, calling it an agency run by “radical left lunatics.” He alleged that significant financial mismanagement was taking place. He has since then left the investigations to government entities including Musk’s DOGE.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also weighed in on the matter, stating that USAID’s functions needed to be realigned with American interests. He described the agency as “completely unresponsive” and suggested reforms were necessary to ensure it served national priorities rather than external agendas.

Reports from CBS News indicate that despite proposed structural changes, USAID will remain a humanitarian aid entity. However, it will be integrated into the State Department, led by Secretary Rubio.

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