Bono claims USAID cuts led to 300,000 deaths, sparks backlash

In a recent appearance on 'The Joe Rogan Experience' podcast, Bono, the U2 frontman and global activist, made a controversial claim that the disbandment of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) by the Trump administration was responsible for 300,000 associated deaths. This assertion stirred significant debate online, especially after it was challenged by both Joe Rogan and Elon Musk, who dismissed Bono's statements as misinformation and called him a 'liar' and 'idiot.' During the podcast, Bono expressed concern over tens of thousands of tons of food allegedly rotting in warehouses due to the cuts in foreign aid and claimed that those managing these warehouses had lost their jobs. His criticisms extended to a broader reflection on the U.S. foreign aid system, which he described as corrupted and ineffective. While he acknowledged the presence of good aid groups, he argued that oversight of USAID had been lacking, suggesting that the agency had functioned as a 'money laundering operation' with significant amounts of funds unaccounted for. The contentious figure of 300,000 deaths emerged not from empirical data but from a speculative model developed by Boston University’s Brooke Nichols. Nichols outlined that these numbers were projections based on anticipated effects from the funding cuts rather than confirmed counts, highlighting the challenges of tracking real-time data in many affected areas. In her opinion, the actual outcomes would depend heavily on how nations and organizations respond to the cuts with mitigating actions. The backlash against Bono reflects a growing divide in views about U.S. foreign aid, especially among influential figures and the public. This incident shows how claims in the humanitarian aid sector can become highly politicized, generating significant responses based not only on the claims themselves but also on the reputations of those making them. The discussion has sparked renewed calls for thorough examination and reforms in foreign aid practices, emphasizing the necessity of transparency and accountability in the management of international aid.