Ben Stiller Responds To Allegations About Ukraine Trip
Ben Stiller has fired back against viral claims suggesting that his trip to war-torn Ukraine was bankrolled by American taxpayers through the now-defunct U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The Hollywood actor, best known for Zoolander and Meet the Parents, dismissed the accusations as outright falsehoods stemming from Russian propaganda.
The controversy erupted after Elon Musk, newly appointed to lead President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, spearheaded the closure of USAID, calling the agency “criminal” and “beyond repair.” His decision came amid growing criticism that USAID had been misallocating public funds, including allegedly financing high-profile celebrity visits to Ukraine. A widely circulated video on Musk’s platform, X, accused USAID of spending millions to send Stiller, Angelina Jolie, and Sean Penn to the embattled country.
Stiller wasted no time in denying the claims, taking to Twitter to set the record straight. “I completely self-funded my humanitarian trip to Ukraine,” he stated firmly. “There was no funding from USAID and certainly no payment of any kind. 100 percent false.”
The accusations targeted other Hollywood figures as well, but neither Penn nor Jolie have responded to the allegations. However, Musk himself seemed to lend credibility to the claims by retweeting the video, fueling speculation about USAID’s financial activities.
Stiller’s visit to Ukraine in June 2022 was part of his work as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations’ refugee agency, UNHCR. He met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, calling him a “hero” and praising his leadership during the war. Their televised meeting captured the moment Stiller remarked on Zelensky’s former acting career, leading to a lighthearted exchange between the two.
The actor later reflected on the resilience of the Ukrainian people and how deeply moved he was by their strength amid adversity. “I was really taken by the resilience of the people of Ukraine, and of the president,” he said, emphasizing Zelensky’s steadfast leadership during the crisis.
Angelina Jolie also made an unpublicized trip to Ukraine in April 2022, visiting an orphanage and speaking with refugees. Her visit was kept under wraps, with reports suggesting that even local officials were unaware of her movements.
Meanwhile, Sean Penn was in Ukraine filming a documentary when Russia launched its invasion on February 24, 2022. Forced to flee on foot alongside refugees crossing into Poland, he has since become a vocal supporter of Zelensky and Ukraine’s fight for sovereignty.
Penn, who has returned to Ukraine multiple times, has called Zelensky an “extraordinary” leader and likened the country’s fight to a broader struggle for democracy. He has also visited sites of alleged Russian war crimes, emphasizing the scale of destruction and loss endured by the Ukrainian people.