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Former Congresswoman Comments On DOGE

Former Congresswoman Comments On DOGE

Liz Cheney has never been one to back down from a political battle, and this week was no exception. The former Republican congresswoman took a direct shot at Elon Musk’s U.S. citizenship after the billionaire CEO weighed in on her past ties to the embattled U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

The exchange unfolded on social media after Musk reposted a comment from Mike Benz, the executive director of the Foundation For Freedom Online, which scrutinized Cheney’s history with USAID. Musk simply added the word “Interesting.” That was all it took to prompt a sharp response from Cheney, who fired back with a history lesson—one that also questioned Musk’s connection to American ideals.

“Damn right, @Elon. I’m proud of what America did to win the Cold War, defeat Soviet communism, and defend democracy. Our nation stood for freedom. You may be unfamiliar with that part of our history since you weren’t yet an American citizen.”

It was a pointed remark, reminding Musk—who was born in South Africa and only became a U.S. citizen in 2002—that he was not always part of the country whose government he now seeks to reform. The timing of the exchange was significant, coming as the Trump administration announced it was gutting USAID, an agency Cheney once worked for and has since defended.

Founded in 1961, USAID has long been a cornerstone of American foreign policy, tackling humanitarian crises, combating global epidemics, and funding educational programs around the world. But under Trump’s second term, the agency has been cast in a far less favorable light. Trump’s administration argues that USAID has been a hub for mismanagement, wasteful spending, and, in some cases, outright political interference.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán chimed in on Musk’s platform, X, claiming that under the previous U.S. administration, USAID had funded left-wing media in Hungary and Europe. “So apparently USAID financed ultra-progressive Politico in Brussels and basically the entire left-wing media in Hungary,” Orbán wrote. “And they called me ‘disruptor of the year’… I think the world owes a debt of gratitude to President @realDonaldTrump for uncovering and putting an end to this dark conspiracy.”

Meanwhile, Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana told Fox News that Musk was doing exactly what Trump had appointed him to do—review government inefficiencies and expose corruption. “The USAID are screaming like they’re part of a prison riot because they don’t want us reviewing the spending,” Kennedy remarked. “But that’s all Mr. Musk is doing. And he’s finding some pretty interesting stuff.”

But not everyone is celebrating the agency’s downfall. Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar took to social media to express outrage, arguing that USAID’s work is vital. “USAID saves lives, promotes stability, and supports people in crisis,” Omar wrote. “People around the world will quite literally lose their lives, and Elon Musk and Trump don’t have the authority to dismantle it.”

As the debate rages on, USAID itself has confirmed that a skeleton crew of “mission-critical personnel” will remain on duty, but most employees will be placed on administrative leave. Those remaining will be notified by Thursday afternoon.

Written by Mark Stevens - February 9, 2025