Elon Musk brands singer Bono a 'Liar' and an 'Idiot' over USAID cuts criticism

After Donald Trump recently clashed with a music icon, tech billionaire Elon Musk is now following suit — taking aim at U2 frontman Bono over criticism of U.S. foreign aid policy. 

Bono appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast on May 30, where he discussed his new documentary "Bono: Stories of Surrender". 

During the nearly three-hour interview, the Irish singer and humanitarian didn’t shy away from politics, condemning both the Trump administration and Musk’s controversial role in the U.S. government. 

Specifically, Bono criticized the dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), overseen by the now-defunct Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which Musk led until stepping down last week after serving the maximum 130-day term as a special government employee without Senate confirmation. 

There’s food rotting in boats, in warehouses — 50,000 tons of it,” Bono said. “The people who knew the codes, who were responsible for distributing that aid, were fired. That’s not America, is it?” 

Bono cited a Boston University study estimating that the aid cuts could result in more than 300,000 deaths globally, attributing the chaos to DOGE-led restructuring efforts. 

As a long-time campaigner for humanitarian relief, Bono labeled the actions “a moral and strategic failure.” 

Musk wasted no time firing back on X (formerly Twitter), posting: “Such a liar/idiot,” before asserting that “zero people have died” as a result of the cuts. 

In a later exchange, Musk doubled down, invoking satire: “South Park lampooned Bono as the biggest shit in the world. They were right.” 

Reaction to Bono’s comments was also mixed among Joe Rogan’s audience — many of whom are right-leaning. 

Several listeners criticized Rogan for hosting the episode, with one user writing: “That guy’s about as evil as they come, Joe,” while others said they would be skipping the interview altogether. 

Musk's time at DOGE was marked by intense controversy and widespread protest. 

The "Hands Off" movement, opposing DOGE’s policies, saw mass demonstrations in all 50 U.S. states. 

Protesters accused the department of gutting essential services and programs under the guise of efficiency. 

“They’re taking everything they can get their hands on — our healthcare, our data, our jobs, our services — and daring the world to stop them,” said the Hands Off organizers in a statement. 

“This is a crisis, and the time to act is now.” As public scrutiny continues, the political fallout between celebrity activism and Silicon Valley power players shows no signs of cooling down.