Elon Musk has repeatedly made false and misleading statements about U.S. government spending, especially in his posts on X (formerly Twitter).
In some cases, he has acknowledged that his statements may be incorrect, yet these claims continue to shape public discourse. Here are eight examples of how Musk has misled Americans regarding federal spending.
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1. False Video Claim About USAID Spending on Celebrities
Musk shared a fabricated video that claimed USAID used taxpayer dollars to fund celebrity trips to Ukraine, purportedly to boost Zelensky's popularity.
This video was not only fake, but the celebrities named, including Ben Stiller, clarified they paid for their trips themselves. The misleading post was part of a broader misinformation campaign originating from Russian media.
2. Misrepresentation of Pentagon Cybersecurity Contract
Musk accused Reuters of being paid millions by the U.S. government for “social deception.” In reality, the contract he referenced was awarded to Thomson Reuters Special Services, a data-driven solutions company hired to defend against social engineering cyberattacks. This funding had nothing to do with deceiving the public.
3. Misleading Claims About Tax Credits Under Trump and Biden
Musk posted a misleading chart suggesting that tax credits under Trump and Biden were inexplicable. In truth, these increases were due to expansions in child tax credits enacted by both administrations—under Trump’s 2017 tax reform and Biden’s 2020 pandemic relief plan.
4. False Claim About New York Times Receiving Government Funds
Musk shared a post suggesting that the U.S. government gave tens of millions of dollars to The New York Times. A proper search reveals the total federal funding to The Times was about $1.6 million since 2020, primarily through Department of Defense subscriptions, not the millions Musk implied.
5. Invented Story About $50 Million for Condoms in Gaza
In a post about a supposed $50 million expenditure on condoms for Gaza, Musk repeated an unfounded claim made by a White House press secretary.
There was no evidence for this story, and Musk later admitted that some of his statements could be incorrect, though he continued to spread misinformation about other issues.
6. False Claims About DOGE Savings
Musk amplified a post claiming that DOGE (Dogecoin) could save $109 billion, a figure inflated by overestimating the cryptocurrency’s potential savings. The so-called “DOGE Clock” used by Musk was tracking a hypothetical savings target, not actual financial data, and had no basis in reality.
7. Misleading Social Security Data
Musk shared a misleading chart showing nearly 9 million people over 130 years old in a Social Security database, suggesting fraud.
However, this figure only reflected people without a “death field” entry, not individuals fraudulently collecting benefits. In reality, only a small number of those individuals were receiving payments.
8. False FEMA Spending Claims for Migrant Housing
Musk falsely claimed FEMA sent $59 million to luxury New York City hotels to house migrants, suggesting the funds were diverted from disaster relief. In truth, the money came from a separate program specifically for housing migrants, not disaster relief, and the city clarified that it did not pay “luxury hotel” rates.
Finally
Elon Musk’s public statements about government spending often lack accuracy, whether intentionally or otherwise.
From misrepresenting contracts to creating fabricated stories, his influence in shaping public opinion has led to widespread misinformation. It’s crucial to approach these claims with skepticism and verify facts through trusted sources.
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Written By HowNHowTo.com