‘Damn right’: Liz Cheney’s past USAID employment faces backlash after lashing out at Elon Musk
Former GOP Congresswoman Liz Cheney faced criticism from conservatives on social media after defending her previous work at USAID in a heated exchange on social media with DOGE leader, Elon Musk. In response to Musk’s comment on USAID, Cheney tweeted, “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.”
Cheney, who previously worked at USAID in various countries like Poland, Hungary, Russia, and Ukraine, found herself at the center of controversy after Musk’s comments led to a public debate about her time at the agency. Many conservatives came to Musk’s defense, criticizing Cheney for implying that he was unfamiliar with U.S. history due to his immigrant status.
Critics of Cheney pointed out that Musk chose to become an American citizen and has not been involved in any scandals like Cheney’s father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, who was involved in the Iraq War. Others accused Cheney of xenophobia and elitism for her comments about Musk.
The online debate over USAID intensified as the agency faced scrutiny over its spending practices, leading to its apparent shutdown under the Trump administration. The White House labeled USAID’s spending as wasteful and lacking oversight, resulting in the agency being effectively closed down.
As the future of USAID remains uncertain, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been named as the acting director to oversee the agency’s overhaul. Thousands of employees worldwide are waiting to hear about their job status following the apparent Musk takeover of USAID.
The controversy surrounding Liz Cheney’s work at USAID and the agency’s closure have sparked a larger discussion about government spending and oversight. With the agency’s doors shuttered and employees in limbo, the fallout from Musk’s involvement continues to unfold.
