Elon Musk, one of Donald Trump’s closest associates, is a vigilant observer of platform X and often reacts to posts shared there. Recently, he reposted a message by Mario Nawfal regarding the findings of Gazeta Polska, which discussed the influence of USAID funds during the Biden administration on the elections in Poland and the formation of the Tusk government.
Mario Nawfal wrote about Gazeta Polska’s findings regarding USAID funding for “foreign interference” on social media.
“The investigation by Gazeta Polska reveals that millions of American taxpayer dollars, under Biden, were funneled to Polish groups working to weaken PiS and promote leftist policies.
USAID grants allegedly funded activist groups, progressive media, and efforts to silence conservative media, such as TV Republika, by pressuring advertisers.
The report also reveals that the United States is funding pro-LGBT activities in schools and campaigns aimed at discrediting Poland’s border security policy.
Trump’s decision to limit USAID funding forced these groups to act, exposing foreign influence on Polish democracy.”
Elon Musk commented on this post with a striking emoticon.
What is USAID?
On January 20, his first day in office, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order suspending all international aid programs for 90 days. He explained this as a need to align spending with the “America First” policy, which prioritizes U.S. interests.
Most U.S. foreign aid is managed by USAID (the United States Agency for International Development, established in 1961) and the State Department. According to the Center for Eastern Studies in an analysis of Trump’s decision, in 2022—the last year for which complete data is available—it amounted to $61.7 billion.
USAID operated in over 100 countries worldwide. Polish non-governmental organizations also benefited from U.S. aid.
After U.S. President Donald Trump suspended foreign aid, numerous NGOs in Poland lost funding from this source. They are now counting on government support.