Elon Musk Threatens Lawsuit Against Ro Khanna Over USAID Criticism

The tension began during a recent podcast appearance where Khanna, a California Democrat, called for accountability regarding Musk’s role in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Khanna specifically targeted the February 2025 decision to slash funding for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). He cited a peer-reviewed study from The Lancet, which estimated that such reductions could result in 14 million preventable deaths by 2030, including 4.5 million children under the age of five.

Musk responded on social media by labeling the congressman a “liar” and declaring it was time to initiate a lawsuit. He further suggested that the lawmaker should face imprisonment. In response, Khanna posted a video challenging the trillionaire to a public debate regarding the humanitarian impact of the DOGE-led cuts across the Global South. Khanna framed the threat as an attempt at “lawfare” rather than a defense of free speech, while observers like Zeteo News editor-in-chief Mehdi Hasan praised the congressman for his willingness to engage in a direct confrontation with the tech executive.