Billionaire tech investor Peter Thiel argued that the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) recent exposure of rampant overspending at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) reveals a fundamental truth: the left routinely employs projection to avoid scrutiny and smear its right-wing opponents.
During a candid sit-down with Dave Rubin, Thiel - founder of Founders Fund - addressed concerns from critics about Silicon Valley's influence over the Trump administration.
Peter Thiel to @RubinReport: USAID corruption reveals the left uses the same tactics it claims the right employs. pic.twitter.com/fEkROdyJbl
— Josh Caplan (@joshdcaplan) March 3, 2025
"So many of these things - I always thought our projections were similar to the critiques the left had of President Trump, suggesting maybe he didn't have all his marbles - and I thought, 'This was no projection; it turned out for the person who came after Trump,’” Thiel told Rubin. “There were all these ways in which he was portrayed as a fascist threatening democracy, and so much of what has emerged from USAID, as well as the actions of the central left establishment, is doing the exact opposite of what they accused the other side of doing."
The Trump administration has imposed an almost complete freeze on foreign aid and announced plans to slash USAID’s workforce from about 10,000 to just 290 employees, while Elon Musk - tasked with executing Trump’s cost-cutting agenda with DOGE - revealed plans to shutter USAID entirely.
Mass mailings have terminated over 90% of USAID’s humanitarian and $60 billion in development contracts worldwide. Recently, the officials informed most USAID employees that they were either being placed on leave or terminated. Staffers at the Washington, D.C., headquarters were allotted 15-minute slots to clear their desks under federal officer supervision.
Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill have rallied before efforts to clash spending at federal agencies, including USAID.
"There's a lot of the spending that goes on through USAID that does not appear to be consistent with U.S. policy, and so I'm all for a review to make sure that taxpayer dollars are going to programs and people that are consistent with our government's policies," Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) said of the cuts.
"USAID is a corrupt governmental organization run by unelected bureaucrats created to shovel taxpayer dollars to Democrats' pet projects overseas," Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) told Fox News.
"At nearly $37 trillion in national debt – and a $1.8 trillion annual deficit – we can't afford to continue giving money to countries that hate America and everything we stand for," he added.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), chair of the House’s Government Efficiency Subcommittee, said last week that she will consider recommending "criminal referrals" to individuals she believes have misused U.S. foreign aid. “Maybe we should consider investigating whether USAID funding has made it back to Democrat campaigns,” said Greene, according to Politico.
“This committee, based on this hearing and witness testimonies, will consider recommending investigations and criminal referrals,” the Georgia Republican added.
