In early 2025, Elon Musk claimed that staff at the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) deleted 1TB of financial data to cover up "crimes" during an audit by his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

The Claim

The Deletion: Musk alleged USIP wiped files to hide "fraud and waste" as DOGE moved to dismantle the agency.

The Recovery: He stated his tech team successfully recovered the files, taunting that the staff "didn't understand technology."

The Allegations: Musk claimed the data showed suspicious payments to groups in Afghanistan and Iraq, though no formal criminal charges were filed.

The Conflict

Mass Firing: After the claim, the administration fired nearly all 300 USIP employees via their personal emails.

Legal Defeat: USIP sued, arguing it is an independent nonprofit, not a government agency. In May 2025, a federal judge ruled the takeover was unlawful and ordered the institute returned to its original board.

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#ElonMusk #DOGE #US #GovernmentEfficiency #FinancialTransparency