Elon Musk accuses US institute of peace of funding Taliban, Iraqi leaders, deleting key financial data

Elon Musk, a senior advisor to former President Donald Trump, has made explosive allegations against the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP), accusing it of funding the Taliban and Iraqi political figures. Musk also claims that the U.S. government deleted a terabyte of financial data in an attempt to conceal these activities.

Speaking at a press briefing on Monday, Musk, who currently leads the Department of Government Efficiency, asserted that his team had managed to recover the erased data. “They deleted a terabyte of financial data to cover their crimes,” Musk stated. “But they don’t understand technology. We recovered it.”

Musk did not provide evidence to support these allegations, and the USIP has yet to issue a public response. Founded in 1984, the USIP is a congressionally funded organization focused on conflict resolution and peacebuilding efforts worldwide.

These remarks come amid growing scrutiny over U.S. foreign aid spending, particularly from the Trump administration. President Trump has long criticized American financial support to international organizations and governments, often accusing them of misusing funds. In January, Trump signed an executive order implementing significant cuts to U.S. foreign aid, citing a broader realignment of international engagement.

While the specifics of the recovered data remain unclear, Musk hinted that further disclosures might follow. His comments also tie into a larger push by the Trump administration to audit U.S. financial support for foreign programs and entities that are seen as contrary to American interests.