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Rock Legends vs. Tech Titans: Bono and Springsteen Rip into Musk and Trump Over Global Aid Cuts
Two of rock’s most outspoken voices, Bono and Bruce Springsteen, have launched a fierce critique of billionaire Elon Musk and former President Donald Trump, accusing them of spearheading policies that threaten the world’s most vulnerable populations.
The explosive confrontation centers on drastic funding cuts made through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—a Trump-era cost-cutting agency once led by Musk.
Bono’s Furious Rebuke: “This Is Not the America We Believed In”
Appearing on a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, Bono didn’t hold back. Citing a Boston University study, the U2 frontman painted a grim picture:
vital humanitarian aid stranded at ports, distribution channels dismantled, and over 300,000 lives at risk due to funding shortfalls and staffing cuts under DOGE’s policies.
“This isn’t trimming the fat,” Bono argued. “This is strangling the lifeline for millions. When 50,000 tons of food are left to rot while children starve, that’s not reform—that’s cruelty.”
Bono called the program’s legacy “pure evil” and laid direct blame at the feet of Musk and Trump.
Musk Hits Back — Hard
Musk, who resigned from DOGE earlier this month, wasted no time firing back via X (formerly Twitter). In a string of fiery posts, he accused Bono of spreading misinformation:
“Bono is a liar and an idiot,” Musk wrote. “No one has died because of USAID cuts. Zero.”
He then referenced an infamous South Park episode:
“They called him the world’s biggest s**t for a reason. Spot on.”
Though harsh, Musk’s comments weren’t entirely out of character for the billionaire, who has never shied away from public feuds. Yet some observers saw the attack as crossing a line, especially given the humanitarian nature of the topic.
Musk’s Contradictions on Trump Policies
Interestingly, Musk has recently expressed his own unease with Trump’s latest legislative push—a massive spending initiative dubbed the Big, Beautiful Bill, which slashes funding for healthcare and clean energy, while ramping up defense and corporate tax breaks.
In a CBS Sunday Morning interview, Musk admitted:
“I didn’t support this version of the bill. It’s bloated, short-sighted, and it sabotages our long-term goals.”
He went on to defend DOGE’s original mission as an attempt to streamline bureaucracy and reduce waste, but admitted that bureaucratic resistance in Washington was “worse than expected.”
Springsteen Joins the Chorus of Criticism
Bono’s not alone. Fellow music icon Bruce Springsteen also weighed in during a benefit concert in New York:
“We’ve got billionaires playing government while people go hungry. That’s not the America I sing about.”
Springsteen called for increased international aid, saying “we can’t let corporate austerity masquerade as patriotism.”
A Symbolic Clash: Culture vs. Capital
The very public clash highlights a growing rift between cultural leaders and tech-turned-political powerhouses. While Musk sees himself as a reformer up against a broken system, critics argue his tenure at DOGE has real-world consequences far beyond boardrooms and balance sheets.
“This isn’t a numbers game,” Bono said. “It’s about people. Lives.”
For many watching this feud unfold, it raises deeper questions:
Should billionaires wield such outsized influence over humanitarian policy? And when politics meets profit, who pays the price?