{"id":21810,"date":"2025-02-07T22:34:59","date_gmt":"2025-02-07T23:34:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/?p=21810"},"modified":"2025-02-08T00:25:56","modified_gmt":"2025-02-08T00:25:56","slug":"right-wing-crusade-against-usaid-has-been-fueled-by-falsehoods","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/?p=21810","title":{"rendered":"Right-Wing Crusade Against USAID Has Been Fueled by Falsehoods"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The video falsely claiming that the United States Agency for International Development paid Ben Stiller, Angelina Jolie and other actors millions of dollars to travel to Ukraine appeared to be a clip from E!News, though it never appeared on the entertainment channel.<\/p>\n

In fact, the video first surfaced on X in a post from an account that researchers have said <\/span>spreads Russian disinformation. <\/p>\n

Within hours it drew the attention of Elon Musk, who reposted it. So did President Trump\u2019s son Donald Trump Jr.<\/p>\n

They amplified the false video as Mr. Musk pressed a crusade to shut down U.S.A.I.D., the agency that has distributed much of the government\u2019s foreign aid since 1961. Working with Mr. Trump\u2019s blessing as the head of a government efficiency campaign, Mr. Musk and others in the administration have taken over the agency\u2019s headquarters, frozen grants and notified employees that nearly all<\/a> of them will be laid off.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The dismantling of the agency has been accompanied by a torrent of anger online from right-wing influencers and accounts that are promoting false claims and conspiratorial thinking.<\/p>\n

While some politicians and voters have long questioned the value of foreign aid, those attacking the agency have often distorted facts and, wittingly or unwittingly, embraced as true anything that could help justify targeting U.S.A.I.D.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Posts on X About Politico and U.S.A.I.D.<\/h2>\n

Nearly 15,000 posts on X over two days mentioned U.S.A.I.D. and Politico, with many users falsely claiming that the humanitarian organization paid the news website millions of dollars.<\/p>\n<\/header>\n

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Cumulative views<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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80 million<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Viktor Orban<\/p>\n

Prime minister<\/p>\n

of Hungary<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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70<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Nearly 10 hours after his first post, <\/p>\n

the same independent journalist<\/p>\n

clarifies that U.S.A.I.D. had paid<\/p>\n

Politico only $24,000 for 2024.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

60<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

50<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

40<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Benny Johnson<\/p>\n

Podcaster<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

30<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene <\/p>\n

Republican of Georgia<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

20<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Charlie Kirk<\/p>\n

Podcaster<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

10<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

An independent journalist goes viral suggesting <\/p>\n

that U.S.A.I.D. paid Politico more than $8 million.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

1,000<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

3,000<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

5,000<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

7,000<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

9,000<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

11,000<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

13,000<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Cumulative number of posts<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\t<\/p>\n

\n
<\/div>\n

\t\t<\/p>\n

\n

Cumulative views<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

80 million<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Viktor Orban<\/p>\n

Prime minister<\/p>\n

of Hungary<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Nearly 10 hours after his first post, the same journalist clarifies that U.S.A.I.D.<\/p>\n

had paid Politico only $24,000 for 2024.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

70<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

60<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

50<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

40<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Benny Johnson<\/p>\n

Podcaster<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

30<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene <\/p>\n

Republican of Georgia<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

20<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Charlie Kirk<\/p>\n

Podcaster<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

10<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

An independent journalist suggests that U.S.A.I.D. paid Politico more than $8 million.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

1,000<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

7,000<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

13,000<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Cumulative number of posts<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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