Story perspectives

Elon Musk's Agency Cuts 260k Jobs, Closes USAID, Becomes Trillionaire

7/28/2026

Summary

Story summary

Elon Musk led the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to cut 260,000 jobs and close USAID.
Musk claimed the cuts caused no deaths, though experts estimate thousands die and 700,000 total.
Zanny Minton Beddoes warned antiretroviral funding cuts would kill patients.
After SpaceX’s IPO, Musk became a trillionaire and secured billions in contracts with President Donald Trump.
Former DOGE staff launched Cathedral, a $1.4-trillion startup with $160 million funding for AI-driven weapons.

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Story summary

Elon Musk led the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to cut 260,000 jobs and close USAID.
Musk claimed the cuts caused no deaths, though experts estimate thousands die and 700,000 total.
Zanny Minton Beddoes warned antiretroviral funding cuts would kill patients.
After SpaceX’s IPO, Musk became a trillionaire and secured billions in contracts with President Donald Trump.
Former DOGE staff launched Cathedral, a $1.4-trillion startup with $160 million funding for AI-driven weapons.