Elon Musk has accused non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and U.S. foreign aid programs of using children as justification for large-scale fraud, claiming that when investigators attempt to verify beneficiaries, no evidence is produced.

In a 2025 interview, Musk alleged that NGOs receiving public funds—including grants tied to child welfare, disease eradication, and humanitarian aid—often fail to demonstrate that the children cited in funding applications actually exist or are receiving services.

“Can we at least see a few kids? Where are they?” Musk said. “If they’re in trouble, we’d like to talk to them and talk to their caregivers. And then we get nothing as a response, because what we find is an enormous amount of fraud and graft.”

Musk specifically criticized USAID and similar funding channels, arguing that appeals framed around helping children are frequently used to bypass scrutiny. He said requests to directly connect with beneficiaries are often met with silence or deflection.

The remarks were linked by commentators to ongoing controversy in Minnesota, where state-funded child care and welfare programs have faced scrutiny over alleged fraud involving organizations that reportedly received millions in public funds despite limited or nonexistent services. Social media investigators and state oversight discussions have highlighted cases of daycares and nonprofits accused of operating without enrolled children while collecting taxpayer-funded grants.

Musk tied these allegations to broader efforts aimed at reducing government waste, asserting that rigorous audits and direct verification of beneficiaries are essential to prevent misuse of public funds. He has previously called for aggressive reviews of federal agencies and aid programs as part of broader deficit reduction efforts.

Neither USAID nor the NGOs referenced in the interview responded directly to Musk’s claims in the clip. Investigations into alleged misuse of funds at both the federal and state levels remain ongoing, with lawmakers in several jurisdictions calling for expanded audits and oversight mechanisms.