Elon Musk 'needs to answer' for 4.5 million kids 'sentenced to death' over DOGE cuts, Ro Khanna argues
California Rep. Ro Khanna is calling for Congress to launch an investigation into Elon Musk, accusing the Tesla and SpaceX CEO of contributing to the deaths of millions of children worldwide through the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development.
Speaking on the "I've Had It" podcast over the weekend, Khanna said Democrats should prioritize holding Musk accountable if they regain control of the House or Senate.
"I do believe once we take power, there needs to be accountability," Khanna said. "There needs to be accountability for Elon Musk. You know, they're celebrating that he created 4,400 millionaires, but they don't talk about the 4.5 million children around the world who he possibly sentenced to death by dismantling USAID."
Khanna argued that Musk should be subpoenaed and required to answer for his role leading the Department of Government Efficiency, the Trump administration's cost-cutting initiative commonly known as DOGE.
"He needs to answer for that," Khanna said. "He needs to be subpoenaed. He needs to face investigation. He needs to answer for what he did with DOGE. It's not just 'let's move on.'"
Podcast host Jennifer Welch echoed the criticism, accusing Musk of being responsible for millions of deaths through DOGE's spending reductions and challenging Republican claims of being the "party of pro-life."
"I love that we need to keep pushing the talking point that you just had that we don't need to celebrate Elon Musk making other people millionaires," Welch said. "If you are the party of pro-life like you say you are, MAGA, he's killing millions of the poorest people on the planet. So I think that hypocrisy there is really stunning."
Khanna's remarks come amid renewed scrutiny of Musk following SpaceX's record-breaking initial public offering earlier this month, which helped push Musk's net worth to unprecedented levels and cemented his status as what reports have called the world's first trillionaire.
USAID, the federal agency responsible for administering much of the United States' civilian foreign aid, has been a focal point of the Trump administration's efforts to shrink the federal government. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has officially moved to wind down the agency and transition its remaining functions into new foreign assistance programs.
In addition to calling for an investigation, Khanna has been a leading advocate for the "Make Billionaires Pay Their Fair Share Act," a wealth-tax proposal he introduced earlier this year alongside Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. The bill would impose a direct 5% annual tax on the assets of individuals whose net worth exceeds $1 billion, rather than taxing only their income.
"We have a deep economic divide in this country," Khanna said in a March press release announcing the legislation. "On one side, places like Silicon Valley are generating extreme wealth. On the other side, families are struggling to cover the cost of health care, housing, and basic needs. We can tax billionaires a modest amount to make sure everyone has a fair chance while keeping our innovative engine."
Fox News Digital reached out to Khanna's office, Tesla and SpaceX for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
