Bono Clashes with Joe Rogan on USAID Cuts as Elon Musk Calls Him a Liar

Bono confronts USAID aid cuts on Joe Rogan’s podcast, sparking Elon Musk’s fiery rebuttal and strong audience reactions.

Bono Takes a Stand Against USAID Cuts on Joe Rogan’s Podcast

U2’s frontman Bono recently appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast on May 30, coinciding with the release of his documentary Bono: Stories Of Surrender, now available on Apple TV+. During this extensive three-hour chat, he didn’t hold back, openly criticizing recent cuts to international aid by the US government — specifically targeting the Trump administration and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) that oversaw the dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Bono, long known for his humanitarian campaigns, referenced a Boston University study estimating that these cuts could result in more than 300,000 deaths worldwide. He passionately explained the grim reality:

“There’s food rotting in boats, in warehouses – 50,000 tons of it. The people who knew the codes, who were responsible for distributing that aid, were fired. That’s not America, is it?” – Bono

Watch the full interview here:

The Political Crossfire: Rogan, Musk, and Audience Reactions

Joe Rogan's platform has become a hot spot for political discussions, especially after hosting Donald Trump shortly before the 2024 presidential election and regularly interviewing Elon Musk. Rogan even publicly endorsed Trump before the election, while Kamala Harris declined his invitation.

Unsurprisingly, Bono's critique did not sit well with Musk. The Tesla CEO fired back on X (formerly Twitter), calling Bono “such a liar/idiot” and insisting that “zero people have died” due to USAID cuts.

“He’s such a liar/idiot 🤦‍♂️
Zero people have died!”
— Elon Musk

Later, Musk took a jab referencing a South Park episode:

“South Park lampooned Bono as the biggest shit in the world. They were right.”
— Elon Musk

Musk had recently stepped down from DOGE after serving the maximum 130-day term without Senate confirmation.

Mixed Audience Response to Bono’s Podcast Appearance

Bono’s appearance triggered a wave of negative feedback from Rogan’s loyal listeners. Many expressed strong dislike for Bono’s stance:

• “That guy’s about as evil as they come Joe.”
• “This is the first time I look forward to commercials.”
• “The show nobody expected and none of us wanted.”

Clearly, Bono’s message polarized the audience, causing some to swear off the episode entirely.

Bob Geldof Comments on Aid Cuts and Empathy Crisis

In related news, Bob Geldof recently shared his thoughts on Musk’s role at DOGE and its impact on international aid. Speaking about the possibility of another Live Aid, Geldof remarked:

“It’s different now. It’ll happen through something like this. How? I’ve no idea because I don’t do social media. It’s an isolating technology, unlike rock ’n’ roll which is a gathering technology. That’s the problem. [Elon] Musk – that ketamine-crazed fool, that sociopath – recently said that the great weakness of Western civilisation is empathy. No Elon, the glue of civilisation is empathy. We’re in the age of the death of kindness, and I object.

To understand Band Aid and Live Aid, then you’ve got to understand the agents – not just in music, but politics. Thatcher was in excelsius. It’s true that we needed to move from an industrial to a service economy, but the consequences were brutal. You know: ‘There’s no such thing as society’, ‘greed is good’. I think Live Aid was a reaction to that. There’s no such thing as society? July 13, 1985, here we fucking are – yes there is such a fucking thing as society and greed is stupid.

We’re back to that. We’re back to a terrible selfishness.”
– Bob Geldof

Bono: Stories of Surrender – A Unique Visual Memoir

The documentary Stories Of Surrender is a blend of concert film and visual memoir, featuring stripped-down live performances from Bono’s 2023 one-man shows at New York’s Beacon Theatre. It also includes spoken word passages from his 2022 autobiography Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story.

Critics praise the film for its intimate storytelling:

“As for the stories themselves, on film, they have an extra layer of emotion, allowing the audience to view every expression and impression on Bono’s face as he recalls constantly fighting for his father’s approval in the local boozer or his ‘selfish’ struggle with striving for greatness, almost at the expense of his marriage. The fact that he does it all with just a couple of chairs, impressions and the odd sound effect is a testament to his skills as a storyteller.”

Conclusion

Bono’s passionate criticism of USAID cuts on Joe Rogan’s podcast sparked a fierce debate, with Elon Musk publicly calling him out and divided audience opinions. This episode highlights how humanitarian issues continue to intersect with politics and celebrity influence. What’s your take on the USAID cuts and the ongoing debate between Bono and Musk?

FAQs

• What did Bono criticize on Joe Rogan’s podcast?
  Bono condemned US government cuts to international aid, particularly the dismantling of USAID by Elon Musk’s DOGE.
• How did Elon Musk respond to Bono's accusations?
  Musk called Bono a “liar/idiot” on social media, denying any deaths resulted from the aid cuts.
• What is the USAID?
  The United States Agency for International Development is a government agency responsible for administering civilian foreign aid and development assistance.
• What is Bono: Stories of Surrender about?
  It’s a hybrid concert film and visual memoir showcasing Bono’s intimate live performances and autobiographical storytelling.
• Why did Bono’s comments upset Joe Rogan’s audience?
  Many of Rogan’s listeners strongly support Musk and the administration, so Bono’s critical stance was met with hostility.

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