Bono condemns Musk-led aid cuts and urges Republicans to reclaim their party
In a New York Times interview with The Edge, Bono condemned the Trump administration's international aid cuts through Elon Musk's DOGE as unconscionable. He argued that the Republican Party has been taken over and said he wants conservative voters to return. Bono cited Lancet projections of up to five million deaths among children under five by 2030, saying even a fraction of that toll would be unacceptable.
Bono made the remarks in a New York Times conversation with bandmate The Edge while discussing U2’s 50th anniversary and a new album, Carnaval De Luz, due November 13. He has spent decades campaigning on debt relief, poverty and development, and previously clashed with Musk over aid cuts after a May 2025 Joe Rogan appearance.
The article notes a 2025 Lancet study estimating that sustained USAID funding reductions could lead to about 14 million extra deaths by 2030, including 4.5 million children under five. Musk rejected Bono’s earlier claims on X, while Bono later joined Barack Obama and George W. Bush in honoring former USAID staff.
Bono’s intervention may keep international aid cuts in public view, potentially influencing how music audiences and faith communities understand the debate. The people most directly affected could be aid recipients, especially young children in vulnerable regions, while Republican-leaning voters may encounter a high-profile invitation to reconsider the party’s direction. Because celebrity commentary can amplify but also polarize discussion, its practical impact may depend on whether it prompts sustained attention to humanitarian consequences rather than remaining a partisan flashpoint.