US Press Secretary Slams ‘Preposterous’ $50 Million Gaza Condom Funding

In her first press briefing, Karoline Leavitt emphasized responsible spending of US taxpayer money, while Elon Musk questioned the fund’s actual use.

US Press Secretary Condemns $50M ‘Condoms in Gaza’ Funding; Musk Questions Its Use

Washington, D.C., January 29: In her first official press briefing, newly appointed US Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt criticized the allocation of $50 million in taxpayer funds for a program labeled “condoms in Gaza,” calling it a “preposterous waste of taxpayer money.”

Leavitt, emphasizing the government’s commitment to responsible fiscal management, cited findings from the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that uncovered the planned expenditure.

“DOGE and OMB also found that there was about to be 50 million taxpayer dollars that went out the door to fund condoms in Gaza. That is a preposterous waste of taxpayer money. So that’s what this pause is focused on – being good stewards of tax dollars,” Leavitt stated.

Elon Musk Questions Fund Usage

Prominent entrepreneur and DOGE leader Elon Musk expressed skepticism about the actual utilization of the funds. Taking to his social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), Musk speculated that a significant portion of the money might have been misappropriated by Hamas rather than used for its stated purpose.

“My guess is that a lot of that money ended up in the pockets of Hamas, not actually condoms,” Musk posted, adding, “Yes, even in the unlikely event that the money was actually spent on condoms, we should NOT be sending US taxpayer money to buy condoms for foreigners.”

Musk further shared a meme on X mocking the funding, reinforcing his criticism of the expenditure.

Leavitt Backs Houthis’ Terrorist Redesignation, Hints at Possible Investigation

During the same press briefing, Leavitt reacted to a reporter’s question about the Houthis’ Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) status, a designation recently reinstated by Donald Trump.

“That’s a very good point. I haven’t heard discussions about such an investigation, but it wouldn’t be a bad idea considering that the Houthis certainly are terrorists,” Leavitt remarked.

She defended the Trump administration’s decision to reclassify the Iran-backed Houthis as a terrorist organization, criticizing the Biden administration’s earlier reversal of the designation.

On January 22, 2024, former President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order reinstating the Houthis’ FTO status. According to a White House statement, Trump had originally designated the Houthis as terrorists in January 2021, but the Biden administration reversed the move within a month of taking office.

With these developments, scrutiny over government spending and foreign policy decisions continues to intensify in Washington.