Getting DOGED: DOGE Targeted Him on Social Media. Then the Taliban Took His Family.

Published: Friday, August 22, 2025 at 10:30 am

Elon Musk's Actions Put Afghan Scholar at Risk

In a move that has drawn sharp criticism, Elon Musk, owner of X, formerly Twitter, and a key figure in the Trump administration's "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE), shared a post on X that exposed the identity of Mohammad Halimi, an exiled Afghan scholar. The post, which Musk shared with his 222 million followers, falsely accused Halimi of being a former Taliban member and implied he was receiving U.S. funding for the militants.

Halimi, who had a contract with the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) to promote conflict resolution in Afghanistan, was targeted by the post. The exposure put Halimi and his family in grave danger. The Taliban, who had previously attempted to assassinate Halimi, accused him of being a traitor. Shortly after Musk's post, Halimi's relatives in Afghanistan were detained, beaten, and questioned by Taliban intelligence agents.

ProPublica obtained records showing that Musk and his team at DOGE should have known the details of Halimi's work at USIP, which was unrelated to supporting the Taliban. Despite this, DOGE, led by Nate Cavanaugh, a college dropout, continued to push the narrative that USIP was funding the Taliban. This narrative was amplified on Fox News, where Cavanaugh and Musk made misleading statements about Halimi's contract.

The actions of DOGE, which included taking over USIP headquarters and firing staff, were part of a broader effort to dismantle the agency and cut funding for programs deemed wasteful. DOGE's actions have been criticized by former government officials, who say they endangered individuals working with the U.S. and undermined efforts to promote peace in Afghanistan.

BNN's Perspective: This situation highlights the potential dangers of misinformation and the reckless use of social media by influential figures. While efforts to reduce government waste are important, the consequences of spreading false information can be devastating, particularly in volatile regions like Afghanistan.

Keywords: Elon Musk, X, Twitter, Mohammad Halimi, Taliban, USIP, DOGE, Nate Cavanaugh, Afghanistan, Foreign Aid, Misinformation, Government Efficiency, Fox News, Trump Administration, National Security.

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