U2’s frontman Bono criticized the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), calling its budget cuts “pure evil” and warning of serious global consequences, including food aid waste and potential deaths. Bono cited a Boston University study claiming these cuts could cause over 300,000 deaths worldwide.

Elon Musk, who led DOGE and has ties to Trump, strongly denied these accusations on X (formerly Twitter), calling Bono a liar and saying no deaths occurred due to the cuts. Musk also referenced a South Park joke mocking Bono.

Despite this, Musk expressed frustration with Trump’s recent budget proposal, which increased spending and the deficit, undermining DOGE’s goals. He described DOGE as becoming a scapegoat for problems beyond its control and highlighted the challenges of reforming federal bureaucracy in Washington, D.C.