By David Shepardson and Chris Sanders WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Billionaire Elon Musk, who is heading U.S. President Donald Trump's efforts to shrink the federal government, gave an update on the effort early Monday,

His statement comes as signs increasingly point to the Trump administration folding the development aid agency into the State Department.

Elon Musk called USAID a criminal organization that should “die.” Proponents say it’s a key arm of U.S. influence that, if destroyed, “cannot be easily rebuilt.”

Trump is reportedly trying to close the agency and move it under the State Department, which Democrats warn would be illegal.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk said he believes the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is a “criminal organization” that should “die.” “USAID is a criminal organization. Time for it to

When USAID director of security John Voorhees and his deputy, Brian McGill, refused to allow them in, the DOGE employees threatened to call the US Marshals, two sources said.

Elon Musk said he's spoken with President Trump on the U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) and "he agreed" that "we should shut it down." The big picture: Musk's comments during a late-night X spaces discussion followed reports that Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) representatives had visited USAID's D.

The move by the Trump administration comes as billionaire and Trump ally Elon Musk has been denigrating USAID, the world’s largest provider of food assistance.