Kennedy: Musk found that USAID gave taxpayer money to EVs in Vietnam, DEI in Serbia, woke Iraq

Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) delivered an extensive Senate floor speech defending Elon Musk’s USAID reviews and detailing the “spending porn” the DOGE team had uncovered. Kennedy opened: “Common sense is illegal in Washington. It’s just it’s illegal.” Kennedy on Trump campaign promise: “He said it almost every day. He said, if you elect me president, I’m going to go through the entire budget and review all the spending line by line. If I heard him say that once, I heard him say it a thousand times.” Kennedy’s USAID findings list: “He found that the American taxpayers are giving money to Afghanistan. He found that we are giving money to Yemen. He found that we are giving money to Syria. He found that the USAID has 10,000 people, 10,000 people, employees. And every year, they give away $40 billion.” Specific programs Kennedy detailed: “He found that the USAID gave money to support electric vehicles in Vietnam. Our money, taxpayer money. He found that USAID gave money to a transgender clinic in India. He found that the USAID gave $1.5 million to a Serbian LGBTQ group called Grupa.” Kennedy on radical funding: “The USAID spent $164 million to support radical organizations around the world … They gave $122 million of that to groups aligned with foreign terrorist organizations. Our taxpayer money.” Kennedy on Hamas-aligned: “The USAID has given millions of dollars to quote organizations in Gaza. Controlled by Hamas.” Kennedy on Al-Qaeda connection: “He found that we gave $10 million of meals to an al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group called the Nusrah Front.” Kennedy framed Biden-Trump contrast: “For 12 years, President Obama and President Biden asked: ‘Who needs to pay more in taxes?’ But that’s not the issue today. We have a new president. You know what the issue is today? What the hell happened to all the money?”

Senate Experience

“I’ve been in the Senate for eight years. In dog years, that’s 56 years. And it feels like 56 years.”

Senator John Kennedy (R-LA):

• Louisiana Republican
• Former state treasurer
• Senate Judiciary, Appropriations
• Colorful rhetoric
• Political framework

Common Sense Illegal

“Common sense is illegal in Washington. It’s just it’s illegal.”

Kennedy’s framework:

• Common sense framework
• Illegal in Washington
• Direct framework
• Repeated emphasis
• Political framework

Democrats Upset

“What many of my Democratic friends have been talking about today. They’re very, very, very upset at President Trump. And they’re very, very, very upset at Elon Musk.”

Kennedy’s framework:

• Democratic friends
• Very upset (repeated)
• Trump target
• Musk target
• Observation framework

Trump Campaign Promise

“He said it almost every day. He said, if you elect me president, I’m going to go through the entire budget and review all the spending line by line. If I heard him say that once, I heard him say it a thousand times.”

Kennedy’s framework:

• Campaign promise
• Almost every day
• Entire budget
• Line by line
• Thousand times heard
• Specific commitment

Executive Order Musk

“And that’s what he’s been doing. He went out and appointed through an executive order, Elon Musk. Some people like him, some don’t, but he’s not a dummy. He’s a very successful business person. He’s got a top secret security clear.”

Kennedy’s framework:

• Executive order action
• Musk appointed
• Some like/don’t
• Not a dummy
• Successful business person
• Top secret clearance

Musk’s Mandate

“President Trump issued an executive order and he turned to Mr. Musk. And he said, Mr. Musk, I want you to do for me what I said I was going to do in the election. I want you to go through all the spending line by line.”

Kennedy’s framework:

• Executive order basis
• Turned to Musk
• Do for me framework
• Campaign commitment
• Line by line

Common Sense Illegal Washington

“How are you going to review the spending without reviewing the spending? How are you going to audit the spending by an agency without auditing the agency? That’s what I mean when I say common sense is illegal in Washington, D.C.”

Kennedy’s Socratic framework:

• Review without reviewing (circular)
• Audit without auditing (circular)
• Common sense illegal
• DC framework
• Rhetorical question

Cracker Jack Team

“That’s what Mr. Musk is doing. He’s put together a cracker jack team. They’re going through everybody’s spending line by line, item by item.”

Kennedy’s framework:

• Musk doing this
• Cracker jack team
• Everybody’s spending
• Line by line
• Item by item
• Systematic

Democrats Very Upset

“My Democratic colleagues are very, very, very upset. They’ve been very eloquent. They’ve talked about the process and President Trump’s executive order supposedly violates the Constitution.”

Kennedy’s framework:

• Very upset (repeated)
• Very eloquent
• Process discussions
• Executive order
• Constitution violation alleged
• Procedural framework

Conflicts Social Security

“They’ve accused Mr. Musk of having conflicts of interest and I’ve heard people say he’s sitting over there with a notepad copying down everybody’s social security number and he’s going to go use it to make money.”

Kennedy’s framework:

• Conflicts accused
• Notepad claim
• Social Security numbers
• Going to make money
• Absurd claim framework

Prison Riot

“This has been going on for a week. People have been screaming like they’re part of a prison riot. Oh my God, look at what Musk is doing. He’s looking at the spending.”

Kennedy’s framework:

• Week of this
• Prison riot comparison
• Screaming framework
• Looking at spending
• Contradiction framework

What He’s Found

“And I’ve listened to people talk about the process and debate whether it’s constitutional and discuss how many lawyers can dance on the head of a pen. But you know what? I haven’t heard one single person who’s upset with President Trump or Mr. Musk talk about. What he’s found.”

Kennedy’s framework:

• Process discussions
• Constitutional debate
• Lawyers on pin framework
• Not one single person
• What he’s found
• Ignored

Spending Porn

“They don’t want to talk about the spending porn, the waste of taxpayer money that he’s found.”

Kennedy’s framework:

• Don’t want talk
• Spending porn framework
• Waste taxpayer money
• Found framework
• Avoidance

American People Interested

“I tell you who is interested, the American people, the people in America who get up every day and go to work and obey the law and pay their taxes. And they’ve had to live through 20% inflation under President Biden.”

Kennedy’s framework:

• American people interested
• Get up every day
• Go to work
• Obey law
• Pay taxes
• 20% inflation Biden

They Understand

“They understand what Musk is doing. They understand spending porn and wasting taxpayer money.”

Kennedy’s framework:

• Understand what Musk doing
• Understand spending porn
• Understand waste
• Voter awareness
• Political framework

USAID Generous Americans

“Mr. Musk started with the USAID. American people are very generous. When you’re homeless, we’ll house you. When you’re hungry, we’ll feed you. In our country, when you’re too poor to be sick, we’ll pay for you doctor.”

Kennedy’s framework:

• USAID start
• Americans very generous
• Homeless housed
• Hungry fed
• Poor sick doctored
• Compassion framework

Fascinating Discovery

“But I tell you what Mr. Musk discovered. I find it fascinating. He discovered that the American taxpayers are giving money to Afghanistan. He found that we are giving money to Yemen. He found that we are giving money to Syria.”

Kennedy’s framework:

• Fascinating
• Afghanistan money
• Yemen money
• Syria money
• Foreign aid

10,000 Employees 40 Billion

“He found that the USAID has 10,000 people, 10,000 people, employees. And every year, they give away $40 billion.”

Kennedy’s framework:

• 10,000 USAID employees
• Give away $40 billion
• Annual framework
• Massive scale
• Bureaucracy

Electric Vehicles Vietnam

“He found that the USAID gave money to support electric vehicles in Vietnam. Our money, taxpayer money.”

Kennedy’s framework:

• EV Vietnam funding
• Our money
• Taxpayer money
• Specific example
• Questionable

Transgender Clinic India

“He found that USAID gave money to a transgender clinic in India. I didn’t know that. I bet you the American people didn’t know that.”

Kennedy’s framework:

• Transgender clinic India
• Didn’t know
• American people didn’t know
• Discovery framework
• Revelation

1.5 Million Grupa Serbia

“He found that the USAID gave $1.5 million to a Serbian LGBTQ group called Grupa. Anyway, they got $1.5 million to quote, advanced diversity, equity, inclusion, and Serbia’s workplaces and business communities.”

Kennedy’s framework:

• $1.5 million
• Serbian LGBTQ group
• Called Grupa
• Advance DEI
• Serbia’s workplaces
• Business communities
• Specific framework

Radical Organizations $164M

“He reviewed a study and then went and checked it. The study was done by the Middle East Foreign. They found that the USAID spent $164 million to support radical organizations around the world.”

Kennedy’s framework:

• Review study
• Middle East Forum likely
• $164 million
• Radical organizations
• Worldwide framework
• Shocking

Foreign Terrorist Aligned

“We’re not talking Cub Scout groups here. We’re talking about radical organizations around the world. They gave $122 million of that to groups aligned with foreign terrorist organizations. Our taxpayer money.”

Kennedy’s framework:

• Not Cub Scouts
• Radical organizations
• $122 million (of $164M)
• Foreign terrorist aligned
• Our taxpayer money
• Criminal framework

Gaza Hamas

“According to this report in Mr. Musk, the USAID has given millions of dollars to quote organizations in Gaza. Controlled by Hamas. Why aren’t my colleagues talking about that?”

Kennedy’s framework:

• Millions to Gaza
• Organizations controlled by Hamas
• Why not talking
• Democrat avoidance
• Political framework

Cleanse Jews

“Recipients of the money they found have quote called for their lands to be cleansed from the impurity of Jews. That’s over giving them a foreign aid too.”

Kennedy’s framework:

• Recipients
• Called for cleansing
• Impurity of Jews
• Still receive aid
• Antisemitism framework
• Shocking

Guatemala Sex Changes

“He found that we gave $2 million for sex changes in Guatemala.”

Sesame Street Iraq

“He found that we gave $20 million to produce a new Sesame Street show in Iraq.”

Kazakhstan Misinfo

“He found that we gave $4.5 million of taxpayer money to combat misinformation in Kazakhstan.”

Nusrah Front Al-Qaeda

“He found that we gave $10 million of meals to an al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group called the Nusrah Front.”

Kennedy’s framework:

• $10 million meals
• Al-Qaeda linked
• Nusrah Front
• Terrorist group
• Taxpayer funded

Nusrah Front:

• Syrian Al-Qaeda affiliate
• HTS evolved
• Current Syrian power
• Framework shocking
• Terrorist designation

Sri Lanka Binary Gendered

“Mr. Musk found that we gave $7.9 million of taxpayer money to a project that would teach Sri Lankan journalists to avoid binary gendered language. The USAID took eight million bucks and gave it to a bunch of journalists in Sri Lanka to teach them how to avoid binary gendered language.”

Kennedy’s framework:

• $7.9/8 million
• Sri Lankan journalists
• Binary gendered language avoidance
• Teaching framework
• Absurd

LGBT Multiple Countries

“The USAID gave $1.5 million to promote LGBT advocacy in Jamaica. They gave $1.5 million to rebuild the Cuban media ecosystem. They gave $1.5 million for, quote, art for inclusion of people with disabilities in Belarus. Another $3.9 million for LGBT causes in Macedonia. $8.3 million for equity and inclusion education in Nepal.”

Kennedy’s framework:

• Jamaica LGBT
• Cuban media
• Belarus art inclusion
• Macedonia LGBT
• Nepal equity
• Pattern

Give Musk Medal

“And many of my colleagues are upset. They’re really mad at Mr. Musk. Hell, I think we oughta give him a medal.”

Kennedy’s framework:

• Colleagues upset
• Really mad
• Give him medal
• Counter framework
• Support

Einstein’s Cousin

“All he’s doing is what President Trump said he was gonna do. President Trump said he’s gonna audit the spending. So Trump goes and hires Musk again with the top secret security clearance. Nobody can quibble with his intelligence. The guy’s as smart as Einstein’s cousin.”

Kennedy’s framework:

• Doing what Trump said
• Top secret clearance
• Intelligence not questioned
• Einstein’s cousin
• Smart framework

Not All Wasted

“Now I’m not saying everything that USAID does is wasted, but I’m saying a lot of it is. A hell of a lot of it is.”

Kennedy’s framework:

• Not all wasted
• Lot is wasted
• Hell of a lot
• Balanced framework
• Nuanced

Thank Musk

“And we oughta be on the floor of this United States Senate thanking Mr. Musk. And we oughta be asking him to go through every agency and look at everybody’s budget. That’s what the American people want. They don’t wanna talk about process. They wanna save some money.”

Kennedy’s framework:

• Thanking Musk
• Every agency
• Everybody’s budget
• Expansion framework
• Reform

Who Pays More Question

“And presidents set the tone. They control the questions that are asked. And here’s the question that President Obama and President Biden ask for 12 years. I heard it every single day. Who needs to pay more in taxes? Is it you? Is it you? Who needs to pay more in taxes? We need more money. Who needs to pony up more? That was the issue.”

Kennedy’s framework:

• Presidents tone
• Questions asked
• 12 years question
• Who pays more taxes
• Need more money
• Tax-focused

What Happened Money

“But that’s not the issue today. We have a new president. You know what the issue is today? What the hell happened to all the money? What the hell happened to all the money? And that’s what Mr. Musk is finding out. That’s all this is about.”

Kennedy’s framework:

• New president
• New issue
• What happened to money
• Repeated framework
• Musk finding out
• Core

Hill to Die On

“I’m just shocked that my colleagues have decided that this is a hill they’re gonna die on. How can you look the American people in the eye and support this kind of waste? Support this kind of spending point?”

Kennedy’s framework:

• Shocked colleagues
• Hill to die on
• Look American people
• Support waste
• Rhetorical

Sick and Tired

“The election to me made at least one thing clear that the American people are sick and tired of people in Washington denying reality. The last administration tried to convince us that we were living in a crime-free world where inflation was temporary and the border was secure. And the American people didn’t buy it. You know why? Cause it wasn’t true.”

Kennedy’s framework:

• Election clear
• Sick and tired
• Washington denying reality
• Crime-free world claim
• Temporary inflation claim
• Secure border claim
• Not bought

Bidenomics

“Our last administration tried to argue that bi-denomics was making our lives better. But the American people knew differently.”

Kennedy’s framework:

• Bidenomics framework
• Lives better claim
• American people knew different
• Political framework

Significance

Kennedy’s speech captured:

1. Common sense illegal: DC framework
2. Campaign promise line-by-line: Trump mandate
3. Cracker jack team: Musk’s group
4. Specific findings comprehensive: Multiple examples
5. $164M radical organizations: $122M terrorist-aligned
6. Hamas-Nusrah framework: Terrorist financing
7. Spending porn framework: Memorable
8. What happened money: Core question

Kennedy’s comprehensive speech represented substantive DOGE defense. Not abstract framework but specific findings — concrete documentation.

The $164M radical organizations and $122M terrorist-aligned framework elevated concerns. Not just waste but potential terrorism financing — scandal framework.

The Hamas/Nusrah framework connected USAID to direct terrorism concerns. American taxpayer money to terrorist-aligned groups — serious framework.

The “what happened to the money” framework captured paradigm shift. From who pays more to where did it go — political framework new.

Key Takeaways

• Kennedy on Trump promise: “He said it almost every day. He said, if you elect me president, I’m going to go through the entire budget and review all the spending line by line. If I heard him say that once, I heard him say it a thousand times. Common sense is illegal in Washington, D.C.”
• Kennedy on USAID scale: “He found that the American taxpayers are giving money to Afghanistan. He found that we are giving money to Yemen. He found that we are giving money to Syria. He found that the USAID has 10,000 people, 10,000 people, employees. And every year, they give away $40 billion.”
• Kennedy on specific programs: “He found that the USAID gave money to support electric vehicles in Vietnam. Our money, taxpayer money. He found that USAID gave money to a transgender clinic in India. He found that the USAID gave $1.5 million to a Serbian LGBTQ group called Grupa.”
• Kennedy on radical funding: “The USAID spent $164 million to support radical organizations around the world. We’re not talking Cub Scout groups here. They gave $122 million of that to groups aligned with foreign terrorist organizations. Our taxpayer money. The USAID has given millions of dollars to quote organizations in Gaza. Controlled by Hamas. He found that we gave $10 million of meals to an al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group called the Nusrah Front.”
• Kennedy on paradigm shift: “For 12 years, President Obama and President Biden asked: ‘Who needs to pay more in taxes?’ But that’s not the issue today. We have a new president. You know what the issue is today? What the hell happened to all the money? What the hell happened to all the money? And that’s what Mr. Musk is finding out. We oughta be on the floor of this United States Senate thanking Mr. Musk.”