Elon Musk’s drastic cost-cutting measures at X, formerly Twitter, led to widespread disruption and even alarmed his own chief of staff, Susie Wiles, who described the situation as “aghast.” The swift and severe slashing of programs, particularly those funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), had immediate and dire humanitarian consequences, Wiles recounted in a recent interview.

Initially, Wiles admitted she did not fully comprehend the far-reaching impact of these cuts. However, as immunizations in Africa were halted and vital humanitarian aid was suspended, frantic calls began to flood in. Relief agency heads and former government officials conveyed a stark message: thousands of lives were now at risk due to the sudden cessation of critical programs.

Wiles recalled confronting Musk about the abrupt office lockouts and program eliminations. She emphasized that “you can’t just lock people out of their offices,” highlighting the chaotic and unprofessional nature of the layoffs and operational changes. The scale of the disruption quickly became apparent, extending beyond internal operations to global aid efforts.

Despite growing concerns and urgent pleas, Musk maintained his characteristic “all throttle, no brake” approach. He believed in rapid execution, famously stating that “if you’re an incrementalist, you just won’t get your rocket to the moon.” This philosophy, while driving innovation, led to significant collateral damage in the process.

The situation escalated to a point where Wiles had to assign a Senate-confirmed official, Marco, to assume the role of “custodian” for USAID’s operations amidst the turmoil. This extraordinary measure underscored the severity of the operational breakdown and the urgent need for oversight to mitigate further harm.

Wiles acknowledged that such aggressive tactics would inevitably “break some china.” However, she also expressed disbelief that “no rational person could think the USAID process was a good one,” suggesting that the existing systems were flawed and ripe for disruption, though not necessarily to the extent experienced.

The fallout from these rapid-fire decisions extended to the very core of humanitarian assistance, impacting essential services and the people who rely on them. The incident highlights the tension between Musk’s disruptive business philosophy and the complex, life-saving work of international development organizations.

This episode at X serves as a potent case study in the challenges of rapid technological and organizational transformation. It underscores the critical need to balance aggressive business objectives with ethical considerations and the potential human cost of swift, unmitigated change.

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Keywords: Elon Musk, USAID cuts, Susie Wiles, X layoffs, humanitarian aid, Twitter operations, international development, corporate restructuring