AP Fact Check: No evidence that $50 million was designated by the US to buy condoms for Hamas [View all]
https://apnews.com/article/gaza-condoms-fact-check-trump-50-million-26884cac6c7097d7316ca50ca4145a82
During a signing ceremony Wednesday for the Laken Riley Act, President Donald Trump claimed that his administration had identified and stopped $50 million being sent to Gaza to buy condoms for Hamas.
Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, made a similar claim on Tuesday during her debut press briefing, stating that the Department of Government Efficiency and the Office of Management and Budget found that there was about to be 50 million taxpayer dollars that went out the door to fund condoms in Gaza. She called the alleged aid a preposterous waste of taxpayer money. But theres no credible evidence to support these claims. Heres a closer look at the facts:
CLAIM: The Trump administration stopped $50 million from being sent to the Gaza Strip to buy condoms for Hamas.
THE FACTS: Trump and his spokesperson appeared to be referring to a grant or grants that USAID awarded to a group called the International Medical Corps worth $102.2 million to provide medical and trauma services in Gaza. The State Department earlier Wednesday described this as an example of egregious funding not aligned with American interests or the presidents policies.
[ ... snip ... ]
Refugees International President Jeremy Konyndyk, who oversaw USAIDs COVID-19 assistance portfolio for the Biden administration, refuted Trump and Leavitts claims Wednesday on X.
USAID procures condoms for around $0.05 apiece, he wrote. $50m would be ONE BILLION condoms. Whats going on here is NOT a billion condoms for Gaza. Whats going on is that the bros at DOGE apparently cant read government spreadsheets.
- more at link -
Thank you AP News for clearing up this typically INCORRECT and STUPID claim by the Chump administration.