Doge Targeted Him on Social Media. Then the Taliban Took His Family
2 days ago
- #USIP
- #Afghanistan
- #DOGE
- DOGE staffers exposed a sensitive U.S.-funded Afghanistan program, falsely implicating a contractor in an off-books mission.
- Mohammad Halimi, an exiled Afghan scholar, was publicly named by Elon Musk on X, leading to threats and a Taliban crackdown on his family in Kabul.
- Halimi, a former Taliban member turned U.S. ally, worked with the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) on conflict resolution and women's issues in Afghanistan.
- DOGE's exposure of Halimi's contract with USIP was misrepresented as funding the Taliban, endangering his family and associates.
- Halimi's family members were detained and beaten by Taliban intelligence agents following DOGE's public outing.
- DOGE, under Musk's leadership, took aggressive actions against USIP, firing staff and canceling contracts, citing wasteful spending.
- Nate Cavanaugh, a DOGE appointee with no foreign policy background, led the dismantling of USIP and misrepresented Halimi's work on Fox News.
- Halimi's efforts to clear his name were hampered by the Trump administration's lack of response and the ongoing danger to his family.
- USIP's operations were frozen, and its headquarters was taken over by federal control, with a new acting president appointed in line with Trump's priorities.
- Halimi remains in exile, seeking justice and an audience with Elon Musk to address the harm caused by DOGE's actions.