The Donald Trump administration has frozen a $50 million condom distribution programme in the Gaza Strip.
The expenditure came to Trump's attention in the first week of his presidency after it was discovered by the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency and the Office of Management and Budget .
Explains why all condom orders were “Magnum” 😂 https://t.co/eKKRsfkgjY
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 28, 2025
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Trump officials discovered that 50 million taxpayer dollars were allocated to fund condoms to be distributed in Gaza. "That is a preposterous waste of taxpayer money," Leavit said.
A report by the Jerusalem Post claimed that Hamas operatives have been repurposing condoms to create balloons filled with inflammable gases to strike targets in southern Israel since 2017.
These condoms attached with improvised explosive devices often land in schools, farm lands and roads. In 2019, they started attaching these condom bombs to rocket-propelled grenades. The helium filled in these condoms were initially imported for medical purposes with Israel consent.
Reacting to the condom aid to Gaza, Elon Musk took to X, saying, "Explains why all condom orders were "Magnum".
Trump had earlier pulled out of the World Health Organisation, to which the US funded $37 million. He had also signed an executive order freezing foreign aid for the first 90 days of his administration.
The latest move comes days after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that all aids except emergency food and military aid to Egypt and Israel would be paused.
On the other hand, Biden administration officials have denied the allegations. Andrew Miller who was the deputy assistant secretary for Israel-Palestinian affairs, said the funds were definitely for condoms alone, but possible that the $50 million might have been allocated for sexual health-related services.
