America Cancels US$17M Tax Policy Aid to Liberia -As Liberians Demand Austerity Cuts from Boakai Govt.

MONROVIA – True to his campaign promise to “Make America Great Again” by reducing federal spending to streamline government efficiency, US President Donald J. Trump and his newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have commenced the war against wastage of the American taxpayers’ money. Considered a traditional friend to America through mutually long-standing historical and cultural ties, Liberia now faces the Trump Administration’s axe as DOGE’s head Elon Musk on February 10, 2025, cancelled a US$17M project to provide tax policy advice to Liberia. But Liberians are not taking the news lying down, as they are majorly demanding their government to undertake stringent austerity measures in these tough economic situations that affect almost the entire globe.

Announcing his organization’s action on his X platform on Monday, Mr. Elon Musk said, ” Among many other things, @DOGE today canceled a $17M project to provide tax policy advice to Liberia.” The DOGE boss also wondered why anyone would think that providing tax policy advice to Liberia and paying US$17 towards such a project is a good use of the American taxpayers’ money. “Why would anyone think that this is a good use of YOUR tax money?” Mr. Musk wondered.

What Liberians Are Saying

The news about the cancellation of the US$17M tax policy aid is causing a storm among Liberians, with many calling on the Boakai administration to undertake stringent austerity measures to absorb the shocks from President Trump’s sweeping executive orders.

Key Yarkpazuo Sr.: “17 million dollars could have helped the Health Sector. I think we requested the wrong help from USAID. While it’s true we need help with improving our tax generating system(s), there are sectors that should be priority when reaching out for help. Not sure they would’ve completely canceled help for education, health, agriculture or farm to market roads.”

Vikpalah Alfred Tartee: “Elon Musk is beating senses into the heads of aid-dependent nations, like Liberia and others. He’s on a mission to protect the US resources and put the American interests first. That’s his priority. However, our government needs to act fast – cut down salaries and benefits across all sectors. President Boakai shouldn’t have the mindset that President Trump and Elon would listen to diplomatic talks. They are more radical than diplomatic. These Republicans are on a mission to Make America Great Again.”

Sneh T. Weah: “The United States provides 17m in tax policy advice, over 12m goes back to the US economy through salaries and benefits of American tax experts employed with the project. What’s big here? When Dr. Robtel Neajai Pailey talked about “re-imagining Liberia”, you guys were making mockery.”

Jonah De Real Dolo: “Simple logic. Instead, they will continue to have DSA, fat allowances plus many other useless financial misappropriations and still feel that begging is the gateway to the growth and development of the Liberian economy. Law makers are at the full front of wasteful spending in our economy and it’s about time they think twice and do the needful. Some of them only have the audacity to criticize on radio or facebook but quickly go to the executive to beg for slots and provide names for recommendations. Once the government refuses to take their multiple names provided for appointment in government then they start to criticize the government in a baseless manner. Cc… Sen. Amara Konneh of the Liberian senate.”

Patrick N. Dagbe: “Elon is making a lot of sense here. While it’s true that we need to urgently cut down waste so as to adequately adjust to pressing ongoing international diplomatic and political developments, I also think that those kinds of budget allotments from USAID’S budget lines which says, USAID provides the knowledge and again USAID pay for the knowledge being provided, speaks to something suspicious within the budget formation of USAID at the executive level.”

Boakai Jaleiba: “Martin, some of your colleagues who recently left MFDP and LRA are employed with that program, and they are all going to lose their jobs. This is bad news.”

Martin K.N. Kollie: “Very bad news. This is why President Boakai should be decisive and bold right now about cutting down on public wastage. We can’t be aid dependent forever while a few greedy and corrupt politicians bag tens of millions every year in fat salaries and benefits amid extreme hardship and over 90% unemployment. Let them cap all salaries and benefits at $5K.”

What is DOGE

The concept of DOGE emerged in a discussion between Elon Musk and Donald Trump, where Musk floated the idea of a department for. In August 2024, Trump said at a campaign event that, if he were elected, he would be open to giving Musk an advisory role. In response, Musk wrote a post on X saying, “I am willing to serve”, along with an AI-created image of him standing in front of a lectern marked “Department of Government Efficiency”.

Officially the U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization, is a temporary organization under the United States DOGE Service, formerly known as the United States Digital Service. Despite its name, DOGE is not a Cabinet-level department of the United States government. The organization was created by an executive order by President Donald Trump on January 20, 2025, and is scheduled to end on July 4, 2026. DOGE’s stated purpose is to reduce wasteful and fraudulent federal spending and eliminate excessive regulations. According to the executive order that established it, its formal purpose is to “modernize federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity”. The organization is currently headed by Elon Musk, who has been given special Government employee status.