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Elon Musk Pushes Unsupported Claim That Former USAID Chief Earned $23 Million

By TheFinanceBase Team 2 min read

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No cited evidence establishes that Samantha Power earned $23 million as USAID administrator. The figure refers to an alleged increase in her net worth, not a documented salary or payment from the agency. FactCheck.org reported that proponents had not provided evidence for the claimed increase; Forbes reported that Power’s annual salary as administrator was $183,100.

What does the $23 million claim mean?

The allegation was framed as a rise in Power’s net worth from about $7 million when she entered government in 2021 to $30 million when she left in 2025. That difference is the source of the $23 million figure; it is not evidence that USAID paid her that amount. FactCheck.org reported on February 21, 2025, that no evidence had been provided for a $23 million increase during her four years at the agency. FactCheck.org’s account describes the allegation and its evidentiary problems.

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What was Power’s reported USAID salary?

Forbes reported on February 19, 2025, that Power’s annual salary as USAID administrator was $183,100, citing federal records. That salary figure is distinct from net worth, which reflects assets and liabilities, and it is not a complete account of household income or investment performance. Forbes also discusses assets, book-related income and investments disclosed in financial forms; those disclosures do not establish a $23 million gain from her USAID position. Forbes’ report provides the salary attribution and disclosure context.

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What does the official financial disclosure establish?

Power’s U.S. Office of Government Ethics termination filing identifies her position as “Administrator, U.S. Agency for International Development” and records a termination date of January 20, 2025. It is a public financial disclosure report, not a payroll record or an official finding about the cause of changes in reported asset values. OGE explains that termination reports are filed when public financial disclosure filers leave a filing position. U.S. OGE termination filing; OGE public financial disclosure FAQs.

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Verdict: the earnings allegation is unsupported

Elon Musk reposted a version of the allegation and responded, “Sounds very fishy,” as FactCheck.org reported. That reaction does not verify the claim. The cited reporting does not substantiate a $23 million increase in Power’s net worth during her USAID tenure, and the official filing confirms her role and departure date rather than the alleged cause of any change in asset values. The available sources do not reconstruct every source of Power household income or investment return, so they do not support a broader conclusion about all her finances.

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