**Actor Ben Stiller Denies US Aid Funding for Ukraine Trip**
Ben Stiller, a famous American actor, has denied claims on social media that he received funding from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) for his humanitarian trip to Ukraine.
Stiller took to X (formerly Twitter) and said that he completely self-funded his trip to Ukraine. He also stated that there was no payment or funding from USAID, calling the claims “100 percent false”.
**Elon Musk Shared Fake Story**
The claims against Stiller started when billionaire Elon Musk shared a fabricated story on X about US celebrities visiting Ukraine being funded by USAID.
Stiller’s comments came after he met with Ukrainian families affected by Russia’s war in a trip to the country in June 2022. He was acting as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
**Russia Spreads Disinformation**
Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation also dismissed the claim, saying that it was an invention of Russian fake newsmakers.
Elon Musk has been accused of spreading disinformation about USAID in the past. He has called the agency a “criminal organization” and claimed that US President Donald Trump agreed to shut it down.
**USAID Funding for Ukraine**
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion, USAID has provided $2.6 billion in humanitarian aid, $5 billion in development assistance, and over $30 billion in direct budget support to Ukraine. The funding has supported rebuilding schools, financing bomb shelters, and equipping hospitals with advanced medical equipment.
**Uncertainty Ahead for USAID**
The future of USAID remains uncertain as the Trump administration has frozen all international funding for 90 days. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that foreign aid should advance US interests rather than serve as charity.
