Actor Ben Stiller has publicly rejected accusations that he received funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for his recent humanitarian trip to Ukraine. In a statement shared on social media, Stiller asserted, “These are lies coming from Russian media. I completely self-funded my humanitarian trip to Ukraine. There was no funding from USAID and certainly no payment of any kind.”
The controversy ignited after a video was posted on X, formerly Twitter, claiming that USAID spent $4 million on Stiller’s trip to Ukraine following the Russian invasion. This video was shared by various accounts, including one named “Patriot Lady.” Elon Musk, the owner of X, amplified the video to his considerable following, where it garnered 2.8 million views.
Following Musk’s post, Donald Trump Jr. also shared the video, leading to even more views on his page. The video allegedly contained a clip from E! News, but a note at the bottom indicated that the video was fabricated to appear as if it came from the network. Bill McCarthy, a reporter for AFP’s FactCheck, reached out to E! News for comment, and a spokesperson confirmed that the video “is not authentic and did not originate from E! News.”
Despite the falsehoods, neither Musk nor Trump Jr. has removed the misleading video from their respective accounts. Additionally, Sydney Powell, a former lawyer for Donald Trump, shared the clip with her own commentary, claiming, “USAID has apparently been one big slush fund for anything the Left wanted.” In response, Stiller reiterated, “Totally false. Untrue.”
The ongoing spread of misinformation surrounding Stiller’s humanitarian efforts presents a significant issue, particularly in a time when accurate information is crucial. While Stiller strives to clarify his self-funded stance, the persistence of these misleading narratives continues to challenge his efforts to raise awareness about the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
As the situation evolves, it remains to be seen how Stiller will navigate the fallout from these accusations and what actions may be taken to counter the spread of false claims. For now, he stands firm in his rebuttal, emphasizing that his commitment to aiding those in need was entirely independent and genuine.
