Sioux City Times

Senator Joni Ernst has raised concerns on social media regarding the allocation of U.S. taxpayer funds by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). In a series of tweets posted on July 15, 2025, Ernst criticized USAID’s funding choices, particularly in relation to foreign projects and research initiatives.

In one tweet, Senator Ernst alleged that "As if funding entertainment for foreign nations was not bad enough, USAID funded the collection of coronaviruses to be sent to none other than the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Yes, your tax dollars funded research that experts say may have produced the COVID-19 virus." This post connects U.S. government funding with controversial coronavirus research at a Chinese laboratory.

In another message from July 15, 2025, she focused on entertainment spending abroad: "As if that was not bad enough, $20 million was awarded to Sesame Workshop, which produces Sesame Street, to create content for Iraq. $20 million for Baghdad Elmo is absurd!" Here Ernst questioned the value and purpose behind supporting children’s programming in Iraq with significant federal funds.

A third tweet from July 15, 2025 reflects broadly on alternative uses for such expenditures: "Imagine how much more good work like this could be done with the dollars that instead financed fashion shows, supported Sesame Street programs in Iraq, or ended up in China’s Wuhan Institute."

USAID is an independent agency of the United States federal government responsible for administering civilian foreign aid and development assistance. The agency frequently faces scrutiny over how its funds are allocated globally.

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