"These are lies coming from Russian media" — Ben Stiller denies getting paid by USAID for his "humanitarian trip to Ukraine"

Ben Stiller recently found himself at the center of a controversy created by social media reports. The reports claimed that Stiller was among the Hollywood celebrities whom USAID (United States Agency for International Development) for their respective trips to Ukraine.

Night at the Museum actor took to X (formerly Twitter) to address and deny the accusations. Ben Stiller quoted an X post from Patriot Lady (@angelwoman501) and wrote,

“These are lies coming from Russian media.”

Stiller continued,

“I completely self-funded my humanitarian trip to Ukraine. There was no funding from USAID and certainly no payment of any kind. 💯 percent false.”

The original post from @angelwoman501 accused Stiller of receiving $4 million from USAID. Apart from the Tropic Thunder star, the post also named Angelina Jolie, Sean Pean, Jean Claude Van Dam, and Orlando Bloom. It further claimed they received $20 million, $5 million, $1.5 million, and $8 million, respectively, for visiting Ukraine.

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Ben Stiller visited Ukraine in June 2022 to meet President Zelensky

Ben Stiller visited Ukraine as a Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) and met President Volodymyr Zelensky. He called the Ukrainian president his hero and even lauded him for his work for his country. During his visit, Stiller also voiced his support for those who were forced to flee Ukraine after the Russian invasion.

In a video on his Instagram account during his Ukraine visit, the Zoolander actor said,

“Hey, I’m Ben Stiller, and I’m here in Ukraine. I’m meeting people who’ve been impacted by the war and hearing how it’s changed their lives. War and violence are devastating people all over the world. Nobody chooses to flee their home. Seeking safety is a right and it needs to be upheld for every person.”

According to UNHCR, the Russian invasion has driven about 4 million people from their homes, displacing them within Ukraine. At the same time, the organization has also reported that more than 6.8 million fled Ukraine to seek refuge in “Poland, Hungary, Moldova or other countries.”

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Elon Musk reposted the video, which made claims about Ben Stiller’s Ukraine visit being USAID-funded

The video attached to the post claimed that everything “was done to increase Zelensky’s popularity among foreign audiences.” The clip made an additional unverified claim that,

“The involvement of celebrities made it easier to coordinate funding programs for Ukraine during the conflict.”

Another user, I Meme Therefore I Am (@ImMeme0), also posted the same video, which Elon Musk reposted. It is noteworthy that the Tesla CEO, who is leading the temporary DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency), has lately been quite critical of USAID. His criticism of the agency has risen after the Trump White House froze the USAID funds.

In a recent X Space conversation, Musk also revealed Trump’s plans to shut down USAID, as he said,

“With regards to the USAID stuff, I went over it with [the presiden] in detail and he agreed that we should shut it down.”

In addition to that, USAID staff around the world will be put on leave, as revealed by a notification on the agency’s official website, which reads,

“On Friday, February 7, 2025, at 11:59 pm (EST) all USAID direct hire personnel will be placed on administrative leave globally, with the exception of designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership and specially designated programs. Essential personnel expected to continue working will be informed by Agency leadership by Thursday, February 6, at 3:00pm (EST).”

USAID is known for spending billions of dollars in foreign aid and assistance in many developing countries or regions of conflict. Thus, the decision to freeze the funding is expected to impact many across the globe.