On February 24-25, information circulated in social media, including the group “Anti-Maidan! Voice of the Nation!”, claiming that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, had discovered $41 million transferred to President Salome Zourabichvili by USAID. The spreaders of this claim also attached a post from the X account “Peacemaker,” which alleged that the transferred funds were intended to influence the 2024 elections.
The claim that USAID transferred funds to Salome Zourabichvili is disinformation. 1) USAID allocated the $41 million for electoral processes within the framework of the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS) program, and there is no evidence that the president received these funds. The allocation is also recorded on the U.S. government’s official website, USASPENDING. 2) No evidence can be found in open sources supporting the claim that DOGE identified any funds transferred to Zourabichvili.
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There is No Evidence That Zourabichvili Received $41 Million
No information supporting the claim that Zourabichvili received funds from USAID can be found in open sources. The authors of the post allege that this information was uncovered by DOGE, led by Elon Musk. However, no such information has been published on the official website of the Department of Government Efficiency or its X account. Additionally, DOGE’s head, Elon Musk, has not made any statements about USAID transferring funds to the president to influence the elections.
Reports claiming that DOGE discovered the transferred funds have only been spread by users on X and Facebook. It is likely that the original source is the X account “Peacemaker,” which mentioned Zourabichvili in a post on February 22.
Although USAID has provided sums to finance students’ education, there is no open-source evidence that the agency directly funded individuals, such as heads of state or presidents. Most of the work funded by USAID’s various allocations is carried out by organizations under contract with the agency. A significant portion of USAID’s budget is spent on healthcare programs in different countries. Additionally, under the Public Service Law, the President of Georgia is prohibited from accepting any services or gifts that could influence the performance of official duties.
- What Was the $41 Million Allocated by USAID For?
There is no information on USASPENDING indicating that $41 million was allocated specifically for the President of Georgia. Notably, in February, politicians from the ruling party Georgian Dream also spread claims that this amount was allocated to “overturn the elections.” Data on two grants, with a total amount of approximately $41 million, are publicly available on USASPENDING (1;2). The funds were allocated under the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS) program.
In one case, USAID allocated $26.5 million, with the program’s timeline spanning from April 1, 2019, to March 31, 2025. The description states: “Georgia Elections and Political Processes Activity.” In the second case, $15.2 million was allocated for a project running from September 10, 2018, to September 5, 2025. According to the description, the program focuses on developing and strengthening democratic leadership skills among politically active young people from political parties and civil society. Additionally, the allocated funds were intended to increase government oversight, political participation, and institutional and public resilience to anti-democratic influences as well as strengthen the effectiveness of election administration.
Details on the specific directions of the projects implemented in Georgia are also available on the CEPPS website. CEPPS has been working in Georgia since 2000 to support the development of a multiparty political system. As stated on their website, they work with political parties, local government bodies, the Central Election Commission (CEC), educational institutions, marginalized groups, and civil society organizations. In 2019, Georgian media covered an event related to the new CEPPS program supporting electoral and political processes in Georgia. During the event, then-Parliament Speaker Archil Talakvadze spoke about U.S. government assistance for Georgia’s democratic development:
“As you know, parliamentary elections will be held in one year, and naturally, the priorities of the U.S. Embassy and USAID are aligned with these issues. There are parliamentary elections, followed by local elections, and it is natural that our partner country allocates resources and support for electoral reforms and the further strengthening of electoral democracy.”
Among its key achievements in Georgia, CEPPS indicates that in partnership with the CEC, it promotes the implementation of more just, inclusive elections, providing expert technical guidance and supportive programming. The website also states that CEPPS supports the integrity of the electoral process by hardening cybersecurity system. Under the project, CEPPS’ activity included empowering women who then started to work in parliament and various governmental or non-governmental organizations. Additionally, CEPPS has assisted political parties in creating citizen-responsive party programs based on credible survey data.
Alongside local organizations, international organizations such as IFES, NDI, and IRI were also involved in the project. Information about activities carried out in partnership with IFES and USAID is publicly available. For example, these include the CEC’s educational project “Electoral Development School,” the establishment of an Information Security Center within the election administration, the transfer of server infrastructure to the CEC, projects promoting youth engagement in political processes, training sessions for media representatives, and more.
The online outlet Netgazeti reached out to the CEC, asking about the extent of USAID assistance since 2019. The CEC responded that in 2020, under the “Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening” (CEPPS) program, USAID funded the setup of the CEC’s server infrastructure (including computer equipment, software, and infrastructure), with a total cost of $1,693,811.60.
Thus, based on publicly available information, it is clear that USAID did not allocate $41 million in a single payment specifically for influencing the 2024 Georgian elections. The program has been ongoing for years and partner organizations collaborated with, among others, the Central Election Commission.
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What Do We Know About the X Account That Spread Disinformation?
The X account named “Peacemaker” is likely the original source of the disinformation regarding funds allegedly allocated to Salome Zourabichvili.
The account claims to belong to a media/news company and was registered on X in November 2015. Its description states, “those who don’t like my opinion… kiss… you know what.”
The earliest post published by the account dates back to January 31, 2025. The main topics it covers include the Russia-Ukraine war, Europe, and the United States. “Peacemaker” systematically shares anti-Western narratives and posts aimed at discrediting Ukraine’s president. Additionally, it posts AI-generated images of Western leaders and officials to discredit them (1;2).
The account has also spread manipulative content. For example, it previously shared a video manipulation falsely claiming that Ukrainians burned an effigy of Donald Trump. Additionally, he spread another video manipulation, suggesting that protesters in Kyiv were demanding Zelenskyy’s resignation.
The “Peacemaker” account has posted about Georgia several times. One post is about protests in Tbilisi and clashes between law enforcement and citizens. In another, the account wrote about Mikheil Kavelashvili removing the EU flag from the Georgian presidential residence, stating that he decided “to get rid of excess garbage” and claiming that Brussels and London are the biggest supporters of evil in the world. In another post, “Peacemaker” wrote that, according to Irakli Kobakhidze, “The Georgian government has prevented the opening of a ‘second front’ against the Russian Federation.”
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