Editor's Note: This article has been updated to include a response from the White House. It was also corrected to reflect that Timor-Leste was initially transcribed as "Timor West."

Former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI), the presumptive Republican nominee for Michigan's U.S. Senate race, is urging voters to support his campaign by framing it as a means to protect Elon Musk from potential Democratic investigations. Rogers, who previously served as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, is leaning into his national security credentials to make the case.

In a fundraising appeal sent on Saturday and reported by the Detroit Metro Times on Wednesday, Rogers told supporters he would oppose any investigation into President Donald Trump's close ally, X CEO Elon Musk.

"When you stand with my Senate campaign today, you are directly shielding Elon Musk," Rogers wrote. He solicited an "immediate, urgent contribution right now to protect Elon and save America," characterizing rumored Democratic plans to investigate the billionaire as a "socialist retaliation plot" reminiscent of "Soviet Russia and communist Cuba." He argued that "they cannot control Elon, so they want to destroy him."

The appeal underscores the Senate's central role in executive branch oversight. Senate committees possess broad authority to conduct investigations, issue subpoenas, and hold hearings — powers Democrats have signaled they could use to scrutinize Musk's activities if they regain the majority.

Calls for Investigation Center on DOGE and USAID Cuts

Democrats, including Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), have called for Musk to be investigated, largely citing his work with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). DOGE implemented sweeping spending cuts that experts say weakened America's national security apparatus and capacity to fight infectious diseases.

DOGE particularly targeted the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which was founded by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 to provide foreign aid to impoverished nations through assistance with global health, environmental protection, education, and the cultivation of democratic institutions. The Trump administration has attempted to eliminate USAID entirely, though it cannot legally do so without congressional approval.

Experts Describe Devastating Humanitarian Toll

Dr. Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease doctor and professor of medicine at the University of California–San Francisco, told AlterNet that Musk's USAID cuts have been catastrophic.

"Elon Musk, singularly, as head of DOGE at the beginning of this administration, through his cuts has led to the deaths of millions," Gandhi said. "He was the executor of really dismantling USAID — essentially, the work to help the world's poorest children has been decimated by the world's richest man."

Gandhi, who has a project in South Africa, described the direct consequences of funding cuts to that country. "On February 7th, the Trump administration put out an executive order that said we will give no assistance to South Africa because of their 'egregious actions,' like supporting the ICC [International Criminal Court] case against Israel, or they think South Africa is committing a white genocide — all of that means that there's no funding going toward South Africa, even his home country," she said. "And I have seen firsthand the effects on deaths, on advanced HIV, people dying of tuberculosis, not able to get HIV medications or preventative medications. Elon Musk is singularly responsible for the deaths of millions."

Sarah Nichols, a former USAID implementing partner who worked on projects spanning Liberia, Guatemala, and the Pacific island nation of Indonesia (specifically Timor-Leste) prior to the DOGE cuts, also witnessed the impact firsthand. She echoed Gandhi's call for an investigation.

"He absolutely should, and that's just standard government protocol," Nichols said. She recounted attending a recent House committee hearing where a Republican congressman asked Office of Management and Budget director Russell Vought whether there would be an after-action report on DOGE. "And Russell Vought said that they would not be doing any after-action report. And that is bizarre to me, as someone who used to work with the government, because every project always had an after-action report so that you could see whether there was improvement."

White House Responds

Following the article's publication, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told AlterNet that "all Trump administration reforms across the executive branch have eliminated red tape while making our government more efficient and responsive to the agenda the President was elected to implement."

Rogers' Embrace of Musk Raises Strategic Questions

Rogers' alignment with Musk comes amid the billionaire's growing unpopularity with voters. Last year, Musk suffered what was described as a "blowout" loss in a Wisconsin Supreme Court race that handed Democrats a 4-3 court majority, a margin that has only expanded in subsequent state elections. Since 2025, Musk has appeared to pull back from direct political involvement following the negative voter reaction in Wisconsin. Rogers' decision to tie his Senate bid to Musk's fate thus represents a notable gamble in a state where Senate control — and with it, the chamber's investigative agenda — may hinge on a narrow margin.