“DOGE and OMB also found that there was about to be 50 million taxpayer dollars that went out the door to fund condoms in Gaza. That is a preposterous waste of taxpayer money. So, that’s what this pause is focused on, being good stewards of tax dollars.”

Numerous Snopes readers asked us if the U.S. government had indeed planned to spend $50 million on condoms for Gaza. The story spread far and wide, amplified by tech entrepreneur and DOGE appointee Elon Musk, who shared a clip of Leavitt making the statement with the caption, "Tip of the iceberg."

President Donald Trump said this week that he stopped the United States from sending $50 million “to Gaza to buy condoms for Hamas.” The claims made by Trump and his new press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, were met with an uproar from social media.

One of the Trump administration's first acts in office was to freeze almost all foreign aid. The administration claims the move is already bearing fruit.

The White House had already walked back the bogus tale of excessive government spending that was amplified by Elon Musk and other MAGA allies `

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said $50 million was to fund "condoms in Gaza" before the State Department paused foreign aid over the weekend pending a review.

The State Department paused several millions of dollars for "condoms in Gaza," as reports say the contraceptives were used as bomb-carrying balloons.

Palestinian terrorists in Gaza began launching improvised explosive devices (IEDs), including condoms and balloons, into Israel’s South in 2017.