Former US official Mike Benz has claimed that USAID has trained musical artists, including Dua Lipa, Pussy Riot, and possibly Taylor Swift, to act as “assets” in spreading political narratives for statecraft purposes. He suggested that these efforts are part of a broader initiative to influence public opinion and destabilise governments.
Benz said that “celebrities who can be trained to spread desired messaging” are actively recruited and used as “network nodes.” He cited NATO-linked initiatives and USAID-backed music diplomacy programs as key drivers behind these efforts. “Taylor Swift has worked in various things before that have been empirically shown to move the needle on government initiatives,” he said, referring to her involvement in voter engagement and public health campaigns.
He also pointed to the Pentagon’s involvement in the music industry, alleging that military funding has played a significant role in shaping cultural narratives. “Look at who the biggest sponsor of South by Southwest is in Texas now. It’s the military. Go ahead and look up the scandal if you want about South by Southwest Pentagon funding. They’ve taken over the music industry because it’s hearts and minds work,” Benz said.
According to Benz, the US government has used similar tactics worldwide, particularly through USAID’s music diplomacy program. “Just like they were giving Dua Lipa the awards, just like they’re working with Pussy Riot, just like they have 22… In fact, you can look this up if you want—the State Department Music Diplomacy Program. Twenty-two rappers. You’ll see again, these people become network nodes. They become assets to play with.”
He further claimed that USAID has supported artists in various countries to promote anti-government sentiment. “There’s evidence to suggest the same play around recruiting hip-hop artists in Cuba,” Benz said. “It was protest rock, it was protest rap. In Cuba, for that USAID operation, it was protest rap.”
He referenced a report from The Grayzone, which allegedly revealed that US-backed programs in Bangladesh had commissioned rap songs designed to incite street protests and political reform. “Those documents that The Grayzone published have two rap songs in Bangladesh with lines like they were designed to inspire anti-government sentiment and to promote street protests and political reform. I mean, literally writing rap albums to get people to take to the streets and pull off the exact riot that the State Department wants to destabilise the country.”
In response to a video discussing these claims, Benz reiterated that the State Department had recruited 22 artists from various countries, including Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Cameroon, France, India, and South Africa, to train them in “youth engagement and using art as activism.” The program involved bringing these musicians to Washington, DC, for an intensive training period.
However, a community note on social media disputed Benz’s claims, stating that the only known connection between USAID and Dua Lipa was its funding for a music school in Kosovo. The note detailed how USAID supported the launch of Allegra School of Arts in Gjakova, aimed at providing formal musical education to Kosovan youth.
Benz’s comments come amid heightened scrutiny of US foreign influence programs, particularly under the Trump administration. Recently, Elon Musk has also criticised USAID and other agencies, calling for their dismantling. Musk suggested that organisations like the National Endowment for Democracy have failed in their stated missions, asking, “How much democracy have they achieved lately?”