In October 2021, Elon Musk had just been crowned the richest person on Earth. David Beasley, head of the United Nations World Food Program at the time, didn't miss a beat. In a tweet tagging Musk, he wrote:
"Congratulations to @elonmusk for passing up @JeffBezos as the world's richest person — worth a whopping $221B! Elon, to celebrate I'm offering you a once in a lifetime opportunity: help us save 42M people from starvation for just $6.6B!!"
It was a direct challenge — not a polite ask. And it came days before Beasley appeared on CNN on Oct. 26,2021 , warning that "$6 billion to help 42 million people that are literally going to die if we don't reach them" wasn't a theory, it was a matter of survival. "It's not complicated," he told Connect the World. Governments were "tapped out," he said, and it was time for billionaires to step up — "on a one-time basis."
Besley went on to point out how Musk added $6 billion to his net worth in a single day. This was a mere fraction of his wealth. He asked, "what if it was your daughter starving to death? What if it was your family starving to death?" He pleaded, "Wake up, smell the coffee and help."
Five days later, Musk responded, saying: "If WFP can describe on this Twitter thread exactly how $6B will solve world hunger, I will sell Tesla stock right now and do it." He followed it with a condition: "But it must be open source accounting, so the public sees precisely how the money is spent."
Beasley replied that $6 billion wouldn't end world hunger — but it could save millions from starvation. "This is a one-time donation to save 42 million lives during this unprecedented hunger crisis," he said. "The world is on fire."
On Nov. 15, 2021 the WFP published a spending plan showing how $6.6 billion would be used to provide food assistance to 42 million people in 43 countries. The plan included $3.5 billion for food procurement and delivery, $2 billion for cash and food vouchers, $700 million to develop country-specific programs, and $400 million for administration, oversight, and logistics. Beasley tweeted the link directly to Musk, adding, "You asked for a clear plan & open books. Here it is!"
Despite the detailed plan the WFP released, Musk never publicly replied or engaged further. It's worth noting: the response didn't occur within the same Twitter thread — a specific condition Musk outlined in his original challenge.
When the UN released its plan, reactions online were mixed. While some praised the transparency, others argued it fell short of Musk's challenge. Supporters pointed out that the plan outlined how to prevent famine, not how to end world hunger entirely — a key distinction. Some critics said the proposal was too focused on short-term relief and logistics, rather than offering a sustainable, long-term solution. Others questioned the large administrative and operational costs included in the budget.
Weeks later, an SEC filing revealed that Musk had donated roughly $5.7 billion worth of Tesla stock to charity in November 2021. The recipient was not disclosed at the time, leading to speculation about whether the WFP ever received the funds.
By early 2022, Bloomberg reported the donation went to Musk's own philanthropic organization, the Musk Foundation — not the WFP. According to Philanthropy News Digest, the Musk Foundation later distributed $160 million in 2021, with the largest portions going to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital at $55 million and the XPrize Foundation with $54 million.
Hunger continues to affect about 733 million people globally, or roughly one in 11 people, according to the latest State of Food Security and Nutrition report by the World Health Organization.
Inspired by Uber and Airbnb – Deloitte's fastest-growing software company is transforming 7 billion smartphones into income-generating assets – with $1,000 you can invest at just $0.26/share!
Image: Shutterstock
Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market.
