How many condoms could $50 million buy at typical USAID prices?

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USAID procurement data shows condoms cost approximately 5 cents each—meaning $50 million would buy 1 billion condoms for Gaza's 2.1 million population. Yet USAID's entire global condom spending in fiscal 2023 was only $7.1 million for male condoms, making the claim mathematically absurd on its face. This case illustrates how false claims spread through interconnected media ecosystems: Leavitt made the claim at her debut briefing; Elon Musk amplified it on X to millions within hours using the caption "tip of the iceberg"; Trump escalated the figure to $100 million the next day and falsely added that condoms were "going to Hamas." Research on the "familiarity backfire effect" shows that even when fact-checkers debunk false claims, the repetition can paradoxically strengthen false memories—meaning corrections don't fully erase misinformation. This places enormous burdens on fact-checking resources: Washington Post, PolitiFact, FactCheck.org, Snopes, CNN, Reuters, and others all had to dedicate staff time to debunking a claim with zero supporting evidence, illustrating how high-visibility false claims from government officials force fact-checkers into a defensive posture rather than proactive investigative work.

How many condoms could $50 million buy at typical USAID prices?

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