Transcript of Musk retracts USAID contract he cancelled after CNN reporting

Last week, 400,000 boxes of a life-saving food product for severely malnourished kids were ready to be shipped out from Manna Nutrition's warehouse in Georgia.

The boxes in this warehouse alone could potentially save the lives of 400,000 children.

But on Wednesday, Mark Moore, Manna's CEO and co-founder, was told by email that his contracts with USAID were canceled.

The US government has decided they're done.

The boxes are filled of what's called ready to Use Therapeutic Food, RUTF for short. It's made with peanut butter, powder milk, sugar, and vitamins.

This product is easy to use. It doesn't require refrigeration. Mothers can give it directly to their kids. I saw a similar RUTF called Plumpy Nut about 20 years ago during a hunger crisis in Niger, while reporting for CNN and CBS as 60 Minuts. It is remarkably effective. This product can bring a severely malnourished child back from the of death.

Manna Nutrition began making their version of it in 2010.

We think we've made enough to treat and cure probably seven million children over the years.

Every ingredient Manna uses comes from American farms and companies. With 130 workers, they're one of the biggest employers in this very Republican County, which Donald Trump won in each of the last three elections.

The idea that we're not going to feed kids who are dying just to me seems so un-American that I guess I'm in disbelief that it will happen.

Mark Moore first talked to CNN's MJ Lee on Wednesday. Her reporting got the attention of Elon Musk. On Sunday, he posted on X around 12: 26 AM. We'll investigate whether this is real or not and fix it if it is. Then, just before 9: 00 PM on Sunday night, Moore got another email from USAID. Please resume your normal work duties, it said. It seems for now, his company's contract has been restored.

But it turns out the shipping company Manna Nutrition uses has not had their USAID contract reinstated. So for now, all that life-saving food is still sitting in a warehouse in Georgia.