Proper after the announcement that Twitter had accepted Elon Musk's $44 billion bid to buy the social media platform, the web began questioning: what else may have been executed with such an astonishing sum of money?

One story that abruptly reemerged on social media is that of Musk's pledging $6 billion to the United Nations' World Meals Programme to assist the group finish world starvation again final yr.

The story started with an interview the director of the U.N. World Meals Programme (WFP), David Beasley, gave to CNN in October 2021, by which Beasley mentioned that billionaires wanted to "step up" to assist save tens of millions world wide from famine and hunger.

Particularly speaking about Musk, Beasley mentioned that 2 p.c of Tesla's CEO's wealth— estimated at $6 billion on the time—may have helped "42 million individuals which are actually going to die if we do not attain them."

Elon Musk Twitter
Twitter has accepted a $44 billion bid from Elon Musk to accumulate the corporate, an sum of money which social media customers say may have been used for charitable donations. Above, Musk's Twitter profile with greater than 80 million followers is proven on a mobile phone in Chicago on April 25, 2022.Scott Olson/Getty Pictures

"It isn't difficult," he added.

Musk apparently heard Beasley's attraction by researcher Eli David, who quoted CNN's article in a tweet on October 30. A day later, Musk tweeted: "If WFP can describe on this Twitter thread precisely how $6B will remedy world starvation, I'll promote Tesla inventory proper now and do it."

Beasley later clarified that he by no means meant Musk may truly remedy world starvation with such a beneficiant donation, however that the cash may have undoubtedly helped tens of millions. "$6B won't remedy world starvation, however it WILL forestall geopolitical instability, mass migration and save 42 million individuals getting ready to hunger," Beasley later specified on Twitter in response to Musk's remark.

In keeping with the most recent knowledge from the WFP, world starvation is rising at an "alarming" charge, with 282.7 million individuals throughout 80 nations presently estimated to be experiencing excessive ranges of acute starvation.

The information from 2021 characterize a rise of round 110 p.c in comparison with two years earlier and is attributed by the WFP to widespread conflicts, the worsening of the local weather disaster and the implications of the pandemic on a worldwide and native scale. The WFP estimates that as much as 811 million individuals world wide do not need sufficient meals, and 44 million are getting ready to famine.

Following Musk's immediate, just a few days later Beasley proceeded to present the main points of how $6 billion may have averted a meals disaster for 42 million individuals in 43 nations, saying that it will have value a complete of $6.6 billion to supply one meal a day for one yr to the inhabitants in want, or $.43 a meal.

The meal would have been delivered in meals support, money, or vouchers, in response to Beasley.

In response to Musk's request for a transparent plan, the WFP revealed a complete article detailing the deliberate allocation of a $6 billion donation. But when the WFP saved its aspect of the deal, did Musk do the identical?

Did Musk Donate the $6B to WFP?

The reply is unclear.

Information publications, together with Fortune, Forbes and The New York Instances, reported that Musk made a mysterious $5.74 billion donation in November 2021, just a few weeks after his Twitter showdown with the WFP's director.

Though it's sure that Musk made this donation to charity, as licensed by a Securities and Trade Fee (SEC) submitting, the recipient of the donation was nameless and stays unknown to today. The WFP advised Forbes they weren't the recipient of the donation, they usually had not acquired a test from Musk.

"Whether or not WFP receives any of this cash is but to be seen, however I'm excited to listen to that Elon is engaged," Beasley advised Forbes in February. Forbes speculates that the $5.74 billion donation was doubtless made to a donor-advised fund (DAF)—a philanthropic checking account that entitles a donor to a right away tax deduction.

Musk didn't verify what charity benefited from the donation.

Yemeni child World Food Programme UN
A Yemeni baby receives humanitarian support, donated by the World Meals Programme (WFP), within the nation's third metropolis of Taez, on October 10, 2020. WFP's director David Beasley mentioned in October 2021 that 2 p.c of Elon Musk's wealth may assist feed 42 million individuals in want.AHMAD AL-BASHA/AFP through Getty Pictures

Twitter or WFP?

Whereas the story had died down within the months following November's back-and-forth between Beasley and Musk, the Twitter thread has been abruptly revived by individuals commenting on whether or not Musk may have used the $44 billion he provided to purchase the social media platform for the higher good as a substitute.

"Bear in mind like two weeks in the past when Elon was like "inform me learn how to finish world starvation and I am going to do it" after which he purchased twitter for $44 billion as a substitute," wrote one Twitter consumer.

"Why didnt you make investments the cash into fixing world starvation?????????," wrote one other Twitter consumer immediately addressing Musk.

"To be sincere simply fixing some world starvation could be a begin. Think about having that a lot cash and doing f' all however shopping for Twitter shares. I despair," wrote one other.

However others have defended Musk, saying the talk round him serving to to resolve world starvation misled individuals from holding accountable politicians and the federal government for the roles they play in serving to individuals struggling to entry meals.

The entire dialogue round what Musk may have executed with the cash he spent on Twitter revolves round how excessive the sum is. However whereas the bid to purchase Twitter is definitely a staggering sum of money for most individuals, it is comparatively not that a lot for the richest man on this planet, whose internet price is estimated at $289 billion, in response to Bloomberg.

Nevertheless it's not shocking that Musk's takeover of Twitter obtained individuals speaking.

The graphic beneath, supplied by Statista, exhibits that the bid to purchase Twitter was one of many largest buyouts in historical past.

Statista Twitter
An inventory of the largest leveraged buyouts in historical past. Musk's bid to purchase Twitter is the second-largest of all time.Statista/Newsweek

In keeping with an SEC submitting, Musk was probably the most beneficiant philanthropists of 2021, second solely to Invoice Gates and Melinda French Gates.

The monetary facet of buying Twitter has gave the impression to be of minimal curiosity for Musk in his pursuit of the corporate. Musk mentioned he hasn't bought Twitter for the earnings he may acquire from the platform, declaring, "I do not care concerning the economics in any respect."

Whether or not he may have used the identical sum of money to fund charitable initiatives as a substitute of shopping for Twitter, is about to stay the article of debate on the web.

Newsweek reached out to Elon Musk through Tesla for remark.

Replace 4/26/22, 9:30 a.m. ET. This text was up to date with a graph from Statista.