Fact Check: Is Elon Musk shutting down 'Meals on Wheels' program for older Americans?

AUSTIN, TEXAS: Tech billionaire Elon Musk recently faced criticism as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which the Tesla CEO leads, cut several US government jobs and other spending, resulting in mass layoffs.

Recently, a post circulating on social media claimed that the tech billionaire was shutting down the "Meals on Wheels" program for older Americans. But is there any truth to this? Let us find out below. 

Claim: Elon Musk is shutting down 'Meals on Wheels' program for older Americans

In March 2025, a post on social media claimed that the tech mogul was shutting down "Meals on Wheels", a public-private partnership that provides health and nutrition services to older Americans, including home-delivered meals, according to Snopes.

An X (formerly Twitter_ user posted on this social media platform, "Elon Musk is shutting down Meals on Wheels. Yes—Meals on Wheels. What sort of person would trust Musk at this point, or vote the way he demands you vote?"

The post has so far crossed more than 7,50,000 views and around 25,000 likes.

Moreover, the rumor also circulated on other platforms such as Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, and Reddit.

Fact check: No proper evidence that Elon Musk ordered shutdown of 'Meals on Wheels'

At the time of filing this story, it is unclear whether Elon Musk or anyone else ordered a shutdown of "Meals on Wheels", as there is no proper evidence to support the claim, according to Snopes.

Meanwhile, the claims seem to have originated following an announcement by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on March 27, 2025.

The announcement read that HHS would restructure and "streamline" several bodies, including the Administration for Community Living (ACL), the body that historically administered federal funding to "Meals on Wheels", per the fact-checking outlet.

Moreover, Snopes also reached out to the HHS to clarify its plans for federal funding for Meals on Wheels following the announcement, but did not receive any reply.

The fact-checking outlet also reached out to the Musk-led DOGE to ask if the tech mogul or the department ordered a shutdown of the program, but it has yet to get a reply.

HHS layoffs hit 'Meals on Wheels'

The layoffs at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) slashed the staff of major federal aging, disability, and anti-poverty programs, leaving the future uncertain, according to NPR.

Notably, around 40 percent of the staff got layoff notices, and many were turned away at the front door on Tuesday, April 1, when they showed up for work at the Administration for Community Living (ACL), which coordinates federal policy on aging and disability, per the outlet.

Interestingly, the agency funds programs that run senior centers and distribute around 216 million meals a year to elders through the "Meals on Wheels" program.

Alison Barkoff, director of a health law program at George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health, said, "The programs that ACL implements improve the lives of literally tens of millions of older adults, people with disabilities and their families and caregivers."

"There's no way to have these RIFs and not impact the programs and the people who rely on them," Barkoff added.