US President Donald Trump has once again expressed worries about the Biden administration’s choice to allocate $21 million to India for “voter turnout,” speculating if the action was meant to “get somebody else elected. ”
“Why do we need to spend $21 million on voter turnout in India? I guess they were attempting to get somebody else elected. We must inform the Indian Government. . . This is a complete breakthrough,” Trump stated during a summit in Miami on Thursday.
Watch the video here:
His remarks came shortly after the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an agency run by billionaire Elon Musk, revealed that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) had dedicated $21 million to enhance voter participation in India.
The DOGE, a government cost-reduction entity established by Trump, published a list on February 16 detailing various expenditures of US taxpayer money, which included “USD 21M for voter turnout in India. ” The agency mentioned that all the items on the list had been eliminated.
Moreover, the DOGE noted that $29 million had been allocated for “strengthening the political landscape in Bangladesh,” a nation that faced political turmoil last year amid claims of US “deep state” interference in the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. An extra $39 million was assigned for “fiscal federalism” and “biodiversity conservation” in Nepal, among other global initiatives.
“Over the past month, we have effectively abolished the USAID, which was financing much of this craziness,” Trump remarked to attendees in Miami.
“In less than a month, DOGE has already saved over $55 billion – and we’re just getting started. . . We will quickly enhance our economy by substantially reducing the federal government,” he added.
On Wednesday, Trump reiterated his position on DOGE’s measures, asking why American taxpayers’ funds were being utilized for voter participation initiatives in India.
“Why are we giving $21 million to India? They possess a lot more money. They are one of the highest taxing countries in the world in terms of us; we can barely access their country because their tariffs are so elevated. I have great respect for India and their Prime Minister, but providing $21 million for voter turnout? In India? What about voter turnout here? ” he stated at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.
BJP Responds to USAID’s India Voter Turnout Initiative
After DOGE’s revelation about USAID’s funding, India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticized the opposition Congress party, labeling the $21 million allocation as “definitely external interference in India’s electoral process. ”
“Who benefits from this? Not the ruling party (the BJP) for sure! ” BJP leader Amit Malviya asserted.
He further claimed that the initiative was connected to the “systematic infiltration” of Indian institutions by outside entities.
Malviya also targeted Hungarian-born US financier George Soros, who has frequently been accused by right-wing politicians globally of trying to sway domestic politics through his Open Society Foundations.
“Once again, it is George Soros, a recognized associate of the Congress party and the Gandhis, whose influence casts a shadow over our electoral process,” Malviya claimed.
He also pointed out a disputed 2012 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that was signed between the Election Commission of India and The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), a group linked to Soros’s Open Society Foundation.