‘Trying to get somebody else elected’ Trump hints at USAID’s interference in Indian polls

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‘Trying to get somebody else elected’: Trump hints at USAID’s interference in Indian polls

In Reports
02:20 PM, Feb 20, 2025
Myind Staff

US President Donald Trump has hinted that the previous administration under Joe Biden may have interfered in India’s elections. He made this remark while defending the controversial decision by the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to cut a $21 million grant intended to boost "voter turnout" in the country.

Donald Trump spoke at the FII Priority Summit in Miami, which the Saudi Arabian government backed. On Wednesday night, he shared his thoughts: "Why do we need to spend $21 million on voter turnout in India? I guess they (Biden administration) were trying to get somebody else elected. We have got to tell the Indian Government. This is a total breakthrough." Speaking at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday, Trump asked why India received the funds, arguing that the country's economic situation and trade policies did not justify it.

"Why are we giving $21 million to India? They have a lot more money. They are one of the highest-taxing countries in the world in terms of us; we can hardly get in there because their tariffs are so high," he stated.

"I have a lot of respect for India and their Prime Minister, but giving $21 million for voter turnout?" Trump asked.

On February 16, DOGE, created under the Trump 2.0 administration to monitor and reduce government spending, announced its decision to cut $723 million in foreign aid as part of a broader budget overhaul.

The cuts comprised a $21 million grant for India and a $29 million program to boost the political landscape of Bangladesh.

Just days after his return to the White House, President Trump imposed a near-total freeze on foreign aid. Meanwhile, Musk announced that DOGE plans to shut down USAID, which has an annual budget exceeding $40 billion to fund development, health and humanitarian programs worldwide, particularly in destitute countries.

Since Trump took office in January, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has significantly cut federal spending, totalling $8.5 billion. Notably, the average value of individual contract cancellations is around $7.7 million.

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