US President Donald Trump with PM Narendra Modi Photo: AP US President Donald Trump with PM Narendra Modi Photo: AP Defending Tesla CEO Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) recent decision to cancel a USD 21 million fund for "voter turnout" in India, US President Donald Trump on Wednesday raised questions on the need for such financial aid considering the country's economic growth and high tariffs.
"Why are we giving USD 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. I have a lot of respect for India and their Prime Minister, but giving USD 21 million for voter turnout?" Trump said.
#WATCH | US President Donald Trump says, "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. I have a lot of respect for India… pic.twitter.com/W26OEGEejT
— ANI (@ANI) February 18, 2025Trump Approves Reciprocating Tariffs With US Trading Partners; How Will It Impact India?virgo123 slot DOGE Cancels Funds For Foreign CountriesThe Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) established under theTrump administration recently said it decided to slash USD 723 million in foreign aid funding as part of its broader budget overhaul plans.
Alongside the India voter turnout funds, the list of scrapped funding included a USD 29 million grant for "strengthening the political landscape in Bangladesh" and USD 39 million for "fiscal federalism" and "biodiversity conservation" in Nepal, among other international fundings.
The department emphasized that all the listed expenditures were part of a broader effort to cut unnecessary spending.
US-Canada Tariff War: After Mexico, Trump Agrees To 30-Day Pause On Tariffs To Canada | Details Experts Question Claims Of External Funding To Boost Voter TurnoutAfter DOGE's announcement last week,bw777 economist Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, said in a tweet, "Would love to find out who received the US$21mn spent to improve 'voter turnout in India' and the US$ 29mn to 'strengthening political landscape in Bangladesh'; not to mention the US$29mn spend to improve 'fiscal federalism' in Nepal. USAID is the biggest scam in human history."
According to an India Today report, former Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi also rubbished reports that the US was providing money to boost voter turnout in India.
"The report in a section of media about an MoU by ECI in 2012 when I was CEC , for funding of certain million dollars by a US agency for raising voter turnout in India does not have an iota of fact," he tweeted.
The BJP also joined the debate and questioned "who gains" from this "external interference in India’s electoral process".
"$21M for voter turnout? This definitely is external interference in India's electoral process. Who gains from this? Not the ruling party for sure!" said BJP national spokesperson Amit Malviya in a statement, as per a report by NDTV.
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