Trump again slams $21 mn USAID funding for India, calls it kickback scheme

Speaking at the Republican Governors Association meeting in Washington DC, US President Donald Trump questioned the rationale behind the expenditure

US President Donald Trump has once again criticised the now-cancelled $21 million USAID fund allegedly allocated for “increasing voter turnout in India”, calling it a “kickback scheme”.  

 

Speaking at the Republican Governors Association meeting in Washington DC, Trump questioned the rationale behind the expenditure. “$21 million for voter turnout in India. Why are we caring about India's turnout? We have got enough problems. We want our own turnout,” said Trump in a speech broadcast by NBC News.

 

"$21 million for voter turnout in India. Why are we caring about India turnout? We got enough problems", Donald Trump again points to USAID funding for voter turnout in India; Says, "it's a kickback scheme, you know"  Spoke at Republican Gov Conference pic.twitter.com/ggnIAXBfDx

— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) February 21, 2025

 

 

Trump added, "Can you imagine all that money going to India? I wonder what they think when they get it. It's a kickback scheme. It's not like they spend it. They kick it back to the people that I would say in many cases," he claimed.    READ: Who is Veena Reddy? Ex-USAID India director faces heat over $21 mn funding

 

Extending his criticism beyond India, Trump also raised concerns over a $29 million allocation for strengthening Bangladesh’s political landscape. "Nobody knows what they mean by political landscape. What does that mean?" he questioned.  

 

DOGE on 'election interference'

  

The US government agency DOGE confirmed the cancellation of several planned expenditures, including the disputed $21 million fund. "US taxpayer dollars were going to be spent on the following items, all of which have been cancelled," the agency's statement read, specifically mentioning the voter turnout funding for India.  

 

On Thursday (February 20), Trump implied that the USAID might have been attempting to influence India’s elections. “Why do we need to spend $21 million on voter turnout in India? I guess they were trying to get somebody else elected. We have got to tell the Indian Government... This is a total breakthrough,” he said.  

 

Trump raised the issue on February 19 as well, drawing a comparison to concerns over foreign interference in US elections. “I have a lot of respect for India. I have a lot of respect for the prime minister. He just left, as you know, two days ago. But we’re giving $21 million for voter turnout. It’s voter turnout in India. What about, like, voter turnout here? Oh, we’ve done that, I guess. We did $500 million, didn’t we? It’s called the lockboxes,” he said.    READ: Trump's voter turnout claim false: $21 mn funded to Bangladesh, not India

 

Significantly, an investigation by The Indian Express has raised doubts about these claims. It says that the USAID funds in question were actually intended for Bangladesh, not India. This contradicts earlier assertions from both Trump and Elon Musk’s DOGE.  

 

Political fallout in India  

 

Trump’s statements sparked fresh political tensions in India. BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya accused the funds of being used to support "deep-state assets" within the country.  

 

"A day after US President Donald Trump spoke about $21 million being sent to India for voter turnout, he has reiterated the charge. And no, he is not confusing it with the $29 million funnelled into Bangladesh. This time, he has also mentioned kickbacks. Essentially, this money is also used to sustain deep-state assets who work to defend and deflect such revelations. We are now witnessing the same pattern unfold in India," said Malviya.  

 

Meanwhile, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera dismissed the allegations. "For the past week, a story has been running that USAID gave $21 million to destabilise the Narendra Modi government. If despite having so many security agencies, the Modi government allowed 21 million dollars to enter India, then it is a matter of shame. At the same time, when the Modi government was asked a question about this, they said that this money came in 2012 during the UPA regime. In such a situation, did BJP win in 2014 with this money?" he questioned.