‘They Have a Lot More Money’: Trump Defends Axing $21 Million USAID Funding on ‘Voter Turnout In India’- wna24
‘They Have a Lot of Money’: Trump Defends Axing $21 Million Fund on ‘Voter Turnout in India’ | Image:
X/Republic
New Delhi, India: In an effort to save U.S. taxpayers’ money, the Donald Trump administration’s cost-cutting team, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), canceled several overseas projects, including a $21 million fund allocated for voter turnout efforts in India, a move that raised several eyebrows.
Defending the decision on Wednesday, President Donald Trump strongly supported DOGE’s action, arguing that the financial aid was unnecessary given India’s economic status. The $21 million fund had been designated to support efforts aimed at increasing voter participation in India’s elections, but Trump maintained that such expenditures were not a priority for U.S. taxpayers.
Speaking at Mar-a-Lago while signing a series of executive orders, Trump remarked, “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. 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?”
Also Read: Harish Salve Demands White Paper On USAID-Deep State Funding In India
What Did the DOGE Claim?
DOGE, led by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, announced that it had canceled $22 million in funding intended for “voter turnout in India.”
In a post on X, DOGE stated, “US taxpayer dollars were going to be spent on the following items, all of which have been cancelled…” The cuts included “$21M for voter turnout in India; $29M for strengthening the political landscape in Bangladesh; $20M for fiscal federalism in Nepal.”
No additional details were provided in the post.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hit out at the Congress, accusing it of enabling foreign intervention in India’s democratic processes.
Amit Malviya, head of the BJP IT cell, posted on X, “It is becoming increasingly evident that the Congress-led UPA systematically enabled the infiltration of India’s institutions by forces opposed to the nation’s interests.”
He further linked the issue to billionaire George Soros, claiming his involvement in the electoral process was part of a broader effort to weaken India.
In response, the Congress Party demanded an investigation into the matter. Senior Congress leader Ajay Maken expressed concern, stating, “Any kind of foreign intervention in our democratic process or election process is unwarranted and not correct. We oppose it and believe it should be condemned with a probe into the matter.”
‘USAID Biggest Scam in Human History’
Meanwhile, Sanjeev Sanyal, Member, the Economic Advisory Council to Prime Minister Narendra Modi , questioned the US Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) claim
Sanyal questioned the origins and recipients of the $21 million earmarked for India. “Would love to find out who received the US$21mn spent to improve “voter turnout in India” and the US$29mn to “strengthen political landscape in Bangladesh “; not to mention the US$29mn spent to improve “fiscal federalism” in Nepal. USAID is the biggest scam in human history”, Sanyal said in a post on X.
DOGE’s claim also drew a sharp reaction from Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP ) leader Amit Malviya.
The BJP leader said, “$21M for voter turnout? This definitely is external interference in India’s electoral process. Who gains from this? Not the ruling party for sure!”
Harish Salve Demands White Paper On USAID-Deep State Funding In India
Harish Salve, Senior Advocate in the Supreme Court of India and King’s Counsel in the UK, spoke with Republic TV’s Rhythm Anand Bhardwaj, Executive Editor – Law and Governance. Salve talked about organisations acting as “fronts and foundations” to funnel foreign funds, echoing long-standing accusations of foreign interference, notably raised by the late former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Salve questioned whether activists would call for a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into these funding operations, urging that the same level of scrutiny applied to business figures in the past be directed at political players as well. “I wonder now if any activist will go to the Supreme Court for an S.I.T or court-monitored investigation, B.I.T, F.I.T, C.I.T, K.I.T and have it pursued the way we have had business people pursued and reputations destroyed in the past. Let’s look at these people for a change.”
Also Read: Salve Demands White Paper On USAID-Deep State Funding In India
Salve also showered praise on the Trump administration for addressing these issues openly. “I am happy that this government in Washington is cleaning this dirt, and is cleaning it in public,” he said. Salve expressed concern that if the allegations of foreign interference and deep state funding were true, it would be “deeply saddening” to learn that the Gandhi family may have had connections to such funding.
Arnab Goswami’s Expose on USAID and its Political Ties
Salve’s comments come in line with WikiLeaks, a non-profit media organization known for its exposes, referencing Republic Media Network’s Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami for exposing USAID’s influence operations in India.
According to WikiLeaks, USAID’s efforts allegedly focused on influencing Indian voter turnout and shaping the political landscape. Arnab had highlighted how “so-called journalists” may have benefited from USAID’s financial support, drawing attention to individuals linked to political circles in India who were reportedly receiving “free lunches” from the agency.
Arnab had also pointed to Sam Pitroda’s NGO, the Global Knowledge Initiative (GKI), as a key player in the alleged funding operation. Pitroda, along with his partners Nina Fedorov and Sarah Farley—both of whom have strong ties to global foundations and government organizations—was reportedly receiving significant funding from USAID and the Rockefeller Foundation.