Trump again attacks USAID, claims $18 million given to India to help with elections
The Hindu
President Trump criticises Biden administration for allocating $18 million to India for elections, accusing India of taking advantage.
U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that the Biden administration allocated $18 million in funding to India to help with its elections, arguing that the country doesn’t need this money.
Also read | USAID row: Information from U.S. 'concerning', government looking into it, says Jaishankar
His remarks during a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Saturday (February 22, 2025) after he repeatedly attacked the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for allocating $21 million in funding to India for “voter turnout”. In his speech, Mr. Trump also accused India of taking advantage of the U.S.
“18 million dollars for helping India with its elections. Why the hell? Why don’t we just go to old paper ballots, and let them help us with their elections, right? Voter ID. Wouldn’t that be nice? We’re giving money to India for elections. They don’t need money,” he said.
“They take advantage of us pretty good. One of the highest tariff nations in the world...We have a 200 per cent [tariffs] there and then we’re giving them a lot of money to help them with their election,” Mr. Trump said.
Mr. Trump also criticised the USAID for giving $29 million to Bangladesh.
“$29 million goes to strengthen the political landscape and help them out so that they can vote for a radical left communist in Bangladesh,” he said, without naming anyone.
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