US President Donald Trump has launched a fierce attack on the Biden administration over its USD 21 million allocation to India for "voter turnout", as he seemed to be suggesting that the funds were aimed at "trying to get somebody else elected." Trump's remarks follow after Elon Musk-led the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) disclosed that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provided a fund of $21 million to boost "voter turnout" in India.
Trump drops big hint at 'interference' in Indian election
While addressing a summit in Miami, the US President said, "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."
In his address, the US President also acknowledged India's strong economic position as well as high tariffs on US goods, as he stated, "They got a lot of money. They're 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: Trump
Trump also questioned the necessity of spending millions on voter turnout in a foreign country, adding, "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 USD 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 USD 500 million, didn't we? It's called the lockboxes."
Trump also said that he likes the idea of giving some of the savings from Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency back to US citizens as a kind of dividend.
He said at an investment conference in Miami that the administration is considering a concept in which 20 per cent of the savings produced by DOGE's cost-cutting efforts goes to American citizens and another 20 per cent goes to paying down the national debt. Trump also said the potential for dividend payments would incentivise people to report wasteful spending.
“They'll be reporting it themselves,” Trump said. “They participate in the process of saving us money.” Later, as he flew back to Washington aboard Air Force One, he was asked by a reporter about the plan floated by Musk.
(With inputs from agencies)
