Donald Trump Accuses USAID of Interfering in India’s Elections Over $21M Grant

The following day, Trump further defended the Department of Governance Efficiency’s (DOGE) move to cancel the $21 million fund for voter turnout in India, expressing doubts about the need for such spending.

“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?” Trump stated at Mar-a-Lago.

The Department of Governance Efficiency, headed by billionaire Elon Musk, announced a series of budget cuts, which included the cancellation of $21 million allocated for voter turnout in India as part of a $486 million grant to the “Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening.”

The department justified the cancellation by stating that “US taxpayer dollars were going to be spent on the following items, all of which have been cancelled…” The list also included a $22 million grant for “inclusive and participatory political process” in Moldova.

The cancellation of the grant sparked political unrest in India, with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accusing the US of interfering in India’s election process.

BJP leader Amit Malviya described the grant as “external interference” in India’s elections. He questioned who the beneficiaries were, asserting that it was “not the ruling party for sure.”

“USD 21M for voter turnout? This definitely is external interference in India’s electoral process. Who gains from this? Not the ruling party for sure!” the BJP’s IT department head tweeted, emphasizing concerns over the grant’s impact on India’s sovereignty.