Washington: US President Donald Trump mentioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the first time while reiterating, for the fourth consecutive day, his claim that $21 million was granted to India for “voter turnout.” His remarks come amid a growing political controversy over the issue.
In his latest statement, Trump specifically referred to separate USAID funding for India and Bangladesh, contradicting a report by The Indian Express, which had stated that the grant was sanctioned for Dhaka, not New Delhi.
Previously, Trump had suggested—without providing evidence—that the funds might have been used to interfere in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. However, in his latest remarks, he directly mentioned the Indian Prime Minister.
“$21 million going to my friend Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India for voter turnout. We are giving $21 million for voter turnout in India. What about us? I want voter turnout too,” Trump said on Friday.
Trump on India, Bangladesh voter turnout aid
He followed up by referring to the $29 million USAID grant to Bangladesh for “strengthening the political landscape.” “USD 29 million in Bangladesh went to a firm that nobody had ever heard of. Only two people were working in that firm,” President Trump stated.
Posting a video of Trump’s remarks on X, BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya criticised the opposition and The Indian Express, which had cited its report to counter the claims.
“For the third day in a row, US President Donald Trump reiterated his claim about USAID funding efforts to promote voter turnout in India… But what does he know about his own country’s spending? The Indian Express and the deranged Left think they know better!” Malviya tweeted.
What the report said
On Friday, The Indian Express published an investigative report stating that India had not received USAID funding for any election-related project since 2008. The report asserted that the only USAID grant of $21 million for voter participation was sanctioned for a project in Bangladesh in 2022.
What Trump Said on India Funding
Trump has repeatedly raised the issue after the Elon Musk-led DOGE cancelled the $21 million payout to India and similar grants to other nations earlier this month.
On February 19, Trump questioned the reasoning behind giving $21 million to India, remarking that the US “can hardly get in there” due to high tariffs.
The following day, he escalated his claims, questioning the Biden administration’s decision to allocate the grant and implying that it may have been used to influence elections.
“USD 21 million for voter turnout in India. Why do we need to spend USD 21 million for voter turnout in India? I guess they (the Biden administration) were trying to get somebody else elected. We have got to tell the Indian government… This is a total breakthrough,” he stated.
On Friday, speaking at a Republican governors’ conference, Trump repeated his accusations, calling the funding a “kickback scheme.” “USD 21 million for voter turnout in India. Why are we caring about India’s turnout? We got enough problems… it’s a kickback scheme, you know,” he emphasised.
India’s response
Breaking its silence four days after Trump’s initial claim, the Indian government described the allegations as “very deeply troubling.” The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) expressed concerns over potential foreign interference in India’s internal affairs.
“There are many departments and agencies in India that work with USAID. All these ministries and agencies are looking at this now,” the MEA spokesperson said at a press briefing on Friday.
BJP vs Congress
The controversy has sparked a heated political exchange, with the BJP and Congress accusing each other of leveraging “external influence” in elections.
The BJP has targeted Rahul Gandhi, pointing to his 2023 remarks in London as evidence of his alleged collusion with foreign forces to weaken India. BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia claimed that a significant portion of USAID funding flowed into India during the Congress-led UPA regime.
“While government funding (to India) stopped, there was an increase in NGO funding during Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, aimed at strengthening Rahul Gandhi ahead of the elections and undermining Narendra Modi,” Bhatia alleged.
Meanwhile, at a parallel press conference, Congress leader Pawan Khera accused the BJP of historically relying on “external forces” to destabilise UPA governments.
Congress dismissed Trump’s remarks as “nonsensical” and demanded that the Modi government release a White Paper detailing USAID’s financial support to government institutions and NGOs in India.
