Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Feb 21: Former US President Donald Trump has once again questioned the $21 million USAID funding to India in 2012 for voter turnout, calling it a “kickback scheme”. Addressing Republican governors, he said, "What the hell do I care? We have enough problems of our own." However, he did not provide any proof for his claims.
Trump further alleged that such funds are often “kicked back” to those who allocate them and also questioned a $29 million grant for political reforms in Bangladesh. He claimed his administration had terminated such expenditures, calling them wasteful.
His comments have sparked a political storm in India, with the BJP using them to target Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. BJP leaders Amit Malviya and Pradeep Bhandari linked the USAID funds to “deep-state assets” allegedly working against India. Malviya claimed, "This money was used to sustain forces that work to defame the country."
Meanwhile, Congress has dismissed the allegations, demanding a White Paper tracking USAID funds and their utilization. The party accused the BJP of spreading baseless propaganda.
The controversy has deepened with BJP leaders also linking the issue to George Soros, alleging his organizations funded anti-India narratives that were amplified before elections.
The funding debate intensified after Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by billionaire Elon Musk, scrapped USAID funding to India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and several African nations, citing cost-cutting measures.
With tensions rising, the political battle over foreign funding and its impact on India is set to escalate further.