Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Feb 20: US President Donald Trump’s recent remarks questioning American funding for electoral and governance projects in India, Bangladesh, and Nepal have ignited discussions among political analysts, diplomats, and strategic experts across South Asia.

Trump, speaking at the FII Priority Summit in Miami, criticized the Biden administration’s decision to allocate $21 million for voter turnout efforts in India, $29 million for political restructuring in Bangladesh, and $20 million for fiscal federalism in Nepal through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

“Why are we spending $21 million on voter turnout in India? I guess they were trying to get somebody else elected. This is a total breakthrough,” Trump said, suggesting that such funding may have been an attempt to influence India's electoral process.

This marks the second time in 24 hours that Trump has condemned the previous administration for alleged interference in foreign elections. He further claimed that all such funding had now been terminated under his leadership, adding that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) had effectively dismantled USAID to prevent further misuse of American taxpayer money.

On February 16, Elon Musk-led DOGE formally announced the cancellation of the $21 million India voter turnout grant, along with other foreign assistance programs deemed unnecessary or excessive. The agency’s statement also highlighted the removal of USAID funding for Bangladesh and Nepal, where the money was reportedly used to reshape political structures and support governance initiatives.

In response, Indian officials and experts have pointed out that Western intervention in India’s electoral processes is not new.

“Foreign, especially Western, interference in India’s elections is well-documented. This $21 million by USAID is just the tip of the iceberg. Fortunately, the Indian electorate is far too politically savvy for such tactics,” said former Indian Ambassador Anil Trigunayat.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also condemned the funding, linking it to external interference.

“21 million dollars for voter turnout? This is external interference in India’s electoral process. Who gains from this? Certainly not the ruling party,” BJP leader Amit Malviya stated, adding that such initiatives were part of a systematic infiltration of Indian institutions by foreign entities.

He also accused Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros of influencing India’s elections through his Open Society Foundations, which have been accused of meddling in domestic politics worldwide.

In Bangladesh, political observers have raised concerns about USAID's role in last year’s regime change attempts. Prominent Bangladeshi journalist and historian Syed Badrul Ahsan suggested that the Trump administration’s revelations had validated long-standing suspicions about external efforts to destabilize Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government.

“Trump’s measures have raised fresh questions about the Biden administration’s role in attempting regime change in Bangladesh last August. Senior U.S. officials’ visits to Dhaka now appear to have had a deeper motive,” Ahsan told.

Counter-terrorism expert Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury also praised Trump for exposing the misuse of American taxpayer dollars to ‘create chaos’ in Bangladesh.

“Trump should now investigate how Joe Biden, Barack Obama, George Soros, and the Clintons have pushed Bangladesh into the grip of Islamist and corrupt elements,” Choudhury wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

In Nepal, the funding for fiscal federalism and biodiversity conservation has also been met with scrutiny, with analysts questioning whether such initiatives were merely a pretext for exerting political influence.

Strategic affairs expert Atul Aneja argued that USAID had long been used as a tool of the U.S. deep state to weaken strong sovereign governments by funding NGOs that promote ethnic, caste-based, and ideological divisions.

“The Modi government has been a target of this strategy since at least 2016. USAID has been a front for destabilizing governments through seemingly innocent social and political projects,” Aneja told.

The Trump administration’s decision to terminate USAID’s controversial projects has now placed renewed focus on foreign funding in India’s electoral landscape, with experts predicting further scrutiny of international NGOs and political interventions.

As Trump positions himself for a potential return to the White House, his statements on USAID’s involvement in India, Bangladesh, and Nepal signal a dramatic shift in US foreign policy, particularly regarding democracy promotion and election funding abroad.