‘A kickback scheme’: Trump repeats charge against USAID over voter turnout funding in India

US President Donald Trump once again questioned the 2024 Lok Sabha election, claiming without evidence that federal funding to improve voter turnout in India was “a kickback scheme.” The remarks from the president came at a gathering of Republican governors in Washington. Trump addressed the meeting after he hosted a Black History Month reception, featuring guests such as Tiger Woods.

Trump’s remarks on the Indian election came while he was listing out a number of foreign aid contracts that have been eliminated by the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). “I would say in many cases, many of these cases, anytime you have no idea what we’re talking about, that means there’s a kickback because nobody has any idea what’s going on,” he said.

It is pertinent to note that the USAID inspector’s general office is known for regularly investigating allegations of corruption, and people have been often fined or jailed for participation in kickback schemes.

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The President’s allegation of a kickback scheme in Indian elections came shortly after he questioned his predecessor Joe Biden’s move to provide $21 million to India for “voter turnout” and hinted at the interference of the United States in the Indian general election in 2024. He went on to claim that the previous administration was “trying to get somebody else elected” in the 2024 elections in India.

While speaking at the FII Priority Summit in Florida’s Miami, US President Donald Trump said, “Why do we need to spend $21 million on 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.”

In a similar remark on Tuesday, Trump also questioned why the US is giving $21 million to India amid high import tariffs in the country. “Why are we giving $21 million to India? They have a lot more money. They are 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 and their Prime Minister, but giving $21 million for voter turnout?” he said.

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Meanwhile, Doge also claimed that a whopping $29 million was allocated to “strengthen the political landscape in Bangladesh,” which faced political turmoil last year amid allegations of US involvement in Sheikh Hasina’s removal. The body also pointed to other international funding.