New Delhi: US President Donald Trump on Sunday again criticized the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for what he said granting ‘Eighteen million dollars for helping India with its elections’.
Alongside, addressing the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington, President Trump harped on tariff issue saying that India already benefits from high tariffs imposed on American goods.
‘Eighteen million dollars for helping India with its elections. Why the hell? Why don't we just go to old paper ballots, and let them help us with their elections, right? Voter ID. Wouldn't that be nice? We're giving money to India for elections. They don't need money,’ President Trump was quoted as saying.
However, Trump’s claim of ‘eighteen million dollars’ remains unverified, which comes after US government ‘s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) claimed that "$21 million" was allocated for ‘voter turnout’ in India.
President Trump said that India was taking ‘advantage of us pretty good’, while branding the country as ‘One of the highest tariffed nations in the world,’ adding ‘We try and sell something. They have a 200 per cent tariff. And then we're giving them a lot of money to help them with their election.’
India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that the government was looking into the information put out by the Trump administration, adding that USAID was allowed in good faith but now suggestions from the US say that ‘there are activities which are in bad faith’.
‘It's worrisome, and if there's something to it, then the country should know who the people are involved in it,’ Jaishankar reportedly said.
Alongside demanding a whitepaper on the funds from developmental agencies and aid mechanisms, the Congress sought legal action against spreading allegations of foreign interference in Indian democracy.
Congress also accused the BJP of relying on the US President's claims to support conspiracy theories.