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Donald Trump has called the alleged US allocation of $21 million for voter turnout in India a ‘kickback scheme’. He had speculated that the Biden administration might be trying to influence Indian elections.
US President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting of the Republican Governors Association (Photo: AFP)
A day after his claims over Indian elections, US President Donald Trump on Thursday said the federal funding to improve voter turnout in India was a “kickback scheme” and said nobody has an idea of what’s going on.
In a speech to the Republican Governor’s Association in the capital Washington, Trump said, “21 million dollars for a voter turnout in India, why are we caring about Indian turnout, we got enough problems. We want our own turnout, don’t we? Can you imagine all that money going to India, I wonder what they think when they get it.”
“Now it’s a kickback scheme, they get it, they spend it, they kick it back to the people that sent it,” Trump could be heard saying.
“And I would say in 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,” the US President said.
🚨 HUGE! Donald Trump once again points to USAID funding for voter turnout in India — calls a ‘Kickback scheme.’ 💥“$21 million for voter turnout in India. Why are we caring about India turnout?”
➡️ 4th June — PM Modi escaped the Biggest conspiracy against his govt 🎯 pic.twitter.com/ONPV9Eq1DX
— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) February 21, 2025
On Wednesday, Trump, hinting at an apparent interference in the Indian elections by the previous Joe Biden administration, questioned the need to spend 21 million dollars on voter turnout in India under USAID.
He also speculated that a bid to “get somebody else elected” was underway in the country by the Biden administration.
Later, the US President said he would take up the matter with the Modi government in India.
On February 16, Tesla CEO and billionaire Elon Musk led-DOGE claimed that 21 million dollars was allocated under the USAID in the name of “voter turnout in India”.
