February 19th 2025.
During a recent press conference in New York, President Donald Trump expressed his doubts about the allocation of USD 21 million to India for "voter turnout". He reiterated his belief that the United States is limited in its ability to intervene in India due to the country's high tariffs. In fact, Trump stated that India is one of the highest taxing countries in the world.
These comments came after Elon Musk's organization, DOGE, revealed that USAID had contributed USD 21 million to the Election Commission in India with the goal of increasing voter turnout. However, it was later disclosed that all of the items on the list, including the USD 21 million for India, have been cancelled.
The list also included other allocations, such as USD 29 million for strengthening the political landscape in Bangladesh, USD 20 million for fiscal federalism, USD 19 million for biodiversity conservation in Nepal, and USD 47 million for improving learning outcomes in Asia. Trump questioned the purpose of these allocations and expressed his concern over the high tariffs that make it difficult for the US to do business with India.
During his recent visit to Mar-a-Lago, Trump signed several executive orders, one of which requires "radical transparency" regarding wasteful spending of taxpayer dollars by the federal government. He also mentioned his respect for India and its Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had visited the White House just a week prior. However, he continued to question the allocation of USD 21 million for voter turnout in India, stating that the US should also focus on voter turnout within its own borders.
These comments were made just hours before Modi's bilateral meeting with Trump on February 13, during which the US President announced reciprocal tariffs. This plan involves countering non-reciprocal trading arrangements with partners by determining an equivalent tariff for each country. This decision was met with criticism from India, as Trump acknowledged that India has some of the highest tariffs in the world, making it difficult for the US to do business with them.
DOGE, which is led by billionaire SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, has been tasked with overseeing workforce reduction across the government. As part of this, Musk announced the shutdown of USAID, which is responsible for humanitarian efforts around the world. This decision was met with opposition, and a Trump-nominated judge issued a temporary restraining order to prevent the president and DOGE from placing over 2,000 employees on administrative leave. According to reports, all USAID humanitarian work has been stopped and the agency's website has been shut down.
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