Trump was obviously addressing his domestic constituency but Indian politicians could not avoid using the occasion for point scoring
Elon Musk is now US President Donald Trump’s comrade in governing America. He is the world’s richest man and heads globally important high technology companies.
Even though he does not formally head Trump’s newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk is its most important functionary. DOGE is in charge of reducing government expenditure and slashing the staff of the US federal administration.
Tirade against USAID
While Musk is focusing on all US government departments and agencies, his greatest dislike is for the US Agency for International Development, commonly known as USAID. This department has been an important arm of US diplomacy till now and is used to funnel funds to poor or developing countries for various projects undertaken in these countries with US assistance.
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Some of these projects are government-to-government linked but some USAID money also goes to NGOs and civil society organisations. Musk thinks that USAID performs no useful function and wants to disband it.
Trump has gone along with him and has over the past week ridiculed the projects which US AID has pursued in different countries, especially those that appear to be routed through NGOS.
Trump on India
Trump’s first diatribe against USAID came during his press briefing after signing some executive orders. Criticising US assistance to foreign countries he also brought in India.
He said: “$21 million for voter turnout in India. Well, why are we giving $21 million to India? They got a lot of money. They’re 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. I have a lot of respect for the prime minister. He just left, as you know, two days ago. But we’re giving $21 million for voter turnout. It’s voter turnout in India. What about, like, voter turnout here?”
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Trump’s remarks led to the BJP and the Congress party to trade charges. The former accused the Congress of relying on foreign funding and dragged the name of George Soros too. On its part, the Congress rebutted the charges and asked the government to prepare a White Paper on the issue.
Trump on Modi
Two days after his comments on American’s “useless funding”, Trump again raised the issue and repeated his charge of money going to India for electoral purposes. While addressing Republican governors on February 20, Trump said: “And $21 million for voter turnout in India. Why are we caring about India 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. It’s not like they get it and they spend — they kick it back to the people that send it, I would say, in many cases, many of these cases.”
Again, a day later, on February 21, addressing governors of US states, Trump took another swipe at US foreign assistance and, in the process, also referred to US expenditure of $ 21 million for India’s electoral process. But this time he brought in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Trump said: “$486 million to a consortium for elections and political process strengthening in which $22 million was for inclusive participatory political process in Moldova and $21 million going to my friend Prime Minister Modi in India for voter turnout. We’re giving $21 million for voter turnout in India. What about us?”
Also Read: Explained | Will the freeze on USAID funding affect India?
Official Indian reaction
Significantly, on February 21 (because of the time difference between India and the US prior to Trump’s comment), the External Affairs Ministry spokesperson, in response to questions, said: “Regarding USAID, the information that has been put out. These are obviously very deeply troubling. This has led to concerns about foreign interference in India’s internal affairs. Relevant departments and agencies are looking into this matter. It would be premature to make a public comment at this stage.”
The last sentence articulated by the official spokesperson was strange because he had commented that the reports were “deeply troubling”.
On February 22, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar waded into the controversy even though Modi’s name had been used by Trump. The media quoted him as saying: “I think, as a government, we’re looking into it. My sense is that the facts will come out... USAID was allowed here in good faith, to do good faith activities; now, suggestions are being laid out from America 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.”
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Trump again targets India
Some hours later, Trump while addressing the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) again mentioned the US assistance to various countries.
In this context he said this about help for elections in India: “$18 million for helping India with its elections. What the hell! Why don’t we just go to all paper ballots. 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. They take advantage of us pretty good one of the highest tariff nations in the world. 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.”
Also Read: Trump admin set to fire 2,000 USAID workers, put thousands on leave
Bangladesh, not India
Amidst Trump’s shooting from the hip allegations about assistance to India and the political slugfest in this country, a prominent Indian as well as a famous American newspaper reported that USAID had given funds of $21 million to Bangladesh for strengthening democracy.
These were routed through the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS), a Washington DC-based body. CEPPS denied that any of the funds was sent to India.
Immature Indian response
In a mature democracy, Trump’s repeated claims about sending money to India should have been dismissed by the government and the Opposition together. Indeed, the political class should have united in doing so.
This was especially because if USAID funds were sent to an Indian NGO, the Indian authorities would have known about them, and also the organisation would have had to make a filing under FCRA provisions.
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Besides, once the CEPPS clarified its position, the position the government should have called in the US Charge de Affairs and asked for an urgent and time-bound clarification. And if none was forthcoming because of Trump’s repeated comments, a protest should have been registered. It should also have been made clear that tariffs should not be mixed with other issues as Trump has been doing with his statements.
It is clear that Trump was addressing his domestic constituency but the Indian government and the ruling party could not avoid using the occasion for point scoring.
The Congress did not also dismiss these allegations with the contempt Trump’s comments deserved. This may have led Trump to continue to target India on this issue because the Indian political class, instead of uniting in telling him where to get off, fell into a trap of trading charges.
(The Federal seeks to present views and opinions from all sides of the spectrum. The information, ideas or opinions in the articles are of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Federal.)
