'Nobody knows what's going on there': US President Donald Trump calls $21 million fund to India 'kickback scheme'

US President Donald Trump again raised the issue of $21 million funding for 'voter turnout in India', calling it a kickback scheme, and said that nobody has any idea of what is going on there.
During his address at the Republican Governors Association (RGA) meeting on Thursday (local time), Trump questioned the allocation of funds not only for India but also mentioned $21 million for Bangladesh's political landscape and $19 million for Nepal's biodiversity.

"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. You know, 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, 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 there," he said.

"$29 million to strengthen the political landscape in Bangladesh. Nobody knows what they mean by political landscape. What does that mean? $20 million for fiscal federalism and $19 million for biodiversity in Nepal, $47 million for improving learning outcomes in Asia. What the hell do I care about?" he said.
Also read: 'Guess they were trying to get somebody else elected: Donald Trump on $21m fund for India
"We got a lot. We got enough problems and all of this is terminated. We terminated this stuff and we're on the track. And by the way, there were so many others I could have I could read all night long, but so many were so terrible, and were actually disgusting. And I know you're eating your dinner, so I didn't want to do that but we're draining the swamp," he continued.

Responding to the claims, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said that this money is used to 'sustain deep-state assets who work to defend and deflect such revelations.'
BJP leader Amit Malviya responded on X, suggesting the funds were utilised to maintain certain influential entities in India who work to protect such disclosures. "A day after US President Donald Trump spoke about $21 million being sent to India for voter turnout, he has reiterated the charge. And no, he is not confusing it with the $29 million funneled into Bangladesh. This time, he has also mentioned kickbacks. Essentially, this money is also used to sustain deep-state assets who work to defend and deflect such revelations. We are now witnessing the same pattern unfold in India."

BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari called for an investigation to determine if Rahul Gandhi and Congress party received benefits from these alleged kickbacks.
Also read: Trump’s ‘kickback scheme’ remark fuels fresh BJP-Congress face-off
Meanwhile, Congress leader Pawan Khera lashed at the government for stating that the Congress government took money from foreign funding agencies. "Selectively, they are saying that the Congress government took money from foreign funding agencies. When Smriti Irani was the brand ambassador of USAID and used to protest on the roads, was USAID behind those protests? Social activist Anna Hazare also launched a protest, after which our government lost the elections, and then he went to America and held road shows there. Everyone knows that he used to receive money from the Ford Foundation and RSS was also involved in it," Khera said.

"PM Modi went to the US uninvited. He was not invited to President Donald Trump's swearing-in ceremony, but he went there anyway. US President Donald Trump said he would impose reciprocal tariffs, but he (PM Modi) was just smiling. You (PM Modi) have come (from the US) after hearing Trump's threat. US President Donald Trump said that he would end BRICS, but he was still smiling. America's Adani, Elon Musk called F-35 fighter jets junk. The same is being imposed on India, and he was just smiling...This happened in the US and they are telling us that we took money from US aid to destabilise them," he added.

At the FII PRIORITY Summit in Miami, Florida, Trump had said the previous day, "We have got to tell the Indian Government. Because when we hear that Russia spent about two thousand dollars in our country, it was a big deal. They took some internet ads for two thousand dollars. This is a total breakthrough."
Also read: US President Donald Trump questions $21 million USAID fund for 'voter turnout' in India
Trump pointed out India's strong economic position and high tariffs on US goods, saying, "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."