'They Got A Lot More Money': US President Trump Defends Cutting USD 21 Million Aid For 'Voter Turnout In India'

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (February 18, by local time) defended decision to cut USD 21 million meant to be spent to boost voter turnout in India. US government's Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE) headed by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk recently announced that it was trimming expenditures for causes around the world worth millions of dollars. It said in its post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) that the curtailed expenditure also included USD 21 million for 'voter turnout in India'.

Trump acknowledged his respect for India and PM Narendra Modi but stood by his administration's decision to cancel the expenditure.

"Why are we giving $21 million to India? They got a lot more money. They are 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 and their Prime Minister, but giving $21 million for voter turnout? In India? What about voter turnout here?" said President Trump on Tuesday. He was speaking at his Mar-a-Lago residence in the state of Florida.

On Sunday, when DOGE announced the expenditure cut, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reacted sharply saying that the fact that such expenditure was planed points to the possibility of foreign interference in India. BJP's IT cell chief Amit Malviya took to X to allege this and also accuse billionaire philanthropist George Soros of trying to influence developments in India.

Donald Trump, already perceived to be an isolationist leader who has always wanted the US to limit its involvement in world affairs, is widely held to be somewhat on an overdrive at the very beginning of his first term.

Shortly after his inauguration on January 20th this year, he signed flurry of executive orders covering many aspects of internal matters in the US and also matters of global importance.