‘They take advantage of us’: Trump amid row over alleged USAID funding to India

Doubling down on his harsh stance over the alleged United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funding for elections in India, US President Donald Trump said that India doesn’t need the money.

“18 million dollars for helping India with its elections. Why the hell? Why don’t we just go to old paper ballots, and 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,” he said while addressing the Conservative Political Action Conference, reported news agency ANI.

He also doubled down his criticism for high tariffs in India and said that India takes advantage of the US “pretty good.”

“They take advantage of us pretty good. One of the highest tariffed 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,” he said while addressing the conference.

S Jaishankar on USAID funding

Trump’s remarks come after Indian foreign minister S Jaishankar reacted to the US President’s allegations that the USAID gave out 21 million dollars to help with voter turnout in India and said that the allegations were “concerning” and “worrisome”.

Jaishankar, on Saturday, said that the Indian government was looking into the allegations.

He also said that the USAID was allowed in India under “good faith”, however, these allegations suggest that some activities were done in “bad faith”. “Some information has been put out there by the Trump administration people, and obviously, that is concerning… 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,” S Jaishankar said.

Donald Trump made the allegation on Friday in Washington. While speaking at a ‘Governors Working Session’, Trump said, “Twenty-one million dollars 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? I want voter turnout too.”