Congress Demands White Paper On USAID Funds After Trump’s “My Friend PM Modi” Remarks
The Congress party has demanded a comprehensive white paper on foreign aid received by Indian entities after former US President Donald Trump’s claim that $21 million in USAID funds was allocated for voter turnout in India. Trump’s remarks, made at a Governors working session, have triggered a political storm, with the opposition questioning the Modi government’s transparency regarding foreign funding.
Trump, reiterating his stance for the third consecutive day, stated, “And $21 million going to my friend Prime Minister Modi in India for voter turnout. What about us? I want voter turnout too.” He also questioned a separate $29 million grant to a firm in Bangladesh, suggesting a lack of oversight in US foreign aid distribution.
The Congress, through its media head Pawan Khera, has raised serious concerns over the BJP’s claims surrounding USAID funds. Khera accused the BJP of spreading misinformation while ignoring facts. He pointed out that multiple fact-checks, including from The Washington Post, have debunked the claim that USAID funds were directed to India for electoral purposes. According to these reports, the $21 million was allocated to Bangladesh under the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS) programme.
Khera criticised the Modi government for its failure to clarify the funding details, asking, “If the money went to Bangladesh, how can the Modi government be unaware of it? Does this not expose its flawed neighbourhood policy?”
Further, Congress questioned why the BJP was linking a 2012 agreement between the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) to the USAID issue. According to Khera, the agreement was solely for training election officials worldwide, not for influencing elections in India. He also pointed out that the agreement was renewed under Modi’s government in 2020.
Highlighting USAID’s financial footprint in India, Congress cited an India Today analysis, which found that between 2001 and 2024, USAID disbursed $2.9 billion in grants to India. Notably, 44.4% of this funding was received during BJP’s rule from 2014 to 2024, with $650 million coming in the last four years alone. Khera demanded answers from the government, questioning, “Why did Modi’s government receive $650 million in USAID funds between FY21 and FY24, and for what purposes?”
The opposition party also linked previous USAID involvement in India to major policy decisions, stating that the agency launched its Cashless India campaign just a month before demonetisation in 2016. Similarly, it highlighted USAID’s partnership in the Swachh Bharat Mission, where it worked with the Indian government in 73 cities.
Accusing the BJP of hypocrisy, Khera asked, “If Modi’s government considers USAID a threat, why did it repeatedly seek its help, including $100 million in COVID-19 aid in 2021?”
The Congress has put forward three key demands:
1. A white paper detailing all foreign aid received by Indian political parties, NGOs, and government agencies.
2. A strong public rebuttal from PM Modi addressing Trump’s claim about USAID funds being allocated for voter turnout in India.
3. Legal action against BJP leaders and their ecosystem for allegedly spreading misinformation to target civil society and opposition groups.
Meanwhile, BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya shared Trump’s remarks on social media, using them to attack the opposition.
