Trump questions $29m US grant to Bangladesh firm
NN Online:
US President Donald Trump has raised concerns over a $29 million US-funded project in Bangladesh, claiming the money was allocated to an obscure firm.
Speaking at the Governors Working Session at the White House in Washington, DC, on Friday, Trump questioned the legitimacy of the funding.
“Got 29 million. They got a check. Can you imagine? You have a little firm, you get 10,000 here, 10,000 there, and then we get 29 million from the United States government. There are two people working in that firm,” he said while addressing the Governors Working Session at the White House in Washington, DC on Friday.
“Two people. I think they’re very happy, they’re very rich. They’ll be on the cover of a very good business magazine pretty soon for being great,” he added.
Trump also criticized US funding for election-related initiatives abroad, stating, “We’re sending $21 million to my friend, Prime Minister Modi, for voter turnout in India. What about us? I want voter turnout too.”
On February 16, the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) shared a post on X, listing several overseas projects that had been scrapped.
According to DOGE, taxpayer money was initially allocated for various initiatives, including $29 million for “strengthening the political landscape in Bangladesh,” $21 million for voter turnout in India, $20 million for “fiscal federalism,” and $19 million for “biodiversity conservation” in Nepal—all of which have now been canceled.