Goa, Feb. 20 -- U.S. President Donald Trump defended his administration's decision to cut $21 million in USAID funding to India for voter turnout, questioning the necessity of the expenditure. Speaking from his Mar-a-Lago residence on Wednesday, Trump cited India's strong economy and high tariffs as reasons for the cut.

Trump told reporters while signing executive orders.

The remarks followed an announcement by the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which revealed that USAID funding for India's voter turnout initiative had been canceled. The cut was part of a broader rollback of foreign aid spending, including - $29 million for "strengthening the political landscape" in Bangladesh, $20 million for "fiscal federali...