Trump slams $29 million US aid to Bangladesh firm with just 2 employees

US President Trump said that a $29 million US-funded project to strengthen Bangladesh's political landscape had gone to a company with only two people that no one had ever heard of.

US President Trump said that a $29 million US-funded project to strengthen Bangladesh's political landscape had gone to a company with only two people that no one had ever heard of.

Speaking to US governors at the White House on Friday during their annual winter meeting in Washington, DC, the newly elected US president mentioned a number of Usaid projects that were being canceled on the advice of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

"$29 million to strengthen the political landscape in Bangladesh. Went to a firm that nobody ever heard of," said the US president. "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. They had two people working in that firm, 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 scammers," Trump said.

Trump had also discussed a project that would take him to India before arriving in Bangladesh. He claimed that in order to increase voter turnout, my friend Prime Minister Modi in India would receive $21 million. For India's voting turnout, we are contributing $21 million. How about us? I also want people to vote.

Both projects were among the $17 million projects that were slashed on DOGE's advice from a variety of international aid programs and initiatives in Bangladesh, Nepal, and India.