Trump taking notes from India? US$5,000 cash pitch draws ‘freebie’ comparisons
Donald Trump’s proposal to give adult Americans US$5,000 if Republicans win November’s midterm elections has drawn an unusual accusation from India: that the US president is borrowing from the country’s welfare-heavy political playbook. Speaking days after Trump floated the US$5,000 proposal on September 9, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar told an event held by India’s main…
Donald Trump has proposed giving US$5,000 to adult Americans if his party wins the upcoming midterm elections, a move that has drawn comparisons to India's welfare-heavy political strategy. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, speaking at an India Congress party event, accused Trump of copying the Indian model, arguing that it reflected the influence of Karnataka's own welfare measures.
Indian observers have likened Trump's conditional payout promise to pre-election pledges made by domestic politicians, with many referring to the potential payouts as "freebies". The US economy is currently facing inflation and rising interest rates amid a costly Iran war, but Trump claims the payouts could be feasible due to the economy's strength.
Political analysts say the proposal is a desperate attempt to win back voters who have drifted away from the Republican Party due to the war's effects. Some experts warn that the $1 trillion-plus proposal is a classic populist maneuver to revive flagging popularity ahead of the midterms, risking America becoming poorer and being misspent on alcohol or illegal drugs.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
