Trump taking notes from India? US$5,000 cash pitch draws ‘freebie’ comparisons

Trump taking notes from India? US$5,000 cash pitch draws ‘freebie’ comparisons

Indian politicians and commentators accuse the US president of mimicking South Asia’s election playbook to woo voters ahead of the midterms

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 opposition Congress party: “Trump is copying us.” Shivakumar argued that the pledge reflected the wider influence of Karnataka’s welfare model.

Political analysts and party leaders credit Karnataka’s targeted welfare promises – aimed at easing inflation, empowering women and supporting youth – as a defining factor behind Congress winning a decisive victory in the state in 2023.

To Indian observers, Trump’s conditional payout promise sounded familiar. Social media users compared it to pre-poll pledges often made by domestic politicians, posting memes and saying “freebies” had reached America’s shores.