US President Donald Trump said that a US-funded project to strengthen the political landscape in Bangladesh worth $29 million had gone to a firm with just two people that nobody had ever heard of.

The newly elected US president was speaking to US governors at the White House on Friday.

During his speech, Trump spoke about a string of USAID projects that were being axed upon recommendation from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) headed by Elon Musk.

"$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."

Trump then mentioned, "They'll be on the cover of a very good business magazine pretty soon, for being great scammers."

Before getting to Bangladesh, Trump had also mentioned a USAID project in India. He said, "$21 million [was] going to my friend, Prime Minister Modi, in India for voter turnout. We're giving 21 million for voter turnout in India. What about us? I want voter turnout too."

Both projects were among 17 international aid programs in countries including Bangladesh, Nepal, and India that were cut based on DOGE's recommendations.