Trump Reads DOGE's List: '$520 Million for a Consultant on the Environment,' $21 Million for Voter Turnout in India (February 18, 2025)

At Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump read out what Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency had found in the books. “Five hundred and twenty million dollars for a consultant on the environment. It’s called environmental, social, and governance, investments in Africa and mobilize private-sector resources: $520 million,” Trump said on Feb. 18, 2025, according to the transcript published by the American Presidency Project [1].

“Twenty-five million dollars to promote biodiversity, conservation, and promote licit livelihoods by developing socially responsible behavior in the country of Colombia. Well, that’s nice. Twenty-five million going to Colombia for something that nobody ever heard of,” he said [1].

The video above shows Trump’s remarks at Mar-a-Lago on Feb. 18, 2025. Quotes are from the American Presidency Project and the Federal Register [1][2][3].

”What About Us?”

Trump kept reading. “Forty-two million dollars for Johns Hopkins—great place—to research and drive social and behavior change in Uganda. Forty-two million. What about us? What about social change in our country?” he said [1].

“Ten million dollars for Mozambique voluntary medical male circumcisions. Ten million dollars for circumcisions in another country,” Trump said [1].

“Nine-point-seven million for UC Berkeley to develop a cohort of Cambodian youth with enterprise-driven skills. In other words, let’s teach them something about enterprise. What about our people? Can’t we teach them about enterprise?” he said [1].

”Why Are We Giving $21 Million to India?”

“And $21 million for voter turnout in India. Well, why are we giving $21 million to India? They’ve got a lot of money,” Trump said [1].

“Thirty-two million dollars to the Prague Civil Society Centre, which is a very liberal group of people. I wonder how much of that money came back to the people that approved it,” he said [1].

“Four hundred eighty-six million dollars to the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening, including $22 million for inclusive and participatory political process in Moldova,” Trump said [1].

“Nineteen million dollars for biodiversity conservation in Nepal. One-point-five million for voter confidence—we want to give them confidence—in Liberia. Fourteen million dollars for social cohesion in Mali,” he said [1].

“Listen to these numbers. These are—this is all fraud,” Trump said [1].

”There’s One Person That’s 360 Years Old”

He also read numbers from the Social Security files. “People from 140 years old to 149 years old: 3,542,000. A hundred and forty years old and beyond,” he said [1].

“People from 150 years old to 159 years old: 1,345,000. These are in the—by the way, these are in the computer files,” Trump said [1].

“From 200 to 209 years old: 879 people,” he said. “And there’s one person that’s 360 years old.” [1]

“I asked Elon, ‘Who are these DOGE people?’ He said they’re super brilliant computer people, and they love the country. It’s simple,” Trump said [1].

”In the Neighborhood of 25 Percent”

“I’ve been contacted by some of the biggest companies in the world, and because of what we’re doing economically and through tariffs and taxes and incentives, they want to come back into the United States,” Trump said [1].

Asked what tariff he would put on foreign cars, he said: “Yes, I probably will tell you that in—on April 2, but it will be in the neighborhood of 25 percent.” On semiconductors and drugs, he said: “It will be 25 percent and higher, and it will go very substantially higher over a course of a year.” [1]

“Much More Confident”

Asked about U.S. talks with Russia that day, Trump said: “Well, much more confident. They were very good. Russia wants to do something. They want to stop the savage barbarianism.” [1]

“It’s a senseless war. It should have never happened. It would have never happened if I was President. And it’s a shame to see it,” he said [1].

Asked whether he would pull American troops out of Europe as part of a deal with Russia, Trump said: “Well, nobody has asked me to do that, so I don’t think we’d have to do that. I wouldn’t want to do that.” [1]

“Fertilization”

Trump signed an executive order on in vitro fertilization. “Fertilization—I’ve been saying that we’re going to do what we have to do, and I think the women—and families, husbands—are very appreciative of it,” he said [1].

White House Staff Secretary Will Scharf said a second order required agencies to post the details of every cut. “This Presidential memorandum would require departments and agencies to make all of the details of that freely available to the public,” Scharf said [1].

By the Numbers

$520 million: for an environmental consultant, per Trump [1].
$25 million: for biodiversity in Colombia, per Trump [1].
$21 million: for voter turnout in India, per Trump [1].
1,345,000: people listed as 150 to 159 years old, per Trump [1].

What Happened Next

The IVF order took effect. Executive Order 14216 says: “Americans need reliable access to IVF and more affordable treatment options, as the cost per cycle can range from $12,000 to $25,000.” [2]

The rolls were cleaned up. On Aug. 14, 2025, Trump said: “We cleared 12.4 million names listed in the Social Security database over 120 years of age. Think of that.” [3]

“And to protect our benefits, we’ve already kicked nearly 275,000 illegal aliens off of the Social Security system,” he said [3].

For more on that August event, see HYGO News’ page on Aug. 14, 2025. For Trump’s first Cabinet meeting with Musk eight days later, see the page on Feb. 26, 2025.