There is a lame and almost laughable effort underway to create the impression of a rift between Bangladesh and the United States after President Trump’s inauguration. But it will be dangerous if this false narrative takes root. So let’s take a deep breath and take a look at what is actually going on.
The new Trump Administration has frozen almost all foreign aid to all countries as it conducts a review prior to setting its own policy priorities for the U.S. Agency for International Development. Those trying to destabilize the Bangladesh regime have promoted this freeze as targeted specifically at Bangladesh, which is not the case.
In fact, Bangladesh-U.S. relations have improved markedly since the Interim Government took power on August 8, 2024. Tensions had been mounting for years between the autocratic regime led by Sheikh Hasina and the U.S. Embassy and State Department, especially given the U.S. commitment to democracy, a free press, and human rights. There are few reasons to expect this warming of relations among such natural allies will be reversed under the Trump Administration.
The latest attempt to create the appearance of division between the two countries relates to Alex Soros’ recent visit to Bangladesh. While in Bangladesh, he called on Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, and had other meetings. The Open Society Foundation—which George Soros started, and that his son Alex now runs— has a long history of philanthropy in Bangladesh and other countries around the world. Alex Soros was simply touring one of the countries where his foundation has been active.
This visit is being made to look like an attempt by Professor Yunus to undermine the Trump Administration or to create some kind of unholy alliance with a philanthropic organization founded by someone who has supported the party now in the opposition in the United States. This is completely untrue, and no serious analyst would support it.
As is often the case when George Soros is being mentioned, thinly-veiled anti-Semitism can be found in some of the more ridiculous and offensive commentary. Anti-Semitism is as wrong as any other prejudice, whether it be against believers of Islam or other religions or belief systems.
In a few cases, commentators have mentioned in passing that President Trump is unhappy because Professor Yunus made donations to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. This is obviously untrue since donations from foreign nationals and entities to U.S. candidates is illegal. If there had been a donation, it would have been front-page news and the Clinton campaign would have been forced to return the funds. No such donation was ever made.
It is important that we all work together to cut through the fake and distorted claims circulating on the Internet and to focus instead on facts and reasoned analysis.
