Ethiopia Denies Trump Claim US Funded Grand Ethiopian Dam
Former US President Donald Trump has repeatedly asserted—most recently at a White House dinner and on social media—that the United States “stupidly financed” the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). He claims the dam was built “mostly with American money.” What We Found Ethiopian authorities strongly deny Trump’s assertion. Aregawi Berhe, Director-General of GERD’s coordination office, called the claim “groundless,” affirming that since its inception in 2012, the dam has been financed by Ethiopian citizens and government through bonds, donations, and labor. Funding came solely from domestic efforts, including bond sales and diaspora contributions—no US government financing has been involved. The GERD, costing around US$5 billion, has been built primarily through Ethiopian investment, with additional contributions from China (via its Exim Bank) for turbines and transmission infrastructure—no US backing is recorded. Expert Insight The dam is widely understood in global reporting to be […]