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Donald Trump has dismissed claims that the so-called US "deep state" played a role in the recent political unrest in Bangladesh that culminated in the toppling of the Sheikh Hasina government after more than 15 years in power.
The US president addressed the issue at a joint media briefing in Washington, DC, on Thursday following his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, bdnews24.com reports.
During the briefing, an Indian journalist raised the issue of Bangladesh in a question for Trump.
The journalist first asked Modi about India’s role in Ukraine peace efforts. He then turned to Trump and asked about the potential involvement of the "US deep state" in Bangladesh's affairs.
"Well, there was no role for our deep state," Trump said.
Pointing toward Modi, he added, "[The situation in Bangladesh] is something that the prime minister [Modi] has been working on for a long time... I’ll leave Bangladesh to the prime minister."
However, when Modi responded, he focussed solely on India’s position on peace efforts in Ukraine and made no comments on Bangladesh.
The term deep state generally refers to an alleged covert network of unelected government officials and private entities that exert undue influence on government policies. In the US, Trump and his supporters frequently blame the deep state for interfering in domestic and foreign affairs. One of the leading voices in this narrative is Elon Musk, a prominent figure in Trump’s administration and one of the world’s richest individuals.