Since returning to office, President Donald Trump’s administration has significantly altered U.S. foreign aid programs, labeling many long-standing initiatives as misaligned with American interests and cutting their budgets. Despite these changes, billions of dollars allocated by Congress for foreign aid must still be spent, with lawmakers insisting on continued support for humanitarian aid, global health, and pro-democracy efforts worldwide.

A recent investigation by ProPublica uncovered that a little-known bureau within the State Department has been dramatically transformed under Trump. Among the new directions, the administration proposed funding research into crime against Afrikaners in South Africa, a move reflecting serious concerns about the human rights situation there.

The State Department declined to confirm whether the British organization Lex Libertas, which has been linked to these efforts, will be invited to compete for a $1 million grant. The proposed grant was broadened to allow more groups to apply but remains focused on similar objectives. Lex Libertas’s founder stated the group has neither applied for nor received any U.S. government funding.

Over the past 18 months, Trump has asserted that white South Africans face genocide and disproportionate violence, using these claims to justify cutting U.S. funding for HIV treatment and research in the region.

Additionally, a proposed $5 million grant would support individuals facing "deplatforming" and oppose "restrictive online safety and hate speech laws," according to documents reviewed by ProPublica. The bureau also released a call for proposals to fund research, conferences, and cultural engagements aimed at fostering "civilizational self-confidence in Europe."

This shift in aid priorities marks a stark departure from previous U.S. foreign aid strategies, focusing more narrowly on specific groups and issues.

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