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

A recent investigation by ProPublica uncovered that a lesser-known bureau within the State Department has been dramatically transformed under Trump, redirecting funds to new priorities. Among these is a proposed grant initially aimed at supporting research on crime against Afrikaners in South Africa, a topic tied to the administration's expressed concerns about human rights conditions in the country.

The State Department declined to confirm whether the British organization Lex Libertas, which has been linked to this grant, will be invited to compete for funding, citing ongoing deliberations. The Trump administration has voiced serious concerns about the human rights situation in South Africa. Over the past 18 months, Trump has claimed there is a genocide of white South Africans and cited disproportionate violence against white people to justify cutting U.S. funding for HIV treatment and research.

The original $5 million grant proposal was later broadened to allow a wider range of groups to apply for $1 million in funding, though the purpose remains focused on similar issues, according to sources familiar with the process. Additionally, a call for proposals from the bureau seeks to fund research, conferences, and cultural engagements in wealthy democracies aimed at fostering “civilizational self-confidence in Europe.”

The founder of Lex Libertas has stated the organization has neither applied for nor received any grants from the U.S. State Department or other government branches and did not respond to further inquiries.

These developments illustrate a marked shift in U.S. foreign aid priorities under the Trump administration, with a focus on narrower geopolitical and cultural concerns.

Sources