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

A recent investigation by ProPublica uncovered that a lesser-known bureau within the State Department, transformed under Trump, has proposed funding research on crime against Afrikaners in South Africa. The administration has expressed serious concerns about human rights issues in South Africa, though it declined to confirm whether the British free-speech group Lex Libertas would be invited to compete for a $1 million grant intended for this purpose.

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 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. This grant opportunity was later broadened to include a wider range of invited groups, still aimed at similar objectives.

The State Department also released a call for proposals to fund research, conferences, and cultural engagements in wealthy democracies to foster “civilizational self-confidence in Europe.” The founder of Lex Libertas denied applying for or receiving any U.S. government grants and did not respond to further inquiries.

This investigation highlights the Trump administration's reorientation of foreign aid priorities, particularly regarding South Africa and related human rights concerns.

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