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 changes, billions of dollars allocated by Congress for foreign aid must still be spent, with lawmakers insisting on continued funding 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, which has undergone dramatic transformation under Trump, is now considering funding groups that align with the administration’s revised priorities. Among these is a proposal to fund research on crime against Afrikaners in South Africa, reflecting the administration’s expressed 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 funding, citing ongoing deliberations. The Trump administration has voiced serious concerns about South Africa’s human rights issues, particularly focusing on claims of violence against white South Africans. Over the past 18 months, Trump has argued there is a genocide of white South Africans and used these claims to justify cutting off U.S. funding for HIV treatment and research in the country.

Initially, a $5 million grant was proposed to support people facing "deplatforming" and to advocate against "restrictive online safety and hate speech laws." This grant was later opened to a broader set of invited groups to apply for $1 million in funding, still intended for similar purposes. Additionally, a call for proposals from the bureau would fund research, conferences, and cultural engagements in wealthy democracies aimed at developing "civilizational self-confidence in Europe."

The founder of Lex Libertas stated that the organization had neither applied for nor been awarded any grant from the U.S. State Department or other government branches but did not respond to further questions.

This shift in foreign aid priorities marks a stark change from previous U.S. approaches, focusing more narrowly on issues raised by the Trump administration concerning minority groups in South Africa.

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