According to a report by the British 'Financial Times' on July 18th, the Trump administration is preparing to significantly change the direction of U.S. foreign aid. Funds that were originally allocated for development aid and human rights programs will now be used to support organizations in Europe and other regions that share the same stance as the 'Make America Great Again' movement, thereby promoting their conservative political agenda.
The United States Department of State has sent notices to Congressmembers regarding a series of proposed funding projects. These projects are named “protecting freedom of speech” and “defending Western civilization,” and involve countries such as the EU, the UK, Eastern Europe, the Balkans region, Brazil, and South Africa.
Among them, the US government plans to allocate $2 million to ‘counteract’ the so-called ‘censorship’ caused by EU regulatory laws. The focus is on the EU’s Digital Services Act and Digital Market Act. The Trump administration has long accused Europe of restricting freedom of speech through regulations on online platforms. However, the EU believes that these laws are intended to restrict large tech companies, combat illegal content, and protect users’ rights.
The United States Department of State also plans to allocate $5 million to support the ‘Civilization Alliance’ in Europe. This funding could be used to support organizations and activities that advocate for ‘freedom of speech, political competition, and national sovereignty’. These policies closely align with the anti-immigration, anti‘political correctness’ rhetoric and opposition to EU integration advocated by European right-wing and populist forces in recent years.
Another notice indicates that the British-based organization “International Alliance for Freedom of Speech” may receive a funding of $5 million. The organization was founded by Toby Young, a member of the British Conservative Party’s upper house of parliament. Although it claims to have no party affiliation, it has long supported conservative and “anti-revolutionary” causes. Young acknowledged that the organization has expressed its desire to apply for funding from the U.S. State Department, but has not officially submitted the application yet.
September 16, 2025, Windsor, UK. A woman holds a cardboard statue of U.S. President Donald Trump and stands in front of Windsor Castle. Visual China
The U.S. government also plans to provide $2 million to relevant organizations in Eastern Europe and the Balkans to support their efforts to counter actions that are allegedly ‘destructive to Western civilization norms’.
In Latin America, the relevant funds will be used to support Brazil's efforts against what it calls "judicial overreach" and "censorship". The U.S. government has repeatedly accused Brazil's judicial authorities of "persecuting" Trump's political ally, former Brazilian President Lula da Silva.
In South Africa, the U.S. Department of State plans to allocate $1 million to document alleged human rights violations suffered by minority groups. Although the document does not explicitly mention white South Africans, the Trump administration has repeatedly claimed that white South Africans suffer from discrimination supported by the government, and even described what they called “genocide.” The South African government has repeatedly denied this claim, criticizing the U.S. for distorting the story of South Africa’s land reforms and racial issues.
The second notice also listed a contribution of $7 million to the newly established British-American think tank “878”. This organization was founded by former British Conservative Cabinet Minister Jacob Rees-Mogg and others, claiming to be dedicated to strengthening the Anglo-American “civilizational partnership”.
However, a person familiar with the matter said that there is currently no official plan to fund the think tank. The information was included in documents written by a junior staff member of the U.S. State Department, which even surprised some senior officials. This reflects that the Trump administration’s new foreign aid policy is still in the stage of adjustment and internal negotiations.
Among all the proposed projects, the largest amount is 40 million dollars allocated to the “Communist Martyrs Memorial Foundation”. This organization is based in the United States and has long been engaged in anti-communist propaganda. It was established by legislation passed by the U.S. Congress in 1993, and was signed into law by then-President Clinton.
The US State Department stated that the organization has previously received funding from the US government, including grants during the Biden administration. However, the proposed $40 million is far more than its current scale. The organization’s latest tax records show that its total assets are approximately $12.1 million.
It is worth noting that this substantial funding comes at a time when Trump is intensifying his attacks on the American Democratic Party, trying to portray Democrats as ‘communists’ before the mid-term elections in November.
