US funds rightwing European thinktanks after shuttering USAID
Trump closed USAID for wasting money abroad, but the state department is now funneling millions to conservative groups in the UK and Europe.
Conversation activity · last 11 hours peak 2/15m
Summary, timeline and people extracted by Claude from 8 items across 3 sources · 8h ago. Quotes are verbatim.
The Trump administration shuttered USAID in February 2025 under the banner of "America first," claiming the agency wasted taxpayer money on frivolous foreign projects. However, reporting by the Guardian reveals the state department is now redirecting millions of dollars in grants to conservative European thinktanks, including $7m to a newly incorporated UK group co-founded by Jacob Rees-Mogg, raising questions about whether the pivot fulfills the administration's stated domestic priorities.
- Trump closed USAID in February 2025 claiming it wasted taxpayer money on foreign aid, but the state department is now directing millions to conservative European thinktanks.
- The US state department allocated $12m to conservative UK organisations, with $7m going to 878, a newly incorporated group co-founded by former Conservative minister Jacob Rees-Mogg.
- A former US official told the Guardian that normal funding processes are being bypassed to direct money to Trump-aligned causes across Europe.
- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned against election interference following the announcement of European grant programs.
How it unfolded
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A former US official told the Guardian that normal funding processes are being bypassed to direct money to Trump-aligned causes. Zsuzsanna Végh, a researcher in liberal democracy, described the vague grant criteria as resulting from "a long period of networking among Maga and like-minded European actors."
“normal funding processes are being subverted so that money can go to Trump-aligned causes”
Former US official · Press ↗ -
Friedrich Merz warned the Trump administration against interfering in German elections following the announcement of grants to European groups.
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Columnist Arwa Mahdawi argues that redirecting millions to multimillionaire-founded European thinktanks while cutting humanitarian aid contradicts the "America first" rationale for closing USAID. She frames it as "a great betrayal" with poor communities neglected while a global Maga agenda is advanced.
- 6 weeks quiet
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The Guardian reported that the US state department intends to grant $12m to conservative organisations in the UK, with $7m directed to a group called 878 co-founded by former Conservative minister Jacob Rees-Mogg. The group was incorporated in the UK in March 2026 and describes itself as a thinktank strengthening the UK-US partnership.
- 74 weeks quiet
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President Trump posted on Truth Social declaring "THE CORRUPTION IS AT LEVELS RARELY SEEN BEFORE" and calling to "CLOSE IT DOWN," referring to USAID. Hours later, USAID was effectively shuttered with most staff placed on indefinite administrative leave.
“THE CORRUPTION IS AT LEVELS RARELY SEEN BEFORE...CLOSE IT DOWN!”
Donald Trump · Press ↗ -
The Trump administration and rightwing media argued USAID was wasting taxpayers' money on ridiculous projects abroad instead of improving conditions at home. Claims included allegations the agency spent millions on condoms for Gaza, repeated without evidence by outlets like Fox News.
What people are saying verbatim
“THE CORRUPTION IS AT LEVELS RARELY SEEN BEFORE…CLOSE IT DOWN!”
Donald Trump, US President · Truth Social ↗ · Jan 31
“normal funding processes are being subverted so that money can go to Trump-aligned causes”
A former US official, Former state department official · The Guardian ↗
“the advertising of the funding calls follows a long period of networking among Maga and like-minded European actors, which have already facilitated the identification of a pool of possible recipients”
Zsuzsanna Végh, Researcher in liberal democracy · i Paper, cited in The Guardian ↗
“It's a great betrayal: poor communities neglected while multimillionaires peddle a global Maga agenda. How is that America first?”
Arwa Mahdawi, Guardian columnist · The Guardian ↗ · Aug 11