State Department Proposes No-Bid Human Rights Grants for Right-Wing Groups

The Trump administration has proposed bypassing standard competitive bidding processes to award State Department human rights grants to conservative and right-wing organisations, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from lawmakers and former officials as a departure from traditional aid practices. According to documents and interviews reviewed by ProPublica, the proposals include a $4.9 million program for "civilizational self-confidence in Europe" and a $40 million award to the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation. Recipients under consideration include the Free Speech Union, a British group opposing bans on gay conversion therapy, and Lex Libertas, a South African organisation advocating for white self-governance.

Democratic senators have condemned the moves as politically motivated and an affront to democratic allies. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, ranking member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, stated that the proposals suggest the Department intends to select awardees based on political ideology rather than national security or taxpayer interest. The State Department maintains that programs are still under active deliberation and that receipt of a grant is not guaranteed, though it emphasised serious concerns about the human rights situation in South Africa.

Internal records identify Samuel Samson, a 27-year-old deputy assistant secretary of state and former fundraiser for an "America first" group, as a key figure in the grantmaking process. Samson has met with far-right leaders in Europe, including anti-immigration politician Nigel Farage, and has defended the agency’s grant plans to lawmakers. His involvement has raised concerns among former staff, with one noting that it is not good governance for political appointees to give grants to individuals for unknown reasons, particularly when decisions are handpicked rather than evaluated by a panel of experts.

The proposed awards starkly contrast with the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor’s (DRL) historical focus on protecting persecuted minorities in authoritarian regimes. The DRL, which oversees these grants, is now operating with a reduced budget of approximately $190 million, down from over $500 million in 2024. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who previously supported the bureau, has criticised it as a "platform for left-wing activists," leading to significant cuts and office closures. The administration argues the new direction aligns with strategic priorities, with one official stating they are implementing the president’s agenda as directed through the national security strategy.

While the State Department abandoned plans for a $7 million sole-source grant to the British American think tank 878 following congressional pushback, other proposals remain under review. The $40 million award to the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation would significantly exceed its current assets of approximately $12 million, raising concerns about its capacity to manage the funds. Meanwhile, the Free Speech Union’s founder, Toby Young, denied that the organisation had applied for or received a grant, despite documents outlining a potential $5 million award to combat "digital overregulation" and support individuals facing deplatforming.