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German Chancellor Merz tells US: 'Don't interfere in our elections'
The US State Department has launched a grant program for projects in Europe that align with the MAGA agenda. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz condemned the move, saying it constitutes interference in state elections.
The US State Department has launched a grant program in Europe called "Civilizational Ties, Democratic Resilience and the Rule of Law" for projects aligned with the MAGA agenda. The program will provide grants of up to $3 million, drawing a sharp response from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
In a statement on July 15, Merz said, "We do not interfere in American elections. I also do not want the American government or entities close to it to interfere in elections in Germany."
Details of the Grant Program
The State Department announced that the funds are intended solely to support human rights initiatives and are not aimed at political parties. The program will be open to projects addressing issues of "national sovereignty, migration, censorship and abuse of legal mechanisms" and aligned with "shared political philosophy, legal principles and Western civilizational heritage."
However, former US officials claimed that this initiative is part of a broader campaign the State Department has been running for months, aimed at channeling public funds to far-right groups and possibly political parties in Europe. They noted that the application criteria are vague, with the announcement mentioning "individuals" and "public institutions" but not clarifying which categories are covered.
Merz's Reaction and the Legal Situation in Germany
Merz stressed that party financing from foreign sources is prohibited by law in Germany. A former US official said, "The State Department appears to be trying to give right-wing parties an advantage by providing them with resources they would not normally have, and to tip the scales in European elections."
US Support for the Right in Europe
The program came after senior officials, including US Vice President JD Vance, sharply criticized Western European allies on issues of migration, abortion and online regulation. State Department employees were reported to be actively engaging with social conservative organizations and far-right parties in Europe.
The new US national security strategy published in December stated that Europe is facing "civilizational erasure" and that the influence of "patriotic European parties" was viewed positively. This language was interpreted as a clear reference to populist movements.
Reaction from the UK and Sarah B. Rogers
Last month, the UK government rejected a claim made by senior State Department official Sarah B. Rogers at a right-wing conservative conference in London that British police had detained thousands of people over free speech. Rogers had previously pledged $500,000 during a visit to Ireland to "promote digital freedom."
Rogers had previously attended events of the Prosperity Institute, a British think tank aligned with economic libertarianism and social conservatism. ForumDaily asked the Prosperity Institute whether it planned to apply for the State Department's grant program.
Potential Recipients and the State Department's Statement
Among the organizations likely to receive funding in Europe under the program are the British Free Speech Union, which advocates for key conservative agenda issues, and entities in Hungary that lost support after Viktor Orban left power.
A State Department spokesperson said in a statement, "The Trump administration is committed to protecting democracy and human rights around the world, including in Europe. Our programs in Europe aim to support our allies against those who seek to undermine these rights, principles, civilizational confidence and sovereignty. As we have repeatedly stated, our programs are solely focused on human rights; these funds are not designed for political parties."
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