State Department plans $12M for UK groups founded by Rees-Mogg, Young
The US embassy in London is offering grants of up to half a million dollars for new “public education” programs in Britain, drawing accusations that Washington is interfering in the country’s domestic politics. A funding notice on the embassy’s website invites charities, nonprofit organizations and other groups to apply under a scheme labelled “Liberty Under Law: The Shared Anglo-American Tradition.”
The notice identifies a goal of fostering a “national conversation” about “shared civilizational values” underpinning US-UK ties. Priority will go to applicants aiming to celebrate “freedom of speech” and “limited government,” according to the notice.
The scheme seeks “innovative, high-visibility public education and civic-engagement programs” that “deepen public understanding of the shared Anglo-American common law tradition” and commemorate the 70th anniversary, next year, of the American Bar Association’s unveiling of the Magna Carta memorial in Runnymede. The ABA is not involved in the grant scheme. It is suing the Trump administration over alleged intimidation of lawyers and legal firms, and European counterparts including the Law Society and the Bar Association in Britain have voiced support for US lawyers claiming that the US president’s attacks on law firms bear similarities to events in Nazi Germany.
The notice states: “Priority will be given to ambitious initiatives that connect foundational principles, such as freedom of speech, due process, trial by jury, limited government, rule of law, property rights, taxation by consent, and ordered liberty to contemporary civic life.” Proposed projects must meet one or more objectives, including the need to “demonstrate measurable impact on public discourse, media coverage, and civic engagement regarding the rule of law and democratic norms.” The notice says the funding is not intended to support partisan political activity or lobbying.
Lisa Smart, a Liberal Democrat MP and the party’s Cabinet Office spokesperson, said: “Magna Carta aimed to limit the powers of tyrants and said everyone was subject to the rule of law, something for which Trump has repeatedly shown utter contempt. We have a proud tradition of liberty and freedom of speech in this country and we don’t need Trump’s Maga money meddling in our democracy.”
The scheme has also prompted unease among serving and recently departed US State Department officials. One told the Guardian: “While it’s not unusual to support public diplomacy efforts to showcase the special relationship between the US and UK, to specifically fund topics related to a narrow vision of America First is highly unusual.” The same official accused the US government of trying to “create UK-originated narratives to support Maga propaganda.”
A spokesperson at the US embassy in London said the initiative aimed to strengthen US-UK ties “and deepen public understanding of the constitutional principles, rule of law, and democratic norms that underpin both nations.” Responding to accusations of meddling, the spokesperson added: “The Embassy is mindful of such concerns, and has discontinued Biden-era public diplomacy spending on divisive ideological projects such as ‘climate justice,’ LGBTQ activism, and race-based hiring initiatives – none of which, to our recollection, raised such complaints from officials.”
The new grants appear to be separate from other grants of $12m that the US State Department is planning to allocate to organizations in the UK founded by the prominent Conservatives Jacob Rees-Mogg and Toby Young. Those intended grants, revealed in US government documents leaked to the Guardian, are part of a package of support for European groups viewed favorably by the Trump administration.
A second grant opportunity on the embassy’s website, under its annual Public Diplomacy Section program, invites applications including those intending to run “Educational and public awareness initiatives” for goals that include strengthening US prosperity and UK economic resilience, securing UK support for US policy including “ensuring support for Israel’s right to defend itself,” and countering competition from China.
A former State Department official said the language of the second notice marked a departure from earlier practice. “In the past the language for this stuff would be more like ‘increase understanding of US policy.’ This is very openly saying more ‘persuade people to agree with US policy.’” The same official said: “Increasing support for Israel in a third country is weird. Can’t say if it’s ever been done, but it’s weird.”