Key facts
- The U.S. embassy in London is offering grants of up to $500,000 for public education programs.
- The funding prioritizes initiatives celebrating "freedom of speech" and "limited government."
- Critics accuse the U.S. of "meddling in British democracy" and promoting an "America First" agenda.
- The grants are distinct from other planned U.S. State Department funding for UK organizations.
- One grant opportunity seeks to bolster support for U.S. policy, including backing Israel and countering China.
The U.S. embassy in London has launched a grant scheme offering up to $500,000 for public education programs, sparking accusations of interference in British politics. The funding notice emphasizes fostering a "national conversation" about "shared civilizational values" such as "freedom of speech" and "limited government," language that critics argue aligns with an "America First" agenda.
These grants are separate from $12 million in planned allocations from the U.S. State Department to organizations founded by prominent Conservatives Jacob Rees-Mogg and Toby Young. The "Liberty Under Law: The Shared Anglo-American Tradition" scheme aims to deepen public understanding of the common law tradition and commemorate the 70th anniversary of the American Bar Association's Magna Carta memorial.
Critics, including Liberal Democrat MP Lisa Smart, have condemned the initiative as "meddling in British democracy," asserting that "Trump's Maga money" is inappropriate. Former U.S. state department officials echoed these concerns, describing the focus on specific ideological topics as highly unusual and an attempt to promote "Maga propaganda."
A second grant opportunity invites proposals to strengthen U.S. prosperity and UK economic resilience, and to secure UK support for U.S. policy, including backing Israel and countering China. Former officials noted this approach is more overtly persuasive than typical public diplomacy efforts.