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State Department Weighs Human Rights Grant Focused on Afrikaners in South Africa

ProPublica reporting shows Trump administration officials proposed funneling leftover foreign aid money into research on crime against white South Africans.

4 items616 engagement39 comments MastodonBlueskyPress

Conversation activity · last 3 days peak 2/hr

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Summary, timeline and people extracted by Claude from 4 items across 3 sources · 5h ago. Quotes are verbatim.

After the Trump administration slashed traditional foreign aid programs, ProPublica found that the State Department's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) is redirecting remaining funds toward right-leaning causes, including a proposed $1 million grant to study crime against Afrikaners in South Africa. DRL staff were initially told to begin awarding the grant to Lex Libertas, a group founded by an advocate for Afrikaner self-governance that is raising money to place 3,000 white crosses on the National Mall; the grant was later opened to a wider pool of applicants for the same purpose. Former diplomats say the focus on white South Africans, rather than more severe regional human rights crises, reflects the administration's broader ideological shift in aid spending.

  • ProPublica reports the State Department's DRL bureau is redirecting leftover foreign aid funds toward right-leaning causes after cutting traditional programs.
  • A proposed $1 million grant would fund research on crime against Afrikaners in South Africa, initially earmarked for the group Lex Libertas, which is raising funds for a National Mall memorial of white crosses.
  • Research shows white South African farmers are not victimized by crime at higher rates than other groups, and former diplomats call the focus on Afrikaners disproportionate given other regional human rights issues.
  • A separate grant to a British-American think tank focused on 'Judeo-Christian civilisation' was dropped after congressional pushback.

How it unfolded

  1. Reaction Continued circulation of the investigation

    ProPublica's Bluesky account continued to promote the reporting, highlighting the proposed Afrikaner crime research funding as a key finding.

  2. Reaction Article shared and amplified on social media

    Individual social media users reshared the ProPublica story, drawing attention to the question of what the administration is doing with unspent foreign aid funds.

    “"What is the Trump Administration doing with foreign aid money?"”

    @meyersmusings.bsky.social · Bluesky ↗
  3. Report Follow-up: Afrikaner crime research grant detailed

    ProPublica published a follow-up detailing a proposed grant to fund research on crime against Afrikaners in South Africa, tied to the group Lex Libertas, which is fundraising to place 3,000 white crosses on the National Mall.

  4. Report ProPublica's initial DRL investigation

    ProPublica first reported that the State Department's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor had been transformed under Trump to direct funds toward controversial right-wing causes in Europe and elsewhere.

What people are saying verbatim

“It’s laughable to suggest that on the African continent, the prime issue of human rights concern is whites in South Africa.”

Former State Department official, Former agency official on human rights · ProPublica ↗ · Aug 6

“not aligned with American interests”

Trump administration, Official characterization of cut foreign aid programs · ProPublica ↗ · Aug 6

“existential threats to Britain, to America, and to our shared Judeo-Christian civilisation”

British American think tank, Organization considered for funding · ProPublica ↗ · Aug 6

“"What is the Trump Administration doing with foreign aid money?"”

@meyersmusings.bsky.social, Bluesky user sharing the article · Bluesky ↗ · Aug 6