The US embassy in London is offering grants of up to half a million dollars for new “public education” programmes in what has been criticised as interference in British domestic politics.
Using language that the pro-Trump MAGA movement has sought to appropriate, a funding 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”.
The grants appear to be separate from other grants of $12 million which the US State Department is planning to allocate to organisations in the UK founded by prominent Conservatives Jacob Rees-Mogg and Toby Young.
The Grant Scheme
Documents published on the US embassy’s website invited charities, non-profit organisations, and others to apply for grants under a scheme labelled “Liberty Under Law: The Shared Anglo-American Tradition.”
It 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 of the American Bar Association’s unveiling of the Magna Carta memorial in Runnymede.
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.”
Political Backlash
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.”
A serving US State Department official 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 person accused the US government of trying to “create UK-originated narratives to support MAGA propaganda.”
US Embassy Response
A spokesperson at the US embassy in London said the funding 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 allegations of “meddling,” they 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.”
Additional Concerns
Eyebrows have also been raised at some language used in a second grant opportunity being offered under the embassy’s Public Diplomacy Section program. Applications are invited to submit proposals for goals including 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: “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’. Increasing support for Israel in a third country is weird. Can’t say if it’s ever been done, but it’s weird.”
The Bottom Line
The US embassy in London is offering grants of up to $500,000 for “public education” programmes focusing on “shared civilizational values” — a move critics have condemned as meddling in British democracy. The scheme prioritises projects celebrating freedom of speech and limited government. The US State Department is also planning $12 million in grants to UK organisations founded by prominent Conservatives. A US official called the effort a push for “Maga propaganda,” while the embassy defended it as strengthening US-UK ties.
