The US State Department under Donald Trump plans to allocate $12 million to UK organizations founded by prominent Conservatives Jacob Rees-Mogg and Toby Young, according to government documents reviewed by the Guardian.
The intended grants include $7 million for 878, a think tank co-founded by Rees-Mogg, and $5 million for Free Speech Union International, an offshoot of Toby Young's Free Speech Union.
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Details of the Grants
The funding is part of a package supporting European groups viewed favorably by the Trump administration.
Critics, including former US officials, have called it a misuse of public money to influence foreign politics.
878 describes itself as a "leading British and American think tank" focused on "the rediscovery of our ancient culture" and "ending mass immigration."
Its founding directors include Jacob Rees-Mogg and his former special adviser Radomir Tylecote.
The State Department justified the grant by citing 878's "unique role in the United Kingdom as a dedicated nonpartisan organisation focused on advancing fundamental freedoms."
Free Speech Union International is set to receive $5 million for its work "promoting free speech and countering digital overregulation across the UK, Europe, and Australia."
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Criticism and Concerns
Former US officials have criticized the lack of competitive bidding for these "sole source" grants, calling the process "outrageous and absurd."
One former official said the allocations amounted to "horrible stewardship of US taxpayer money."
Another noted that sole source awards require significant legal justification, which they argued was lacking.
The grants are part of a broader shift that has dismayed State Department veterans, with allegations of efforts by Trump-aligned individuals to subvert normal funding procedures.
A State Department spokesperson said the grants would "continue to undergo the Department's standard and rigorous vetting process" and that decisions were still under "active deliberation."
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Both 878 and Free Speech Union International have yet to receive formal awards. Toby Young said his group had expressed interest but not submitted a formal application.
