The Trump administration's state department plans to grant $12m to UK organisations founded by Conservatives Jacob Rees-Mogg and Toby Young, part of a wider package of support for European groups it views favourably.
Key facts
- The US state department intends to allocate $12m to UK organisations, according to the Guardian.
- The groups were founded by prominent Conservatives Jacob Rees-Mogg and Toby Young.
- The grants form part of a package of support for European groups viewed favourably by the Trump administration.
- Some former US officials have criticised the funding as a misuse of public money to influence foreign politics.
Donald Trump’s state department intends to allocate $12m to organisations in the UK founded by the prominent Conservatives Jacob Rees-Mogg and Toby Young, according to an exclusive report by the Guardian.
The intended grants were revealed in US government documents, the newspaper said. They form part of a broader package of support directed at European groups viewed favourably by the Trump administration.
The Guardian reported that the funding has drawn criticism, with some former US officials describing it as a misuse of public money aimed at seeking influence over foreign politics.
Jacob Rees-Mogg and Toby Young are both well-known figures in British conservative circles. The Guardian identified them as the founders of the organisations set to receive the grants, though the report focused on the state department’s intentions rather than confirming the money had been disbursed.
The report frames the grants as part of a controversial effort to shape European political debate, positioning the $12m allocation within a package of wider support for like-minded groups on the continent.
The Guardian described the funding as revealed in official US government documents, underscoring that the details emerged from documentation rather than a public announcement by the state department.
Why it matters
Government-to-group funding that crosses borders raises questions about foreign influence in domestic politics. The reported plan, if confirmed, would see US public money channelled to British organisations tied to prominent Conservative figures, a move critics say could shape European political debate.
Frequently asked questions
How much money is involved and who would receive it?
The Guardian reports the US state department intends to allocate $12m to UK organisations founded by Conservatives Jacob Rees-Mogg and Toby Young.
Why is the funding controversial?
Some former US officials have criticised the funding as a misuse of public money to seek influence over foreign politics, according to the Guardian.
How was the plan revealed?
The intended grants were revealed in US government documents, as reported exclusively by the Guardian.