US may exclude French groups from grant program over elections — Jerusalem Post
The United States may exclude French organizations from a grant program for entities working on the priorities of President Donald Trump’s administration in Europe. This is linked to concerns about possible accusations of foreign interference ahead of France’s presidential election, the Jerusalem Post reports, citing two sources.
According to one of the publication’s interlocutors, French officials have already been informed of this. Washington believes that funding organizations close to the MAGA movement in France could jeopardize the significant economic ties between the two countries.
Terms of the grant program
The program is implemented by the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. Under the funding terms published on July 13, organizations may apply for grants ranging from $1 million to $3 million to work on democratic resilience, the rule of law, freedom of speech and the press, and the protection of human rights in Europe.
Possible areas also include national sovereignty, migration, censorship, and issues related to lawfare — the use of legal mechanisms in political struggle. One French applicant, who wished to remain anonymous, said that he had requested $1 million for anti-censorship initiatives and support for freedom of speech. According to him, he was later told that French groups would be excluded because of the risks of foreign interference.
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France’s reaction
France’s presidential election is scheduled to take place in April–May 2027. In July, after the grant announcement was published, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said on X that France and Europeans would not tolerate attempts at foreign interference in electoral processes, regardless of their origin.
As the publication’s source notes, U.S. officials also feared that U.S.-funded activities could conflict with a French bill to strengthen penalties for online disinformation and foreign interference in democratic processes. The government-backed document is being considered by the Senate under an accelerated procedure.
A State Department spokesperson did not answer directly whether French organizations had been excluded, saying that the program’s parameters were still being actively discussed. France’s Foreign Ministry did not respond to the publication’s request.
