U.S. Democracy Grant Program Bars French Groups Over Election Interference Concerns

A U.S. grant scheme aimed at supporting organisations that share Trump-administration priorities in Europe will exclude French applicants, sources said, due to sensitivities surrounding alleged foreign interference before next year’s presidential election. The State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor provides between $1 million and $3 million to groups working on democratic resilience, rule of law, free speech and related issues, but French groups were informed they are barred.

The move reflects Washington’s concern that funding French far-right allies could jeopardise the $107.9 billion of U.S. investment and $160.9 billion of bilateral trade, as well as conflict with a proposed French law tightening penalties for online disinformation. An unnamed French applicant, seeking $1 million for anti-censorship initiatives, may relocate to Brussels to qualify for future rounds. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot previously warned on X that any foreign meddling would be unacceptable. A State Department spokesperson said the program remains under deliberation and offered no further comment.