US plans $4 million for European right-wing media as leaders warn of interference

The Trump administration is planning to allocate at least $25 million to European conservative NGOs and right-wing media outlets, with about $4 million dedicated specifically to a media-support program. The broader package also targets civil society work and includes roughly $3 million to document and analyze democratic backsliding in Europe related to migration, media, and supranational policies, plus $1 million to create a network of independent journalists focusing on sovereignty, natural rights, and religious freedom. Officials say the funding aims to strengthen transatlantic ties and promote free speech, but European leaders warn it could be seen as foreign interference in domestic politics. The grants are part of a larger foreign assistance package and the administration asserts it does not fund political parties, while critics worry the move could heighten tensions with European capitals ahead of elections. The State Department reportedly notified Congress in August about the plan, with awards expected by the end of September.