Trump's USAID corruption claims prompt call for apology from critics of Georgia's "foreign agents law"

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili has called for an apology from those who criticized the country's foreign influence transparency law, following comments made by former US President Donald Trump regarding corruption in the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

In a Facebook post, Papuashvili wrote, “It’s time for all foreigners who opposed the [foreign influence] transparency law to apologize to the Georgian state and people,” sharing a photo of Trump alongside his statement about USAID corruption, Caliber.Az reports via international media.

Trump had previously posted on Truth Social, claiming that corruption within USAID was at an unprecedented level and suggested the agency should be shut down.

On February 3, the US administration effectively suspended USAID. President Trump appointed Secretary of State Marco Rubio as the interim head of the agency, and decisions regarding USAID’s future were influenced by American entrepreneur Elon Musk, whom Trump had previously designated to head a new department aimed at reducing government inefficiency and combating bureaucracy.

In May 2024, Georgia's parliament passed the controversial "On Transparency of Foreign Influence" law, which required non-governmental organizations (NGOs) receiving foreign funds to register as foreign agents. This law has led to strong opposition from both the European Union and the United States, as well as protests within Georgia. While EU leaders have called for the law to be repealed, Georgian authorities maintain that it is necessary to ensure financial transparency and safeguard against foreign interference in domestic affairs.

The law has strained Georgia's relations with the West, with many critics arguing that it curtails civil liberties and targets independent organizations. In response, the EU and the US have raised concerns, warning that the law could reverse democratic gains and harm Georgia’s international relationships.

In July 2024, the EU's Ambassador to Georgia, Pawel Herczynski, announced the suspension of €30 million ($32.5 million) in financial aid for Georgia's Defense Ministry, in a move linked to the law’s adoption.

By Tamilla Hasanova