US official sparks controversy proposing support for French far-right leader

A senior political appointee within the US State Department reportedly suggested using American taxpayer funds to support French far-right leader Marine Le Pen as she appeals her recent embezzlement conviction, two anonymous State Department officials announced.

Samuel Samson, a senior adviser in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, made the funding recommendation following a meeting with leadership from Le Pen’s party, the National Rally, late last month, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The proposal has sparked controversy due to the party’s far-right origins, including its founders’ ties to Nazi collaborators, and the implications for longstanding US-French relations.

While no final decision has been made during the discussions between Samson and National Rally officials, the recommendation raises questions about the appropriateness of using funds meant to promote human rights and combat authoritarian regimes to back a leader accused of financial misconduct.

A senior State Department official, who reviewed the final document outlining Samson’s recommendations, dismissed the claims as “flat out false.” The official spoke on condition of anonymity due to lack of authorization to comment publicly. The National Rally did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Marine Le Pen and her party were found guilty of illicitly using European Parliament funds to pay party employees who did not perform EU-related duties. While Le Pen’s legal team did not contest the facts, they argued that distinguishing between parliamentary work and party activities was artificial. The court imposed an immediate five-year ban on her running for public office, which threatens her 2027 presidential ambitions unless overturned on appeal. Typically, defendants can temporarily suspend punishments by appealing, but the court cited the severity of her offenses and risk of recidivism in imposing the immediate ban.

Samson, a recent University of Texas at Austin graduate, reflects a broader trend of young conservatives joining the State Department since President Trump’s return to office. He previously authored an article urging Europe to reclaim its “Western heritage” and criticized Germany’s classification of the far-right Alternative for Germany party as extremist. Samson’s approach aligns with Trump administration efforts to support like-minded political movements internationally, often downplaying allies’ human rights abuses.

The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor was established to promote respect for human rights, strengthen democratic institutions, and protect freedoms globally. However, the department now faces potential major layoffs amid plans by Secretary of State Marco Rubio to overhaul its operations, pending Supreme Court approval.

By Vafa Guliyeva