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U.S. Halts Funding for Polish LGBT Education Initiative: Trump Administration Shifts Priorities

The Tour de Konstytucja initiative will no longer receive financial support from the United States. The new American administration has decided to cut funding for several projects, including educational programs aimed at Polish schoolchildren. The Lawyers for Poland association has publicly endorsed Donald Trump’s decision.

One of the more controversial elements of the initiative involved Waldemar Żurek speaking to preschoolers about topics related to LGBT identities and gender. However, this was just a fraction of the broader Tour de Konstytucja project, which had previously traveled across Poland, hosting public events in city squares—often with low attendance.

Now, the organization behind the project is expressing surprise at the decision to halt funding. The initiative was included on a list of programs deemed “inconsistent with the new political priorities of the administration.”

A Blow to Civil Society Organizations?

Critics have described the move as unprecedented and deeply concerning. Activists argue that suspending previously approved funding and undermining state commitments call into question the reliability of agreements and could lead to politically motivated blockages of key initiatives. In response, some organizers have launched a crowdfunding campaign to sustain the project.

Former Polish Supreme Court judge Kamil Zaradkiewicz suggested that the initiative could continue operating pro bono, without reliance on foreign funding.

A Step Toward Restoring Public Debate?

The Lawyers for Poland association welcomed the U.S. decision, viewing it as a move toward “limiting the influence of external entities on Poland’s political and social landscape.” In a social media statement, the group argued that foreign-funded programs often align with specific political ideologies, raising concerns about their objectivity and underlying intentions.

While Tour de Konstytucja was presented as an educational initiative, its critics claim it primarily served as a platform for promoting a particular worldview—one that clashed with the values of a significant portion of Polish society. They argue that reducing foreign financial support for such projects fosters a more pluralistic public debate, allowing different perspectives to be expressed without one dominant narrative backed by international funding.

The association further advised the initiative’s organizers to seek financial backing from domestic donors, suggesting this would enhance their independence and credibility in advocating for Polish society.

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