Lesotho’s primary LGBTQ+ rights organization, the People’s Matrix, has refuted claims made by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding an $8 million grant to promote LGBTQI+ rights in the country. In his recent address to Congress, Trump cited this funding as an example of wasteful foreign aid, referring to Lesotho as a nation “nobody has ever heard of.”
Responding to these allegations, People’s Matrix spokesperson Tampose Mothopeng stated, “We are literally not receiving grants from the US. We have no idea of the allocation of eight million dollars. We do not know who received or is going to receive that money.”
Further investigations reveal that U.S. foreign assistance to Lesotho primarily supports health and population programs, notably HIV/AIDS initiatives, rather than LGBTQ+ rights. In 2024, approximately $120 million was allocated to these sectors, with $43.5 million dedicated to combating HIV/AIDS.
Lesotho’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Lejone Mpotjoane, also addressed Trump’s comments, expressing surprise and disappointment. He highlighted that Lesotho hosts a U.S. embassy and is an active member of international organizations, suggesting that Trump’s remarks were uninformed and disrespectful.
