Additional Context: U.S. funding for media outlets was tied to requirements on neutrality and editorial independence. There is increasing concern from experts in democracy and governance that the void may be filled by actors without such guardrails, giving both foreign and domestic interests greater ability to exploit weakened information environments for their own ends.

This information was included in a November 2025 report, "When Aid Fades: Impacts and Pathways for the Global Democracy Ecosystem." Information for this report was gathered from quantitative data on U.S. foreign assistance cuts; quantitative and qualitative data from two surveys that focus on democracy, rights, and governance; key informant interviews; and a desk review. The full report can be found here. 

Source: Global Democracy Coalition, International IDEA, International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES)