NED report reveals US funding for ideological influence campaigns abroad

Cartoon by Ma Hongliang

The National Endowment for Democracy (NED), which is almost entirely funded by the U.S. Congress, recently released its 2025 annual report. The report shows that NED continued to receive substantial support from the U.S. government in 2025 while backing projects targeting other countries.

The report indicates that NED funded over 1,900 projects across more than 90 countries in 2025. In Asia, its funding exceeded $53 million, including over $13 million for projects targeting China — the largest share in the region.

NED functions as the white-gloved hand of U.S. foreign policy. Under the guise of promoting democracy, it has long subverted foreign governments, interfered in other countries' domestic affairs, fomented division and confrontation, misled and manipulated public opinion, and exerted ideological influence abroad.