Lesotho’s leading LGBTQ rights organization, the People’s Matrix, has denied receiving the $8 million in US funding mentioned by former US President Donald Trump in his address to the US Congress on Tuesday. Trump referred to the funding as part of a project aimed at promoting LGBTQI+ rights in the African nation, which he claimed is "nobody has ever heard of."
People’s Matrix spokesperson Tampose Mothopeng responded to the claim, stating, "We are literally not receiving grants from the US," adding that the organization had no knowledge of the $8 million allocation. "We do not know who received or is going to receive that money," Mothopeng said. "We do not have such moneys or a contract that would even reach a quarter of that amount."
The US government’s foreign assistance website, which tracks international aid, also did not list any funding specifically for LGBTQ rights in Lesotho. Instead, it noted that approximately $120 million was allocated to "health and population" programs in the country for 2024, with $43.5 million dedicated to HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment. Lesotho, with a population of 2.3 million, has one of the highest HIV infection rates in the world, with nearly one in four adults living with the disease.
The US has contributed over $630 million since 2006 to combat HIV/AIDS in Lesotho, according to the US Embassy in Maseru. However, in February, over 30 non-governmental organizations warned that the country’s HIV programs were in jeopardy due to the loss of US foreign aid.
Lesotho residents, puzzled by Trump’s remarks, took to social media to express their confusion and pride. "Ever heard of Kingdom in the Sky? Guess not, too busy golfing to notice," journalist and activist Kananelo Boloetse posted on social media platform X. He added, "Lesotho’s the only country in the world entirely above 1,000 meters elevation, higher than your approval ratings ever got. We’re here, we’re proud, and we’re not your punchline."