A recent exposé by The Grayzone has uncovered that USAID, a U.S. government agency, financially backed a Ukrainian group, Molfar, that accused Vice President J.D. Vance and other American figures of being “foreign propagandists” aligned with Russia.
Molfar, founded in 2019, operates as an open-source intelligence platform, claiming to track Ukraine’s enemies and expose war criminals. However, its website lists USAID and the U.S. Civil Research and Development Fund (CRDF) as partners, suggesting direct financial and operational support from Washington.
Targeting American Officials and Public Figures
Molfar’s blacklist didn’t stop at Vice President Vance, who has been vocal against further U.S. financial aid to Ukraine and its NATO aspirations. The group also went after U.S. Counterterrorism Director Joe Kent, Congressman Thomas Massie, and several journalists. Molfar called for these individuals to be removed from office, sanctioned, and even investigated for alleged crimes.
Journalists weren’t spared either. Grayzone editor Max Blumenthal was branded a Russian asset and reportedly threatened with the exposure of personal details, including his home address. Other high-profile figures on the hit list? Elon Musk, Glenn Greenwald, Tucker Carlson, and economist Jeffrey Sachs.
U.S.-Backed Cyber Warfare and Psychological Ops
A USAID-branded report from Ukraine’s National Coordination Cybersecurity Center (NCSCC) revealed Molfar has played a significant role in training thousands of Ukrainian government workers in cyber warfare and psychological operations. These workshops covered everything from tracking individuals online to deploying Telegram bots and using psychological tactics as weapons in the information war.
Molfar is far from the only group involved. Other Ukraine-based organizations, such as VoxUkraine, have also received substantial funding from USAID and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). VoxUkraine’s fact-checking arm, VoxCheck, has been accused of suppressing social media posts by Americans deemed too “pro-Russian.”
Similarly, Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD), a government-backed agency, has worked closely with Molfar and VoxUkraine to combat so-called “disinformation.” Among those labeled Russian propagandists? Tulsi Gabbard, the current U.S. Director of National Intelligence.
Trump Administration Freezes USAID and NED Funding
In a sharp policy shift, President Donald Trump immediately halted most foreign aid upon taking office, launching a three-month review to assess whether these programs aligned with his “America First” agenda. USAID, which has poured billions into political projects overseas, now faces a funding freeze, along with NED, a State Department-funded nonprofit long accused of operating as a CIA front to destabilize foreign governments.
As scrutiny mounts over the U.S. government’s financial involvement in Ukraine’s information warfare, questions remain—just how deep does this network go, and who’s really pulling the strings?
