'Spreading atheism': Vance warns religious efforts abroad 'corrupted' by US bureaucracy amid USAID controversy

"In recent years, too often has our nation's international engagement on religious liberty issues been corrupted and distorted to the point of absurdity," Vance, who is Catholic, said at the International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. "Think about it: How did America get to a point where we're sending hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars abroad to NGOs that are dedicated to spreading atheism all over the globe? That is not what leadership on protecting the rights of the faithful looks like." 

Vance did not mention the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) by name in his speech to the religious crowd and those working to advocate for religious liberty in the U.S. and around the world. 

USAID's website was shut down in early February, replaced with a message on Tuesday evening outlining how "direct-hire personnel" will be placed on leave Friday, except those on "mission-critical functions, core leadership and specially designated programs."

Vance's comment focusing on nongovernmental organizations using taxpayer funds to promote atheism around the globe is likely referring to a $500,000 grant solicited by the State Department in 2021, under the Biden administration. The grant hit the nation's radar in 2024, when Republican House lawmakers sounded the alarm that the State Department was participating in a "pattern of obfuscation and denial" related to efforts to promote atheism on the world stage. 

Reps. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, Chris Smith, R-N.J., and Brian Mast, R-Fla., wrote in a letter sent to then-State Department Deputy Secretary Richard Verma in May 2024: "We write to address what the Department has now acknowledged were its misrepresentations made to Congress about the scope and nature of programming that - for the first time in US diplomatic history - has sought to promote atheism overseas under the guise of 'religious freedom.'"

The lawmakers were referring to the State Department's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor grant for $500,000, titled "Promoting and Defending Religious Freedom Inclusive of Atheist, Humanist, Non-Practicing and Non-Affiliated Individuals." Fox News Digital reviewed an archived web link for the grant on Thursday, which detailed that the U.S. was working to "support Religious Freedom globally," including to "combat discrimination, harassment and abuses against atheist, humanist, non-practicing and non-affiliated individuals of all religious communities."

The grant was awarded to Humanists International, a UK-based group that works to promote secularism and humanism, a philosophy that does not include a belief in God. 

The State Department's funding announcement opportunity detailed how the program was expected to increase "capacity among members of atheist and heterodox individuals to form or join networks or organizations."  

Fox News Digital reached out to Humanists International on Thursday morning regarding the grant and Vance's comments but did not immediately receive a reply. 

"Pardon pro-life protesters who were unjustly imprisoned under the last administration," he said. "And importantly, stop the federal censorship used to prevent Americans from speaking their conscience and speaking their mind, whether it's in their communities or online."

"Now, our administration believes we must stand for religious freedom, not just as a legal principle, as important as that is, but as a lived reality both within our own borders and especially outside," he continued. 

Vance's speech was followed by a virtual address from actor Rainn Wilson, who played Dwight Schrute in "The Office," to discuss his Baha'i faith and the persecution of fellow adherents in Iran. 

Democrats have seethed over DOGE's work, holding protests outside government offices in Washington, D.C., and across the country to declare that they will fight the efforts tooth and nail. 

 "What we are witnessing here is the biggest heist in American history," Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., said on Tuesday during one rally. 

"This is the most corrupt bargain we've ever seen in American history: Elon Musk gives $250 million to elect Donald Trump, and Donald Trump turns over the keys to United States government to Elon Musk and his billionaire friends and his cronies," Van Hollen continued in his remarks outside the Treasury Department. 

"We have to fight this in the courts, we have to fight this in the Congress, we have to fight this in the streets. We need to fight this all over America." 

Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., added, "Shut down the city! We are at war!" 

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., said during a news interview of DOGE's work at USAID, "The level of disrespect actually is criminal, because there are crisis-response teams that are around the world that really rely on having access to their emails - having access to apps that they can utilize if there's danger to them." 

Protesters have slammed Musk as a "fascist" who was not elected to federal office yet holds sway with the White House in his role at DOGE.