Senator Links US Aid Waiver to Egypt's Press Crackdown

A leading Democratic senator has directly linked a recent crackdown on independent journalism in Egypt to the Trump administration's decision to waive human rights conditions on a significant portion of U.S. military aid. Senator Chris Murphy, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, stated that the U.S. government "abandoned" the Egyptian people after lifting restrictions on more than $300 million in defense assistance.

Over the past month, several journalists from Egypt's few remaining independent news outlets have been arrested. This development followed the U.S. State Department's waiver of conditions on a portion of military aid to Egypt in September, citing the country's "importance to U.S. national security interests." Murphy asserted a direct correlation, saying, "The minute that money was released, the crackdown began in an absolutely devastating way."

Last week, a court in Cairo ordered the closure of the news website Madr Masr and fined its editor-in-chief, Lina Attalah. Amnesty International described the ruling as "a crushing blow to press freedom." Earlier in the month, six journalists from the independent fact-checking platform Matsda2sh were arrested and charged with belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood.

Egypt has maintained a close regional alliance with the U.S. despite accusations from human rights organizations of widespread abuses under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's government. Sisi has denied the existence of political prisoners, emphasizing stability and security, and asserting that his administration has promoted rights by addressing basic needs like employment and housing.

Washington allocates approximately $1.73 billion annually to Egypt, making it one of the largest recipients of U.S. military aid. U.S. law permits withholding up to $320 million of this funding if Egypt does not meet certain democracy and human rights requirements. However, these conditions can be waived by the administration on national security grounds.

In September, Secretary of State Marco Rubio waived human rights conditions on $320 million of military aid, citing Egypt's role in mediating between the U.S. and Iran following the launch of U.S. military operations. A memo indicated that exercising this waiver was "essential" for the U.S.-Egypt relationship, particularly given Egypt's "helpful role following Operation Epic Fury."

The State Department reiterated to the BBC that the waiver was granted due to Egypt's national security importance and its concrete security cooperation with the United States. The department stated that it maintains dialogue with Cairo on various issues but would not comment on private diplomatic conversations.

This decision by the Trump administration echoes a similar move by the Biden administration in 2024, when then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken waived human rights conditions to grant the full military aid package to Egypt amidst ongoing mediation efforts between Israel and Hamas. Prior to 2024, the Biden administration had withheld portions of the annual military aid over Egypt's human rights record.

Murphy, who chairs a congressional subcommittee focused on the Middle East and counterterrorism, has been critical of both the Trump and Biden administrations on this issue. He stated that any remaining space for political expression in Egypt has been eliminated due to the U.S. government's decision to remove all funding conditions. "Any hope of a true, meaningful political opposition rebirthing in Egypt has been shattered by this decision," Murphy added.

Reporters Without Borders ranks Egypt among the world's largest jailers of journalists. Timothy E Kaldas, Deputy Director of The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy, described the recent actions against Lina Attalah and Madr Masr as an unprecedented escalation. He criticized both the U.S. and the European Union for prioritizing strategic relations with Egypt over human rights and the rule of law, which he believes fosters a sense of impunity among Egyptian authorities. Kaldas suggested that Egypt is receiving signals from the West that human rights are no longer a top priority, leading them to test the boundaries of acceptable behavior.