Senator Murphy Links US Aid Waiver to Egypt’s Press Crackdown
A top Democrat says the Trump administration’s decision to lift conditions on $300 million in military aid sparked a wave of arrests of independent journalists in Egypt.
Breaking news from Washington! Senator Chris Murphy, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, accused the United States of “abandoning” the Egyptian people after the Trump administration lifted human‑rights conditions on more than $300 million in defense assistance.
Murphy spoke at the Middle East Institute (MEI) in Washington this week, declaring he sees a direct link between the aid decision and the “absolutely devastating” crackdown on independent journalism that began the moment the money was released.
The U.S. State Department told the BBC that it waived conditions on a portion of military aid to Egypt in September, citing the country’s “importance to US national security interests.”
Since then, Egyptian authorities have taken a series of actions against independent media:
A court in Cairo ordered the closure of the news website Mada Masr and fined its editor‑in‑chief Lina Attalah, a move Amnesty International described as “a crushing blow to press freedom.”
Earlier this month, six journalists from the independent fact‑checking platform Matsda2sh were arrested and charged with belonging to the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood.
The Egyptian Embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment.
Egypt remains a close regional ally of the United States despite accusations from human‑rights groups of widespread abuses under President Abdel Fattah al‑Sisi, including torture and enforced disappearances.
Sisi denies the existence of political prisoners and argues that stability and security are paramount, claiming the government has promoted rights by providing basic needs such as jobs and housing.
Stay tuned for further developments on this unfolding story.
