The Biden-Harris administration’s latest use of taxpayer dollars to fund a production of Tony Kushner’s *Angels in America* in North Macedonia has sparked controversy, with critics accusing the State Department of pushing a politically charged, anti-Reagan agenda under the guise of promoting LGBTQ+ rights.
The Biden-Harris administration is using taxpayer dollars to promote controversial themes abroad, as revealed by federal grant records showing $20,000 in funding for a staging of Tony Kushner’s *Angels in America* in North Macedonia. The play, which sharply criticizes former President Ronald Reagan and includes explicit depictions of God as bisexual, is part of a broader effort by the State Department to raise awareness about LGBTQ+ issues in Southeastern Europe.
The production, known for its heavy-handed political commentary, features scenes where convicted communist spy Ethel Rosenberg haunts conservative lawyer Roy Cohn, a close ally of Reagan. Kushner paints Cohn as a symbol of Reagan-era conservatism, portraying him as a bigoted hypocrite undone by his own lies. The play also weaves in explicit visions of heaven and angels with disturbing sexual imagery, all under the backdrop of a narrative that paints capitalism and conservatism in a negative light.
Critics of the move, especially conservatives, argue that this is another example of the Biden-Harris administration using American tax dollars to push a progressive social agenda abroad. By funding a play that vilifies Reagan and promotes communists like the Rosenbergs—whose espionage for the Soviet Union was confirmed by government documents—the administration is not only pushing LGBTQ+ rights but also indirectly promoting an anti-conservative, anti-capitalist message.
This is not the first time the State Department has used theatrical productions for social engineering abroad. In 2023, it spent $120,000 on a similar initiative in Chad to address LGBTQ+ rights and domestic violence through theater. The new grant for *Angels in America* also follows earlier efforts in North Macedonia to use theater and dance to raise awareness about environmental issues.
The play’s overt political and sexual themes have sparked outrage, especially among those who view the administration’s foreign policy as pushing a radical agenda at the expense of respecting local cultures and values. While the State Department justifies such cultural diplomacy as advancing U.S. foreign policy goals, many Americans are left questioning whether taxpayer money should be used to fund politically charged productions that promote divisive social messages abroad.
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