The fascinating backstory behind a bizarre State Department Substack post

An article was recently published by the State Department on its official Substack, titled “The Need for Civilizational Allies in Europe,” accusing European governments of launching a campaign against Western civilization. According to author Samuel Samson, these nations have forsaken their heritage and democracy for a repressive liberalism. Samson argues that the global liberal project is hindering democracy and Western heritage, driven by a governing class afraid of its people.

Samson criticizes German and French investigations into far-right factions as politically motivated repression, without evidence to support the claim. He highlights issues with free speech laws in Britain while glossing over authoritarian practices in Hungary. Additionally, he presents a skewed intellectual history of the Declaration of Independence, replacing Enlightenment liberals with Aristotle and Saint Thomas Aquinas.

The essay not only lacks sound arguments but also has policy implications, as Samson implies potential US repercussions if European states do not alter their stances on free speech, election procedures, and migration. He emphasizes the importance of European governments safeguarding political and religious speech, borders, and fair elections.

Despite holding the title of “Senior Advisor for the Bureau for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor,” Samson lacks experience in diplomacy, being a recent college graduate without a background in European affairs or foreign policy. His previous role was in a fundraising position for a right-wing organization.

Samson’s rise in the State Department exemplifies a deliberate strategy to insert radical opponents of philosophical liberalism into US government institutions. His advancement is evidence of a radical right-wing strategy of “entryism,” aiming to influence organizations from within.

The concept of entryism was advocated by Harvard Law School professor Adrian Vermeule, proposing the infusion of religious values into the state. The strategy involves placing key individuals in positions of power to steer society towards a postliberal state.

Samson, influenced by Vermeule’s ideas, joined American Moment, an organization dedicated to recruiting populist junior staffers. While American Moment did not strictly adhere to integralist ideas, it facilitated the success of radical right-wing individuals like Samson.

The State Department op-ed is indicative of a broader ideological movement successfully implementing its strategy to influence mainstream politics.