On August 28, 2025, President Donald Trump called for billionaire George Soros and his son Alex to face criminal charges under the RICO Act, accusing them of funding violent protests across the U.S. The claim, echoing long-standing conservative allegations, lacks concrete evidence, as Soros’s Open Society Foundations (OSF) has consistently denied supporting violence. OSF, which funds civil rights and justice reform groups, stated, “These accusations are outrageous and false. We do not support or fund violent protests.” Critics argue the charges are a political maneuver to target a prominent Democratic donor, with no legal basis for prosecution.
Soros, a Holocaust survivor who has donated over $32 billion to progressive causes, has been a lightning rod for conspiracy theories, often with antisemitic undertones. Claims of him funding riots, such as those following George Floyd’s 2020 death or recent Los Angeles protests, have been debunked by fact-checkers like Reuters and PolitiFact. A 2024 New York Post report linked OSF grants to groups tied to campus protests, but direct ties to violence remain unproven. The Justice Department has not signaled any intent to pursue charges, and legal experts note RICO requires clear evidence of organized crime, which is absent here.
Supporters of Trump’s stance, including some GOP lawmakers, argue Soros’s funding of activist groups indirectly fuels unrest. The debate, heightened by Trump’s aggressive rhetoric, underscores deep political divisions as the 2026 midterms approach.
