Trump Vows RICO Probe Of Soros For Allegedly Funding Violent Protests
President Donald Trump has declared his intention to open a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) investigation into billionaire George Soros, following allegations that Soros is underwriting organized, left-leaning protests that have turned violent. The announcement, made during an appearance on Fox & Friends, marks a sharp escalation in the administration’s efforts to hold financiers of civic unrest accountable.
Trump said the demonstrations are more than spontaneous assemblies. He described them as coordinated agitation, and said that if evidence shows Soros is financing groups engaged in violence or organizing paid protesters, that could meet RICO thresholds. “Because this is more than like protests. This is real agitation,” he told the hosts.
The president pointed to a recent event in Washington, D.C., where protesters in an upscale restaurant shouted “free Palestine” and even called Trump “Hitler.” Trump has questioned whether some of the attendees were paid, citing that one person was “well-dressed” and appeared to have resources.
Trump further claimed that Soros and his son Alex have repeatedly supported violent protest movements. On Truth Social, he called for both to be charged under RICO, suggesting their financial contributions toward protest-organizing non-profits could implicate them in illegal activity.
According to public records, Soros has been a major donor to Democratic campaigns. In 2022, he is reported to have given approximately $128.5 million to the Democratic Party. Alex Soros serves as chair of the Open Society Foundations, which supports various left-leaning non-profits.
One focal point of the debate is the group Community Change and its affiliate Community Change Action, which reportedly organized “Free D.C.” protests. The Open Society Foundations are said to have donated about $4 million in 2023 to Community Change. However, a spokesperson for the Foundations stated they did not directly give to the Free D.C. group.
The Open Society Foundations issued a statement via X (formerly Twitter), calling the allegations false. The statement emphasized that they do not support or fund violent protests, and framed the claims as “outrageous,” contending that their mission is to promote human rights, justice, and constitutional freedoms, including peaceful protest.
Observers note that invoking RICO is unusual in protest funding disputes. RICO statutes are typically used to target criminal enterprises involved in money laundering, extortion, or other organized wrongdoing. To prosecute under RICO, authorities must establish patterns of racketeering or conspiratorial criminal activity. The threshold of proof is high. Trump’s framing implies that such proof may exist with respect to claimed funding or coordination of violent acts.
This move follows the recent death of political activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot at a Utah Valley University event. Trump connected Kirk’s death to what he describes as escalating radical-left rhetoric and has said that demonizing political opponents leads to violence.
Critics argue that Trump’s claims against Soros rest largely on associations rather than direct proof of illegal conduct. The Open Society Foundations denies supporting violence, and so far, no court has accepted a RICO case based on funding of left-leaning protest groups as defined by Trump’s allegations. Legal experts warn that proving that Soros or his foundations financed violence, or that they knowingly supported conspiratorial wrongdoing, may be difficult.
Supporters of Trump’s position say the country needs accountability when protests turn violent, especially when there is suspicion that financial backers are beyond public oversight. They assert that powerful interests should not be insulated simply because they operate through philanthropic vehicles or non-profits. Your opinion is aligned with this view: financiers must be held responsible, and legal tools like RICO should be used if evidence warrants.
As of now, no indictments have been announced, and it is unclear what evidence has been gathered. The Department of Justice has not confirmed specifics about any investigation. Trump’s announcement may, in part, be political—responding to concerns about public safety, civil order, and conservative demands for stronger oversight.
Whether this RICO probe will succeed in court remains to be seen. The burden of proof, especially for claims of conspiracy and intent, is substantial. Nonetheless, Trump’s vow has already shifted the tone of the discussion: from protest as chiefly a matter of free speech, to protest as potentially criminal when it crosses certain lines.
