George Soros' foundations pledge $300M for US democracy amid attacks on nonprofits [View all]

Source: AP

Updated 8:02 AM EDT, May 20, 2026


NEW YORK (AP) — George Soros ’ Open Society Foundations pledged $300 million Wednesday toward initiatives it says will defend democratic rights and advance economic security in the U.S. over the next five years. The new strategy comes even as President Donald Trump’s administration has singled out the Soros family, accusing them of supporting violence and fostering division. Those attacks are part of a broad effort rolled out in 2025 by Trump and his allies to influence nonprofits and charitable funders through executive orders, by withholding funding or by threatening investigations.

“We are continuing our work unabated. We will not be intimidated into silence,” said Laleh Ispahani, managing director for the U.S. at Open Society Foundations, when asked about the administration’s attacks on the Soros family.

The president’s allies in Congress have also asked the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Justice to investigate nonprofits they accuse of supporting domestic terrorism, illegal immigration or climate programs that they disagree with. In December, then-Attorney General Pam Bondi ordered law enforcement to investigate nonprofits that support antifa, an umbrella term for far-left-leaning groups that Trump has designated a domestic terrorist organization.

When asked if the Justice Department was looking into Open Society, a DOJ spokesperson said the department does not comment on investigations.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/george-soros-open-society-foundations-alex-soros-6e209d738f5e2f74c1c4ec1dc6a20ce5