Open Society Foundations, the philanthropic group founded by billionaire George Soros, is pushing back against reported efforts by the Trump administration to investigate it for allegedly supporting terrorism, calling the initiative a politically motivated abuse of federal power.

The group issued a statement on Wednesday in response to a New York Times report revealing that a senior Justice Department official directed multiple United States attorneys to draw up plans for criminal charges against Open Society. Those potential charges include arson, racketeering, and material support for terrorism.

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“The Open Society Foundations unequivocally condemn terrorism and do not fund terrorism,” the group said in a press release, adding, “the Trump administration is directing investigations without evidence into our operations.”

“These accusations are politically motivated attacks on civil society, meant to silence speech the administration disagrees with and undermine the First Amendment right to free speech,” the statement continued. Open Society added that its activities are “peaceful and lawful,” and that its grantees are expected to uphold human rights principles and comply with the law.

The Times report cited an internal DOJ directive from a deputy in the office of Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche instructing prosecutors in cities including New York, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles to consider a wide range of charges. The directive was sent by Aakash Singh, a Justice Department lawyer responsible for national coordination between the main DOJ and U.S. attorney offices.

As evidence for such investigations, Singh pointed to a recent investigative report by the conservative watchdog group Capital Research Center, which claims that Open Society Foundations has funneled over $80 million since 2016 to groups allegedly tied to terrorism or extremist violence. The report outlines three tiers of grantees: groups that directly assist domestic terrorism and criminality, groups that endorse or are directly linked to foreign terrorist organizations, and groups that provide significant material support to pro-terrorism or terrorism-linked actors while maintaining a veneer of legality.

Among the domestic groups cited are the Center for Third World Organizing and the Ruckus Society, which allegedly trained activists in sabotage tactics during the 2020 riots. Sunrise Movement is accused of supporting the Stop Cop City campaign, where dozens of activists face domestic terrorism and racketeering charges. And the Movement for Black Lives, a major Open Society grantee, is tied to materials that glorify Hamas’s Oct. 7 terrorist attacks and instruct readers on using false IDs, occupying buildings, and disrupting infrastructure.

Internationally, the report highlights over $2.3 million in Open Society grants to Al-Haq, a Palestinian NGO that the State Department sanctioned in September 2025 for allegedly helping advance lawfare campaigns targeting Israel at the International Criminal Court. Al-Haq and related groups such as the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees have been publicly identified by Israeli authorities as fronts for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization.

A DOJ spokesman defended the directive in a statement to the Times. “This DOJ, along with our hard-working and dedicated U.S. attorneys, will always prioritize public safety and investigate organizations that conspire to commit acts of violence or other federal violations of law,” said Chad Gilmartin.

The investigation marks another flashpoint in Trump’s long-running feud with Soros, a top Democratic donor and supporter of liberal causes, whose son Alex Soros has held the reins of his international operation since 2023. Last year, former President Joe Biden awarded the elder Soros the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which Alex Soros received on behalf of his father.

Following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk earlier this month, Trump renewed calls for the elder Soros to be jailed and accused his foundation of fueling radical protests.

In an August social media post, Trump suggested Soros and his son should face charges under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act for their support of what he called “violent protest.”

While Soros’s foundation has denied funding violent protests, some of the organizations it supports have been tied to incidents of unlawful conduct. One such group, Jewish Voice for Peace, has helped organize pro-Palestinian protests that turned violent, including a 2023 demonstration at Democratic National Committee headquarters where six Capitol Police officers were injured.

Jewish Voice for Peace was also a key player in the 2024 campus encampment movement, with protests at Columbia University leading to more than 50 arrests after students barricaded themselves inside an academic building.

Another Soros-funded group, Indivisible, known for its “No Kings” protest movement, has seen dozens arrested at civil disobedience events targeting Republicans.

Last week, Open Society Foundations joined more than 100 other philanthropies in signing a public letter condemning political violence and attempts to stifle civic advocacy.

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“We reject attempts to exploit political violence to mischaracterize our good work or restrict our fundamental freedoms,” the letter read.

A DOJ spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment from the Washington Examiner.