Which right-wing groups have accused nonprofits of funding paid protesters in the US?
Executive summary
Right-wing commentators, Republican officials and allied think tanks have accused liberal nonprofits and foundations—most prominently the Open Society Foundations (associated with George Soros), Tides Foundation and other left-leaning funders—of financing or enabling paid protesters and “domestic terror” networks; those claims have prompted congressional proposals and an executive push to investigate nonprofits [1] [2] [3]. Independent reporting and nonprofits named in the accusations say the claims rest on thin evidence, guilt-by-association reports, and political motives rather than verified proof of systematic payments to “paid protesters” [4] [2].
1. Who is making the accusations — and how loudly
Senior Trump administration officials, senior Republican lawmakers and allied conservative pundits and research groups have been the primary voices alleging that left-leaning nonprofits and big foundations fund violent protest networks or “paid protesters.” The White House has publicly signaled investigations into “domestic terror networks” and named organizations such as the Open Society Foundations and Tides among those of concern, and the administration has proposed using racketeering tools to pursue organizations it alleges fund violence [1] [3] [2]. On Capitol Hill, Senator Ted Cruz introduced legislation aimed at targeting NGOs he says finance violent riots, while Republican witnesses and media figures have characterized progressive nonprofits as organized crime-like networks [5] [6].
2. Which groups are most often named
Reporting and the reaction letters from nonprofits show the Open Society Foundations (George Soros’s philanthropy), Tides Foundation and several high-profile left-leaning foundations and progressive legal/advocacy groups are repeatedly referenced by conservatives and the administration as sources of funding that flows into protest movements [1] [4]. Conservative research outfits such as the Capital Research Center and Heritage-aligned policy documents also single out large grantmakers and grant networks in attempts to link giving to on-the-ground activism [7] [6].
3. What evidence is being offered — and critics’ response
Administration officials and allied reports point to grant flows, published grant lists and instances of overlapping personnel or advocacy to suggest financial pipelines. But news outlets and the nonprofits themselves say the administration has provided “little evidence” of a coordinated financing network that pays protesters; targeted groups call the claims politically motivated and based on incomplete data or guilt-by-association [2] [4]. Open Society and other foundations have publicly rejected allegations, saying their grants support civic life and that critics failed to seek verification before making sweeping charges [4].
4. Policy consequences: investigations and proposed laws
The dispute has moved from media and think-tank claims into concrete policy action: President Trump issued a memorandum directing probes into “domestic terrorism networks” and officials have discussed deploying federal investigative resources — FBI, DHS, IRS — against certain groups [3] [2]. Congressional Republicans are pursuing legislation that would allow RICO-like charges for organizations alleged to “support” protests, and hearings have amplified arguments that nonprofits enabling protests could be subject to prosecution or increased oversight [6] [5].
5. Motives and agendas behind the claims
Coverage from nonprofit-sector outlets and civil liberties groups frame the administration’s campaign as part of a broader Project 2025-aligned agenda to curb dissident organizing and reshape civic-sector oversight; conservative think tanks pushing these narratives, such as Capital Research Center and Heritage-affiliated projects, have both policy and partisan incentives to spotlight left-leaning funders [7] [8]. Nonprofits and civil liberties advocates warn the effort serves to chill protected speech and could be used to delegitimize donors and advocacy infrastructure that oppose the administration [4] [1].
6. What the record does — and does not — show
Available reporting shows accusations have prompted policy moves and political attacks, and that conservatives repeatedly name specific foundations and nonprofits as culprits [1] [2]. What the current public record does not show is clear, verifiable evidence that major foundations directly paid individuals to act as “paid protesters” in a coordinated nationwide scheme; targeted organizations and independent reporters say administration claims are not yet substantiated in the reporting cited [4] [2].
7. Why this matters for nonprofits and democracy
If authorities pursue expanded investigative or prosecutorial powers based on the assertions, nonprofits could face increased regulatory scrutiny, reputational harm and legal risk for conventional grantmaking and advocacy—a shift that critics say would chill free speech and charitable giving [1] [3]. Supporters of the investigations argue that rooting out financing for violent actors is a legitimate public-safety task; opponents say the framing conflates lawful protest support (legal defense funds, organizing, advocacy) with criminal conduct without adequate proof [6] [4].
Limitations: available sources focus on 2025 developments and the public debate; they document the accusations, actors and policy responses but do not provide court-proven examples of nonprofits paying “paid protesters” [2] [4].