United States President Donald Trump has advocated for George Soros, a billionaire financier and philanthropist who has become a central figure in right-wing conspiracies, to face criminal charges.
In a social media post on Tuesday, Trump said that Soros and his son Alex should be indicted for supporting violent riots in the US, a baseless claim that the president has pushed before.
Trump recommended that they be charged under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, a federal law often used against organised crime.
“George Soros, and his wonderful Radical Left son, should be charged with RICO because of their support of Violent Protests, and much more, all throughout the United States of America,” Trump wrote in the post.
“Soros, and his group of psychopaths, have caused great damage to our Country! That includes his Crazy, West Coast friends. Be careful, we’re watching you!”
Various right-wing figures, including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have embraced conspiracy theories that the Soros family secretly funded riots and politically destabilising activity in their countries.
Trump himself has cited that belief to explain public protests he encountered, including during his first term.
After he nominated Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court in 2018, for example, Trump alleged on social media that the protests against the future justice were funded by Soros.
“The very rude elevator screamers are paid professionals only looking to make Senators look bad,” Trump wrote at the time. “Also, look at all of the professionally made identical signs. Paid for by Soros and others. These are not signs made in the basement from love!”
A Jewish Holocaust survivor, Soros has also featured prominently in anti-Semitic conspiracy theories on the far right.
He is the founder of the Open Society Foundations, which supports civil society groups around the world and promotes democratic governance, public health, criminal justice and education.
The Wall Street Journal reported in June 2023 that Alex Soros had been placed in charge of the foundation by his elderly father, now 95 years old.
While no charges appear to have been filed against Soros thus far, the post comes as Trump steps up threats and probes into political rivals and pushes a maximalist view of his powers as president.
A spokesperson for the Open Society Foundation, meanwhile, responded to Trump’s comments with a statement to the news agency Reuters.
“These accusations are outrageous and false. The Open Society Foundations do not support or fund Violent Protests,” the spokesperson said. “Our mission is to advance human rights, justice, and democratic principles at home and around the world.”
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