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Trump demands RICO charges against George Soros

President demands prosecution of political enemies without evidence·August 27, 2025

President Trump demanded federal racketeering charges against George Soros and his son Alex on Aug. 27, 2025, posting on Truth Social that they should face RICO prosecution for "support of Violent Protests." He didn't provide any evidence to support these accusations. Open Society Foundations called Trump's claims "outrageous and false," stating they don't support or fund violent protests.

Trump made this demand without any Justice Department investigation or criminal referral, representing unprecedented presidential pressure on prosecutors to charge political opponents based solely on social media posts. The 95-year-old Soros, a Holocaust survivor, has donated $140 million to voting rights and civil liberties organizations through his foundation. Right-wing conspiracy theories have falsely blamed Soros for funding riots and political instability for decades.

Key facts

President Trump posted on Truth Social Aug. 27, 2025, demanding George Soros and his son Alex face federal racketeering charges under RICO for 'support of Violent Protests' throughout the United States. He didn't provide any evidence to support these accusations, and Open Society Foundations called the allegations 'outrageous and false,' stating the organization doesn't support or fund violent protests.

Trump's demand came without Justice Department investigation or criminal referral, making it unprecedented presidential pressure on prosecutors to charge political opponents based solely on social media accusations. The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act requires proving criminal enterprise patterns through evidence, not funding legal protest organizations or civic advocacy.

George Soros, a 94-year-old Holocaust survivor, founded his first Open Society Foundation in 1984 in Hungary with a mission of promoting democratic governance and human rights globally. He has donated hundreds of millions to voting rights and civil liberties organizations, and Alex Soros became chairman after his father stepped back, continuing the foundation's constitutional advocacy work.

Right-wing conspiracy theories have falsely blamed Soros for funding riots and political instability for decades, with authoritarian leaders like Viktor Orban and Narendra Modi adopting similar rhetoric. Trump previously accused Soros of funding 2018 Brett Kavanaugh confirmation protests without evidence, using identical baseless claims about 'paid protesters.'

Trump's Truth Social post threatened 'we're watching you' and warned about Soros's 'Crazy, West Coast friends,' escalating intimidation tactics against political opponents beyond investigation to public menacing. The post follows Trump's broader DOJ weaponization campaign targeting critics through FBI raids and criminal investigations.

The timing exposes selective enforcement concerns as Trump associates faced separate criminal convictions: Steve Bannon (contempt of Congress, wire fraud charges), Paul Manafort (tax and bank fraud, conspiracy), and Roger Stone (witness tampering, obstruction, false statements). Bolton, Schiff, and James face FBI investigations while Trump demands prosecution of legal democratic advocacy without criminal evidence.

Attorney General Pam Bondi has authority to pursue or reject Trump's demand for Soros RICO prosecution, but no criminal investigation exists to support racketeering charges against philanthropic organizations conducting legal advocacy. The demand represents pure political persecution rather than evidence-based prosecution.

Trump's escalation from investigation to public demands for prosecution without evidence demonstrates the evolution of DOJ weaponization from targeted raids to social media-driven prosecution demands. The pattern shows systematic use of federal law enforcement as personal revenge apparatus against democratic opponents and their funders.