Millions Given to Obama’s Foundation Sent to Group Linked to George Soros
Public records show that millions of dollars given to former President Barack Obama’s foundation were later redirected to a progressive fund that has supported anti-Israel groups, including those accused of organizing encampments at Ivy League universities.
According to federal tax filings, the Obama Foundation — established to construct a 19-acre campus in Chicago featuring a museum, athletic facility, and gardens — transferred $2 million to the Tides Foundation in 2022 and 2023, the New York Post reported.
The cash was earmarked to “support local organizations that are working to reduce violence in communities,” according to filings by the foundation.
The Tides Foundation — which also receives funding from Democratic donor George Soros — serves as a fiscal sponsor for organizations that have not registered with the IRS as charities. The group is currently under review by the House Ways and Means Committee for its role in directing donations to groups including the Adalah Justice Project, Samidoun, and the People’s Forum.
These organizations have been linked to pro-Palestinian demonstrations and student encampments that followed the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks in Israel, which killed 1,200 people, The Post reported.
Following publication of the story on Friday, a spokeswoman for the Obama Foundation said the $2 million in question was distributed to more than 50 organizations nationwide to reduce “surging summer violence” and to create “safe spaces” for young people.
“The Tides Center played an administrative role in the program by processing grants while Cities United [a nonprofit] managed the application process,” the spokeswoman told The Post in an email.
Tides has also overseen donations for the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, which filed a lawsuit in California Superior Court last year accusing the fund of “egregious mismanagement” of more than $33 million, according to court records. That case remains ongoing.
In addition to its donations to Tides, filings show the Obama Foundation directed more than $3 million in grants to Gofundme.org in 2022 and 2023 for unspecified programs described as supporting “grassroots leaders to empower girls through education.”
The Obama Foundation revelations and connection to an organization funded in part by left-wing billionaire Soros come as a senior Justice Department official has ordered more than half a dozen U.S. attorneys’ offices to draft plans for criminal investigations into Soros’ Open Society Foundation.
The directive, obtained by The New York Times, outlines potential charges including racketeering, arson, wire fraud, and material support of terrorism, The New York Times reported.
It is the latest sign that federal prosecutors are moving aggressively at the urging of President Donald Trump, who has publicly demanded that Soros face criminal charges.
The president sharpened his criticism of Soros after the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah this month.
At a rally, Trump threatened to use government levers to “go after” donors to progressive groups, specifically mentioning Soros by name.
Conservatives argue that the foundation supports unrest, violent protests, and property destruction.
On Monday, Todd Blanche’s office sent a memo to federal prosecutors in New York, California, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Detroit, and Maryland, instructing them to prepare investigative strategies.
The order was signed by Aakash Singh, a Justice Department lawyer tasked with coordinating between the deputy attorney general’s office and U.S. attorneys’ offices nationwide.
Singh cited a report by the conservative Capital Research Center, which tracks liberal spending in politics.
That report accused Soros-backed groups of funneling more than $80 million into organizations connected to terrorism or extremist violence.
“This D.O.J., 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,” Justice Department spokesman Chad Gilmartin said.
Top Republican Senator Abruptly Resigns — Leaves Town
Washington, D.C. — June 3, 2026
Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) announced Friday that she will not seek reelection next year, opening up a rare open-seat contest in the reliably Republican state.
Lummis announced her decision after the Senate adjourned for the holiday recess. Her departure will bring her tenure in the chamber to a close after one term.
In a statement, she said that following an intense legislative session — particularly in recent weeks — she just didn’t believe she had the stamina to commit to another six-year term.
“Deciding not to run for re-election does represent a change of heart for me, but in the difficult, exhausting session weeks this fall I’ve come to accept that I do not have six more years in me. I am a devout legislator, but I feel like a sprinter in a marathon. The energy required doesn’t match up.”
She continued by expressing gratitude for her partnership with the White House.
“I am honored to have earned the support of President Trump and to have the opportunity to work side by side with him to fight for the people of Wyoming. I look forward to continuing this partnership and throwing all my energy into bringing important legislation to his desk in 2026 and into retaining commonsense Republican control of the U.S. Senate.”
Lummis previously served four terms in the House before stepping away from public office. She later returned to politics to run for the Senate seat formerly held by the late Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.).
Her decision is expected to have ripple effects in Washington, particularly within the cryptocurrency policy arena, where she has been a prominent advocate. She currently chairs the Senate Banking Subcommittee on Digital Assets.
President Trump highlighted that role when he endorsed her in March, saying she is working closely with him to make America the cryptocurrency Capital of the World.
The announcement makes Lummis the fifth Senate Republican to opt against seeking reelection next year, joining Sens. Joni Ernst (Iowa), Mitch McConnell (Ky.), Thom Tillis (N.C.) and Tommy Tuberville (Ala.).
Her departure also sets the stage for another competitive Republican primary. Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.) is widely viewed as a leading potential contender in the deeply Republican state. The primary is scheduled for mid-August.
Wyoming has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1977.
In related developments on the 2026 Senate map, President Trump endorsed Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa) in September in her bid to succeed Ernst.
Hinson, a former TV news anchor now in her third term representing Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District, highlighted her support for Trump as she launched her Senate campaign.
“I’m running to be President Trump’s top ally in the United States Senate,” she said.
In a Fox News interview, Hinson also declared that she is proud to stand with the president.
Trump praised her strongly on social media.
“I know Ashley well, and she is a WINNER! A Loving Wife and Proud Mother of two sons, Ashley is a wonderful person, has ALWAYS delivered for Iowa, and will continue doing so in the United States Senate.”
He added: “Ashley Hinson will be an outstanding Senator, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement – SHE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!”
Trump’s backing comes on the heels of endorsements from Senate Majority Leader John Thune and the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the GOP’s Senate campaign arm.
“We need conservative fighters in the Senate — and that’s exactly what we’ll get with Ashley Hinson,” Thune noted, lending his endorsement as well.
NRSC chair Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina noted: “Having traveled Iowa with Ashley, I know she is the fighter the Hawkeye State needs to deliver President Trump’s agenda in 2026 and beyond.”
