Trump administration allegations against Soros & Soros Foundation influence in Sri Lanka
The Trump administration is making public some shocking news of misuse of US tax payers’ money by USAID. Amidst these revelations is more shocking news of the role of George Soros & his Open Society Foundation in both US & overseas. What the Trump administration accuses Soros of, cannot be any different in Sri Lanka. It is baffling why immediate action is not being taken to investigate the entities involved in Sri Lanka.
Allegations by Trump & officials against George Soros
- Financial support for immigration, reforms, criminal justice reform, pro-democracy movements in an attempt to manipulate US politics.
Fox News in 2018 suggested Soros was backing migrant caravans from Central America.
- Trump & allies including AG William Barr criticized Soros funding of local district attorney races across US – these attorneys were promoting criminal justice reforms, reducing sentence for non-violent offenses, reforming cash bail systems all resulting in softer law enforcement policies.
- Former UN envoy Nikki Haley (2018) accused Soros of interfering in domestic politics of countries through Open Society Foundation which were supporting & funding groups working to undermine national security. Haley had told UNGA that Soros & his foundations were behind efforts to impose international migration policies on countries.
- 2017-2020 Soros was accused of funding anti-Trump organizations including organizations that focused on voter rights, immigration rights, womens rights, racial justice. Soros has been blamed for Jan2017 Women’s March & “Black Lives Matter” protests.
- 2018-2020 Trump supporters allege Soros is a supporter of Globalist agenda & promotion of open borders.
- 2019 – President Trump at the UNGA implied Soros was funding opposition to his immigration policies & undermining his administration. Trump referred to his organization as “globalist” trying to influence govts worldwide & weaken their national sovereignty.
- Soros was also criticizes for financial support of left-wing causes including funding pro-immigration / pro-reform groups.
President Trump also alleges that USAID gave $260m to Soros which has been utilized to influence political processes & destabilize govts including India, Bangladesh, Ukraine & Sri Lanka.
The New York based East-West Management Institute founded in 1988 partnered with Soros foundation receiving over $270m grant from USAID over 15 years. Soros foundation however refutes these allegations.
However, in 2018, Judicial Watch obtained documents suggesting that USAID funds channeled through EWMIwere used to support judicial reforms in Albania
Trump, Musk Slam Soros for Using USAID Funds to Destabilise India, Bangladesh, Ukraine & Sri Lanka | Firstpost America
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZzGx-k3ToE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BsKYbwy118
EWMI is engaged in initiatives in Sri Lanka with local & international partners with particular focus on the legal services. It is interesting that these entities have all set up immediately after the 2015 regime change orchestrated by US-India.
- 2015-2020 – Advancing Transparency & Accountability
US State Depts Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights & Labor (DRL) funding through EWMI to the COMMISSION TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF BRIBERY or CORRUPTION (CIABOC)
The US funding given to CIABOC through EWMI was towards
- Developing an automated case management system to track cases (is this system open to US)
- Enhancing outreach & communication between CIABOC, govt agencies & civil societies
- Administering grant program to encourage NGO involvement (for what) coordinating with BASL (all these entities have also been funded by USAID)
- April 2019 – Facilitating Anti-Corruption Knowledge Exchange
- Promoting knowledge-sharing between Sri Lanka & Indonesian anti-corruption agencies
- CIABOC officials taken for 3 day meeting in Jakarta by EWMI
- 2008-2011 – Community Based Legal Aid Project
US State Dept grant given to EWMI to offer free legal assistance to underserved communities (who are they) in North Sri Lanka
- Giving legal advice for land disputes, domestic conflicts & obtaining necessary govt documentation for land return (how come majority have fake deeds & no original deeds to prove their claim)
- Funding & training local lawyers & public on legal rights.
Who are the local entities EWMI works with in Sri Lanka
- Partnering with Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) under “Advancing Transparency & Accountability” program
- Partnering with Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) – “anti-corruption initiatives” involving civil society organizations
- Partnering with Legal Aid Commission of Sri Lanka – “Community-Based Legal Aid Project” – free legal assistance to underserved communities
- Partnering with Civil Society Organizations
- Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) – for environmental conservation & public interest litigation & launched “eJustice” app to report environmental crimes.
- Equal Ground – organization founded by Rosanna Flamer-Caldera advocating for LGBTIQ rightssince 2004 & organizes events like Colombo Pride,
- Sarvodaya – funding from USAID (15% of its funding), organizations affiliated to Soros including EWMI collaborating with Soros.
Critics also accuse Soros of being involved in supporting the Right to Information Act
- Partnering with Govt ministries
- Ministry of Justice for legal reforms to justice system
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs for policy advocacy
- Ministry of National Integration, Reconciliation & Official Languages providing legal aid to support post-conflict communities
- Ministry of Public Administration & Home Affairs to reform public service
- Ministry of Finance to facilitate anti-corruption measures & promote financial transparency.
As per AI reports the East-West Management Institute (EWMI) has relations with both USAID & Soros’s Open Society Foundations via funding & collaborative programs.
As per a 2025 article titled “US granted $270m to Soros-backed institute over 15 years” by Yasin Gungar quoting data from USASpending.gov.
The Anti-Corruption Action Centre (Soros entity) lists USAID as its largest donor providing 20.7% of its funding.
There is a big question mark.
USAID is accused of giving $270m to Soros over 15 years while USAID is supposed to have also given $270m to EWMI over 15 years.
Is it the same amount the EWMI has passed to Soros or a separate amount?
The below AI generated chart outlines those that have accused Soros of being involved in regime change & colored revolutions.
| Accuser | Accusation | Countries Involved | Years |
| Russian Government | Accused Soros of funding opposition movements and destabilizing post-Soviet states, including orchestrating color revolutions. | Ukraine, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Russia | 2004 – Present |
| Vladimir Putin (President of Russia) | Accused Soros of destabilizing Russia and former Soviet republics, particularly through his funding of NGOs that promote Western-style democracy. | Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Belarus | 2000s – Present |
| Dmitri Trenin (Russian geopolitical analyst) | Argues that Soros’s influence through NGOs has destabilized countries in the former Soviet space and weakened Russian influence. | Ukraine, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan | 2000s – Present |
| Oleh Tyahnybok (Ukrainian politician) | Accused Soros of supporting the 2004 Orange Revolution and the 2014 Maidan protests, which led to regime change in Ukraine. | Ukraine | 2004, 2014 |
| Nikolai Patrushev (Russian Security Council Secretary) | Accused Soros of attempting to destabilize countries through his NGOs, alleging that he is part of a Western effort to undermine Russia and other post-Soviet states. | Ukraine, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus | 2000s – Present |
| Stephen F. Cohen (U.S. historian) | Argued that Western-backed NGOs, including those funded by Soros, have destabilized governments in Eastern Europe and the post-Soviet space. | Ukraine, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan | 2000s – 2010s |
| Robert D. Kaplan (Geopolitical analyst) | Suggested that Western-backed civil society organizations, including Soros’s, contributed to regime changes in former Soviet states. | Ukraine, Georgia, Belarus | 2000s |
| Mark Ames (Journalist) | Accused Soros of using his funding of civil society and media groups to push for regime change in countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. | Ukraine, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan | 2000s |
| Theodoros P. Lianos (Author) | Claims that Soros’s Open Society Foundations funded opposition groups in Eastern Europe, contributing to political upheaval. | Ukraine, Georgia, Belarus | 2000s – 2010s |
| Sergei Lavrov (Russian Foreign Minister) | Accused Soros of being involved in the destabilization of countries like Ukraine, through his foundation’s support for opposition and civil society organizations. | Ukraine, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan | 2000s – Present |
| Viktor Orban (Prime Minister of Hungary) | Accused Soros of interfering in Hungary’s internal politics, using his financial power to promote liberal and pro-European Union agendas. | Hungary | 2010s – Present |
| Philippine Government (Rodrigo Duterte) | Accused Soros of supporting anti-Duterte NGOs, particularly in relation to his stance on human rights and the war on drugs. | Philippines | 2016 – Present |
| Kazakh Government | Alleged that Soros’s NGOs, funded through OSF, were involved in destabilizing Kazakhstan and promoting regime change during protests. | Kazakhstan | 2010s |
| Belarusian Government | Accused Soros of being involved in efforts to destabilize Belarus through funding opposition and media groups. | Belarus | 2000s – Present |
| Serbian Government | Accused Soros of backing anti-government protests and trying to influence Serbia’s internal politics. | Serbia | 2000s – 2010s |
| China (Government) | Accused Soros of attempting to destabilize the Chinese government through support for pro-democracy activists and NGOs. | China | 2010s – Present |
The colored revolutions in question are
2003 – Georgia / Rose Revolution
2004 – Ukraine / Orange Revolution
2005 – Kyrgyzstan / Tulip Revolution
Critics claim financial support was given to opposition groups, fake “pro-democracy” movements, hired civil society organizations, media entities to stage the regime change.
AI generated list of Sri Lankans linked to Soros provides the following
| Name/Organization | Role | Connection to Soros | ||
| J.C. Weliamuna (Jayantha) | Prominent Sri Lankan lawyer and anti-corruption activist | Involved in anti-corruption initiatives supported by OSF. Associated with TISL. | ||
| Ruki Fernando | Human rights activist and civil society leader | Involved in human rights campaigns, particularly on freedom of expression and post-conflict justice, supported by OSF. | ||
| Fr. Nandana Manatunga | Catholic priest and social justice advocate | Involved in peacebuilding and reconciliation initiatives in post-war Sri Lanka, supported by OSF. | ||
| Chandrika Kumaratunga (Former President) | Former President of Sri Lanka | While not directly funded by Soros, aligned with global democratic reform efforts. Engaged in human rights advocacy. | ||
| Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) | Anti-corruption and transparency organization | TISL has received funding from OSF for promoting anti-corruption, governance, and transparency in Sri Lanka. | ||
| Lankaputra Development Foundation (LDF) | Civil society organization focusing on governance and media | LDF has received support for promoting transparency, media freedom, and good governance, aligning with OSF’s priorities. | ||
| Human Rights Organizations and Civil Society Leaders | Various human rights organizations and activists in Sri Lanka | Human rights organizations in Sri Lanka, working on post-war justice, human rights, and reconciliation, receive OSF support. | ||
| Media and Journalists | Journalists and media outlets promoting media freedom | Media outlets and journalists advocating for media freedom and press protection have been supported by OSF. | ||
| Nirmala Rajasingham | Sri Lankan legal and human rights activist | Rajasingham has worked on legal and human rights advocacy, collaborating with organizations funded by OSF. | ||
The below is based on widely available, well-documented sources on Soros, political activities, donations from reputable sources (campaign finance records-FEC), OSF website, media outlets, speeches & interviews where focus has been drug policy reform, justice system reform, “democracy-liberalism” promotion, support for Democratic Party (2004, 2012, 2016, 2020 elections)
| Year | Event/Action | Details | Political Focus | Sources |
| 1984 | Establishment of Open Society Foundations (OSF) | Soros founded OSF to promote democracy, human rights, and good governance globally. | Democracy promotion, civil society support | OSF website, media outlets |
| 1994 | Project on Death in America | Soros initiated this project to transform end-of-life care in the U.S. | Health policy, medical ethics | Media sources, Soros Foundation |
| 2004 | Support for Democratic Causes | Soros donated $23 million to defeat President George W. Bush, becoming a major donor to the Democratic Party. | Opposition to Bush administration policies, election reform | NY Times, Washington Post |
| 2004 | Speech: “Why We Must Not Re-elect President Bush” | Soros publicly criticized Bush’s Iraq War policies and his approach to civil liberties. | Foreign policy, civil liberties | Soros’s The Age of Fallibility, news reports |
| 2004 | Donation to MoveOn.org | Soros donated $2.5 million to MoveOn.org to support anti-Bush efforts. | Electoral politics, progressive advocacy | MoveOn.org, Soros Foundation |
| 2008 | Support for Marijuana Legalization in Massachusetts | Soros donated $400,000 to support decriminalization efforts in Massachusetts. | Drug policy reform | Soros Foundation, media outlets |
| 2010 | Support for California’s Proposition 19 | Soros donated $1 million to support the legalization of recreational marijuana. | Drug policy reform | Soros Foundation, media outlets |
| 2011 | Refusal of Claims Regarding Occupy Wall Street | Soros denied any direct involvement in funding the Occupy Wall Street protests. | Economic inequality, social movements | Soros interviews, media coverage |
| 2012 | Donation to Priorities USA Action PAC | Soros contributed $1 million to support President Obama’s re-election. | Support for Obama, Democratic Party | FEC records, media sources |
| 2015 | Donation to Hillary Clinton’s Campaign | Soros gave $1 million to Priorities USA Action to support Hillary Clinton. | Support for Democratic presidential candidates | FEC records, media sources |
| 2016 | Further Support for Hillary Clinton | Soros increased his donation to $6 million for Clinton’s presidential campaign. | Support for Democratic Party, Clinton’s candidacy | FEC records, media sources |
| 2020 | Soros Family Involvement | Soros’s son, Alex Soros, began playing a more active role, donating over $60 million to Democratic causes. | Support for Democratic Party, Biden/Harris campaign | WSJ, media sources |
| 2024 | Dinner with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz | Alex Soros hosted a dinner with Gov. Walz, reflecting the Soros family’s ongoing political influence. | Support for Democratic leadership | NY Post, media sources |
What readers in Sri Lanka must ask & question
- The conflict of interest of those who have received any form of support from the above entities being seated in positions (public or private) making decisions & putting these decisions into action. These decisions are obviously what they have been funded to take. Does this not constitute a violation of Article 77 of Sri Lanka’s constitution?
- What programs are presently rolled out in Sri Lanka at grassroot levels & up & what impact have these initiatives made on public by funding NGOs/Civil Society. Is this not fooling the masses by launching well-crafted programs funded to revolve around a larger geopolitical agenda?
- How far have these funded initiatives penetrated into officials in the Public Sector, Parliament Staff, Judicial apparatus including the 3 pillars of governance to influence their decisions & actions & are these impacting Sri Lanka’s national sovereignty & people’s sovereignty?
These and many more questions should not be working in people’s minds.
Shenali D Waduge
