A senior Justice Department official reportedly directed multiple U.S. attorneys' offices to draft plans for potential criminal investigations into the Open Society Foundations, the global nonprofit network funded by billionaire Democrat donor George Soros.

The directive, circulated Monday by a lawyer in Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche's office, urged prosecutors in at least six jurisdictions — including California, New York, Washington, D.C., and Chicago — to consider a range of charges, such as racketeering, wire fraud, and material support for terrorism, The New York Times reported Thursday.

Lawyer Aakash Singh cited a report from a conservative watchdog group that alleged the foundation funneled more than $80 million to organizations linked to extremist activity, according to the Times.

The move came just a month after President Donald Trump called for Soros and his liberal financier network, led by his "radical left son," to face federal racketeering charges.

"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 Aug. 27 on Truth Social. "We're not going to allow these lunatics to rip apart America any more, never giving it so much as a chance to 'BREATHE,' and be FREE.

"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! Thank you for your attention to this matter!"

An Open Society Foundations spokesperson, in a statement to Newsmax the next day, rejected Trump's accusations as "outrageous and false."

"These accusations are outrageous and false," the email to Newsmax read. "The Open Society Foundations do not support or fund violent protests. Our mission is to advance human rights, justice, and democratic principles at home and around the world.

"We stand for fundamental freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution, including the rights to free speech and peaceful protest that are hallmarks of any vibrant democracy."

The Open Society Foundations also updated a standing statement denouncing allegations the week of Trump's Truth post, declaring: "We do not pay people to protest or directly train or coordinate protesters."

The term "directly" is raised by conservative skeptics, noting that because money is fungible, any Soros-linked funding going to activist organizations cannot be used as evidence for funding activism or specific protests or protesters, The Washington Post reported in April 2024.

"This DOJ, 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," DOJ spokesman Chad Gilmartin told the Times.

In a further statement to the Times this week, the OSF denounced the Trump investigation calls as "politically motivated attacks on civil society, meant to silence speech the administration disagrees with and undermine the First Amendment right to free speech."

The investigation push comes amid broader tensions between the Trump administration and liberal philanthropies. After the killing of conservative leader Charlie Kirk this month, the president vowed to use federal power to target left-wing donors, including Soros, and has called for charges under federal racketeering laws typically used against organized crime.

Also, Trump has signed an executive order this week declaring antifa a domestic terrorist organization.