International Republican Institute Ends Soros Funding After $1.67M Grant

The International Republican Institute (IRI), a GOP-aligned organization, received a $1.67 million grant from George Soros’ Open Society Action Fund in 2023 to support persecuted Uyghurs in China and capacity building for East Asia diaspora communities. This unusual funding arrangement has drawn criticism from conservative watchdog groups like the National Legal and Policy Center, whose president Peter Flaherty urged IRI to sever ties with Soros-related entities, arguing that Soros funds groups that undermine free expression, individual rights, and democratic norms. Flaherty's letter, addressed to IRI Chairman Sen. Dan Sullivan, also called for a commitment to refuse future grants from Soros or other left-wing billionaires. In response, IRI stated the project is closed and that it does not intend to work with the Open Society Foundations again. The controversy highlights tensions within Republican circles about accepting funds from traditionally left-wing donors, despite shared goals such as human rights advocacy. The Open Society Action Fund is the advocacy arm of the Open Society Foundations, which has supported far-left groups, intensifying the opposition to the grant within conservative factions.