The president of the Open Society Foundations (OSF), Binaifer Nowrojee, has declared the global philanthropic network will pursue legal action against the US federal government if necessary, following a series of threats from Donald Trump's administration.
Standing Firm on Constitutional Rights
Nowrojee made her remarks during an interview with the Guardian at the UN climate summit, COP30, in Brazil. This marked her first attendance at the annual climate talks. She stated unequivocally that OSF supports the constitutional rights of organisations to organise and engage in peaceful protest and is prepared to go to court to uphold these fundamental freedoms.
The Trump administration has recently targeted OSF, with the president claiming its founder, George Soros, is "at the top of everything." The federal government has signalled plans to launch investigations through the Department of Justice and the Internal Revenue Service into the foundation, which supports a vast array of progressive causes.
Matthew Nies, a Department of Justice spokesperson, commented that policy is generally to neither confirm nor deny investigations. Meanwhile, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson stated the administration's "whole-of-government approach" would be used to end any illegal activities.
Frontline Defenders Face Greater Risks
Nowrojee was quick to point out that any potential risks to OSF staff are minimal compared to the dire threats faced by their grantee partners working on the front lines of environmental and social justice.
"There are no threats that Open Society Foundation staff will face that go anywhere near the kinds of threats that our grantee partners are facing on the front lines," she said. "Our concern is always first and foremost for those who are working in the most difficult spaces who are often at risk of their lives and actually end up being killed."
While environmental advocates in the US may not typically face such mortal dangers, they are experiencing unease due to intimidation from the federal government. The Department of Justice's instructions to US attorneys reportedly cited a report by the right-wing Capital Research Center, which focused on climate-focused OSF grantees like the Sunrise Movement and the Grassroots Global Justice Alliance.
A Climate Summit Unlike Any Other
The context of the interview, the COP30 summit held in the Amazon rainforest, was described by Nowrojee as "remarkable." She emphasised the importance of hearing directly from those most affected by the climate crisis.
"You begin to see the people whose lives are being impacted on the front lines," she noted, highlighting the significant presence and protests of Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities who feel excluded from critical debates.
She contrasted this year's talks with previous summits held in more autocratic states, praising the vibrant civil society participation. Nowrojee argued that the refusal of the US government to send a delegation to the climate talks is short-sighted, stressing that climate change is an interdependent crisis that will impact Americans regardless.
"In the end, there's such an interdependence on this planet," she concluded. "Our futures are intertwined."
