George Soros, a progressive Hungarian-American billionaire philanthropist, has become a popular target of the alt-right and other right-wing extremists in the United States. They accuse him of attempting to perpetrate “white genocide” and push his own malevolent agenda. Antisemitic tweets, referring to his Jewish heritage in pejorative terms, have been linked to him, and he is even accused of being responsible for the deadly “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, which took place in August 2017. The term “Soros-backed” has become a “useful shorthand” for the right, dismissing individuals associated with Soros as “unacceptably left-wing” with no further delineation required.
The Emergence of the “Soros-Backed” Trope in American Politics
The right-wing in America has adopted a popular trope to counter criticism- “Soros-backed.” This term is often used to refer to progressive Hungarian-American billionaire philanthropist, George Soros. The trope has been deployed in various political contexts and has been gaining traction in recent times.
For instance, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who is investigating former President Donald Trump over alleged hush money payments to Stormy Daniels, is now at the center of GOP efforts to link Soros to the investigation. Furthermore, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis last year used the term to disparage State Attorney Andrew Warren over his views on abortion and trans youth.
According to the Washington Post’s Philip Bump, in a column titled “What it means to be ‘Soros-backed’,” the term’s vagueness makes it particularly useful for Republicans and others on the right to deploy it. Bump argues that the phrase is meant to cast anyone associated with it as illegitimate and biased.
The Anti-Defamation League has noted that the “Soros-backed” trope is not unique to American politics. Far-right circles worldwide often recast Soros’ philanthropy as fodder for outsized conspiracy theories. This includes claims that he masterminds specific global plots or manipulates particular events to further his goals.
While the “Soros-backed” trope is a quick and easy way to push back against critics, it is important to note that there is no reason to think that individuals associated with Soros are targeting their opponents because they were indirectly backed by him or because they hold unusual views. It is crucial to recognize the trope’s potential to perpetuate historic antisemitic canards and conspiracy theories.
The Alt-Right’s Conspiracies About George Soros
George Soros has long been a favorite target of the alt-right and other right-wing extremists in the United States. They accuse him of attempting to perpetrate “white genocide” and push his own malevolent agenda. According to a report published by the Anti-Defamation League, Soros figured prominently in a significant number of antisemitic tweets that were analyzed.
In some tweets, Soros was even accused of being responsible for the deadly “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, which took place in August 2017. Others referred to his Jewish heritage in pejorative terms and claimed that he’s trying to undermine all of Western civilization.
The “Soros-backed” trope has become a “useful shorthand” for the right, according to Philip Bump, a writer for the Washington Post. It is used to dismiss individuals associated with Soros as “unacceptably left-wing” with no further delineation required.
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