President Joe Biden will present the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to 19 prominent figures, including global manipulator George Soros and career Democrat Hillary Clinton, the former presidential candidate who lost to Trump in 2016. This announcement was made by the White House on Saturday.

The White House release highlighted that the medal is awarded to individuals who have made “outstanding contributions” to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant public or private endeavors. It stated: “These 19 Americans are exceptional leaders who have made the country a better place. They are remarkable not just for their leadership but for their character and their extraordinary impact on the nation and the world.”

George Soros, aged 94, is recognized as one of the most significant financial supporters of the Democratic Party in recent history. Records from the Federal Election Commission reveal that the Hungarian-born hedge fund billionaire contributed over $175 million to Democratic candidates during the 2022 midterm elections. In 2024, Soros allocated an additional $60 million toward supporting House and Senate Democrats, as well as other contentious causes, through his Democracy PAC.

Beyond his political contributions, Soros has also transferred tens of billions of dollars from his fortune to his Open Society Foundations, an organization accused of engineering regime change operations globally in countries where governments do not align with American interests. Furthermore, Soros has been heavily involved in influencing local U.S. elections by funding campaigns for district attorneys in major cities.

The White House acknowledged George Soros as “a philanthropist who established the Open Society Foundations over 40 years ago,” emphasizing his foundation network’s global reach in supporting initiatives aimed at promoting democracy, human rights, education, and social justice. However, the activities of Soros’ Open Society Foundations have often drawn criticism, particularly for allegedly funding anti-India campaigns. These efforts are said to focus on advancing narratives that undermine the democratically elected government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Hillary Clinton, aged 77, is another prominent recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Her recognition comes nearly 12 years after her husband, former President Bill Clinton, was honored with the same award by President Barack Obama. The White House described her as someone who has “made history numerous times over her decades of public service.” Clinton’s multifaceted career includes her roles as the former first lady, secretary of state, and New York senator.

In 2016, Hillary Clinton secured the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination, becoming a historic candidate in her bid to be the first female president of the United States. Despite her efforts, she faced defeat when President-elect Donald Trump won the 2016 election. Her campaign was marred by controversy, as Clinton faced an FBI investigation over her use of a private email server during her tenure in the Obama administration.

The list of honorees also includes individuals from various fields who have made significant contributions to society. Among them is chef José Andrés, recognized for his humanitarian efforts through World Central Kitchen, which provides food relief in disaster and conflict zones. Other notable awardees include scientist Jane Goodall, renowned for her pioneering work in animal behavior; science communicator Bill Nye, widely known for his popular show Bill Nye the Science Guy; and cultural and sports icons.

The ceremony will further celebrate entertainment legends such as U2’s Bono, actors Michael J. Fox and Denzel Washington, and sports stars like soccer icon Lionel Messi and basketball legend Magic Johnson. The fashion industry will also be represented by Anna Wintour and Ralph Lauren, whose contributions have left an indelible mark on global fashion and culture.

Who is George Soros?

George Soros, born in Budapest in 1930, is widely known as a successful investor, philanthropist, and political activist. Surviving the Nazi occupation during World War II, Soros emigrated to the United States in 1956, where he rose to prominence in the financial world. His most famous exploit in currency trading occurred in 1992, when he bet against the British pound, earning him a profit of $1 billion and the moniker “The Man Who Broke the Bank of England.”

Soros later established the Open Society Foundations, a network focused on promoting democracy and human rights worldwide. Over the years, he has donated billions of dollars to causes such as education, health, and social justice. According to Bloomberg, his net worth as of December 2024 stands at $6.5 billion.

Currently, Soros is at the center of political turbulence in India. BJP leaders have accused the 94-year-old Hungarian-American tycoon of attempting to undermine Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. Allegations against Soros stem from his massive influence in global politics and his controversial philanthropic strategies. These claims are amplified by the $1-billion profit he made in 1992 when he disrupted the British economy. BJP leaders claim Soros is attempting a similar strategy against India, accusing him of colluding with the Congress party to destabilize the economy and disrupt parliament proceedings.

Soros reportedly controls assets worth over $25 billion, spread across six Open Society entities, including the Open Society Institute, Foundation for an Open Society, Open Society Fund, and others. His personal wealth exceeds $8 billion, and his foundations have disbursed over $18 billion in grants globally, contributing to the current political uproar in India. The BJP claims Soros uses his charitable network to interfere in domestic affairs and mount personal attacks on Modi. His foundations, while championing democracy, often challenge ruling governments in countries where they operate.

BJP leaders have accused Sonia Gandhi and the Congress party of aligning with Soros to push their agendas. The BJP alleges that Congress members and retired civil servants have benefited from Soros's hospitality to further international ambitions. Recently, J.P. Nadda, BJP president, led the charge in parliament, accusing Congress of acting as Soros’s puppet. He stated: “Soros donates billions of dollars to destabilise this country, the Congress becomes his puppet, raises his voice and destabilises the country. It should be condemned. The country wants to know what is Sonia Gandhi’s relationship with Soros.”

The BJP countered opposition allegations regarding Adani by linking them to Soros’s activities. BJP members stormed social media, questioning the Gandhi family’s connections with Soros and his global network. The Soros model, BJP leaders claim, disrupts socio-political systems in countries labeled as "closed societies," previously targeting nations like China, Russia, and Turkey. While Soros rarely targeted Congress-led governments in India due to ideological alignment, his ongoing criticism of Modi and financial support for opposition narratives have invited significant backlash.

The Congress party did not remain silent in the face of accusations involving George Soros. In a sharp counter, Pawan Khera, the party’s national spokesperson, posed pointed questions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi: “Will you seek the resignation of S Jaishankar? Will you demand the resignation of Shamika Ravi? Will you ask for the resignation of R N Ravi, the governor of Tamil Nadu? Further, will you initiate an investigation into how these individuals may have collaborated with external forces to destabilise India? What harm have they caused to the nation’s interests? These individuals are in close proximity to you. They have allegedly received funds from George Soros, used to destabilise our country. We await your response.”

Khera also alleged that Jaishankar’s son is linked to Soros’s foundations through affiliations with organizations such as the Aspen Institute and the German Marshall Fund. These claims, however, were categorically refuted.

Soros’s public criticism of the Modi government and the BJP dates back to their second electoral victory in 2019. At the World Economic Forum in January 2020, Soros launched an attack, stating: “Nationalism, far from being reversed, made further headway. The biggest and most frightening setback came in India, where a democratically elected Narendra Modi is creating a Hindu nationalist state, imposing punitive measures on Kashmir, a semi-autonomous Muslim region, and threatening to deprive millions of Muslims of their citizenship.” His remarks drew sharp criticism, as many accused him of interfering in India’s internal affairs.

Since then, Soros has been accused of orchestrating protests against Modi’s government by allegedly using institutions, individuals, and lawmakers, backed by liberal funding. In February 2023, during the Munich Security Conference, Soros targeted Modi once again, along with global leaders such as Xi Jinping and Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Leveraging the Adani controversy, Soros remarked: “Modi is silent on the subject (Adani), but he will have to answer questions from foreign investors and parliament.”

Soros’s admirers and institutions he funds project him as a defender of democracy. He went on to predict that the Adani episode would “significantly weaken Modi’s stranglehold on India’s federal government and open door to push for much-needed institutional reforms… I may be naive, but I expect a democratic revival in India.” However, his expectations were unmet, as the Indian electorate re-elected Modi to Raisina Hill for a historic third term, dealing only minor setbacks to his government.

Aggrieved by George Soros's comments and actions, the BJP and its supporters have launched fierce attacks on the billionaire across social media platforms. Among the most scathing remarks came from External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, who criticized Soros during a conference in Sydney. Jaishankar remarked: "[Soros] is old, rich, opinionated and dangerous because what happens is when such people, such views and such organisations—they actually invest resources in shaping narratives." Jaishankar accused Soros of using his wealth to fund institutions with the intent of pursuing a disruptive agenda. As India’s former ambassador to the United States, Jaishankar has a deep understanding of the workings of the Washington establishment, or the so-called “swamp.”

The BJP has drawn attention to what it describes as a striking coincidence between issues raised by the opposition Congress party and the themes promoted by Soros. BJP leaders and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have linked a series of incidents—including violent farmers' protests and a surge in personal attacks—to the influence of individuals and organizations allegedly aligned with Soros’s interests. BJP members highlighted the participation of social activists and celebrities, some of whom are reportedly beneficiaries of Soros’s funding, in public protests and even in Rahul Gandhi's yatras, using this as ammunition to criticize the Congress party and its leadership.

The BJP also accuses Soros’s Open Society Foundations of extensively funding ideologically aligned individuals and organizations worldwide. According to BJP insiders, the government has already gathered information on such connections within India. It is alleged that some retired and active civil servants, as well as political leaders, have benefitted from Soros’s largesse, with their children attending Ivy League universities on scholarships funded by his network. The BJP describes this as evidence of a “hidden foreign hand” interfering in Indian politics.

Furthermore, numerous Indian think tanks, reportedly led by retired army generals, academics, civil servants, and corporate leaders, have been accused of advancing Soros’s economic and political ideologies through research projects, seminars, and conferences. This influence has given rise to the term “Sorosnomics”, used by BJP leaders to describe the perceived attempts to undermine the country’s leadership.

While Soros’s global influence and his role in facilitating regime changes are often debated, the BJP asserts that portraying him as a powerful force capable of shaking governments is an exaggeration. Prime Minister Modi, described as India’s undisputed leader, has weathered many challenges, both foreign and domestic, throughout his political career. From his time in Gujarat to his tenure in Delhi, Modi has survived numerous allegations of foreign interference, making it clear that it would take much more than Soros’s efforts to impact the Indian political landscape.

Despite Soros’s reputation as “the man who broke the central banks of England and Thailand,” his inability to dent Modi’s popularity and electoral success has become a point of pride for the BJP. Soros’s efforts to challenge India’s political stability have been labeled as a failure, leading to what BJP supporters call “Soros’s sorrow”—a lost dream of disrupting Indian democracy through what they term as “tainted money.”

As Soros’s name continues to echo across political debates and headlines, critics argue that the attention given to him only serves to amplify his influence and bolster his reputation. For India, however, Soros’s ambition to reshape the country’s politics remains an unfulfilled aspiration.