President Trump is threatening billionaire philanthropist George Soros and his son, Alex Soros, with racketeering charges in a fiery post on Truth Social.

“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,” Mr. Trump wrote Wednesday.

The 1970 Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act carries stiff penalties and was intended for use in prosecuting organized crime, but has since been used more broadly, including against white collar crime and corruption.

“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,” Mr. Trump wrote.

“Be careful, we’re watching you! Thank you for your attention to this matter!” the president added.

The Soros family, longtime funders of progressive and liberal causes, has frequently been a target of criticism from MAGA Republicans. Alex Soros took over leadership of his father’s Open Society Foundations in 2023. It responded to Mr. Trump’s post on X, calling the threats “outrageous.”

“[O]ur mission is to advance human rights, justice, and democratic principles in the United States and around the world,” the statement said.

The threat is the latest example of increased legal pressure Mr. Trump has put on his political opponents. Last week, federal agents searched the Maryland home of his former national security adviser, John Bolton, who has since become a vocal critic. 

The investigation into Mr. Bolton has drawn criticism from both the Wall Street Journal and National Review, with the latter suggesting it “sounds more like a personalized grievance against a fierce Trump critic rather than a dispassionate probe.”

The president has also recently suggested investigating a former governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie, and fired a Federal Reserve governor, Lisa Cook, over alleged mortgage fraud. In addition, Representative Adam Schiff, a California Democrat, recently established a legal defense fund in response to a justice department probe into his finances.