Obama Foundation sent millions to Tides network tied to far-left groups

The Obama Foundation has funneled millions of dollars to a progressive grant-making network now under congressional scrutiny for backing anti-Israel groups linked to campus protests, according to newly released tax filings.

Federal records show that in 2022 and 2023, the foundation directed $2 million to the Tides Foundation, money earmarked to “support local organizations that are working to reduce violence in communities.” But Tides, which is also heavily funded by Democratic donor George Soros, has been flagged by the House Ways and Means Committee for sponsoring groups like the Adalah Justice Project, Samidoun, an the People’s Forum—all of which have supported pro-Palestinian encampments at Ivy League schools following the October 7 Hamas terror attack on Israel.

Tides has faced its own legal troubles. Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation sued the group in California last year, accusing it of mismanaging more than $33 million. That case is still pending, according to the New York Post.

The Obama Foundation’s filings also show it sent more than $3 million during the same period to GoFundMe.org for undisclosed programs described as helping “grassroots leaders to empower girls through education.”

Meanwhile, costs continue to climb for the foundation’s flagship project, the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago’s Jackson Park. Construction of the 19-acre complex began in 2021 and is now slated to open in 2026, with expenses surpassing $615 million—well over its original $500 million budget.

The foundation has also drawn attention for its internal spending. In 2022, it reported just $129,000 in outside donations but spent more than $27 million on salaries. Valerie Jarrett, Obama’s longtime adviser and the foundation’s CEO, was paid more than $750,000 in 2023.

The presidential center, still rising from Chicago’s South Side, will feature a museum, athletic facilities, and gardens.