The head of a left-leaning magazine that controversially associated the late conservative figure Charlie Kirk with Nazis has refuted claims made by Vice President JD Vance suggesting that George Soros is financially backing the outlet to spread misinformation.
Vance’s remarks, made during a discussion on fundraising by influential leftist billionaire George Soros, drew parallels between Kirk and Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels. He mentioned that a column by former Gawker editor Elizabeth Spiers would be forthcoming, which would compare a range of figures including “unrepentant racists” and “homophobes.”
According to Breitbart News, this column is present in a piece titled “Charlie Kirk’s Legacy is Not Mourning” that’s about 1,000 words long.
Vance stated that the magazine is heavily funded by Soros to promote radical leftist views.
“Nation,” Vance asserted while appearing on the Charlie Kirk Show. “It’s a well-funded and reputed magazine with a history that goes back to the American Civil War. George Soros’s Open Society Foundation is backing it.”
The president of Nation promptly confronted Vance’s assertions and appeared to use selective language to obscure any links to Soros.
“I’m not sure where he’s getting his information, but JD Vance is misrepresenting the magazine,” remarked Bhaskar Sunkara, who identifies as a “democratic socialist.” He shared this via a post on Monday. “We appreciate donations from individuals who value editorial independence, but we’re not funded by Soros or the Open Society Foundation—not a single dollar.”
However, despite Sunkara’s denial, the outlet has been linked to several donations from Soros’s network. A report from the Media Research Center indicated that from 2004 to 2019, Nation reportedly received at least $1,349,000 from Soros’s organizations.
Interestingly, in January 2019, it was announced that the Nation Institute would rebrand as a type media center—shifting its focus beyond just the magazine.
Taya Kitman, the executive director of the Type Media Center, noted then, “When the Nation Institute was founded over 50 years ago, we were a small part of the Nation magazine. But that name no longer captures the scope of what we’re doing today.” There seems to be lingering ties between the organizations.
In 2023, the MacArthur Foundation contributed $325,000 to the center, categorizing it as an organization that supports journalism and non-fiction writing, including Nation Magazine.
Conservative commentators quickly criticized Sunkara for what they perceived as a disingenuous defense.
“Your nonprofit has received over $1 million from George Soros and launched attacks on my friend Charlie Kirk while his body was still warm,” tweeted Alex Bruesewitz. “You’re a disturbing individual.”
“Total lie,” said another conservative figure, Ryan Girdusky, calling out Sunkara. “The Nation Institute, a national nonprofit that pays journalists, received $1.3 million from Soros.”
Nation has arrangements that some claim are typical of left-leaning media trying to obscure financial connections to leftist NGOs.
Nonetheless, reports indicate that the funding from Soros has not ceased. A recent grant awarded to the center aimed to foster a more equitable landscape in public interest journalism.
Vance, appearing on Kirk’s show, critically addressed Spiers’s claims and highlighted that Kirk “argued people should be judged by individual merit, beyond race or background.”
He pointed out her misrepresentation, underscoring that a respected magazine published her work, which passed editorial scrutiny, fueled by financial backing from liberal billionaires.
Nation later acknowledged an error in the article, suggesting they had misquoted Kirk.
Gawker, where Spiers was previously employed, faced bankruptcy in 2012 after being ordered to pay $115 million due to publishing a private video.
