Capitol Hill police officers ejected CodePink co-founder Medea Benjamin and two other activists from a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing room after they entered wearing T-shirts supporting the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Communist Party of Cuba. The incident occurred during a hearing titled "Trojan Horses: Covert Foreign Malign Influence Operations in America," where lawmakers examined the role of nonprofits and activist groups in promoting the interests of foreign governments.
What the Left Is Saying
Medea Benjamin defended her presence in the hearing room, stating that her actions were part of her "anti-war" activism. She denied any direct direction from the Chinese Communist Party regarding her group's activities or messaging. Benjamin and her colleagues had positioned themselves behind witnesses to maximize television exposure for their demonstration, which they described as a protest against what they view as hawkish U.S. foreign policy.
What the Right Is Saying
Subcommittee Chairman Bill Huizenga, R-Mich., characterized the activists' actions as "theatrics" designed not to affect policy but to generate social media content for fundraising and volunteer recruitment. Huizenga stated that these groups are funded by adversaries such as China, Cuba, Iran, and Russia to "weaken the United States of America." He specifically identified Neville Roy Singham, a tech tycoon living in Shanghai, as a primary financier of groups like CodePink and the People’s Forum, arguing they promote "communist ideology" and "anti-America, pro-China propaganda."
What the Numbers Show
According to a Fox News Digital investigation cited during the hearing, Neville Roy Singham has directed approximately $278 million into a network of far-left groups. CodePink received $1.33 million from Singham, while the People’s Forum received $22.44 million. BreakThrough BT Media, which operates BreakThrough News, received $1.098 million from Singham. The testimony highlighted that these funds often pass through intermediary organizations before reaching U.S.-based groups that organize protests and produce political messaging.
The Bottom Line
The hearing underscored the growing legislative scrutiny of domestic activist networks suspected of serving as conduits for foreign influence operations. Lawmakers on the right argue that the intersection of social media performance and foreign funding creates a "red-green" alliance that subverts American public discourse. The ejection of the activists has amplified the debate over whether protest theater constitutes legitimate civic engagement or a tool of state-sponsored subversion, with further scrutiny of Singham’s network expected as the investigation widens.