As President Donald Trump prepared for significant discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping, a coalition of organizations reportedly financed by tech entrepreneur Neville Roy Singham engaged in street demonstrations across the United States. These activities, spanning from New York City to Austin, have raised alarms among lawmakers who suggest they could be leveraged by foreign adversaries like China to project an image of internal disarray within the U.S.
Jodie Evans, wife of Singham and co-founder of the far-left nonprofit CodePink, was observed protesting near the United Nations in New York City. Accompanied by other activists, Evans, known for her distinctive fuchsia straw hat, participated in an event on E. 47th Street. The group’s extensive weeklong agenda included critiques of the U.S. military, accusing it of "all-out climate and environmental devastation," followed by a march to OpenAI offices to oppose data centers, which they claimed "drive war" and "economic degradation."
The swift mobilization around current events and political flashpoints observed this week mirrors a consistent pattern. The timing and messaging, which often sharply criticizes the United States while remaining silent on China's human rights, environmental, and civil liberties records, have led lawmakers to question whether some activist groups inadvertently serve as "Trojan horses" for foreign adversaries such as China. Evans recently shared a video praising China for fostering an economy that enables citizens to "grow and thrive." Last year, Singham himself delivered a speech in China, expressing support for the Chinese Communist Party and President Xi's vision for a "new world order."
Legislators have cautioned that the cumulative visibility of these actions could influence public perceptions, suggesting an image of instability within the U.S. This, they argue, could provide foreign adversaries with a strategic advantage in messaging and negotiations, particularly as the U.S. leader engaged in high-stakes discussions with his Chinese counterpart.
One lawmaker stated that the protests "raises serious concerns" regarding malign foreign influence in the U.S., especially "when you see them actively speaking out against American interests."
Coordinated Activism and Financial Backing
While the protests are publicly presented as distinct events addressing issues such as immigration, climate change, artificial intelligence, militarism, and the situation in Israel, their shared sponsorships reveal a network of organizations. These groups, part of the broader Singham network, demonstrate an ability to quickly pivot between diverse issues, utilizing national organizations, local chapters, social media promotion, and common venues to create a cohesive impression of coordinated street activism.
Another lawmaker called for "clarification and transparency" regarding the financial operations of these organizations. He questioned whether they should maintain their tax-exempt status, suggesting that their political involvement might violate "campaign rules and political rules here in the United States."
Within this network, Singham has reportedly provided significant financial contributions, including $1.33 million to CodePink, $22.44 million to The People’s Forum—a central hub for protest activities this week—and $1.098 million to BreakThrough BT Media, a media arm of the network that has actively disseminated images and videos from the coordinated demonstrations on social media.
A Week of Demonstrations Across U.S. Cities
The series of events commenced on a Sunday evening in Austin, Texas. Socialist and communist organizations swiftly promoted an anti-ICE protest following the shooting of Venezuelan national Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez. Groups including the Democratic Socialists of America, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and Party for Socialism and Liberation amplified calls for demonstrators to convene at 8121 Research Blvd.
Although some media reports characterized the protest as spontaneous, the mobilization evidently moved through an established national activist infrastructure. The Party for Socialism and Liberation and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, both associated with the Singham network, circulated video and protest messages. Concurrently, the Democratic Socialists of America promoted the gathering as "spontaneous" and urged supporters to participate. The protest subsequently expanded beyond Austin, with activists in Pearsall, Texas, committing to "put boots on the ground." The Party for Socialism and Liberation, Democratic Socialists of America, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization did not respond to inquiries for comment.
By Monday, the network’s activities shifted to New York City. There, Singham’s wife, Evans, and CodePink activists initiated a week of demonstrations aligned with Climate Week and events at the United Nations. Susan Medea Benjamin, a co-founder of CodePink, has previously led protests, including those supporting China.
Following the environmental activism led by Evans outside the UN, CodePink activists joined an "Unplug OpenAI" protest outside OpenAI’s offices on Lafayette Street. This demonstration connected artificial intelligence data centers to what they termed the "military-industrial complex." The group’s weeklong agenda outlined plans for "disruptions" and "bird-dogging," a tactic involving individuals embedding themselves in public settings like restaurants or conferences to confront officials or citizens with accusatory questions and shaming rhetoric, often without genuine interest in dialogue.
Early Tuesday, CodePink commemorated Evans’ birthday with an Instagram collage. The images showcased decades of her activism, featuring a smiling Evans in her signature pink straw hat alongside fuchsia balloons from a campaign titled "China Is Not Our Enemy," which the group launched after receiving donations from Singham. Another photograph depicted her smiling beside Marxist influencer Hasan Piker during a caravan supporting the Communist Party of Cuba.
Later that day, CodePink activists continued their campaign inside The People’s Forum, a Manhattan venue known for communist organizing. They hosted a screening of "Earth’s Greatest Enemy," a film by Watermelon Pictures, an anti-U.S. film company. The film portrays the U.S. military as "one of the most significant drivers of environmental destruction" and "the world’s largest institutional polluter."
Concurrently, back in Austin, around 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time, BreakThrough News, described as a propaganda network within the Singham network, posted edited video clips from the Austin protests. The clips were headlined: "SECOND DAY OF PROTESTS IN AUSTIN AFTER ICE SHOOTS VENEZUELAN DELIVERY DRIVER."
For Wednesday, Evans and CodePink announced further protests targeting the U.S. military's perceived involvement in climate issues.
On Thursday, coinciding with President Xi’s meeting with President Trump, The People’s Forum, CodePink, the Palestinian Youth Movement, and other groups within the Singham network planned street demonstrations against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Social media posts from these groups advertised a Thursday march from Bryant Park to the United Nations, urging New Yorkers to "reject war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu and the genocidal Zionist project." That same day, Evans and CodePink were also scheduled to participate in a teach-in titled "War & Climate: What U.S. Imperialism Demands of Our Climate Justice Movements" before joining the anti-Israel agitation. Organizers voiced strong opposition to what they called "genocide" in Gaza and "ecocide."
By Friday, as President Xi concluded his visit, the protest activities were slated to return to Austin. The Party for Socialism and Liberation, part of the Singham network, planned a 6 p.m. protest at City Hall, conveying a message: "Now is the time for us all to be brave, to follow the example of Minneapolis earlier this year, and TAKE TO THE STREETS!"
