Claim:
Billionaire George Soros was forced to file for bankruptcy after funding the “No Kings” protests in October 2025.
Rating:
A rumor that billionaire and frequent target of conspiracy theories George Soros declared bankruptcy after funding nationwide protests against the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump circulated online in late October 2025.
For example, a post on Facebook (archived) stated, “George Soros has been forced to declare bankruptcy after paying over seven million people to attend the No Kings protests, the billionaire confirmed on Monday.”
Other users shared similar claims on Facebook (archived) and X (archived), tapping into a common conspiracy theory that Soros funds protests against conservatives and the political right.
(Anonymous on X)
Some reading the rumor seemed to interpret it as fact, searching the Snopes website and sending emails asking us to confirm its veracity. However, there was no evidence George Soros filed for bankruptcy. No credible media outlets reported on the rumor, which would have been widely reported as international news if true.
Rather, the rumor about Soros’ alleged bankruptcy originated with The Borowitz Report (archived), “a news satire site published since 2001,” according to its author, Andy Borowitz, who also said in his bio: “I’ve been writing satirical news since I was eighteen.”
An article on The Borowitz Report’s website elaborated on the satirical story:
George Soros has been forced to declare bankruptcy after paying over seven million people to attend the No Kings protests, the billionaire confirmed on Monday.
“When I agreed to pay everyone who showed up at these things, I had no idea so many people were going to accept my offer,” Soros admitted. “But a deal’s a deal.”
The legendary investor said that paying No Kings participants had required him to liquidate his most prized holdings, including his share in the orbital lasers operated by the Rothschild banking family.
Soros revealed that paying the five million Antifa members at the rallies cost him “a pretty penny,” adding, “They may be anarchists, but they don’t work for free.”
The fictional story spread following the massive Oct. 18, 2025, “No Kings” protests, in which demonstrators across the United States voiced opposition to the Trump administration.
In the aftermath of the demonstrations, some conservative politicians and pundits claimed Soros was responsible. For instance, Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas posted on Facebook (archived), “George Soros is writing the checks behind the ‘No Kings’ rallies and countless other groups who engage in or facilitate riots and political violence.”
Trump himself commented on Soros’ alleged involvement and claimed the protests were “paid for by Soros and other radical left lunatics,” according to a report by Forbes.
Snopes has addressed similar satirical claims from The Borowitz Report in the past, including the assertion that Vice President JD Vance was last person to see Jeffrey Epstein alive and a rumor that National Guard members refused deployment to Chicago, citing bone spurs.
Snopes also has investigated previous claims that Soros funded demonstrations in the United States, including those in support of Palestine held at U.S. universities in 2024.
For background, here is why we alert readers to rumors created by sources that call their output humorous or satirical.
