A new report reveals that the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), founded by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan, has provided funding to nonprofit organizations that are actively opposing the Trump administration’s policies in court and through media advocacy. War Room White House correspondent Natalie Winters detailed the connections in a recent investigative thread, showing how CZI has funneled billions into progressive groups engaged in legal battles against President Donald Trump’s executive actions.
Since its founding in 2015, CZI has granted nearly $7 billion to various causes, including education, medical research, and criminal justice reform. However, Winters’ investigation found that many of the initiative’s beneficiaries have played a role in challenging Trump administration policies, particularly regarding immigration, birthright citizenship, and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is led by Elon Musk.
One of the key revelations in Winters’ report is that a progressive foundation tied to Zuckerberg has contributed to Protect Democracy, a left-wing political group that is part of a lawsuit against DOGE. The lawsuit, backed by labor unions, seeks to prevent DOGE from accessing government data. Winters pointed out that the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, which Zuckerberg has donated to, has financially supported Protect Democracy.
In response to the claims, The New York Times published an article denying any direct funding from Zuckerberg, Chan, or CZI to Protect Democracy. However, Winters countered by releasing a list of organizations that have historically received CZI funding, many of which are engaged in left-wing legal and political activism.
One such organization, CASA, has worked alongside the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project to sue the Trump administration over its executive order ending birthright citizenship for non-citizen parents. CASA, which focuses on immigrant advocacy and social services, has also received funding from the Rockefeller Foundation.
Another major recipient of CZI-linked funding is Common Justice, a nonprofit advocating for alternatives to incarceration. Common Justice is connected to Protect Democracy and has opposed Trump’s immigration enforcement efforts, arguing that mass deportation contributes to “dehumanization and trauma.”
According to Influence Watch, CZI helped establish The Just Trust in 2022, a group that now issues grants for criminal justice reform. The Just Trust then launched the Safer Communities Accelerator, which provided $4 million in funding to eight organizations, including Common Justice. Notably, Chan herself leads The Just Trust, further linking CZI’s funding to advocacy groups challenging Trump’s administration.
Zuckerberg’s shifting political stance has added to the controversy. While historically aligned with left-wing causes, he has recently distanced himself from the Democratic Party, citing concerns over government censorship and its pressure on Facebook to suppress speech. In 2024, he attended Trump’s inauguration, donated $1 million to the inaugural fund, and praised Trump’s resilience following an assassination attempt. His Joe Rogan Experience interview further exposed the extent of government influence over Facebook’s content moderation during the Biden administration.
Despite these public shifts, Winters’ findings suggest that CZI’s financial backing of left-wing organizations remains intact. Many of the same groups receiving CZI funding are leading the legal and activist push against Trump’s policy agenda.
The report highlights how progressive philanthropic networks continue to shape legal and political battles, even as their benefactors adjust their public affiliations. Whether Zuckerberg’s recent support for Trump signals a genuine change in his political approach or a strategic realignment remains an open question.
