WASHINGTON — Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., has asked Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to open an investigation into Doctors Without Borders, the France-based medical charity known as MSF, under the Anti-Terrorism Act. In a letter obtained by Fox News Digital, Stefanik contends that MSF has mounted a media campaign against the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and that its messaging mirrors Hamas propaganda, potentially undermining one of the largest ongoing humanitarian food operations in Gaza.
Stefanik’s letter, a copy of which Fox News Digital reviewed, argues that MSF’s public statements and social-media activity amount to material support for a designated terrorist organization by disseminating disinformation. She notes that the Anti-Terrorism Act forbids assistance to such groups, including propaganda. The Republican congresswoman cites MSF's criticisms of the Gaza aid pipeline and claims that MSF's actions are designed to hinder relief efforts supported by the United States and its allies. Stefanik also asked Bondi to examine MSF’s status as a tax-exempt nonprofit and to determine whether its actions could constitute violations that would warrant referral to the Internal Revenue Service.
Stefanik pointed to indicators she said show MSF is not neutral in the Gaza conflict. She highlighted that MSF has not publicly referenced hostages held by Hamas or campaigned for their medical treatment, despite cases of patients who require specialized care. She cited examples of hostages described by Stefanik as needing treatment: one patient treated for cancer on Oct. 7, another who lost a hand in a grenade attack at the Nova festival, and a third who was nine months pregnant and gave birth while in captivity. Stefanik argued that none of these individuals appears in MSF’s so-called humanitarian advocacy.
Beyond messaging, Stefanik referenced alleged extremist statements by MSF staff. She noted that after a MSF staffer was killed in Gaza in June 2024, the Israel Defense Forces confirmed the worker had been a rocket expert for Palestinian Islamic Jihad. In another case, a MSF employee publicly urged Palestinians to “fight and die as martyrs,” according to Le Journal du Dimanche in March 2024. Stefanik argued that such remarks demonstrate a tilt toward rhetoric associated with the region’s militant factions and call into question MSF’s neutrality.
Stefanik asked Bondi to review MSF’s political attacks and, if appropriate, refer the organization to the Internal Revenue Service. She invoked the possibility that MSF, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, may have breached the statute governing charitable organizations by engaging in political advocacy for or against public policy, potentially crossing into prohibited activities for tax-exempt groups. “This is not a matter of routine oversight,” Stefanik wrote. “It is a matter of national security, the protection of U.S. taxpayers and donors, and the defense of legitimate humanitarian organizations in one of the most dangerous conflict zones in the world.”
The letter comes as U.S.-backed humanitarian aid operations in Gaza rely on a mix of NGOs and government-supported efforts. Stefanik pointed to the Gaza Health Foundation, the U.S.-backed Gaza aid backbone, which has said it has distributed 167 million meals to Gazans since operations began in May. However, a UN agency project reported that less than 18% of aid sent into Gaza by the United Nations has reached intended recipients, with theft and armed looting cited as major obstacles. The juxtaposition underscored Stefanik’s claim that MSF’s criticisms could be undermining relief efforts at a critical time.
Doctors Without Borders did not respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment, according to the network. The charity has faced scrutiny from various actors amid the Gaza war and has previously drawn ire from some pro-Israel officials who accuse it of bias or politicization. MSF is a neutral, Geneva-based NGO that provides medical care in multiple conflict areas, including Gaza, but the organization has clarified its stance as independent of any political agenda. The absence of a formal response from MSF leaves Stefanik’s allegations as the central framing of the investigation request.
This development comes as part of a broader political debate in Washington about oversight of charitable organizations and the boundaries for NGO activity in war zones. Stefanik’s move also reflects ongoing partisan efforts to scrutinize groups involved in Gaza aid and to consider how misinformation and advocacy intersect with humanitarian work. Observers note that the outcome could influence how Congress, state regulators, and the executive branch balance the need for independent humanitarian action with concerns about propaganda and political influence in conflict settings.
The underlying tension points to the complex field of foreign-aid governance, where humanitarian groups operate across borders and are sometimes caught in the crossfire of geopolitical disputes. Stefanik’s letter, while framed as a matter of national security and tax compliance, also mirrors broader partisan efforts to tighten control over non-governmental actors operating in areas of active conflict. Whether Bondi will pursue a formal probe against MSF, and on what grounds, remains unclear. MSF officials have historically emphasized neutrality and medical care over political advocacy, but the dynamic in Gaza continues to blur lines between humanitarian action and political discourse.
