Senator Marco Rubio has urged more than 60 countries to prioritize combating far-left political terrorism, highlighting what he described as a historical and current threat that has been overlooked by traditional counterterrorism doctrines.
Rubio, speaking at a State Department summit in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, called for global partners to unite in sharing intelligence and dismantling interconnected networks that fuel extremist violence. He noted that such groups have been responsible for violent incidents worldwide and that their operational methods often include encrypted communication and cross-border coordination.
"For far too long, however, our counterterrorism doctrine has had a blind spot – a blind spot when it comes to extremist violence from the political left," Rubio stated. "Even today, the very idea that far-left terrorism could be a serious threat is treated as a right-wing fever dream, or worse, as a dangerous fascist conspiracy."
Rubio's remarks come as Neville Roy Singham, a 72-year-old American financier known for funding groups with Marxist and pro-Chinese Communist Party ideologies, is reportedly facing a federal grand jury probe in New York. According to reports, Singham has funneled approximately $278 million into a network of nonprofits since 2017. These organizations have been involved in protests against U.S. policies concerning immigration, Israel, and Iran.
While Rubio did not name Singham directly, his call for disrupting the financing of dangerous organizations, some of which may be working with hostile foreign states, could draw scrutiny to financiers like Singham. State Department officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Singham's network of nonprofits, including Code Pink co-founded by his wife Jodie Evans, have promoted communist and Marxist ideals and have openly stated that "China is Not Our Enemy." Rubio criticized what he sees as a double standard in how violence committed by left-wing extremists is perceived, suggesting it is sometimes excused as misguided idealism rather than condemned as terrorism.
Members of Congress have also expressed concerns regarding Singham's activities. Rep. Jason Smith, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, launched an investigation into Singham's nonprofit network last year. Sen. Jim Banks has called Singham a "traitor to our country" and stated that "Chinese-funded, anti-American billionaires like Neville Roy Singham are instigating far-left chaos across our country."
Reports indicate that the Department of Justice has initiated a grand jury investigation into alleged financial crimes. Sources familiar with the matter suggest that the grand jury, operating in the Southern District of New York, has issued subpoenas as part of a probe authorized by Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche. This investigation is part of an effort to address alleged fraud and money laundering within the nonprofit sector.
Earlier this year, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reportedly met with Goldman Sachs Chairman and CEO David Solomon, warning him that the firm could face scrutiny over its alleged role in the movement of funds tied to Singham. Bessent encouraged Solomon to cooperate with the Justice Department's investigation.
A Treasury spokesperson stated that all distributions from Mr. Singham's donor-advised fund were made to legal nonprofits, as determined by the IRS, and that no distributions have occurred since August 2023, with the account being closed in early 2024. Singham has not responded to requests for comment.