WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a dramatic display that perfectly encapsulated the very threat being discussed, radical activists from CodePink were unceremoniously escorted out of a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing today after attempting to turn a serious inquiry into foreign malign influence into their own propaganda spectacle.
The agitators, led by CodePink co-founder Medea Benjamin, walked into Room 2272 sporting provocative T-shirts openly supporting the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Communist Party of Cuba. Their brazen stunt served as a living, breathing example of the "Trojan horses" lawmakers had convened to examine: ostensibly domestic groups subverting American interests on behalf of hostile foreign powers.
It wasn't long before patience wore thin. Approximately 30 minutes into the hearing, after Benjamin had meticulously photographed her group's shirts prominently displayed on the TV screen behind the witnesses – clearly for social media fodder – House staffers and Capitol Hill police stepped in. The CodePink crew was removed, protesting their ejection as they are so accustomed to doing with their trademark antics.
For Republican lawmakers, the calculated performance by CodePink merely underscored the chilling reality at the heart of the hearing: that theatrical protests, carefully crafted messaging, and manufactured social media content are not just random acts of dissent, but often integral components of sophisticated foreign influence operations.
"It's really about theatrics," Subcommittee Chairman Bill Huizenga, R-Mich., later told Fox News Digital. "They're using it not to affect policy, but really to enrich themselves because they use that then to go out on social media, to try to whip other people up, to help donations, to help get volunteers, help get some of those other folks, and to really try to go and disrupt our – not just our sense of government and processing government – but society."
The hearing, aptly titled "Trojan Horses: Covert Foreign Malign Influence Operations in America," centered on a sprawling network of non-profits, media outlets, and activist groups pushing the agendas of foreign governments and pro-communist ideologues. A key figure in this web is Neville Roy Singham, a U.S. tech tycoon living in Shanghai who has funneled an astonishing $278 million into a far-left network promoting anti-America, pro-China propaganda. CodePink, it has been revealed, received $1.33 million from Singham’s coffers.
Outside the hearing room, Benjamin evaded questions from Fox News Digital about the Singham funding, instead opting to position herself and her fellow activists directly behind the witnesses for maximum television exposure. It was here that Mike Gonzalez, a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation, confronted Benjamin, telling her pointedly: "I’m telling Medea Benjamin that she should try to stop shilling for a communist tyranny."
Benjamin, predictably, deflected, claiming she was "anti-war" and denying any direction from the Chinese Communist Party. But the evidence presented inside the hearing room painted a starkly different picture.
During his opening remarks, Chairman Huizenga did not mince words, directly targeting actors tied to America’s adversaries — China, Cuba, Iran, and Russia — for their relentless efforts to influence the American public. He specifically named Singham, CodePink, and Marxist influencer Hasan Piker.
"We are here today because America’s adversaries – China, Cuba, Iran, and Russia – are conducting covert influence campaigns to shape American thought and society through lies and censorship. These countries have one shared goal: to weaken the United States of America," Huizenga declared.
He continued, "A prominent example of these adversary efforts is Neville Roy Singham, who lives in China and uses his wealth and relationships with the CCP to provide millions of dollars and personnel to extremist groups like CodePink, the People’s Forum, and the Party for Socialism and Liberation to destabilize American society and promote communist ideology." The People’s Forum, a New York City hub for pro-communist organizing, alone has received $22.44 million from Singham.
Witnesses further unraveled this dangerous web. Gonzalez described a "red-green" alliance of far-left and Islamist organizations channeling money through intermediaries to U.S.-based groups that orchestrate protests and generate political messaging. He cited Cuba and China’s influence operations as the foundation of a "sustained campaign of subversion against the United States," using platforms like BreakThrough News (which received $1.098 million from Singham) to amplify anti-American narratives.
The testimony also highlighted Singham’s direct connections in Shanghai, including his presence at a Chinese Communist Party strategic communications workshop in 2023 and the links between his funded organizations and Chinese state-linked academic and media institutions. The picture emerging was clear: a calculated, multi-layered effort to infiltrate and manipulate American public discourse.
Sam Lyman, head of research at the Bitcoin Policy Institute, detailed how Singham-funded groups mirrored Chinese messaging on critical technology policies like artificial intelligence and data centers. He identified 21 campaigns linked to the Party for Socialism and Liberation – a Marxist-Leninist group working closely with CodePink and others – that actively sought to delay or block AI infrastructure investment across 14 states.
Meanwhile, CodePink’s Benjamin, still in the gallery, was observed engrossed in her phone, scrolling through messages, seemingly oblivious to or unconcerned by the detailed exposé unfolding before her.
Matthew Johnson, senior fellow at the Jamestown Foundation, provided another crucial piece of the puzzle, explaining how the Singham network acts as an intermediary, translating Beijing’s anti-imperialist, anti-U.S. power themes into activist language for American consumption. Groups like People’s Forum, BreakThrough News, Tricontinental ($16.76 million from Singham), CodePink, and the communist ANSWER Coalition are all part of this insidious ecosystem.
"Beijing cannot simply command an American university, company, journalist, think tank or activist," Johnson explained. "It must gain access and cultivate relationships within institutions that shape perception, expertise and decision-making."
Predictably, the lone Democratic witness, Donald Sherman of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, chose to offer a dissenting opinion by criticizing former President Trump and his family’s business dealings, a classic deflection when faced with the uncomfortable truths about the radical left’s foreign entanglements.
The term "Trojan horse" aptly describes this modern threat: seemingly legitimate entities providing hidden access for foreign powers to advance their interests, influence American debates, and ultimately weaken the nation.
After the hearing, the CodePink theatrics continued. Benjamin, despite being removed, immediately launched into a carefully choreographed street performance outside the hearing room, filming a video and even chasing Republican Rep. Randy Fine, a staunch opponent of the "red-green alliance" and a strong supporter of Israel, with her team in tow. The message was unmistakable: this wasn't about policy; it was about generating content for their ongoing influence operation.
This is nothing new for CodePink. They have already been under investigation by the Treasury Department for potentially violating restrictions on doing business with the Communist Party of Cuba – another conveniently forgotten detail by those who defend their "freedom of speech."
Sure enough, within two hours of their ejection, CodePink had already packaged a slick, 43-second video of Benjamin’s street performance, distributing it across far-left networks. This rapid, coordinated dissemination only further cemented the lawmakers’ point: these are not grassroots activists merely expressing dissent; they are sophisticated operators in a larger, well-funded campaign of subversion.
The events of the day in Washington served as a powerful reminder that America's adversaries are relentless, and their methods are increasingly insidious. The nation must remain vigilant, expose these "Trojan horses" for what they are, and hold accountable those who willingly aid and abet forces seeking to undermine American freedom and national security. This fight for America First values begins with unmasking those who operate in the shadows, even when they’re brazen enough to wear their allegiances on their sleeves inside the halls of Congress.
