Conservative megadonor calls for a more aggressive approach from activist groups to challenge liberal dominance.

Leonard Leo, a billionaire conservative philanthropist who runs a large network of conservative nonprofits, urged his organizations to begin "weaponizing" their ideas, a tactic that he claimed the left has been promoting for years.

Leo's 85 Fund has announced a "comprehensive review" of the entities it supports and plans to adjust the extent of funding for ideas and policy development. The goal is to ensure that the philanthropic efforts are not overly focused on "ideation" but on "weaponizing" ideas and producing tangible results, as Leo suggests liberals have effectively done for their causes.

"Leo stated that the Left established strong networks of activists, academics, journalists, and philanthropists, as well as professionals from other fields, who could work together to impact public opinions and put pressure on government officials. They invested in talent pipelines to fill key positions within government, where policies would be implemented. They also utilized litigation as a tool to bring about change through the legal system. Moreover, beyond politics and law, left-wing philanthropy controlled or acquired significant infrastructure to control cultural gatekeepers."

"On the other hand," Leo stated, "inadequate funds are being allocated towards implementing and arming conservative ideologies and strategies to undermine liberal influence."

Leo's letter highlighted the George Soros-funded Tides Foundation and the Hansjörg Wyss-backed Arabella Advisors as examples of groups that "incubate action-oriented campaigns." He specifically mentioned their support of nationwide NGOs such as Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH). SJP has been at the forefront of promoting anti-Israel sentiment on college campuses across the country since the Hamas terror attack in October 2014 that killed over a thousand innocent Israelis and took hundreds hostage. On the other hand, WPATH has been at the forefront of the transgender movement, publishing standards of care that doctors and public officials have used to justify "gender-affirming care" for minors.

""The left has a significant advantage in funding with donors like Hansjörg Wyss and the Arabella Advisors network, but we need to be strategic with our resources and focus on utilizing the conservative movement's talent to make a difference," Leo said in an interview with Planet Chronicle Digital."

Leo, the former executive vice president of the Federalist Society, transformed the organization into a powerful lawfare group with over 70,000 members. He has also been recognized as a significant influence on former President Trump's Supreme Court nominations, having created a list of potential judges that Trump released during his 2016 campaign.

After Trump's election, Leo resigned from his daily duties with the Federalist Society but remained its co-chair. In 2022, Leo's Marble Freedom Trust received a $1.6 billion gift from American businessman and GOP donor Barre Seid. Leo still has roughly $1 billion left to spend, according to the Financial Times, which analyzed public financial disclosures. A representative for Leo declined to reveal how many NGOs receive financial support from the 85 Fund.

"[W]e need to do more with less, focusing on leveraging the conservative movement's talent to have impact, if we want to be successful."

Leo stated in a rare interview with the Financial Times that we will boost our support for organizations that challenge companies and financial institutions that bow to the pressure of regulators and NGOs to prioritize extreme left-wing ideology over consumers.

Leo revealed that his Marble Freedom Trust has been intensifying its efforts to target "woke" banks and China-friendly organizations in various sectors, including food production and artificial intelligence. Additionally, Leo disclosed that he intends to allocate funds towards local media outlets in the US in the upcoming year.

Liberal critics have reacted angrily to Leo's call for his groups to "operationalize" and "weaponize" their ideas.

"Leonard Leo's call to "weaponize" the conservative movement through his dark money network reveals his strategy of pushing his right-wing agenda on everyday Americans and favoring the powerful few, according to Carolina Ciccone, president of NGO watchdog Accountable.US. It's important to note that this isn't just about shaping conservative thought, but also about using institutions meant to protect the rights of everyday Americans to serve the interests of right-wing special interests."

Leo has been accused by Jay Willis, former GQ writer and current editor-in-chief of Balls & Strikes, of attempting to rebrand himself as an Elon Musk-style culture warrior who frequently rants about the "woke mind virus."