“Are You A Covert White Supremacist?” Fireworks Erupt In DOGE Hearing Exposing NGO Funding, Taxpayer “Theft”

In a fiery House Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency (DOGE) hearing on June 4, 2025, titled “Public Funds, Private Agendas: NGOs Gone Wild,” Republican lawmakers exposed the “gold bars thrown off the Titanic,” alleging the Biden administration under Democratic control of Congress had siphoned billions in taxpayer dollars to push left-wing policies like open borders and the Green New Deal through Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). 

Held at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, the hearing, chaired by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), aimed to expose what Republicans call a corrupt nexus of NGOs, Democratic campaign funds, and bureaucratic cronyism. 

OPENING STATEMENT

The Biden Admin funneled BILLIONS of your tax dollars through radical NGOs to fund the invasion at our southern border and push Green New Deal scams.

These left-wing nonprofits are nothing more than a fifth branch of government.

Today, @DOGECommittee is… pic.twitter.com/RU9kQIr0ep

— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) June 4, 2025

In a fiery exchange, Democrats pushed back with allegations that Republicans are “trying to keep a strong black woman down,” while simultaneously chastising the GOP for not codifying enough DOGE cuts, at the same as alleging Republicans are cutting vital services as part of a partisan witch hunt. Here’s the breakdown of the clash that’s got X buzzing and taxpayers fuming.

Republicans Drop the Hammer on NGO Funding

Rep. Eric Burlison (R-Mo.) didn’t mince words, calling the allocation of “hundreds of billions” to NGOs under the Biden administration a “CRIME” against Americans. “There’s a difference between true charity and the government forcibly removing money from your pocket and giving it to someone else,” Burlison declared, framing the forcible removal of tax dollars to fund the ideological priorities of NGOs as outright theft.

.@RepEricBurlison CORNERS NPR & PBS CEOs!

Rep. Burlison: Would it be more appropriate to fund PBS or to fund Social Security? If given that funding is limited, which is where we are at.

Paula Kerger, PBS CEO: Both are important.

Katherine Maher, NPR CEO: We know how important… pic.twitter.com/146cbT46zI

— DOGE Subcommittee (@DOGECommittee) March 26, 2025

His line of inquiry hammered witnesses like Diane Yentel of the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), questioning whether her group’s advocacy for affordable housing masks a radical agenda. 

‘Are you a covert white supremacist?’

Meanwhile, Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX) wanted to drive home the point that these NGOs are pushing partisan talking points.

“Are you a covert white supremacist,” Gill asked Yentel, after she denied being a racist.

“Are you a racist?” Gill asked Yentel, to which she replied, “with all due respect sir,  I’m here to talk about the essential work that non-profits do.”

“Excuse me,” Gill interjected. “That’s a very simple question. Are you a racist?” 

“I’m not a racist,“ Yentel responded.

“That’s particularly interesting,” Gill said.  “Because, according to one of your affiliate charities under your non-profit umbrella, denial of racism constitutes covert white supremacy. Are you a covert white supremacist?” 

Gill piled on, grilling Yentel on the exact “services” that the NLIHC and its affinity groups have been given taxpayer funds to provide. Refusing to answer questions under oath related to “LGBTQ+ meet-ups” for kids as young as nine, or specify what Yentel described as “essential work,” Gill fired off “you are a radical far-left activist, masquerading as someone promoting non-profit, non-partisan institutions.” 

Liberal activist and Democrat witness – under oath – refuses to testify she’s not a white supremacist. pic.twitter.com/4lgMUMctr2

— Congressman Brandon Gill (@RepBrandonGill) June 4, 2025

The GOP’s narrative, echoed by witnesses like Scott Walter, Mark Krikorian and Daniel Turner, painted NGOs as pawns in a Democratic scheme to funnel public money into ideological outcomes—think green energy and immigration policies—that clash with mainstream American values. 

BOMBSHELL from Mark Krikorian: “NGOs & UN Agencies were paid by US taxpayers to facilitate illegal movement of migrants from South and Central America and Mexico.”

These coordinated & well-funded assistance programs were designed to undermine US immigration laws. pic.twitter.com/k8h3c1ledh

— DOGE Subcommittee (@DOGECommittee) June 4, 2025

Chairwoman Greene touted the hearing as a Trump-aligned mission to “claw back” misused funds, with Burlison tying the issue to the DOGE’s broader “War on Waste,” citing $2.7 trillion in improper federal payments.

Democrats Fight Back: A Partisan Smokescreen?

Democrats, led by Ranking Member Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), weren’t buying the GOP’s outrage. Stansbury slammed the hearing as a transparent attempt to vilify NGOs that provide critical services like food banks and homeless shelters. “These are the glue of our communities,” she insisted, defending groups like NLIHC. Stansbury is no stranger to catastrophizing DOGE, having previously alleged that the subcommittee’s access to sensitive IRS and Treasury data—potentially targeting NGOs—somehow poses an “insider threat” to Americans’ privacy. In her April 2025 Resolution of Inquiry, Stansbury demanded answers on what she called “DOGE’s data grabs,” ironically ignoring the Biden-era censorship and USAID funds that prompted DOGE in the first place. 

Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), accused Republicans of using the hearing to target Stacey Abrams. 

“There’s a gubernatorial race coming up in Georgia and nobody seems to know whether Stacey is going to run or not, “ Crockett said.  “So why not muddy the waters if we can to hopefully keep a strong Black woman down.” 

We’re in the DOGE Subcommittee hearing, but where’s Elon? Is the “oversight” in the room with us?
⁰Republicans wanted to talk about NGOs and Stacey Abrams. But, Trump’s out here slapping a for sale sign on the White House lawn—and y’all wanna play games?

Let’s cut the noise and… pic.twitter.com/3okr5tZOHs

— Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (@RepJasmine) June 5, 2025

The charge followed a line of inquiry from GOP lawmakers, related to a $2 billion dollar grant from the EPA to the NGO Rewiring America. In addition, Crockett alleged that Republicans were attacking Big Bird and trans kids, claiming the committee should focus instead on how Trump is “ignoring court orders and deporting American citizens.” 

WATCH: @RepTimmons raises doubt that the Stacey Abrams-backed Power Forward Coalition would have received a $2 billion grant if former Obama and Biden officials were not associated. pic.twitter.com/CsNTFlHst4

— Off The Press (@OffThePress1) June 4, 2025

The Bigger Picture: A Nation Divided

The hearing’s fallout lit up X, with conservatives cheering DOGE’s push to defund “woke” NGOs and liberals decrying a McCarthyite smear campaign. The numbers are staggering: hundreds of billions allegedly funneled to NGOs first to ensure ideological compliance from sub-recipients such as small towns and municipalities. 

Given the long-term contractual obligations between NGOs and rural America that dictate future land use and development – a structure drafted by NGOs called the Federal Plan for Equitable Long-Term Recovery and Resilience – USAID, HUD, and the EPA grants came under particular fire. 

What’s clear is the deepening rift—Republicans see a bloated, corrupt system ripe for Trump’s axe, while Democrats warn of a chilling effect on non-profits serving the vulnerable.

As DOGE’s crusade against waste continues, expect more fireworks. Will taxpayers see their dollars redirected, or is this just political theater to score points before 2026? One thing’s certain: the battle over NGO funding is far from over, and the truth, as always, lies in the murky middle.

Watch the entire hearing below: