Medea Benjamin, co-founder of CodePink, confirmed that her organization received an inquiry from the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) about its trip to Cuba in March. The inquiry, described as an administrative subpoena, is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to increase scrutiny of nonprofit organizations involved in foreign policy and activism. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that nonprofits cannot evade legal accountability for their activities, especially if they support unlawful actions. He mentioned that the IRS will require nonprofits to know their grant recipients under new regulations.
Benjamin learned about the inquiry through media reports and stated that it was sent via email to CodePink co-founder Jody Evans, landing in their spam folder. The inquiry requests detailed information about the trip, including the activities of approximately 170 participants. Benjamin indicated that the inquiry is serious due to the extensive information requested, which includes specifics about their travel and humanitarian aid efforts. Despite the scrutiny, she affirmed that CodePink would continue its activities in Cuba, viewing the inquiry as an intimidation tactic. Political streamer Hasan Piker, who was also involved in the trip, claimed he had not received any inquiry from the Treasury Department.