Foreign funds flow to US think tanks

A new report reveals that the top 50 think tanks in the U.S. have received hundreds of millions of dollars from foreign governments and defence contractors.

The Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft’s document notes that between 2019 and 2023, foreign governments and state-owned entities contributed more than $110 million to these influential institutions.

The biggest donors were the UAE, the UK, and Qatar, contributing $16.7 million, $15.5 million, and $9.1 million, respectively.

Among the think tanks receiving the most funding from foreign sources, the Atlantic Council topped the list with $20.8 million. 

This was followed by the Brookings Institution with $17.1 million, and the German Marshall Fund with $16.1 million.

In addition to foreign funding, the U.S. government also directed at least $1.49 billion to these institutions, with the Rand Corporation receiving nearly $1.4 billion of that amount.

The report assessed transparency among these think tanks, revealing that only nine were fully transparent about their funding, while 23 were partially open.

Eighteen think tanks were labeled as “dark money” institutions, as they did not disclose their donors at all.

Another major source of funding came from Pentagon contractors, which have given more than $34.7 million to these think tanks during the same period.

Some institutions, such as the American Enterprise Institute, have publicly acknowledged funding from defense firms such as Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman.

It has raised ethical questions as many of these think tanks provide expert testimony to Congress on foreign affairs and defense policies.

A previous investigation said that less than 30% of think tank-affiliated witnesses testifying before the House Foreign Affairs Committee fully disclosed their donors.