Over 1,000 Nonprofits Urge Trump to Reject Church Political Endorsement Plans

The IRS recently announced a significant shift in policy by allowing churches and religious nonprofits to endorse political candidates, effectively altering the enforcement of the Johnson Amendment, a 70-year-old law that has prohibited such political activity to maintain their tax-exempt status. This change, revealed in a July 7 court filing, has sparked widespread concern among more than 1,000 nonprofits and faith-based organizations who have collectively urged President Donald Trump to uphold the Johnson Amendment to protect the nonpartisan nature of religious and charitable organizations. Critics argue that weakening this provision risks politicizing houses of worship, potentially turning them into tools for political campaigns and endangering the separation of church and state. They warn that the proposed IRS settlement could open the door for political pressure on religious groups and allow tax-deductible donations to be funneled into political campaigns, undermining public trust and regulatory oversight. The coalition includes prominent groups such as the National Council of Nonprofits, Baptist Joint Committee, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and Public Citizen, who emphasize the importance of preserving the integrity of elections and religious institutions. As the court considers the settlement, these organizations have made a concerted effort to maintain the longstanding prohibition on partisan political endorsements by tax-exempt nonprofits.