The Internal Revenue Service under President Donald Trump has officially clarified that churches are free to endorse political candidates during services without risking their tax-exempt status.
The statement came in a court filing Monday after two Texas churches and the National Religious Broadcasters association sued the federal government over the so-called Johnson Amendment—a 1954 law that bars tax-exempt organizations from engaging in political endorsements. While the plaintiffs sought broader protections for all nonprofits, the IRS specifically agreed that churches may support candidates without violating the tax code.
According to the IRS, pastors speaking to their congregations about elections during religious services are exercising protected speech. The agency likened church-based endorsements to a “family discussion concerning candidates,” arguing that such speech, when made “through its usual channels of communication on matters of faith,” does not violate the Johnson Amendment.
The IRS added that it has long refrained from penalizing churches for political speech during worship. Even during high-profile events like “Pulpit Freedom Sunday,” where hundreds of pastors openly endorsed candidates from the pulpit to challenge the law, the IRS pursued only one investigation—and issued no punishments.
The move is a major win for religious liberty advocates and Christian leaders, many of whom have long considered the Johnson Amendment a tool to silence faith-based political speech. It also follows through on a core campaign promise from President Trump.
“I will totally destroy the Johnson Amendment and allow our representatives of faith to speak freely and without fear of retribution,” Trump declared at the National Prayer Breakfast in 2017.
Although fully repealing the Johnson Amendment would require congressional action, the IRS’s legal position represents a significant step toward restoring freedom of expression for churches. Critics of the amendment argue that it unfairly censors religious organizations and treats faith leaders as second-class citizens when it comes to political speech.
Opponents of repeal claim the law is needed to enforce campaign finance limits, fearing that tax-exempt churches could be used to shield political donations. But for millions of Christian Americans, the greater concern has always been protecting the pulpit from government overreach.
Under Trump’s leadership, that protection is now stronger than ever.
The post Trump’s IRS Says Churches Can Endorse Political Candidates Without Losing Tax Status appeared first on Real News Now.
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