US President Donald Trump has welcomed a move by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that allows houses of worship to endorse political candidates without losing their tax-exempt status.
Speaking from the White House on Wednesday, President Trump said: “I love the fact that churches could endorse a political candidate. If somebody of faith wants to endorse, I think it’s something that I’d like to hear.”
The IRS position came in a recent court filing to resolve a lawsuit brought by two Texas churches and the National Religious Broadcasters. In the filing, the IRS said that traditional religious communications are exempt from the longstanding Johnson Amendment, a section of the US tax code that prohibits nonprofit organisations — including religious groups — from endorsing or opposing political candidates.
President Trump has long criticised the Johnson Amendment. During his first term in 2017, he signed an executive order aimed at easing restrictions on political speech in churches.
“Those people were not allowed to speak up. Now they're allowed to speak up,” Mr Trump said. “I think it’s terrific.”
The Biden administration previously defended the law’s constitutionality, arguing that tax benefits shouldn't subsidise political activity.
