Key Impact Points:
- Trump administration is preparing Earth Day orders targeting environmental nonprofits’ tax-exempt status.
- Move could defund major climate groups and restrict funding for foreign green organizations.
- Critics warn the action sets a dangerous precedent for political retaliation against nonprofits.
Potential Earth Day Action Against Green Groups
White House officials are weighing executive orders that could revoke the tax-exempt status of prominent environmental nonprofits, according to sources familiar with the matter. The move, timed around Earth Day, aligns with former President Donald Trump’s broader campaign to expand domestic fossil fuel production and dismantle climate policy efforts.
The initiative builds on years of GOP scrutiny of environmental organizations, with Republicans accusing groups like the Natural Resources Defense Council and the League of Conservation Voters of foreign ties and undue political influence.
Wider Threat to Nonprofit Advocacy
The administration is also considering sweeping changes beyond environmental groups—including stricter IRS interpretations that could impact a wide range of philanthropic organizations. One possible shift would remove “equivalency determinations” that allow international nonprofits to receive U.S. foundation funding.
“Philanthropy has a strong view that the storm is coming their way,” said Scott Curran, CEO of Beyond Advisers. “I’ve been working with organizations, especially those that have drawn opposition in the past, since last year to shore up their governance and compliance.”
Some officials have warned that this strategy could backfire, opening the door for future administrations to similarly target conservative nonprofits.
Trump’s Broader Climate Retaliation Campaign
Trump signaled the intent during recent remarks: the administration would target nonprofits that are “so rich, so strong, and then they go so bad.” He singled out watchdog Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, claiming, “The only charity they have is going after Donald Trump.”
The president has already called for Harvard University to lose its tax-exempt status and recently signed an executive order directing legal action against state environmental laws that impede oil and gas use.
Any move to revoke nonprofit status would likely face swift legal challenges. Environmental groups, which have already sued the administration over climate grant freezes, could again lead courtroom resistance. In one such case, a federal judge ordered the government to reinstate climate funding amid ongoing litigation.
Despite the legal uncertainty, the orders under consideration would mark a significant escalation in efforts to weaken climate-focused advocacy and regulatory enforcement.
A Precedent in Question
Critics from both parties have voiced concern. A bill passed last year in the House giving Treasury broad powers to revoke nonprofit status sparked bipartisan alarm over potential misuse.
Under current law, the IRS—independent of political influence—is responsible for determining a nonprofit’s status based on lobbying, political activity, or unrelated income. But a politically motivated directive from the White House could challenge that firewall.
As the administration finalizes its Earth Day strategy, nonprofits are bracing for confrontation, fearing this may just be the beginning.
