Headline Roundup • July 9th, 2025
IRS Clears Way for Churches to Endorse Politicians
Summary from the AllSides News Team
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) said churches and houses of worship can now endorse political candidates without endangering their tax-exempt status.
The Details: The announcement came in a court document on Monday regarding a case where the plaintiffs sued over the 1954 Johnson Amendment, arguing it infringes on free speech rights. The amendment, named after then-Senator Lyndon B. Johnson, requires “certain organizations, including churches, to refrain from participating or intervening in campaigns for public office as a condition for their non-profit, tax-exempt status.” The court filing argued, “Bona fide communications internal to a house of worship, between the house of worship and its congregation, in connection with religious services, do neither of those things, any more than does a family discussion concerning candidates. Thus, communications from a house of worship to its congregation in connection with religious services through its usual channels of communication on matters of faith do not run afoul of the Johnson Amendment as properly interpreted.”
For Context: The Johnson Amendment has rarely been enforced, with only one church losing tax-exempt status due to its political activism, according to NPR (Lean Left bias). However, some churches say investigations cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars. President Donald Trump has said he wants to eliminate the amendment. Not everyone sees the amendment as a free speech matter, though. Diane Yentel, President and CEO of the National Council of Nonprofits, said the change could allow politicians to funnel campaign money tax-free.
How The Media Covered It: Fox Business (Lean Right) and Just the News (Lean Right) stuck to the facts of the ruling. NPR added the context that endorsements from the pulpit aren't popular. Straight Arrow News (Center) was the only outlet of the four to include opposition to the ruling.
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Featured Coverage of this Story
The IRS says churches and other houses of worship can endorse political candidates to congregations while maintaining their tax-exempt nonprofit status.
The agency made the statement in a consent judgment filed in a Texas federal court Monday with the National Religious Broadcasters and Intercessors for America, Sand Springs Church and First Baptist Church Waskom.
The plaintiffs sued over the Johnson Amendment that requires "certain organizations, including churches, to refrain from participating or intervening in campaigns for public office as a condition for their non-profit, tax-exempt status."
The Internal Revenue Service will now allow church officials to make statements in support of political candidates. The agency filed a joint court filing with an organization suing them in order to strike a deal.
National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) is an Evangelical media group that filed suit against the IRS over the Johnson Amendment.
The Johnson Amendment
The NRB filed suit in August 2024 over the Johnson Amendment, which has been in place since 1954. It was named after then-senator and future President Lyndon B. Johnson.
That amendment to the U.S. tax code prohibits tax-exempt...
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Charlie Neibergall/AP
In a break with decades of tradition, the Internal Revenue Service says it will allow houses of worship to endorse candidates for political office without losing their tax-exempt status.
The surprise announcement came in a court document filed on Monday.
Since 1954, a provision in the tax code called the Johnson Amendment says that churches and other nonprofit organizations could lose their tax-exempt status if they participate in, or intervene in "any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office."
