Task Force Finds IRS Weaponized Johnson Amendment Against Conservative Pastors

WASHINGTON — A presidential task force established by executive order has concluded that the Internal Revenue Service systematically weaponized the 1954 Johnson Amendment to target conservative Christian churches and pastors while largely ignoring similar political activity by liberal and progressive religious organizations.

The task force, created by President Donald Trump in February 2026 to investigate anti-Christian bias across federal agencies, released its findings April 30. It determined that IRS enforcement of the Johnson Amendment — which prohibits tax-exempt nonprofits, including churches, from endorsing or opposing political candidates — has been applied in a viewpoint-discriminatory manner. Conservative pastors were disproportionately audited, threatened with loss of tax-exempt status, and investigated for sermons addressing issues such as abortion, same-sex marriage, and religious liberty, while liberal clergy faced little to no scrutiny for openly supporting Democratic candidates from the pulpit.

The executive order directing the task force was one of Trump’s early actions in his second term. It instructed the group to examine whether federal agencies, particularly the IRS, had engaged in selective enforcement that chilled the free exercise of religion and First Amendment rights of conservative Christians. The order responded to years of complaints from faith leaders who argued the Johnson Amendment had been turned into a tool of political suppression.

The task force’s report cites internal IRS documents and enforcement data showing guidance that prioritized investigations into “right-wing” or “evangelical” groups. Specific cases reviewed by the task force included conservative pastors who received warning letters or faced audits after delivering sermons critical of certain policies, while progressive churches hosted political events or endorsed candidates without repercussions.

The findings are expected to prompt immediate policy changes at the IRS, including clearer guidelines to protect pulpit speech and more even-handed enforcement of the Johnson Amendment. The task force also recommended that Congress consider legislative reforms to the amendment itself, which many conservatives have long viewed as an unconstitutional restriction on religious speech.

For conservative churches and pastors who have described feeling targeted for their beliefs, the report provides official validation of long-standing concerns about unequal treatment. The Trump administration has pledged to implement the recommendations swiftly to restore balance and protect religious liberty.