09/18/2025

White House Weighing Executive Orders Targeting Left-leaning Nonprofits

Several private foundations have already publicly referenced

OSAP, the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and the Community Impact Coalition (CIC), of which OSAP is also a member, are closely monitoring reports that the Trump administration may increase scrutiny of certain nonprofit organizations following the killing of Charlie Kirk.

While no associations have been specifically named, several private foundations — including the Ford Foundation and Open Society Foundations — have been publicly referenced by administration officials this week. Officials have stated an intent to examine what they describe as a network of nongovernmental organizations alleged to foment violence, including groups such as Antifa.

According to media reports, the administration is considering potential executive actions that could be announced as early as this week.

Earlier this week, Vice President JD Vance criticized the Ford Foundation and Open Society Foundations, linking them to The Nation magazine, which he said published an article that appeared to celebrate Kirk’s death. Vance suggested that the tax-exempt status of the foundations should be revoked, which is currently illegal to do based on political winds in D.C.

In response, the Ford Foundation confirmed that it made a one-time $100,000 contribution to The Nation in 2019, while Bhaskar Sunkara, president of The Nation, stated that the magazine receives no funding from George Soros or the Open Society Foundations.

Revocation of an organization's tax-exempt status would have significant financial implications by removing the charitable deduction for donors and requiring the organization to pay federal income taxes. Such a decision by the IRS could be challenged in court.

Separately, the House Ways and Means Committee held a hearing this week examining the tax treatment of nonprofit hospitals. The hearing explored how nonprofit hospitals use their tax benefits, the level of community care they provide, and how reductions in Medicare and Medicaid funding may affect rising hospital costs.

This week, Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith (R-MO) told reporters the committee with jurisdiction over tax policy and the IRS would continue its scrutiny of nonprofits "regardless of Charlie Kirk's murder."

"There's a huge abuse of not-for-profits initiating violence," Smith added.

We will continue to monitor these developments and provide updates as more information becomes available.

This article was provided to OSAP by ASAE's Power of Associations and Inroads.