Trump administration reportedly preparing to strip Soros foundation of tax exemptions
The US Treasury and IRS are reportedly preparing to revoke the tax-free status of several left-wing nonprofits, including George Soros' Open Society Foundations, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and CAIR, citing alleged abuses of the tax code and links to 'substantial illegal purpose.'
The US Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service are reportedly preparing to strip several prominent left-wing nonprofits of their tax-exempt status, including George Soros' Open Society Foundations (OSF), the Southern Poverty Law Center, and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). According to the New York Post, which cited sources familiar with the matter, the move is part of a broader audit targeting organizations suspected of abusing the US tax code.
The reported action follows repeated threats by President Donald Trump against left-leaning charitable groups, which he has accused of fueling "violent protests" and undermining the country. The drive gained momentum after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in September last year, when Trump designated the loosely organized Antifa movement, allegedly backed by left-wing nonprofits, as a "domestic terrorist organization." At the time, the US Department of Justice reportedly pushed prosecutors to investigate the OSF, exploring potential charges including material support for terrorism, racketeering, arson, and wire fraud.
The renewed offensive against the OSF and other nonprofits partially relies on a 2025 executive order signed by Trump that targeted nonprofits operating with a "substantial illegal purpose." The Treasury is now preparing a major audit of organizations suspected of violating tax regulations, with three sources telling the Post that officials were "like a dog with a bone" when it came to the probes. Many of the groups and their donors were already "on borrowed time," one source said, adding that there was "a lot of internal pressure to get it done, but some people are still moving too slowly at the IRS." That is expected to change very soon.
The investigation reportedly also targets assorted anti-corporate and labor-aligned advocacy groups. However, the administration's offensive could trigger a massive wave of lawsuits and potentially lose momentum before yielding any results, the sources warned. The reported concerns specifically apply to groups suspected of being linked to foreign terrorist organizations, namely CAIR.
Earlier this week, the Trump administration took action against three organizations based in Europe, including two pro-Palestinian groups, designating them as transnational terrorists. Palestine Action and Masar Badil, as well as Autistici/Inventati, which provides free digital tools to left-wing activists worldwide, are now subject to US State Department sanctions.
The Open Society Foundations condemned the reported plans as "politically motivated attacks on civil society." Trump's campaign against what he calls the "resurgence of far-left political terrorism" in the US and beyond has been repeatedly criticized by various parties. Those on the receiving end have accused Trump of unjustified political persecution, while independent experts have suggested that the administration may be disproportionately targeting left-wingers while ignoring right-wing extremism.
