Washington – First the The main firms of lawyers of the nation. Then it is main universities. Now, President Donald Trump It relies on the defense groups that support the civil society of the United States.
Trump said Thursday that the administration is Looking at the tax exempt from taxes Not just from Harvestbut environmental groups and specifically the citizen ethics surveillance organization for responsibility and ethics in Washington or the crew. It could be a devastating financial blow for non -profit organizations, and their perceived political enemies.
The president’s comments, during an event at the White House, began to confirm which defense groups have been noticeable: Trump’s remuneration campaign It comes next for them.
“It is supposed to be a charitable organization,” Trump said about the crew, in particular. “The only beneficial organization they had is to chase Donald Trump. So we are seeing that. We are seeing many things.”
Trump and his team have been working in the institutions of the Nation, threatening to chisel the independence and autonomy of law firm, university campuses and now defense groups, or put them at risk of losing their federal funds or professional livelihoods.
Everything is coming quickly, not yet 100 days after the new administration, and in historically unknown ways in this country due to its speed and scope. And is sending shock waves that reverberate throughout the American system.
“It is a sad day in this country when organizations that provide critical services to their communities are under attack of their government,” said Cole Leiter, executive director of the US Defense Group against Government’s censorship. “No administration, republican or democratic, should be able to assemble the weight of the government against its political enemies.”
On his own, Trump’s actions are an almost daily list of executive pronouncements of the White House. The Trump Administration has issued orders against law firms that had cases or lawyers received against them, and has made universities about their rules around campus activism.
On Thursday he potentially brought the battery: Trump highlighted the crew, the surveillance group whose founder, Norm Eisen, played a fundamental role in Trump’s first political trial, and the environmental groups that disagree with his “baby exercise” agenda.
“Exempt taxes: I mean, it is a privilege. It is really a privilege, and has been abused by much more than Harvard,” Trump said. “We will make some statements. It is a big problem.”
But together, executive orders and actions and notes are making clear a thing: the Trump administration is anxious to prove new ways to flex the Executive Power, and dare the courts and congress to intervene. And more is expected to come.
Environmental, immigration and civil society defense groups have prepared for possible threats to their state -free state, according to a person familiar with the situation and granted anonymity to discuss it. The person said some expect Trump to begin to take measures against environmental groups on Earth Day, which is Tuesday.
These are organizations and groups largely non -profit, many based in Washington, who advocate several communities, constituencies and causes.
Kieran Suckling, executive director of the Center for Biological Diversity, said the environmental groups have heard that the Trump administration is preparing executive orders aimed at the fiscal state of environmental groups that work in climate change, as well as those of any base that finance their work.
“Trump is gathering all the power of the government to punish his perceived enemies,” said Suckling. “We have a legal team of crack and we will have it in court within 24 hours. We are ready and waiting for us to reach us.”
The crew has been a leading group of ethics in Washington, with Trump for a long time the theme of its probes.
Before the 2024 elections, the group was part of the legal effort to disqualify Trump to recover the White House Under the 14th amendmentafter the insurrection of January 6, 2021 in the Capitol. More recently, the crew demanded for the dismissal of federal workers by Trump and the Government’s efficiency department.
“For more than 20 years, the crew has exposed the corruption of the government of politicians of both parties that violate public trust and has worked to promote an ethical and transparent government,” said Jordan Libowitz, vice president of the organization.
Trump’s attacks against civil society have created a climate that is potentially chilling for organizations in question, but have had mixed results.
Five of the main law firms and Trump came to a deal in which they agreed to provide hundreds of millions of dollars combined in pro bono lawyers for causes that the administration says it supports. Companies are trying to avoid several sanctions, including terminated federal contracts, federal employment investigations on diversity hiring and others.
While Columbia University agreed To the demands of the Trump administration to review its rules for public protests instead of risking billions of dollars in lost federal funds, Harvard rejected the administration And now faces a federal freezing of funds of $ 2 billion and the threat to its tax exempt from taxes.
The tax -free state allows non -profit organizations to receive donations that are crucial for their financial results. Change that could, in some situations, lead to calamity.
“Good governance groups are the heart of a healthy democracy,” Libowitz said. “We will continue doing our job to ensure that Americans have an ethical and responsible government.”
___
Associated Press Matthew Daly and Tammy Webber writers in Fenton, Michigan, contributed to this report.
