Donald Trump promised attendees at the National Prayer Breakfast Thursday that he would dismantle a 1954 law that prohibits tax-exempt churches from engaging in political speech. Mark Landler writes:
Mr. Trump said his administration would “totally destroy” the Johnson Amendment, which prohibits churches from engaging in political activity at the risk of losing their tax-exempt status.
Repealing the law would require approval by Congress. Certain tax-exempt organizations — in this case, churches — are not allowed to openly endorse or campaign for political candidates. If they do, under existing law, they risk losing the benefits of their tax-exempt status. [...]
In addressing the issue of churches and political speech, Mr. Trump said, “I will get rid of and totally destroy the Johnson Amendment and allow our representatives of faith to speak freely and without fear of retribution.”
During the speech, Trump did not address a much talked about executive order that would grant religious folks special rights to discriminate against LGBTQ Americans if doing otherwise would "violate their conscience." The order would basically declare a religiously motivated open-season on LGBTQ people, obliterating protections granted by President Obama. Administration officials of popular vote loser Donald Trump have declined to say whether the order will be issued.
But Trump's effort to overturn the Johnson law will require the approval of Congress.