Trump Administration Continues to Target Nonprofits With New Executive Memo

President Donald Trump continues his America-first agenda in his effort to halt funding to nonprofits that don’t conform to those efforts.

In the memorandum “Advancing United States’ Interests When Funding Nongovernmental Organizations,” Trump points to the government’s support of nonprofits whose missions extend beyond the United States, claiming that many of these organizations “are engaged in actions that actively undermine the security, prosperity and safety of the American people.”

In what seems like an extension of his previous executive order, “Re-evaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid,” and a federal grant freeze that a judge temporarily halted last week, Trump is aiming to limit future funding to organizations that have causes that don’t align with his domestic policies.

“I therefore direct the heads of executive departments and agencies (agencies) to review all funding that agencies provide to NGOs,” Trump wrote in the memo. “The heads of agencies shall align future funding decisions with the interests of the United States and with the goals and priorities of my administration, as expressed in executive actions; as otherwise determined in the judgment of the heads of agencies; and on the basis of applicable authorizing statutes, regulations and terms.”

The National Council of Nonprofits, a Washington, D.C.-based organization that advocates for nonprofits, was one of the nonprofits that sued the Office of Management and Budget to halt the federal funding freeze that stopped processing about $3 trillion in payments for already-allocated grants for various nonprofit and for-profit organizations in late January.

“Let's be clear: The security, prosperity and safety of the American people that the memorandum expresses concern about are enhanced by the work of nonprofits and NGOs,” Diane Yentel, president and CEO of the National Council of Nonprofits, said in a statement. “Removing this vital funding or dismantling these organizations will not just diminish the United States here at home and around the world, it will cost lives. The work that nonprofit organizations do day in and day out to meet their lofty missions [touches] all of our lives, in each of our communities, and are truly what makes America great in the eyes of the world and at home.”