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18 April 2025, Inside Climate News: Trump May Target Environmental Nonprofits in Executive Orders. Environmental groups say they are preparing for the worst—and preparing to fight back. Environmental groups across the country are battening down the hatches in preparation for new executive orders from President Donald Trump. Sources in Washington, including within the Department of Justice and on Capitol Hill, have told Inside Climate News that White House officials are preparing executive orders on environmental issues. One order, they say, would target the tax exempt status of environmental nonprofits, particularly those that do legal work. President Trump himself tipped his hand at this possibility in Oval Office comments made Thursday, after he was questioned about his administration’s plans to rescind the tax-exempt status of Harvard University. “Tax exempt status, it’s a privilege,” Trump said. “And it’s been abused. By a lot more than Harvard, too.” After Trump added that the administration would soon be making statements that are “a big deal,” he was asked if environmental groups were among the nonprofits that are being scrutinized. “Could be,” he replied. A number of environmental nonprofits Inside Climate News contacted declined to comment on rumors that an executive order attacking their nonprofit status was in the works. But others said that they were preparing for potential actions by the Trump administration. “A lot of organizations in the U.S. are geared up and ready for this battle and will not back down,” said Todd Paglia, executive director of the international environmental advocacy group Stand.earth. “Really, what Trump is talking about is an intimidation strategy, because legally they have no grounds to do this and they will lose very quickly in court.” Read more here