On Tax Day, Democrats Call Out IRS for Weaponizing Agency Against Citizens and Nonprofits
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, April 16, 2026
Washington, D.C. – Democrats are sounding the alarm on the Trump Administration’s efforts to weaponize the IRS against its perceived opponents, including in a recent Senate Finance Committee hearing and with a new inquiry launched by the House Ways & Means Committee.
Yesterday, Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee took IRS Chief Executive Officer Frank Bisignano and the agency to task for the politicization of the agency, including efforts to weaponize the IRS against political opponents.
Instead of helping Americans navigate this difficult tax season, the Trump Administration is pulling every lever of government to go after its political opponents—diverting time, resources, and attention away from the basic services taxpayers rely on. At a moment when families need clarity and support from the IRS, the agency is being steered toward politically motivated investigations rather than its core mission.
Ranking Member Ron Wyden laid bare Trump’s use of the IRS for his own means:
“Trump operates just about every facet of our government in the same basic, corrupt manner. To benefit himself and his friends. To punish people, he dislikes. And to degrade public service, no matter the cost to typical Americans. His administration’s handling of the IRS is a perfect example of all three.”
During the hearing, Sen. Raphael Warnock further highlighted the agency’s politicization, connecting the dots on how these efforts are part of a broader, coordinated campaign:
“The Trump administration has repeatedly attempted to weaponize the IRS against its political opponents which would potentially violate both the law and the First Amendment. In April and May of 2025, President Trump threatened to revoke the tax-exempt status of Harvard University for political reasons. In a September memo, President Trump directed the IRS to investigate tax exempt entities over their alleged ties to what he considers political violence and domestic terrorism. In December, the IRS and FBI created a taskforce to execute the President’s directive.”
Meanwhile, in a new letter, Democrats on the House Ways & Means Committee held IRS Chief Executive Officer Frank Bisignano to account following reporting that the IRS is planning to label a list of perceived Trump opponents as “domestic terrorists.”
As Rep. Lloyd Doggett noted,
“Straight out of the authoritarian playbook, Trump is using every lever of government to punish his political enemies and intimidate any potential critic into silence. That’s why he is apparently weaponizing the IRS against dissenting nonprofits and donors. Just as freedom-loving, committed citizens rejected this playbook in Hungary with Viktor Orban’s decisive defeat this week, Ways & Means Democrats are forcefully pushing back against Trump’s abuse. Frank Bisignano must maintain his commitment to our Committee that he will not initiate audits, investigations, or revocations of tax-exempt status based on political targeting.”
AAGC’s Executive Director Cole Leiter said, “Weaponizing the tax code against the President’s opponents is an abuse of power that no President—Republican or Democrat—should be allowed to get away with. Rather than make sure the IRS is helping everyday Americans file correctly and on time, or even enforcing the tax code to pursue tax cheats and criminals, this Administration has dedicated time and effort to harassing groups that disagree with the President and stand in the way of him implementing his agenda. It is essential that the IRS remain a non-partisan enforcer of our tax laws, and it is essential for Mr. Bisignano to tell the American people how he plans to ensure all Americans are treated fairly.”
