House rejects bill enabling punishment of non-profits supporting ‘terrorism’

Fears Trump could use bill to target enemies' by deeming groups terrorist-supporting' to withhold tax-exempt status

A bill that would have allowed the government to strip tax-exempt status from any non-profit it deemed to be supporting terrorism" was narrowly blocked in the House of Representatives on Tuesday evening.

The bill was widely feared as a tool that Donald Trump could use to punish dissent, and critics argued the measure could have disproportionately targeted groups that criticize Israel and support Palestinian causes - and that it was designed to do just that.