Americans are refusing to pay tax over Trump moves

Some Americans have taken to social media to say they are withholding federal income taxes in protest over Trump-era priorities.

Why It Matters

The push to withhold federal income taxes highlights a resurgence of political tax resistance tied to objections over military operations abroad and U.S. immigration enforcement at home.

America has a long history of protest over how taxpayer dollars are allocated and whether refusing to pay can influence policy, while raising legal questions because federal law requires filing and paying taxes regardless of political or religious disagreement on how the dollars are spent.

What To Know

Chicago lawyer Rachel Cohen said in a widely viewed Instagram video that she would not pay the $8,800 she owed in federal income taxes this year, citing opposition to Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE).

Cohen said she planned to hold the funds in a high-yield savings account and argued she was prepared for legal risks. She added that she has paid her state taxes.

Other Instagram users indicated they are doing the same, with one person commenting: “It’s worth the penalty. I can’t stomach the thought that our hard earned $$ is funding ICE, wars, and bailing out billionaires. It is a privledge position to be, so if you can’t afford to be penalized, there’s other way you can protest this regime. Make sure to vote in midterms and/or reach out to your reps to voice your outrage.”

Another wrote: “I am not a lawyer, nor do I have your following, but I am also considering not paying my federal taxes…. Waiting for a call back from my accountant. Don’t want my tax dollars going for the malfeasance and destruction this administration is perpetrating.”

Lincoln Rice, who leads the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee, said the group’s January “War Tax Resistance 101” training drew nearly 500 attendees and its website recorded more than 110,000 unique visitors, which he described as the organization’s largest interest to date, according to reporting by the Guardian.

Rice said interest rose during Donald Trump’s second term, including after the creation of the Department of Government Efficiency, passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and U.S. action in Venezuela in January.

What Happens If You Don’t Pay Federal Taxes?

The IRS outlines that unpaid federal tax can trigger penalties, interest, federal tax liens, and enforced collection actions such as wage garnishment and bank levies.

Failure to file or pay can result in civil penalties, including additions to tax for late filing and late payment, while willful evasion can be prosecuted as a felony.

The Supreme Court has held that individuals must comply with valid tax laws despite religious or conscientious objections, as political or religious disagreement does not provide a legal exemption from paying required taxes. 

Historical Context

Political tax resistance in the United States has a long history, from the Boston Tea Party’s famous “no taxation without representation” protest to refusals to pay during the Vietnam War, when some Americans withheld or redirected portions of their tax burden in opposition to military spending. 

One early example is Henry David Thoreau, who refused to pay a poll tax in 1846 to oppose slavery, an act that inspired his essay Civil Disobedience.

During the Vietnam War, thousands of Americans also withheld part or all of their federal taxes in protest of military spending, often encouraged by groups such as the War Resisters League. These actions were intended less as a way to avoid taxes and more as a form of civil disobedience meant to challenge government policies.

What Happens Next

Tax organizers will likely continue outreach through trainings and online materials as filing deadlines near, while participants will weigh civil disobedience risks against their political goals.