Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Trump claimed U.S. secretly extracting oil from Iran during war — At the signing event, Trump claimed the U.S. had been secretly extracting millions of barrels of oil from Iran, stating he was revealing this operation publicly for the first time. He claimed the U.S. took 22 ships "the other night" with no lights and destroyed Iranian radar. New York Times reporters noted Trump appeared to be referring to a well-known U.S. operation helping commercial vessels traverse the Strait of Hormuz, through which over 200 ships had been guided in slightly more than a month. The reporters could not confirm Trump's claim that the effort enabled over 100 million barrels to reach the market.
• Iran's state-run news agency published draft text of purported U.S.-Iran deal — Iran's state-run Mehr News Agency published what it claims is the draft text of an agreement with the Trump administration, including a $300 billion U.S.-led reconstruction package, $24 billion in immediate frozen asset releases, full lifting of the naval blockade within 30 days, and suspension of oil and petrochemical sanctions. Iran's missile program and support for "resistance groups" were explicitly excluded from the negotiating agenda. The White House immediately disputed the Iranian account, issuing a contradictory summary emphasizing nuclear material destruction, program dismantlement, and performance-based conditions.
• Iran–U.S. memorandum of understanding remains unsigned with disputed terms — Iran state media released a 14-point draft memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran that includes immediate ceasefire, lifting of naval blockade, $300 billion in reconstruction aid, release of $24 billion in frozen assets, and suspension of oil sanctions. Trump disputed the leaked terms, claiming they bore no relation to what was actually agreed. A senior Trump administration official told Fox News the deal was approximately 75 percent complete and expected to be signed within days, but Iran's Foreign Ministry stated it could not confirm the speculations and was still in internal finalization stages.
• Trump posted on social media disputing Iran's leaked deal terms — Trump posted on social media that Iran's leaked terms "have NOTHING to do with the terms that were agreed to, in writing," calling the Iranian account "weak and pathetic" and labeling Iranian leaders "very dishonorable people." He also flagged an overnight drone attack on Indian ships near the Strait of Hormuz as "TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE." The posts were part of a broader pattern of dueling public narratives about the deal's contents.

Supporting reports

• Trump and Xi agree to rare earths deal and tariff reduction in Busan summit — Donald Trump and Xi Jinping met in Busan, South Korea for trade negotiations. They agreed to a one-year rare earths agreement with annual renegotiation, a reduction of Trump's "fentanyl tariff" from 20% to 10% (lowering overall tariffs from 57% to 47%), and reciprocal Chinese measures suspending export controls. China committed to purchasing American soya beans and working to prevent fentanyl production. The meeting lasted 1 hour 40 minutes; Trump described it as a "12 on a scale of one to 10."
• Trump administration announces soybean purchase agreement with China — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that China agreed to purchase 12 million metric tons of soybeans this season and 25 million tons annually for three years. The announcement was made on Fox Business. However, the reported purchase volumes are lower than the 27 million metric tons China purchased in 2024 under the Biden administration, raising questions about the deal's actual value relative to prior arrangements.
• Trump administration reportedly grants China access to rare earth minerals on annual basis — According to reporting cited in the article, the Trump administration's trade deal with China includes provisions granting China year-to-year control over U.S. access to rare earth minerals. These materials are essential for electric vehicles and advanced weapons systems. The arrangement requires the United States to negotiate annually with Beijing for mineral access, creating dependency on Chinese discretion.
• Trump met with China's President Xi; Xi offered minimal engagement and no substantive commitments. — Trump held a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. During the exchange, Xi remained largely silent and unresponsive to Trump's remarks, projecting disengagement. Trump claimed the meeting was successful and announced a trade agreement that included China resuming soybean purchases, suspending rare-earth export restrictions for one year, and the U.S. reducing tariffs on China by 10 percent. However, reporting indicated the agreement largely restored pre-escalation trade conditions rather than achieving Trump's stated objectives on industrial policy or manufacturing overcapacity.

Supporting reports

• Trump announced U.S. bombing of Iranian nuclear sites — President Trump announced that the United States had bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities—Fordo, Natanz, and Esfahan—using twelve 30,000-pound Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs) for the first time in history. Trump declared the strikes "a spectacular military success" and stated Iran's nuclear enrichment facilities had been "completely and totally obliterated." He called on Iran to "make peace." The announcement came one week after a military parade and amid five million Americans protesting his administration.
• Trump ordered military strikes on Iranian nuclear sites — On June 21, 2025, President Trump ordered U.S. military strikes against three Iranian nuclear facilities, deploying 12 Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs. According to New York Times reporting, Trump initially warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against striking Iran but reversed course after observing Israel's military operation receive favorable television coverage, particularly on Fox News. Trump had decided on the strike by June 17, following a military parade that drew large protests. The actual damage and effectiveness of the strikes remain unclear despite Trump's claims of "obliteration."
• Trump administration conducts airstrikes on Iran's nuclear sites — The U.S. military conducted surprise airstrikes on Iran's nuclear enrichment facilities on Saturday evening, targeting sites related to nuclear development. The strikes were announced by President Trump in a national address and were reportedly based on Israeli intelligence indicating Iran was close to developing a nuclear weapon. The administration stated the raids targeted only nuclear enrichment infrastructure and avoided population centers, economic assets, and oil terminals. Vice President JD Vance later praised the precision of the B-2 bombers involved.
• Trump announces U.S. military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities — At 7:50 p.m. Eastern Time, President Trump posted on social media announcing that the U.S. military had completed attacks on three Iranian nuclear sites: Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. He stated all aircraft had exited Iranian airspace and a full payload of bombs was dropped on Fordow. At 10:00 p.m., Trump addressed the nation from the White House, flanked by Vice President Vance, Secretary of State Rubio, and Defense Secretary Hegseth, declaring the strikes a "spectacular military success" and stating Iran's nuclear enrichment capacity had been "completely and totally obliterated." He warned of further attacks if Iran did not pursue peace.
• Trump administration bombs Iranian nuclear sites based on intelligence assessment contradicting U.S. Intelligence Community consensus — On June 21, 2025, the Trump administration announced bombing of Iranian nuclear sites, justifying the action with claims that Iran is actively pursuing nuclear weapons. However, the U.S. Intelligence Community's official assessment, stated publicly by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on March 25, 2025, concluded that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon and Supreme Leader Khamenei has not authorized such a program. Trump publicly dismissed Gabbard's assessment, stating "my intelligence community is wrong" and "She's wrong." Vice President Vance and Secretary of State Rubio mischaracterized or dismissed the March intelligence findings to justify the strikes, while Defense Secretary Hegseth avoided confirming whether intelligence had changed since March. Congressional briefings and the International Atomic Energy Agency corroborated the IC's March assessment that no decision to weaponize had been made.
• President Trump ordered coordinated airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities without congressional authorization — On June 21, 2025, President Trump ordered U.S. airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities—Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan—using B-2 stealth bombers and possibly bunker-buster ordnance. No congressional resolution, debate, or formal declaration of war preceded the action. Trump described the strikes as "very successful" and claimed all aircraft had exited Iranian airspace. The strikes followed rapid regional escalation beginning mid-June, including Israeli operations and Iranian missile responses. Trump stated diplomatic avenues had been exhausted and cited the goal of denying Iran nuclear capability.
• U.S. Airstrikes on Iranian Nuclear Facilities Ordered by President Trump — On June 21, 2025, President Trump ordered airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. This marks the first U.S. bombing of Iranian soil in decades. The strikes were carried out using B-2 stealth bombers and possibly GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators. The action was taken without a congressional resolution or debate, bypassing the War Powers Resolution, which requires legislative approval for military engagements of this magnitude. The decision has sparked a constitutional crisis, as it represents a unilateral escalation into a regional conflict without democratic oversight.
• Trump administration launched military strikes against Iran without congressional authorization — On June 21, the Trump administration conducted military strikes against Iran without seeking prior authorization from Congress or making a public case for the operation's necessity or timing. Trump subsequently claimed on Truth Social that "NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE!" and warned that any Iranian retaliation would be met with "FORCE FAR GREATER THAN WHAT WAS WITNESSED TONIGHT." Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth later admitted that congressional leaders were notified only after the planes had safely departed.
• Trump authorizes airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities without congressional approval — President Trump authorized airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites on Saturday night without prior congressional approval or consultation. Congressional leaders, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, were not adequately informed before the operation commenced. Schumer received a call from Trump officials but was not told which country would be targeted; Jeffries could not be reached until after the strikes had begun. The action prompted immediate calls for impeachment from Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and accusations of executive overreach and constitutional violation from Democratic leadership.
• U.S. conducts airstrikes on Iran's nuclear enrichment facilities — The United States bombed Iran's three nuclear enrichment facilities. President Trump announced the strikes on social media. The strikes targeted Iran's nuclear program narrowly after Israel had already degraded Iran's long-range strike capability. Iran responded with threats but had limited retaliatory capacity. The strikes did not trigger a broader military escalation or "boots on the ground" invasion, and Trump indicated he would back off after the nuclear facilities were destroyed, leaving further conflict to Israel.

Supporting reports

• Trump declares national emergency to justify tariff authority — Trump declared a national emergency under the National Emergencies Act to justify imposing tariffs, citing the need to "increase our competitive edge, protect our sovereignty, and strengthen our national and economic security." This invocation of emergency powers allows him to bypass the constitutional requirement that Congress hold the power to impose tariffs. The declaration relies on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to grant the president tariff authority during a declared emergency.
• Trump signed Executive Order 14257 imposing reciprocal tariffs on all imports, starting at 10 percent globally and escalating to country-specific rates on April 9, 2025, citing trade deficits as a national emergency. — President Trump signed Executive Order 14257 on April 2, 2025, declaring a national emergency based on persistent U.S. goods trade deficits and invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and National Emergencies Act. The order imposes an initial 10 percent ad valorem duty on all imports effective April 5, 2025, escalating to country-specific rates (detailed in Annex I) on April 9, 2025, for designated trading partners. Exemptions include certain steel, aluminum, automobiles, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and critical minerals. The order authorizes the Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Trade Representative to modify duties based on trading partner retaliation or compliance with reciprocal trade alignment.
• Trump announces 10% universal tariff with higher rates on 60 countries — President Trump announced a 10% tariff on all U.S. imports, with higher rates on approximately 60 countries including China, Japan, Vietnam, South Korea, and the European Union. He made the announcement in a Rose Garden speech after stock market close. The announcement caused immediate market turmoil: Dow Jones futures fell over 1,000 points (2.5%) and S&P 500 futures dropped 3.6%. Trump framed the tariffs as addressing decades of unfair trade practices and promised they would create "the golden age of America."
• Trump signs reciprocal tariff executive order imposing 10% baseline duty on all imports — President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14206 on April 2, 2025, declaring a national emergency based on persistent U.S. goods trade deficits and imposing a 10% ad valorem duty on all imports effective April 5, 2025, with country-specific rates (ranging up to 60% for certain trading partners) taking effect April 9, 2025. The order cites the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and invokes national security and economic grounds, targeting what Trump characterizes as non-reciprocal trade practices, tariff asymmetries, and non-tariff barriers by trading partners.
• Trump signed Executive Order 14257 imposing reciprocal tariffs on all imports — President Trump signed Executive Order 14257 on April 2, 2025, declaring a national emergency based on persistent U.S. goods trade deficits and imposing reciprocal tariffs. The order establishes a 10 percent baseline ad valorem duty on all imports effective April 5, 2025, with country-specific higher rates for designated trading partners effective April 9, 2025, as detailed in Annex I. The order exempts certain goods including steel, aluminum, automobiles, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and energy products, and includes carve-outs for USMCA-qualifying goods from Canada and Mexico. The order invokes the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and National Emergencies Act, citing trade deficits as a threat to national security and manufacturing capacity.
• Trump announces reciprocal tariff plan using simplified trade-deficit formula — President Trump announced a sweeping tariff plan calculated by dividing each country's 2024 goods trade deficit by total imports, then halving the result, with a 10% baseline for countries without large deficits. The White House confirmed the approach was simplistic, based solely on bilateral trade imbalances rather than the promised multi-factor analysis of tariff and non-tariff barriers. Economists criticized the methodology as economically flawed and strategically incoherent, with rates reaching 50% for Lesotho and 49% for Cambodia—countries with low purchasing power, not discriminatory trade practices.
• Trump administration implemented tariffs using an undocumented formula without standard economic methodology. — Trump's tariff policy applied tariffs to entire nations rather than specific products, using a formula that economists identified as nonsensical and potentially AI-generated. Economist Paul Krugman identified the formula as likely AI-derived. CNBC's Steve Liesman stated that "nobody ever heard of this formula" and concluded "the president kind of made this up as he went along." Former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers characterized the approach as "to economics what creationism is to biology, astrology is to astronomy, or RFK thought is to vaccine science." The administration provided no coherent policy rationale or analysis supporting the tariff structure.
• Trump declares national tariff emergency and claims foreign trade practices constitute national emergency — In April 2025, Trump declared a national emergency, asserting that "foreign trade and economic practices have created a national emergency" to justify sweeping tariffs. Two courts rejected this claim, though an appeals court temporarily halted the more expansive ruling. The administration bypassed Congress and normal legislative procedures to impose tariffs unilaterally under emergency authority.
• Trump announced universal tariffs on all countries — Trump stated that tariffs he will announce on Wednesday will apply to all countries, not just 10-15 specific nations previously mentioned. When asked whether tariff rates would be universal or differentiated by country, Trump declined to specify, saying "you're gonna see in two days."