Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Homeland Security Investigations launches coordinated voter fraud initiative — Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began a coordinated voter fraud investigation across nine states, directing agents to investigate leads, conduct interviews, and develop cases for federal prosecutors. USCIS investigators are also assisting with election-related work, pulling the federal immigration system into election enforcement less than two months before the midterm elections.
• HSI launches nine-state voter-fraud investigation surge — Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the investigative arm of ICE, has launched a voter-fraud investigation surge across nine states. The operation is set to start approximately two months before Election Day (November 3, 2026) and is planned to continue into the period when early and mail voting will be underway. Investigators have been instructed to follow leads and help move cases to federal prosecutors. The operation is scheduled to wind down in mid-October.

Supporting reports

• White House considered invoking Insurrection Act against protest — According to Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller and Vice President J.D. Vance pushed the idea of invoking the Insurrection Act to put down protests by agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol. They did so even after federal agents had shot and killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota. Vance argued that using troops to suppress Americans in the streets would be painful short-term but would send a message that protesters would never again disrupt ICE operations. While the act was not invoked at the time, the reporters note it "would remain a loaded weapon in a West Wing eager to test the limits of presidential power."

Supporting reports

• Trump signs executive order directing DHS to immediately pay TSA agents during partial shutdown — President Trump signed an executive order on Friday, March 28, 2026, instructing the Department of Homeland Security to immediately pay Transportation Security Administration agents who had gone without pay for over 42 days due to a partial government shutdown. The order came after House Republicans rejected a Senate-passed funding deal for key DHS subagencies. Trump blamed Democrats for prioritizing "criminal illegal aliens" over American citizens. DHS confirmed TSA began paying its workforce immediately, with officers potentially receiving paychecks by March 30. The shutdown had caused nationwide staffing shortages, record airport wait times, and nearly 500 TSA resignations.
• Trump signs presidential memorandum directing DHS to pay TSA employees from available funds — Trump signed a presidential memorandum late Friday, March 28, directing DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin to restore pay to TSA employees who had missed two paychecks. The memo instructed the secretary to redirect funds "that have a reasonable and logical nexus to TSA operations" to cover accrued pay and benefits. White House border czar Tom Homan stated the measure was "a start" but acknowledged thousands of other DHS employees remained unpaid and that ICE deployment at airports would continue pending TSA staffing recovery.
• Trump announces emergency order to pay TSA agents — President Trump announced he would sign an emergency order to pay TSA agents who have gone unpaid for over a month, although the legality and source of the funding remain unclear. This announcement came amid growing airport congestion and dissatisfaction with the handling of TSA funding.
• Trump issued executive order to pay TSA employees during 44-day DHS funding impasse — During a record-breaking 44-day Department of Homeland Security funding impasse, Trump issued an executive order to authorize payment of TSA employees. The shutdown resulted from Republican infighting between the House and Senate over DHS funding, with House Republicans rejecting a Senate proposal. House Speaker Johnson sided with House Republicans against Senate Majority Leader Thune's approach. TSA agents reported receiving only partial paychecks despite the executive order authorization.
• Trump declared national emergency to pay TSA officers during DHS shutdown — The White House issued a fact sheet stating that President Trump declared a national emergency to authorize payment of TSA officers who had gone unpaid during a Department of Homeland Security shutdown. The document claims Trump also deployed ICE officers to major airports to assist with crowd control and security. The fact sheet cites media reports indicating that TSA wait times improved after workers received back pay and absenteeism declined.
• Trump signs executive order directing TSA back pay during DHS partial shutdown — Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the Transportation Security Administration to pay employees back pay during an ongoing partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. TSA employees received retroactive paychecks covering at least two full pay periods on Monday. The order instructed DHS to use funds with "reasonable and logical nexus to TSA operations" to cover salaries. Airport security lines reportedly shortened following the payment. Congress remains deadlocked over DHS funding, with Democrats and Republicans disagreeing over guardrails on immigration enforcement operations.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration announced ICE agents would replace TSA agents — The Trump administration announced that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents would take the place of some Transportation Security Administration agents. Former national security officials noted that the legality of moving ICE agents into TSA positions is unclear.
• Tom Homan announced ICE deployment to airports beginning next day — When asked on CNN whether ICE agents would move into American airports starting the next day, Tom Homan responded: "Yes. I'm currently working on the plan. We'll execute tomorrow." When pressed on whether ICE agents are trained to handle airport security, Homan claimed they "receive high-level training" and compared the task to "guard an exit to make sure no one comes through that exit." Sen. Patty Murray and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries expressed concerns about untrained ICE agents potentially brutalizing or killing Americans at airports.
• Trump announced ICE deployment to airports to assist TSA — Trump announced that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents would be deployed to airports to assist the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Border Czar Tom Homan acknowledged there was no detailed operational plan beyond "guarding exits." The deployment positioned immigration enforcement as airport security during a period when international tourism and the World Cup were approaching.
• ICE agents deployed to US airports to assist TSA amid government shutdown — President Trump and border czar Tom Homan announced and deployed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to major US airports beginning Monday, March 23, to assist Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents with security screening and exit monitoring. The deployment occurred amid a partial government shutdown that began February 14, leaving TSA agents unpaid for over a month. More than 400 TSA agents have resigned and others called out sick, creating hours-long security lines. Homan stated ICE officers would handle non-specialized tasks like monitoring exits to free TSA agents for screening duties, though operational details remained unclear.
• Trump deploys ICE agents to US airports during TSA shutdown — President Trump deployed ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents to 11 major US airports on March 23, 2026, as TSA screening agents went unpaid during a partial Department of Homeland Security shutdown. The deployment occurred amid a budget impasse triggered by Democratic demands for accountability following ICE killings in Minneapolis and documented warrantless detention practices. TSA agents missed their second paycheck, with hundreds reportedly quitting and many refusing to report for duty, causing security lines to stretch for hours across the country.
• ICE agents were deployed to U.S. airports in tactical gear. — Trump deployed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to airports across the country, where they appeared in tactical gear. Travelers and media posted videos of agents "milling around in tactical gear mostly doing absolutely nothing other than getting in people's way." Trump stated ICE would arrest undocumented migrants at airports and indicated the National Guard could be deployed if needed. Governor Gavin Newsom criticized the move as part of Trump's standard playbook.
• Trump administration deployed ICE agents to major airports — President Trump confirmed that his administration would deploy ICE agents to major airports across the country on March 23, ostensibly to assist TSA agents who had been working without pay for over a month due to a Department of Homeland Security shutdown. At least one person was violently arrested by ICE at an airport following the announcement. Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon subsequently stated on his podcast that the deployment could serve as "a test run…to really perfect ICE's involvement in the 2026 midterms," calling it "perfect training."
• Trump administration deploys ICE agents to airports for security support amid TSA staffing crisis — The Trump administration deployed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to U.S. airports to provide "non-specialized security support" including exit lane manning, crowd management, and line control. This deployment follows a partial government shutdown since mid-February that has caused TSA officer shortages—more than 450 TSA officers quit during the shutdown—and long security lines. Acting TSA Deputy Administrator Adam Stahl told Fox News ICE would help alleviate challenges facing TSA officers. The shutdown stems from Senate disagreement over immigration enforcement reforms tied to TSA funding.
• Trump deploys ICE agents to airports amid DHS funding shutdown — President Trump deployed Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to airports on Monday, citing the need to ease congestion at Transportation Security Administration checkpoints caused by the ongoing DHS funding lapse. The funding shutdown, which began in mid-February, has resulted in hours-long security lines at some airports. Trump framed the ICE deployment as a response to operational necessity, though the move places immigration enforcement personnel in civilian airport security roles during a period when Democrats are demanding stronger oversight of immigration agents.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration attempts to deploy National Guard to Portland ICE facility; federal judge blocks deployment — Trump attempted to deploy the National Guard to quell demonstrations outside an ICE facility in Portland, Oregon. A federal judge ultimately blocked the deployment. However, protests have persisted as federal agents continue regular immigration check-ins at the facility. Tensions escalated in recent weeks after border patrol agents shot two people outside a medical facility in January, ICE agents arrested a seven-year-old and her parents seeking emergency medical care, and federal agents deployed tear gas against thousands of people at a daytime march, including many children.

Supporting reports

• Trump threatens to invoke Insurrection Act and deploy troops to Minneapolis — According to reporting in the article, Donald Trump recently threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act and send troops to Minneapolis in response to the ICE shooting and subsequent protests. A journalism professor quoted in the article noted that Trump's threat signals Minneapolis will remain an epicenter of ICE activity and counter-protests.
• Trump claims authority to deploy troops to Minneapolis and Saint Paul — President Trump claimed authority to send federal troops into Minneapolis and Saint Paul amid protests against ICE operations. The White House is openly floating the use of military force against Americans exercising their constitutional rights. Federal agents have already deployed heavily armed personnel, deployed chemical agents, and targeted peaceful protesters in these operations.

Supporting reports

• Supreme Court rejected Trump administration's argument to deploy federalized National Guard in Chicago — On December 23, 2025, the Supreme Court rejected the Trump administration's legal argument that it possessed the power to deploy federalized National Guard troops in and around Chicago. The decision limited Trump's authority to use military forces within the United States without explicit congressional authorization or state consent.
• Supreme Court rejected Trump administration's National Guard deployment authority in Chicago — On December 23, 2025, the Supreme Court rejected the Trump administration's argument that it possessed the power to deploy federalized National Guard troops in and around Chicago. The 6-3 decision blocked the administration's attempt to militarize American cities without state consent.
• Supreme Court rejects Trump's National Guard deployment in Illinois as unlawful — The U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6-3 preliminary ruling that President Trump's deployment of federalized National Guard troops in the Chicago area beginning in October violated the Posse Comitatus Act. The majority held that a president must first attempt to execute laws using regular U.S. military forces and may deploy the National Guard only if unable to do so with regular forces. The Court found the Government failed to identify statutory or constitutional authority permitting military enforcement of laws in Illinois.
• Supreme Court rejected Trump's National Guard deployment for immigration enforcement in Illinois — The Supreme Court rejected Trump's deployment of the National Guard to aid immigration enforcement in Illinois, ruling that federal law limits use of the National Guard to situations where regular military forces are insufficient. The majority found that the President does not have inherent authority to deploy the military to protect ICE property. Three justices (Alito, Thomas, Gorsuch) dissented.
• Supreme Court blocks Trump administration from deploying National Guard in Illinois — The Supreme Court blocked the Trump administration from deploying National Guard troops in Illinois as part of his mass immigration crackdown, ruling that the government "failed to identify a source of authority that would allow the military to execute the laws in Illinois." The decision represents a rare judicial check on executive power in the Trump administration.
• Supreme Court Denies Stay in Trump v. Illinois — On December 23, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court denied the federal government's request for a stay in the case of Trump v. Illinois. This decision upheld a lower court's order that barred the Trump administration from deploying the federalized National Guard in Illinois for immigration enforcement actions. The case arose after the Trump administration federalized the Texas and Illinois National Guard to assist with immigration enforcement in Chicago, which was challenged by the state of Illinois. The Supreme Court's denial means the federal government cannot deploy the National Guard in Illinois pending further legal proceedings. Justices Alito, Thomas, and Gorsuch dissented from the decision.
• US Supreme Court blocks Trump national guard deployment to Chicago — The US Supreme Court denied the Trump administration's emergency request to lift a lower court order blocking the deployment of national guard troops to the Chicago area. In a 6-3 decision, the majority ruled that the government failed to meet the legal burden required to show it could not enforce immigration laws without federal military intervention. The decision upholds a ruling by US District Judge April Perry from October and signals potential impact on similar deployments in other Democratic-led cities.

Supporting reports

• Supreme Court Denies Stay in Trump v. Illinois — On December 23, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court denied the federal government's request for a stay in the case of Trump v. Illinois. This decision upheld a lower court's order that barred the Trump administration from deploying the federalized National Guard in Illinois for immigration enforcement actions. The case arose after the Trump administration federalized the Texas and Illinois National Guard to assist with immigration enforcement in Chicago, which was challenged by the state of Illinois. The Supreme Court's denial means the federal government cannot deploy the National Guard in Illinois pending further legal proceedings. Justices Alito, Thomas, and Gorsuch dissented from the decision.

Supporting reports

• Trump signed executive order designating fentanyl a "weapon of mass destruction" — On December 15, Trump signed an executive order formally classifying illicit fentanyl and its precursor chemicals as "Weapons of Mass Destruction," arguing fentanyl is "closer to a chemical weapon than a narcotic." The order directs DOJ to pursue fentanyl trafficking prosecutions, contemplates DoD resources supporting enforcement, and instructs DHS to identify fentanyl threat networks using WMD and nonproliferation intelligence tools. The classification empowers the Pentagon to assist law enforcement and allows intelligence agencies to deploy tools normally reserved for countering weapons proliferation.
• Trump designates illicit fentanyl and precursor chemicals as Weapons of Mass Destruction via Executive Order 14367 — President Trump signed Executive Order 14367 on December 15, 2025, designating illicit fentanyl and its core precursor chemicals as Weapons of Mass Destruction. The order directs the Attorney General to pursue enhanced investigations and prosecutions; the Secretaries of State and Treasury to pursue asset and financial sanctions; the Secretary of War and Attorney General to assess whether military resources should support DOJ enforcement; the Secretary of War to update Armed Forces directives on chemical incident response to include fentanyl threats; and the Secretary of Homeland Security to employ WMD and nonproliferation threat intelligence for counter-fentanyl operations.
• Trump designates illicit fentanyl as a Weapon of Mass Destruction — President Donald Trump issued an executive order on December 15, 2025, designating illicit fentanyl and its core precursor chemicals as Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). The order directs the Attorney General to pursue enhanced prosecutions and sentencing; the Secretaries of State and Treasury to target assets and financial institutions involved in fentanyl trafficking; the Secretary of War and Attorney General to assess whether military resources should support DOJ enforcement; and the Secretary of Homeland Security to integrate WMD-related threat intelligence into counter-fentanyl operations. The order frames fentanyl as a national security threat comparable to chemical weapons.
• Trump signed executive order designating illicit fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction — President Trump signed Executive Order 14367 on December 15, 2025, designating illicit fentanyl and its core precursor chemicals as weapons of mass destruction. The order directs the Attorney General to pursue enhanced prosecutions and sentencing; the Secretaries of State and Treasury to pursue asset seizures and financial sanctions against fentanyl traffickers; the Secretary of War and Attorney General to assess whether military resources should support DOJ enforcement; the Secretary of War to update armed forces directives on chemical incidents to include fentanyl; and the Secretary of Homeland Security to use WMD and nonproliferation threat intelligence for counter-fentanyl operations.
• White House issues fact sheet on executive order designating fentanyl as weapon of mass destruction — The White House published a fact sheet on December 15, 2025, describing an executive order signed by President Trump that designates illicit fentanyl and its precursor chemicals as weapons of mass destruction. The order directs the Attorney General to pursue enhanced criminal charges and sentencing in fentanyl cases; instructs the Secretaries of State and Treasury to pursue asset seizures and financial sanctions against fentanyl networks; directs the Secretary of War and Attorney General to assess whether military resources should support DOJ in WMD-related emergencies; and orders updates to chemical incident response protocols and enhanced intelligence gathering on fentanyl smuggling networks.
• Trump signs executive order designating fentanyl as weapon of mass destruction — Trump signed an executive order designating fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction. The order directs the Justice Department to investigate and prosecute groups trafficking fentanyl and orders the Defense Department to determine if military resources are needed to help the DOJ conduct federal law enforcement to combat the threat of fentanyl.
• Trump signed executive order designating illicit fentanyl as "weapon of mass destruction" — Trump signed an executive order classifying illicit fentanyl as a "weapon of mass destruction," a designation typically reserved for chemical and biological threats. The move activates national-security enforcement tools and reframes drug enforcement as wartime escalation. The White House issued a fact sheet detailing the directive to federal agencies.

Supporting reports

• Former JAGs declare alleged orders constitute war crimes — The Former JAGs Working Group, composed of former military judge advocate generals, issued a statement unanimously declaring that the giving and execution of the alleged orders to kill survivors "constitute war crimes, murder, or both" and called for prosecution of anyone who issues or follows such orders. The group noted that the military's legal guardrails, which Hegseth had systematically dismantled after purging JAGs from the Army and Air Force in February 2025, would have prevented these alleged crimes had they remained in place.
• Hegseth defended strikes as legal and justified on social media — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth posted on X that the strikes are "specifically intended to be 'lethal, kinetic strikes'" designed to stop lethal drugs, destroy narco-boats, and kill narco-terrorists. He stated "We have only just begun to kill narco-terrorists" but did not directly deny the allegation that he ordered killing of crew members in the water.
• Pete Hegseth allegedly ordered killing of crew members on suspected drug-smuggling vessel — The Washington Post reported that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth gave a spoken order to kill all crew members aboard a vessel suspected of smuggling drugs in the Caribbean Sea. The report triggered bipartisan congressional scrutiny, with Senate Armed Services Committee leaders Roger Wicker and Jack Reed and House Armed Services Committee leaders Mike Rogers and Adam Smith announcing investigations into the alleged strikes.
• White House claimed September 2 boat strike was lawful self-defense — White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that the administration believes the September 2 strike on a boat off Venezuela was lawful because it "was conducted in self defense to protect Americans and vital United States interests." This justification would permit the president or those acting in his name to be judge, jury, and executioner without regard to law. Leavitt attributed the orders to Admiral Bradley rather than Defense Secretary Hegseth.
• Senator Angus King stated boat strike would be war crime if facts alleged are true — Senator Angus King, a lawyer who sits on both the Senate Intelligence Committee and the Senate Armed Services Committee, told CNN that if the facts alleged about the September 2 boat strike are accurate—specifically that there was a second strike to kill survivors in the water—"that's a stone cold war crime. It's also murder." King stated that Congress would investigate who gave which orders and when.
• Senator Angus King stated September 2 strike was war crime if facts alleged — Senator Angus King (I-ME), a lawyer on the Senate Intelligence Committee and Senate Armed Services Committee, told CNN that if the facts alleged are true—that a second strike was specifically conducted to kill survivors in the water—"that's a stone cold war crime. It's also murder." King stated the law is clear and Congress will investigate who gave which orders and when.
• Defense Secretary Hegseth posted mocking AI image about boat strike — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted an AI-generated fake cover of a children's book featuring Franklin the Turtle in military gear firing a rocket launcher at a burning boat with survivors, titled "Franklin Targets Narco Terrorists" with the caption "For your Christmas wish list…" The post appeared to mock concerns about a September 2 strike on survivors of a boat attack off Venezuela that has been characterized as a potential war crime.
• Defense Secretary Hegseth posted support for Admiral Bradley — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted that "Admiral Mitch Bradley is an American hero, a true professional, and has my 100% support. I stand by him and the combat decisions he has made—on the September 2 mission and all others since." The post appeared to shift responsibility for the September 2 boat strike to the admiral while maintaining public support, a tactic commentators characterized as "underbussing."
• U.S. military strike on Venezuelan fishing boat alleged as war crime — A U.S. military strike on a Venezuelan fishing boat is characterized as potentially constituting a war crime. Reports indicate a second strike may have been ordered after survivors were observed clinging to life. MAGA Congressman Carlos Gimenez dismissed calls for investigation, insisting that Pete Hegseth and Trump's denial of wrongdoing should be accepted without further inquiry.
• White House Press Secretary contradicts Trump on deadly second strike in military operation — White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt held a press conference addressing a controversial second military strike that killed survivors of an initial boat strike. Leavitt admitted the second strike occurred but claimed neither Trump nor Defense Secretary Hegseth ordered it, attributing the decision to Admiral Bradley. She characterized the strike as lawful self-defense. Trump had denied knowledge of the incident the previous night on Air Force One. The contradiction raised questions about command responsibility and adherence to international law and the Geneva Convention.
• Hegseth ordered lethal September 2 Caribbean boat strike — The New York Times reported that five US officials confirmed that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the lethal September 2 attack on a vessel in the Caribbean, though officials also claimed that Special Operations commander Admiral Frank Bradley directed the initial missile strike, followed by additional strikes that killed survivors and sank the boat. The narrative matched White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt's briefing statement.
• Pentagon and Congressional officials expressed concern about scapegoating of Admiral Mitch Bradley. — Officials in Congress and the Pentagon stated they are increasingly concerned that the Trump administration intends to scapegoat Admiral Mitch Bradley, the military officer who directed U.S. forces to kill two survivors of a targeted strike on suspected drug smugglers in Latin America. Lawmakers made initial moves to investigate whether the attack constituted a war crime. Pentagon officials described feeling angry at uncertainty over whether Hegseth would take responsibility for his alleged role or leave military and civilian staff to face consequences.
• Rep. Carlos Gimenez changed position on legality of killing survivors. — After initially stating that the story about a second strike killing survivors must be fake news because Hegseth would never do such a thing, Rep. Carlos Gimenez appeared on CNN and changed his position. When asked "If there were survivors clinging for their lives on that boat, was it legal to go ahead and kill them?" Gimenez responded "If the mission was just to have a second strike to kill the survivors, that's questionable."
• Sen. Markwayne Mullin defended the second strike as necessary. — Senator Markwayne Mullin appeared on Fox News and stated "If there was a second strike, it wouldn't be to just simply take out the survivors. It's because there was still a threat or opportunity for them to run." This represents a Republican senator's defense of the lethal strike on survivors.
• Senate Majority Leader John Thune declined to evaluate Hegseth's leadership. — Senate Majority Leader John Thune, when asked about Hegseth's leadership at the Department of Defense, stated "I don't have, at this point, I guess, an evaluation of the secretary. Others can make those evaluations." This represents a refusal to comment on the Defense Secretary's fitness for office during an ongoing investigation into potential war crimes.
• Inspector General report finds Hegseth sent classified information over Signal — Acting Inspector General Steven A. Stebbins released a report on December 2 concluding that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sent sensitive, nonpublic, operational information over the non-secure messaging app Signal on his personal cell phone, violating Department of Defense policy. The report detailed that U.S. Central Command sent Hegseth seven emails classified as SECRET/NOFORN before and during strikes on Houthi militants in Yemen on March 14 and 15. Hegseth transmitted information including details about targets, weapons packages, aircraft, and strike times to people on a Signal chat. The report noted that if the information had fallen into adversaries' hands, Houthi forces might have been able to counter U.S. forces or reposition to avoid strikes, creating a risk to operational security and potential harm to U.S. pilots.
• Coast Guard records revealed that 21% of boats interdicted prior to new Trump policy contained no drugs. — Senator Rand Paul requested records from the Coast Guard on boat interdictions for the 12-month period before the Trump/Hegseth policy of striking suspected drug-smuggling vessels went into effect. The Coast Guard responded with data showing that of 212 total vessels interdicted in the year prior to the new policy who were suspected of trafficking drugs, only 55 actually had drugs on board. Additionally, 21% of boats stopped off the coast of Venezuela possessed no drugs at all, indicating a significant false-positive rate in targeting decisions.
• Trump administration lawyers warned of criminal behavior in boat strike — Zeteo reported that Trump administration lawyers have been warning senior colleagues that if the Washington Post's reporting on the second strike is true, it would be blatantly illegal, with one administration official saying, "There's defending the homeland, and then there's criminal behavior."
• CNN National Security Correspondent Barbara Starr responded to Pete Hegseth's criticism of the press. — CNN National Security Correspondent Barbara Starr responded to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's statement that reporters "sit in your air conditioned offices" and plant "fake stories." Starr stated "How dare you sir. Close to every member of the press corps you despise has made multiple reporting trips to combat zones, been under fire, some reporters wounded, some killed. Some today still with PTS. Mr. Hegseth should we indeed finally accept it's just not possible for you to show any basic respect?" This represents a direct rebuke of the Defense Secretary's attack on the press.
• George Will published opinion piece titled "A Sickening Moral Slum of an Administration." — Conservative columnist George Will published an opinion piece in the Washington Post with the title "A Sickening Moral Slum of an Administration." In the piece, Will wrote "Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth seems to be a war criminal. Without a war. An interesting achievement." This represents significant criticism from a prominent conservative voice.
• Pete Hegseth posted unauthorized mock children's book cover depicting Franklin the Turtle as a military combatant. — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted on social media a mock cover of the children's book series "Franklin the Turtle" titled "Franklin Targets Narco Terrorists," showing the character dressed in military gear, standing in a helicopter, and firing a weapon at boats. Hegseth captioned the image "For your Christmas wish list." The publisher, Kids Can Press, issued a statement condemning the unauthorized use, stating that Franklin the Turtle "stands for kindness, empathy, and inclusivity" and that the depiction "directly contradicts these values."
• White House Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stated that Hegseth had authorized Admiral Bradley to conduct the strikes. — White House Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt made scripted remarks at a news briefing acknowledging that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had authorized Admiral Mitch Bradley to conduct the strikes. She stated that Bradley "worked well within his authority and the law, directing the engagement to ensure the boat was destroyed." The remarks triggered backlash within the Department of Defense, with officials expressing anger at the uncertainty over whether Hegseth would take responsibility for his role or leave military and civilian staff to face consequences.
• White House Press Secretary defended legality of second strike without substantiation — On Monday following the Washington Post report, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the second strike during the September 2 operation, stating that everything was within the military's legal authority. Leavitt provided no details, evidence, or legal reasoning to substantiate the claim that killing survivors clinging to wreckage complies with law.
• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth denied knowledge of a second military strike that killed survivors of a targeted operation. — During the Cabinet meeting, Hegseth stated that he did not know about a second strike that killed survivors in the water following an initial strike on a suspected drug-smuggling boat. He claimed he relied on military commanders for information and had not been involved in the second strike, while simultaneously defending the decision as correct and stating "we have his back" regarding the commander who authorized it. He also attacked the press, claiming reporters sit in "air conditioned offices" and plant "fake stories."
• Pete Hegseth posted statement of support for Admiral Mitch Bradley regarding combat decisions in the September 2 strike. — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted on X that Admiral Mitch Bradley is "an American hero, a true professional" and stated "I stand by him and the combat decisions he has made - on the Sept 2 mission and all others since." The post came amid reporting that Pentagon officials and Congress were investigating whether the strike that killed survivors constituted a war crime and that military officials believed Hegseth was attempting to scapegoat Bradley.
• Hegseth distanced himself from second boat strike — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth continued to distance himself from the second strike carried out on a boat in the Caribbean to kill two survivors in September, saying he watched the first strike he authorized live but "a couple of hours passed" before he was informed of the follow-up strike. Hegseth claimed he "did not personally see survivors" because the vessel was "on fire and was exploded," and attributed the action to "the fog of war."
• Classified Inspector General report shows Pete Hegseth shared sensitive war plans over Signal app — A classified Inspector General report set for public release on Thursday documents that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth risked endangering troops' lives by sharing sensitive war plans over the Signal messaging app, a security breach that violated protocols for handling classified information.
• Hegseth claims declassification authority and denies wrongdoing — On Wednesday, December 3, the day after the inspector general report was released, Defense Secretary Hegseth claimed he had declassified the information he shared and therefore had not acted inappropriately. He stated on social media that the report had cleared him, writing "No classified information. Total exoneration." Hegseth asserted that he determined the material he shared did not need to be classified because "there were no details that would endanger our troops or the mission." However, the inspector general's report acknowledged that while Hegseth had the authority to declassify information, his actions created a risk to operational security that could have resulted in failed mission objectives and harm to U.S. pilots.
• Secretary Hegseth claimed total exoneration in IG report response — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth responded to the Pentagon Inspector General's report by claiming "total exoneration" and stating "case closed," asserting that no classified information was shared. His spokesperson Sean Parnell echoed the claim of total exoneration. However, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) contradicted this characterization on CNN, stating that "no one can rationalize that as an exoneration."
• Congressional briefing on boat strike held in closed session — On December 4, Admiral Frank Bradley and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine appeared before House and Senate armed services and intelligence committees in a closed briefing to discuss the September 2 boat strike. Bradley denied receiving a "kill them all" order from Defense Secretary Hegseth, though lawmakers disagreed sharply on what the video showed. Democratic lawmakers expressed deep concern about potential war crimes; Republican lawmakers defended the strikes as justified.
• Representative Himes characterized boat strike video as deeply troubling — Representative Jim Himes (D-CT), the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, described a video of the U.S. strike against two survivors of the September 2 boat strike as "one of the most troubling things I've seen in my time in public service." Himes stated the video showed "two individuals in clear distress without any means of locomotion, with a destroyed vessel,... killed by the United States."
• Admiral Bradley briefed Congress on September 2 boat strike — Admiral Frank Bradley, who oversaw the September 2 missile strike on a boat that killed 11 people, met with lawmakers on Thursday to discuss the operation. He is expected to tell them that he considered the survivors viable targets rather than shipwrecked, defenseless mariners. Bradley is expected to testify that U.S. personnel observing the operation believed the survivors possessed communications equipment and may have been capable of calling other drug smugglers for help recovering cargo, though it is unclear if they made contact with anyone.
• Rep. Adam Smith questioned legality of strikes on survivors — Representative Adam Smith, ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, characterized the decision to strike two survivors on an incapacitated vessel as "highly questionable." Smith stated that the military's assumption that the survivors were still "in the fight" was based on an "unbelievably broad definition" of what constitutes active combat, given that the vessel was destroyed and the survivors had no means of locomotion.
• Rep. Jim Himes called briefing one of most troubling experiences — Representative Jim Himes, House Intelligence Committee ranking Democrat, stated that the briefing on the boat strikes was "one of the most troubling things I've seen in my time in public service." Himes characterized the killing of two individuals in clear distress, without means of locomotion and with a destroyed vessel, as deeply problematic.
• Rep. Mike Turner expressed concerns about accuracy of military intelligence — Representative Mike Turner (R-OH), who was chair of the House Intelligence Committee until Trump ordered Speaker Mike Johnson to remove him, expressed concerns about whether the accuracy of information being used in military operations meets the standard for informed congressional oversight. Turner stated that members have "very much concerns" about the level of accuracy and noted that if the individuals targeted were captured, tried, and convicted, they would not be subject to capital punishment, yet they are being killed without due process.
• Senator Tom Cotton endorsed boat strikes as lawful — Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Tom Cotton, emerging from the briefing on the September 2 boat strikes, characterized all four strikes that day as "righteous," "entirely lawful and needful," and exactly what military commanders should do. Cotton stated he saw two survivors trying to flip a boat loaded with drugs back over to stay in the fight.
• Inspector General report finds Hegseth violated Pentagon policies on classified information handling — The Department of Defense inspector general released a report concluding that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth violated Pentagon policies by using the Signal messaging app to share classified details about upcoming airstrikes in Yemen, including aircraft types and strike times, two to four hours before missions on 15 March. The report determined his actions created operational security risks that could have resulted in failed missions and harm to pilots. Hegseth also failed to retain associated messages, violating federal record-keeping requirements.
• Messages from Hegseth's Signal account contained specific strike timing details — CNN reported that messages sent from Secretary Hegseth's Signal account to a group chat offered specific, real-time updates about planned military strikes, including one message that read "This is DEFINITELY when the first bombs will drop." The messages were so specific that they identified exact timing of operations. It remains unclear whether Hegseth properly declassified the information before sharing it with other top Trump officials and a reporter from The Atlantic who was accidentally added to the chat.
• Pentagon may not turn over Strike Bridge communications logs to Congress — The New York Times reported that military officials had used a written texting system known as "Strike Bridge" to communicate during planning and execution of military operations, including communications between Admiral Bradley and SEAL Team 6 operators directing drone strikes. The system automatically saves messages. Several congressional officials stated that lawmakers had requested to review logs related to the operation, along with written documentation including Hegseth's "execute order" and rules of engagement. It remains unclear whether the Pentagon will turn over these records to Congress.
• Senator Jack Reed demanded complete release of strike footage — Senator Jack Reed, ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, stated that the Department of Defense has no choice but to release the complete, unedited footage of the strike, given that the President has agreed to do so. Reed stated that the briefing confirmed his "worst fears" about the nature of the Trump administration's military activities and demonstrated why the Senate Armed Services Committee has repeatedly requested and been denied fundamental information, documents, and facts about the operation.
• Senator Rand Paul called for public release of strike video — Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) stated that the video of distressed, shipwrecked, or incapacitated people on boats being bombed should be shown to every American, calling for public disclosure of the controversial military operation.
• Trump agreed to release video of second strike — When asked whether he would release video of the second strike to the public, President Trump stated: "Whatever they have, we'd certainly release. No problem." This represents a commitment to public disclosure of the controversial military operation.
• Admiral Bradley briefed Congress on September 2 boat strike in Caribbean — Admiral Frank "Mitch" Bradley, Special Operations commander, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine conducted a closed-door briefing for congressional members regarding a U.S. military strike on September 2 against a small boat in the Caribbean. The strike killed nine of eleven people aboard; a second strike 41 minutes later killed the two survivors. Bradley stated the vessel appeared to be afloat due to cocaine packages and survivors could have floated to safety to continue drug trafficking, contradicting earlier claims that survivors were communicating with other vessels. The administration claims the operation targets drug cartels under a formal armed conflict determination, but has not provided legal authority and has ignored War Powers Resolution requirements for congressional approval beyond 60 days.
• Defense Secretary Hegseth responded to social media post about boat strikes — Andrew Kolvet of Turning Point USA posted on social media: "Every new attack aimed at Pete Hegseth makes me want another narco drug boat blown up and sent to the bottom of the ocean." Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth quoted Kolvet's post and responded: "Your wish is our command, Andrew. Just sunk another narco boat." U.S. Southern Command confirmed a strike against a small boat in the eastern Pacific, stating that intelligence confirmed the vessel was carrying illicit narcotics and four male individuals aboard were killed.
• U.S. military conducted more than 20 strikes on small boats with at least 87 deaths — As of the date of the article, the U.S. military had carried out more than 20 strikes on small boats that the Trump administration claims are run by "narco-terrorists," resulting in at least 87 deaths. These operations began in September 2025 following the initial September 2 strike and have continued without formal congressional authorization beyond the initial War Powers Resolution notification.
• CNN reports boat was not headed for U.S., contradicting administration claim — CNN reported that the boat struck on September 2 was not headed for the United States, contradicting a claim made by President Trump. Admiral Frank "Mitch" Bradley, overseeing Special Operations that day, told Congress the intelligence indicated the boat was headed to meet a larger vessel bound for Suriname to transfer drugs. Bradley confirmed the military could not locate the second vessel. U.S. drug enforcement officials stated that drugs trafficked through Suriname are generally bound for Europe. Bradley also confirmed that after the people on the boat appeared to see American aircraft, they turned the boat back toward land.
• New York Times reports survivors of first strike were waving before second strike — Journalists Julian E. Barnes and Charlie Savage reported that survivors of the first strike on the boat were waving to something overhead before a second strike killed them. The report notes that the administration had not announced its new policy of striking alleged drug traffickers rather than arresting them, so the men had no way of knowing they were under attack. Some observers believed the men were waving to be rescued; others supporting the administration's position speculated they were signaling other alleged traffickers, though no other vessels or aircraft were in visual range.
• Pentagon announced 22nd airstrike against suspected drug smuggling vessel in eastern Pacific — The Pentagon announced a lethal strike on a boat suspected of carrying illegal narcotics in the eastern Pacific Ocean on 4 December, killing four men. The US Southern Command described the strike as a "lethal kinetic strike on a vessel in international waters operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization" and stated that intelligence confirmed the vessel was carrying illicit narcotics. This was the 22nd attack in the campaign against boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, bringing the death toll to at least 87 people. The strike was the first publicly announced operation in nearly three weeks.
• Pentagon announces lethal strike on boat in eastern Pacific, killing four men — The US military, at the direction of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel in international waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing four men described as narco-terrorists. The strike, the 22nd such operation since September, was conducted by Joint Task Force Southern Spear and targeted a boat suspected of carrying illegal narcotics. The operation brings the death toll of the campaign to at least 87 people. The strike occurs amid mounting congressional scrutiny over the legal basis for the attacks.
• TPUSA operations head Kolvet called for drug boat destruction; Hegseth confirmed action — Andrew Kolvet, now running operations at The America First PAC (TPUSA) after Charlie Kirk's death, posted on social media: "Every new attack aimed at Pete Hegseth makes me want another narco drug boat blown up and sent to the bottom of the ocean." Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth responded: "Your wish is our command, Andrew. Just sunk another narco boat," and posted a video of what he described as a homicide committed by the Department of Defense.

Supporting reports

• Pentagon ordered National Guard to establish "quick reaction" forces in every state and territory by January. — The Pentagon issued orders to the National Guard to create specialized "quick reaction" forces in every state and territory by January, trained and equipped to respond to riots and civil unrest within the United States. Trump had directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in August to establish these units. Memos were sent to state Guard organizations.

Supporting reports

• White House authorizes deployment of 300 Illinois National Guard members — On Saturday afternoon, a White House spokesperson announced that Trump has "authorized" the deployment of 300 Illinois National Guard members. Governor Pritzker later stated he had been informed that members of the Texas National Guard would also be deployed to Illinois, further expanding federal military presence in the state without state consent.
• Trump issued presidential memorandum calling 300+ Illinois National Guard into federal service to protect federal personnel and property in Illinois — President Trump issued a presidential memorandum on October 4, 2025, directing the Secretary of War to call at least 300 members of the Illinois National Guard into federal service. The memorandum states that federal facilities in Illinois, particularly those supporting ICE and Federal Protective Services, have faced "coordinated assault by violent groups" seeking to obstruct federal law enforcement and impede deportations. Trump determined that regular U.S. forces are insufficient and that the situation warrants mobilization. The National Guard personnel are authorized to perform protective activities the Secretary of War deems necessary to ensure federal law execution, with a 60-day duration or at the Secretary's discretion.
• Trump authorized deployment of 300 Illinois National Guard troops to Chicago — Trump authorized the deployment of 300 Illinois National Guard troops to Chicago. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker called the move unnecessary and a "manufactured performance—not a serious effort to protect public safety," signaling state-level resistance to the federal deployment order.
• Trump administration deploys 300 California National Guard troops to Portland — On Sunday, October 5, blocked from deploying Oregon National Guard troops in Portland by Judge Immergut's ruling, the Trump administration deployed 300 California National Guard troops to Portland instead. California Governor Gavin Newsom announced the deployment, characterizing it as "a breathtaking abuse of the law and power" and stating the Trump administration is "unapologetically attacking the rule of law itself and putting into action their dangerous words—ignoring court orders and treating judges, even those appointed by the President himself, as political opponents."
• Trump administration deploys national guard troops to Portland despite judicial order — The Pentagon deployed 200 national guard members from California to Oregon on Sunday, and the Trump administration announced plans to send additional troops from Texas, directly after Judge Immergut's temporary restraining order. Oregon Governor Tina Kotek reported that 101 California national guard members arrived by plane on Saturday night with no formal federal communication and unverified locations. The administration proceeded without state authorization or coordination.
• Trump administration orders Texas national guard deployment to Illinois without state authorization — The Trump administration ordered 400 members of the Texas national guard to deploy to Illinois, Oregon, and other states without communicating with Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. Texas Governor Greg Abbott stated he "fully authorized" Trump to deploy the troops. Chicago could see Texas troops deployed by Tuesday or Wednesday as the administration moves to federalize the Illinois national guard.
• Trump authorizes national guard deployment to Chicago — President Trump authorized deployment of 300 Illinois national guard troops to Chicago, citing "violent riots and lawlessness." The deployment follows a border patrol shooting of a woman on Chicago's southwest side during an operation where agents reported being rammed by vehicles. Governor JB Pritzker opposed the move, calling it unnecessary and stating the Pentagon issued an ultimatum to deploy troops or face federal deployment. The action occurs amid an intensified immigration enforcement crackdown by ICE in the city.
• Trump Authorizes Deployment of Illinois National Guard — President Trump authorized the deployment of 300 Illinois National Guard members to assist in protecting federal facilities, following a demand for the state to call up its troops. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker criticized this action as an overreach of federal power.
• Trump administration announces deployment of California national guard to Portland — Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell announced that approximately 200 federalized members of the California national guard were being reassigned from Los Angeles to Portland, Oregon at the direction of President Trump to support ICE and other federal personnel and protect federal property. This deployment occurred despite prior court orders and without state authorization, following Trump's September 27 announcement of plans to deploy guard troops to Portland.
• Illinois Governor Pritzker called Trump's National Guard deployment an "invasion" — Illinois Governor JB Pritzker stated that Trump ordered 400 Texas National Guard members for deployment to Illinois and other locations without any federal officials contacting him directly to discuss or coordinate the action. Pritzker characterized the deployment as "Trump's Invasion," noting it began with federal agents and would include federalized National Guard members against the state's wishes, and called on Texas Governor Abbott to withdraw support and refuse to coordinate.
• Texas Governor Abbott authorized National Guard deployment — Texas Governor Greg Abbott responded to Illinois Governor Pritzker's criticism by stating he fully authorized the President to call up 400 members of the Texas National Guard to ensure safety for federal officials, and argued that either other states must fully enforce protection for federal employees or allow Texas Guard to do so. Abbott asserted the superiority of Texas National Guard training and expertise.
• Trump administration federalized Texas National Guard for deployment to Portland and Chicago — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced the federalization of 2,000 Texas National Guard members, with 400 being deployed to Portland, Oregon and Chicago, Illinois. This action came immediately after a federal judge blocked the federalization of the Oregon National Guard, appearing to circumvent the court order by using troops from another state. The administration characterized this as a response to unrest in those cities.
• National Guard deployment to Chicago area begins — National Guard troops from Texas began arriving at Elwood Army Reserve Center, approximately 50 miles outside Chicago, as part of a Trump administration deployment. By Wednesday, 200 Texas National Guard troops had arrived with another 300 Illinois National Guard troops preparing to deploy. The FAA issued flight restrictions over the center until December 6. Trump administration officials stated troops would protect federal immigration agents and facilities, not assume law enforcement duties, though the deployment proceeded despite objections from Illinois Governor Pritzker and Mayor Johnson.
• Trump administration deploys national guard troops to Chicago area for immigration enforcement — The Trump administration deployed approximately 500 national guard troops (200 from Texas, 300 from Illinois) to the Chicago area to protect Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities and federal property. The deployment occurred without coordination with Illinois Governor JB Pritzker or Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. A federal judge held a hearing on whether to declare the deployment illegal, with state and city attorneys arguing it violates the Constitution. Trump attacked both officials on social media, saying they "should be in jail."

Supporting reports

• Secretary of Defense issues memorandum federalizing 200 Oregon National Guard members for 60-day deployment to Portland — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth issued a memorandum on September 28 stating that 200 members of Oregon's National Guard would be "called into Federal service effective immediately for a period of 60 days." The memorandum followed Trump's demand for military deployment to Portland, which he claimed was necessary to protect federal property and suppress lawlessness. Oregon's governor Tina Kotek stated she had been notified that the president had seized control of the state's reservists, invoking authority to suppress "rebellion" or lawlessness. City and state officials filed suit shortly thereafter to block the deployment.
• Hegseth called 200 Oregon National Guard members into federal service — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called 200 members of the Oregon National Guard into federal service for 60 days. This action followed Trump's repeated threats to deploy federal troops to Portland to address what he characterized as "domestic terrorism" and civil unrest. Oregon Governor Tina Kotek had explicitly told Trump and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem that federal troops were unnecessary and that the state could manage its own public safety.
• Hegseth federalizes 200 Oregon National Guard personnel — On September 29, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth federalized 200 National Guard personnel from Oregon under the stated purpose of protecting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal government personnel performing federal functions. The action followed Trump's directive and Oregon Governor Tina Kotek's public disagreement with Trump's characterization of Portland's security situation.

Supporting reports

• Trump signs National Security Presidential Memorandum-7 on domestic terrorism — President Trump signed National Security Presidential Memorandum-7 (NSPM-7), directing law enforcement and regulatory agencies to investigate and disrupt networks, entities, and organizations allegedly responsible for encouraging acts of political violence. The memo directs the IRS commissioner to ensure no tax-exempt groups finance political violence or domestic terrorism, and instructs the IRS chief to refer organizations and their employees to the Department of Justice for investigation and possible prosecution. Legal experts and free speech organizations warn the order conflates protected speech with political violence and could be weaponized against left-leaning nonprofits.
• Trump issues presidential memorandum targeting "domestic terrorism" with focus on left-wing groups — On Thursday, President Trump signed a presidential memorandum aimed at investigating and dismantling what he characterized as a radical left-wing "terror network." The memo directs the FBI's joint terrorism taskforces, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Treasury to pursue an "all-of-government effort" against left-wing political violence and antifa. Trump suggested billionaires George Soros and Reid Hoffman could be targets. Critics, including the ACLU, argue the memo uses the label of "domestic terrorism" to target non-profits, activists, and protected political speech, with potential for broad crackdown on political opponents.
• Trump issued National Security Presidential Memorandum ordering prosecution of protest as federal crime — Three days after the antifa designation, Trump issued National Security Presidential Memorandum 7 (NSPM-7), titled "Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence," which established a National Joint Terrorism Task Force to investigate Americans engaged in protest and ordered the attorney general to prosecute protest as a federal crime to the maximum extent permissible by law.
• Trump signs memorandum targeting activists and nonprofits as "terror network" — President Trump signed a memorandum titled "Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence" that targets activists and nonprofits as part of what he called a "terror network" allegedly fueling violence against Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. The memo alleges that "common threads" include anti-Americanism, anti-capitalism, anti-Christianity, support for overthrowing the government, and extremism on migration, race, and gender. It grants law enforcement wide latitude to investigate, prosecute, and disrupt entities and individuals engaged in behavior the administration opposes, as well as nonprofit organizations that fund them. The memo also orders law enforcement to interrogate people regarding entities organizing actions and their financial sponsorship prior to adjudication or plea agreement.
• White House issues fact sheet on National Security Presidential Memorandum establishing domestic terrorism strategy — The White House issued a fact sheet on September 25, 2025, describing a National Security Presidential Memorandum (NSPM) signed by President Trump that directs federal agencies to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle organized political violence and domestic terrorism. The memorandum instructs the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force to coordinate investigations; directs the Attorney General to prosecute federal crimes related to organized political violence and recommend groups for designation as "domestic terrorist organizations"; instructs Treasury to identify and disrupt funding networks; and designates domestic terrorism a "National Priority Area." The fact sheet cites recent incidents including the assassination of conservative leader Charlie Kirk and attacks on ICE officers.
• Presidential Memorandum directs federal law enforcement to investigate and prosecute domestic terrorism and organized political violence through coordinated task forces, financial tracking, and organizational designation authority. — National Security Presidential Memorandum-7, signed September 25, 2025, directs the Secretaries of State, Treasury, and Homeland Security and the Attorney General to establish a comprehensive federal strategy countering domestic terrorism and organized political violence. The memorandum instructs the National Joint Terrorism Task Force to investigate individuals and organizations engaged in political violence, radicalization, doxing, and intimidation campaigns; directs the Treasury Department to identify and disrupt financial networks funding such activity; authorizes the Attorney General to designate groups meeting the statutory definition of "domestic terrorism" as domestic terrorist organizations; and mandates law enforcement agencies to interrogate suspects regarding organizational structures and funding sources. The memorandum identifies "anti-fascist" movements as a primary focus and cites recent assassinations, ICE facility attacks, and riots as justification for the expanded investigative authority.
• White House issued National Security Presidential Memorandum directing domestic terrorism investigations and prosecutions — The White House issued NSPM-7 on September 25, 2025, directing the National Joint Terrorism Task Force, Department of Justice, Department of Treasury, and Department of Homeland Security to investigate, prosecute, and disrupt entities and individuals engaged in political violence and intimidation. The memorandum directs law enforcement to investigate funding sources, organizational structures, and participants in acts characterized as domestic terrorism, with particular focus on what the document describes as "anti-fascist" movements. It instructs the Attorney General to prosecute federal crimes related to these investigations to the maximum extent permissible by law and authorizes the Treasury to deploy investigative tools to trace funding streams.
• Trump signed memorandum designating antifa as domestic terrorist organization — President Trump signed a separate presidential memorandum claiming to designate antifa, described as a leaderless and decentralized anti-fascist movement, as a "domestic terrorist organization." Legal experts warned that through this memo and the concurrent nonprofit-targeting memo, Trump is less concerned with curbing political violence and more concerned with stamping out an idea and creating a tool to use against any form of left-wing protest activity.
• Trump signed presidential memorandum targeting left-wing nonprofit organizations — President Trump signed a presidential memorandum directing the federal government to investigate and target liberal nonprofit organizations that fund the political left, specifically naming Democratic megadonors George Soros and Reid Hoffman. The memo ordered the Department of Justice and Department of Treasury to use anti-terrorism financial tools against unspecified organizations and directed the IRS commissioner to ensure that no tax-exempt entities finance political violence or domestic terrorism. Legal experts observed that the memo largely targets actions protected by the First Amendment by conflating speech and violence, and violates federal guidelines prohibiting law enforcement from investigating Americans based solely on First Amendment-protected activity.

Supporting reports

• Trump threatens to deploy National Guard to Chicago and Baltimore, claims Chicago is "world's most dangerous city" — Donald Trump announced plans to deploy National Guard units to Chicago and Baltimore to address violent crime, calling Chicago "the most dangerous city in the world" and citing 20 killings over 2.5 weeks and 75 shootings. He also discussed sending troops to New Orleans. The claims are contradicted by FBI crime data showing Chicago ranks 14th among cities over 100,000 residents in homicide rate (17.5 per 100,000), while the four highest-murder-rate cities—Jackson, Birmingham, St. Louis, and Memphis—are all in Republican-led states with rates ranging from 40.6 to 78.7 per 100,000.
• Texas National Guard preparation to deploy to Chicago reported — According to Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, the Texas National Guard is preparing to deploy to Chicago. Texas Governor Greg Abbott denied the claim. The deployment threat occurs despite Chicago experiencing declining violent crime, with 2025 showing fewer shootings than any year since the mid-1960s according to crime data expert Jeff Asher. Five major Texas cities—Houston, Corpus Christi, Lubbock, Dallas, and San Antonio—had higher violent crime rates per 100,000 people than Chicago in 2024.
• Trump pledges military deployment to Chicago and Baltimore amid false crime claims — President Trump pledged on Truth Social to deploy the military to Chicago and Baltimore, characterizing both cities as exceptionally dangerous. Trump called Chicago "the worst and most dangerous city in the World, by far" and a "killing field," and described Baltimore as "so far gone," a "hellhole," and a "horrible deathbed." However, FBI data shows Chicago ranked 55th in violent crime among major U.S. cities in 2024 (540 per 100,000), with multiple red-state cities including Memphis, Kansas City, Tulsa, and Louisville recording significantly higher rates. Baltimore is experiencing a historic crime decline, with August 2025 recording the lowest homicide count for that month on record and 91 homicides through September 1—the fewest in over 50 years for that period.
• Trump threatens national guard deployment to Chicago; advance ICE team training underway — President Trump reaffirmed his commitment to deploying federal troops to Chicago to address crime and homelessness, calling the city a "hellhole" and stating deployment would proceed regardless of local leadership consent. An advance team of at least 30 agents is undergoing crowd control and flash grenade training at Naval Station Great Lakes; 230 Customs and Border Protection agents are being transferred from Los Angeles. Chicago would become the second city to receive national guard troops after Washington DC (August) and Los Angeles (June). Local officials and community groups are organizing resistance, including legal preparation and "know your rights" campaigns.

Supporting reports

• Trump declares crime emergency in District of Columbia, delegates Metropolitan Police operational control to Attorney General — President Trump signed Executive Order 14333 on August 11, 2025, declaring a crime emergency in Washington, D.C., citing elevated violent crime rates. The order invokes section 740 of the Home Rule Act to place the Metropolitan Police Department under federal operational control, delegating authority to the Attorney General to direct the Mayor and determine necessary police services. The order cites 2024 crime statistics (27.54 homicides per 100,000 residents, 842.4 vehicle thefts per 100,000) and frames the emergency as necessary to protect federal workers, buildings, and government operations.
• Trump declared crime emergency in Washington, D.C., to take control of police — On August 11, 2025, President Trump declared a crime emergency in Washington, D.C., under the 1973 Home Rule Act to assume control of the city's police department. The Department of Justice had reported that crime in the District was at a 30-year low. The Home Rule Act permits such a takeover only if "special conditions of an emergency nature exist" and limits the takeover to 30 days unless Congress passes a joint resolution to extend it.
• Trump declares crime emergency in District of Columbia, delegates police control to Attorney General — President Trump issued an executive order on August 11, 2025, declaring a crime emergency in Washington, D.C., and invoking section 740 of the Home Rule Act to place the Metropolitan Police Department under federal control. The order delegates operational authority to the Attorney General, who may direct the Mayor to provide police services for federal purposes. Trump cited elevated violent crime rates (27.54 homicides per 100,000 residents in 2024, vehicle theft at 842.4 per 100,000) as justifying the emergency declaration and federal takeover of local law enforcement.
• President Trump signed Executive Order 14333 declaring a crime emergency in the District of Columbia and delegating operational control of the Metropolitan Police Department to the Attorney General. — On August 11, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14333, invoking section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to declare special conditions of emergency requiring the use of the Metropolitan Police Department for federal purposes. The order directs the Mayor to provide Metropolitan Police services for the maximum period permitted under law and delegates presidential authority to direct the Mayor to the Attorney General. The order cites 2024 crime statistics (27.54 homicides per 100,000 residents, 842.4 vehicle thefts per 100,000 residents) and asserts that D.C. has higher violent crime rates than all 50 states. The Attorney General is tasked with monitoring conditions and updating the President on whether further action is needed.
• President Trump signs executive order declaring crime emergency in District of Columbia — President Trump signed an executive order on August 11, 2025, declaring a crime emergency in Washington, D.C. The order invokes the President's authority under the District of Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization Act to require the Mayor to make Metropolitan Police Department services available to the President. The Attorney General is delegated authority to monitor the emergency and recommend further actions or termination. The fact sheet cites D.C. crime statistics (27 homicides per 100,000 residents in 2024; vehicle theft at 842.4 per 100,000) and frames the order as necessary to restore federal operations and public safety.
• White House issues release on "Liberation Day" declaring public safety emergency in Washington, D.C. — The White House issued a release on August 11, 2025, announcing that President Trump declared a public safety emergency in Washington, D.C., and placed Attorney General Pam Bondi in command of the Metropolitan Police Department. The release states the action targets "known gangs, drug dealers and criminal networks" and attributes the city's crime crisis to "abject failures of the city's local leadership." The document includes testimonials from D.C. residents supporting the measure.
• Trump Assumes Control Over D.C. Metropolitan Police Department — President Donald J. Trump announced at a press conference that he is taking control of the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department and deploying over 100 FBI agents, 40 agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, along with other federal officers and National Guard members to address crime in the capital. He stated that officers would clear homeless encampments from the city. This move comes despite statistics showing a significant decrease in violent crime in D.C.
• Trump signs executive order seizing DC police department control — President Trump signed an executive order on August 12, 2025, placing the DC Metropolitan Police Department under federal control, with Attorney General Pam Bondi assuming command. Trump also announced deployment of 800 National Guard troops to DC streets. The order was justified by claims of rising violent crime, but official DOJ data shows violent crime in DC declined 35% in 2024 (the lowest in over 30 years) and an additional 25% year-to-date in 2025. Crime expert Jeff Asher confirmed violent crime is declining regardless of categorization method.

Supporting reports

• Trump signs memorandum for military mission at the southern border — President Trump signed a memorandum directing the secretaries of defense, interior, agriculture, and homeland security to create a military buffer zone along the southern border. This would allow active-duty soldiers to detain migrants until ICE agents arrive.
• Trump signed memorandum creating military buffer zone along southern border — President Trump signed a memorandum to the secretaries of defense, interior, agriculture, and homeland security calling for a "Military Mission for Sealing the Southern Border of the United States and Repelling Invasions." The memorandum creates a military buffer zone along the border so that any migrant crossing would be trespassing on a U.S. military base, allowing active-duty soldiers to hold migrants until ICE agents take them. By April 20, the secretaries of defense and homeland security are supposed to report whether the president should invoke the 1807 Insurrection Act to enable use of the military in mass deportations.
• White House issues National Security Presidential Memorandum directing military deployment to southern border — The White House issued National Security Presidential Memorandum-4 (NSPM-4) on April 11, 2025, directing the Secretaries of Defense, Interior, Agriculture, and Homeland Security to enable military operations along the southern border. The memorandum authorizes the Department of Defense to assume jurisdiction over federal lands (excluding Indian reservations), construct border barriers, and deploy detection equipment. It invokes emergency authorities under 43 U.S.C. 155 to withdraw public lands without standard limitations. The Secretary of Defense is empowered to determine necessary military activities and establish rules of engagement; implementation begins on a limited sector with a 45-day assessment period.

Supporting reports

• Executive Order on Foreign Relations Policy Implementation — President Donald J. Trump signed Executive Order 14211, mandating that all U.S. foreign policy be implemented under the President's direction. The order empowers the Secretary of State to reform the Foreign Service to ensure compliance with the President's policies, including personnel actions for non-compliance. The order emphasizes the Secretary's discretion in implementing these reforms.
• Trump administration claimed constitutional authority over foreign affairs in executive order — On February 12, 2025, the Trump administration issued an executive order in which Trump claimed the Constitution "vests the power to conduct foreign policy in the President of the United States." This assertion was made in the context of expanding presidential authority over foreign affairs and domestic immigration enforcement.
• Trump issues executive order on foreign relations — President Donald Trump issued an executive order titled "One Voice for America’s Foreign Relations" on February 12, 2025. The order mandates that all officers and employees involved in implementing U.S. foreign policy must do so under the President's direction and authority. It emphasizes the role of the Secretary of State in maintaining a workforce committed to the President's foreign policy agenda. The order outlines reforms in recruiting, performance evaluation, and retention standards within the Foreign Service to ensure alignment with the President's policies.
• White House issued executive order centralizing foreign policy personnel authority under the Secretary of State — The White House issued an executive order titled "One Voice for America's Foreign Relations" on February 12, 2025. The order asserts that Article II vests foreign policy power in the President and directs that all officers and employees implementing U.S. foreign policy must do so under presidential direction. It grants the Secretary of State sole and exclusive discretion to determine personnel actions, including discipline and separation, for Foreign Service members, Civil Service employees, and other staff. The order mandates reform of Foreign Service recruiting, evaluation, retention, and training to ensure "faithful implementation" of the President's foreign policy agenda.
• White House issues fact sheet on executive order centralizing foreign policy authority under the President — The White House published a fact sheet on February 12, 2025, describing an executive order signed by President Trump that establishes centralized control over U.S. foreign relations. The order reaffirms presidential authority over foreign policy implementation, reasserts the Secretary of State's authority over Foreign Service Officers, directs reform of foreign service recruiting and performance standards, and empowers the Secretary of State to revise the Foreign Affairs Manual and procedural documents. The fact sheet states the order ensures diplomatic actions align with the President's directives and that personnel are held accountable to the President's vision.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration issues executive order imposing sanctions on ICC officials and affiliates — The Trump administration issued an executive order in February 2025 authorizing comprehensive sanctions against International Criminal Court officials, judges, and individuals and organizations assisting the ICC's investigation into Israeli crimes in Palestine. The order targeted ICC prosecutors, judges, three Palestinian human rights groups, and UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese, effectively criminalizing collaboration with the court and restricting access to US financial and technology services.
• Executive Order to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias — President Donald J. Trump signed Executive Order 14202, establishing a Task Force within the Department of Justice to eradicate anti-Christian bias. The Task Force, chaired by the Attorney General, includes members from various federal departments and agencies. Its functions include reviewing past anti-Christian policies, recommending remedial actions, and protecting religious liberties. The Task Force will submit reports to the President and is set to terminate in two years unless extended.
• Imposing Sanctions on the International Criminal Court — President Donald J. Trump issued Executive Order 14203, imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC). The order blocks property and suspends entry into the U.S. for ICC officials and their families, citing the ICC's investigations into U.S. and Israeli personnel as illegitimate. The order declares a national emergency to address the threat posed by the ICC's actions, which are seen as undermining U.S. sovereignty and national security.
• Trump Imposes Sanctions on International Criminal Court — On February 6, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC). The order blocks property and assets of ICC officials and restricts their entry into the United States. This action is in response to the ICC's investigations and arrest warrants against U.S. and Israeli personnel, which the U.S. government deems illegitimate. The order declares a national emergency to address these actions, citing threats to U.S. national security and foreign policy.
• Trump signed executive order on ICC sanctions — On February 6, 2025, Trump signed an executive order authorizing economic sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing the body of "improperly targeting" the United States and its allies, including Israel. Trump criticized the ICC for issuing warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes. The order grants Trump broad powers to impose asset freezes and travel bans against ICC staff and family members if the US determines they are involved in investigating or prosecuting US citizens and certain allies.
• Trump signed executive order imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court — President Trump signed an executive order declaring a national emergency and imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court, blocking property and assets of ICC officials and suspending their entry into the United States. The order names ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan in an annex and authorizes the Secretary of State and Treasury to identify additional ICC personnel for sanctions. The order asserts that the ICC has engaged in "illegitimate and baseless actions" by investigating U.S. and Israeli personnel and issuing arrest warrants for Israeli officials, and claims this threatens U.S. national security and sovereignty.

Supporting reports

• Trump orders opening of migrant detention center at Guantánamo Bay — President Donald Trump signed an executive order to prepare a detention facility at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, to house up to 30,000 immigrants deported from the United States. The order directs the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security to expand the Migrant Operations Center at the naval base to full capacity. This move is part of Trump's broader immigration crackdown, which includes other executive orders aimed at reducing immigration and enhancing border security.
• White House issues memorandum directing expansion of migrant detention at Guantanamo Bay — The White House issued a presidential memorandum on January 29, 2025, directing the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of Homeland Security to expand the Migrant Operations Center at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay to full capacity. The memorandum states the expansion is to provide detention space for "high-priority criminal aliens unlawfully present in the United States" and to address immigration enforcement needs. The stated purpose is to "halt the border invasion, dismantle criminal cartels, and restore national sovereignty."
• Trump signs executive order on Guantanamo Bay migrant facility — President Trump signed an executive order directing the Pentagon and DHS to prepare a migrant detention facility at Guantanamo Bay for up to 30,000 people. This order raises concerns about the treatment and rights of migrants detained in such facilities.
• Trump signed executive order preparing Guantánamo Bay detention facility for migrants — On January 29, 2025, Trump signed an executive order to prepare a massive detention facility at Guantánamo Bay to hold up to 30,000 deported immigrants. Trump stated Guantánamo could "detain the worst criminal illegal aliens threatening the American people" during the signing of the Laken Riley Act. The order is part of broader efforts to fulfill Trump's promise to remove millions of people from the country.
• Trump announces migrant facility at Gitmo — President Trump announced an executive order to prepare a 30,000-person migrant facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. This move aims to double the capacity for detaining migrants and is unprecedented in U.S. history. The decision has raised significant legal and ethical questions about the treatment of migrants and the use of military facilities for immigration enforcement.
• Trump announces plan to detain migrants at Guantánamo Bay — President Donald Trump announced plans to send tens of thousands of undocumented migrants to a new facility at the Guantánamo Bay naval base. This move is part of his "mass deportation" campaign, aiming to house "criminal illegal aliens" in a 30,000-person facility. The announcement has sparked significant controversy, with critics arguing it demonizes migrants by associating them with terrorism. The plan involves expanding the existing detention center, notorious for its history of human rights abuses, to accommodate the migrants.
• Trump administration announces executive order for migrant detention center — President Trump announced an executive order to open a 30,000-person-capacity migrant detention center at Guantanamo Bay, aimed at detaining what he described as the "worst criminal illegal aliens threatening the American people." This move is part of his broader immigration policy strategy.
• Trump announces executive order for migrant detention center — President Trump announced plans to sign an executive order to establish a 30,000-person-capacity migrant detention center at Guantanamo Bay, aimed at detaining what he described as "the worst criminal illegal aliens threatening the American people." This move is part of his administration's ongoing focus on immigration enforcement.
• Trump orders migrant detention center at Guantánamo Bay — Trump signed an executive order to prepare a huge detention facility at Guantánamo Bay that he said could be used to hold up to 30,000 immigrants deported from the US. Trump stated Guantánamo could "detain the worst criminal illegal aliens threatening the American people" during the signing of the Laken Riley Act. The order is part of a broader effort to fulfill Trump's promise to remove millions of people from the country.
• Plan to deport undocumented people to Guantanamo announced — A plan was announced to deport undocumented individuals to Guantanamo Bay, a location known for its lack of legal oversight and history of inhumane conditions. This proposal has been criticized as an attempt to avoid legal scrutiny and has raised significant human rights concerns. Legal challenges are expected as the plan is seen as a violation of constitutional and international human rights standards.

Supporting reports

• Executive Order on Border Security — President Donald J. Trump signed Executive Order 14165 on January 20, 2025, directing the deployment of physical barriers and personnel to secure the U.S. southern border. The order mandates the resumption of the Migrant Protection Protocols, adjustments to parole policies, and prioritization of prosecuting border-related offenses. It aims to deter illegal immigration and enhance border security through various measures, including international cooperation and DNA identification requirements.
• National emergency declared at southern border — President Donald J. Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border of the United States, citing threats from cartels, criminal gangs, and illicit narcotics. The proclamation authorizes the use of the Armed Forces to support the Department of Homeland Security in securing the border, including constructing additional physical barriers and deploying personnel. The proclamation revokes a previous termination of the emergency and requires reports on actions taken and conditions at the border.
• President Trump declares a national energy emergency — President Donald J. Trump issued Executive Order 14156, declaring a national energy emergency. The order directs federal agencies to use emergency authorities to enhance domestic energy production, transportation, and infrastructure. It aims to address high energy prices and vulnerabilities in energy supply, particularly in the Northeast and West Coast regions. The order invokes the National Emergencies Act and the Defense Production Act to expedite energy-related projects and infrastructure improvements.
• Presidential Proclamation on Border Security — President Donald J. Trump issued a proclamation declaring an ongoing invasion at the southern border of the United States. The proclamation suspends the entry of aliens involved in this invasion and imposes restrictions on their access to immigration provisions. The President directed the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Secretary of State and the Attorney General, to take actions necessary to repel and remove aliens engaged in the invasion.
• Trump declares national border emergency — On January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order declaring a national emergency at the US-Mexico border. This order allows for the deployment of US troops to the southern border to assist the Department of Homeland Security in controlling immigration. The declaration is part of a series of executive orders aimed at cracking down on immigration and unauthorized border crossings, despite a recent decrease in such crossings. The move has sparked controversy and is expected to face legal challenges.
• Trump declares national emergency at southern border — President Trump signed a national emergency declaration concerning the southern border, framing foreigners as national security threats. This declaration is part of a series of executive orders aimed at restricting immigration and increasing border security. The emergency declaration allows for the use of military resources to enforce border control and aims to achieve "complete operational control" of the border, defined as zero unlawful entries.
• Trump declares national energy emergency — On his first day back in office, Donald Trump declared a national energy emergency, allowing his administration to expedite permits for new fossil fuel infrastructure. This declaration is part of a broader agenda to increase oil and gas production, including lifting restrictions on drilling in Alaska and resuming liquefied natural gas exports. The move is expected to face legal challenges due to questions about the legitimacy of the emergency. The declaration aims to boost national security and job creation by increasing natural resource production.
• Trump declares national energy emergency to bypass environmental permitting rules — On his first day back in office (January 2025), Trump declared a national "energy emergency" to accelerate permitting for oil and gas projects and override environmental regulations. The declaration claimed to address a purported energy crisis, though the U.S. produces more oil and gas than any other nation. Fifteen Democratic state attorneys general sued to halt the declaration, arguing it unlawfully bypassed normal permitting procedures and endangered natural resources and drinking water standards.
• Trump declared emergency at southern border and requested Insurrection Act advice — When Trump declared an emergency at the southern border on January 20, he ordered the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security to advise him whether they thought it necessary to invoke the 1807 Insurrection Act. That act allows a president during times of civil unrest to use the military against U.S. citizens. The article notes that this action, combined with the administration's apparent willingness to deport people without due process, has raised alarm among Americans about the potential invocation of the Insurrection Act.
• Executive Order Clarifying Military's Role in Border Protection — On January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order clarifying the military's role in protecting the territorial integrity of the United States. The order directs the Secretary of Defense to revise the Unified Command Plan, assigning the United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) the mission to secure the borders against unlawful mass migration, narcotics trafficking, and other criminal activities. The order emphasizes the military's role in maintaining national sovereignty and security along the borders, citing a national emergency at the southern border.
• Trump Declares National Energy Emergency — On January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order declaring a national energy emergency. The order directs federal agencies to utilize emergency authorities to enhance the identification, leasing, production, transportation, refining, and generation of domestic energy resources. It emphasizes the need for a reliable and diversified energy supply to support national security and economic stability. The order also calls for expedited infrastructure projects and emergency regulations to address energy supply issues, particularly in the Northeast and West Coast regions of the United States.
• Trump issues executive order to secure U.S. borders — On January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order titled "Securing Our Borders." The order mandates the construction of physical barriers and deployment of personnel along the southern border to achieve complete operational control. It also calls for the resumption of the Migrant Protection Protocols, adjustments to parole policies, and increased cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The order aims to deter illegal immigration, prioritize the prosecution of border-related offenses, and enhance international cooperation to secure the border.
• President Trump declared a national energy emergency under the National Emergencies Act — President Trump signed an executive order on January 20, 2025, declaring a national energy emergency. The order directs federal agencies to use all available lawful authorities—including emergency powers under the Defense Production Act and eminent domain—to accelerate energy identification, leasing, production, transportation, refining, and generation on federal lands. It instructs agencies to expedite infrastructure projects, invoke emergency permitting under the Clean Water Act, and apply emergency consultation procedures under the Endangered Species Act to facilitate energy development. The order establishes quarterly convening of the Endangered Species Act Committee to review exemption applications and identify regulatory obstacles to energy infrastructure.
• Trump declares national emergency at southern border and invokes military deployment authority — President Trump issued a proclamation declaring a national emergency at the southern border, invoking the National Emergencies Act and directing the Secretary of Defense to deploy Armed Forces units, including the Ready Reserve and National Guard, to support Department of Homeland Security operations. The proclamation authorizes construction of additional physical barriers, directs waiver of FAA and FCC regulations for unmanned systems within 5 miles of the border, and requires revision of use-of-force policies. It revokes the prior emergency termination proclamation and directs reports within 30 and 90 days, the latter to include recommendations on invoking the Insurrection Act.
• Trump issued proclamation declaring southern border "invasion" and suspending entry of migrants — President Trump signed a proclamation on January 20, 2025, declaring the southern border situation an "invasion" under Article IV, Section 4 of the Constitution. The proclamation suspends physical entry of aliens "engaged in the invasion" across the southern border, restricts their access to asylum provisions (Section 208 of the INA), and directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to "repel, repatriate, or remove" such aliens. The order applies to aliens who fail to provide medical, criminal history, or background information before entry. Trump asserts inherent constitutional authority to take these actions independent of statutory immigration law.
• Trump declared national emergency at southern border — On January 20, 2025, President Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border, allowing federal funds to be used to build a border wall without Congressional approval. This declaration is part of Trump's ongoing efforts to enhance border security and control immigration. The move bypasses legislative oversight and has sparked legal and political challenges.
• Executive Order on Military's Role in Border Protection — On January 20, 2025, Trump signed an executive order declaring an emergency at the southern US border along with several immigration-related policies. Trump stated in his inauguration speech "All illegal entry will immediately be halted, and we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came." The declaration paves the way to send US troops to the border and fulfills campaign promises for hardline immigration policies. Immigrant communities have braced for Trump's promised "largest deportation program in American history."
• White House signed executive order assigning military border enforcement mission to USNORTHCOM — President Donald J. Trump issued Executive Order 14167, clarifying the military's role in protecting U.S. territorial integrity. The order directs the Secretary of Defense to revise the Unified Command Plan, assigning USNORTHCOM the mission to secure borders against unlawful migration and criminal activities. The order emphasizes the military's role in maintaining national sovereignty and security along the southern border.
• Trump declares national emergency at US-Mexico border — The White House signed an executive order on January 20, 2025, directing the Secretary of Defense to revise the Unified Command Plan within 10 days to assign U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) a mission to "seal the borders" and repel what the order characterizes as "forms of invasion" including unlawful mass migration, narcotics trafficking, and human smuggling. The order also directs USNORTHCOM to develop contingency and campaign plans for steady-state southern border security operations.
• Trump plans to declare border emergency — President Donald Trump signed an executive order declaring a national emergency at the southern US border. This action is part of a series of hardline immigration policies, including plans to deploy US troops to the border and initiate mass deportations.
• President Trump signs executive order declaring national emergency at southern border — President Trump declared a national emergency at the US-Mexico border, citing the need to halt illegal entry and return undocumented migrants. This declaration is part of a broader immigration crackdown and includes designating criminal cartels as "foreign terrorist organizations." The move is expected to lead to increased military presence at the border.
• Trump to deploy troops to US-Mexico border — President Donald Trump declared a national energy emergency, allowing his administration to fast-track permits for new fossil fuel infrastructure. This declaration is part of a broader effort to roll back climate policies and promote fossil fuel production. The order is likely to face legal challenges due to its environmental implications.
• Trump sends troops to southern border — Donald Trump plans to declare a national emergency at the US border, using Title 42 to trigger public health emergency powers similar to those used during the Covid pandemic. This declaration aims to prevent migrants from entering or staying in the country. However, this approach faces a significant hurdle as only the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can declare such emergencies.
• Department of Defense orders military personnel to the border — President Trump signed an executive order on January 22, 2025, invoking the National Emergencies Act regarding the southern border. The order directs the Secretary of Defense to deploy additional Armed Forces and National Guard personnel to the border, and instructs the Secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security to complete the border wall and expand air mission flexibility. The fact sheet characterizes the action as a response to what it claims are record illegal immigration encounters and associated harms.
• Trump declares national emergency at the southern border — The Pentagon is preparing to deploy up to 1,500 active-duty troops to the US-Mexico border as part of President Donald Trump's new immigration enforcement strategy. This move is part of a series of executive actions targeting immigration, including the suspension of the refugee resettlement program. The deployment, authorized by acting defense secretary Robert Salesses, will add to the 2,500 army reserve and national guard soldiers already supporting federal law enforcement at the border. The exact role of the troops remains unclear, but the deployment marks a significant militarization of the border.
• Trump deploys military to southern border — The Trump administration deployed 1,000 soldiers and 500 Marines to the southern U.S. border. The Marines were redirected from California, where they were on standby for wildfire threats. This deployment is being treated as a military operation, with troops armed and prepared for engagement. The move comes despite border crossings being at their lowest in over four years.
• — The Department of Defense announced the deployment of 1,500 active-duty military personnel to the southern border, joining an existing contingent of 2,500 troops. This deployment is part of Trump's directive to make homeland security a core mission of the agency, which includes providing support for deportations.
• — President Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border, despite lower border crossings compared to previous years. He directed the Defense Department and Homeland Security to consider invoking the Insurrection Act, which would allow military deployment to suppress domestic unrest. This declaration follows his push to eliminate a bipartisan immigration measure aimed at expediting asylum hearings.
• — Acting Secretary of Defense Robert Salesses announced the deployment of 1,500 active-duty military personnel to the southern border of the United States, joining 2,500 already present. This action follows Trump's declaration of a national emergency at the border and raises concerns about the militarization of domestic issues.

Supporting reports

• Trump cancels asylum appointment system — On January 20, 2025, the Trump administration canceled the CBP One app, an online system that allowed asylum seekers to schedule appointments with border agents. This cancellation left many asylum seekers stranded and without access to the process.
• Acting Secretary of Defense Robert Salesses Statement on DOD Actions Responding to President Trump's Executive Order on Securing our Border — The Department of War published a release on 2025-01-22 through its releases channel. The department's own account of it reads: "Acting Secretary of Defense Robert Salesses issued a statement on DOD actions responding to President Trump's executive order on securing the border."
• Satellite Transition Impacts Some AFN Customers in the Pacific — The Department of War published a release on 2025-01-22 through its releases channel. The department's own account of it reads: "An upcoming satellite change for the four-channel AFN TV programming package will impact some audience members in the Pacific who use a satellite dish and decoder to get their AFN service."
• Trump to deploy troops to US-Mexico border — The Pentagon is preparing to deploy up to 1,500 active-duty troops to the US-Mexico border as part of President Donald Trump's new immigration enforcement strategy. This move is part of a series of executive actions targeting immigration, including the suspension of the refugee resettlement program. The deployment, authorized by acting defense secretary Robert Salesses, will add to the 2,500 army reserve and national guard soldiers already supporting federal law enforcement at the border. The exact role of the troops remains unclear, but the deployment marks a significant militarization of the border.
• Trump sends troops to southern border — The Trump administration deployed 1,000 soldiers and 500 Marines to the southern U.S. border. The Marines were redirected from California, where they were on standby for wildfire threats. This deployment is being treated as a military operation, with troops armed and prepared for engagement. The move comes despite border crossings being at their lowest in over four years.
• Background Briefing on DOD Actions Responding to President Trump's Executive Order on Securing our Border — The Department of War published a transcript on 2025-01-23 through its transcripts channel. The department's own account of it reads: "A senior defense official and a senior military official conducted a background briefing on the Department of Defense deployment to the southwest border."
• Department of Defense orders military personnel to the border — The Department of Defense announced the deployment of 1,500 active-duty military personnel to the southern border, joining an existing contingent of 2,500 troops. This deployment is part of Trump's directive to make homeland security a core mission of the agency, which includes providing support for deportations.
• Trump deploys military to southern border — Acting Secretary of Defense Robert Salesses announced the deployment of 1,500 active-duty military personnel to the southern border of the United States, joining 2,500 already present. This action follows Trump's declaration of a national emergency at the border and raises concerns about the militarization of domestic issues.