Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• FBI investigation into defense contractor corruption halted after Trump administration takes office — A defense contractor allegedly engaged in "campaign cash-for-contracts" dealings with former South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham and Congressman James Clyburn (D-SC). The FBI was actively investigating these interactions, but after Trump began his second term, the administration gutted the teams responsible for investigating public corruption, effectively halting the inquiry.

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• Elon Musk threatens members of Congress on social media — In response to reports that Democrats intend to investigate his role in cutting Ukraine's Starlink access, Elon Musk posted on social media: "Live by the sword, die by the sword. Those who pick fights with me should understand that I will find out who is really pulling the strings and come for them, not just their puppets." The statement was characterized as a shocking threat against members of Congress.
• Elon Musk posted threatening statement in response to criticism — Elon Musk posted on social media: "Live by the sword, die by the sword. Those who pick fights with me should understand that I will find out who is really pulling the strings and come for them, not just their puppets." The statement was made in response to congressional criticism of his Starlink decisions.

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• White powder envelopes sent to 36+ Congressional offices and election centers nationwide — More than 36 members of the US Congress and election offices in at least 15 states received envelopes containing white powder in the weeks before the November 3, 2026 midterm elections. The FBI, Capitol Police, and US Postal Inspection Service are investigating. Over 100 letters thought to contain white powder were circulating in the mail system. Envelopes bore a "Thinking of You" postmark and were processed through a north Texas mail center. Most were intercepted before delivery. Targets included Democrats (Chuck Schumer, Alex Padilla, Hakeem Jeffries) and Republicans (Mike Rounds, Ted Cruz, Pete Ricketts) across multiple states. No suspect has been identified.

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• Trump waives Russia sanctions legislation passed by Congress — President Trump signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 last month after bipartisan congressional passage, but issued an executive order on Friday waiving the sanctions, restrictions, and duties on Russia that were due to take effect on October 18. The legislation targeted Russian officials, banks, and a shadow fleet of tankers, and directed Trump to impose up to 100% tariffs on top importers of Russian oil and gas. Trump's waiver comes amid his public criticism of Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and a separate agreement to purchase Russian diesel.
• Trump waived Russia sanctions days before implementation — President Trump issued an executive order waiving sanctions on Russia that Congress had passed with overwhelming bipartisan support (86–11 in the Senate). The action drew immediate criticism from lawmakers of both parties, who characterized it as capitulation to Putin and a betrayal of Ukraine. Trump's stated rationale centered on reducing U.S. gas prices ahead of midterm elections on November 3, citing a diesel import deal with Russia. The move represented an escalation in Trump's alignment with Putin and contradicted congressional intent to pressure Russia economically during its invasion of Ukraine.
• Trump cancelled congressionally mandated sanctions on Russia — The Trump administration cancelled congressionally mandated sanctions on Russia. This action was part of a broader pattern of pro-Russia policy shifts including urging Europe to purchase more Russian gas, ordering military cutoff of Starshield satellite communications to Ukraine, and discussing joint economic projects with Russia.
• Trump waived sanctions on Russia that Congress had enacted — Trump waived sanctions on Russia that Congress, led by the late Senator Lindsey Graham, had pushed for. The action removed economic penalties previously imposed on Russia, reportedly as part of Trump's broader alignment with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The waiver occurred amid Trump's simultaneous purchase of Russian diesel and his handling of Starlink connectivity over Ukraine during Russian military operations.
• Trump announced waiver of congressionally mandated Russia sanctions — Two days before congressionally mandated sanctions on Russia were set to take effect, Trump announced he would waive them. The sanctions had been enacted by Congress as a binding requirement, but Trump exercised executive authority to suspend their implementation, circumventing the legislative mandate.

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• Trump administration claims executive privilege over Kennedy Center renovation conversations — The White House claimed that all conversations between Trump and advisors regarding plans to renovate the Kennedy Center are protected by executive privilege and therefore must be kept secret. This represents a dramatic expansion of executive privilege doctrine, which traditionally shields only communications with key advisors from public scrutiny, extending it to cover virtually all presidential conversations. Attorney General Todd Blanche issued a memo upon taking office asserting that presidents can shield "presidential communications with private advisers so long as the communications relate to official presidential decisionmaking."

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• Republicans express concern about post-election congressional attendance — Politico reported on October 14, 2026, that Republicans are worried not only about the volume of work Congress must complete after the midterm elections, but also about whether Republican members will even return to vote after the election. Representative Austin Scott (R-GA) told reporters: "Attendance is an issue right now."

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• Trump administration investigated Representative Ilhan Omar's citizenship paperwork with intent to strip citizenship — Federal agents, acting under Trump administration direction, conducted a search of Representative Ilhan Omar's home on Monday, seizing her cellphone, notebooks, personal computers, and passport. According to Wall Street Journal reporting, the investigation targets citizenship paperwork completed by her father in the 1990s when the family arrived from a refugee camp in Kenya, with the stated goal of finding grounds to strip her of U.S. citizenship and deport her. Omar is running for reelection with Election Day less than a month away. DOJ rules caution prosecutors against actions that could affect elections or create such perception.
• Federal agents search home of Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar — Federal agents searched the home of Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar on Monday as part of a criminal investigation. More details about the investigation were not immediately clear. Vice President JD Vance has previously accused Omar of committing immigration fraud without offering evidence and stated that he and deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller had been discussing how to investigate the Minnesota congresswoman and "what the legal remedies are" now that they believe "she's committed immigration fraud." Omar's chief of staff Connor McNutt responded that the accusation was "a ridiculous lie and desperate attempt to distract" from the administration's unpopular policies. Omar posted after the raid: "This is an attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement. For 10 years, Trump has targeted me with baseless lies and smear campaigns. This is just the latest escalation in his campaign of political intimidation."
• Trump administration and DOJ attack on Representative Ilhan Omar — Representative Ilhan Omar faced what the article describes as a "devastating attack by Trump and the DOJ." The article references this incident as a basis for urging supporters to donate to her campaign and offer support via her office phone line. No specific charges, legal action, or enforcement detail is provided in the text; the nature and timing of the attack are not elaborated.

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• Federal prosecutors seek indictment of Cassidy Hutchinson for perjury — Federal prosecutors are attempting to obtain a grand jury indictment in Washington, D.C., against Cassidy Hutchinson, a former aide to Trump's first-term chief of staff Mark Meadows, for perjury. Hutchinson worked in the White House during the period when Trump was attempting to overturn the 2020 election results and testified before Congress about Trump's behavior during that time.

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• Justice Department pursues case against Representative LaMonica McIver — The administration has an ongoing criminal case against New Jersey Representative LaMonica McIver, accusing her of assaulting immigration agents in a skirmish outside Delaney Hall detention center in which no one was hurt. If convicted, McIver faces up to 17 years in prison. Both Omar and McIver are women of color, and the cases represent attempts by the administration to intimidate Democratic representatives.

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• Department of Homeland Security conducts predawn raid on Representative Ilhan Omar's home — Agents from the Department of Homeland Security conducted a predawn raid on the Washington, D.C., home of Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) on October 12. The Justice Department claimed the search stems from a criminal fraud investigation into immigration paperwork filled out by Omar's late father in the 1990s when Omar was a child. Legal analysts noted the timing violates longstanding DOJ norms against overt investigative steps in the period before an election that might influence its outcome.

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• Army announced armored vehicle "excess," but Congress continued funding; defense contractor employees donated to key appropriators — The U.S. Army announced last year that it had enough of a specific model of armored vehicle and that further deliveries would be "excess." Despite this, Congress continued funding the vehicle. In the weeks after the appropriations bill passed, employees of AM General or its parent company donated tens of thousands to key appropriations committee members, including Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA). After the Army's "excess" announcement, employees and the company's PAC donated over $58,000 to committees associated with Collins. The Intercept notes there is no indication this was part of a formal pay-to-play scheme, but it demonstrates how Collins's campaign account has grown with help from defense contractors doing business with the government.
• Congress funds armored vehicle despite Army rejection; manufacturer floods Congress with donations — After the U.S. Army announced it did not need additional units of a specific armored vehicle, Congress passed funding for the vehicle anyway. In the weeks following the funding passage, executives at the manufacturing company donated heavily to key members of Congress, including Senator Susan Collins (R-ME). The sequence suggests potential quid pro quo dynamics between defense contractors and congressional appropriators, raising concerns about whether defense spending decisions are driven by military need or corporate influence.

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• Trump administration classifies Taiwan military aid accounting — The Trump administration has classified its accounting of what happened to $300 million in military aid Congress provided for Taiwan, leaving lawmakers without a public answer about whether the money was ultimately committed after a September 30 deadline. The classification obscures the administration's handling of the Taiwan aid money just days after Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House. Lawmakers in both parties have previously expressed concerns that Trump could use U.S. security assistance for Taiwan as leverage in talks with Beijing. The money was not obligated by the deadline, and because the status of the funding is classified, it remains unclear whether officials preserved it through another mechanism or allowed it to expire.

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• US Senate rejects resolution demanding State Department accountability report on Israeli violence in West Bank — The US Senate voted 47–51 to reject a Democratic resolution led by Senator Chris Van Hollen that would have required the State Department to report to Congress within 30 days on violence in the occupied West Bank, including the deaths of nine American citizens killed by Israeli settlers or security forces since 2022, and on broader human rights conditions including Israel's detention of Palestinian children. The resolution invoked Section 502B of the Foreign Assistance Act. One Democrat (John Fetterman) voted with Republicans; one Republican (Rand Paul) voted with Democrats.

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• Trump administration obligates $175m in human rights funds to far-right causes before fiscal deadline — With hours remaining before fiscal year-end, the Trump State Department obligated more than $175 million from the Human Rights and Democracy Fund (HRDF) to 43 awards, including a $40 million anti-communism grant, support for white Afrikaner rights groups in South Africa, campaigns against Brazil's supreme court, and programs in Europe promoting "western civilizational norms" and opposing "gender ideology." Secretary of State Marco Rubio personally signed a memo to disregard 10 congressional holds totaling $22 million. The action bypassed bipartisan congressional concerns and redefines human rights funding toward ideological allies rather than traditional human rights defenders.

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• Jack Smith testifies before Senate Judiciary Committee; Republicans attack his prosecutorial record — Former special counsel Jack Smith testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on 29 September 2026 regarding his two federal investigations into Donald Trump. Republican senators, including Eric Schmitt, John Kennedy, and Ted Cruz, launched aggressive attacks on Smith's conduct, making accusations of perjury (based on a false claim about an Atlanta Hawks game), bias, and targeting of Republicans. Smith defended his prosecutorial decisions and denied allegations that he was politically motivated. Democratic senators defended Smith and highlighted the January 6 Capitol attack.
• Jack Smith testified before Senate Judiciary Committee on Trump investigations — Special Counsel Jack Smith testified under oath before the Senate Judiciary Committee regarding his investigations into Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his retention of classified documents. Smith defended the independence and factual basis of his prosecutions, stating that grand juries in two separate districts had found sufficient evidence of criminal activity. He emphasized that his decisions were based solely on facts and law, not political affiliation, and warned that the rule of law faces unprecedented challenges, including threats of prosecution against individuals perceived as opposing the President and vilification of career prosecutors and FBI agents on his team.
• Jack Smith testified before Senate Judiciary Committee on DOJ investigation of Trump — Special Counsel Jack Smith appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee on September 29, 2026, to testify about the DOJ's investigation into former President Trump. In his opening remarks, Smith stated that the investigation had developed "proof beyond a reasonable doubt" that Trump engaged in serious crimes, including a criminal scheme to overturn the 2020 election results and prevent the lawful transfer of power. Smith also noted that since January 2025, there had been attacks on the institutions and public servants involved in the investigation, and that he himself had been threatened with jail by the sitting president.

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• Administration refuses to spend $810 million Congress appropriated — On September 26, the Trump administration announced it is refusing to spend $810 million that Congress appropriated on a bipartisan basis for research in Health and Human Services and programs serving immigrants and minority groups, characterizing the spending as "wasteful and harmful government spending that does not benefit American citizens." The Government Accountability Office has determined that such "pocket rescissions" are unconstitutional, as they violate the constitutional requirement that the president "take care that the laws be faithfully executed" and usurp Congress's power of the purse.
• Administration announced refusal to spend approximately one billion dollars Congress appropriated for programs helping Americans — On Friday, September 27, the Trump administration announced it was refusing to spend approximately one billion dollars that Congress had appropriated for programs designed to help the American people. The nonpartisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) stated that this refusal to spend congressionally appropriated funds is illegal. The action came as the administration faced criticism over other spending decisions and policy implementations.
• Sen. Collins denounced $810 million in pocket rescissions — Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) posted on X that Congress received an $810 million package of pocket rescissions from the administration without warning or consultation. Collins stated this represents an attempt by OMB to undermine Congress's constitutional power of the purse, violating the Impoundment Control Act. She noted the OMB intentionally withheld funds for months to execute the unlawful cancellation of bipartisan appropriations. Collins pledged to work with colleagues to address the illegal actions.
• Government Accountability Office found Trump's funding cancellation unconstitutional — The Government Accountability Office sent a letter to congressional leaders on September 29 stating that Trump's cancellation of $810 million in federal funding, primarily for Health and Human Services programs serving refugees and asylum seekers, violated the Constitution. Trump used the "pocket rescission" process to bypass Congress, ensuring the funds would go unspent before the end of the fiscal year.
• Complaint filed: State of California et al. v. Trump (N.D. Cal. 3:26-cv-11185) — Seven states (California, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, and Oregon) filed a complaint in the Northern District of California challenging President Trump's Sept. 25, 2026 rescission of $810 million in federal appropriations, including $567 million for refugee and entrant assistance at HHS. The states allege the administration timed the rescissions to expire before Congress could act under the Impoundment Control Act and withheld additional funds as "quiet impoundments." They seek declaratory relief, injunctive relief, and an order compelling the administration to obligate and spend the withheld funds, arguing the impoundments violate the separation of powers, the Presentment Clause, and the Administrative Procedure Act.
• Complaint filed: State of New York v. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development — The State of New York filed suit in federal district court challenging HUD's decision not to obligate $56.1 million in congressionally appropriated funds for the Housing Counseling program. Trump announced a "pocket rescission" of the funds on September 25, 2026, citing alleged failure to reduce delinquencies and claiming grantees pursued "DEI-centric discriminatory agendas." New York alleges HUD exceeded its statutory authority, violated the Administrative Procedure Act, and breached the mandatory obligation requirement in 12 U.S.C. § 1701x(a)(4)(A). The state seeks declaratory relief, vacatur of HUD's decisions, and an order compelling full obligation of the appropriation.
• Trump administration withheld $810 million in congressionally allocated funds — The Trump administration is refusing to spend $810 million in funds that Congress allocated. More than half of the withheld money—over $405 million—is designated for programs supporting refugees, asylees, and other non-citizens. The impoundment represents an assertion of executive power over congressionally mandated spending.

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• Senators Warren and Blumenthal demand DOJ clarification on Adani case dismissal — Senators Elizabeth Warren and Richard Blumenthal sent a letter to Attorney General Todd Blanche on September 24, 2026, demanding answers about the DOJ's decision to drop the Adani case. The senators requested information about Adani's $10 billion investment offer, the involvement of Trump associates Boris Epshteyn and Donald Trump Jr, and whether DOJ employees had contact with Trump's personal lawyers regarding the case. They demanded responses by October 5, 2026.

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• Pentagon contract with Venezuelan businessman Alejandro Betancourt for oil stake — The Pentagon agreed to a contract with controversial Venezuelan businessman Alejandro Betancourt earlier in September that could enable the U.S. government to take a 35% stake in his oil business in Venezuela. Members of Congress from both parties are pushing to see the contract. Rep. Joaquin Castro said there was an "unprecedented lack of accountability" about the administration's dealings with Venezuela.

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• Speaker Johnson defended Trump's Iran war as "operation" not war — Speaker Mike Johnson, when asked at what point Congress should step in to address the Iran war, responded that the administration does not consider it an ongoing war but rather an "operation—Operation Epic Fury, which was an epic success." Johnson stated "I don't think we need liberal Marxist Democrats in Congress trying to tell the commander in chief what to do with the military right now," dismissing congressional oversight of military operations.

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• Defense Secretary Hegseth narrowly avoided impeachment vote — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth narrowly avoided becoming the first civilian defense chief to face an impeachment vote in the House since William Belknap was impeached in 1876. An impeachment resolution introduced by Rep. Thomas Massie was not taken up after Speaker Mike Johnson sent House lawmakers home early, ensuring the vote would not occur until after the midterm elections. Johnson defended Hegseth and insisted the move had nothing to do with the defense secretary, but the controversy underscored slipping support for Hegseth in Congress and mounting criticism that he is politicizing the military through his ousting of top generals and crusade against "woke ideology" while directing an increasingly unpopular war lacking a clear exit strategy.

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• State Department stonewalling GAO investigation into Venezuelan oil revenues — The State Department has stonewalled efforts to determine how much oil money Washington has collected from Venezuela, failing to engage with the Government Accountability Office (GAO), an independent spending watchdog investigating Venezuelan oil revenues since July, and refusing to share audit reports with Congress. Nine months after the U.S. asserted control over Venezuela's oil exports, the administration has not disclosed how much money it collected or how much was returned to the interim government in Caracas. In April, the State Department said accounts holding the money were being audited by KPMG and would share reports with Congress, but has not done so. Top Democrats, including Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX), have threatened to issue subpoenas and requested KPMG reports by October 8.

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• Trump administration establishes NIH grant-veto board aligned with presidential agenda — The Trump administration is establishing an executive order creating an external board to approve National Institutes of Health grant funding. The board, to include OMB Director Russell Vought and NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, would require unanimous decisions and could veto biomedical research grants deemed misaligned with Trump's political priorities. This breaks with the NIH's traditional merit-based evaluation process. The move follows administration accusations that the NIH funds "woke" initiatives and comes amid a class-action lawsuit by researchers alleging First Amendment violations through ideological censorship of grant awards.
• Trump directed budget director to create political appointee board for NIH grants — Trump directed his budget director Russ Vought to draft an executive order creating a board of political appointees to decide which grants the National Institutes of Health should fund. This represents another attempt to cut Harvard's funding and place political control over the nation's $48 billion in congressionally-appropriated biomedical research funding. Congress this month signaled disapproval of an earlier Vought plan to give political appointees control of health grants by including a provision in a stopgap funding bill that temporarily blocks the administration from implementing that earlier plan. Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins personally rejected Vought's plan.

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• House Speaker Mike Johnson canceled votes and adjourned House until November 9, 2026 — House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) canceled votes scheduled for Thursday and sent the House home until November 9, 2026, after the midterm elections. Johnson stated the purpose was to allow members to return to their districts to campaign, but the action prevented votes on Massie's impeachment articles against Hegseth and shielded Republican lawmakers from having to take a public stand on the Iran war.
• Speaker Johnson sends House members home early, avoiding Hegseth impeachment vote — Speaker Mike Johnson announced the House would recess early for a seven-week campaign break ahead of midterm elections, effectively postponing a vote on impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Rep. Thomas Massie had triggered an unprecedented impeachment resolution over Hegseth's handling of the Iran war, which carried special procedural powers and forced a legislative clock. Johnson's move staves off the contentious vote until after November elections, when House members are not expected to return.

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• House Speaker Johnson cancels Thursday votes and calls early recess before midterm election — House Speaker Mike Johnson announced the cancellation of votes scheduled for Thursday, September 17, 2026, sending lawmakers home one day early ahead of the midterm election recess. The cancellation avoids a vote on Republican Thomas Massie's resolution to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, which Democrats say would pass on a bipartisan basis. Johnson cited the House's legislative productivity and desire for members to return to districts, but declined to address pending AI regulation legislation despite requests from over 100 House Democrats for an extended session to craft safeguards.

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• House votes to hold Leon Black in contempt of Congress over Epstein subpoena refusal — The House of Representatives voted on Wednesday to hold billionaire investor Leon Black in contempt of Congress after he refused to comply with subpoenas issued by the House oversight committee investigating Jeffrey Epstein. Black had declined to answer questions about non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) during a June interview and failed to appear for a September 3 deposition or produce requested NDAs. The Department of Justice will decide whether to prosecute the contempt referral.