Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Democratic senators send letter demanding education department pressure DHS on school-area ICE enforcement — Eight Democratic senators sent a formal letter to Education Secretary Linda McMahon demanding she pressure DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to reinstate restrictions on federal immigration enforcement operations near schools. The letter cited multiple incidents of violent ICE enforcement near Chicago schools, including teargas deployment near a school during recess and the arrest of a 16-year-old U.S. citizen student. The senators argued that ICE enforcement near schools violates common-sense policing guidelines and poses direct threats to student safety and wellbeing.

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• Senator Kelly reports administration officials unable to explain legal rationale for maritime strikes to Congress — Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) told CBS News on Sunday that when administration officials briefed Congress on the maritime strikes, they "had a very hard time explaining to us the rationale, the legal rationale for doing this and the constitutionality of doing it." The officials informed Congress they possess "a secret list of over 20 narco organizations, drug trafficking cartels" but refused to share the list with lawmakers, preventing congressional oversight of the targeting decisions.

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• Speaker Johnson blocks House session to pay essential workers — Speaker Mike Johnson has refused to bring the House back into session to pay essential workers, stating that doing so would relieve pressure on Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. This decision has significant implications for government functionality.
• Speaker Johnson held House adjourned for 80 of last 92 days during shutdown — Speaker Mike Johnson held a daily shutdown press conference blaming Democrats for the government shutdown, citing football season disruptions. House Republicans have kept the chamber adjourned for 80 of the last 92 days. When asked why he would not immediately call a vote to pay essential workers like air traffic controllers, Johnson said doing so would "take the pressure off Schumer" and be a waste of time, prioritizing political leverage over paying federal employees.

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• House Democrat demands AG Bondi release Epstein files; cites subpoena non-compliance — Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House oversight committee, sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi demanding the release of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein's case, citing revelations in Virginia Giuffre's posthumous memoir published that week. Garcia referenced a subpoena approved by the committee in August and accused Bondi of refusing to comply and disregarding congressional oversight. The committee has been investigating the government's handling of Epstein's prosecution since July.

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• Arizona and Grijalva sue House of Representatives over refusal to swear in elected representative — The state of Arizona and representative-elect Adelita Grijalva filed suit against the House of Representatives over Speaker Johnson's refusal to swear Grijalva into office, thus depriving her Arizona constituents of representation. Arizona Attorney General Kristin Mayes argued that a duly elected representative who meets constitutional qualifications cannot be denied office simply because the Speaker has decided to keep the House out of regular session. Mayes requested the court authorize someone else to swear Grijalva into office.
• Arizona Attorney General and elected representative sue Speaker Johnson over obstruction of swearing-in — On October 21, 2025, Adelita Grijalva and Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes filed a lawsuit against the House of Representatives challenging Speaker Johnson's refusal to swear in Grijalva. The lawsuit argues that the Constitution does not authorize the Speaker to deny a duly elected representative her office to prevent her from signing a discharge petition or to strengthen the Speaker's negotiating position on budget matters. Mayes contends that Johnson "has not identified any valid reason for refusing to promptly seat Ms. Grijalva" and that the delay injures Grijalva and Arizona voters by denying representation for a significant portion of the two-year term. The lawsuit requests that if Johnson continues to delay, Grijalva be sworn in by another authorized official.
• Arizona sues Mike Johnson to block swearing-in of elected Democrat Adelita Grijalva — Arizona's Democratic attorney general Kris Mayes filed suit against House Speaker Mike Johnson to compel him to swear in Adelita Grijalva, a Democrat elected to Congress on 23 September in Arizona's seventh district. Johnson has refused to schedule her swearing-in since early October, citing the ongoing government shutdown. Grijalva cannot access her office fully or vote without being sworn in. The lawsuit alleges Johnson is denying Arizona's district representation and suspects he is blocking her to prevent her from becoming the 218th signature on a discharge petition to force a vote on releasing the Epstein files.

Supporting reports

• Senate fails eleventh funding vote as government shutdown extends to historic length — The Senate voted 50–43 to reject a continuing resolution for the 11th time, maintaining a government shutdown that began October 1 and has become the longest full shutdown in U.S. history. House Speaker Mike Johnson has kept the chamber in extended recess since September 19, demanding passage of a House continuing resolution without policy additions. Democrats refuse to support the measure without provisions protecting Affordable Care Act healthcare subsidies expiring at year-end. The impasse has triggered furloughs of approximately 1,400 Department of Energy nuclear weapons maintenance personnel.

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• Karine Jean-Pierre publishes memoir criticizing Democratic leadership and leaves party — Former White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre released her memoir "Independent: A Look Inside a Broken White House, Outside the Party Lines," in which she announces her departure from the Democratic Party after two decades. Jean-Pierre criticizes Democratic leadership for abandoning President Biden following his June 2024 debate performance, failing to support Vice-President Kamala Harris strategically, and responding weakly to Trump's return to power. She defends Biden's fitness for office and argues Democrats have lost their way as an opposition party.

Supporting reports

• House Speaker Johnson refuses to seat elected representative Adelita Grijalva — House Speaker Mike Johnson has refused to seat representative-elect Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ), who was elected by voters on September 23, 2025, to fill a vacant House seat. Johnson has offered successive reasons to delay her seating. Without being sworn in, Grijalva has no access to government resources, cannot represent her constituents, and cannot provide the 218th signature needed on a discharge petition to force a vote on releasing the Epstein files.
• House adjourned for 77 of last 89 days to block Epstein files release vote — Speaker Mike Johnson kept the House adjourned for 77 of the previous 89 days, with House Republicans working only 12 days in three months. The stated purpose was to prevent a vote on releasing the Epstein files. Rep. Marjorie Greene publicly disagreed with the shutdown strategy, calling for the House to return to work on appropriations and legislation.
• House Speaker Johnson refuses to call House into session, blocking swearing-in of representative-elect Grijalva — House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is refusing to call the House into session, keeping members out of Washington and preventing the swearing-in of representative-elect Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ), who was elected on September 23. Johnson claims that keeping the House out of session prevents him from swearing in Grijalva, though speakers have sworn in representatives during pro forma sessions in the past. Grijalva has stated she will be the 218th signature on a discharge petition to force a vote on releasing the Epstein files.
• Johnson dismisses Grijalva lawsuit as "absurd" and "publicity stunt" — House Speaker Mike Johnson responded to the Arizona lawsuit by calling it "absurd" and characterizing it as "a publicity stunt." The lawsuit had noted that Johnson's excuse for delaying Grijalva's swearing-in—that former Speaker Nancy Pelosi delayed swearing in Representative Julia Letlow—was inaccurate; Pelosi had contacted Letlow to determine when she wished to be sworn in.
• Arizona sued House Speaker Mike Johnson to compel swearing-in of Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva — Arizona sued House Speaker Mike Johnson and the U.S. House of Representatives to compel the swearing-in of Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, who won a special election last month. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes argued the delay violates the constitutional rights of the district's 800,000 residents to representation. Democrats said the delay is politically motivated, as seating Grijalva could give Democrats the 218th signature needed for a discharge petition to force a vote for the release of Jeffrey Epstein-related documents.
• Arizona and Grijalva sue House of Representatives over refusal to swear in elected representative — The state of Arizona and representative-elect Adelita Grijalva filed suit against the House of Representatives over Speaker Johnson's refusal to swear Grijalva into office, thus depriving her Arizona constituents of representation. Arizona Attorney General Kristin Mayes argued that a duly elected representative who meets constitutional qualifications cannot be denied office simply because the Speaker has decided to keep the House out of regular session. Mayes requested the court authorize someone else to swear Grijalva into office.
• Arizona Attorney General and elected representative sue Speaker Johnson over obstruction of swearing-in — On October 21, 2025, Adelita Grijalva and Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes filed a lawsuit against the House of Representatives challenging Speaker Johnson's refusal to swear in Grijalva. The lawsuit argues that the Constitution does not authorize the Speaker to deny a duly elected representative her office to prevent her from signing a discharge petition or to strengthen the Speaker's negotiating position on budget matters. Mayes contends that Johnson "has not identified any valid reason for refusing to promptly seat Ms. Grijalva" and that the delay injures Grijalva and Arizona voters by denying representation for a significant portion of the two-year term. The lawsuit requests that if Johnson continues to delay, Grijalva be sworn in by another authorized official.
• House Republican leadership claims Trump exonerated in Epstein files — House Republican leadership, represented by Rep. James Comer, claimed that evidence gathered does not implicate President Trump in any way regarding the Epstein files. Comer stated that public reporting, survivor testimony, and official documents show Bill Clinton had far closer ties to Epstein. The files remain unreleased to the public.
• Arizona sues Mike Johnson to block swearing-in of elected Democrat Adelita Grijalva — Arizona's Democratic attorney general Kris Mayes filed suit against House Speaker Mike Johnson to compel him to swear in Adelita Grijalva, a Democrat elected to Congress on 23 September in Arizona's seventh district. Johnson has refused to schedule her swearing-in since early October, citing the ongoing government shutdown. Grijalva cannot access her office fully or vote without being sworn in. The lawsuit alleges Johnson is denying Arizona's district representation and suspects he is blocking her to prevent her from becoming the 218th signature on a discharge petition to force a vote on releasing the Epstein files.
• Rep.-elect Grijalva blocked from being sworn in — Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva has been blocked from being sworn in by Speaker Mike Johnson, an unprecedented move that prevents her from voting on critical legislation.

Supporting reports

• Republican congressional leaders refuse to negotiate with Democrats on government reopening — Republican congressional leaders are refusing to engage in negotiations with Democrats to reopen the federal government, instead attempting to force Democrats to comply with Republican demands without discussion or compromise. This occurs despite 78% of Americans, including 59% of Republicans, supporting the Democratic demand for an extension of the tax credit that lowers healthcare premium costs on Affordable Care Act markets. More than three-quarters of those insured through ACA markets live in states that voted for Trump.