Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• White House endorses possibility of Trump third term — White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson stated the US would be "lucky" if Donald Trump remained in office for a constitutionally prohibited third term, following reports that Trump discussed the idea with constitutional scholar Alan Dershowitz. Dershowitz presented Trump with a book arguing the 22nd Amendment is ambiguous on third-term eligibility, a position contradicted by most constitutional experts. The statement represents an official endorsement of exploring constitutional workarounds to term limits.

Supporting reports

• House Judiciary Committee expands investigation into Jack Smith — CNN reported that the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee is expanding its investigation into former Special Counsel Jack Smith by demanding interviews with four current and former Justice Department officials involved in subpoenaing phone records for several members of Congress around the January 6 insurrection.
• Jack Smith testifies to House Judiciary Committee on federal prosecutions of Trump — Former special counsel Jack Smith testified in a closed-door deposition before the House Judiciary Committee on December 17, 2025, defending his federal cases against Donald Trump for classified-documents possession and election interference. Smith stated he had "proof beyond reasonable doubt" in both cases, denied any political motivation or interference from President Biden or Attorney General Merrick Garland, and warned that unpunished election meddling would become "the new norm" with "catastrophic" consequences for democracy. The testimony transcript was released on December 31, 2025.
• Jack Smith testified before House Judiciary Committee on Trump's 2020 election overturn scheme — Former special counsel Jack Smith testified behind closed doors before the House Judiciary Committee regarding his investigation into Trump's attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. According to Smith's opening statement obtained by NBC News, Smith stated he and his team found "proof beyond a reasonable doubt" that Trump engaged in a "criminal scheme" to overturn the election. Smith testified that phone records of nine congressional Republicans were "lawfully subpoenaed and were relevant to complete a comprehensive" investigation, and that Trump and his associates "tried to call Members of Congress in furtherance of their criminal scheme, urging them to further delay certification of the 2020 election." Chair Jim Jordan (R-OH) had subpoenaed Smith and rejected his offer to testify publicly.
• Representative Ocasio-Cortez criticizes intelligence briefing as inadequate — Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) called the briefing "a joke," stating that no intelligence shared rose to the level of briefings on Ukraine or China, and characterized it as "a communication of an opinion" rather than a serious intelligence briefing.
• Senator Andy Kim states Trump's blockade contradicts military briefing — Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) noted that Trump's threatened military action directly contradicts what Secretaries Rubio and Hegseth told Senate colleagues that day about the mission and goals of operations in the Caribbean. Kim called it a dangerous escalation and stated the administration must come before Congress for public hearings to explain why they are risking pulling the nation into another forever war.
• Senator Chris Murphy states administration lacks legal justification for strikes — After the briefing, Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) stated that the administration had no legal justification for the strikes and no national security justification. He noted that officers admitted the drugs transiting Venezuela were primarily cocaine headed for Europe, not fentanyl as the administration had suggested.
• Senator Schumer states administration came to briefing "empty handed" — Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said after the briefing that the administration came "empty handed" and questioned how senators could trust the administration's transparency on other Caribbean issues if they could not be transparent on the strikes. He stated that every senator was entitled to see the video.
• Special Counsel Jack Smith offered to testify publicly before Congress without time limits; Republicans declined and opted for closed-door deposition instead. — Special Counsel Jack Smith offered to testify publicly before Congress without time limits to answer questions about investigations into Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his retention of classified documents. Republicans declined the public testimony offer and instead opted for a closed-door deposition while continuing to attack Smith on partisan media outlets. Smith's opening statement established that Trump engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the election and obstruct the lawful transfer of power, and willfully retained highly classified documents in unsecured locations.
• Jack Smith tells House Judiciary Committee Trump engaged in criminal scheme — Former Special Counsel Jack Smith told lawmakers during a closed-door hearing before the House Judiciary Committee that his team "developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt" that Trump "engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and to prevent the lawful transfer of power." He also said he would prosecute a former president again "based on the same facts today," no matter which party the president belongs to.
• Jack Smith testified under oath about Trump's criminal conduct in 2020 election and classified documents — On December 17, 2025, former Special Counsel Jack Smith testified under oath in a closed-door hearing before the House Judiciary Committee. Smith stated that his office had "developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt that President Trump engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 election and to prevent the lawful transfer of power" and had developed "powerful evidence" that Trump "willfully retained highly classified documents after he left office in January of 2021, storing them at his social club, including in a ballroom and a bathroom," and "repeatedly tried to obstruct justice to conceal his continued retention of those documents."
• House Judiciary members announced legal action against DOJ over Epstein files — Ranking members Robert Garcia and Jamie Raskin issued a joint statement announcing they are examining all legal options to compel the DOJ to comply with the federal law requiring full release of Epstein documents. They stated that survivors deserve justice, co-conspirators must be held accountable, and the American people deserve complete transparency.
• Jack Smith requested public hearing before House Judiciary Committee — Attorneys for former Special Counsel Jack Smith requested a public hearing before the House Judiciary Committee to defend his prosecutorial decisions against Republican attacks. Smith had previously testified in a closed-door deposition spanning over 8 hours. His attorneys also requested release of the full videotape of his testimony so he could speak directly to the public rather than through second-hand accounts.
• Court Filing Claims Discrimination in Federal Grant Distribution — Lawyers for the government filed a court document asserting that it is legal to distribute federal funds only to Republican-led states, withholding them from Democratic-led states. This admission suggests a discriminatory policy based on political affiliation, which the government claims is constitutionally permissible.
• Jack Smith Testifies on Trump's Criminal Scheme to Overturn Election — Special counsel Jack Smith testified before the House Judiciary Committee, presenting evidence that Trump engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. Smith's testimony included details about phone records of congressional Republicans related to the investigation.

Supporting reports

• Heritage Foundation appoints Scott Yenor as director of B Kenneth Simon Center for American Studies — The Heritage Foundation appointed Scott Yenor, founder of a secretive all-male Christian nationalist fraternal network, as director of its B Kenneth Simon Center for American Studies. Yenor has publicly advocated for criminalizing homosexuality, no-fault divorce, and abortion; rolling back Civil Rights Act protections against sex discrimination; and establishing "soft patriarchy." He previously resigned from the University of Florida board of regents in April 2025 after legislative and public opposition to his views on women. The appointment drew criticism from civil rights advocates and some conservative commentators.

Supporting reports

• DC Preservation League and Cultural Heritage Partners filed lawsuit over Eisenhower Executive Office Building repainting — In November 2025, the DC Preservation League and the law firm Cultural Heritage Partners filed a lawsuit to prevent President Trump from repainting the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, a National Historic Landmark built in 1888. Trump had announced plans to Fox News to repaint the grey granite building white without undergoing required expert consultation, public input, or consideration of potential damage. The lawsuit seeks to prevent damage before it occurs, following Trump's October demolition of the White House East Wing without required reviews or approvals.

Supporting reports

• Trump began construction on White House ballroom without legal approvals — President Trump has begun construction on a proposed ballroom addition to the White House without securing required legal approvals or permits. The White House has expressed the position that the president does not need permits or permission to tear down buildings, only to construct them. The initial architect selected for the project has stepped aside.
• Department of Justice argues Trump ballroom project must proceed for national security — The Department of Justice argued in court that Trump's ballroom project must go forward for reasons of national security despite a lawsuit filed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation seeking to stop the project without legally required reviews and public input. Secret Service Deputy Director Matthew Quinn told the court that when Trump tore down the East Wing in October, he destroyed security infrastructure, and that any pause in construction would hamper the Secret Service's ability to meet its statutory obligations.
• Federal judge allows Trump White House ballroom construction — A federal judge allowed Trump to move forward with the construction of his new White House ballroom for now. Later, Trump said the price tag of the ballroom would be $400 million, up from his last estimate of $300 million and double the White House's initial estimate.

Supporting reports

• National Trust for Historic Preservation files federal lawsuit to halt White House ballroom construction — The National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a federal lawsuit in US District Court for the District of Columbia on Friday, December 13, seeking a temporary restraining order to halt construction of Trump's $300 million White House ballroom. The suit alleges Trump violated the National Capital Planning Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and the Constitution's Property Clause by demolishing the historic East Wing in October without required federal reviews or congressional approval. The organization argues no president is legally permitted to tear down portions of the White House or construct on public property without public participation and proper oversight.

Supporting reports

• National Trust for Historic Preservation sued to stop White House ballroom construction — On December 12, 2025, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, chartered by Congress in 1949 to facilitate public participation in preservation of sites of national significance, filed a lawsuit to stop President Trump from building a proposed 90,000-square-foot addition to the White House. The trust noted that Trump had demolished the East Wing without securing required legal approvals and that the White House had dismissed public concerns in a press release. The lawsuit asserts that no president is legally allowed to tear down portions of the White House or construct a ballroom on public property without public input.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration transfers 760 acres of California public land to US Navy for militarized border defense zone — The Trump administration's Department of Interior announced the transfer of 760 acres of public land in California's San Diego and Imperial counties to the US Navy for a three-year period to establish a "National Defense Area" supporting border security operations. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum stated the action addresses security gaps and supports the President's border and sovereignty agenda. The region, spanning from the Otay Mountain Wilderness Area to approximately one mile west of the California–Arizona border, is claimed by officials to be among the highest-traffic areas for unlawful crossings.

Supporting reports

• Trump called for New York Times to cease publication — On December 9, Trump posted an unhinged rant on Truth Social about the New York Times' November article detailing his signs of aging and increasing fatigue, saying, "The best thing that could happen to this Country would be if the New York Times would cease publication because they are a horrible, biased, and untruthful 'source' of information." He also claimed that unfavorable reporting about his health is "seditious" and "perhaps even treasonous."
• Trump posted lengthy social media statement attacking press and claiming superior fitness — At 9:00 p.m. on December 11, 2025, Trump's social media account posted a lengthy statement boasting of his work ethic, economic record, military achievements, and medical and cognitive examination results. The post attacked The New York Times as "Enemies of the People" and "seditious, perhaps even treasonous," called for the newspaper to cease publication, and claimed he had "aced" cognitive examinations on three occasions. The statement was framed as a response to media reports questioning his mental acuity and physical health.

Supporting reports

• Attorney General Bondi claims special attorney title allows U.S. attorney functions — In sworn court testimony, Attorney General Pam Bondi claimed that because she appointed Lindsey Halligan as a "special attorney," Halligan should be able to perform all the same functions as a U.S. attorney. The Third Circuit Court of Appeals rejected this argument, ruling that Bondi's maneuver was "plainly prohibited" by federal law and would allow officials to "avoid the gauntlet of presidential appointment and Senate confirmation and serve as the de facto U.S. Attorney indefinitely."

Supporting reports

• Federal judge dismisses charges against Comey and James, finding Lindsey Halligan unlawfully appointed — A federal judge dismissed charges against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, ruling that Lindsey Halligan, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia who brought the charges, was unlawfully appointed. Halligan, a former Trump personal attorney with no prosecutorial experience, was appointed without Senate confirmation or judicial selection under vacancy statutes. Despite the disqualification, the DOJ continues to list her as leading the office.

Supporting reports

• Supreme Court oral arguments on Trump's FTC firing and presidential removal power — The US Supreme Court heard oral arguments on whether President Trump lawfully fired FTC Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter in March 2025. The case challenges the 90-year-old Humphrey's Executor precedent that has protected independent agency heads from at-will presidential removal. Conservative justices signaled support for Trump's "unitary executive" theory, suggesting they may overturn the New Deal-era protection. The ruling could expand presidential power over more than two dozen independent agencies. A decision is expected by June 2026.
• Supreme Court oral arguments on presidential removal power over independent agencies — The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Trump's assertion that he has complete control over officers in independent agencies established by Congress. Solicitor General John Sauer argued the president must have removal power because "the President must have the power to control and…the one who has the power to remove is the one who…is the person that they have to fear and obey." Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson warned that allowing a president to fire all scientists, doctors, economists, and PhDs and replace them with loyalists would harm the country. The Court is expected to rule in June, with the right-wing majority appearing poised to grant Trump broad removal authority.

Supporting reports

• Complaint filed — Aaron v. Bondi (D.D.C. 1:25-cv-04250) — Creators of ICEBlock, an app allowing users to report Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent sightings, filed suit in federal court challenging the Trump administration's removal of the app from Apple's App Store. Plaintiffs allege that Attorney General Pam Bondi and other government officials unlawfully threatened criminal prosecution of the app's creator, Joshua Aaron, and pressured Apple to remove the app, violating First Amendment rights. The suit seeks declaratory relief and a permanent injunction barring the administration from demanding Apple cease distribution or investigating or prosecuting Aaron.
• Developer of ICEBlock app sued Trump administration over App Store removal — The developer of the app ICEBlock, which tracks ICE agents and alerts people when they are in their area, sued the Trump administration on December 8 over its removal from Apple's App Store, arguing that the government violated the First Amendment by threatening the company. The lawsuit challenges the government's ability to suppress tools that enable citizens to monitor law enforcement.

Supporting reports

• Trump announced executive order to override state AI regulation laws — President Trump announced he would issue an executive order to preempt state laws on artificial intelligence regulation, claiming the country needs a single national standard. The announcement ignored the constitutional and legal reality that executive orders cannot override state law; such regulation would require congressional legislation. Trump's position contradicts his campaign promises of "states' rights" and amounts to deregulation by decree during a period of accelerating AI-driven job losses and community concerns about data center impacts on energy grids and utility costs.

Supporting reports

• DHS announces plan to expand travel ban to more than 30 countries — Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced on Fox News that the Trump administration plans to expand its travel ban to more than 30 countries, up from the 12 countries currently banned and 7 others with restrictions imposed in June 2025. Noem stated the president is "continuing to evaluate countries" but did not specify which nations would be added. The expansion follows a shooting in Washington DC by an Afghan national and comes amid reports of halted naturalization ceremonies and a review of asylum cases and green cards from citizens of 19 countries already under travel restrictions.

Supporting reports

• US Supreme Court agrees to hear Trump birthright citizenship executive order challenge — The US Supreme Court announced Friday it will decide the legality of President Trump's executive order restricting birthright citizenship, issued hours after his second-term inauguration. The order directs federal agencies not to recognize citizenship for children born in the US if neither parent is a citizen or legal permanent resident. Multiple lower courts have already blocked the order, finding it violates the 14th Amendment, federal statute, and Supreme Court precedent. The case, Trump v. Barbara, will be argued in spring 2026 with a ruling expected by early summer.
• T.M. v. University of Maryland Medical System: Certiorari granted — The Supreme Court granted the petition for a writ of certiorari in T.M. v. University of Maryland Medical System, et al. (Docket 25-197), accepting the case for full review. The Court will hear oral arguments and issue a merits decision on the legal questions presented.
• Trump v. Barbara: Certiorari before judgment granted — The Supreme Court granted the petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment in Trump, President of the United States, et al. v. Barbara, et al. (Docket 25-365). This extraordinary procedural grant allows the Court to review the case before the lower court has issued a final judgment, bypassing normal appellate review.

Supporting reports

• Attorney General issues memo directing prosecution of anti-ICE activism as domestic terrorism — On December 4, the U.S. Attorney General's office issued a memo to federal prosecutors directing them to prosecute conduct under domestic terrorism statutes, explicitly listing "opposition to immigration enforcement," "violent efforts to shut down immigration enforcement," and "extreme views in favor of mass migration and open borders" as potential terrorist ideologies. The memo also directs prosecution of "picketing or parading with intent to obstruct the administration of justice" and instructs federal law enforcement to share "Antifa" files with the FBI, effectively criminalizing protest and political opposition.
• Pam Bondi directs law enforcement to investigate antifa groups for tax crimes — US Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a memo to all law enforcement agencies and prosecutors instructing them to investigate antifa and other groups designated as domestic terrorists, with specific direction to search for tax crimes. The memo also ordered federal agencies to review files for antifa-related intelligence within 14 days and directed the FBI to compile a list of domestic terror groups. The action implements Trump's September executive order designating antifa as a domestic terrorism organization and signals efforts to revoke tax-exempt status of left-wing groups.

Supporting reports

• US Supreme Court lifts lower-court ruling blocking Texas congressional redistricting map — The US Supreme Court's 6-3 conservative majority issued an unsigned order lifting a lower court's November ruling that had struck down Texas's redrawn congressional map on grounds of racial gerrymandering. The new map adds as many as five Republican-friendly districts. The lower court had found the state sorted voters by race unlawfully and ordered use of the 2020 census maps instead. The Supreme Court majority stated the district court "improperly inserted itself into an active primary campaign." Justices Kagan, Sotomayor, and Brown Jackson dissented sharply, arguing the decision violated the Constitution by allowing racial sorting to govern electoral districts.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration releases National Security Strategy — The Trump administration released a National Security Strategy on Thursday, December 4, that announced the U.S. will back away from global alliances formed after World War II and called for ensuring NATO does not continue to expand. The document calls for a world dominated not by a rules-based international order in which countries respect each other's sovereignty, but by a few major powers controlling weaker nations in their sphere of influence. Russian officials welcomed the strategy, stating that the adjustments are "largely consistent with our vision."
• Trump administration releases National Security Strategy endorsing "great replacement" theory and pledging to cultivate far-right resistance in Europe — The Trump administration released a 33-page National Security Strategy document signed by President Trump that explicitly endorses the "great replacement" conspiracy theory, warning that Europe faces "civilisational erasure" due to migration and EU integration. The strategy commits the US to "cultivate resistance" within European nations to their "current trajectory," expresses optimism about the "growing influence of patriotic European parties" (far-right nationalist movements), and accuses European governments of subverting democratic processes. The document also frames Russia as less of a threat than European weakness and prioritizes negotiating an end to the Ukraine war.
• Pentagon officials communicated NATO defense transition timeline to European diplomats — Pentagon officials told European diplomats in Washington, D.C., this week that the U.S. wants Europe to assume most of NATO's defense capabilities by 2027. This communication signals a significant shift in U.S. commitment to the NATO alliance and represents a concrete implementation step of the newly released National Security Strategy's reorientation away from European security commitments.
• Trump administration released 2025 National Security Strategy — The Trump administration released its 2025 National Security Strategy late on December 5, 2025, marking a dramatic departure from post-World War II U.S. foreign policy. The document rejects the rules-based international order, multilateral institutions like the UN and NATO, and free trade frameworks. It reorients U.S. foreign policy toward spheres of influence, prioritizes dominance in the Western Hemisphere through commercial and military means, and shifts alignment away from traditional European allies toward Russia. The strategy calls for using tariffs and reciprocal trade as tools to discourage Latin American nations from working with other powers and explicitly directs U.S. government officials to facilitate American corporate acquisition and investment opportunities in the region.

Supporting reports

• Federal judge blocks warrantless immigration arrests in Washington DC — US District Judge Beryl Howell issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration from conducting widespread immigration arrests in Washington DC without warrants or probable cause that a person would be an imminent flight risk. The ruling responded to a lawsuit by civil liberties and immigrants' rights groups alleging a pattern of unlawful arrests since Trump declared an emergency in August 2025. The judge found the administration had violated immigration law and DHS regulations by systematically failing to apply the probable cause standard and ordered agents to document facts supporting any warrantless arrest.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration invoked sedition law against six Democratic lawmakers for reminding troops of duty to refuse illegal orders. — Trump posted on Truth Social attacking six Democratic lawmakers (Senators Mark Kelly, Elissa Slotkin; Representatives Jason Crow, Chris Deluzio, Maggie Goodlander, Chrissy Houlahan) who had released a 90-second video stating "You can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders." Trump called them traitors and claimed they committed "seditious behavior, punishable by death." The administration and allies then cited 18 U.S.C. § 2387, a federal sedition statute, as the legal basis for the attack. Legal experts widely agree the lawmakers' statement reinforces military discipline rather than undermining it, as the law requires.
• Trump threatened sedition charges against Democratic lawmakers — Trump threatened six Democratic lawmakers with sedition charges after they publicly urged military personnel to refuse illegal orders. The lawmakers had warned troops in response to allegations that Defense Secretary Hegseth ordered the killing of shipwrecked survivors in a Caribbean military operation.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration halts visas for Afghan nationals who assisted US military — The Trump administration halted visa processing for Afghans who assisted the US war effort, reversing longstanding commitments to those who worked with American forces. The policy reversal came after a shooting by an Afghan national and follows Trump's vow to "permanently pause" migration from certain countries. Legal experts and advocates warn the targeting of Afghan nationals amounts to collective punishment.
• Trump administration pauses all asylum decisions nationwide — The Trump administration halted all asylum decisions through USCIS, affecting approximately 1.5 million pending cases. USCIS Director Joseph B Edlow announced the agency "has halted all asylum decisions until we can ensure that every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible." The pause came after Trump vowed to "permanently pause" migration following a shooting by an Afghan national. The policy leaves asylum seekers in prolonged limbo and exacerbates existing backlogs.
• Trump administration re-evaluates green card applications from countries of concern — The Trump administration announced it is re-evaluating green card applications for people from countries designated as "of concern," part of a broader immigration restriction package. The policy affects legal permanent residency applications and compounds uncertainty for immigrants already in the US. The announcement followed a shooting by an Afghan national and Trump's pledge to restrict migration.
• Trump administration targeted Afghan immigrants for deportation — The New York Times reported that the Trump administration is targeting Afghan immigrants who had previously been ordered to leave the US following the shooting of two National Guard troops in DC last week, with an ICE official directing agents to locate and apprehend more than 1,860 Afghans who have received final deportation orders but aren't currently in detention.
• USCIS suspended immigration applications from 19 countries — USCIS issued a policy memo suspending all immigration applications filed by people from the 19 countries included in Trump's travel ban, including green card and US citizenship processing. The memo also directed agency staffers to conduct a "comprehensive re-review" of approved benefit requests for immigrants from the 19 countries who entered the US since Biden was inaugurated in 2021.
• Trump administration pauses asylum applications and imposes heightened scrutiny on migrants from 19 countries — President Trump directed US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to pause consideration of approximately 1.5 million pending asylum applications, citing a shooting allegedly committed by an Afghan national. Simultaneously, USCIS paused processing of immigration benefits—including work authorizations, green cards, naturalization, and family sponsorships—for nationals of 19 designated "high-risk" countries. The administration also ordered a comprehensive re-review of all immigration applications approved since January 20, 2021, for nationals of those countries, potentially requiring new interviews to assess national security and public safety threats.
• USCIS cancels naturalization ceremonies for individuals on travel ban list — Reports indicate that naturalization ceremonies for people on the US travel ban list are being canceled as part of the broader immigration crackdown. The cancellations affect individuals who have already completed the naturalization process and were scheduled to receive citizenship certificates, leaving them in legal limbo and preventing them from completing their path to citizenship.
• USCIS halts immigration applications from 19 countries under travel restrictions — On December 3, 2025, US Citizenship and Immigration Services issued a policy memo imposing an immediate "adjudicative hold" on all asylum applications and ordering a comprehensive re-review of individuals from 19 "high-risk countries" who entered the US after January 20, 2021. The 19 countries—Afghanistan, Burma, Burundi, Chad, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, and Yemen—are already under partial or full US travel restrictions. The action follows the shooting of two national guard members in Washington DC by an Afghan national granted asylum earlier in 2025.
• Trump administration pauses immigration applications from 19 countries — In the same period as the Haiti TPS termination, the Trump administration moved to pause nearly all immigration applications from 19 "countries of concern," described as overwhelmingly non-European nations including Afghanistan, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, and Haiti. The pause affects applicants from these designated countries and represents a broader restriction on immigration processing.

Supporting reports

• Trump announces Biden's autopens invalidate all prior presidential actions — President Trump announced that because former President Joe Biden used an autopen to sign documents, "[a]ny and all Documents, Proclamations, Executive Orders, Memorandums, or Contracts," pardons, and commutations Biden signed are "invalid." Trump claimed no constitutional mechanism exists for a president to erase the actions of a predecessor by fiat. Legal experts note all modern presidents, including Trump, have used autopens, and the Constitution provides no such invalidation power.
• Trump expanded plan to terminate Biden's autopen-signed documents — On Truth Social, Trump doubled down on his plan to terminate all of Biden's executive orders signed by autopen, but expanded the list to include documents, proclamations, memorandums, and contracts. The expansion broadened the scope of retroactive invalidation of Biden administration actions.

Supporting reports

• Trump Cabinet members praise president at televised meeting while he appears asleep — At a televised Cabinet meeting on December 2, 2025, Trump's Cabinet officers praised the president as "brilliant" and a "miracle worker." Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised Trump as the only man who could end Russia's war in Ukraine while gesturing at the president, who appeared to be asleep. The meeting was designed to demonstrate that Trump is alert and active, but instead presented a visual of apparent presidential incapacity during a formal government proceeding.
• Trump cabinet meeting with public statements on military operations and policy — During a Tuesday cabinet meeting, President Trump made multiple public statements including claims about cognitive test performance, praise for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, assertions about ending wars and deserving a Nobel Peace Prize, denial of murders in Washington D.C., claims about inflation and prescription drug prices, and discussion of naval operations against drug trafficking vessels. Hegseth stated the U.S. has "only just begun" sinking "narco boats" and putting people "at the bottom of the ocean." Cabinet members discussed various policy matters while Trump mused about seizing partial company ownership.
• Trump held a Cabinet meeting during which he fell asleep for extended periods while making public statements. — Trump convened a Cabinet meeting in front of press and television cameras on December 2. During the meeting, his eyes were closed approximately 80% of the time during the final hour as he sat with two Band-Aids on his hand. He made various statements about tariffs, income tax, his health, cognitive fitness, Somali immigrants, and military strikes, while Cabinet officials took turns praising him. The meeting was conducted with the president visibly fatigued.
• Trump made statements claiming he is "sharper than 25 years ago" and claimed to have "aced" a cognitive test. — During the Cabinet meeting, Trump stated "I think I'm sharper than I was 25 years ago" and claimed he took a physical and "got all As. Everything." He also claimed he was offered a cognitive test, asked if it was hard, and stated "I aced it," adding that no president has ever agreed to take one. These claims were made while Trump was visibly fatigued and sleeping during the meeting.
• Trump struggled to stay awake during Cabinet meeting — During a Cabinet meeting, Trump struggled to stay awake, according to reporting. The incident raised questions about the president's fitness and stamina for the demands of the office.

Supporting reports

• Steve Witkoff maintains financial partnership with Ukraine-sanctioned billionaire while serving as Trump's Ukraine peace negotiator — Steve Witkoff, appointed by Trump as special envoy for peace missions to negotiate between Russia and Ukraine, has retained an active financial partnership with billionaire Len Blavatnik, who has been sanctioned by Ukraine. Witkoff and Blavatnik co-develop One High Line, a luxury residential project in New York City valued at $50 million or more. The partnership creates a potential conflict of interest given Witkoff's role as mediator in the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
• Witkoff's divestiture from real estate company incomplete despite disclosure claims — Witkoff's federal disclosure form states he "sold an interest in his eponymous real estate management company for $120 million" as part of divestiture planning. However, he continues to own a portion of the Witkoff Group valued at more than $50 million. The form does not disclose the buyer of the sold stake, which could be a family member such as his son Alex Witkoff, who currently runs the company. This arrangement may not adequately address conflict-of-interest concerns.
• Witkoff's federal ethics disclosure form remains unsigned despite 60-day deadline — Witkoff signed his federal disclosure form (Form 278e) on August 13, 2025, but the version posted to the White House website remains unsigned by a federal ethics official. Senators Chris Murphy and Elizabeth Warren noted on November 17 that no agency ethics official signed the form despite the 60-day deadline passing in October 2025. The Senators stated the form "appears to have inaccurate or incomplete information," raising concerns about compliance with conflict-of-interest provisions.
• Witkoff negotiated peace plan with head of Russian sovereign wealth fund despite U.S. sanctions — Witkoff negotiated the Ukraine peace plan not with a Russian foreign affairs official but with Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia's sovereign wealth fund (RDIF). Dmitriev was sanctioned by the United States in 2022 and banned from the country. Despite the sanctions, Witkoff requested Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent allow Dmitriev to travel to Washington in April 2025; Bessent approved the request. Witkoff and Dmitriev have since met multiple times in person and by phone, including in Miami last month to finalize the Trump plan.
• Kushner accepted billions in foreign government investments while conducting U.S. foreign policy — Since 2021, Kushner has raised at least $4.8 billion for his private equity firm Affinity Partners, with nearly 99% from foreign sources. Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund invested $2 billion and pays Kushner $25 million annually (1.25% of the investment). Qatar and the UAE also pay annual fees up to 2%. As of September 2024, Affinity Partners had collected $157 million in fees, primarily from Middle Eastern governments. Kushner continues collecting these payments while serving in a top foreign policy role, creating a direct conflict between his fiduciary duty to foreign governments and his role negotiating with Russia on Ukraine.
• Saudi Crown Prince overruled investment committee to fund Kushner's firm — The Public Investment Fund's investment committee recommended rejecting Kushner's Affinity Partners proposal, citing "the inexperience of the Affinity Fund management" and "excessive" fees. However, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who heads PIF's Board of Directors and with whom Kushner had developed a close relationship, overruled the committee's recommendation and approved the $2 billion investment. This non-standard approval process for a fledgling private equity firm suggests the investment was motivated by political rather than financial considerations.
• Saudi-backed peace plan included provision benefiting Saudi agricultural interests in Ukraine — The 28-point peace plan drafted with Kushner's assistance includes a provision requiring Russia not to prevent Ukraine from using the Dnieper River for commercial activities and to permit free transport of grain across the Black Sea. This provision directly fulfills a key Saudi policy objective: the Saudi Agricultural and Livestock Investment Company (a Public Investment Fund subsidiary) owns a major stake in MHP, one of Ukraine's largest agricultural conglomerates, and the Continental Farmers Group, which cultivates nearly 480,000 acres in Western Ukraine, is owned by PIF. When parties met in Saudi Arabia in March 2025, Black Sea shipping security was a central negotiating topic.