Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• U.S. District Judge Kate Menendez imposed restrictions on ICE's tactics in response to protesters' lawsuits, but the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals quickly stayed her decision at the Trump administration's request. — U.S. District Judge Kate Menendez, overseeing lawsuits by protesters contesting illegal arrests and retaliation by ICE officers, imposed restrictions on ICE's ability to use pepper spray and other munitions against demonstrators. However, the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals quickly granted a Trump administration request to stay her decision, a move that led to public celebration from top DOJ and DHS officials. Attorneys for protesters subsequently urged the federal appeals court to reinstate the restrictions, arguing that expected further protests in response to Pretti's death create "an urgent need for intervention."
• Federal appeals court allows tear gas and pepper spray against Minnesota protesters — A federal appeals court decision paved the way for federal officers to continue using tear gas and pepper spray against peaceful protesters in Minnesota. Following the ruling, a senior U.S. Border Patrol official, Greg Bovino, used tear gas against protesters in Minneapolis.
• Preliminary injunction ruling — Tincher v. Noem (D. Minn.) 0:25-cv-04669 — The Eighth Circuit stayed the lower court's preliminary injunction restricting ICE officers' actions during protests and denied Plaintiffs' emergency motion to lift the administrative stay, finding that the injunction was overbroad and vague. The panel granted Plaintiffs' request for expedited merits briefing.

Supporting reports

• US military conducts lethal strikes on boats in Eastern Pacific — The US Southern Command announced that, at the direction of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the US military conducted lethal strikes on three boats in the Eastern Pacific, killing a total of eight people.
• U.S. military strikes three boats in eastern Pacific, killing eight people — U.S. Southern Command announced that the military conducted strikes on three small boats in the eastern Pacific at the direction of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, killing eight people. The command claimed intelligence confirmed the vessels were engaged in narco-trafficking. This brings the total death toll from U.S. strikes to at least 95. Legal experts dispute the administration's claim of an "armed conflict" against drug cartels and say the U.S. has no legal basis for the strikes.
• Sen. Rand Paul warned against regime change wars in South America — Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) warned on NBC that if the Trump administration continues toppling regimes in South America, there is "no amount of money that could be printed to pay for that" and lives should not be lost without a congressional vote. Paul's statement was made in response to Trump's warning to Colombia that it "could be next" after the administration's military escalation against Venezuela.
• Rep. Mike Turner expressed grave concern about boat strikes in Venezuela — Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) stated on ABC that there is "very grave concern in Congress" about boat strikes occurring in Venezuela. Turner noted that the individuals conducting the strikes are not being subject to criminal prosecution, and if they were, there would be no capital punishment available. Turner's statement indicates congressional concern about the legality and accountability of military operations against Venezuela.
• Sen. Jack Reed warned about consequences of violating laws of war — Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) stated on Fox that the U.S. must follow the law of war and can expect other countries to do the same. He warned that if the U.S. does not follow the law of war, it cannot expect other countries to protect American service members in distress, refrain from shooting wounded personnel in the water, or avoid leaving wounded soldiers to die. Reed's statement was made in response to the administration's military operations against Venezuela.
• Pentagon lawyers proposed sending boat strike survivors to El Salvador megaprison — The New York Times reported on December 9 that Pentagon lawyers raised the prospect of sending survivors of a mid-October boat strike in the Caribbean to El Salvador's megaprison in an effort to ensure they don't end up in the US court system, where the Trump administration could be forced to present evidence justifying their strikes in the region. The proposal represents an attempt to evade judicial accountability.
• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced mounting Republican criticism over a potentially illegal order to kill survivors of a Caribbean boat strike. — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth received criticism from Republican lawmakers regarding an order that allegedly directed the killing of survivors from a Caribbean boat strike. The order was characterized as potentially illegal. This incident contributed to broader concerns about dysfunction within the Trump administration and raised questions about the legality and ethics of military directives under the current leadership.
• Pentagon conducts military strikes on Venezuelan vessels; at least 95 killed since September — The Pentagon conducted strikes on three boats accused of drug trafficking in the Pacific near Venezuela, killing eight people. This action is part of an escalating campaign that has included more than 20 strikes since September 2, resulting in at least 95 deaths. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has refused to release video footage of a September 2 attack, citing national security and "longstanding Department of War policy." The administration defends the strikes as preventing drugs from reaching U.S. shores, though Trump's chief of staff Susie Wiles confirmed in a Vanity Fair interview that the campaign aims to oust Maduro.

Supporting reports

• Supreme Court Allows Transgender Military Ban — The U.S. Supreme Court issued an order permitting the enforcement of President Trump's ban on transgender individuals serving in the military. This decision allows the ban to take effect while ongoing litigation and appeals are resolved. The ruling has significant implications for transgender rights and military policy, as it reverses previous policies that allowed transgender individuals to serve openly.
• US Supreme Court Allows Trump Trans Military Ban to Take Effect — The US Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration can enforce a ban on transgender individuals serving in the military while legal challenges continue. This decision could lead to the discharge of thousands of transgender military members. The court's order was unsigned and did not provide an explanation, with the three liberal justices dissenting. The ban, which was implemented by the Department of Defense, reverses a previous executive order allowing transgender service. Lower courts had previously blocked the ban, but the Supreme Court's decision allows it to proceed.
• Case update — Shilling v. Trump (W.D. Wash.) 2:25-cv-00241 — The Supreme Court issued a stay (with Justices Sotomayor, Kagan, and Jackson dissenting).
• Supreme Court Grants Stay in United States v. Shilling — On May 6, 2025, the Supreme Court granted the federal government's request for a stay in the case of United States v. Shilling. This decision temporarily halts a lower court's preliminary injunction that had blocked the enforcement of a Department of Defense policy banning individuals with a diagnosis or history of gender dysphoria from military service. The policy, issued under an executive order by President Donald Trump, was challenged by transgender military members and advocacy groups as discriminatory. The stay allows the policy to be enforced while further litigation proceeds.
• Supreme Court grants stay in United States v. Shilling — The Supreme Court granted a stay of the preliminary injunction entered by the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington in the case United States, et al. v. Shilling, Commander, et al. This stay will remain in effect pending the outcome of the appeal in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and any subsequent petition for a writ of certiorari. If certiorari is denied, the stay will automatically terminate. If certiorari is granted, the stay will terminate upon the issuance of the Supreme Court's judgment. Justices Sotomayor, Kagan, and Jackson dissented from the decision to grant the stay.