Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Trump proclaims October 13, 2025, as Columbus Day with rhetoric defending Columbus against "left-wing" criticism. — President Trump issued Proclamation 10980 on October 9, 2025, officially designating October 13, 2025, as Columbus Day. The proclamation characterizes Columbus as "the original American hero" and "a giant of Western civilization," and explicitly frames the observance as a defense against what the proclamation calls "left-wing radicals" who have "toppled his statues" and "vandalized his monuments." The proclamation invokes statutory authority (36 U.S.C. 107) and directs display of the U.S. flag on public buildings and "appropriate ceremonies and activities" in Columbus's honor.
• Trump issued Columbus Day proclamation presenting white Christian nationalist historical narrative — On October 9, President Trump's office issued an official proclamation declaring October 13 Columbus Day, presenting Columbus as "the original American hero" and "a giant of Western civilization." The proclamation emphasizes Christianity, claiming Columbus was guided by a "noble mission" to "spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ" and that he "planted a majestic cross" dedicating the land to God. It frames modern historical scholarship on Columbus's role in Indigenous decimation as "left-wing arson" seeking to "erase our history" and "attack our heritage," asserting that "every citizen is eternally indebted to his relentless determination."
• White House issued Columbus Day proclamation — The White House issued a proclamation on October 9, 2025, designating October 13, 2025, as Columbus Day. The proclamation characterizes Columbus as "the original American hero" and "a giant of Western civilization," frames recent efforts to remove Columbus statues and monuments as a "vicious and merciless campaign to erase our history," and states that "under my leadership, those days are finally over." The proclamation directs that the U.S. flag be displayed on all public buildings on Columbus Day.

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• Trump administration reduces Historic Preservation Fund budget by 93% — The Trump administration's 2026 fiscal year budget proposal includes slashing the federal Historic Preservation Fund from $169 million to $11 million—a 93% reduction. This funding cut coincides with Hispanic Heritage Month and threatens numerous Latino heritage sites already in disrepair. The Latinos in Heritage Conservation group published a list of 13 endangered Latinx landmarks, warning that sites including historic neighborhoods, churches, cemeteries, and cultural institutions face permanent loss without adequate preservation funding.

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• Oklahoma superintendent Ryan Walters resigns to lead conservative education non-profit — Ryan Walters, superintendent of Oklahoma public schools since 2022, announced his resignation on Fox News to become leader of the Teacher Freedom Alliance, a conservative education non-profit. Walters had pursued a Christian nationalist agenda in Oklahoma schools, including placing Trump-endorsed Bibles in classrooms, requiring teaching of 2020 election conspiracy theories, and attempting to inject Christian viewpoints into public education while opposing teachers unions. He stated his intention to expand this fight nationally.
• Defense Secretary Hegseth orders approximately 800 top military generals and admirals to Quantico for unusual meeting — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered approximately 800 of the military's top generals and admirals, along with their senior enlisted advisors, to gather at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia the following week. The demand is highly unusual; no official explanation was provided for the meeting. Military experts noted the cost in flights and accommodations would be millions of dollars and the lost focus would affect military readiness, while the sudden global recall signals potential instability to adversaries and allies. Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance downplayed the meeting when questioned by reporters.
• Trump threatened political violence in response to ICE facility shooting — During remarks, Trump stated: "Bad things happen when they play these games. I'll give you a little clue, the right is a lot tougher than the left. And they better not get them energized because it won't be good for the left," in reference to a shooting at an ICE facility in Texas. House Homeland Security Democrats responded that Trump was "openly threatening political violence."
• Defense Secretary Hegseth affirmed Medal of Honor awards to soldiers involved in 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that twenty men awarded the Medal of Honor for their participation in the 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre would retain their medals, reversing the review initiated by his predecessor General Lloyd Austin. Austin had ordered the review to ensure awardees were not recognized for conduct inconsistent with the nation's highest military honor. Hegseth called the soldiers "brave soldiers" and stated they deserved the medals, effectively closing the review process.
• Secretary of Defense Hegseth announces decision to allow Wounded Knee soldiers to retain their medals — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth released a video announcing that soldiers who fought at the Battle of Wounded Knee will be permitted to keep their medals, declaring the decision final and their place in history settled. The Atlantic's James Surowiecki noted that the U.S. awarded 20 Medals of Honor to cavalrymen who killed hundreds of Lakota people, mostly women and children, at Wounded Knee—twice as many as the 10 awarded to troops who fought at Normandy on D-Day.
• Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth summons hundreds of senior military officers to Washington for speech on military standards — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ordered hundreds of generals and admirals stationed worldwide to travel to Washington on short notice to hear him deliver a speech on military standards and "warrior ethos." A source described the gathering as an "eyeball-to-eyeball" conversation where Hegseth wanted to see the generals in person. The Washington Post reported the unusual summons of senior military leadership.

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• White House issues release honoring Charlie Kirk with VP Vance and administration officials — The White House published a release on September 15, 2025, documenting a special edition of The Charlie Kirk Show hosted live from the White House by Vice President JD Vance and senior Trump Administration officials. The release presents remarks from VP Vance, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Deputy Chiefs of Staff Stephen Miller and Taylor Budowich, and Deputy Communications Director Kaelan Dorr, all offering personal tributes to Kirk and reflecting on his influence on the administration.

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• Kari Lake spoke at Charlie Kirk memorial service — At a memorial service for Charlie Kirk held at the Kennedy Center, Kari Lake delivered remarks attributing Kirk's assassin's radicalization to college indoctrination, calling on mothers not to send children to universities. Lake claimed the 22-year-old killer had been a Trump supporter five years earlier before being "brainwashed" by leftist institutions.
• Karoline Leavitt spoke at Charlie Kirk memorial service — White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt spoke at Kirk's memorial service, framing Kirk as offering "an alternative path" to influential voices she characterized as "brainwashing young people to abandon our faith, to stay single, not to have children and to bash our country."
• Trump skipped Charlie Kirk memorial service — President Trump did not attend the memorial service for Charlie Kirk held at the Kennedy Center, choosing instead to remain at his Bedminster golf club for the weekend.
• Trump unfamiliar with assassination of Democratic state representative — A reporter asked President Trump why he did not order flags to be flown at half-staff for Minnesota Democratic State Rep. Melissa Hortman, who was assassinated by a right-wing extremist in June. Trump responded "Uh, I'm not familiar, who?" indicating he was unaware of the killing of a state legislator by a political extremist.

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• White House issued fact sheet claiming 100 faith-related policy victories — The White House published a promotional document titled "President Trump's Top 100 Victories for People of Faith" on September 8, 2025. The document lists claimed achievements across religious liberty, anti-Semitism enforcement, school choice, abortion funding restrictions, gender-related policies, military personnel reinstatement, DEI elimination, and Israel support. The document attributes these to executive orders, agency directives, proclamations, and administrative actions taken during the Trump administration's second term.

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• El Grito Chicago and related Mexican Independence Day events canceled due to federal enforcement threat — Organizers canceled El Grito Chicago, a major cultural festival that attracted 24,000 attendees in 2024, scheduled for September 13–14. The Mexican Independence Day parade and festival in Waukegan was postponed to November, and the Latin Heritage Fest in Wauconda was canceled. Event organizers cited safety concerns for the community in light of the federal immigration enforcement surge and Trump's hostile rhetoric toward Chicago's Mexican population. The cancellations represent a chilling effect on civic and cultural assembly by an ethnic minority community.
• El Grito Chicago festival postponed due to ICE enforcement concerns — The El Grito Chicago Mexican Independence Day festival, scheduled for mid-September, was postponed due to concerns about ICE operations and potential targeting of the event. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker expressed concern at a news conference that ICE agents would specifically target Mexican Independence Day celebrations.

Supporting reports

• El Grito Chicago and related Mexican Independence Day events canceled due to federal enforcement threat — Organizers canceled El Grito Chicago, a major cultural festival that attracted 24,000 attendees in 2024, scheduled for September 13–14. The Mexican Independence Day parade and festival in Waukegan was postponed to November, and the Latin Heritage Fest in Wauconda was canceled. Event organizers cited safety concerns for the community in light of the federal immigration enforcement surge and Trump's hostile rhetoric toward Chicago's Mexican population. The cancellations represent a chilling effect on civic and cultural assembly by an ethnic minority community.

Supporting reports

• Louisiana reopens Angola prison unit as ICE immigration detention facility — Governor Jeff Landry declared a state of emergency in late July 2025 to rapidly refurbish Camp J, a shuttered, notorious solitary-confinement unit at Louisiana State Penitentiary Angola. Initially framed as addressing state prison overcrowding, the facility was revealed in early September to be designated for federal ICE immigration detention. Renamed "Camp 57," it will house over 400 immigration detainees. The Trump administration and DHS officials, including Secretary Kristi Noem, promoted the facility as housing "the worst of the worst" immigrant detainees, leveraging Angola's reputation for brutality and its plantation-era history to associate undocumented immigrants with criminals.

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• Florida college Republicans group chat with racist, antisemitic, and homophobic messages leaked to media — Leaked WhatsApp conversations from a Florida International University College Republicans group chat, created by Abel Alexander Carvajal in September 2025, revealed racist slurs (N-word used 400+ times), antisemitic remarks, homophobic comments, and calls for violence against Black people. Participants included William Bejerano, Dariel Gonzalez, and Ian Valdes. The chat referenced Nazi ideology and white supremacist concepts. Republican party officials, including Miami-Dade GOP chair Kevin Cooper and state senators, called for resignations and expulsions from party leadership.

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• Transportation Secretary announced federal takeover of Union Station — On August 27, 2025, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that the Trump administration will take over Union Station in Washington, D.C., from which Amtrak and the city's commuter rail lines operate. Duffy characterized the takeover as part of Trump's "beautification" program. Amtrak had taken control of the station in July 2024, and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law had provided $22 billion to Amtrak for modernization. The administration had cut a $120 million federal grant to Amtrak in April. The takeover will place the administration in charge of key transportation lines into and out of the capital and create a federal presence in an area where veterans have been protesting.
• DHS limits international student and visitor stays — The Department of Homeland Security said it plans to introduce a proposed rule to limit the length of time international students, visitors on cultural exchange programs, and members of the media on visas can stay in the US by requiring them to be regularly assessed by the department.
• Trump administration plans Union Station takeover — Trump's Transportation Department said it's planning to take over the management of and revitalize DC's Union Station, which the agency already owns but is currently run by Amtrak. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told Reuters, "We are going to make investments to make sure this station isn't dirty and we don't have homelessness in Union Station."
• Transportation Secretary announced takeover of Union Station — On August 27, 2025, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that the Trump administration would take control of Union Station in Washington, D.C., as part of a "beautification" program. This move follows Amtrak's control of the station in July 2024 and is seen as a way to increase federal presence in the area.
• Trump administration announced takeover of Union Station — On August 27, 2025, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that the Trump administration would take control of Union Station in Washington, D.C., as part of a "beautification" program. This move follows Amtrak's control of the station in July 2024 and is seen as a way to increase federal presence in the city.

Supporting reports

• Trump intervened in Cracker Barrel corporate dispute — Trump posted on social media directing Cracker Barrel to revert to its old logo, admit a mistake based on customer response, and hold a major news conference. The post characterized the situation as an opportunity for the company to become a "winner again." The bulletin notes this is part of an "elaborate scam to extort companies for money" using MAGA influencer networks to organize boycotts over contrived culture war issues, with coordination involving government officials like Stephen Miller.
• Trump publicly pressures Cracker Barrel to reverse logo rebrand; company complies within hours — On Tuesday, August 27, 2025, Donald Trump posted on social media demanding that Cracker Barrel revert to its old logo, calling the modernized rebrand a mistake. Within hours, Cracker Barrel executives called the White House to inform the administration they would restore the original logo. By Wednesday, Trump celebrated the reversal as a political victory. The incident exemplifies the Trump administration's use of presidential influence to pressure corporations to abandon diversity and modernization efforts, with the company's stock rebounding 8% after the reversal.

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• White House issues release criticizing Smithsonian Institution exhibitions and programming — The White House published a release titled "President Trump Is Right About the Smithsonian" cataloging and criticizing specific exhibitions, displays, and programming across multiple Smithsonian museums, including the National Museum of African American History and Culture, National Portrait Gallery, American History Museum, National Museum of African Art, National Museum of the American Latino, and Museum of American Art. The release characterizes these exhibitions as promoting "woke" ideology, critical race theory, and progressive political messaging. No direct executive action or policy directive is stated in the document itself.

Supporting reports

• Trump criticized Smithsonian Institution's slavery exhibits — President Trump stated that the Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest museum complex located mostly in Washington, D.C., focuses too much on "how bad slavery was." The criticism prompted public controversy and was characterized as part of a broader effort to reshape how American history, particularly regarding racial injustice, is presented and remembered in public institutions.
• Trump directs attorneys to review Smithsonian museums for "out of control" content — On Truth Social, Trump claimed that the Smithsonian is "OUT OF CONTROL," and complained that their museums focus too much on "how bad Slavery was," along with "how horrible our Country is." He noted that he's directed his attorneys to "go through the Museums, and start the exact same process that has been done with Colleges and Universities where tremendous progress has been made."

Supporting reports

• Trump administration implements multiple restrictions on international student visas and enrollment — The Trump administration has implemented a series of policies affecting international students, including halting and delaying visa processing, revoking and reinstating legal status of hundreds of students, expanding social media screenings for visa applicants, imposing travel bans (particularly affecting 12 countries including Iran), slashing university research funding, arresting and detaining international students involved in pro-Palestinian activism, and announcing plans to revoke visas of Chinese students. The administration also attempted to block Harvard from enrolling international students, triggering a legal challenge. A Nafsa analysis projects a 30–40% decline in new international enrollment this academic year.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration ordered Smithsonian review for "American exceptionalism" — The Trump administration ordered a comprehensive review of exhibits and materials at the Smithsonian Institution to "ensure alignment with the President's directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions." Trump later stated the museums should discuss history "in a fair manner, not in a woke manner or in a racist manner," falsely claiming they currently do so.
• Trump criticized Smithsonian Institution's slavery exhibits — President Trump stated that the Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest museum complex located mostly in Washington, D.C., focuses too much on "how bad slavery was." The criticism prompted public controversy and was characterized as part of a broader effort to reshape how American history, particularly regarding racial injustice, is presented and remembered in public institutions.
• Trump directs attorneys to review Smithsonian museums for "out of control" content — On Truth Social, Trump claimed that the Smithsonian is "OUT OF CONTROL," and complained that their museums focus too much on "how bad Slavery was," along with "how horrible our Country is." He noted that he's directed his attorneys to "go through the Museums, and start the exact same process that has been done with Colleges and Universities where tremendous progress has been made."
• Trump administration escalates attacks on Washington DC institutions and federal workforce — The article references Trump's escalated attacks on Washington DC, the Smithsonian museums, immigrants, elections, institutions of higher learning, and culture. It also notes his foreign policy as "clearly now dictated by Putin." The piece frames these actions as part of an "authoritarian breakthrough" while calling for continued democratic resistance and action.
• White House issues release criticizing Smithsonian Institution exhibitions and programming — The White House published a release titled "President Trump Is Right About the Smithsonian" cataloging and criticizing specific exhibitions, displays, and programming across multiple Smithsonian museums, including the National Museum of African American History and Culture, National Portrait Gallery, American History Museum, National Museum of African Art, National Museum of the American Latino, and Museum of American Art. The release characterizes these exhibitions as promoting "woke" ideology, critical race theory, and progressive political messaging. No direct executive action or policy directive is stated in the document itself.

Supporting reports

• Hegseth reposts segment endorsing pastor with anti-women views — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth reposted on his personal account a CNN segment about pastor Doug Wilson, with whom Hegseth is affiliated, using the slogan "All of Christ for All of Life"—a phrase promoting Christian nationalism across all aspects of society including government. The original report noted Wilson's position that women should not have the right to vote. Critics interpreted the repost as reflecting Hegseth's own record on feminism and undermining commitments he made to Senator Joni Ernst regarding women in uniform.
• Pentagon posts biblically-themed recruitment video with Psalms text — The Pentagon, under Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, posted a recruitment video on X featuring paratroopers and combat scenes accompanied by text from the Book of Psalms ("I pursued my enemies and overtook them / I did not turn back till they were destroyed"). The video carried the message "We Are One Nation Under God." Veterans and military experts report the move is dividing military ranks and reflects Hegseth's effort to infuse ultra-conservative Christian nationalism into Pentagon operations and messaging.

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• Trump announces Kennedy Center Honors recipients without advance notice — President Trump announced via social media post at 7:30 a.m. on August 12, 2025, that Kennedy Center Honors recipients would be announced the following day. In the same post, he suggested that the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts would soon be renamed the "TRUMP/KENNEDY CENTER." The announcement caught the Kennedy Center staff entirely off guard, according to NPR reporting. The post appeared designed to redirect public attention from other controversies.
• White House issues Kennedy Center Honors announcement — The White House issued a release announcing the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors honorees: George Strait, Michael Crawford, Sylvester Stallone, Gloria Gaynor, and KISS. The announcement describes each honoree's career achievements and cultural impact. The gala is scheduled for December 2025. This is a ceremonial announcement with no policy directives or institutional changes.

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• White House sends letter to Smithsonian Institution directing cultural review — The Trump administration sent a letter to Dr. Lonnie Bunch, secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, informing him of an intent to review museum exhibitions, curatorial processes, planning, use of collections, and artist grants to ensure alignment "with the president's directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions." The review will focus on eight museums including the National Museum of African-American History and Culture, the National Museum of the American Indian, and the Hirshhorn Museum. The review is being led by Trump's Florida criminal defense attorney, who joined from property law and convinced Trump to sign an executive order placing her in charge after she objected to certain exhibits. Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget and key Project 2025 author, is also on the three-person team.
• Trump's Smithsonian review team wrote to Smithsonian secretary demanding alignment with presidential directive — On August 12, 2025, Trump's three-person Smithsonian review team, including Florida criminal defense attorney Lindsey Halligan and Russell Vought (director of the Office of Management and Budget), wrote to Dr. Lonnie Bunch, secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, informing him they intended to review museum exhibitions, curatorial processes, planning, use of collections, and artists' grants. The team stated they would ensure exhibitions align "with the president's directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions." The review targeted eight major Smithsonian museums including the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the National Museum of the American Indian.

Supporting reports

• House Republicans sought to rename Kennedy Center after Trump — NBC News reported that efforts by House Republicans to rename the Kennedy Center after Trump and its opera house after first lady Melania Trump would violate the law put in place when the center was created.

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• Oklahoma schools chief announces MAGA loyalty test for teachers from other states — Oklahoma Schools Chief Ryan Walters announced that Oklahoma will be the first state to require teachers from "liberal-leaning states" to pass an "America First Test" developed in partnership with conservative think tank PragerU. The test will cover American history, civics, and "common sense" to ensure teachers do not "indoctrinate" students with a "liberal agenda." Walters stated that teachers from "woke states" will not be allowed to teach in Oklahoma without passing the test.

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• White House document identifies seven museums with "overly negative portrayals of US history" — In August 2025, the White House compiled a document detailing examples at seven Smithsonian museums deemed to contain "overly negative portrayals of US history." The targeted museums included the National Museum of American History, National Museum of the American Latino, National Museum of Natural History, National Museum of African Art, National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum, and National Museum of Asian Art. The document served as a basis for ideological scrutiny of federal cultural institutions.

Supporting reports

• FCC approved Skydance-Paramount merger — The FCC voted to approve the merger of Skydance Media and Paramount Global. This approval came less than a day after Paramount fired Stephen Colbert and settled lawsuits with Trump, according to the bulletin's reporting.
• Skydance Media agrees to eliminate civil rights and DEI programs as condition of FCC merger approval — To obtain Federal Communications Commission approval of an $8 billion merger between CBS parent company Paramount and Skydance Media, Skydance agreed to eliminate programs related to civil rights, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and to produce "unbiased" journalism. FCC Chair Brendan Carr approved the merger and subsequently bragged on right-wing media that CBS agreed to install an internal political "bias monitor" reporting to Paramount's president to ensure news coverage favorable to Trump and the right wing.
• FCC approves Paramount and Skydance Media merger — The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved the merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media, which is valued at $8 billion. This approval comes after Skydance Media promised to eliminate Paramount's diversity, equity, and inclusion practices and to address perceived bias at CBS News to gain support from the administration. The merger is significant as it reflects the influence of political considerations on corporate practices in media.
• FCC approved Paramount-Skydance merger — The Federal Communications Commission approved the $8 billion merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media on July 25, 2025, after Skydance committed to eliminating Paramount's diversity, equity, and inclusion practices and addressing alleged bias at CBS News.
• Skydance Media promised to eliminate diversity and inclusion practices at Paramount to secure FCC merger approval — Skydance Media, in merger negotiations with Paramount Global requiring Federal Communications Commission approval, publicly committed to eliminating Paramount's diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices and rooting out alleged "bias" at CBS News. The commitment was made to win administration support for the $8 billion merger. The FCC approved the merger the same day.

Supporting reports

• Skydance Media agrees to eliminate civil rights and DEI programs as condition of FCC merger approval — To obtain Federal Communications Commission approval of an $8 billion merger between CBS parent company Paramount and Skydance Media, Skydance agreed to eliminate programs related to civil rights, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and to produce "unbiased" journalism. FCC Chair Brendan Carr approved the merger and subsequently bragged on right-wing media that CBS agreed to install an internal political "bias monitor" reporting to Paramount's president to ensure news coverage favorable to Trump and the right wing.
• Skydance Media promised to eliminate diversity and inclusion practices at Paramount to secure FCC merger approval — Skydance Media, in merger negotiations with Paramount Global requiring Federal Communications Commission approval, publicly committed to eliminating Paramount's diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices and rooting out alleged "bias" at CBS News. The commitment was made to win administration support for the $8 billion merger. The FCC approved the merger the same day.
• FCC approves Paramount and Skydance Media merger — The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved the merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media, which is valued at $8 billion. This approval comes after Skydance Media promised to eliminate Paramount's diversity, equity, and inclusion practices and to address perceived bias at CBS News to gain support from the administration. The merger is significant as it reflects the influence of political considerations on corporate practices in media.

Supporting reports

• Department of Homeland Security posted image of "American Progress" painting with caption evoking manifest destiny ideology — On July 23, the official X account of the Department of Homeland Security posted John Gast's 1872 oil painting "American Progress"—a canonical representation of manifest destiny depicting westward expansion, Indigenous displacement, and white settlement—with the caption "A Heritage to be proud of, a Homeland worth Defending." The post was interpreted by observers as the Trump administration's embrace of manifest destiny ideology and, more broadly, "blood and soil" citizenship doctrine that defines belonging by ancestry and racial continuity rather than civic principles.