Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Neuralink falsely self-certified as small disadvantaged business on federal filing — On April 24, 2025, Elon Musk's Neuralink Corporation submitted a federal self-certification form claiming status as a "small disadvantaged business" (SDB), a designation reserved for companies majority-owned by economically and socially disadvantaged individuals. Musk, with a net worth of $404 billion and as a white South African-born man, does not meet SDB criteria. Federal regulations require SDB owners to have net worth below $850,000 (excluding primary residence) and membership in a recognized disadvantaged demographic. Neuralink has made this false claim in all 11 of its SAM.gov filings since 2017, potentially qualifying it for federal contracts, grants, and loans worth $50 billion annually awarded to SDBs.

Supporting reports

• ICE denies Mahmoud Khalil temporary release to attend birth of his son — Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist detained in Louisiana by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, requested temporary release to attend the birth of his first child in New York. ICE denied the request despite his lawyers proposing reasonable alternatives including a two-week furlough with ankle monitoring. Khalil's wife, Noor Abdalla, gave birth on April 21, and Khalil was only able to participate via telephone call from over 1,000 miles away. Abdalla characterized the denial as a "purposeful decision by ICE to make me, Mahmoud, and our son suffer."

Supporting reports

• Trump attacked Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell on Truth Social — On Truth Social, Trump continued his attacks on Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell, calling him a "major loser" and urging him to lower interest rates. Trump also baselessly claimed that Powell lowered interest rates in the leadup to the 2024 election to help Kamala Harris win, attacking the independence of the Federal Reserve.
• Stock market declined sharply amid Trump harassment of Federal Reserve chair and tariff instability — The stock market experienced significant declines on April 21 following President Trump's continued public pressure on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 971.82 points (2.48%), the S&P 500 dropped 2.36%, and the Nasdaq Composite fell 2.55%. The dollar hit a three-year low while gold prices soared. Since Trump took office, the Dow has fallen 13.8%, the S&P 500 is down 15.5%, and the Nasdaq is down 20.5%. The Dow Jones is headed for its worst April performance since 1932, during the Great Depression.

Supporting reports

• Trump attacked Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell on Truth Social — On Truth Social, Trump continued his attacks on Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell, calling him a "major loser" and urging him to lower interest rates. Trump also baselessly claimed that Powell lowered interest rates in the leadup to the 2024 election to help Kamala Harris win, attacking the independence of the Federal Reserve.

Supporting reports

• Pete Hegseth shared classified Yemen strike details in private Signal chat with family and associates — US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sent detailed information about planned military strikes on Yemen to a private Signal group chat he created, which included his wife Jennifer, his brother Phil, and approximately a dozen other personal associates and advisers. The chat contained operational details including F/A-18 flight schedules for strikes on Houthi targets. This represents a second unauthorized disclosure channel, separate from a previously reported Signal group created by National Security Adviser Mike Waltz. Sources confirmed Hegseth used a personal phone rather than a government device to access the chat.
• Hegseth's second Signal chat with sensitive military details revealed — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth created a private Signal group chat including his wife, brother, and about a dozen personal associates, in which he shared details of a U.S. attack on Yemeni Houthi rebels, including F/A-18 flight schedules. The New York Times reported the existence of this second chat on April 21, 2025. The revelation prompted calls for Hegseth's resignation from Democratic senators and criticism from former Pentagon spokesperson John Ullyot, who described the Pentagon as experiencing a "full-blown meltdown" under Hegseth's leadership.
• SecDef Hegseth created Signal chat discussing sensitive DOD operations — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth created a private Signal chat group called "Team Huddle" with 13 people, including his brother and personal attorney, to discuss sensitive Department of Defense operations including bombing targets in Yemen. The New York Times reported the group's existence and composition. This follows an earlier Signal chat scandal involving his wife.
• Don Jr. declares John Ullyot exiled from MAGA movement — Donald Trump Jr. responded to John Ullyot's editorial criticizing Pentagon dysfunction by declaring Ullyot a traitor and officially exiling him from the MAGA movement. Trump Jr. stated that Ullyot has worked for years to subvert his father's agenda and that this behavior ends today.
• Hegseth's former spokesman publishes editorial on Pentagon dysfunction — John Ullyot, Hegseth's former spokesman, published an editorial in Politico describing the Department of Defense as in "total chaos" under Hegseth's leadership. Ullyot detailed mass firings, leaks of sensitive operational plans, and the departure of Hegseth's two closest advisers of over a decade. Ullyot stated the dysfunction is a major distraction for the president and predicted more significant stories would emerge.
• White House begins search for new Secretary of Defense — According to a U.S. official not authorized to speak publicly, the White House has begun the process of looking for a new Secretary of Defense. NPR reported this development, though the White House social media account subsequently denied the report as fake news.
• White House Press Secretary defends Hegseth — White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a statement asserting that President Trump stands strongly behind Pete Hegseth and that he is doing a phenomenal job leading the Pentagon. She characterized the criticism as coming from a Pentagon working against the secretary and against the administration's reform agenda.
• Hegseth defends Signal chat use, blames ousted Pentagon officials for leaks — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended his use of encrypted messaging app Signal to discuss sensitive military operations, including details about strikes against Houthis in Yemen. In a Fox News interview, Hegseth blamed fired Pentagon officials for orchestrating leaks and claimed the shared information was unclassified. The controversy follows reporting that Hegseth shared operational details—launch times, bomb drop timings, missile launches—with 13 people including his wife, brother, and personal lawyer, some lacking security clearance. An internal Pentagon investigation is underway.
• Pete Hegseth disclosed sensitive military intelligence in unsecured Signal group chats — Pentagon Secretary Pete Hegseth repeatedly shared highly sensitive military intelligence, including information on active strikes in Yemen and troop movements, through unsecured Signal group chats with his wife, brother, Trump administration officials, and a journalist. National security experts and former Biden administration officials expressed grave concerns that these disclosures have endangered Pentagon secrets, weakened U.S. defense posture, and made Hegseth and his circle prime espionage targets for foreign adversaries including Russia and China.
• Concerns over Pete Hegseth's unsecured communications — Reports have emerged that Pete Hegseth, the US Secretary of Defense, has been disclosing sensitive military intelligence in unsecured Signal group chats, raising fears that this behavior has compromised US defense secrets and made him a target for foreign espionage. Experts warn that such leaks could endanger military operations and expose the US to significant risks, particularly in the context of ongoing geopolitical tensions with adversaries like Russia and China. Hegseth's actions have led to concerns about the integrity of US intelligence-sharing and the safety of personnel involved in military operations.
• Pete Hegseth used unsecured internet connection for Signal — The Associated Press reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had an internet connection installed in his Pentagon office that bypassed the Pentagon's security protocols to use the Signal messaging app on a personal computer. The connection, known as a "dirty" internet line, connects directly to the public internet without the security filters and protocols maintained on Pentagon secured connections. The Washington Post reported Hegseth used this workaround to continue using Signal in secure areas where personal cell phones were not permitted.
• Pete Hegseth ordered Pentagon makeup studio renovation — CBS reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered modifications to a room next to the Pentagon press briefing room to retrofit it as a makeup studio for TV appearance preparation. The project cost several thousand dollars at a time when the administration is seeking cost-cutting measures. The original renovation plan was estimated at over $40,000 but was scaled back. A DOD spokesperson stated that changes to the Pentagon Briefing Room routinely happen during administrative transitions.
• Pete Hegseth's chief of staff Joe Kasper departed DOD — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's controversial chief of staff Joe Kasper left the Department of Defense today, according to Politico. Kasper is the fifth top DOD official to leave the agency in the past week and was a central figure in a power struggle that cost three top aides their jobs. On Tuesday, Hegseth had stated Kasper was "staying with us" in a "slightly different role."
• Pete Hegseth set up unsecured internet line in Pentagon office to bypass security protocols and use Signal — Pete Hegseth, US defense secretary, had an unsecured commercial internet connection installed in his Pentagon office to circumvent government security filters and use the Signal messaging app on a personal computer. The "dirty line" allowed him to bypass both SiprNet (classified) and NiprNet (unclassified) Pentagon networks. Multiple personal computers were present at his desk, creating vulnerability to hacking and surveillance. The Pentagon's chief spokesperson denied Hegseth used Signal on government computers, contradicting reporting that he directed Signal installation on a desktop in his office.
• Defense Secretary Hegseth directed installation of Signal on unsecured Pentagon computer — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed staffers to install the Signal messaging application on his desktop computer in a secure area where personal cell phones are not permitted. The computer was connected to the internet via an unsecured commercial line, making it highly susceptible to hacking and creating a significant security vulnerability for classified communications.
• Defense Secretary Hegseth posted classified information in unsecure Signal chat — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted information he had just received from Army General Michael Erik Kurilla, who leads U.S. Central Command, in an unsecure second Signal chat containing his wife, brother, and personal friends. The information was posted from Hegseth's personal phone, violating security protocols for classified material.
• Hegseth's management of the Pentagon criticized for lack of expertise — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has faced scrutiny for his management style, relying on a small circle of advisors without significant experience in defense matters. His approach has led to internal conflicts within the Pentagon, including a breach of security protocols by using unsecured communication methods for sensitive information.
• Hegseth's unsecure communications raise security concerns — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was reported to have shared sensitive information from Army General Michael Erik Kurilla in an unsecure Signal chat with personal contacts. Additionally, he directed staff to install Signal on a desktop computer connected to an unsecured internet line, raising significant security concerns regarding the handling of classified information.
• Pentagon lacks confirmed NSA and Cyber Command director after Hegseth firings — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth fired General Hauck and his deputy without stated reason, leaving the position of National Security Advisor and Cyber Command director vacant with no confirmed replacement or nominee. The position oversees the crown jewel of U.S. intelligence and signals intelligence (SIGINT). This vacancy occurs during sensitive negotiations with Russia and China, creating a gap in senior intelligence leadership.

Supporting reports

• Guardian opinion essay comparing Timothy McVeigh's 1995 Oklahoma City bombing ideology to contemporary Trump-era far-right politics — Andrew Gumbel's essay draws parallels between Timothy McVeigh's 1995 truck-bomb attack on the Alfred P. Murrah federal building (which killed 168 people, including 19 children) and present-day far-right ideology now mainstream in Trump's administration. The piece argues that McVeigh's grievances—distrust of federal government, "Deep State" conspiracy theories, America First nationalism, and anti-immigration sentiment—have moved from fringe to center stage. Gumbel notes that former President Clinton observed McVeigh's rhetoric "literally sound[s] like the mainstream today. Like he won!" The essay contextualizes McVeigh's radicalization through 1990s militia culture, botched federal raids at Ruby Ridge and Waco, and The Turner Diaries, while warning that far-right groups now operate with perceived impunity under Trump.