Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Phony transgender rights leaflets circulated in Texas to inflame voters — A company formed in Wyoming has been circulating phony leaflets and text messages in Texas, falsely purporting to be from a trans rights group. The materials, addressed to "students," claim to provide resources for transgender and LGBTQ+ youth but are deliberately inflammatory, purporting to instruct children on separating from parents and replacing them with other adults or organizations. Right-wing groups have shared the mailers and linked them to Democrats.

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• Cornell University sexual assault case sparks "I Am Jane Doe" nationwide movement — A Cornell University sexual assault case has sparked a nationwide social media movement. A woman identified as Jane Doe filed a lawsuit against Cornell University, the Chi Phi fraternity, and seven men she alleges drugged and sexually assaulted her in 2024. She alleges she was pressured into consuming ketamine and became too intoxicated to consent. CBS News obtained Snapchat messages from the assault in which fraternity members discussed the victim as available for sex. Cornell's investigation resulted in two students being expelled and two suspended for at least two semesters; another had already graduated before disciplinary action could be imposed, and two were found not responsible. None of the seven men were criminally charged. Jane Doe left Cornell without graduating.
• Thousands declare "I Am Jane Doe" on social media to protect victim anonymity — As the Cornell sexual assault case gained national attention, some social media users attempted to uncover Jane Doe's identity. In response, thousands of social media users identified themselves as Jane Doe, flooding social platforms with symbolic declarations to protect her anonymity and demand a thorough investigation and appropriate accountability.

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• Justice Department Finds UCLA Law School Discriminates Based on Race in Admissions — The Department of Justice announced this on 2026-10-01 through Civil Rights Division. The department's own account of it reads: "The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced today investigative findings that the University of California-Los Angeles School of Law (UCLA Law) discriminated against white and Asian students in granting admission to its 2023, 2024, and 2025 incoming classes."
• Department of Justice accuses UCLA Law School of illegal race-based admissions discrimination — The U.S. Department of Justice announced that UCLA Law School illegally considered race in admissions decisions for the 2023, 2024, and 2025 incoming classes, allegedly discriminating against white and Asian American applicants by favoring Black and Hispanic applicants. The DOJ cited lower mean LSAT scores for admitted Black applicants compared to admitted white applicants and stated that admissions staff instructed applicants on how to reveal their race in essays. UCLA denied the allegations and affirmed its commitment to merit-based, legally compliant admissions processes.
• Trump administration expands DOJ investigations into race-based admissions at multiple UC schools — The Trump administration has expanded its scrutiny beyond UCLA Law School to include accusations against UC Berkeley School of Law and the University of California, San Diego medical school of illegally discriminating against white and Asian applicants. This follows a similar accusation against UCLA's medical school and reflects a broader administration effort to investigate colleges' student selection processes for alleged race-conscious practices.

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• US House passes bill penalizing universities participating in Israel boycotts — The US House of Representatives passed the Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act on a 237-169 vote, with 33 Democrats crossing party lines. The bill mandates that colleges and universities receiving federal student aid and international study funding certify annually that they do not participate in boycotts of Israel and do not restrict students from participating in Israeli programs or Israeli students from campus programs. The measure now proceeds to the Senate.

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• Pentagon threatens to defund 30 universities over foreign academic partnerships — The Pentagon issued a directive ordering 30 US universities, including Harvard, MIT, Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, and Cornell, to review and terminate foreign academic partnerships deemed national security risks within two weeks (by August 31, 2026). The order targets ties to Chinese institutions and claims to protect taxpayer-funded research from unauthorized technology transfers and intellectual-property theft. Universities failing to comply face loss of federal funding.

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• Trump administration cancels Alzheimer's research grants targeting discrimination and racism impacts — The Trump administration canceled at least three grants totaling $15 million at Emory University and University of Pittsburgh that studied how discrimination and racism affect brain health and Alzheimer's disease risk. NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya cited misalignment with agency priorities and questioned the scientific validity of self-reported discrimination measures. The cancellations follow a pattern of DEI-related grant terminations, though a federal judge previously ruled similar cancellations illegal; the Supreme Court later allowed $783 million in NIH funding cuts to proceed via shadow docket ruling.

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• Judges rule against Trump administration in 75 First Amendment cases — Reuters analysis found that federal judges ruled against the Trump administration on First Amendment grounds in 75 of 93 cases where such arguments were raised, compared to 13 rulings against the Biden administration in 27 cases. The rulings covered retaliation against law firms, journalist restrictions, university funding cuts, actions against pro-Palestinian students and faculty, and excessive force at protests. Ten decisions came from Republican-appointed judges. The administration appealed approximately two-thirds of the rulings and persuaded appeals courts to pause or overturn 15 decisions.

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• Congressional Hearings on Smithsonian Report — On July 21 and 22, 2026, Dr. Anthea M. Hartig testified before the House Delivering on Government Efficiency Subcommittee and the House Administration Committee regarding the White House report on the National Museum of American History. During the hearings, Hartig defended the museum's work against accusations of political bias and misrepresentation of American history.
• House Administration Committee member coordinates with Christian nationalist figures on hearing strategy — Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA), a member of the House Committee on Administration, coordinated with David and Tim Barton—founders of the Christian nationalist organization WallBuilders—on questions to pose during a July 2026 hearing about the Smithsonian. Tim Barton stated on a podcast that committee members had called the Bartons for advice, and Loudermilk confirmed on a separate podcast that he had spoken with the Bartons on the day of the hearing. Loudermilk also stated he was working with the White House to stack the Smithsonian's Board of Regents with conservatives.
• House subcommittee questions Smithsonian National Museum of American History director on ideological bias — Anthea Hartig, director of the National Museum of American History, was questioned by a House subcommittee in late July 2026, during which Republican members accused the Smithsonian of being "infected by a woke ideology." Hartig testified that examining difficult chapters of American history is not hostility toward America and that the museum honors founding documents while telling the truth about times the country fell short of its ideals. The hearing was part of the Trump administration's broader campaign against the institution.

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• Trump administration releases executive order directing warning signs at Smithsonian's National Museum of American History — President Trump released an executive order on July 25, 2026, directing federal officials to install signs outside the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History informing visitors that the museum presents history inaccurately. The order cites a 162-page White House report released July 4 that accuses the museum of "extreme political activism," "anti-White activism," "transgender activism," and supporting illegal immigration. The signs are to direct visitors to "locations and resources for accurate information regarding America's history" without specifying where those resources are located.
• Executive Order on Smithsonian Institution — On July 24, 2026, President Trump issued Executive Order 14415, titled "Restoring Trust in the Smithsonian Institution." The order directed the National Park Service to place temporary signage outside the Smithsonian to correct what the administration deemed inaccurate information presented inside the museum. This action follows the release of a critical report on the museum's portrayal of American history.

Supporting reports

• Trump orders Interior Department to display signs outside Smithsonian Museum of American History — President Trump issued an order directing Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to coordinate with the National Park Service and White House domestic policy staff to install temporary signs outside the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. The signs are to notify visitors that museum exhibits require renovation and direct them to alternative sources for American history information. A separate directive requires signs criticizing the museum's commemoration of the Declaration of Independence during its 250th anniversary. The order follows Trump's broader campaign against the Smithsonian, which he accuses of politicizing history by emphasizing American injustices rather than triumphant moments.
• Trump signs executive order directing federal agencies to install signage at Smithsonian's National Museum of American History warning visitors of alleged "ideological capture" and mandating exhibit corrections. — President Trump signed Executive Order 14416 on July 24, 2026, directing the Secretary of the Interior, OMB Director, GSA Administrator, and Domestic Policy Assistant to use all available authorities to "restore trust" in the Smithsonian Institution. The order mandates installation of temporary signage on National Park Service–maintained sidewalks and walkways warning visitors that Museum exhibits reflect "ideological capture" and directing them to alternative sources for "accurate" American history. The order also requires temporary exhibits or signage correcting what the administration deems inaccurate information, citing the Museum's alleged failure to honor the Declaration of Independence signers during the 250th anniversary year.
• Trump issues executive order directing federal agencies to "restore trust" in Smithsonian Institution and install signage criticizing its exhibits — President Trump issued Executive Order 14254 on July 24, 2026, directing the Secretary of the Interior, OMB Director, GSA Administrator, and Domestic Policy Assistant to use all available authorities to address findings in a Domestic Policy Council report alleging "ideological capture" at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. The order mandates installation of temporary signage on National Park Service-maintained walkways warning visitors of alleged bias in museum exhibits and directing them to alternative historical resources. The order frames the Smithsonian's approach to American history as advancing "social justice" rather than presenting history as "shared national inheritance."
• Trump signed executive order directing federal agencies to install signage at Smithsonian museum warning of "ideological capture" — President Trump signed Executive Order 14416 on July 24, 2026, directing the Secretary of the Interior, OMB Director, GSA Administrator, and Domestic Policy Assistant to use all available authorities to "restore trust" in the Smithsonian Institution and its National Museum of American History. The order mandates installation of temporary signage on National Park Service-maintained walkways informing visitors of findings from a Domestic Policy Council report titled "Saving America's Story," which claims the museum presents American history as a tool for "social justice" rather than as "shared national inheritance." The order also directs installation of corrective exhibits or signage on NPS land.
• White House issued fact sheet promoting executive order on Smithsonian Institution governance — The White House published a fact sheet on July 24, 2026, describing an executive order signed by President Trump directing the Secretary of the Interior, OMB Director, GSA Administrator, and Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy to "restore trust" in the Smithsonian Institution. The order directs installation of temporary signage and exhibits correcting what the administration characterizes as "inaccurate information" in the National Museum of American History. The fact sheet claims the Smithsonian has been captured by "extreme political activism, rooted in Marxism" and asserts the order aims to restore "truth" to the nation's historical narrative.
• White House issues "What They Are Saying" compilation on Ratepayer Protection Pledge expansion — The White House published a compilation of statements from utility executives, state governors, federal officials, and industry groups endorsing an expansion of the administration's Ratepayer Protection Pledge announced at EPA Headquarters on July 24, 2026. The pledge commits signatories to ensure that data center and AI infrastructure costs do not increase electricity rates for existing residential and business customers. The document presents no new policy instrument but aggregates third-party endorsements of the pledge previously announced.

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• 11th Circuit Court of Appeals strikes down higher education component of Florida's Stop Woke Act — A federal appeals panel of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 on July 7, 2026, that the higher education provision of Florida's Stop Woke Act (Individual Freedom Act) violates the First Amendment by restricting professors' free speech on race and gender topics. The court found the state was "puppeteering" educators by controlling their speech and accused Florida of attempting to ban unpopular ideas from public discourse. The ruling reinforces a November 2022 district court injunction and mirrors a 2024 appeals court decision blocking the law's workplace provision.

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• Federal grant funded "Freedom Trucks" with sanitized history exhibits — Six traveling "Freedom Trucks" fanned out for the 250th anniversary with exhibits created by conservative groups including Hillsdale College and PragerU, featuring AI-generated historical figures and messaging that rights are a "gift from God." The trucks received a $14 million federal grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services paired with $10 million from Freedom 250. The exhibits omit slavery, Native removal, labor history, and civil rights, presenting a narrow, sanitized version of American history using public funds.

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• US appeals court rules Trump administration need not reinstate removed climate, immigration, and slavery materials from national parks — A three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit ruled Thursday that the Trump administration does not have to reinstate materials related to climate change, immigration, and slavery that it removed from national parks. The decision reversed a June district court order requiring reinstatement within 21 days. The appeals court found the advocacy groups challenging the removals had not demonstrated "irreparable harm" or specific evidence linking the removals to reputational or membership damage, despite the lower court's finding that the administration's actions set "a dangerous precedent of censorship and sanitization."

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• US appeals court rules Trump administration need not reinstate removed climate, immigration, and slavery materials from national parks — A three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit ruled Thursday that the Trump administration does not have to reinstate materials related to climate change, immigration, and slavery that it removed from national parks. The decision reversed a June district court order requiring reinstatement within 21 days. The appeals court found the advocacy groups challenging the removals had not demonstrated "irreparable harm" or specific evidence linking the removals to reputational or membership damage, despite the lower court's finding that the administration's actions set "a dangerous precedent of censorship and sanitization."

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• Florida Board of Education bans undocumented students from state colleges and universities — The Florida Board of Education, a seven-member body appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis, voted on Tuesday to bar access to all 28 state-funded colleges and universities to anyone not a U.S. citizen or "lawfully present" in the country. The rule follows Florida's prior action to strip in-state tuition discounts for certain immigrant students. Critics estimate the ban could cost Florida $15 million annually in lost tuition and fees and argue it violates the rule-making process by creating new policy rather than implementing existing law, a power reserved to the elected legislature.

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• US Supreme Court upholds state bans on transgender athletes in female sports — The US Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that states may exclude transgender girls and women from competing in female sports, overturning lower court judgments favoring two trans students—Lindsay Hecox in Idaho and Becky Pepper-Jackson in West Virginia. The court determined that such bans do not violate Title IX civil rights protections. The ruling is expected to embolden at least 25 other states with similar laws and represents a significant victory for the Trump administration's "culture war" agenda.
• US Supreme Court upholds trans athlete bans in West Virginia and Idaho — The US Supreme Court ruled that West Virginia and Idaho may constitutionally bar transgender girls from competing on girls' sports teams. The decision is legally narrow—it does not mandate bans nationwide or strip trans students of all Title IX protections—but advocates warn it will be weaponized to expand exclusionary policies across the 25 other states with similar restrictions and to erode trans rights in education, employment, and healthcare more broadly.
• Supreme Court upholds state bans on transgender athletes in school sports — The Supreme Court upheld state laws that ban transgender athletes from competing in school sports consistent with their gender identity. The ruling allows states to enforce restrictions on transgender participation in athletics, affecting access and equal treatment in school sports.
• Court rules that states can exclude transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s sports teams — The Supreme Court ruled that states have the authority to exclude transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports teams. This decision allows states to implement policies that restrict transgender athletes' participation based on their gender identity. The ruling has significant implications for the rights of transgender individuals and the ongoing debate over gender and sports. The decision may lead to further legislative and legal actions at the state level as states decide how to implement or challenge this ruling.
• Supreme Court releases opinion in West Virginia v. B. P. J. (24-43) — The Supreme Court released an official slip opinion in West Virginia v. B. P. J. Docket number(s): 24-43.
• White House issues release celebrating Supreme Court ruling on transgender athletes and detailing administration actions — The White House issued a release on June 30, 2026, responding to a Supreme Court decision permitting states to reserve female athletic competition for biological females. The release characterizes this as a "landmark victory" and lists executive actions the administration claims to have taken, including barring transgender individuals from military service, defunding gender-affirming medical care, eliminating "gender ideology" curricula, and requiring biological sex markers on federal documents.
• US Supreme Court rejects transgender girls' participation in female sports — In a Trump-friendly ruling issued on the same day as the birthright citizenship verdict, the Supreme Court effectively dismissed the rights of transgender girls and women to participate in female sports. The decision removes protections previously afforded to transgender athletes.

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• House Judiciary Committee Democrats demand records and interviews from Harvard and Bard over Epstein ties — Rep. Jamie Raskin, top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, issued formal requests to Harvard University and Bard College demanding comprehensive records, financial documents, and communications related to Jeffrey Epstein's donations, faculty relationships, and involvement in admissions and research. Raskin also requested a transcribed interview with outgoing Bard president Leon Botstein. The requests cite incomplete prior investigations (Harvard in 2008 and 2019) and allege Epstein leveraged university ties to traffic women while rehabilitating his reputation. Both universities have until July 1 to respond.

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• Federal judge orders Trump administration to restore removed national park historical displays — US District Judge Angel Kelley ruled that the Trump administration must reinstate history and science materials removed from national monuments and parks pursuant to a March 2025 executive order titled "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History." The order had directed removal of exhibits referencing slavery, civil rights, Indigenous history, and climate change, which Kelley found constituted "censorship and sanitization" and told "half-truths." The administration was given 21 days to comply.
• Federal judge struck down Trump administration's removal of slavery and civil rights history from national parks — Federal Judge Angel Kelley in Massachusetts issued a ruling Friday striking down the Trump administration's effort to remove historical markers from national parks under the March 2025 "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History" executive order. The order had directed the Interior Department to remove content deemed to "inappropriately disparage" Americans, resulting in park rangers being ordered to discard educational materials about slavery, the Civil Rights Movement, harm to Indigenous people, and climate change. Targeted items included an 1863 image of enslaved man Peter Gordon at Fort Pulaski National Park, an exhibit about enslaved people at George Washington's home, Indigenous history displays at Golden Gate National Park, and a climate change marker at Fort Sumter. Judge Kelley ruled the government's stewardship of park sites "carries a responsibility to present history in full rather than in favored fragments." The Trump administration announced it will appeal.

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• Justice Department launches compliance review of California school districts on gender-related instruction and policies — The Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division announced a compliance review of four California public school districts (Graves Elementary, San Francisco Unified, Santa Rita Union, and Soledad Unified) regarding instruction on sexual orientation and gender ideology in grades pre-K–12, parental notification and opt-out policies, and access to single-sex spaces and sports teams based on gender identity. The review will assess adherence to Title IX and response to recent Supreme Court decisions cited as establishing parental rights precedent. No conclusions have been reached.

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• MIT reported 20 percent decline in federally funded research — MIT President Sally Kornbluth announced that federally funded research at MIT has declined by 20 percent compared to the previous year, representing a significant loss for one of the nation's most influential research institutions. The decline will also result in a reduction of approximately 500 graduate students, or about 20 percent of MIT's graduate student population. The decline reflects the impact of Trump administration policies on federal research funding.

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• Office of Management and Budget proposed federal grant control rule — The Office of Management and Budget, directed by Russell Vought, proposed a sweeping change to federal rules that would place Trump appointees in control of billions of dollars in federal grants. The proposed rule would empower Trump's appointees to terminate grants that do not align with Trump's priorities, including grants awarded to universities through the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. The rule represents an attempt to politicize the distribution of federal research funding.
• OMB publishes sweeping grant-vetting proposal requiring political approval of federal awards to universities and NGOs — The White House Office of Management and Budget published a 400-page proposal requiring Trump-appointed officials to vet all federal grants to universities and nongovernmental organizations based on "American values" as defined by the president and "demonstrably advance the president's policy priorities." The proposal would bypass peer review, allow grants to be terminated at any time for any reason, ban diversity and LGBTQ+ support, prohibit disparate-impact research, and centralize grant administration under OMB Director Russell Vought. The rule-making process began with Friday's Federal Register publication and would take effect in October.

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• Knox County Schools removes Alex Haley's Roots from library shelves under Tennessee Age-Appropriate Materials Act — Knox County Schools (KCS) in Tennessee removed Alex Haley's Roots from school library shelves in May 2026, citing Tennessee's 2022 Age-Appropriate Materials Act. The district's review committee determined a passage in the novel's 84th chapter was not "age appropriate" under state law. KCS spokesperson Carly Harrington stated the decision reflected adherence to state law rather than judgment on the book's literary or cultural value. The material remains available for classroom instruction but is no longer accessible on library shelves.

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• University of Michigan president condemns faculty member's pro-Palestinian remarks at commencement — Derek Peterson, a history professor and outgoing chair of the University of Michigan faculty senate, made brief remarks during the May 2 commencement ceremony acknowledging "pro-Palestinian student activists" for opening hearts to injustice in Gaza. The university president condemned the remarks as "inappropriate and did not align with the purpose of the occasion." Republican politicians called for consequences and federal funding cuts. Peterson stated he had deviated only slightly from prepared remarks approved by administrators and deliberately avoided using the word "genocide" to remain diplomatic. Over 1,400 faculty members, the American Association of University Professors, and the American Federation of Teachers subsequently defended Peterson's academic freedom.

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• Rutgers University cancels graduation speech by alumnus Rami Elghandour over pro-Palestinian social media posts — Rutgers University's School of Engineering rescinded its invitation to tech entrepreneur and alumnus Rami Elghandour to deliver a graduation address scheduled for May 15, 2026, after some graduating students complained about his social media posts regarding Palestine. Dean Alberto Cuitiño informed Elghandour the posts were "opposed to their beliefs" but declined to specify which posts or how many students objected. Elghandour, an executive producer of the Oscar-nominated film "The Voice of Hind Rajab," stated he had planned to speak about kindness and success without compromising beliefs, not Palestine. The university said no replacement speaker would be appointed.

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• OMB proposes $1 trillion federal grant-making overhaul placing funds under political appointee control — Trump's Office of Management and Budget proposed a 400+ page overhaul of the federal grant-making process in May 2026, designed to place nearly $1 trillion in grants under control of political appointees by October. The proposal would institutionalize prior ad-hoc cancellations of research grants deemed "woke," ban diversity and inclusion programs, discourage international scientific collaboration, require alignment with presidential "priorities," and allow the government to cancel awards no longer in its "interest." The public comment period closed after only 45 days, with nearly 500,000 comments submitted, approximately 95% in opposition. Twenty-two state attorneys general have signaled intent to challenge the rule.