Trump Action Archive

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• Andrew Cuomo campaign posts unlabeled AI-generated deepfake videos in NYC mayoral race — Andrew Cuomo's campaign posted AI-generated deepfake videos attacking opponent Zohran Mamdani during the 2025 New York City mayoral election. One video, later deleted, depicted racist and Islamophobic content showing a fictionalized Mamdani eating rice with his fingers, a Black man shoplifting, and another Black man appearing to endorse sex trafficking. The campaign claimed the ad was sent out by accident. New York state law requires AI-generated campaign ads to be labeled; this ad was not. The incident exemplifies emerging use of generative AI in electoral campaigns.

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• Complaint filed: National Council of Jewish Women v. USCIS and DHS (D. Md.) — On November 7, 2025, the National Council of Jewish Women filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland challenging a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services guidance document issued on August 29, 2025, that banned non-governmental entities from providing voter registration services. The plaintiff, which had regularly assisted newly eligible voters including naturalized citizens, alleged the ban violated the First Amendment (free expression and association), the Fifth Amendment (equal protection), and the Administrative Procedure Act (arbitrary and capricious action). The plaintiff seeks a declaration that the ban is unlawful and an injunction blocking its enforcement.

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• Trump demanded Republican senators eliminate the Senate filibuster to pass legislation without Democratic support — During a White House meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, President Trump reiterated his demand that Republican senators end the filibuster to enable passage of a continuing resolution without Democratic votes. Trump argued that eliminating the filibuster would allow Republicans to pass legislation guaranteeing they would "never lose the midterms and we will never lose a general election" again, attempting to address Republican concerns about future Democratic use of a simple majority.
• Trump demanded Senate abolish the filibuster — During a press conference, Trump called on the Senate to eliminate the filibuster, stating that doing so would ensure Republicans "will never lose the midterms" and "will never lose the general election." He cited voter ID requirements and elimination of mail-in voting as legislative priorities that would be enabled by filibuster abolition.

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• Trump falsely claimed California Proposition 50 vote was rigged — Trump posted on social media claiming that California's Proposition 50 redistricting vote was "RIGGED" and that mail-in ballots were fraudulent, suggesting the entire voting process was under "legal and criminal review." White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the false claim, stating "there's fraud in California's elections. It's just a fact," despite no evidence supporting such allegations.
• Trump panic-tweeted that elections were rigged on Election Day — With an approval rating under 40%, Trump spent Election Day posting on social media to suggest that elections across the country were "rigged," repeating the same claims he made in 2020 without evidence. These posts were made while voting was ongoing.
• Press Secretary Leavitt made unsubstantiated claims of election fraud in California — White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, when asked about Trump's claims that California voting was rigged, asserted "it's absolutely true that there is fraud in CA's elections" and claimed "fraudulent ballots that are being mailed in the names of other people, in the names of illegal aliens who shouldn't be voting," without providing evidence.

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• Trump threatened federal funding retaliation against New York City over mayoral election — Trump posted on social media that if New York City voters elected Democrat Zohran Mamdani as mayor, he would restrict federal funding to the city to the bare minimum required by law. The threat was made before Election Day and constituted an attempt to influence voters through coercive use of federal spending power.
• Trump endorsed Andrew Cuomo and threatened to withhold federal funds from New York — President Trump posted on Truth Social endorsing Andrew Cuomo for New York City mayor and threatened to withhold federal funds from New York if communist candidate Zohran Mamdani wins, stating he would contribute only "the very minimum as required" if Mamdani is elected because "as a Communist, this once great City has ZERO chance of success."

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• Trump threatens to cut federal funds if Mamdani wins mayoral election — On the eve of the New York mayoral election, President Donald Trump threatened to withhold federal funds from the city if Zohran Mamdani, the "communist" candidate, wins. Trump stated that he would only provide the minimum required federal funding, claiming that sending money to a city led by a communist would be a waste. This statement raises concerns about the legality of using federal funding as a political tool, as Congress controls appropriations.
• Trump endorses Cuomo and threatens to withhold federal funds from NYC — On Truth Social, Trump endorsed Andrew Cuomo in the New York City mayoral election, saying, "Whether you personally like [him] or not, you really have no choice." He once again threatened to withhold federal funds "other than the very minimum as required" to the city if Zohran Mamdani is elected, whom he called a "Communist" multiple times.

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• Trump continues to make false claims about 2020 election being stolen — President Trump posted on Truth Social on October 27, 2025, baselessly claiming the 2020 presidential election was "Rigged and Stolen" and calling it "the biggest SCANDAL in American history." Trump also made similar claims aimed at undermining confidence in the 2026 midterms, calling for restrictions on mail-in voting and early voting while promoting voter ID requirements.

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• Virginia Democrats convene special session to consider congressional redistricting — Don Scott, the Democratic speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, sent a letter on Thursday alerting members to a special session reconvening to consider legislation on redistricting. The move aims to redraw Virginia's congressional maps to deliver two or three additional Democratic seats. Virginia currently has a 6-5 Democratic advantage in its delegation. The state becomes the second after California to attempt mid-cycle redistricting to benefit Democrats in response to Republican redistricting efforts in Texas, North Carolina, and Missouri.
• Virginia Democrats Plan to Redraw Congressional Maps — Virginia Democrats, led by House Speaker Don Scott, are planning to redraw the state's congressional maps to potentially add two or three Democratic seats. This move is part of a broader strategy to counter Republican redistricting efforts in other states. The Virginia General Assembly had previously amended the state constitution to create a bipartisan redistricting commission, but Democrats are considering a constitutional amendment to allow partisan redistricting. This would require passing the amendment in two successive legislatures and a ballot referendum. The governor of Virginia cannot veto redistricting legislation.
• Virginia Democrats announce special legislative session to redraw congressional map — Virginia Democrats announced they will hold a special legislative session to redraw the state's congressional map. The author presents this as a Democratic response to Republican gerrymandering and as part of the effort to prepare for the 2026 midterm elections.

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• North Carolina Republicans pass congressional redistricting map to shift delegation from 10-4 to 11-3 — The North Carolina state senate passed a new congressional district map on Tuesday, October 22, 2025, designed to flip the state's congressional delegation from a 10-4 Republican advantage to 11-3 by targeting Democratic congressman Don Davis's district in the northeast. State law does not grant Democratic Governor Josh Stein veto power over redistricting. The Republican-controlled state house is expected to pass the map quickly. The map preserves the first congressional district's majority-Black composition to avoid racial gerrymandering challenges, though critics argue it undermines bipartisanship and Democratic representation despite 46% of 2024 congressional votes going to Democratic candidates.
• North Carolina House scheduled to vote on GOP redistricting measure SB 249 — The North Carolina House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on SB 249, a redistricting bill, on October 22, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. in the House chamber. The measure requires two votes for passage and cannot be vetoed by the Governor. The article characterizes the bill as "unconstitutional" and describes it as a scheme by Republican leadership to maintain power. Public comment periods were held in both House and Senate elections committees, and a rally was organized by NC Democrats in opposition.
• North Carolina Legislature Enacts New Congressional Map — The North Carolina Legislature has enacted a new congressional map that has been criticized for gerrymandering. The map is said to dilute the voting power of a region with a significant history of civil rights activism. This legislative action is part of ongoing disputes over redistricting in the state, which have seen multiple legal challenges in recent years. The new map is expected to face further scrutiny and potential legal challenges from civil rights groups and other stakeholders concerned about fair representation.

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• Louisiana v Callais case scheduled for oral arguments on Voting Rights Act — The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear Louisiana v Callais on October 15, a case challenging Louisiana's creation of a majority-Black congressional district required under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The case will determine whether such majority-minority districts violate the 14th or 15th Amendments. Legal experts predict the court may strike down the Voting Rights Act's majority-minority district provision on "color-blind" grounds, potentially enabling Republican-run states to gerrymander districts and affecting the 2026 midterm elections.
• Oral arguments in Louisiana v Callais on Voting Rights Act Section 2 — The US Supreme Court heard oral arguments on 15 October in Louisiana v Callais, which challenges whether Section 2 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act is constitutional. Louisiana is accused of creating a second majority-Black congressional district to comply with the act's minority representation provisions, which the state argues violates the 14th and 15th Amendments. The case will determine whether the Voting Rights Act's core protections for racial minorities remain enforceable or whether the Court will further restrict voting rights protections.
• US Supreme Court hears Louisiana v Callais, case that could gut Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act — The US Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments on October 15, 2025, in Louisiana v Callais, a case challenging the constitutionality of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The dispute centers on Louisiana's redrawing of a congressional district to create a second majority-Black district after Black voters sued under Section 2. White voters are now challenging that district as an unconstitutional race-based gerrymander. The Court has invited briefing on whether the district violates the 14th and 15th Amendments. A ruling striking down or severely limiting Section 2 would eliminate the primary remaining tool for challenging racially discriminatory voting practices nationwide.
• Supreme Court hears arguments in Louisiana v. Callais and Robinson v. Callais challenging Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act — The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in two consolidated cases challenging a federal court decision that struck down Louisiana's racial gerrymander and required the state to create a second majority-Black congressional district. The right-wing majority indicated opposition to the use of race in redistricting to comply with the Voting Rights Act, suggesting such remedies are unconstitutional. A ruling against Section 2 could eliminate more than a dozen Democratic-held districts in the South and fundamentally alter the balance of power in the House of Representatives.
• Supreme Court re-heard case on Voting Rights Act Section 2 — The Supreme Court re-heard a case that could further undercut the 1965 Voting Rights Act by dismantling Section 2, the law's main safeguard against racially discriminatory redistricting. If the justices strike down Section 2, Republicans could gain 19 new safe U.S. house seats, enough to lock in one-party control of the House of Representatives for a generation.
• US Supreme Court hears arguments on Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act in Louisiana electoral districts case — The US Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Wednesday in a case challenging Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits racial discrimination in voting. The case involves Louisiana electoral districts. Voting rights activists, predominantly Black, gathered outside the Court to protest, invoking the legacy of civil rights leaders and warning that weakening the Voting Rights Act would reverse decades of progress. Legal advocates including Janai Nelson of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund argued on behalf of Black voters, expressing confidence that the law and the justices' own precedent support their position.
• US Supreme Court hears oral arguments in Callais v Louisiana, case challenging Voting Rights Act Section 2 — The US Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Wednesday in Callais v Louisiana, a case in which Louisiana, non-African American voters, and the Trump administration challenge Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits electoral maps that dilute minority voting power. The conservative majority appeared sympathetic to weakening or eliminating this provision. The case centers on Louisiana's 2024 congressional map that created a second majority-Black district following a prior Voting Rights Act lawsuit. A ruling against Section 2 could set a precedent making redistricting lawsuits based on race considerably harder to bring.
• US Supreme Court oral arguments signal intent to narrow Section 2 of Voting Rights Act in Louisiana v Callais — The US Supreme Court's conservative majority appeared poised during oral arguments on October 16, 2025, to weaken Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act as applied to redistricting. The case, Louisiana v Callais, involves Louisiana's sixth congressional district, which was redrawn to create a second majority-Black district following a successful Section 2 challenge by Black voters. White voters and the Trump administration challenged the map, arguing that race-conscious redistricting violates the 14th and 15th Amendments. A ruling narrowing Section 2 could strip minority voters of a key tool to challenge discriminatory district lines and potentially cost Democrats around a dozen House seats.
• Supreme Court hears arguments in Louisiana v. Callais — The Supreme Court heard arguments in the case of Louisiana v. Callais, which challenges a federal court decision that found Louisiana's congressional district map violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act by racially gerrymandering Black voters. The case could determine the future of majority-minority districts and the enforcement of voting rights protections. The right-wing majority of the Court indicated a potential shift away from previous understandings of race in redistricting.

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• North Carolina Republicans announce plan to redraw congressional maps to gain additional Republican seat — Republican legislative leaders in North Carolina announced they will redraw the state's congressional maps during an October 2025 legislative session to add one additional Republican seat, citing Trump's call for state legislatures to undertake redistricting. The move follows similar mid-decade gerrymandering efforts in Texas, California, Missouri, and Indiana. North Carolina currently holds 10 of 14 congressional districts with Republicans; the state's 2023 maps were previously identified by the Brennan Center for Justice as among the most extreme in the nation.
• North Carolina Republican leadership plans to redraw congressional maps to reduce Democratic representation — Trump demanded that Republican leadership of the North Carolina General Assembly redraw congressional maps to further advantage Republicans. The plan, scheduled to begin Monday October 20, would reduce Democratic representation from four to three seats while increasing Republican seats from ten to eleven in a state with roughly equal partisan division. The redistricting is characterized as targeting Black voters and a Black Representative, occurring amid a pending Supreme Court case that may weaken Voting Rights Act protections against racial gerrymandering.

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• National Archives improperly releases Democratic representative Sherrill's military records to Republican opponent's ally — The National Archives and Records Administration improperly released the full military records of Democratic representative Mikie Sherrill to an ally of her Republican opponent, Jack Ciattarelli, in the New Jersey governor's race. Sherrill had an unblemished Navy career and was never accused of cheating, though she did not report classmates involved in a 1994 Naval Academy cheating scandal. The unredacted release appears to violate the 1974 Privacy Act. The National Archives said the release was a mistake and apologized.

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• Department of Justice sues six states to force release of voter rolls and voter identification information — The Department of Justice sued six states—California, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania—to force them to hand over their voter rolls and information identifying individual voters. The lawsuit follows a nearly identical lawsuit the DOJ filed the previous week against Maine and Oregon. State officials from both Democratic and Republican governments have questioned why the federal government wants the information. Oregon's Democratic secretary of state Tobias Read characterized the lawsuits as an attempt by Trump to use the DOJ to target political opponents and undermine elections.
• Justice Department sues six states over voter registration list production — The Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division announced federal lawsuits against California, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania for failure to produce statewide voter registration lists upon request. Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated that clean voter rolls are foundational to free and fair elections and that states have a responsibility to comply with federal elections law. The suits invoke the National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, and Civil Rights Act of 1960.

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• DOJ sued Oregon and Maine over voter registration lists — The Justice Department said it sued Oregon and Maine for failing to turn over their voter registration lists and information about ineligible voters, a move it argues violates federal law. Oregon's secretary of state responded that "If the President wants to use the DOJ to go after his political opponents and undermine our elections, I look forward to seeing them in court."

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• Department of Justice sues Oregon and Maine over voter registration list disclosure — The Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division filed lawsuits against Oregon and Maine, naming their respective Secretaries of State, alleging violations of the National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, and Civil Rights Act of 1960. The suits charge that both states refused to provide unredacted electronic copies of statewide voter registration lists and information on voter list maintenance procedures. The DOJ stated both states provided identical information to a private organization but withheld it from the federal government.
• DOJ files lawsuits against Oregon and Maine demanding voter data — The Department of Justice filed lawsuits against Oregon and Maine seeking to compel disclosure of private voter registration data, including driver's license numbers and partial social security numbers. The lawsuits cite an executive order signed by President Trump on March 25 claiming, without evidence, that states have failed to protect voters from fraudulent voting. Oregon's Secretary of State and election experts argue the DOJ has no legitimate purpose for the data and plans to use it to substantiate false voter-fraud conspiracy theories and suppress voting.

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• Trump threatened to withhold federal funding from New York over mayoral candidate — President Trump threatened to withhold federal funding from New York if the state elects Zohran Mamdani as mayor of New York City, calling him a "Liddle Communist" and stating "Washington will be watching this situation very closely. No reason to be sending good money after bad!"
• Trump warned Hochul over Mamdani endorsement — After New York Governor Kathy Hochul endorsed Zohran Mamdani in New York City's mayoral election, Trump warned, "Washington will be watching this situation very closely. No reason to be sending good money after bad!" The statement represents federal interference in a local election.

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• Missouri lawmakers approved mid-decade gerrymander to convert Democratic seat to Republican — Missouri lawmakers approved a mid-decade gerrymander designed to convert one of the state's two Democratic seats into a Republican seat, demonstrating Republican efforts to make the electoral system more rigged in response to Trump's low approval ratings and policy disapproval.

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• Trump Justice Department building largest voting database — The New York Times reported that Trump's Justice Department is quietly building the largest national voting database in the agency's history, which includes data from more than 30 states. Experts say efforts to collect information about individual voters, including their names and addresses, may be against the law, and have raised concerns about the data being used to revive debunked claims about the 2020 presidential election being stolen or to discredit future elections.

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• Texas Redistricting Lawsuit Filed — A lawsuit has been filed challenging the newly drawn congressional maps in Texas, alleging that the maps are a partisan gerrymander favoring the Republican Party. The plaintiffs argue that the redistricting process violates the Voting Rights Act and the U.S. Constitution by diluting the voting power of minority communities. The case has been filed in federal court, and the plaintiffs are seeking a court order to block the use of the maps in upcoming elections.
• Missouri Republicans approve mid-decade congressional redistricting eliminating Democratic seat — Missouri Republicans approved a new congressional map on September 12, 2025, that eliminates a district currently held by Democrat Emanuel Cleaver in Kansas City and redistributes voters into GOP-friendly districts, increasing Republican seats from six to seven of eight. The map now goes to Republican Governor Mike Kehoe for signature. Opponents plan to gather signatures for a statewide referendum within 90 days to force a voter decision on the maps in 2026.

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• Michigan judge dismissed fake elector charges — A Michigan state judge dismissed charges against a group of fake electors who signed certificates that falsely stated Trump won the state in the 2020 presidential election, ruling that there wasn't sufficient evidence to prove their intent to commit fraud. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel called the dismissal "the most dangerous slippery slope for American democracy" and expressed terror about the 2026 elections.
• Michigan judge dismisses charges against 15 Trump fake electors — Judge Kristen Simmons in Michigan dismissed felony charges against 15 of 16 people accused of falsely signing documents claiming Trump won the 2020 election. The judge ruled the state had not provided sufficient evidence of intent to prove fraud, characterizing the defendants' actions as exercising their constitutional right to seek redress. The dismissal represents a significant setback for efforts to hold Trump and allies accountable for attempting to overturn the 2020 election results.

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• DOJ official sought access to 2020 voting equipment in Missouri — The Washington Post reported that a senior Justice Department official recently tried to gain access to voting equipment used by two Republican clerks in Missouri during the 2020 presidential election, a request the outlet called "unusual."

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• Eric Adams Announces Continuation in Mayoral Race — Eric Adams, the current mayor of New York City, announced his decision to remain in the mayoral race despite reports suggesting that former President Donald Trump was encouraging him to withdraw. Trump allegedly offered Adams a potential ambassador position in Saudi Arabia to persuade him to drop out, aiming to consolidate support for independent candidate Andrew Cuomo against Democratic frontrunner Zohran Mamdani. Adams denied any job offers and reaffirmed his commitment to the race, emphasizing his working-class roots and determination to defeat Mamdani.
• Trump reportedly pressures NYC Mayor Adams to drop mayoral race; Adams denies and confirms candidacy — President Trump reportedly encouraged New York City Mayor Eric Adams to withdraw from the 2025 mayoral race and offered him a potential ambassador post to Saudi Arabia, allegedly to consolidate support for independent candidate Andrew Cuomo against Democratic frontrunner Zohran Mamdani. Adams denied the claims on Thursday and publicly confirmed Friday he is staying in the race, stating he is "the only one that can beat Mamdani." Trump's team reportedly also discussed offering a job to Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa to remove him from the race.

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• Trump directs DOJ to investigate ActBlue, Democratic fundraising platform — President Trump ordered the Department of Justice to investigate ActBlue, an online portal that has raised hundreds of millions in small-dollar donations for Democratic candidates over two decades. The investigation targets a Democratic fundraising tool while Trump's appointees have not similarly investigated WinRed, the Republican equivalent. This action represents a direct use of federal prosecutorial power to disadvantage the opposing party ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

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• Trump announced mandatory voter ID executive order without congressional authority — On Truth Social, Trump said he will sign an executive order to make voter ID mandatory for elections, a move he cannot legally make without Congress changing election laws. He also repeated calls to ban mail-in voting for most Americans and for the use of "PAPER BALLOTS ONLY!!!" The announcement represents an attempt to unilaterally alter election administration procedures that require legislative authorization.
• Trump announces executive order to end mail-in voting — President Trump announced that lawyers were drafting an executive order to eliminate mail-in balloting, a voting method used by nearly one in three Americans. He also threatened to do away with voting machines entirely. Trump claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin told him mail-in voting was responsible for his 2020 election loss, providing a false rationale for the proposed order.
• Trump announces plan for executive order mandating voter ID for all US elections — President Donald Trump announced via Truth Social that he will issue an executive order requiring identification for all US elections, with no exceptions, and stated he wants to ban most mail-in voting except for the severely ill or military personnel. Legal experts and the article note the Constitution grants primary election authority to states and Congress, not the president, making such an order likely unconstitutional. Trump's push stems from baseless claims about the 2020 election being stolen.
• Trump declares intent to take over all voting via executive order — Trump posted on social media: "Voter I.D. Must Be Part of Every Single Vote. NO EXCEPTIONS! I Will Be Doing An Executive Order To That End!!! Also, No Mail-In Voting, Except For Those That Are Very Ill, And The Far Away Military. USE PAPER BALLOTS ONLY!!!" This declaration signals intent to unilaterally impose voting restrictions via executive order.

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• Missouri governor calls special legislative session to redraw congressional districts — Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe announced a special legislative session to redraw the state's congressional districts, following pressure from Donald Trump to reshape boundaries to favor Republicans. The move aims to help the GOP gain an additional House seat in the 2026 midterms. Kehoe's announcement came hours after Texas Governor Greg Abbott ratified a similar map designed to gain five Republican seats. Trump publicly celebrated the announcement and urged Missouri lawmakers to pass a "new, much fairer" map. The session will also address initiative petition reform to restrict citizen-led ballot measures.