Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Trump raises more than $2 billion for vanity projects and causes through donations from wealthy individuals — Trump has raised more than $2 billion for his projects and causes, including a ballroom where the East Wing used to be and a proposed presidential library in Miami. More than half a billion came from 346 people who each gave at least $250,000. Some donors have received presidential pardons, others have been given jobs, and all have received access to the president.

Supporting reports

• Interior Secretary announced renovation of public golf course with Trump-tied contractor — Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced plans to renovate East Potomac Golf Links, a public golf course, into a championship facility. The contract was awarded to Fazio Design, a firm with longstanding ties to Trump. The accompanying map contains cartographic errors, including an incorrectly positioned Washington Monument.

Supporting reports

• Trump made over 3,700 stock trades in first quarter of 2026, totaling tens of millions of dollars — Financial filings revealed that Trump or his investment advisors made more than 3,700 trades in the first quarter of 2026—over 40 per day—totaling tens of millions of dollars in major companies with business dealings with his administration. Unlike his predecessors, Trump did not place assets in a blind trust with an independent manager. Instead, his sons Don Jr. and Eric manage the business in areas directly related to government policies Trump decides. Investments included Nvidia, Intel, Netflix, Paramount Skydance, Warner Bros Discovery, Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon. Wall Street executives expressed concern about conflicts of interest.

Supporting reports

• Vice President Vance announces withholding of $1.3 billion in Medicaid payments from California — Vice President J.D. Vance announced that the Trump administration intends to withhold $1.3 billion in Medicaid payments from California, citing alleged fraud in state Medicaid programs and claiming the state is not cooperating with federal anti-fraud efforts. The announcement was made during a visit to Maine where Vance promoted the administration's stated anti-fraud agenda in public services.

Supporting reports

• Trump negotiates $1.7 billion fund to compensate allies for alleged DOJ weaponization — Trump is in talks to drop his $10 billion IRS lawsuit in exchange for the government establishing a $1.7 billion taxpayer-funded account to compensate Trump's allies who claim they were harmed by the Biden administration's alleged weaponization of the Department of Justice. Eligible recipients would include nearly 1,600 people convicted of crimes related to the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack, whom Trump pardoned or commuted shortly after taking office in January 2025. While Trump himself will likely be barred from direct payments, entities associated with him will not be.
• Trump DOJ creates $1.7 billion compensation fund for January 6 defendants and Trump allies — The Trump administration is expected to settle Trump's $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS by creating a $1.7 billion taxpayer-funded compensation fund to pay individuals and entities claiming wrongful targeting by the Biden administration. The fund would compensate approximately 1,600 January 6 Capitol attack defendants and potentially Trump-associated entities. Trump would retain authority to remove commission members without cause, and the commission would operate with minimal disclosure requirements or oversight of its decision-making process for distributing over $1 billion in public funds.
• Trump administration considers $1.7 billion compensation fund for allies investigated under Biden — The Trump administration is reportedly considering a $1.7 billion fund to compensate President Trump's allies and others who claim they were harmed by Justice Department investigations during the Biden administration. The fund could cover legal costs for people in Trump's orbit and potentially extend to some of the nearly 1,600 people charged in connection with the January 6 Capitol attack. The administration has discussed modeling the program on past federal settlement funds, with possible payments through the Treasury Department's Judgment Fund. The proposal has not been finalized or approved.
• White House and DOJ explore settlement of Trump's $10 billion IRS lawsuit — The New York Times reported that the White House and Justice Department are exploring a settlement in Trump's $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS for releasing his tax returns. ABC News reported that Trump is expected to settle in exchange for launching a $1.7 billion compensation fund for his allies, including those pardoned for Jan. 6 involvement, with a Trump-controlled commission overseeing distribution and recipient identities potentially kept private. The settlement would use taxpayer funds to reward political allies.

Supporting reports

• Trump uses UFC event on White House lawn as fundraising vehicle through sponsorship packages — Trump is using a planned Ultimate Fighting Championship event to be held on his birthday on the White House lawn as a mechanism for donors to funnel money to him. Although the UFC is paying for the event and expects to lose up to $30 million, and tickets are technically free, Trump controls ticket distribution. Sponsorship packages including ringside seats have sold for $1 million or more, with neither the White House nor UFC disclosing where the money goes.

Supporting reports

• Boeing and Toyota fund Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy's reality television show — Boeing and Toyota each donated $1 million to fund a reality television show called "The Great American Road Trip" starring Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and his family traveling across the United States. The show was produced by a nonprofit backed by major companies overseen by Duffy's agency. The companies being regulated by Duffy's department funded content featuring the secretary in a promotional capacity.
• Transportation Secretary Duffy's reality show raised ethics concerns — CNN reported that Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy filmed a five-part reality show titled "The Great American Road Trip" with his family over seven months. The show's sponsors include Boeing, Shell, Toyota, United Airlines, and Royal Caribbean—all companies that intersect with the Department of Transportation. Duffy claimed costs were paid by a nonprofit and his family received no salary or royalties. Donald Sherman of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington criticized the arrangement as ethically problematic given high gas prices and airline safety concerns.
• Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy took extended leave to film television series while in office — Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy took a seven-month road trip to film a television series called "The Great American Road Trip" while serving as secretary. He appeared on Fox & Friends on the day the national average gas price reached $4.54 per gallon, stating that "it fits any budget to do a road trip," creating a disconnect between his public messaging and his absence from his official duties.

Supporting reports

• Senate Republicans included $1 billion for Trump's ballroom in DHS funding bill — Senate Republicans released the text of a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security that included $1 billion in taxpayer money designated for the "East Wing Modernization Project, including above-ground and below-ground security features" at Trump's property. The bill also allocated $3.4 billion for CBP through 2029 and $30 billion for ICE. Senate GOP leaders planned to bring the reconciliation bill to the floor the week of May 18.

Supporting reports

• Reynolds American donates $5 million to Trump Super PAC before FDA reversal on flavored vapes — Reynolds American, through its RAI Services subsidiary, donated $5 million to MAGA Inc. on April 30, 2026. Two days later, Trump met with Reynolds executives and Reynolds lobbyist Brian Ballard at Trump's golf club in Jupiter, Florida. At the meeting, executives complained about the prohibition on fruit-flavored vapes, banned due to their appeal to children. Trump interrupted the meeting to call FDA Commissioner Marty Makary. Within a week, the FDA produced new guidance facilitating Reynolds and other companies to resume selling fruit-flavored vapes. Makary reportedly resigned in protest.

Supporting reports

• Representative Chip Roy pushed for taxpayer funding of White House ballroom — According to reporting by Meidas reporter Pablo Manriquez, Representative Chip Roy advocated for using taxpayer funds to pay for the White House ballroom construction. When Manriquez asked Senator Ron Johnson if he would support Roy's push for public funding, Johnson responded affirmatively, stating "Sure" when asked if he would vote for public funds to be used for the ballroom.
• House Republicans propose $400 million taxpayer funding for Trump ballroom — Senate Republicans, led by Sen. Lindsey Graham, announced plans to introduce legislation authorizing $400 million in taxpayer funding to build a ballroom at the White House, to be offset by customs fees. Trump originally claimed in February 2025 the ballroom would be paid entirely from his own pocket, then shifted to donor funding, and now seeks public money. Rep. Lauren Boebert cited national security as justification. Multiple Democratic representatives criticized the proposal as grift and misplaced priorities given infrastructure and healthcare needs. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene sarcastically criticized the spending in the context of broader foreign policy and budget priorities.
• Senate Republicans introduced legislation to fund Trump ballroom with $400 million — A group of Senate Republicans introduced legislation authorizing $400 million in federal spending to build a ballroom at a Trump property. The proposal uses public funds for a private commercial facility, exemplifying the blending of public resources and private business interests.

Supporting reports

• EPA dismantles environmental protections and regulatory enforcement — EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has pursued a deregulatory agenda including rolling back drinking water standards for PFAS ("forever chemicals"), weakening protections against air pollutants such as mercury and arsenic, greenlighting pesticides with known health risks, proposing safe exposure levels for the carcinogen formaldehyde, declining to regulate endocrine-disrupting chemicals in consumer products, and canceling millions of dollars in research grants on chemical and pollutant health effects. The agency has also invited companies to email for exemptions from air pollution standards. One major beneficiary is Bayer, which received an executive order exemption from lawsuits for endangering public health after making large campaign contributions to Trump.
• Trump administration declares glyphosate production a national security issue via executive order — The Trump administration issued an executive order declaring protection of glyphosate production a national security issue. This action was cited by protesters and lawmakers as evidence of executive support for Monsanto/Bayer and against consumer protection. The order was announced in the context of the Supreme Court hearing on glyphosate liability.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration awards no-bid contract to ballroom builder for fountain repairs — The Trump administration secretly awarded a no-bid $17.4 million contract to Clark Construction, the company building the White House ballroom, to repair two ornamental fountains in Lafayette Park. The Biden administration had estimated the same work at $3.3 million in 2022. The Trump administration justified the cost increase by adding 27% inflation, then 24% additional inflation, then 50% more for expedited completion. The contract should have been open for competitive bidding, but the administration cited an "urgency" exception meant for war or natural disasters to bypass normal procurement procedures. The government will pay for the repairs while Trump claims private donations will fund the ballroom.

Supporting reports

• Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation donated $2 million to Trump Super PAC amid Interior Department influence effort — The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, a California tribe, made a $2 million donation to MAGA Inc., Trump's Super PAC, in March 2026. According to internal Trump administration documents obtained by Popular Information, the donation appears designed to influence the Interior Department's regulatory decisions affecting the tribe's casino business. The donation represents a potential quid pro quo arrangement linking tribal financial support to federal policy outcomes.

Supporting reports

• Deputy Defense Secretary Feinberg consolidates control over Pentagon shipbuilding and acquisitions — Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg, a private-equity billionaire and close ally of Defense Secretary Hegseth, is consolidating control over shipbuilding and Navy acquisitions—roles traditionally held by the Secretary of the Navy. Feinberg is simultaneously overseeing the newly created Economic Defense Unit (EDU), which directs government investment in private defense contractors and has negotiated deals for the government to take equity stakes in those businesses.

Supporting reports

• Howard Lutnick admits only one person approved for Gold Card visa program — Howard Lutnick, a Trump administration official, admitted that only one person has been approved for the Gold Card visa program he promised to sell 200,000 of. The admission reveals that a major promised initiative has failed to materialize, representing either fraud or gross incompetence in program administration.
• Trump administration's "Gold Card" visa program approved only one applicant — Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick announced that only one person has been approved for Trump's "Gold Card" visa program, which grants U.S. residency to foreigners for a $1 million fee. At a February 2025 press conference, Lutnick stated the administration planned to sell 200,000 gold cards and Trump claimed the program would help balance the budget.

Supporting reports

• White House negotiates $500m financing package for Spirit Airlines with potential equity stake — The Trump administration is finalizing a financing package of up to $500m in loans to rescue Spirit Airlines, which has faced repeated bankruptcy filings and financial distress exacerbated by rising fuel costs from the Iran conflict. In exchange for federal funds, the government would receive warrants for a potential equity stake in the airline. Trump publicly stated support for federal aid to preserve the carrier's 14,000 jobs. White House spokesperson Kush Desai blamed the Biden administration for blocking Spirit's 2024 merger with JetBlue on antitrust grounds.
• Trump administration negotiates $500 million Spirit Airlines bailout — The Trump administration is reportedly close to a $500 million loan deal to bail out Spirit Airlines, which faces bankruptcy due to elevated fuel costs from Trump's own military campaign. In return, the government would receive warrants for a significant equity stake in the airline—as much as 90% according to early reports. This follows the administration taking stakes in Intel and various rare earth companies.
• Trump administration entered advanced talks for Spirit Airlines financing package — The Trump administration engaged in advanced negotiations for a financing package to prevent Spirit Airlines from liquidating. The deal could include $500 million in government financing and potentially grant the government an equity stake in the carrier. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, the architect of the deal, argued to Trump it could save jobs and boost GOP prospects in midterms. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy raised concerns that a bailout could be a political nightmare and questioned what the government would gain. Senators Ted Cruz and Tom Cotton publicly opposed the deal as poor use of taxpayer dollars.

Supporting reports

• Major news outlets omit Kushner conflict of interest from 97% of Iran diplomacy coverage — Analysis by Popular Information found that of 202 articles published by major news outlets (New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, CNN Wire, New York Post, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times) covering Kushner's diplomatic role in Iran negotiations from February 28 to April 19, 2026, only six mentioned his financial conflict of interest with Saudi Arabia. This represents 97% of coverage omitting the conflict. Five of the six articles mentioning the conflict appeared in the New York Times; one appeared in Foreign Policy and was republished by the Washington Post. The Wall Street Journal, AP, CNN Wire, New York Post, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, and Los Angeles Times collectively published dozens of articles on Kushner's diplomatic role without mentioning the conflict.
• Kushner leads Iran diplomacy while receiving millions from Saudi government — Jared Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law, is leading U.S. diplomatic negotiations with Iran while simultaneously receiving over $110 million in management fees from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) for his private equity fund, Affinity Partners. Kushner raised $2 billion from the Saudi PIF in 2021 and has reportedly sought billions more. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly lobbied Trump to initiate and continue the Iran war. This arrangement presents a direct financial conflict of interest, as Kushner's Saudi payments create incentive to prolong the conflict benefiting his Saudi investors.
• Media coverage analysis reveals 97% of outlets omitted Kushner's Saudi financial conflicts during Iran negotiations — A Popular Information analysis of media coverage from February 28 to April 19, 2026, found that 97% of coverage from major media outlets failed to mention Jared Kushner's multi-billion-dollar business relationship with the Saudi government while he represented the U.S. in Iran negotiations. Kushner's simultaneous diplomatic role and substantial financial interests in a key regional actor constitute a significant undisclosed conflict of interest that received minimal journalistic scrutiny.
• Jared Kushner's financial ties to Persian Gulf governments not widely reported — Major news outlets have not prominently reported that Jared Kushner, the administration's de facto Iran negotiator, has received billions of dollars from Persian Gulf governments. The lack of coverage represents a gap in media scrutiny of potential conflicts of interest in high-stakes diplomatic negotiations.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration considers financial bailout for UAE amid undisclosed Trump family business ties — President Trump stated on Tuesday that he is considering a financial bailout for the United Arab Emirates, a U.S. ally experiencing economic hardship from the Iran war. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met with UAE Central Bank Governor Khaled Mohamed Balama, who proposed a currency-swap line to provide inexpensive dollar access. While such swaps are typically Federal Reserve decisions, the Trump administration has previously used Treasury funds for bailouts. The UAE is not a major U.S. trading partner (2024 trade totaled $47.9 billion, compared to $909 billion with Canada), yet administration officials including National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett signaled openness to assistance.
• Trump indicated openness to UAE financial bailout tied to Trump Organization business relationships — On April 22, 2026, Trump indicated he was open to offering the United Arab Emirates a taxpayer-funded financial bailout to offset economic losses from the Iran war. The UAE has extensive business partnerships with the Trump Organization and multiple financial ties to the Trump family. The proposed bailout would use federal funds to benefit a foreign government with direct financial interests in Trump family enterprises.
• UAE requests U.S. financial backstop for Iran war damage — Officials from the United Arab Emirates asked Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Treasury and Federal Reserve officials whether the U.S. will provide a financial backstop for the UAE if the Iran war continues to damage its economy.
• UAE warns Trump administration of dollar destabilization risk — The United Arab Emirates quietly warned the Trump administration that if the Iran conflict is not resolved, it will face dollar destabilization. The warning represents a private diplomatic signal from a key Gulf ally regarding economic consequences of prolonged conflict.

Supporting reports

• Regulators examined suspicious trades before Trump market announcements — Regulators are examining suspicious trades that occurred just before Trump's announcement regarding the opening of the Strait of Hormuz. Similar trades from one of Trump's announcements last month are also under regulatory scrutiny. The timing of massive trades immediately preceding Trump's market-moving announcements suggests potential insider trading or market manipulation.
• Potential insider trading pattern in oil markets tied to Trump announcements — WaPo reporter Josh Rogin reported on CNN that traders shorted oil markets by hundreds of millions of dollars approximately 20 minutes before Trump announced Iran peace breakthroughs, with this pattern occurring at least three times since the war began. The Guardian reported that 16 bets of $100,000 each accurately predicted the timing of U.S. airstrikes on February 27, a single user bet $550,000 on Ayatollah Khamenei's assassination moments before it occurred, and traders bet $950 million that oil prices would fall right before Trump announced a ceasefire.
• BBC reports pattern of insider trading around Trump announcements — Nick Marsh of the BBC analyzed the timing of Trump's market-moving statements against trade volume on financial markets and found "a consistent pattern of spikes just hours, or sometimes minutes, before a social media post or media interview was made public." Marsh noted a similar spike pattern over Trump's announcement of "Liberation Day" tariffs in April 2025.

Supporting reports

• Kanatsiz warns business owners to "align" with Trump administration or face exclusion — Sinan Kanatsiz, a PR and government affairs operative, told business owners in December 2024 that they must "align" with the Trump administration or "be left in the dark." The statement was made at a Mar-a-Lago event coordinated by Kanatsiz and attended by Trump advisors David Sacks and Michael Kratsios. Kanatsiz framed alignment with Trump as a business necessity, positioning himself as a networker who can facilitate or block access to the administration based on political loyalty.
• Trump offers $500,000 donors private meeting and photo through Turning Point USA fundraiser — President Trump is scheduled to appear at a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix on April 16, 2026. An email from Sinan Kanatsiz, a Trump-connected political operative, solicits $500,000 contributions to TPUSA PAC in exchange for "one-on-one meetings and private photos" with Trump, plus travel, lodging, and access to Turning Point leadership. Kanatsiz confirmed the solicitation in a phone interview. The offer represents a significant escalation in Turning Point PAC's fundraising strategy, which has historically raised less than $10 million since 2021.

Supporting reports

• Trump promotes Palantir stock on Truth Social with ticker symbol — President Trump posted on Truth Social promoting Palantir stock, including the company's ticker symbol. The post constituted a direct presidential endorsement of a specific publicly traded company.

Supporting reports

• Government contractor executive donates $1 million to Trump Super PAC — Kamal "Kam" Ghaffarian, founder and chairman of Intuitive Machines (a major government contractor that has secured at least eight new contracts since Trump's return to office, including a $46.8 million NASA contract on March 25, 2026), donated $1 million to MAGA Inc. on April 9, 2026. While Intuitive Machines itself is prohibited from donating to Super PACs, Ghaffarian personally is not restricted. Ghaffarian also serves as founder and chairman of other major government contractors including Axiom Space, X-energy, and Quantum Space.

Supporting reports

• Trump White House ballroom constructed with foreign steel — The Trump White House ballroom, a $400 million project, was built using foreign steel rather than American steel. Rep. Haridopolos responded by stating he had not heard of the project and said "Obviously we want to use American," despite the foreign steel having already been used in construction.

Supporting reports

• WH economic advisor characterized economic disruption as temporary — White House economic advisor Kevin Hassett appeared on Fox News and characterized the worst quarter for stocks in several years and a 50% rise in oil prices as a "temporary distraction that will very very quickly go away." Hassett also stated that Trump has many business deals for Iran on the table that the administration is willing to offer to help the Iranian people if they act normally.

Supporting reports

• Blue Origin positioned for Golden Dome satellite contracts following Jeff Bezos's Washington Post editorial shift toward Trump — Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos, is expected to compete for Golden Dome satellite work. Bezos has prioritized improving relations with Trump by converting the Washington Post editorial board into a conservative mouthpiece. Trump has responded positively, praising Bezos as a "good guy" trying to be "more fair" at the Washington Post. The positioning of Blue Origin for major defense contracts follows Bezos's strategic effort to align the Post's editorial stance with Trump's political interests.