Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Foreign sovereign wealth funds pursued acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery and CNN — Foreign sovereign wealth funds led by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates pursued acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, including CNN, through a hostile takeover bid apparently led in part by Jared Kushner's Affinity Partners. Kushner's involvement and the roles of foreign governments financing the move were absent from Paramount's initial announcement. The acquisition would place major American media entities under the influence of governments aligned with Trump, raising concerns about foreign control of U.S. media and potential conflicts of interest involving the president's family.
• Trump attacked Marjorie Taylor Greene on social media in response to her 60 Minutes appearance — Donald Trump posted a rambling online tirade attacking Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene after she appeared on 60 Minutes, where she accused him of betraying MAGA principles and suggested he was "covering up for a child sex trafficking ring." Trump called Greene "jilted" and "Marjorie 'Traitor' Brown," and also attacked 60 Minutes correspondent Lesley Stahl over 2020 questioning about Russia. The attack occurred as millions of Americans face economic hardship and threats to healthcare subsidies.
• Trump attacked Marjorie Taylor Greene on Truth Social after her 60 Minutes interview — Trump posted a lengthy attack on Truth Social against Marjorie Taylor Greene following her appearance on CBS's 60 Minutes, in which she discussed Republicans privately mocking Trump and revealed that Trump had responded unkindly to her reports of death threats. Trump called her "Traitor Brown," claimed she was "jilted" by him, called her a "low IQ traitor," and attacked CBS and Paramount for allowing the interview to air. He demanded an apology from Lesley Stahl and 60 Minutes and referenced Hunter Biden's laptop.
• Trump attacked Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Paramount over 60 Minutes appearance — On December 8, Trump lashed out on Truth Social at outgoing Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene after she appeared on '60 Minutes.' He also attacked the show's correspondent, Lesley Stahl, and slammed the "new ownership" of Paramount for "allow[ing] a show like this to air." The attack demonstrates Trump's intolerance for criticism even from Republican allies.

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• Trump pardoned David Gentile, architect of 1.6 billion dollar Ponzi scheme — Trump issued a presidential pardon for David Gentile, the architect of a 1.6 billion dollar Ponzi scheme that defrauded thousands of regular investors. The pardon received minimal national media coverage compared to the scale of the fraud and harm to victims.

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• Trump pardoned Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar and later attacked him for not switching parties — Trump pardoned Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar and his wife Imelda, who faced 15-year prison sentences. Trump posted that he made the pardon "in the interest of justice" after reading a letter from Cuellar's daughters. However, after Cuellar announced he would run for Congress again as a Democrat, Trump posted: "Such a lack of LOYALTY, something that Texas Voters, and Henry's daughters, will not like. Oh' well, next time, no more Mr. Nice guy!" effectively admitting he expected Cuellar to switch parties in exchange for the pardon.
• Trump publicly demanded party switch from pardoned congressman Henry Cuellar in exchange for pardon — Trump posted on social media attacking pardoned Texas Democratic Congressman Henry Cuellar for refusing to switch to the Republican Party after receiving a presidential pardon. Trump claimed Cuellar's daughters "wrote me a letter" and that he "saved" the family, implying the pardon was conditional on party loyalty. Trump characterized Cuellar's refusal as a "lack of LOYALTY" and berated his daughters. The incident was characterized as an open admission of a quid pro quo bribery scheme linking official acts to private political allegiance.
• Trump attacked Rep. Henry Cuellar for seeking re-election as Democrat — On December 7, Trump lashed out on Truth Social at Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar, whom he had pardoned the previous week, for announcing he would seek re-election as a Democrat rather than switching parties. Trump called the move "such a lack of LOYALTY" and threatened, "next time, no more Mr. Nice guy!" The attack illustrates Trump's expectation of partisan loyalty in exchange for clemency.

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• Trump pardoned Juan Orlando Hernández, former Honduran president convicted of cocaine trafficking — Trump issued a presidential pardon for Juan Orlando Hernández, the former president of Honduras who was convicted at federal trial of trafficking more than 400 tons of cocaine into the United States. Trial testimony linked Hernández directly to the Sinaloa Cartel, with statements such as "Stuff the drugs right up the noses of the gringos." Republican senators questioned about the pardon claimed ignorance of the facts and circumstances, despite national security being part of their oversight responsibilities.
• Trump pardoned former president of Honduras convicted of drug trafficking — In a new interview with Politico, Trump stated that he pardoned the former president of Honduras who was convicted in a massive international drug trafficking scheme. When asked how this aligns with his zero-tolerance drug trafficking policy, Trump responded that he does not know the individual and knows very little about him other than that people said it was like an "Obama-Biden type set up where he was set up."

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• Trump signals potential approval of Paramount's hostile bid while warning against Netflix acquisition — On Sunday, the day before Paramount's hostile takeover bid was announced, President Trump stated that Netflix's planned $72 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery "could be a problem" due to market concentration concerns, while emphasizing he would personally be involved in the regulatory decision. Trump also stated he had not spoken with Kushner about the competing Paramount bid. The timing and Trump's antitrust framing created conditions favorable to Paramount's counter-offer, which is backed by Kushner's firm and Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds.
• Trump stated he would be involved in DOJ's decision on Netflix-Warner Bros merger — When asked whether Netflix should be allowed to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, Trump stated "That's a question. They have a very big market share. I'll be involved in that decision." This public declaration of involvement in an antitrust matter traditionally left to the DOJ broke with precedent of presidents avoiding public statements about merger decisions. White House economic advisor Kevin Hassett later defended the statement, saying it is not rare for presidents to have opinions about "big society changing mergers."

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• Trump received inaugural "FIFA Peace Prize" in ceremony in Washington — Trump became the inaugural and only recipient of a "FIFA Peace Prize," awarded in a small ceremony in Washington featuring a medal, trophy, and ceremony. The prize was created by and awarded by the president of FIFA, described as "deeply troubled," in what observers characterized as a self-aggrandizing spectacle with no legitimate international recognition or precedent.
• Trump displayed fake FIFA Peace Prize in Oval Office — A fake FIFA Peace Prize now has a prominent place on Trump's desk in the Oval Office, according to reporting.

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• Trump fired White House architect and ripped down East Wing during ballroom renovation — Trump fired the architect responsible for the White House ballroom renovation project after the cost ballooned significantly. Trump personally ripped down the East Wing as part of the renovation, and reports indicate he is stiffing contractors on payment for the work, repeating a pattern from his private business career.

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• Trump pardons Texas Democratic Representative Henry Cuellar under indictment for bribery — Trump pardoned Texas Democratic Representative Henry Cuellar, who is under indictment for a $600,000 bribery scheme involving Azerbaijani officials and a Mexican energy company. The Biden administration had prosecuted Cuellar under the rule of law. Trump's pardon signals that bribery is acceptable if the recipient pledges loyalty to him, weaponizing presidential power to normalize corruption.
• Trump criticizes pardoned congressman for refusing party switch after pardon — Donald Trump pardoned U.S. House member Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) and his wife on bribery charges on Wednesday. Days later, Cuellar filed for re-election as a Democrat and stated he would not change parties. Trump responded on Sunday with a Truth Social post criticizing Cuellar for "lack of LOYALTY," suggesting the congressman owed him political allegiance in exchange for the pardon and threatening future refusal of clemency.

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• 50501 Movement organizes Cyber Monday boycott of Amazon, Target, Home Depot — The 50501 Movement announced a coordinated economic boycott of Amazon, Target, and Home Depot on Cyber Monday (December 1, 2025), citing corporate donations to Trump's administration, labor practices, and policy compliance. The campaign, titled "We Ain't Buying It," calls for consumers to redirect spending to local, minority-owned, and small businesses. Organizers project that a 5–10% participation rate could cost the three companies $700 million to $1.4 billion in lost revenue and frame the action as a democratic exercise of economic power modeled on the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
• Cyber Monday boycotts organized against Amazon, Target, and Home Depot — The 50501 Movement organized boycotts of major retailers on Cyber Monday in response to corporate political alignment and labor practices. Amazon's owner Jeff Bezos donated $2 million to Trump; Target abandoned diversity initiatives; Home Depot permits ICE enforcement operations on its premises. Organizers framed the boycotts as economic accountability and drew historical parallels to the Montgomery bus boycott, which cost the transit system $3,000 daily over 381 days before achieving its goal.

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• Trump administration removed restrictions on Nvidia chip sales to foreign countries — Following contact between Nvidia's CEO and White House officials facilitated by David Sacks, the Trump administration removed restrictions on Nvidia's chip sales to foreign countries. The change could net Nvidia as much as $200 billion.
• David Sacks advises White House on AI and cryptocurrency while investing in affected companies — The New York Times reported that David Sacks, a technology entrepreneur and early associate of Peter Thiel and Elon Musk, advises the White House on AI and cryptocurrency policy while simultaneously investing in companies that benefit from those policies. Sacks facilitated contact between Silicon Valley leaders, including Nvidia's CEO, and White House officials. Shortly after, the government removed restrictions on Nvidia's chip sales to foreign countries, a change potentially worth $200 billion to the company.

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• Steve Witkoff maintains financial partnership with Ukraine-sanctioned billionaire while serving as Trump's Ukraine peace negotiator — Steve Witkoff, appointed by Trump as special envoy for peace missions to negotiate between Russia and Ukraine, has retained an active financial partnership with billionaire Len Blavatnik, who has been sanctioned by Ukraine. Witkoff and Blavatnik co-develop One High Line, a luxury residential project in New York City valued at $50 million or more. The partnership creates a potential conflict of interest given Witkoff's role as mediator in the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
• Witkoff's divestiture from real estate company incomplete despite disclosure claims — Witkoff's federal disclosure form states he "sold an interest in his eponymous real estate management company for $120 million" as part of divestiture planning. However, he continues to own a portion of the Witkoff Group valued at more than $50 million. The form does not disclose the buyer of the sold stake, which could be a family member such as his son Alex Witkoff, who currently runs the company. This arrangement may not adequately address conflict-of-interest concerns.
• Witkoff's federal ethics disclosure form remains unsigned despite 60-day deadline — Witkoff signed his federal disclosure form (Form 278e) on August 13, 2025, but the version posted to the White House website remains unsigned by a federal ethics official. Senators Chris Murphy and Elizabeth Warren noted on November 17 that no agency ethics official signed the form despite the 60-day deadline passing in October 2025. The Senators stated the form "appears to have inaccurate or incomplete information," raising concerns about compliance with conflict-of-interest provisions.
• Witkoff negotiated peace plan with head of Russian sovereign wealth fund despite U.S. sanctions — Witkoff negotiated the Ukraine peace plan not with a Russian foreign affairs official but with Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia's sovereign wealth fund (RDIF). Dmitriev was sanctioned by the United States in 2022 and banned from the country. Despite the sanctions, Witkoff requested Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent allow Dmitriev to travel to Washington in April 2025; Bessent approved the request. Witkoff and Dmitriev have since met multiple times in person and by phone, including in Miami last month to finalize the Trump plan.
• Kushner accepted billions in foreign government investments while conducting U.S. foreign policy — Since 2021, Kushner has raised at least $4.8 billion for his private equity firm Affinity Partners, with nearly 99% from foreign sources. Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund invested $2 billion and pays Kushner $25 million annually (1.25% of the investment). Qatar and the UAE also pay annual fees up to 2%. As of September 2024, Affinity Partners had collected $157 million in fees, primarily from Middle Eastern governments. Kushner continues collecting these payments while serving in a top foreign policy role, creating a direct conflict between his fiduciary duty to foreign governments and his role negotiating with Russia on Ukraine.
• Saudi Crown Prince overruled investment committee to fund Kushner's firm — The Public Investment Fund's investment committee recommended rejecting Kushner's Affinity Partners proposal, citing "the inexperience of the Affinity Fund management" and "excessive" fees. However, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who heads PIF's Board of Directors and with whom Kushner had developed a close relationship, overruled the committee's recommendation and approved the $2 billion investment. This non-standard approval process for a fledgling private equity firm suggests the investment was motivated by political rather than financial considerations.
• Saudi-backed peace plan included provision benefiting Saudi agricultural interests in Ukraine — The 28-point peace plan drafted with Kushner's assistance includes a provision requiring Russia not to prevent Ukraine from using the Dnieper River for commercial activities and to permit free transport of grain across the Black Sea. This provision directly fulfills a key Saudi policy objective: the Saudi Agricultural and Livestock Investment Company (a Public Investment Fund subsidiary) owns a major stake in MHP, one of Ukraine's largest agricultural conglomerates, and the Continental Farmers Group, which cultivates nearly 480,000 acres in Western Ukraine, is owned by PIF. When parties met in Saudi Arabia in March 2025, Black Sea shipping security was a central negotiating topic.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration removed restrictions on Nvidia chip sales to foreign countries — Following contact between Nvidia's CEO and White House officials facilitated by David Sacks, the Trump administration removed restrictions on Nvidia's chip sales to foreign countries. The change could net Nvidia as much as $200 billion.
• David Sacks advises White House on AI and cryptocurrency while investing in affected companies — The New York Times reported that David Sacks, a technology entrepreneur and early associate of Peter Thiel and Elon Musk, advises the White House on AI and cryptocurrency policy while simultaneously investing in companies that benefit from those policies. Sacks facilitated contact between Silicon Valley leaders, including Nvidia's CEO, and White House officials. Shortly after, the government removed restrictions on Nvidia's chip sales to foreign countries, a change potentially worth $200 billion to the company.

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• Trump donors Gentry Beach and Stephen Lynch pursued Russian Arctic gas and Nord Stream 2 deals — Gentry Beach, a college friend of Donald Trump Jr. and campaign donor, entered talks to acquire a stake in a Russian Arctic gas project contingent on sanctions relief. Stephen Lynch, another Trump donor, paid $600,000 to a Trump Jr.-connected lobbyist to seek a Treasury Department license to purchase the Nord Stream 2 pipeline from a Russian state-owned company.

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• Jared Kushner, a private citizen, sat in on critical U.S.-Ukraine negotiations — During a critical meeting between Ukrainian officials and U.S. representatives, Jared Kushner, a private citizen with significant foreign financial entanglements, was present in the room. The text describes his presence as "inappropriate" and "alarming," noting that Ukrainians appeared to be facing individuals pushing a Russian surrender plan with Kushner seated beside them as if he were still a government official.
• Kushner conducted high-level Ukraine peace negotiations with Putin without formal government appointment — Jared Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law, traveled to Moscow on December 2, 2025, and participated in direct negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine. Kushner was accompanied only by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and an interpreter. According to Popular Information's analysis, Kushner's participation in these negotiations—and similar involvement in Gaza negotiations—likely violates federal law by functioning as an undesignated Special Government Employee without formal appointment, thereby circumventing conflict-of-interest statutes and emoluments restrictions.
• Kushner broke public pledge to avoid foreign policy role in second Trump administration — In a February 2024 interview with Axios, Kushner pledged he would not resume a foreign policy or advisory role in a second Trump administration, stating his commitment was to his private equity firm and investors. When pressed about whether his billions in foreign government investments would make foreign policy work "very difficult," Kushner replied: "I'm an investor now. I served in government, and I think my track record is pretty impeccable. Now I'm a private investor." Despite this explicit public commitment, Kushner has since conducted high-level foreign policy negotiations with Russia and participated in Gaza negotiations on behalf of the Trump administration.
• Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Steve Witkoff is in Moscow attempting to negotiate with Putin. — During the Cabinet meeting, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated "Even as we sit here right now, Steve Witkoff is in Moscow trying to save lives. The war never would've happened if you had been president." This revealed that a White House official was conducting diplomatic negotiations in Moscow while the Secretary of State remained in Washington attending the Cabinet meeting.
• Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner photographed in Moscow — Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner (the latter not a government official) were photographed walking the streets of Moscow while a cabinet meeting was occurring in Washington. The timing coincided with Vladimir Putin issuing a statement blaming Europe for hindering Trump's foreign policy and stating Russia is ready for war.

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• Trump sent fundraising email with bait-and-switch "$2,000 rebate" scam targeting supporters — Trump sent a fundraising email featuring himself holding $100 bills and promising supporters a "$2,000 tariff rebate." When supporters clicked on the "$2,000 rebate" offer, they were directed to a donation page where they were charged $2,000 instead of receiving a rebate. The text characterizes this as "the president of the United States openly running a bait-and-switch scam against his own supporters."

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• JPMorgan Chase CEO indicates caution about Trump administration ties — In a CNN interview with Erin Burnett, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon indicated his company's reluctance to contribute to Trump's proposed ballroom project, citing concerns about government contracts and future Department of Justice scrutiny. Dimon stated: "We have an issue, which is anything we do, since we do a lot of contracts with governments here and around the world, we have to be very careful how anything is perceived, and also how the next D[epartment] O[f] J[ustice] is going to deal with it. So we're quite conscious of risks we bear by doing anything that looks like…buying favors…."
• JPMorgan Chase declined to fund White House ballroom project — JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon told CNN the bank will not fund the White House ballroom project because of concerns about how the bank's involvement would be perceived given its government contracts and potential DOJ scrutiny.

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• Trump personally selected ballroom contractors outside government bidding process — Contractors working on Trump's White House ballroom did not go through the traditional government bidding process. Instead, Trump has been personally selecting each contractor and handling contract details, including compensation amounts.

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• Wall Street Journal reports Witkoff, Kushner, and Dmitriev designed plan to create multibillion-dollar business opportunities in Russia and Ukraine — The Wall Street Journal reported that special envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and Kirill Dmitriev designed their peace plan to bypass U.S. national security officials and create opportunities for U.S. businessmen to win multibillion-dollar deals to develop energy and rare-earth minerals in Russia, Ukraine, and the Arctic. The plan would allow Moscow to reshape Europe's economic map while driving a wedge between America and its traditional allies.
• Ukraine peace negotiators met with US delegation led by Rubio, Witkoff, and Kushner — Ukraine's peace negotiators met with a US delegation led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner. The meeting followed Wall Street Journal reporting that Witkoff and Kushner had been privately meeting with Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia's sovereign-wealth fund and Putin's negotiator, to chart plans for bringing Russia's economy back into the global system and enabling US companies to access frozen Russian assets and Arctic resources, with no explicit focus on Ukrainian sovereignty or security.
• Wall Street Journal exposed Witkoff and Kushner's private negotiations with Russian officials — The Wall Street Journal reported that Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met privately with Kirill Dmitriev, Putin's handpicked negotiator and head of Russia's sovereign-wealth fund, at Witkoff's Miami Beach estate to chart plans for reintegrating Russia's $2 trillion economy into global markets. The plan included US companies accessing roughly $300 billion in frozen Russian central bank assets, joint US-Russian Arctic mineral exploitation, and reconstruction contracts in Ukraine, with no apparent constraint on Russian military objectives.
• Trump administration negotiates Ukraine peace plan centered on U.S.-Russia business deals — The Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump administration's approach to Ukraine peace involves a Russian-led blueprint for joint U.S.-Russia economic cooperation, with contracts for rebuilding Ukraine, Arctic mineral extraction, and space exploration directed to favored U.S. and Russian businessmen, many with White House ties. Trump envoy Steve Witkoff stated the plan aims to create prosperity and prevent future conflicts through shared economic benefit.

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• Trump pardons former Honduran president — Trump announced a full pardon for former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández, who was convicted of drug trafficking. This decision raises questions about the integrity of U.S. foreign policy and the rule of law, given Hernández's criminal history.
• Trump pardons former Honduras president Juan Orlando Hernández convicted of cocaine trafficking conspiracy — Trump announced a full pardon for Juan Orlando Hernández, former president of Honduras, who was found guilty by an American jury last year of conspiring to import 400 tons of cocaine into the United States and was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison. Trump announced the pardon on social media, writing "MAKE HONDURAS GREAT AGAIN!"
• Trump granted pardon to Juan Orlando Hernández, major drug trafficker — Trump announced a pardon for Juan Orlando Hernández, former president of Honduras, who was convicted by a US jury of conspiring to traffic 400 tons of cocaine into the United States. The DOJ estimated this represented 4.5 billion doses of cocaine and that Hernández was at the center of one of the largest and most violent drug-trafficking conspiracies in the world.
• Trump justified Hernández pardon by claiming Biden setup — When asked to explain the pardon of Juan Orlando Hernández, Trump stated "Many of the people of Honduras said it was a Biden setup. I looked at the facts and agreed with them." When pressed for evidence, Trump responded that arresting a president for drug trafficking in any country would be unjust.
• Trump pardoned Juan Orlando Hernández, former Honduran president and major narco-trafficker — Trump pardoned Juan Orlando Hernández, the former president of Honduras and one of the world's most notorious narco-traffickers. According to the text, Hernández trafficked hundreds of tons of cocaine into the United States, worked with El Chapo, and openly vowed to "shove cocaine up the noses of gringos until they die." Trump proceeded with the pardon despite these facts.
• Trump pledges pardon for former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández — Donald Trump announced his intention to pardon Juan Orlando Hernández, the former president of Honduras, who was convicted in July 2024 in Manhattan federal court and sentenced to 45 years in prison for cocaine importation and weapons offenses. Trump claimed Hernández was "set up" and that the Honduran people believed he was wrongly prosecuted. The pardon pledge contradicts Trump's stated "war on drugs" agenda, particularly given simultaneous military operations against Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro, whom Trump accuses of narco-trafficking despite weaker evidence of culpability than Hernández's proven conviction.
• Trump pardon of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández — President Trump quietly pardoned Juan Orlando Hernández, former President of Honduras, who is described as one of the most notorious drug traffickers in modern history and who once promised to "shove the drugs right up the noses of the gringos." The pardon occurred while Trump was publicly demanding military action against drug trafficking and criticizing others as "narco terrorists."
• Trump pardoned former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernandez, who was serving a 45-year sentence for drug trafficking and weapons conspiracy. — Trump officially pardoned Juan Orlando Hernandez, the former president of Honduras, who was incarcerated in federal prison serving a 45-year sentence for drug trafficking and conspiracy to traffic weapons into the United States. Hernandez had served less than 2 years of his sentence before being released. According to an immigration attorney, Hernandez was also accused of ordering the murder of a former ally by machete while in prison.
• Trump formally pardoned Juan Orlando Hernández — Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández's lawyer said his client was released from prison after Trump formally pardoned him on Monday evening. Axios reported that Trump's pardon came hours after ally Roger Stone, who had called for the pardon in multiple posts, reached out to the president to lobby for the move.
• Trump pardons entertainment executive indicted by DOJ for bid-rigging conspiracy — Donald Trump issued a full and unconditional pardon on Tuesday for Tim Leiweke, co-founder of Oak View Group, who had been indicted by the Trump administration's own Justice Department in July 2025 on charges of orchestrating a conspiracy to rig the bidding process for an arena at a public university in Austin, Texas. Leiweke had pleaded not guilty and was scheduled to stand trial in 2026. The pardon was posted to the DOJ website on Wednesday with no explanation provided.
• Trump pardons ex-Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández from 45-year drug trafficking sentence — Donald Trump pardoned former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández on December 5, 2025, commuting a 45-year federal sentence for drug trafficking and weapons charges. Hernández had been convicted in March 2024 after a three-week trial in which prosecutors proved he accepted $1 million from cartel kingpin Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán and allowed Honduras to serve as a cocaine trafficking corridor. The pardon occurred while Trump was simultaneously waging a "war on drugs" with military operations in the Pacific and Caribbean, and amid Trump's interference in Honduras's presidential election endorsing Hernández's political ally.

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• Trump commuted sentence of private equity executive convicted of fraud — The New York Times reported that Trump granted a commutation to David Gentile, a private equity executive convicted in 2024 of securities and wire fraud in a $1.6 billion scheme that defrauded thousands of investors. Gentile had served less than two weeks of a seven-year sentence. It is unclear whether he had connections to Trump or his allies.
• Trump released private equity executive David Gentile after 11 days of 7-year sentence — Trump released David Gentile, a private equity executive from Nassau County, New York, who had served less than two weeks of a seven-year sentence for his role in a $1.6 billion fraud scheme. Gentile was convicted in August 2024 of securities and wire fraud for defrauding 10,000 investors through GPB Capital funds, misrepresenting performance and using investor capital to make false distribution payments.
• Trump commuted sentence of private equity executive convicted of $1.6 billion fraud scheme — Trump commuted the sentence of private equity executive David Gentile, convicted in August 2024 of defrauding 10,000 investors in a $1.6 billion scheme involving securities and wire fraud. Prosecutors identified victims as small business owners, teachers, nurses, farmers, and veterans. A judge sentenced Gentile to seven years in prison. He reported to authorities on November 14, was incarcerated, and was released less than two weeks later after Trump's commutation.

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• Trump announces pardon for former Honduras president Juan Orlando Hernández — Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he will grant a full pardon to Juan Orlando Hernández, the former president of Honduras currently serving a 45-year sentence for drug trafficking and weapons charges. Hernández was convicted in March 2024 of accepting millions in bribes to protect cocaine shipments destined for the US. Trump characterized the conviction as "very harsh and unfair," despite prosecutors describing Hernández as having "paved a cocaine superhighway to the United States." The pardon announcement coincided with Trump's endorsement of Tito Asfura in Honduras's upcoming presidential election.
• Trump announced a pardon for former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández — Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he will grant a full pardon to Juan Orlando Hernández, the former president of Honduras currently serving a 45-year sentence for drug trafficking and weapons charges. Hernández was convicted in March 2024 of accepting millions in bribes to protect cocaine shipments destined for the US. Trump characterized the conviction as "very harsh and unfair," despite Hernández's role in enabling drug traffickers to use Honduras's military and police. The pardon announcement coincided with Trump's endorsement of Tito Asfura in Honduras's upcoming presidential election.
• Trump announced pardon for convicted drug trafficker Juan Orlando Hernández — President Trump announced he would pardon former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, who was sentenced in the United States to 45 years in prison for trafficking hundreds of tons of cocaine into the country while collaborating with the Sinaloa Cartel. Trump's decision to shield a convicted narco-trafficker contradicts his administration's stated commitment to waging a war on drugs.
• — On Truth Social, Trump announced he would grant a pardon to former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, a convicted drug trafficker sentenced to 45 years in prison in 2024 for conspiring to import cocaine to the US. Trump claimed Hernández was "treated very harshly and unfairly," though then-Attorney General Merrick Garland had described the conspiracy as "one of the largest and most violent drug-trafficking conspiracies in the world."

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• USCIS halts processing of all immigration requests from Afghan nationals — US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced an immediate indefinite halt to processing all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals, pending review of security and vetting protocols. The action followed the shooting and Trump's directive to re-examine every Afghan national admitted under the Biden administration.
• DHS indefinitely suspends Afghan immigration processing following shooting — Following the November 28 shooting near the White House by an Afghan national, US Citizenship and Immigration Services indefinitely suspended processing of all immigration requests for Afghan nationals. The DHS subsequently expanded the review to include all asylum cases approved under the Biden administration. The suspect, identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who served in Afghanistan's CIA-backed Zero Unit, entered the US in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome.
• Department of Homeland Security expands review to all Biden-era asylum cases — The Department of Homeland Security announced an expansion of security reviews to include all asylum cases approved under the Biden administration, though it did not clarify whether the review applies only to Afghan cases or to asylum cases from other countries as well. The action was prompted by Trump's directive following the shooting.

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• New York Times reports Trump administration's $10 billion corporate investment — The New York Times reported that the Trump administration has committed more than $10 billion in taxpayer funds to buy shares of private companies deemed essential to national security, including US Steel and Intel. Trump personally purchased up to $5 million worth of Intel corporate debt shortly after the government took a 10% stake in the company, raising concerns of corruption and market distortion.

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• Department of Justice announces settlement with Northwestern University on civil rights compliance — The Department of Justice, Department of Education, and Department of Health and Human Services announced a settlement with Northwestern University requiring the institution to pay $75 million through 2028 and comply with federal anti-discrimination laws. The agreement mandates Northwestern eliminate race-based admissions preferences, maintain policies on campus demonstrations and protests, implement mandatory antisemitism training for all students, faculty, and staff, and have university leadership certify quarterly compliance under penalty of perjury. Pending federal investigations will be closed and the university will remain eligible for federal grants and contracts.
• White House finalizes deal with Northwestern University — The New York Times reported that the White House is finalizing a deal with Northwestern University in which the school would pay a $75 million fine in exchange for the Trump administration restoring hundreds of millions in federal funds and closing a federal investigation into the university.
• Trump administration reached settlement with Northwestern University on federal funding — The Trump administration reached an agreement with Northwestern University to restore more than $790 million in federal research funding and end an investigation into alleged discrimination against Jewish students. As part of the settlement, the university will pay $75 million to the federal government, develop training materials to "socialize international students," overhaul campus demonstration policies, and comply with federal anti-discrimination laws.

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• Trump Mobile phone launch delayed indefinitely — In June 2025, Trump's two older sons announced a new made-in-the-USA Trump Mobile phone and wireless service at Trump Tower, with an initial August release date. As of November, the phone has not been released. NBC made five separate calls to customer support between September and November; in October, an operator promised a November 13 ship date that passed without update. The website initially removed "Made in the USA" language in late June, replacing it with "brought to life right here in the USA." Delivery is now promised for "beginning of December" with no specific date.