Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Trump announced golf course renovation at Joint Base Andrews with Jack Nicklaus — President Trump announced plans to renovate the golf courses at Joint Base Andrews, a military installation, with legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus as the architect. Trump took an aerial tour of the courses aboard Marine One and promised to "reinstitute" the three 18-hole golf courses, practice greens, and driving range. The announcement raised questions about who would pay Nicklaus for his design services and who would fund improvements to military property, with no clarity provided on funding sources or procurement procedures.

Supporting reports

• DHS Secretary Noem and FBI Director Patel used taxpayer funds for Las Vegas entertainment — DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and FBI Director Kash Patel attended a Formula 1 race in Las Vegas on Saturday, receiving paddock tours and viewing a LEGO car as part of taxpayer-funded travel and entertainment.

Supporting reports

• Trump peace plan allocates U.S. and Russia 50 percent of reconstruction profits from European funds — The 28-point peace plan calls for $100 billion in frozen Russian assets to be invested in rebuilding territory that Russia would control under the plan, and requires Europe (which was not consulted) to unfreeze Russian assets and contribute an additional $100 billion. The plan states the U.S. "will receive 50 percent of the profits from this venture," meaning Europe would fund reconstruction of Russian-controlled territory while the U.S. and Russia split the proceeds.

Supporting reports

• Trump Organization negotiating Saudi real estate development deal — The New York Times reported that the Trump Organization is in negotiations to develop a Trump-branded property at one of Saudi Arabia's largest government-owned real estate developments. The deal represents a potential financial benefit to Trump's business interests while he serves as president.

Supporting reports

• Trump purchased over $80 million in bonds with potential conflicts of interest — Reuters reported that Trump bought over $80 million in corporate and municipal bonds from late August to early October, with many investments in sectors that profit from his administration's agenda, including Intel, in which the federal government acquired a stake earlier this year. The purchases raise questions about whether Trump is using advance knowledge of administration policy to benefit his personal investments.

Supporting reports

• Trump's presidential library foundation raised $50 million with undisclosed spending — The New York Times reported that Trump's presidential library foundation is set to raise about $50 million this year, far outpacing his predecessors, with most of the funds coming from donations pledged by media companies as part of settlements with the president. But in a regulatory filing, the foundation offered no details about its biggest expense of the year—a $6.2 million budget item that makes up roughly 90% of its spending, describing it only as "other."

Supporting reports

• Kennedy Center granted discounted and free rentals to Trump-aligned organizations — A report alleged cronyism and corruption at the Kennedy Center, including the American Conservative Union receiving a half-price discount on stage rental for their summit (final cost $20,007 instead of ~$42,000) and FIFA receiving the entire Kennedy Center for free for nearly three weeks to host the 2026 World Cup draw, when the rental should have cost approximately $5 million. The venue was forced to cancel or reschedule lucrative holiday programming.

Supporting reports

• Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse launched investigation into Kennedy Center under Ric Grenell — Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse launched an investigation into activities at the Kennedy Center under Ric Grenell's leadership, alleging that the nation's premier arts center is being used as a "slush fund and private club for Trump's friends and political allies." Whitehouse claimed the center is being "looted" through millions of dollars in foregone revenue, canceled programming, unpaid facility use, and wasteful spending on luxury accommodations, describing an "unprecedented pattern of self-dealing, favoritism, and waste."
• Kennedy Center granted discounted and free rentals to Trump-aligned organizations — A report alleged cronyism and corruption at the Kennedy Center, including the American Conservative Union receiving a half-price discount on stage rental for their summit (final cost $20,007 instead of ~$42,000) and FIFA receiving the entire Kennedy Center for free for nearly three weeks to host the 2026 World Cup draw, when the rental should have cost approximately $5 million. The venue was forced to cancel or reschedule lucrative holiday programming.

Supporting reports

• President Trump designates Commerce officials to exercise control over U.S. Steel through Golden Share agreement with Nippon Steel — President Trump, holding a Class G Preferred Stock ("Golden Share") in U.S. Steel pursuant to a National Security Agreement with Nippon Steel Corporation, designated Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade William Kimmitt as his designee to exercise authorities under the company's Certificate of Incorporation, and appointed David Shapiro, Chief Counsel of the Commerce Department's Investment Accelerator, as the Class G Director of U.S. Steel's board. The designations remain in effect unless Trump directs otherwise.

Supporting reports

• Congress inserts provision allowing Republican senators $500,000 in taxpayer payments — Language inserted into the bill ending the longest government shutdown allows eight Republican Senators to sue the federal government and receive $500,000 in taxpayer funds if their electronic records were subpoenaed without notice. The provision, reportedly inserted by Majority Leader John Thune, targets senators whose phone records were subpoenaed during Special Counsel Jack Smith's investigation into the 2020 election and January 6 attack. The Department of Justice changed its notification procedures in 2023, but Smith's subpoenas predated that policy change. Senator Lindsey Graham said he will seek payment; House Speaker Mike Johnson plans to introduce language to repeal the provision.

Supporting reports

• Congress inserts provision allowing Republican senators $500,000 in taxpayer payments — Language inserted into the bill ending the longest government shutdown allows eight Republican Senators to sue the federal government and receive $500,000 in taxpayer funds if their electronic records were subpoenaed without notice. The provision, reportedly inserted by Majority Leader John Thune, targets senators whose phone records were subpoenaed during Special Counsel Jack Smith's investigation into the 2020 election and January 6 attack. The Department of Justice changed its notification procedures in 2023, but Smith's subpoenas predated that policy change. Senator Lindsey Graham said he will seek payment; House Speaker Mike Johnson plans to introduce language to repeal the provision.
• House voted unanimously to repeal Senate provision granting GOP senators taxpayer damages — The House voted unanimously 426-0 on Wednesday evening to repeal a controversial Senate-crafted provision that would have granted some GOP senators at least $500,000 each in taxpayer-funded damages. The provision, inserted by Senate leaders into legislation ending the government shutdown, prompted bipartisan outrage. Rep. Austin Scott's measure now requires Senate approval, where its fate is unclear.
• Sen. Lindsey Graham objected to unanimous consent on House repeal of damages provision — After the House voted unanimously to repeal the Senate provision granting GOP senators taxpayer-funded damages, Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) sought unanimous consent in the Senate to pass the House bill. Sen. Lindsey Graham objected, forcing the measure to proceed by recorded vote instead. Graham stated he intends to sue taxpayers for millions and will not abandon the effort despite the House rebuke.

Supporting reports

• Trump granted pardon to Binance founder Changpeng Zhao — Trump granted a pardon to Changpeng Zhao, founder of Binance, the cryptocurrency exchange. Binance had pleaded guilty to money-laundering violations in 2023 and agreed to pay a $4.3 billion penalty to the U.S. government after processing transactions for terrorist groups including Hamas and Al Qaeda. Zhao's pardon came after Binance participated in a $2 billion business deal with Trump's crypto firm World Liberty Financial in May.

Supporting reports

• Trump announced sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia despite Pentagon concerns — Trump announced the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia following multiple business deals between the Saudi global wealth fund and Trump Organization involving golf courses, hotels, resorts, and crypto ventures. The Pentagon had raised concerns that Saudi Arabia would allow China to steal the technology. The announcement came hours to months after the business deals were announced.
• Trump announced sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia over Pentagon objections — President Trump announced the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, a decision made over objections from the Pentagon. Rep. John Moolenaar (R-MI) defended the sale, stating that Trump is bringing countries into alignment with Western values and national security.
• Trump approves sale of F-35 stealth fighter jets to Saudi Arabia — President Trump confirmed his intention to sell advanced F-35 stealth fighter jets to Saudi Arabia at the same specification as those sold to Israel, overriding objections from Israel and concerns from U.S. intelligence agencies. The sale was announced during Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's White House visit. Intelligence officials have expressed concern about Saudi Arabia's close security ties with China and the risk of technology theft.
• Trump designates Saudi Arabia as major non-NATO ally and dismisses Khashoggi murder — During Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's White House visit, President Trump announced the designation of Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally, a largely symbolic move conferring defense, trade, and security cooperation benefits. Trump dismissed the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi state operatives, claiming the crown prince "knew nothing about it" despite U.S. intelligence assessments to the contrary. Trump also announced plans to sell advanced F-35 stealth fighter jets to Saudi Arabia and discussed a potential Saudi-Israel normalization deal.
• Trump administration grants Saudi Arabia "major non-NATO ally" designation and advanced weapons access — On November 18, 2025, President Trump met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House and granted Saudi Arabia the "major non-NATO ally" designation, providing access to joint Pentagon research, advanced weaponry, training, and loans. Trump agreed to sell Saudi Arabia 300 Abrams tanks and an unspecified number of F-35 fighter jets—a capability previously restricted to Israel in the Middle East. Trump also agreed to cooperate on civilian nuclear energy and provide access to advanced AI chips. The designation and weapons sales represent an unprecedented expansion of U.S.–Saudi military cooperation.

Supporting reports

• Trump Organization negotiating Saudi Arabia real estate deal — The New York Times reported that Trump Organization is in negotiations to bring a Trump-branded property to one of Saudi Arabia's largest government-owned real estate developments. The negotiations involve Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's $63 billion Diriyah project. Trump is set to host the Crown Prince next week to discuss a potential mutual defense agreement and possible transfer of American nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia, creating a scenario where Trump discusses national security matters with a foreign leader who is also a key figure in a potential business deal with the president's family.
• Trump Organization announced tokenized luxury resort development in Maldives with Saudi firm — Trump Organization and Dar Global, a Saudi real estate development company headquartered in Dubai, announced plans to build the Trump International Hotel Maldives on November 17. The project will be tokenized using blockchain technology, allowing investors to participate from the development phase. Eric Trump stated the development would "redefine luxury in the region" and set a benchmark for innovation in real estate investment through tokenization.

Supporting reports

• Trump reversed position and called for House Republicans to vote for Epstein file release — President Trump posted on Sunday night, November 16, that he wants House Republicans to "vote to release the Epstein files, because we have nothing to hide," reversing his prior opposition. By Monday afternoon, November 17, Trump stated he would sign the bill if it reached his desk. The reversal followed sustained public pressure and constituent calls to representatives.
• Trump reversed course on Epstein files, calling release a "Democrat Hoax" — On Truth Social, Trump reversed his earlier position and said House Republicans "should vote to release the Epstein files, because we have nothing to hide," but then characterized the effort as a "Democrat Hoax perpetrated by Radical Left Lunatics" designed to deflect from Republican success. The reversal came after initially opposing the release.
• Trump reverses opposition to Epstein files release — President Trump reversed his months-long opposition to the Epstein Files Transparency Act after it became clear the bill would pass the Republican-controlled House with substantial GOP support. Trump initially dismissed the issue as a "Democrat hoax" and "cover up" narrative, but shifted to public indifference, stating "I DON'T CARE!" on social media and later telling reporters he would allow the files' release while urging the media not to focus on the scandal.
• Trump reverses position and calls for release of Epstein files — President Trump reversed his previous opposition to releasing the Epstein files on November 17, 2025, calling for their disclosure and labeling the controversy a "Democrat hoax." Trump's reversal followed failed White House efforts to persuade Republican members Lauren Boebert and Nancy Mace to withdraw from a discharge petition. Trump told reporters he would sign the bill if it reached his desk, though he retains veto power.
• Trump reverses position and calls for release of Epstein files after failed pressure campaign on House Republicans — President Trump spent the previous week pressuring House Republicans, including Lauren Boebert and Nancy Mace, to oppose the release of Jeffrey Epstein files. When the measure appeared likely to pass despite his efforts, Trump reversed course and publicly called for Republicans to support the release on Sunday evening via Truth Social. The reversal represents a rare instance of Trump being unable to control his MAGA base and being forced to accede to grassroots pressure rather than lead it.
• Trump reversed position on Epstein files release after House discharge petition neared completion — After initially fighting the release of FBI-collected Epstein investigation files, Trump abruptly reversed course on the evening of November 17, posting that House Republicans should vote to release the files "because we have nothing to hide." This reversal came as a discharge petition neared the threshold to force a House vote, with reports indicating as many as 100 House Republicans prepared to support release despite Trump's earlier opposition. Trump later told reporters he would sign the measure if it reached his desk.
• Trump reverses position and endorses Epstein records release bill — After five months of resisting the release of justice department files on Jeffrey Epstein, President Trump reversed course and called on Republican lawmakers to support the House bill forcing disclosure. Trump's initial opposition had prompted bipartisan pushback from Representatives Massie and Khanna. His reversal came hours before the House vote and secured the bill's passage with overwhelming bipartisan support.
• Trump Calls for Release of Epstein Files — President Donald J. Trump reversed his previous opposition and urged House Republicans to vote in favor of releasing FBI files related to Jeffrey Epstein, stating, "we have nothing to hide." This shift came after significant pressure from House Republicans and public demand for transparency regarding the files. The House is set to vote on a discharge petition that would require the Justice Department to release the files.
• Trump signed H.R. 4405, the Epstein Files Transparency Act, into law on November 19, 2025 — President Donald J. Trump reversed his position and urged House Republicans to vote in favor of releasing FBI files related to Jeffrey Epstein, stating, “we have nothing to hide.” This shift came after significant pressure from within the party, as many House Republicans indicated they would support the release, despite Trump's previous opposition. The House is set to vote on a bill requiring the Justice Department to release these files.
• Trump signs Epstein Files Transparency Act into law — On November 19, 2025, President Trump signed H.R. 4405, the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which Congress had passed the same day. The law required the Department of Justice to release all unclassified documents and records relating to Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, flight logs, immunity deals, internal DOJ communications about charging decisions, and documentation of Epstein's detention and death within 30 days, with redactions permitted only for classified information, victim privacy, child sexual abuse material, active investigations, and properly classified national defense or foreign policy information. All other redactions required written justification in the Federal Register and to Congress.
• Trump signed Epstein files release bill into law — President Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act into law after initially opposing its passage for months and later claiming indifference to the outcome. Trump announced the signing on social media in the evening of November 19, 2025.
• Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act into law. — In a rant on Truth Social, Trump announced that he signed the bill forcing the Justice Department to release the Epstein files into law. It's unclear how many of the files will be released by the DOJ, considering the legislation notes that the attorney general can withhold or redact any information that names victims or could interfere with a current federal investigation.
• Trump signs bill directing DOJ to release Epstein investigation files — President Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act into law on November 20, 2025. The law requires the Department of Justice to release all unclassified Epstein-related records, including flight logs, witness interview transcripts, immunity deals, non-prosecution agreements, internal DOJ communications, and records related to Epstein's death in federal custody. The DOJ has 30 days from enactment (deadline December 20, 2025) to release the documents, with an exception for records tied to "ongoing investigations."
• Trump signs bill to release Epstein files — President Trump signed legislation on November 20, 2025, directing the Department of Justice to release files from the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein within 30 days. The bill permits redaction of victims' identifying information but bars officials from withholding documents due to "embarrassment, reputational harm or political sensitivity." Trump reversed his earlier position opposing release after facing bipartisan pressure and indications the House would pass the measure. The legislation passed swiftly through both chambers after Trump signaled approval.
• Epstein Files Transparency Act Signed into Law — President Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, legislation requiring the Department of Justice to release government files related to Jeffrey Epstein within 30 days. The bill passed the House overwhelmingly and the Senate unanimously after a discharge petition overcame Speaker Mike Johnson's initial opposition. Congressman Ro Khanna, a key Democratic sponsor, warned Trump administration officials that failure to comply with the release requirement could result in prosecution for contempt of Congress or criminal violations.
• Trump signs law mandating DOJ release of Epstein documents within 30 days — President Donald Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act into law, establishing a 30-day deadline for the Department of Justice to release unclassified materials related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell. The bill passed the House with 427 votes and the Senate by unanimous consent, marking rare bipartisan support. Trump had initially opposed the bill before reversing course amid party rebellion. Republican senators immediately warned Attorney General Pam Bondi against using exemptions to withhold or redact materials.
• Trump signals willingness to meet with NYC mayor-elect Mamdani — President Trump announced he had signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which mandates the release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein's investigation. This decision came after the House and Senate passed the bill, despite Trump's earlier attempts to block its release. The announcement was made amidst Trump's ongoing efforts to shift focus to his administration's achievements.
• Trump posted demand for House Republicans to vote to release Epstein files — President Donald Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act into law, mandating the release of Department of Justice files related to Jeffrey Epstein within 30 days. The law, which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, requires the disclosure of unclassified materials in a searchable format, with exemptions for active investigations and materials depicting minors. Republican senators have warned Attorney General Pam Bondi against using these exemptions to withhold information, emphasizing the need for transparency and accountability.
• House Republicans reversed positions on Epstein file release following Trump's post — President Trump signed legislation passed by Congress requiring the Department of Justice to release all files related to Jeffrey Epstein within 30 days. The law permits redactions only to protect victim identities but bars redactions based on embarrassment or political sensitivity. However, experts and transparency advocates warn that DOJ officials could exploit a provision allowing withholding of materials connected to ongoing law-enforcement investigations—particularly a newly announced Trump-directed investigation into Bill Clinton and other political opponents with Epstein associations—to block or delay full disclosure.
• — Donald Trump told reporters on Sunday that New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani "would like to meet with us" and that "we'll work something out." Mamdani confirmed his team had reached out to the White House to discuss federal policies affecting New York, particularly the affordability crisis. The potential meeting follows Trump's campaign attacks on Mamdani, including calling him a "communist lunatic," threatening to pull federal funding from NYC if he won, and suggesting stripping Mamdani of his citizenship. Mamdani will be sworn in as NYC's 111th mayor on January 1.
• — Trump posted on social media that House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files, characterizing the matter as a "Democrat Hoax" and stating "we have nothing to hide." Trump claimed the files would deflect from Republican achievements and that Democrats would have released them before the election if they had anything. He also stated that some Republicans were being "used" and urged focus on Republican accomplishments instead.
• — Multiple House Republicans, including Rep. Troy Nehls and Republican Senate candidates Derek Dooley and Rep. Mike Collins, reversed their previous positions opposing the release of Epstein files immediately after Trump's social media post demanding the release. Nehls had days earlier called the release an "Epstein hoax" designed by Democrats to distract from Trump's administration but announced he would now vote to release the files, making unanimous release likely.

Supporting reports

• Trump ordered AG Pam Bondi to reopen Epstein investigation — Trump ordered Attorney General Pam Bondi to open a new investigation into the Jeffrey Epstein case after she had announced months earlier that she was closing it. Rep. Thomas Massie suggested this was a "smokescreen" to prevent release of Epstein files, noting that ongoing investigations can be used to withhold documents from public release.
• Attorney General Bondi opened investigations into Democrats' Epstein connections — Attorney General Pam Bondi opened investigations into several Democrats' connections to Jeffrey Epstein after Trump pressed her to do so, according to the article. Rep. Thomas Massie warned this action might be "a big smokescreen" to classify documents under "ongoing investigations," potentially blocking the release of Epstein files by claiming they are part of active investigations.
• Deputy AG Todd Blanche announced new Epstein investigation ordered by Trump — Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced that the DOJ will investigate whether anyone involved in the Epstein case has not been held accountable. The investigation was ordered by Trump following his social media posts about releasing Epstein files and characterizing the matter as a Democratic hoax.
• Trump ordered DOJ investigation of Democrats connected to Epstein to block document release — Trump previously ordered the Department of Justice to investigate Democrats connected to Epstein. He is now using this self-created investigation as justification for refusing to release Epstein files to Congress, claiming an "ongoing investigation" prevents disclosure. This represents a deliberate strategy to sabotage transparency and then cite his own sabotage as grounds for secrecy.
• Pam Bondi opens investigation into Democratic ties to Epstein at Trump's request — U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi opened an investigation into ties between Democrats and Jeffrey Epstein at President Trump's request. The action follows accusations that Bondi has undermined the Department of Justice's independence from the White House. The investigation occurs as the DOJ is now legally required to release Epstein-related files under the newly signed transparency law.
• Trump administration appoints prosecutor to investigate Clinton and Epstein-linked political opponents — At Trump's direction, Attorney General Pam Bondi appointed a prosecutor in New York to investigate Bill Clinton, LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, and other political opponents with past associations with Jeffrey Epstein. Neither Clinton nor Hoffman has been accused of misconduct; both have publicly expressed regret for their Epstein associations. The investigation creates a legal basis under the Epstein documents law to withhold materials, potentially blocking transparency while targeting political rivals.
• Trump directs DOJ investigation into Epstein-linked figures — President Trump instructed Attorney General Pam Bondi on November 15, 2025, to open a Justice Department investigation into links between Jeffrey Epstein and former President Bill Clinton, economist Larry Summers, venture capitalist Reid Hoffman, and JPMorgan Chase. The investigation could enable the DOJ to withhold documents from any eventual Epstein file release on grounds that disclosure would prejudice the investigation.

Supporting reports

• Fannie Mae confidant of Bill Pulte disclosed confidential mortgage pricing data to competitor — A confidant of Bill Pulte, Trump's top housing regulator, provided confidential mortgage pricing data from Fannie Mae to Freddie Mac, a principal competitor, alarming senior Fannie Mae officials who warned it could expose the company to claims of collusion to fix mortgage rates. Lauren Smith, Fannie Mae's head of marketing, acted on Pulte's behalf in disclosing the data. Senior Fannie Mae officials who questioned the conduct were forced out of their jobs late last month, along with internal ethics watchdogs investigating Pulte and his allies.

Supporting reports

• House passed bill allowing Republican senators to sue DOJ for surveillance — The House passed a bill that includes a provision allowing eight Republican senators to sue the Department of Justice for damages if they were subject to government surveillance. The provision was included in a stopgap government funding bill. Jack Smith had subpoenaed the senators' phone records, limited to date, time, and number called during a one-week period. The provision would allow each senator to potentially collect at least $1 million from taxpayers.
• Republican senators inserted provision allowing $1 million reimbursements for phone records subpoenas — Republican senators inserted a provision in the continuing resolution allowing eight of them whose phone records were subpoenaed by Special Counsel Jack Smith to receive $1 million each from taxpayers. Speaker Mike Johnson acknowledged the optics were "terrible" and stated he did not think lawmakers should vote themselves retroactive reimbursements for legal costs related to investigations.

Supporting reports

• Democrats release emails suggesting Trump knew about Epstein's criminal conduct — On November 12, 2025, Democratic lawmakers released three email exchanges from Jeffrey Epstein's correspondence that suggest President Trump had knowledge of Epstein's sex-trafficking crimes. In a 2011 email to Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein wrote that Trump "spent hours" at his house with one of his victims and had "never once been mentioned" in connection with his crimes. A separate 2019 email to journalist Michael Wolff states Epstein knew Trump was aware of "the girls" because Trump had asked Maxwell to stop. A third email from 2015 discusses using Trump's denials as "political currency."
• House Oversight Democrats released Epstein estate emails showing Trump connection to trafficking victims — On November 12, 2025, House Oversight Committee Democrats released 23,000 documents subpoenaed from the Epstein Estate, including emails in which Epstein references Trump as "the dog that hasn't barked" and notes a trafficking victim "spent hours at my house with him." Additional emails from 2015 show Epstein and author Michael Wolff strategizing how to use knowledge of Trump's relationship with trafficking victims as leverage to create political "debt" if Trump won the presidency. The emails are now part of the congressional record.
• House Oversight Committee releases 20,000+ Epstein documents from estate — The House Oversight Committee released more than 20,000 documents obtained from Jeffrey Epstein's estate, including an email in which Epstein alleged that Trump "knew about the girls." The release reignited scrutiny of Trump's past ties to Epstein and intensified calls for full disclosure of justice department and FBI records. The White House subsequently accused Democrats of selectively leaking the materials to smear the president.
• House Committee on Oversight released additional 20,000 pages of Epstein estate documents — After Democrats released three emails from the Epstein estate, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform released an additional 20,000 pages of documents from the same cache. The documents included emails in which Epstein offered tips on stories about Trump and young women to a New York Times financial reporter, offered photographs of "donald and girls in bikinis," and referenced Trump's payment of hush money to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. No story based on this information appeared in the New York Times before or after the 2016 presidential election.
• House Democrats released Epstein estate emails implicating Trump in knowledge of sexual misconduct — On November 12, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform released three emails from the Epstein estate cache. The emails included correspondence in which Epstein referenced Trump as "the dog that hasn't barked" in his criminal investigation, stated Trump "knew about the girls," and discussed leverage Epstein held over Trump regarding his presence at Epstein's properties. The release followed the end of a 54-day government shutdown and preceded the swearing-in of Representative-elect Adelita Grijalva, whose vote would complete a discharge petition to force a House vote on releasing FBI files related to the Epstein investigation.
• House Oversight Committee releases Epstein emails contradicting Trump's denials of knowledge — On November 12, 2025, the House Oversight Committee released emails obtained from Jeffrey Epstein's estate that directly contradict President Trump's repeated public denials of knowledge about Epstein's crimes. A January 31, 2019 email shows Epstein telling journalist Michael Wolff that Trump "of course… knew about the girls." An April 2011 email to Ghislaine Maxwell states Trump had spent "hours at my house" with victim Virginia Giuffre, implying Trump's knowledge of Epstein's criminal activity. The White House disputed the release, claiming Democrats created a "fake narrative" through selective redaction.
• Democrats released Epstein emails suggesting Trump knew about abuse — Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released emails on November 12 written by Jeffrey Epstein that suggested he believed Trump may have known about his abuse. Among the emails was one where Epstein noted that Trump had "spent hours at my house" with one of his victims, and in a 2011 email to Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein wrote, "I want you to realize that that dog that hasn't barked is Trump."
• Democrats release emails from Epstein files — Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released a series of emails from the Epstein files, which suggest that Donald Trump may have been aware of Epstein's underage sex-trafficking activities. This release has intensified the political pressure on Trump, as it coincides with efforts to force a congressional vote on the full release of the files. The emails have fueled speculation and controversy, potentially affecting Trump's support among his political base.
• Public disclosure of 20,000+ pages of Jeffrey Epstein case files — More than 20,000 pages of documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were publicly released. Democratic House oversight committee members released three emails suggesting Donald Trump may have known more about Epstein's crimes than publicly acknowledged. Republican representatives subsequently released a larger cache of files. The disclosure reignited scrutiny of Epstein's relationships with powerful figures and raised questions about Trump's knowledge of Epstein's conduct toward victims.
• House Democrats release Epstein documents showing Trump's involvement in schemes — The House Oversight Committee, controlled by Democrats, released documents from Jeffrey Epstein's estate containing emails and communications that detail Trump's connections to Epstein and his activities. The documents include Epstein's own characterizations of Trump's business practices, references to Trump's visits to Epstein properties, and Epstein's communications with Russian officials about Trump. The release occurred after Republicans had long demanded the files be made public, expecting them to implicate Democratic figures instead.
• House Oversight released Epstein emails showing Trump's name in network — House Oversight released Epstein's emails as part of the congressional record, including April 2011 correspondence to Ghislaine Maxwell referencing Trump's visits and December 2015 emails strategizing how to leverage Trump's presence to create political "debt." The release occurred as part of transparency efforts following the discharge petition. The emails document Epstein's own characterization of Trump's involvement in his network.
• House Oversight Committee released Epstein estate documents showing elite connections — The House Oversight Committee released documents from the Epstein estate on November 12 showing a chummy friendship between Epstein and political, academic, and economic leaders who sought to retain access to his money, information, and connections even after he pleaded guilty to procuring a minor for prostitution.
• House Oversight Committee releases Epstein estate documents showing elite connections — The House Oversight Committee released documents from the Epstein estate on November 12 showing a chummy friendship between Epstein and political, academic, and economic leaders who sought to retain access to Epstein's money, information, and connections even after he pleaded guilty to procuring a minor for prostitution. The documents revealed connections between Epstein and prominent figures including Steve Bannon.
• Newly released Epstein documents reveal texting contact with House member during 2019 Cohen hearing — Newly released documents from Jeffrey Epstein's estate show the convicted sex offender was texting with a member of Congress during a February 2019 House oversight hearing featuring Michael Cohen's testimony against Donald Trump. Analysis by the Washington Post suggests the lawmaker was Stacey Plaskett, US Virgin Islands' Democratic delegate. Message timestamps and hearing video indicate Epstein may have influenced Plaskett's questioning of Cohen, including prompting her to ask about Trump executive assistant Rhona Graff. The documents were provided to Congress this week.

Supporting reports

• Trump pardons Joe Lewis for insider trading conviction — Donald Trump pardoned Joe Lewis, an 88-year-old British billionaire and former Tottenham Hotspur owner, on November 13, 2025, for his 2024 conviction in a "brazen" insider trading scheme. Lewis had pleaded guilty to securities fraud and conspiracy after prosecutors documented he passed share tips based on inside information to employees and associates. He had been fined $5 million personally and $44 million via his company Broad Bay, and sentenced to three years probation without jail time. The pardon erases the conviction and fines; the White House stated Lewis requested it to receive medical treatment and visit family in the US.
• Trump pardoned pharmacist convicted of health care fraud — Trump quietly pardoned Robert Harshbarger Jr., husband of Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-TN), who in 2013 pleaded guilty to health care fraud and distributing misbranded kidney medications sourced from China that were not FDA-approved. Prosecutors alleged that between 2004 and 2009, Harshbarger's misrepresentations caused Medicare, Medicaid, and other health benefit programs to pay over $845,000 for Chinese drugs falsely represented as FDA-approved American medication.

Supporting reports

• Trump commutes George Santos sentence after few months served — Trump commuted the seven-year sentence of expelled House member George Santos, who pleaded guilty in 2024 to fraud and identity theft charges and had served only a few months in prison. Legal experts criticized the commutation as occurring without Santos showing remorse and as part of Trump's pattern of using clemency to reward political allies rather than deserving defendants.

Supporting reports

• 60 Minutes investigates Trump crypto empire and Binance pardon — According to Zach Guzman of Coinage Media, CBS's 60 Minutes is planning to release an investigation into the Trump family's growing cryptocurrency empire and Trump's controversial pardon of Binance founder CZ. The investigation focuses on World Liberty Financial, the Trump family's crypto project that launched a digital dollar (USD1) and is shopping it around to various entities. Binance inked a deal to accept $2 billion in USD1, which would allow the Trump company to collect interest payments potentially worth billions of dollars annually. The timing of the Binance deal and Trump's subsequent pardon of CZ raises questions about potential quid pro quo arrangements.

Supporting reports

• Trump pardoned dozens of election-denying loyalists and fake electors — Trump pardoned dozens of election-denying loyalists and fake electors involved in plans to overturn the 2020 presidential election on November 9, including lawyers Rudy Giuliani and Jenna Ellis, ex-chief of staff Mark Meadows, and conspiracy theorist Sidney Powell. The pardons cover only federal charges and do not protect against state charges.
• Trump issues federal pardons for 77 people involved in 2020 election interference scheme — President Trump pardoned 77 people, including Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows, Sidney Powell, Jenna Ellis, and John Eastman, for their roles in efforts to overturn the 2020 election through fake elector schemes and legal challenges. The pardons, announced via X by pardon attorney Ed Martin on November 10, are "full, complete and unconditional" but apply only to federal charges, leaving state-level prosecutions intact. Trump's proclamation characterized the prosecutions as "a grave national injustice" and framed the pardons as part of "national reconciliation."
• Trump issued broad pardon for 2020 election-related conduct — Justice Department pardon attorney Ed Martin posted a document on social media revealing that Trump issued a sweeping pardon covering "all United States citizens for conduct relating to the advice, creation, organization, execution, submission, support, voting, activities, participation in, or advocacy for or of any slate or proposed slate of Presidential Electors" in connection with the 2020 election, as well as conduct related to efforts to expose alleged voting fraud and vulnerabilities.
• Trump pardons eight individuals involved in 2020 election overturn efforts — Trump pardoned eight people who attempted to help him overturn the 2020 election results: Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman, Mark Meadows, Sidney Powell, Ken Chesebro, Christina Bobb, Kelli Ward, and Jenna Ellis. The pardons come days before a November 14 deadline for Georgia prosecutors to appoint a replacement for disqualified prosecutor Fani Willis.
• Trump grants preemptive pardons to 70+ MAGA allies including Giuliani and Meadows — Trump granted preemptive pardons to more than 70 MAGA allies, including ex-lawyer Rudy Giuliani and ex-chief of staff Mark Meadows, who worked on efforts to create fake electors to subvert Trump's 2020 election loss. The pardons were announced by pardon attorney Ed Martin via social media. None of the recipients face federal charges, though some have been charged or scrutinized by state authorities for election subversion efforts. Legal experts characterized the action as corrupt, pay-to-play, and authoritarian.
• Trump signed pardons for 77 election subversion conspirators — Trump signed pardons for 77 individuals involved in efforts to overturn the 2020 election, including Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows, Sidney Powell, and fake electors who had already pleaded guilty. The pardons were signed Friday and announced Sunday night during government shutdown media coverage. The timing and announcement strategy obscured the action from public attention during competing news cycles.

Supporting reports

• Trump pardons Changpeng Zhao, Binance founder, amid crypto business ties — Trump pardoned Changpeng Zhao, founder and largest shareholder of Binance cryptocurrency exchange, who pleaded guilty in 2023 to violating anti-money-laundering laws and served a four-month sentence. Binance had inked a $2 billion investment deal with Trump family crypto firm World Liberty Financial, expected to yield tens of millions yearly to the Trump family. Trump admitted in a 60 Minutes interview he did not know who Zhao was, claiming he heard it was a "Biden witch-hunt." Legal experts characterized the pardon as pay-to-play and corrupt.
• 60 Minutes investigates Trump crypto empire and Binance pardon — According to Zach Guzman of Coinage Media, CBS's 60 Minutes is planning to release an investigation into the Trump family's growing cryptocurrency empire and Trump's controversial pardon of Binance founder CZ. The investigation focuses on World Liberty Financial, the Trump family's crypto project that launched a digital dollar (USD1) and is shopping it around to various entities. Binance inked a deal to accept $2 billion in USD1, which would allow the Trump company to collect interest payments potentially worth billions of dollars annually. The timing of the Binance deal and Trump's subsequent pardon of CZ raises questions about potential quid pro quo arrangements.

Supporting reports

• Trump granted Switzerland favorable tariff deal after receiving gold gifts from Swiss billionaires — Trump granted Switzerland a favorable tariff break one week after the country's industry leaders visited the White House and presented him with pricey gold gifts. U.S. Trade Representative Jamison Greer announced a trade deal with Switzerland that cut its tariff rate from 39 percent to 15 percent. Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter had previously failed to persuade Trump to change his tariff position in an icy August phone conversation. The breakthrough came after an entourage of gift-bearing Swiss billionaires, including Rolex CEO Jean Frédéric Dufour, Johann Rupert from luxury goods maker Richemont, and Marwan Shakarchi from gold refining company MKS, visited the White House on November 4. After the meeting, Trump had a gold clock and a bar of gold on his Oval Office desk.