Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Blanche terminates Trump's $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund — Todd Blanche, as acting attorney general, issued a formal order late Sunday terminating Trump's $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" slush fund designed to compensate political allies who had been "targeted" by the justice department, including prosecutions of January 6 insurrectionists. The termination followed weeks of negotiations with Republican senators Thom Tillis and John Cornyn, who were blocking Blanche's nomination. Blanche had promised the Senate judiciary committee he would not pursue the payout fund.
• Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche releases documents claiming to rescind Trump's $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization fund" — Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche released two documents purporting to rescind Trump's $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization fund" and narrow a provision to retroactively protect only Trump, his two sons, and his company from tax audits. Legal experts questioned whether the documents are legally binding and expressed concern about loopholes that could allow the original orders to be reinstated. The move secured votes from holdout Republican senators for Blanche's confirmation as permanent attorney general.
• Acting Attorney General Rescinds Slush Fund Order — Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche rescinded the May 18, 2026, order that established a $1.776 billion slush fund for individuals claiming persecution by the Department of Justice under former President Joe Biden. The fund was perceived as a means to compensate those convicted of crimes related to the 2020 election overturn efforts. Blanche's order did not alter the existing nonprosecution order for Trump and his associates regarding tax returns filed before May 19, 2026.
• House Judiciary Committee Member Calls for Action — Jamie Raskin, the top-ranking Democratic member of the House Judiciary Committee, released a statement criticizing Blanche's actions and calling for six House Republicans to join Democrats in passing a discharge petition to stop the funding for convicted January 6 felons and Trump allies.

Supporting reports

• Popular Information analysis reveals billions in taxpayer-funded Medicaid for Amazon and Walmart employees — Popular Information's analysis found that American taxpayers spend approximately $2 billion annually on Medicaid benefits for hundreds of thousands of Amazon and Walmart employees. Despite being among the largest and most profitable U.S. corporations, both companies employ workers whose take-home pay falls at or below the poverty line, making them eligible for federal Medicaid assistance. The analysis documents how public funds subsidize wages at major retailers.

Supporting reports

• Trump Media Launches 'Truth API' Data Service — Trump Media has launched a new paid data service called 'Truth API,' which provides firms with a real-time feed of Truth Social posts from Trump. The service is reportedly priced at up to $100,000 per month. Senators Adam Schiff and Elizabeth Warren have urged the SEC to investigate whether the service violates the law, suggesting it may be an abuse of the President's office for personal gain.
• Trump's media company launches premium Truth Social tier selling early access to presidential posts for up to $100,000 monthly — Trump's media company launched a premium version of Truth Social featuring a "Truth API" that grants subscribers early access to the president's posts—which often include market-moving announcements—for monthly fees up to $100,000. An anonymous Wall Street executive told NPR the arrangement would be "considered criminal" in a different administration. The move directly monetizes the presidency by selling advance access to information that could provide traders with financial advantage.
• Trump sells access to social media posts for insider trading — Donald Trump began offering Wall Street trading firms early access to his social media posts, allowing them to trade on information before it becomes public. This service reportedly costs up to $100,000 a month and raises ethical concerns regarding the exploitation of government power for personal financial gain.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration requests $10 million from Congress for Freedom 250 event expenses — The Trump administration is seeking $10 million from Congress to cover additional expenses incurred during its Freedom 250 events held earlier in August 2026. The request represents an attempt to use public funds to cover costs associated with administration-sponsored events.

Supporting reports

• Trump threatened to withdraw Blanche's nomination and resubmit it after Cornyn and Tillis leave office. — After the Blanche vote was canceled, Trump posted on Truth Social that he would "temporarily withdraw" Blanche's nomination if Cornyn and Tillis did not "do the right thing," with the intention to resubmit it after the two senators leave office. Trump attacked both senators, claiming his prior refusal to endorse them had "ended" their political careers. He praised Blanche as a potential "Greatest AG of All Time" and stated Blanche would "remain, in any event, as Acting." The post signaled Trump's intent to circumvent Senate opposition through procedural delay and attrition.
• Trump threatens to withdraw Todd Blanche's attorney general nomination — Trump threatened to withdraw his nomination of Todd Blanche as attorney general after Senators Cornyn and Tillis refused to confirm him without a written revocation of Trump's tax audit immunity and January 6th slush fund. The senators' conditional refusal to confirm created a standoff over Trump's demand to retain immunity protections and control of discretionary funds related to January 6th.
• Trump refuses to narrow tax immunity agreement despite Republican senators' written limits request — Donald Trump declined a request from Republican senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis to formally limit the scope of a controversial tax immunity agreement that grants him, his family, and related entities broad protection from IRS audits. The agreement, part of a settlement ending a lawsuit over unauthorized disclosure of Trump's tax records, includes a $1.8 billion slush fund. Trump's refusal to narrow the deal jeopardized confirmation of Todd Blanche as attorney general, though Blanche can continue serving as acting AG indefinitely under federal law.
• Trump reverses position on $1.8bn "anti-weaponization" fund and vows to revive it despite Senate opposition — Donald Trump, after initially declaring a controversial $1.8bn "anti-weaponization" fund "dead," reversed course and promised to revive it through legislation or executive action. The fund, part of a legal settlement with the DOJ over Trump's IRS lawsuit, is intended to compensate individuals Trump claims were wrongfully targeted by government. Senate Republicans John Cornyn and Thom Tillis are blocking Todd Blanche's attorney general nomination over the fund dispute, demanding written assurance the DOJ will not establish it. Trump threatened to withdraw Blanche's nomination, keep him as acting attorney general, and "push hard" for the fund anyway.
• Trump threatens to withdraw Blanche AG nomination temporarily, keep him as acting attorney general — Donald Trump announced he may "temporarily" withdraw Todd Blanche's nomination as attorney general to circumvent Republican senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis, who are blocking confirmation over objections to a $1.8 billion political-weaponization compensation fund and tax immunity provisions. Trump stated he would keep Blanche as acting attorney general indefinitely under federal law until the two senators leave office in January 2027. The Senate Judiciary Committee canceled a scheduled confirmation vote on Thursday.

Supporting reports

• FIFA president Infantino planning to sell World Cup stakes to private investors — According to The Times (UK), FIFA President Gianni Infantino is planning to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors under a scheme that could earn him tens of millions of pounds. Investor discussions have been held with figures close to the Trump administration, with Josh Kushner (brother of Jared Kushner) proposed as the lead investor. FIFA confirmed to The Times that this plan is under discussion.
• FIFA reportedly shopping World Cup stake to private equity — FIFA President Gianni Infantino was reported to be shopping a stake in the World Cup to private equity firms for billions of dollars. A Kushner family member may be involved in the transaction. The move would privatize a major global sporting event.
• UEFA issued statement opposing World Cup privatization plan — The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) issued a statement opposing FIFA's plan to sell World Cup stakes to private investors, stating that "This crosses a line that football's governing institutions should never cross" and that "UEFA takes it extremely seriously. So should every National Football" [statement continues in source material].

Supporting reports

• GOP senators Cornyn and Tillis held firm on conditions for Blanche confirmation — Republican Senators John Cornyn and Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, whose votes are needed for Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to advance out of committee, maintained their demands that the DOJ formally eliminate the "anti-weaponization" fund and curtail an IRS audit immunity deal for Trump. Cornyn stated that DOJ has "not sufficiently" addressed his concerns but noted they are "still talking."
• Senate Judiciary Committee scheduled vote on Blanche AG confirmation for Thursday — The Senate Judiciary Committee scheduled a vote on Todd Blanche's confirmation as Attorney General for Thursday, with the standoff between Blanche and Republican swing votes Cornyn and Tillis coming down to the wire. The two senators demanded that DOJ formally kill the anti-weaponization fund and restrict Trump's audit immunity deal before advancing him in committee.
• Senate Judiciary Committee postponed Blanche attorney general vote — Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley postponed Thursday's scheduled vote on Todd Blanche's nomination as attorney general. The postponement followed the delivery of Epstein files to Senate offices by survivors and came as two Republican senators, John Cornyn and Thom Tillis, stalled the nomination pending written assurance that Trump's $1.776 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund from an IRS settlement would be terminated.
• Senate Judiciary Committee postpones Todd Blanche AG nomination vote over DOJ settlement assurances — The Senate Judiciary Committee postponed a scheduled vote on Todd Blanche's nomination as US attorney general after the Department of Justice failed to provide written assurances that a $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund created under a Trump-IRS settlement agreement would be terminated. Republican Senator John Cornyn, a swing vote, refused to support Blanche without written confirmation and clarification that tax immunity provisions could not apply to future matters or non-parties to the settlement. Blanche, Trump's former personal lawyer and current acting AG, needs every Republican committee vote to advance his nomination.
• Republican senators blocked Blanche nomination pending IRS fund assurance — Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis stalled the Todd Blanche attorney general nomination, demanding written assurance that Trump's $1.776 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund—derived from Trump's IRS settlement—would be terminated. By Thursday, Trump posted he had "no objection to temporarily withdrawing Todd's name" until January, effectively pausing the nomination.

Supporting reports

• Trump refused to disclose destination of $13 billion from Venezuela — When asked where $13 billion taken from Venezuela is going, Trump stated it would "happen with Iran also" and said the money could go to the military but Congress must approve it. He did not answer the direct question about the current location or use of the Venezuelan funds. The bulletin notes that Republicans in Congress have refused to conduct oversight on the matter.

Supporting reports

• Trump claimed Netanyahu disagreed with him on F-35 sales to Turkey — During the press availability, Trump stated that Netanyahu disagrees with him on F-35 fighter jet sales to Turkey. Trump responded that "Nobody tells me what we should be selling" and asserted that "Turkey has been great for me," suggesting personal benefit as a basis for military technology transfer decisions.

Supporting reports

• New York Times investigation found Air Force One retrofit compromised safety features — A New York Times investigation found that the Trump administration's push to quickly retrofit a donated luxury Boeing 747-8 aircraft for use as Air Force One led to ballooning costs and trade-offs in critical safety features. Trump was personally engaged in approving features and security measures. Key security and safety features standard on current Air Force One planes—including a lower-level exit for high-risk situations, additional backup power capacity, and an advanced antimissile system—are absent from the upgraded jet. The 8-month compressed timeline for a retrofit that experts said would normally require several years resulted in the Pentagon spending hundreds of millions of dollars on pilot training equipment on top of approximately $400 million in acknowledged upgrade costs. The Pentagon masked the total price tag, including from Congress, by drawing funds from a classified budget for nuclear modernization.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration admits clean energy grant cancellations were based on state voting patterns — Federal officials admitted in court filings that $7.5 billion in cuts to clean energy projects initiated under President Biden were "based solely" on whether states voted for Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in 2024, contradicting the administration's public claim that cuts targeted waste. Office of Management and Budget director Russell Vought had announced the cancellations as eliminating "Green New Scam funding," but a government lawyer told the court no cancellations were based on "programmatic, statutory, cost-reduction or performance-based factor." The administration funded grants for Trump-supporting states despite Energy Department recommendations for cancellation.

Supporting reports

• Crypto investors donate $10 million to MAGA Inc. after Trump administration vacates enforcement action — Crypto investors Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss and their crypto exchange Gemini donated over $10 million to MAGA Inc. The donations were made less than a month after the Trump administration moved to vacate a Biden-era enforcement action against the brothers' crypto exchange. The sequence suggests a potential quid pro quo between regulatory relief and political donations.

Supporting reports

• Pentagon establishes Economic Defense Unit to invest public funds in defense industries — The Trump administration established an "Economic Defense Unit" (EDU) at the Pentagon tasked with investing public money in defense industries. According to reporting by the New York Times in March, the Pentagon recruited Wall Street investment bankers to the team to manage up to $200 billion in government investment over three years. Recruiters offered prospective employees access to fund-raising channels including royal families and foreign sovereign contacts for their own future investment firms.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration takes ownership stakes in private companies for national security — The U.S. government under Trump has taken ownership shares of private companies deemed important to national security, including Intel and U.S. Steel. According to New York Times reporting in November 2025, the administration had committed more than $10 billion in taxpayer funds to favored businesses. The lack of transparency in this private-sector interference raised concerns about favoritism, corruption, and market distortion.

Supporting reports

• Pentagon allocates $58.5bn to AI research under former Uber executive oversight — The Trump administration's defense budget allocates $58.5bn to artificial intelligence research, overseen by Emil Michael, former Uber executive and head of the Pentagon's research and engineering division. Michael, while in his first months in office, reportedly made millions in profits—between 400% and 4,800%—on his personal investment in Elon Musk's xAI company, creating a potential conflict of interest between his Pentagon role and private financial interests in AI ventures.
• Pentagon's Office of Strategic Capital allocates $20bn under private equity leadership — The Pentagon's Office of Strategic Capital, functioning as a private equity arm of the Department of Defense, is allocated $20bn in the Trump budget. The office is presided over by a former employee of Cerberus Capital, the private equity firm formerly headed by Deputy Secretary of Defense Stephen Feinberg. Last year, the office committed $620m to a mining company backed by a fund tied to Trump's son Donald Jr., exemplifying the blending of private equity interests with defense spending.

Supporting reports

• Pentagon requests $67 billion emergency appropriation for Iran war operations — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine appeared before the Senate Appropriations Committee requesting an emergency injection of $67 billion to fund Pentagon operations through the end of the fiscal year on September 30. The Pentagon has sunk billions into the war in Iran; Hegseth stated the war cost $37.5 billion, though independent analysts estimate the true cost is significantly higher. The Navy and Air Force are projected to run out of money at the end of July 2026.
• Defense Secretary Hegseth requests $67 billion supplemental appropriation for Iran War operations — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared before Congress on Tuesday, July 22, requesting an additional $67 billion in supplemental funding to sustain Defense Department operations through the end of September. The request follows escalating military operations in Iran that have exhausted the expanded budget Congress previously provided. Senator Lisa Murkowski raised concerns that the administration may be attempting to use supplemental appropriations as a backdoor mechanism to satisfy War Powers Resolution requirements without explicit congressional authorization for military action.
• Hegseth requests $88bn supplemental funding for Iran war at Senate hearing — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testified before the Senate appropriations committee on the US-Israel war on Iran, disclosing that the conflict has cost $37.5bn to date and requesting approximately $88bn in supplemental funding ($67.1bn specifically for Iran operations). Hegseth warned that without the funds, the Pentagon faces "critical shortfalls" affecting military pay, equipment replenishment, and operations. The hearing occurred amid a collapsed ceasefire, recent American combat deaths, and bipartisan criticism over shifting war rationales and lack of congressional authorization.
• Hegseth requests $454bn defense budget increase to $1.5tn, citing "generational investment" — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testified before the Senate appropriations committee on July 21, 2026, requesting a $454bn increase in military spending for 2027, bringing the total to approximately $1.5tn—a 44% increase that would match World War II spending levels when adjusted for inflation. The request includes $67bn in emergency defense funds for 2026, with $37.5bn allocated to ongoing Iran war operations through September 30. Hegseth also disclosed that $75bn from a prior $156bn appropriation remains unobligated with no detailed spending plan.

Supporting reports

• Consumer brands donate to Congressional sponsors of ICE-expansion legislation — Popular Information analyzed corporate PAC donations to members of Congress who sponsored or co-sponsored 40 bills expanding ICE's power during the 119th Congress. SpaceX's corporate PAC donated $589,000 to 63 such members; Home Depot donated $536,500 to 77 members; Walmart donated $308,000 to 88 members; Toyota donated $262,500 to 75 members; and Google donated $257,500 to 48 members. The analysis identified 110 House members and 37 Senators as sponsors or co-sponsors of ICE-expansion bills, with Rep. Barry Moore (R-AL) sponsoring or co-sponsoring 12 bills.
• Google corporate PAC funds Congressional ICE-expansion bill sponsors — Google's corporate PAC donated $257,500 to 48 members of Congress who sponsored or co-sponsored legislation expanding ICE's power during the 119th Congress. In 2017, Google's CEO signed a letter calling for legislation to protect undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children, but the company has not publicly opposed any of Trump's immigration policies during the second administration.
• Home Depot corporate PAC funds Congressional ICE-expansion bill sponsors — Home Depot's corporate PAC donated $536,500 to 77 members of Congress who sponsored or co-sponsored legislation expanding ICE's power during the 119th Congress, according to FEC filings analyzed by Popular Information. This represents the second-largest corporate PAC contribution to this group of legislators after SpaceX.
• Toyota corporate PAC funds Congressional ICE-expansion bill sponsors — Toyota's corporate PAC donated $262,500 to 75 members of Congress who sponsored or co-sponsored legislation expanding ICE's power during the 119th Congress, according to FEC filings analyzed by Popular Information.
• Walmart corporate PAC funds Congressional ICE-expansion bill sponsors — Walmart's corporate PAC donated $308,000 to 88 members of Congress who sponsored or co-sponsored legislation expanding ICE's power during the 119th Congress. The article notes that in 2017, Walmart's CEO signed a letter calling for legislation to protect undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children, but the company has not publicly opposed any of Trump's immigration policies during the second administration.
• Corporate donors bankroll House and Senate sponsors of ICE expansion bills — Since January 2025, 110 House members and 37 senators have sponsored or cosponsored 40 bills to expand ICE's power. Popular Information identified the corporate donors providing the most support to these politicians, including SpaceX, Home Depot, Walmart, and Google. The investigation documents the financial relationships between major consumer brands and lawmakers advancing immigration enforcement expansion.

Supporting reports

• FCC commissioners accept expensive tickets from companies under regulatory review — Federal Communications Commission commissioners have accepted expensive tickets to the Kennedy Center Honors Gala from CBS and Paramount, CBS' parent company, as they considered whether to approve Paramount's merger with Skydance Media. The acceptance of these gifts from a company whose merger they were evaluating creates an apparent conflict of interest and raises questions about the integrity of the regulatory review process.

Supporting reports

• White House teleprompter operator placed on administrative leave over alleged insider trading on prediction market — Gabriel Perez, Donald Trump's teleprompter operator since 2016, was placed on unpaid administrative leave after reports he used advance knowledge of the president's speeches to place bets on the Kalshi prediction market, generating over $100,000 in winnings. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called the conduct "deeply unfortunate and frankly a disgrace." The CFTC is investigating the matter after Kalshi detected unusual betting patterns and referred the trades to federal regulators. Perez earned $175,000 annually as deputy assistant to the president.
• Trump's teleprompter operator investigated for betting on presidential speech content — Gabriel Perez, Trump's longtime teleprompter operator, is under federal investigation for allegedly making over $100,000 in bets on the prediction market Kalshi, wagering on which words Trump would say in his own speeches, including the February State of the Union. Investigators found that Perez allegedly withdrew from certain bets mid-speech if Trump skipped a wagered word. Kalshi froze a portion of the winnings after flagging the activity as suspicious.
• Trump's teleprompter operator placed bets on presidential speeches — Gabriel Perez, Trump's technical assistant and teleprompter operator since 2016, is in settlement talks with federal regulators after allegedly using inside knowledge of the president's speeches to place bets on prediction market Kalshi. CFTC investigators found Perez placed bets on more than a dozen Trump speeches over a three-month period, including the State of the Union address, a World Economic Forum speech in Davos, and remarks at a Medal of Honor ceremony, winning over $100,000. Perez continues to serve as one of Trump's teleprompter operators and typically has final eyes on nearly all prepared remarks.
• Truth Social announces new profit mechanism tied to Trump's office — Truth Social announced a new way for Trump to profit directly from his position as president. The announcement suggests a direct monetization of the presidency through the social media platform.

Supporting reports

• Trump constructs helipad on White House South Lawn without congressional review or permission — Construction began last month on a helipad on the South Lawn of the White House without permission from Congress and without any environmental or zoning review panel. Trump is pushing ahead with the project despite the fact that helipads are normally very difficult to permit due to zoning laws, airspace regulations, and environmental impact. Trump claims Lockheed Martin, a major defense contractor that manufactures the helicopters Trump uses, is donating funds for the construction. A White House spokesperson stated that "operational upgrades to the White House grounds, such as the helipad installation, do not require commission reviews." The site was previously designated for an Ultimate Fighting Championship stadium that Trump had ordered built for a cage match on his birthday.

Supporting reports

• Todd Blanche confirmation hearing for attorney general — Todd Blanche, Trump's personal attorney and acting attorney general since April 2026, faced Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearings on July 15–16. He downplayed his relationship with Trump, defended his handling of Epstein files (which contained redaction errors exposing survivor identities), and addressed a $1.8 billion "slush fund" settlement with the IRS that granted Trump and family immunity from tax audits. A federal judge had excoriated the settlement as collusive. Blanche also faced questions on January 6 clemencies, the transfer of Ghislaine Maxwell to minimum security, and the arrest of Newark's mayor at an ICE facility.
• Ex-DOJ lawyer testifies that Todd Blanche fired her for refusing to restore gun rights to Trump ally — Liz Oyer, former pardon attorney, testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee that Todd Blanche, Trump's nominee for attorney general, terminated her employment after she refused to recommend restoring firearms rights to actor Mel Gibson, a Trump ally with a domestic violence conviction. Blanche denied the firing was retaliatory, claiming her decisions were inconsistent with Trump's authority. Oyer called his statement "provably false" and urged senators to reject his nomination, alleging he is weaponizing DOJ as Trump's personal law firm.

Supporting reports

• US District Judge Kathleen Williams voided DOJ's $1.776 billion settlement with Trump — US District Judge Kathleen Williams voided the Department of Justice's $1.776 billion settlement with Trump, finding the litigation constitutionally defective under Article III because Trump, as head of the Executive Branch, controlled both the plaintiff and defendant agencies (Treasury and IRS), making them never genuinely adverse. The judge found no actual case or controversy occurred, no meaningful litigation preceded the settlement, and government lawyers never filed a response or defended the agencies. Williams imposed Rule 11 sanctions and referred one of Trump's attorneys for possible professional discipline.
• Federal Judge Voids Trump's $1.8 Billion IRS Settlement — A federal judge voided Trump's $1.8 billion settlement with the IRS that included an "anti-weaponization fund" and immunity from tax audits, ruling that the president's $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS was filed "to manipulate the judicial process." The judge sanctioned two of Trump's personal attorneys, banning one from practicing in the Southern District of Florida for at least one year, and suggested that acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and associate Attorney General Stan Woodward could face state bar investigations.
• Federal judge nullifies Trump tax-return settlement and sanctions president's lawyers — US District Judge Kathleen Williams in the Southern District of Florida voided a settlement agreement between the Trump administration and the president over a $10 billion lawsuit regarding leaked tax returns. The judge found the lawsuit was filed in bad faith and the settlement was collusive, designed to confer immunity on Trump and his family and create an $1.8 billion slush fund. Williams sanctioned Trump's lawyers, referred two to bar disciplinary proceedings, and blocked one from practicing in the district for one year.
• Federal judge ruled Trump's IRS lawsuit settlement was improper and manufactured — U.S. District Court Judge Kathleen Williams for the Southern District of Florida ruled that Trump, his lawyers, and Department of Justice lawyers had manufactured a fraudulent settlement of Trump's $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service. Williams found the lawsuit was brought "for an improper purpose—to gain the imprimatur of judicial legitimacy for a 'settlement' that had no viable basis in law or fact." The settlement was designed to establish a $1.776 billion slush fund for Trump loyalists and to grant Trump, his family, businesses, and associates immunity from prosecution for any tax crimes revealed by audits of tax returns filed before May 19, 2026.
• Federal judge rules against Trump's IRS lawsuit — On July 13, 2026, U.S. District Court Judge Kathleen Williams ruled that Trump and his legal team improperly manufactured a settlement in his $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS, which aimed to create a slush fund for Trump loyalists and grant immunity from prosecution for tax crimes. The judge found the lawsuit lacked a legitimate basis and recommended sanctions against some lawyers involved.
• Judge Williams recommended sanctions against lawyers involved in fraudulent settlement — Judge Kathleen Williams recommended legal sanctions against some of the lawyers involved in the fraudulent IRS settlement and expressed that she was "extremely troubled" by the testimony of Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, which she characterized as "at best, misleading and, at worst, disingenuous."
• E. Jean Carroll Receives Payment from Trump — E. Jean Carroll has received a $5.6 million payment from Donald Trump, confirmed by a court filing. This payment is part of a legal settlement related to a defamation case brought by Carroll against Trump.

Supporting reports

• South Carolina governor appoints Lindsey Graham's sister to Senate seat following his death — South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham Nordone, sister of deceased Senator Lindsey Graham, to fill the remainder of his Senate term. The appointment followed a recommendation from Donald Trump. Nordone, 64, a trained optician and commissioner at the South Carolina Commission For The Blind, accepted the role and pledged to support Trump and continue her brother's legislative agenda. She will serve until the expiration of Graham's term in 2026, with a special primary scheduled for August 11 to select a Republican nominee for the general election.
• Trump recommended Darline Graham Nordone for interim South Carolina Senate seat — Trump posted a recommendation to Governor Henry McMaster that Lindsey Graham's sister, Darline Graham Nordone, be appointed as interim Senator from South Carolina as "a fabulous tribute to Lindsey." Hours earlier, Senator Tim Scott had announced support for former Representative Trey Gowdy for the seat, but after Trump's post, Scott immediately reversed course and endorsed Darline Graham Nordone. McMaster then held a press conference and appointed Darline Graham Nordone to the Senate seat.
• Darline Graham sworn in as interim US senator for South Carolina — Darline Graham, sister of deceased Republican senator Lindsey Graham, was sworn in on July 14, 2026, to fill the remainder of his Senate term following his death on July 12. She was appointed by South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster three days after Graham's death. At 62, she became the first woman to represent South Carolina in the Senate. She cast her first vote on a defense authorization bill, which failed 50–46.
• Trump endorses Darline Graham for South Carolina Senate seat — Donald Trump posted on Truth Social encouraging Darline Graham, sister of deceased Senator Lindsey Graham, to run for a full six-year Senate term representing South Carolina. Graham was sworn in on 14 July 2026 following her brother's death and had been appointed by Governor Henry McMaster. Trump stated he spoke to her at the White House and offered his "Complete and Total Endorsement" if she runs in the special Republican primary scheduled for 11 August 2026. Graham has no prior elected office experience.

Supporting reports

• Trump sons' defense technology investments received $3.2 billion in government contracts — The Washington Post reported that Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump have amassed a portfolio of defense technology start-ups that are benefiting from new Pentagon priorities and spending. The Trump sons have invested in more than a dozen defense companies that have collectively received at least $3.2 billion in business directly from the government since those investments, along with $3.1 billion in options for future contracts.
• Trump’s sons benefit from defense contracts — On July 13, 2026, reports emerged that Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump have invested in defense technology start-ups that are profiting from new Pentagon spending priorities, raising concerns about conflicts of interest and the intertwining of personal financial interests with government contracts.
• CNN investigation found Trump made at least 44 stock purchases before posting complimentary Truth Social messages — A CNN investigation by Casey Tolan and Isabelle Chapman, published July 16, found that Trump made at least 44 stock purchases of 21 different companies within a week before posting complimentary Truth Social messages about those firms, their executives, or their products. The investigation suggests potential market manipulation tied to Trump's social media activity.
• Trump Jr. and Eric Trump investment funds generate billions in Pentagon contracts — A Washington Post analysis found that funds linked to Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump have invested in more than a dozen defense technology companies and other firms seeking business from the Pentagon and federal agencies. These companies have together generated at least $3.2 billion in direct government business since the sons invested. The arrangement raises concerns about conflicts of interest and potential self-dealing by family members of the sitting president.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration drains Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool again; awards repeat contracts without competitive bidding — Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced that crews were draining the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool for a second time to address algae blooms, peeling paint, and debris from Independence Day fireworks. The Trump administration plans to award the same contractors—Green Water Solutions ($1.7m) and Atlantic Industrial Coatings ($14.7m)—without seeking competitive bids. The project's estimated cost has exceeded $16m. Democratic lawmakers are investigating the pool's renovation, including questions about taxpayer funding and contractor selection practices.