Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• White House issues fact sheet attributing government shutdown to Democrats and describing impacts on air traffic control — The White House published a fact sheet titled "Democrat Shutdown Jeopardizes America's Skies" on October 23, 2025. The document attributes a government shutdown entering its third week to Democratic actions and describes consequences including unpaid air traffic controllers, flight disruptions, and recruitment challenges. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is quoted describing controller anger over delayed paychecks and concerns about holiday travel disruptions. The fact sheet frames the shutdown as a Democratic political tactic and asserts controllers may leave the profession or take second jobs.
• White House issues release attributing government shutdown to Democrats and citing aviation industry demands for resolution — The White House published a release on October 24, 2025, framing an ongoing government shutdown as a "Democrat Shutdown" and featuring statements from airline CEOs, pilot unions, and air traffic controllers calling for Congress to pass a clean continuing resolution. The release states that air traffic controllers and TSA agents are working without paychecks, that $1 billion in travel-related spending is lost weekly, and that 13,000 air traffic controllers are preparing to miss their first full paycheck. The document attributes the shutdown to Democrats' "refusal to end their destructive government shutdown" and their use of "the crisis as leverage" in political negotiations.
• White House issues fact sheet on inflation data and government shutdown — The White House published a fact sheet claiming that September inflation data came in below market expectations and that real wages are rising under President Trump's economic agenda. The document attributes inflation averaging 2.5% since Trump took office (compared to 5% under Biden) and states that a Democrat-caused government shutdown will prevent the October inflation report from being released, which the White House characterizes as risking economic disruption. The fact sheet frames the shutdown as Democrats using families as "leverage" to fund healthcare for undocumented immigrants.

Supporting reports

• USDA cancels food insecurity survey — The Trump administration's Agriculture Department announced it is canceling an annual government survey conducted since the mid-1990s that measures food insecurity in the US. A department spokesperson claimed the survey "became overly politicized" and is "unnecessary," despite the survey being used to make funding decisions for food assistance programs. The final report including 2024 results is expected to be released on October 22.
• USDA places food insecurity researchers on leave — The Agriculture Department placed roughly a dozen employees responsible for economic research and the government's food insecurity survey on leave, two days after canceling the annual food insecurity survey.

Supporting reports

• Nexstar seeks FCC waiver for $6.2 billion Tegna acquisition — Nexstar is seeking FCC approval for a $6.2 billion acquisition of Tegna, a media company that owns local television affiliates. The transaction requires the FCC to waive its rule prohibiting a single company from owning broadcast stations that collectively reach more than 39% of the country. The article suggests that Nexstar's willingness to suppress Kimmel's programming may be connected to its regulatory interests before the FCC, which must approve the acquisition.

Supporting reports

• Sinclair demanded Kimmel make donation to Kirk family and Turning Point USA as condition for reinstatement — Sinclair Broadcast Group stated it would not consider airing "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" unless and until host Jimmy Kimmel makes "a meaningful personal donation to the Kirk Family and Turning Point USA," Kirk's right-wing political advocacy group. The demand effectively conditions Kimmel's return to air on a financial payment to a political organization, creating a direct link between editorial suppression and financial extraction.
• Sinclair conditions Kimmel's return on personal apology and donations to right-wing organization — Sinclair Broadcasting stated it would not consider airing Kimmel's show until the host personally apologized and made donations to both the Kirk family and Turning Point USA, a right-wing organizing group founded by Charlie Kirk. The article notes that David Smith, Sinclair's executive director, donated $250,000 to Turning Point USA the previous year, raising questions about the company's financial and ideological alignment with the organization whose support it demanded from Kimmel.

Supporting reports

• Trump announces Larry Ellison as preferred buyer for TikTok's U.S. operations — President Trump announced that Larry Ellison, Oracle co-founder, would be among a consortium of American billionaires permitted to acquire TikTok's U.S. operations. The consortium also includes Fox Corp. CEO Lachlan Murdoch, Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell, and venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz. Ellison will gain access to data on the political views, consumption habits, and social connections of tens of millions of American TikTok users. The deal is required under a law passed by Congress and signed by President Biden.

Supporting reports

• PBS laid off 34 employees due to Trump defunding — PBS laid off 34 employees due to Trump's defunding of the public broadcaster.

Supporting reports

• White House issues fact sheet claiming labor market gains and worker-focused policies — The White House published a fact sheet on Labor Day asserting that President Trump has created over half a million private-sector jobs, driven native-born employment gains of 2.4+ million, reduced regulations, achieved trade deals covering over half global GDP, issued guidance restricting illegal immigrants' access to federal workforce development resources, signed an executive order modernizing workforce programs, and enacted tax legislation the administration characterizes as delivering over $10,000 in annual take-home pay increases for typical families and creating nearly one million jobs.
• White House issued promotional release on tariffs, border enforcement, and federal workforce policy — The White House published a promotional release claiming record tariff revenues ($31 billion in August, $158 billion year-to-date), citing a Congressional Budget Office projection of $4 trillion deficit reduction over ten years. The release also claims a federal return-to-office order increased in-office work by 30 percentage points, reports a 97% decline in northward migration from Central America and 93% decline in unaccompanied migrant crossings, and announces a partnership between D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Trump Administration on crime reduction.

Supporting reports

• Kevin Hassett initially defended Trump's false claims about jobs data, then walked them back — White House economic advisor Kevin Hassett appeared on Sunday news programs and questioned the validity of jobs data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, echoing Trump's claims of rigging. After criticism from experts, Hassett walked back his position on CNBC, acknowledging that revisions reflect more complete data and do not indicate fraud. He admitted that "if the data are not being manipulated," revisions are "likely a better read of the data."
• New York Times and Washington Post minimize coverage of historic crime decline — The New York Times did not place the FBI's 2024 crime report on its front page on August 6, 2025, and as of Wednesday afternoon had not covered the story at all, despite having made front-page news of the 2020 crime spike. The Washington Post republished a 230-word Associated Press article without including it in the physical paper, while giving front-page coverage to President Trump's threat to federalize Washington, D.C. over an alleged assault. The Post article did not note that D.C. violent crime declined 35 percent in 2024 and is at its lowest in over 30 years.

Supporting reports

• FCC approved Skydance-Paramount merger — The FCC voted to approve the merger of Skydance Media and Paramount Global. This approval came less than a day after Paramount fired Stephen Colbert and settled lawsuits with Trump, according to the bulletin's reporting.
• Skydance Media agrees to eliminate civil rights and DEI programs as condition of FCC merger approval — To obtain Federal Communications Commission approval of an $8 billion merger between CBS parent company Paramount and Skydance Media, Skydance agreed to eliminate programs related to civil rights, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and to produce "unbiased" journalism. FCC Chair Brendan Carr approved the merger and subsequently bragged on right-wing media that CBS agreed to install an internal political "bias monitor" reporting to Paramount's president to ensure news coverage favorable to Trump and the right wing.
• FCC approves Paramount and Skydance Media merger — The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved the merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media, which is valued at $8 billion. This approval comes after Skydance Media promised to eliminate Paramount's diversity, equity, and inclusion practices and to address perceived bias at CBS News to gain support from the administration. The merger is significant as it reflects the influence of political considerations on corporate practices in media.
• FCC approved Paramount-Skydance merger — The Federal Communications Commission approved the $8 billion merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media on July 25, 2025, after Skydance committed to eliminating Paramount's diversity, equity, and inclusion practices and addressing alleged bias at CBS News.
• Skydance Media promised to eliminate diversity and inclusion practices at Paramount to secure FCC merger approval — Skydance Media, in merger negotiations with Paramount Global requiring Federal Communications Commission approval, publicly committed to eliminating Paramount's diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices and rooting out alleged "bias" at CBS News. The commitment was made to win administration support for the $8 billion merger. The FCC approved the merger the same day.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration proposed $56 million budget cut to the Bureau of Labor Statistics — The Trump administration proposed slashing $56 million from the Bureau of Labor Statistics budget. The article notes this follows earlier decisions to eliminate hundreds of gauges tracking wholesale prices and represents part of broader cuts to government agencies responsible for collecting economic statistics.
• Trump administration cut data collection efforts at the Bureau of Labor Statistics — The Trump administration scaled back data-collection efforts at the Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics, which produces the monthly inflation estimate and employment report. The article reports that the BLS was forced to increase the percentage of prices it "imputes" (estimates from other data) from 9% before Trump took office to 35% currently. Additional cutbacks are anticipated if Congress approves Trump's proposal to slash $56 million from the BLS budget.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration requests Congress to rescind $9.4bn in funding — The Trump administration formally requested Congress to rescind $9.4 billion in already approved funding, targeting foreign aid and public broadcasters such as NPR and PBS. This move follows an executive order signed by Trump in May, which cut federal funding to these media organizations. The rescission process aims to retrieve funds from programs that have already received them. The House and Senate will now consider the request, with Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson expressing support for the cuts. The White House budget director indicated that more rescission packages could follow if this effort succeeds.
• Trump requests Congress to cancel appropriated spending — The White House requested Congress to cancel $9.4 billion in already-appropriated spending identified as wasteful by the Department of Government Efficiency, targeting programs like public media and international aid.

Supporting reports

• Concerns Over U.S. Inflation Data Accuracy — Economists are questioning the accuracy of recent U.S. inflation data after the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported staffing shortages affecting its monthly survey. The April inflation report showed a reliance on less precise methods for estimating price changes, raising concerns about the reliability of the data.

Supporting reports

• FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr Opposes Verizon-Frontier Merger Over DEI Policy — FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr stated his opposition to the merger between Verizon and Frontier Communications due to Verizon's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policy. Carr indicated that companies seeking FCC approval for mergers should eliminate any forms of discrimination, suggesting that DEI policies are discriminatory.

Supporting reports

• Trump campaign uses unsubstantiated DOGE cuts for political fundraising — The Trump campaign has sent fundraising emails to supporters suggesting they may receive $5,000 "DOGE rebate checks," based on claimed budget cuts by the Department of Government Efficiency. However, DOGE has not generated any actual reduction in federal spending, and the claimed cuts lack itemized verification. The campaign is using speculative and unsubstantiated fiscal claims as a political fundraising tool.

Supporting reports

• DOGE inflates spending-cut claims without itemized support — The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) updated its official website on April 20, 2025, to claim $160 billion in spending cuts, up from $155 billion, but provided no new itemized documentation for the $5 billion increase. Analysis by Musk Watch's DOGE Tracker found that only $12.6 billion in cuts are verifiable against original government sources, while the claimed total of $160 billion far exceeds the $61.5 billion itemized on the website. The discrepancy suggests DOGE is publicly inflating budget-cut figures without substantiation.

Supporting reports

• Trump announces $1 trillion military budget for fiscal year 2026 — On April 7, President Trump announced plans to propose a $1 trillion military budget for fiscal year 2026, representing a $107 billion increase from current spending. Trump stated during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the increase was necessary to strengthen U.S. military capacity. This reverses Trump's February position that military spending of nearly $1 trillion was excessive and should be reduced through arms-control negotiations with China and Russia. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth endorsed the proposal.
• White House warned Trump would veto tariff approval bill — The White House warned that Trump would veto a bill that would require approval from Congress to impose new tariffs.
• CNBC reported false rumor of Trump tariff pause, causing market volatility — CNBC reported a false rumor that Trump would announce a 90-day pause on tariffs after Fox host Brian Kilmeade asked White House Economic Advisor Kevin Hassett if Trump would consider such a pause. The rumor caused stock markets to rally sharply mid-morning. When the White House denied the report as "fake news," markets declined again. The false report originated from Hassett's non-committal response that "the president is gonna decide what the president is gonna decide."
• White House denied tariff pause report as fake news — The White House social media account responded to the CNBC report of a tariff pause by stating "Wrong. Fake News. Not only did Director Hassett not say this, POTUS has been clear - 'it all has to change, but especially with CHINA!!!'" The denial clarified that Trump has not agreed to any tariff pause.
• Peter Navarro stated tariffs are not a negotiation but a national emergency response — White House trade advisor Peter Navarro told Fox News that the tariffs represent "a national emergency based on a trade deficit that's gotten out of control because of cheating," explicitly rejecting the characterization of tariffs as a negotiating tactic. This statement contradicted other administration messaging suggesting tariffs were leverage for trade negotiations.
• Trump posted on Truth Social that his policies will never change — President Trump posted on Truth Social stating "MY POLICIES WILL NEVER CHANGE," signaling that tariff policy would not be reversed despite market turmoil and economic concerns. This statement contradicted earlier messaging that tariffs were negotiating tactics.
• White House issued fact sheet stating tariffs remain in effect until trade deficit threat is resolved — The White House released a fact sheet claiming that tariffs would remain in effect "until such a time as President Trump determines that the threat posed by the trade deficit and underlying nonreciprocal treatment is satisfied, resolved, or mitigated." This statement indicated tariffs were not temporary negotiating tools but permanent policy subject only to Trump's subjective determination.
• Trump announces 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs — Hours after reciprocal tariffs took effect on April 9, 2025, Trump announced a 90-day pause on them, with the exception of China, where he increased tariffs to 125%. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt characterized the move as part of Trump's negotiating strategy, referencing "The Art of the Deal." The pause came after stock markets had fallen sharply and amid widespread economic warnings.
• Trump announces 90-day tariff pause with modified rates, triggering market volatility and insider-trading allegations — On Wednesday, April 9, Trump announced a 90-day pause on his tariff plan, replacing his original broad tariffs with a 10% blanket rate on most countries through July, while raising China tariffs to 145% effective immediately. The announcement triggered a historic market rally Wednesday afternoon, followed by sharp sell-offs Thursday as economists warned the effective tariff rate was worse than worst-case scenarios. Democrats alleged possible insider trading and market manipulation; Republicans praised the move as strategic negotiation.
• Trump reversed course on tariffs with 90-day pause — After tanking the stock market, Trump reversed course on his "Liberation Day" tariffs. He announced a 90-day pause on a steep hike in tariffs on most countries, except for China, which he said would now face duties of 125%.
• Senators and representatives questioned insider trading related to tariff announcements. — Multiple members of Congress raised concerns about potential insider trading in the hours before Trump's tariff announcement. Senator Adam Schiff stated he would investigate whether Trump and associates tipped off friends to profit from market movements. Senator Bernie Sanders expressed skepticism that people with advance knowledge of the tariff reversal did not profit. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called for disclosure of stock purchases made in the prior 48 hours and urged a ban on congressional insider trading. Senator Chris Murphy characterized the situation as "an insider trading scandal brewing."
• Trump's approval rating fell to 41% in new Quinnipiac poll. — A new Quinnipiac poll showed President Trump's approval rating at 41% with 53% disapproval. CNN analyst Harry Enten noted that only two presidents have had net negative approval ratings at this point in their term: Donald Trump in his first term and Donald Trump in his second term.
• White House refused to release list of 75 countries allegedly requesting tariff deals. — President Trump claimed that leaders of 75 countries had called "kissing my ass" to request trade deals, prompting him to lift most tariffs. When NBC News requested the list of these 75 countries, the White House refused to release it. The refusal raised questions about the veracity of Trump's claim and the basis for the tariff reversal.
• 30-year mortgage rates surge to 7.1% — The average mortgage rate on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages surged 1.3 basis points to 7.1% on this date. Matthew Graham, COO of Mortgage News Daily, characterized the week as the worst for bond markets in terms of 10-year yield jumps for anyone whose career began after 1981, indicating severe market volatility tied to administration policy.

Supporting reports

• HHS mass layoffs eliminate public health programs across CDC, FDA, and related agencies — HHS Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr implemented layoffs affecting approximately 10,000 employees (one-quarter of the 82,000-person workforce) on April 1–2, 2025. The cuts eliminated entire divisions and programs including the CDC's infertility expertise branch, the Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice (responsible for climate health, lead poisoning, asthma, air quality), the FDA's tobacco policy division, the FDA's media affairs and drug communications teams, and the Administration for Community Living's disability and elderly services. The Mine Safety and Health Administration also sustained cuts affecting coal miner respiratory protection programs. Layoffs occurred with minimal public notice and left Congress uninformed.
• Department of Health and Human Services conducted mass layoffs affecting CDC, NIH, and FDA — The Department of Health and Human Services executed mass layoffs that gutted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on April 1, 2025. The layoffs significantly reduced capacity at three critical federal health agencies.
• HHS fires thousands of employees across FDA, CDC, and NIH — On April 1, HHS fired thousands of employees, including 3,500 staffers at the Food and Drug Administration, 2,400 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 1,200 from the National Institutes of Health. Former FDA Commissioner Robert Califf stated that the FDA "as we've known it is finished." The cuts included all employees responsible for handling Freedom of Information Act requests at the CDC and two-thirds of records request staff at the FDA.
• Trump administration implements mass layoffs at Health and Human Services, targeting 8,000–10,000 employees — The Trump administration, led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., began laying off thousands of HHS employees on April 1, 2025. Workers across the country were summoned to federal buildings and informed of termination via badge-scan systems. The cuts target 8,000–10,000 positions across multiple agencies, including 3,500 at the FDA, 2,400 at the CDC, 1,200 at the NIH, and 300 at CMS. The restructuring aims to reduce HHS staffing from 82,000 to 62,000 positions, eliminating nearly a quarter of the workforce. Positions in human resources, procurement, finance, IT, and "high cost regions" are prioritized for elimination.
• RFK Jr acknowledges 20% of HHS job cuts were errors; reinstatement process underway — Robert F Kennedy Jr, US health secretary, admitted that approximately 2,000 of the 10,000 jobs cut from the Department of Health and Human Services this week were terminated in error and will be reinstated. The cuts, orchestrated by Elon Musk's "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE), were intended to target administrative roles but mistakenly eliminated research positions, including CDC programs monitoring lead exposure in children and FDA tobacco policy divisions. Kennedy stated reinstatement was always part of the plan, though specifics on which staff and functions will be restored remain unclear.
• HHS reinstates roughly 20% of fired employees — Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told reporters on April 3 that roughly 20% of the 10,000 jobs cut from the HHS were being reinstated, claiming the firings were made in error. The reinstatement of a portion of fired employees suggests the initial cuts were not fully justified.
• Department of Health and Human Services slashed CDC jobs and programs. — On Tuesday (April 1), the Department of Health and Human Services slashed jobs and programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The cuts occurred even as measles continues to spread across the country and two Louisiana infants have died of whooping cough. The timing and scope of the cuts undermined the CDC's capacity to respond to ongoing public health threats.
• Termination of Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System team — In April 2025, the entire team behind the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), a critical tool for understanding maternal and child health outcomes, was eliminated. The loss of this team has rendered the system non-functional despite the registry remaining nominally in place, disrupting maternal and child health monitoring at state and local levels.
• NIH layoffs of senior researchers in neurological disease research — Senator Dick Durbin detailed to HHS Secretary Kennedy that on April 1, ten laboratory heads at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes—all PhDs and senior investigators—received layoff notices. Science magazine reported 25 of 320 physician researchers at NIH's Internal Clinical Center are leaving, patient numbers in the hospital have been reduced by 30%, and three grants involving ALS and dementia work at Northwestern University in Illinois have been paused. An ALS researcher at Harvard also had his grant cut. When Durbin asked Kennedy about these cuts, Kennedy claimed he had no knowledge of them until Durbin informed him.
• CDC officials overseeing bird flu response fired — On 1 April 2025, several CDC officials overseeing the bird flu (H5N1) response were fired. Following their dismissal, testing of people exposed to sick animals dropped dramatically from approximately 830 people tested by late February to only about 50 people tested afterward, with no positive cases announced. This reduction in surveillance coincided with a broader erosion of pandemic preparedness infrastructure.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration seeks IRS access for DOGE — The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) sought access to sensitive IRS systems containing taxpayer information. This request raises concerns about privacy and the potential misuse of financial data for political purposes.

Supporting reports

• Tesla sues Chinese car owners and media — Tesla has filed lawsuits against at least six car owners in China who reported vehicle malfunctions and against six bloggers and two media companies that published critical articles. Tesla has won over 90% of these cases, leveraging its influence with China's ruling Communist Party.