Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Turning Point USA doxxed teachers with false claim — Andrew Kolvet, the number-two official at Charlie Kirk's organization Turning Point USA, posted photos and personal information of math teachers from Vail Unified School District in Arizona to millions of social media followers, falsely claiming they had mocked Kirk's death by wearing "Problem Solved" and blood-stained costumes on Halloween. Kolvet's viral post generated over 3,000 death threats against the teachers. However, the school's Facebook page revealed that the teachers had worn identical costumes in 2024, predating Kirk's death. Kolvet later issued a brief update acknowledging the teachers had worn the same costume the previous year but did not apologize for the doxxing or the death threats it generated. Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) amplified the false claim to his followers before it was debunked.

Supporting reports

• Leavitt defended Trump's ties to Jeffrey Epstein during press briefing — In November 2025, an email emerged in which disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein described Trump as the "dog that hasn't barked." When asked during a press briefing whether the president had spent hours at Epstein's house with a victim, Leavitt replied that the emails "prove absolutely nothing other than the fact that President Trump did nothing wrong." She argued the Trump administration "has done more with respect to transparency when it comes to Jeffrey Epstein than any administration ever" amid growing pressure for transparency over documents tied to Epstein.

Supporting reports

• Labor Department released inflation figure with methodological irregularities — The Labor Department announced a surprisingly low inflation figure of 2.7% for November. Economists immediately noted methodological irregularities that could have artificially lowered the rate: prices were not gathered until the second half of November when Thanksgiving discounts kicked in, and no increase was shown in housing costs despite clear evidence that they rose. The Washington Post reported that the issue raises questions about data integrity.

Supporting reports

• Complaint filed — Reproductive Freedom for All v. U.S. Food and Drug Administration — Reproductive Freedom for All (RFA), a nonprofit organization, filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland against the FDA and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for failure to respond to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests submitted on August 4, 2025. RFA sought records related to the FDA's alleged investigation of mifepristone (an abortion medication) announced in May 2025 and CMS's alleged June 2023 rescission of guidance on emergency abortion care under EMTALA. RFA's complaint alleges statutory violations of FOIA and seeks an order compelling production of all non-exempt responsive records and an injunction against continued withholding.

Supporting reports

• Complaint filed: Just Futures Law v. United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement — Two non-profit organizations filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York against ICE and CBP, alleging unlawful withholding of records responsive to FOIA requests submitted July 16, 2025. The complaint concerns agency contracts with Israeli surveillance technology companies Cellebrite and Paragon for phone hacking and zero-click spyware capabilities. Plaintiffs seek a court order compelling prompt processing of the FOIA requests, release of the documents, and relief from alleged denials of expedited processing and fee waivers.

Supporting reports

• USDA removes contingency funding plan from website and denies legal authority to use emergency reserves for SNAP — The USDA removed its late-September contingency funding plan from its website while simultaneously issuing a memo claiming emergency reserve funds are "not legally available" to cover SNAP benefits during the shutdown. The removed plan had previously stated Congress's "evident" intent was for SNAP operations to continue during closures and identified "multi-year contingency funds" available for that purpose. The agency's current position contradicts its own earlier legal analysis and denies access to approximately $6 billion in reserves despite having authority to use them.
• USDA removes guidance authorizing contingency funds for SNAP benefits — The USDA issued guidance on September 30, 2025, explicitly stating that multi-year contingency funds could be used to fund SNAP participant benefits during a lapse in appropriations. The guidance cited Congressional intent and the plain language of appropriations bills (2024 and 2025) reserving funds "to carry out program operations." The Trump administration has since removed this guidance from the USDA website, now asserting that the $6 billion contingency reserve "are not legally available to cover regular benefits" and can only be used for disaster response. The removal occurred after the administration determined that withholding funds was "politically advantageous."

Supporting reports

• USDA posts partisan messaging on food assistance homepage blaming Democrats for shutdown — The USDA's food and nutrition homepage displays a banner with a "strikingly partisan message" falsely accusing Senate Democrats of shutting down the government to provide healthcare to undocumented immigrants and transgender Americans. The notice states "the well has run dry" and announces no benefits will be issued November 1. The messaging conflates the shutdown with unrelated policy disputes and uses federal infrastructure to spread misinformation about the cause of the fiscal crisis.
• USDA falsely claims SNAP will run out of funding on November 1 — The USDA's official website asserts that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will exhaust funding on November 1, 2025, and attributes the shortfall to Democratic opposition to funding for "health care for illegal immigrants" and "gender mutilation procedures." According to Popular Information's investigation, both claims are false. SNAP has a $6 billion contingency reserve sufficient to fund the program for several additional weeks. The USDA previously issued guidance (September 30) explicitly authorizing use of contingency funds for regular benefits, but has since removed that guidance from its website. Democrats are not blocking SNAP funding over immigration or transgender healthcare; they are seeking extension of health insurance subsidies for U.S. citizens.
• Government websites display partisan political content blaming vulnerable groups — Multiple U.S. government websites, including those of the USDA and Department of Homeland Security, published content attributing the government shutdown to transgender people and undocumented immigrants rather than to policy decisions. The websites functioned as platforms for partisan messaging rather than neutral information dissemination.

Supporting reports

• Washington Post reported misleading footage used in immigration operation videos — The Washington Post reported that misleading footage was used in at least six videos over the past three months to promote the successes of recent immigration operations, including using footage that was months or even years old and videos that supposedly showed unrest in cities targeted by Trump that included footage from completely different states.
• Department of Homeland Security publishes doctored videos of crime enforcement — The Department of Homeland Security has been publishing videos to demonstrate the administration's success in combating crime in U.S. cities, claiming agents work "day and night to arrest, detain and deport vicious criminals." However, the Washington Post reported on October 29 that these videos have been doctored and do not represent current actions but rather combine footage from different states and different time periods. When asked about the misleading footage, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson stated the administration will "continue to highlight the many successes of the president's agenda through engaging content and banger memes on social media."

Supporting reports

• Complaint filed: American Oversight v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security and FEMA (D.D.C. 1:25-cv-03788) — American Oversight, a nonprofit government transparency organization, filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency, alleging they failed to search for and produce records responsive to Freedom of Information Act requests submitted between May and August 2025. The complaint seeks records concerning military strikes in Yemen, National Guard deployment in Los Angeles, a June 14, 2025 military parade in Washington D.C., third-country removals of deportees to South Sudan, and operations of the Department of Government Efficiency. American Oversight seeks declaratory and injunctive relief, including orders for adequate searches, production of non-exempt records, and indexes of withheld materials.

Supporting reports

• CNN chief Mark Thompson met with Trump administration and subsequently directed editorial softening of coverage. — CNN chief Mark Thompson visited the White House, ostensibly to introduce the network's new streaming product to administration officials. The following morning, Thompson directed CNN's editorial staff during the daily editorial call to ease coverage of Trump's East Wing demolition project, claiming viewership was not interested in the story. Staff found the directive suspicious given the timing of the White House visit and Trump's known animosity toward CNN, particularly as the administration sought to keep the demolition project out of public view despite polling showing most Americans disapprove of it.

Supporting reports

• Tennessee Secretary of State orders public libraries to remove LGBTQ-themed children's books — Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett (R) sent two letters to 181 public libraries in the Tennessee Regional Library System demanding they review and remove children's books with LGBTQ themes or characters, citing compliance with state DEI law and Trump's executive order on "gender ideology." Hargett claimed libraries receiving state and federal grants must comply with these directives. At least one county closed multiple library branches for up to a week to conduct the purge. Legal experts note the removals likely violate First Amendment protections established in Island Tree School District v. Pico and Equal Protection guarantees.

Supporting reports

• Tucker Carlson interviewed Nick Fuentes on his podcast for over two hours — Right-wing media personality Tucker Carlson conducted an extended interview with white nationalist Nick Fuentes, whose past statements include praise for Hitler, denial of the Holocaust, and antisemitic rhetoric. Carlson posted a photograph with his arm around Fuentes to his 16.7 million X followers, effectively platforming Fuentes to a mainstream audience. This marked a significant mainstreaming of a figure previously sidelined by establishment Republican channels.
• Tucker Carlson interviewed white supremacist Nick Fuentes without challenging extremist views — On October 27, Tucker Carlson conducted a two-hour-plus podcast interview with Nick Fuentes, a 27-year-old white supremacist and leader of the "groyper" movement who advocates racial segregation, praises Hitler, and opposes women's voting rights. During the interview, Fuentes made antisemitic statements about "organized Jewry," called for a "pro-white" Christian movement, and expressed admiration for Joseph Stalin. Carlson praised Fuentes as "amazing" and "clearly talented," described his ideas as "not crazy," and did not challenge any of his bigoted statements, drawing condemnation from conservative figures including Ben Shapiro, Mitch McConnell, and Ted Cruz.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration moved to take over White House Correspondents' Association — The Trump administration moved to take over the White House Correspondents' Association, which determines the selection of the press pool. Fox News correspondent Jacqui Heinrich criticized these moves, and the administration has been involved in "uncomfortable, although fairly tame" exchanges with her over the issue.

Supporting reports

• Government websites post propaganda in violation of Hatch Act — Government websites, including the USDA, contain propaganda and lies in violation of the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from engaging in political activity. The violation was identified as part of broader constitutional violations occurring during the administration.

Supporting reports

• Bill Owens resigns from 60 Minutes over editorial pressure and corporate censorship — Bill Owens, executive producer of 60 Minutes, resigned in April 2025 after facing sustained pressure from Paramount leadership to suppress coverage of Gaza and Donald Trump. Owens stated that Paramount's controlling shareholder Shari Redstone, a strong Israel supporter, discouraged further Gaza reporting after a January segment featuring State Department employees critical of Biden's Gaza policy. He was also pressured to reduce Trump coverage and to apologize for editing decisions in a Kamala Harris interview. Owens refused and resigned, citing corporate censorship tied to Paramount's pending merger with Skydance Media and regulatory approval from Trump-appointed FCC chair Brendan Carr.

Supporting reports

• USDA posts partisan messaging on SNAP website violating Hatch Act — The USDA Food and Nutrition Service website posted messaging stating "Senate Democrats have now voted 12 times to not fund the food stamp program" and blamed Democrats for the shutdown, claiming "the well has run dry" and "there will be no benefits issued November 01." The message further accused Democrats of holding out for "healthcare for illegal aliens and gender mutilation procedures." This constitutes a violation of the Hatch Act, which prohibits the use of government resources for partisan political purposes.
• USDA website displayed partisan messaging attributing government shutdown to Democrats — The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service website displayed a banner stating: "Due to the Radical Left Democrat shutdown, this government website will not be updated during the funding lapse. President Trump has made it clear he wants to keep the government open and support those who feed, fuel, and clothe the American people." The statement misrepresents the shutdown's cause, as Trump has refused to negotiate with Democrats and Republicans are demanding passage of a continuing resolution without Democratic input. The banner constitutes a violation of the Hatch Act, which prohibits use of government resources for partisan purposes.

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

• House Democrat demands AG Bondi release Epstein files; cites subpoena non-compliance — Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House oversight committee, sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi demanding the release of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein's case, citing revelations in Virginia Giuffre's posthumous memoir published that week. Garcia referenced a subpoena approved by the committee in August and accused Bondi of refusing to comply and disregarding congressional oversight. The committee has been investigating the government's handling of Epstein's prosecution since July.

Supporting reports

• FBI internally acknowledged Tren de Aragua "green light" claim was inaccurate — In December 2024, the FBI and Army National Ground Intelligence Center held a briefing in Seattle on Tren de Aragua and distributed follow-up materials to federal and state officials. In a section on officer safety, the FBI stated that despite August 2024 reporting of a TdA "green light" on violence against US law enforcement, "it appears the order is primarily defensive in nature, rather than a directive to actively target US law enforcement." This internal acknowledgment contradicted the widely circulated July 2024 alert but was not publicly disclosed.

Supporting reports

• Pentagon replaces departing press corps with far-right outlets after restrictive policy implementation — After Pentagon reporters refused to sign new restrictive press policies introduced by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the Pentagon announced a replacement press corps of 60 journalists from far-right outlets including Lindell TV, Gateway Pundit, Post Millennial, and others. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell characterized departing mainstream journalists as "self-righteous media who chose to self-deport." Major outlets including the Washington Post, New York Times, Atlantic, Fox News, and Newsmax had all declined to accept the new rules, which restricted access to unauthorized material and certain areas.
• Pentagon announced "new media" press corps of right-wing outlets — The Pentagon announced a "new media" press corps made up of 60 people from primarily right-wing outlets including Real America's Voice, the Gateway Pundit, Lindell TV (created by MyPillow CEO and Trump ally Mike Lindell), Turning Point USA's media brand Frontlines, and Timcast, created by podcaster Tim Pool. Pool was among conservative influencers linked to a media company secretly funded by Russian state media employees, which amplified Kremlin interests.
• Pentagon establishes new press corps after traditional pool walks out over censorship demands — The Pentagon announced formation of a new press corps to cover Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Department of Defense after the traditional press pool resigned rather than accept a requirement to publish only material approved by Pentagon officials. The departing journalists included Hegseth's former colleagues at Fox News Channel. The new press corps, composed entirely of outlets that accepted Pentagon censorship, includes LindellTV (owned by election denier Mike Lindell) and podcaster Tim Pool, who received Russian funding before the 2024 election.

Supporting reports

• Speaker Johnson says he won't block House vote on Epstein files discharge petition — House Speaker Mike Johnson stated at a press conference that he would not prevent a vote on legislation to release Jeffrey Epstein investigation documents, even as the House remained in recess during a government shutdown. A discharge petition signed by all House Democrats and four Republicans was one signature away from the 218-member threshold needed to force a floor vote. Johnson argued the petition was unnecessary because a House oversight committee was already investigating Epstein, though he has refused to swear in newly elected Democrat Adelita Grijalva until the House reconvenes.

Supporting reports

• Treasury Department restricts employee photography of White House construction — Officials at the Treasury Department, which has a front-row view of the White House ballroom demolition and construction, told employees not to share photos of the grounds. The restriction appears designed to limit public visibility of the demolition work.
• Treasury Department Restricts Photo Sharing of White House Construction — The Treasury Department instructed employees not to share photographs of the demolition of the White House East Wing without prior approval from the Office of Public Affairs. The directive came after images of construction equipment dismantling the building facade went viral online.
• — The Treasury Department has instructed its employees not to share photos of the ongoing construction at the White House, which involves the demolition of parts of the East Wing for a new ballroom. This directive comes amid concerns about the transparency of the project, which has been described as a desecration of the historic site. The Treasury building's proximity to the White House provides its employees with a clear view of the construction activities.

Supporting reports

• Trump's interim U.S. attorney for Eastern District of Virginia leaked grand jury testimony to reporter — Lawfare reported that Trump's hand-picked interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Lindsey Halligan, engaged in a Signal exchange with reporter Anna Bower in which she divulged details about grand jury testimony in her criminal case against New York Attorney General Letitia James. Halligan later told Bower that their entire correspondence was off the record, despite the fact that such requests must be made in advance and agreed to by the reporter. The incident raised serious concerns about prosecutorial ethics and the politicization of the Justice Department.
• US Attorney Halligan's use of auto-delete Signal messages potentially violates federal records-retention laws — Lindsey Halligan, interim US attorney for the eastern district of Virginia, used Signal with auto-delete settings (eight-hour message expiration) to communicate with a journalist about her prosecution of New York Attorney General Letitia James. Watchdog groups American Oversight and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington warned that this practice potentially violates the Federal Records Act and DOJ records-retention rules. American Oversight filed a public records request for the messages; both groups called for investigation by Attorney General Pam Bondi and the DOJ Office of Inspector General.

Supporting reports

• Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell dismissed departing press as "self-righteous" — Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell responded to the mass walkout of Pentagon press corps by stating that the "self-righteous media chose to self-deport from the Pentagon" and that "they will not be missed." Parnell announced that the Department would make an announcement regarding "the next generation of the Pentagon press corps," suggesting a replacement of mainstream media with more compliant outlets.

Supporting reports

• White House Press Secretary Leavitt responded dismissively to reporter question — White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked who pitched Viktor Orban's Hungary as the meeting place for the next Trump-Putin summit. Leavitt responded to the reporter: "Your mom did." The response was characterized as unprofessional and dismissive.