Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• DOJ released, removed, then restored Trump photograph from Epstein files — The Department of Justice released a photograph of Trump from the Epstein files, then removed it, then restored it. The sequence of actions suggests inconsistent handling of the same document.
• Trump photograph removed from and restored to public database — Officials removed a photograph showing Trump with Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell from a public database, citing victim protection. After public outcry, the photograph was quietly restored. The stated rationale—protecting victims—was questioned, as no victims appeared in the photograph.

Supporting reports

• CBS pulled 60 Minutes investigation hours before broadcast — CBS pulled a completed 60 Minutes investigation examining Trump-era deportations of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador's CECOT mega-prison hours before broadcast. The segment had cleared legal and standards review. Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi stated the decision was political, not editorial. CBS cited a need for "additional reporting." The segment later aired through a Canadian broadcaster and circulated online.

Supporting reports

• Justice Department acknowledged existence of 1.2 million additional Epstein-related documents — The Justice Department quietly acknowledged the existence of approximately 1.2 million additional documents related to Epstein that it claimed it had never reviewed. The documents were referenced in emails years ago and only surfaced publicly after media reporting forced the issue into the open.

Supporting reports

• White House posted migrant "self-deportation" meme on Christmas Eve — The official White House social media account posted a meme urging migrants to "self-deport before Christmas," characterizing the message as mocking human suffering. ICE amplified similar messaging on the same day. The posts were part of a broader pattern the article describes as demonstrating that "cruelty is the point" in the Trump administration's immigration approach.

Supporting reports

• Senate Minority Leader Schumer demands Epstein file release and accuses Trump of coverup — Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer responded to the Justice Department's announcement of a delay in releasing Epstein files by stating that the delay "proves what we already know: Trump is engaged in a massive coverup." Schumer called for immediate release of the files and demanded answers about what the administration is hiding.
• DOJ announces delay in processing 1 million additional Epstein documents for public release — The US Justice Department announced on Wednesday that federal prosecutors in Manhattan and the FBI have uncovered more than one million additional documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein case. The department stated that processing these documents for release—involving legally required redactions to protect victims—could take "a few more weeks." This announcement came after the department missed a December 19 deadline for full disclosure mandated by the Epstein Files Transparency Act, prompting criticism from lawmakers and victims' advocates who have threatened contempt hearings against Attorney General Pam Bondi.
• Department of Justice announces delay in releasing Epstein files — The Department of Justice posted on social media that it would take "a few more weeks" to release the Epstein files after announcing that the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York and the FBI had uncovered over one million additional documents potentially related to the Jeffrey Epstein case. Prosecutors from the Southern District of New York were ordered to transfer all files to Justice Department headquarters in January 2025.
• DOJ announced discovery of one million additional Epstein-related documents — The Department of Justice announced that it has "uncovered" the existence of approximately one million additional documents related to the Epstein case, stating that the process of reviewing them will take weeks. The announcement came hours after the article's author reported that millions of documents were missing and had called out the discrepancy on social media the previous day.

Supporting reports

• Schumer introduces Senate resolution directing legal action against DOJ over incomplete Epstein files release — Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer announced he will introduce a resolution authorizing the Senate to file a lawsuit against the Department of Justice for failing to meet a congressionally mandated December 19 deadline to release complete files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The Trump administration released only a partial batch of 7,700 document links on December 20, violating the Epstein Files Transparency Act signed into law by President Trump. If passed, the resolution would compel DOJ to release all remaining documents through court order.

Supporting reports

• White House takes control of Justice Department X account — The White House took over the X account of the Justice Department on December 23. On the same day, that account posted a message claiming that accusations in the Epstein files are "unfounded and false."
• Trump White House assumed control of DOJ social media accounts — Following bizarre exchanges on the DOJ's official social media account, reporting from Axios revealed that the Trump White House has assumed direct control over the Department of Justice's social media accounts. The article notes this explains the unprofessional tone of the exchanges and raises concerns about the politicization of the Justice Department.

Supporting reports

• White House takes control of Justice Department X account — The White House took over the X account of the Justice Department on December 23. On the same day, that account posted a message claiming that accusations in the Epstein files are "unfounded and false."

Supporting reports

• Trump criticized Epstein document release and defended associates — Trump responded to reporters about the Epstein file release, characterizing it as a deflection from Republican achievements and expressing concern about photographs of associates including Bill Clinton and "other people that innocently met Epstein years ago." He criticized Rep. Thomas Massie for supporting the bill requiring document release, calling him a "real low life" and "loser."

Supporting reports

• DOJ announced rapid conclusion that Epstein-Nassar letter is forged — Hours after releasing Epstein documents, the DOJ announced that an alleged letter from Jeffrey Epstein to convicted sex offender Larry Nassar was "FAKE," concluding an investigation in approximately 120 minutes. The letter, postmarked days after Epstein's death, contained allegations about Trump. The DOJ's initial response questioned the letter's authenticity based on postmark location and timing, but investigative reporters noted the FBI had conducted a handwriting analysis in 2020 and questioned why that analysis was not cited in the DOJ's conclusion.
• DOJ investigates and debunks fake Epstein letter — The DOJ said it was investigating the validity of a 2019 letter signed by "J. Epstein" to convicted sex offender Larry Nassar included in the latest batch of Epstein files, which read in part, "Our President also shares our love of young, nubile girls." Just two hours later, the DOJ said the letter had been confirmed to be fake and tweeted that the release "serves as a reminder that just because a document is released by the [DOJ] does not make the allegations or claims within the document factual."
• DOJ confirms fake Epstein letter to Nassar referencing Trump — The Department of Justice announced on Tuesday that an alleged letter from Jeffrey Epstein to Larry Nassar, purportedly dated August 2019 and containing references to President Trump, is fraudulent. The FBI confirmed the letter's inauthenticity and listed reasons why authorities did not deem it genuine. The letter had been released as part of the Epstein files and contained sexually explicit language. The DOJ posted on X that the fake letter serves as a reminder that documents released by the department do not necessarily contain factual claims.

Supporting reports

• Epstein files released showing Trump's flights on Epstein's private jet — Documents released on December 23 include a January 7, 2020 email from a New York prosecutor stating that flight logs show Trump traveled on Epstein's private jet many more times than previously reported, including at least eight flights between 1993 and 1996, with at least four flights on which Ghislaine Maxwell was also present. One 1993 flight listed only Trump and Epstein as passengers; another listed only Epstein, Trump, and a then-20-year-old woman. Trump was mentioned more than 100 times in the released documents.
• DOJ released second tranche of Epstein documents with disclaimer minimizing Trump allegations — The Department of Justice released thousands of additional Epstein files in the early morning hours, accompanied by a statement characterizing some Trump-related allegations as "untrue and sensationalist." The documents included subpoena records from Mar-a-Lago (2021), notes from a U.S. attorney documenting Trump's flights on Epstein's private jet between 1993–1996 (at least 8 flights, with Maxwell present on at least 4), and FBI tips about Trump's involvement with Epstein. A federal prosecutor's 2020 internal email noted Trump had traveled on Epstein's jet "many more times than previously reported."
• Justice Department releases third batch of Epstein files — The Justice Department released its third batch of Epstein files, which included a January 2020 email from a federal prosecutor in New York claiming that flight logs showed Trump flew on Epstein's plane at least eight times in the 1990s, "including during the period we would expect to charge in a [Ghislaine] Maxwell case." The DOJ subsequently claimed some documents "contain untrue and sensationalist claims" against Trump and asserted the claims are "unfounded and false."

Supporting reports

• CBS pulled 60 Minutes segment on Trump-era deportations to CECOT hours before air — CBS postponed a completed 60 Minutes investigation into Trump administration deportations of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador's CECOT mega-prison, citing need for "additional reporting." Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi publicly objected, characterizing the decision as political rather than editorial, despite the segment having cleared legal and standards review. The episode subsequently aired via Canadian broadcaster distribution and circulated online. The segment included interviews with former detainees, Human Rights Watch leadership, and UC Berkeley's Human Rights Center; DHS declined to participate.
• CBS Pulls 60 Minutes Segment on Trump-Era Deportations — CBS postponed a scheduled 60 Minutes segment investigating the Trump administration's deportation of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador's CECOT mega-prison, citing the need for "additional reporting." The segment, which included allegations of abuse and interviews with former detainees and human rights experts, was reportedly pulled for political reasons, according to correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi. Despite the postponement, the segment aired in Canada and circulated online. The delay has been criticized as a form of "soft censorship," potentially diminishing the segment's impact on public accountability.

Supporting reports

• Trump expressed concern about continued release of Epstein files at Mar-a-Lago news conference — At a news conference from Mar-a-Lago, Trump expressed frustration that Americans were still discussing the Epstein files, stating that people were "very angry" about pictures being released of individuals who had "nothing to do with Epstein" but appeared in photographs with him. Trump claimed that the release was ruining reputations and that "a lot of Republicans" shared this concern.
• Trump expresses sympathy for figures named in Epstein files release, resists full disclosure — President Trump commented on the Justice Department's release of Jeffrey Epstein files, expressing concern that people who "innocently met" Epstein could have their reputations damaged. Trump stated sympathy for Bill Clinton and other prominent figures whose associations with Epstein were documented in the released materials. Trump characterized the release as a distraction from Republican achievements and suggested the disclosure was unfair to individuals with no wrongdoing. The Epstein Files Transparency Act, which Trump signed, mandated complete release by a specified deadline, but DOJ has released only one batch so far.

Supporting reports

• Paramount Skydance owner Larry Ellison personally guaranteed $40 billion in financing for Warner Bros. Discovery takeover — Billionaire Larry Ellison, father of David Ellison (owner of Paramount Skydance), personally guaranteed that he would stand behind more than $40 billion in financing required for Paramount Skydance's attempted hostile takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns CNN. This development follows Paramount Skydance's acquisition of Bari Weiss's opinion website Free Press for $150 million in October, after which Weiss became editor-in-chief of CBS News.

Supporting reports

• Rep. Robert Garcia called for whistleblowers to contact House Oversight Committee regarding hidden Epstein files — Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) appeared on MSNBC and called on whistleblowers within the FBI and DOJ who worked on compiling the Epstein files to contact the House Oversight Committee. Garcia stated that the committee has whistleblower protections and wants to ensure "the truth gets out" and that "survivors are protected." Garcia indicated the committee is "hearing from folks across our govt who have seen or know what are in these files," suggesting internal awareness of withheld information.

Supporting reports

• CBS News editor Bari Weiss pulls 60 Minutes segment on immigrant detention — CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss pulled a 60 Minutes segment investigating the Trump administration's practice of sending immigrants to El Salvador's megaprison CECOT, where Human Rights Watch documented inhumane conditions, torture, and sexual violence without due process. The segment's suppression prevented public disclosure of alleged human rights violations.
• 60 Minutes correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi stated story was pulled for political reasons — 60 Minutes correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi wrote in an email to colleagues that the pulled story had been screened five times and cleared by CBS attorneys and Standards and Practices, and was factually correct. Alfonsi stated that pulling the story after all rigorous internal checks had been met was "not an editorial decision, it is a political one." She noted that journalists had repeatedly requested interviews with administration officials who did not respond, and that allowing government refusal to participate to become a reason to spike stories would effectively give the administration a "kill switch" for inconvenient reporting.
• 60 Minutes segment on CECOT renditions leaked and circulated in United States — The 60 Minutes segment on migrant renditions to CECOT, which had been pulled from broadcast, had already been distributed in Canada and copies appeared in the United States on the afternoon of December 22. Legal analyst Asha Rangappa noted that the segment "debunks the fundamental claim used by [the] Trump admin[istration] that the detainees it sent there are 'terrorists' and corroborates torture using clips from El Salvadorean influencers Bukele uses internally." The leaked segment subsequently went viral.
• Bari Weiss pulled 60 Minutes story on migrant renditions to CECOT prison hours before air — Bari Weiss, the new editor-in-chief of CBS News, pulled a 60 Minutes story about the Trump administration's renditions of 252 migrants to CECOT, a notorious terrorist prison in El Salvador, just hours before it was scheduled to air. The story had undergone standard vetting, fact-checking, and legal review. Weiss stated in an email that she pulled the story because it did not present the administration's justification for the renditions, despite the story focusing on documented torture of prisoners.
• CBS pulled 60 Minutes segment on Trump-era deportations to CECOT hours before air — CBS postponed a completed 60 Minutes investigation into Trump administration deportations of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador's CECOT mega-prison, citing need for "additional reporting." Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi publicly objected, characterizing the decision as political rather than editorial, despite the segment having cleared legal and standards review. The episode subsequently aired via Canadian broadcaster distribution and circulated online. The segment included interviews with former detainees, Human Rights Watch leadership, and UC Berkeley's Human Rights Center; DHS declined to participate.
• CBS Pulls 60 Minutes Segment on Trump-Era Deportations — CBS postponed a scheduled 60 Minutes segment investigating the Trump administration's deportation of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador's CECOT mega-prison, citing the need for "additional reporting." The segment, which included allegations of abuse and interviews with former detainees and human rights experts, was reportedly pulled for political reasons, according to correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi. Despite the postponement, the segment aired in Canada and circulated online. The delay has been criticized as a form of "soft censorship," potentially diminishing the segment's impact on public accountability.
• CBS pulled 60 Minutes investigation hours before broadcast — CBS pulled a completed 60 Minutes investigation examining Trump-era deportations of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador's CECOT mega-prison hours before broadcast. The segment had cleared legal and standards review. Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi stated the decision was political, not editorial. CBS cited a need for "additional reporting." The segment later aired through a Canadian broadcaster and circulated online.

Supporting reports

• US Justice Department temporarily removes then restores Trump photo from Epstein files release — The US Justice Department removed a photograph containing images of Donald Trump from the public Epstein investigative files on Saturday, citing potential victim exposure concerns flagged by federal prosecutors in New York. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated the removal was precautionary and unrelated to Trump. After review, the department determined no Epstein victims were depicted and restored the image on Sunday without redaction. Democrats accused the administration of political interference, while the department defended the action as necessary to protect victims during ongoing document review.
• Deputy Attorney General Blanche provides inconsistent explanations for removal of Trump photographs from Epstein files — When NBC's Kristen Welker pressed Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche about photographs showing Trump in Epstein-related materials that were removed from the DOJ website, Blanche's explanations shifted repeatedly. He insisted the removal had nothing to do with Trump while conceding that no victim had been identified in the images that prompted their takedown, creating an apparent contradiction in his account.

Supporting reports

• Deputy Attorney General Blanche provides inconsistent explanations for removal of Trump photographs from Epstein files — When NBC's Kristen Welker pressed Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche about photographs showing Trump in Epstein-related materials that were removed from the DOJ website, Blanche's explanations shifted repeatedly. He insisted the removal had nothing to do with Trump while conceding that no victim had been identified in the images that prompted their takedown, creating an apparent contradiction in his account.

Supporting reports

• White House and Justice Department officials circulate Clinton images from Epstein files — Justice Department and White House officials posted images of Bill Clinton from the released Epstein files on social media, with redacted faces of other individuals. Gates McGavick, a Justice Department spokesperson, posted a photo of Clinton in a hot tub with a redacted figure. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung posted another Clinton image with a redacted companion and a Drake/Future lyric. The strategy appeared designed to shift public focus from Trump's Epstein connections to Clinton's associations.
• White House officials mock Clinton on social media over released Epstein photographs — White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt posted a swimming pool photograph of Bill Clinton from the released Epstein files on social media with the caption "Oh my!" and a red-faced emoji. Communications director Steven Cheung posted separately with the caption "Slick Willy! @BillClinton just chillin, without a care in the world." These posts represent official White House use of released government materials for partisan mockery of a political opponent.

Supporting reports

• Department of Justice inserted unrelated photograph suggesting false association with Epstein — On December 20, 2025, observers discovered that the Department of Justice had inserted into the Epstein files release a photograph from a 2003 fundraiser showing former President Bill Clinton, pop music star Michael Jackson, and music legend Diana Ross with children, presented in a manner suggesting association with Epstein's crimes. The photograph was not from Epstein's files but was a publicly available image, and the children were Jackson's and Ross's own children, not Epstein victims. The image was quickly identified and flagged by social media users.
• Trump administration inserted false photograph into Epstein files — The Trump administration inserted a decades-old, publicly available photograph of Bill Clinton, Michael Jackson, and Diana Ross into the Epstein materials with faces redacted to imply the presence of underage victims. The photograph actually showed Ross with her own children at a fundraiser, entirely unrelated to Epstein. One of Ross's children publicly identified themselves in the image, confirming the misrepresentation.

Supporting reports

• CBS News spiked 60 Minutes segment on Venezuelan migrants in El Salvador prison — CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, newly appointed after David Ellison acquired her independent news site The Free Press, blocked a planned 60 Minutes segment by correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi investigating an El Salvador maximum-security prison where the Trump administration sent hundreds of Venezuelan migrants. Alfonsi stated the story had been screened five times, cleared by CBS attorneys and Standards and Practices, and was factually correct. Weiss requested additional material including a fresh interview with Stephen Miller and questioned terminology. Alfonsi characterized the decision as political censorship that handed the administration a "kill switch" over reporting.

Supporting reports

• Trump restricted press access and retreated from public accountability — President Trump shut down press access, retreated to Mar-a-Lago after a brief appearance at a rally in North Carolina, took no questions, offered no accountability, and disappeared from public view. The retreat occurred as his administration faced mounting scrutiny over its handling of the Epstein files.

Supporting reports

• Justice department removes Epstein files from public website without explanation — On Saturday, December 21, the Trump justice department removed at least 16 files from its public Epstein webpage without notification or explanation. The removed documents included images of paintings and photographs, notably one containing a photograph of Trump alongside Epstein, Melania Trump, and Ghislaine Maxwell. The unexplained removal fueled speculation about selective suppression and prompted Democratic lawmakers to question what was being concealed from the public.
• Justice Department removes Epstein files from website, then reposts image — The Justice Department removed at least 16 Epstein-related files from its website, including a photo showing Trump alongside Melania, Jeffrey Epstein, and Ghislaine Maxwell. The DOJ later reposted the image after "further review," raising questions about selective disclosure and potential obstruction of mandated transparency.