Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Trump border czar states denaturalization and deportation of Omar is possible — Tom Homan, Trump's "border czar," stated on Fox News that the federal government could "of course" denaturalize and deport Representative Ilhan Omar if evidence supports it. Homan described denaturalization as a "long, tedious process" that has been used before. His comments were the first explicit remarks by a named top Trump administration official linking denaturalization and deportation to Omar since the October 12 raid on her home.

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• Former President Obama condemns targeting of Omar and warns of broader threat — Former President Barack Obama posted on X condemning the Trump administration's investigation into Representative Ilhan Omar, stating "the full weight of the federal government is being brought down on a law-abiding elected official because she has dared to criticize the president." Obama urged all Americans to defend Omar regardless of political affiliation, warning that if this becomes normalized, "there's no reason to believe it will stop with her – or that future presidents, in either party, won't do the same."

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• Federal search of Ilhan Omar's home and seizure of property — Federal agents conducted a search of U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar's home and seized property, including her phone, as part of a criminal investigation into her immigration paperwork. Omar's attorneys filed a letter with the Department of Justice contending the search was "neither justified nor lawful" and demanding return of seized items and preservation of search recordings. The investigation was launched weeks before the November 3 midterm election in which Omar is a candidate. A DOJ spokesperson denied the allegations, stating agents complied with all court orders.

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• Trump administration investigated Representative Ilhan Omar's citizenship paperwork with intent to strip citizenship — Federal agents, acting under Trump administration direction, conducted a search of Representative Ilhan Omar's home on Monday, seizing her cellphone, notebooks, personal computers, and passport. According to Wall Street Journal reporting, the investigation targets citizenship paperwork completed by her father in the 1990s when the family arrived from a refugee camp in Kenya, with the stated goal of finding grounds to strip her of U.S. citizenship and deport her. Omar is running for reelection with Election Day less than a month away. DOJ rules caution prosecutors against actions that could affect elections or create such perception.
• Federal agents search home of Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar — Federal agents searched the home of Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar on Monday as part of a criminal investigation. More details about the investigation were not immediately clear. Vice President JD Vance has previously accused Omar of committing immigration fraud without offering evidence and stated that he and deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller had been discussing how to investigate the Minnesota congresswoman and "what the legal remedies are" now that they believe "she's committed immigration fraud." Omar's chief of staff Connor McNutt responded that the accusation was "a ridiculous lie and desperate attempt to distract" from the administration's unpopular policies. Omar posted after the raid: "This is an attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement. For 10 years, Trump has targeted me with baseless lies and smear campaigns. This is just the latest escalation in his campaign of political intimidation."
• Trump administration and DOJ attack on Representative Ilhan Omar — Representative Ilhan Omar faced what the article describes as a "devastating attack by Trump and the DOJ." The article references this incident as a basis for urging supporters to donate to her campaign and offer support via her office phone line. No specific charges, legal action, or enforcement detail is provided in the text; the nature and timing of the attack are not elaborated.

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• Trump has pardoned nine of last eleven convicted Republican congressmen — CNN reporter Aaron Blake reported that Trump has pardoned nine of the last eleven Republican congressmen convicted of federal crimes, while his Department of Justice has indicted, attempted to indict, or taken investigative steps against thirteen Democrats currently serving in Congress. The disparity illustrates a pattern of selective law enforcement based on party affiliation.

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• Trump administration threatened to demolish Kennedy Center — Trump's lawyers suggested that the administration might be forced to demolish the Kennedy Center if courts do not permit the board to renovate it over the next two years and add Trump's name to the facade. Justice Department attorney Brantley T. Mayers wrote that without renovations, the Center would deteriorate into an unsafe structure requiring demolition, with proposals to replace it with an outdoor amphitheater. The threat came after ticket sales and fundraising for the Kennedy Center plummeted following the addition of Trump's name to the building.
• Trump's DOJ threatened to demolish the Kennedy Center if Trump's plans do not proceed — Trump's Department of Justice lawyers argued that the Kennedy Center building is dangerously dilapidated, financially unsustainable, and heading toward demolition unless Trump's plans for the facility can proceed. The DOJ claimed Trump's "efforts and prestige" provide the "sole hope" for the Center's financial survival. The threat came after ticket sales and donations plunged following Trump's takeover of the venue.

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• Todd Blanche declines to pledge DOJ independence from White House — US Attorney General Todd Blanche, Trump's former personal lawyer, declined on NBC's Meet the Press to pledge that the Department of Justice would act independently of the White House, stating "no attorney general should ever pledge that." Blanche asserted Trump would never ask him to do something unethical or illegal, dismissing concerns about politicization as a "false narrative." His comments came days after his narrow 50-49 Senate confirmation and amid Trump's dismissal of his predecessor Pam Bondi over insufficient action against Trump's political opponents.
• Attorney General Todd Blanche refused to pledge DOJ independence from White House — On NBC's Meet the Press, Attorney General Todd Blanche refused to pledge that the DOJ will always act independently of the White House, stating "No, I'm not going to pledge that, and no AG ever should." When asked if he would comply with a presidential directive that crosses ethical or legal lines, Blanche responded that the president "would never do that" and "never has" and "never will," without committing to refuse unlawful orders.

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• Acting AG Blanche greenlit second indictment of former FBI Director Comey — As acting attorney general, Todd Blanche approved the second indictment of former FBI Director James Comey. This action follows Blanche's confirmation and represents a continuation of Trump administration efforts to prosecute former officials who investigated the president.
• Acting AG Blanche reauthorized firing squad executions — As acting attorney general, Todd Blanche reauthorized the use of firing squads for death penalty executions. This reversal of prior policy expands capital punishment methods available to federal prosecutors.

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• White House directed Justice Department to reconsider Reflecting Pool vandalism prosecution — Trump's White House asked the Justice Department to examine whether prosecutors could bring new charges related to alleged vandalism at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The DOJ had previously prosecuted former Olympic canoeist David Hearn over damage to the pool liner, but prosecutors dropped the case after reviewing evidence showing that rushed and flawed renovation work, not vandalism, caused the problems. Trump repeatedly blamed vandals for the damage and, despite new evidence, criticized the decision to drop the case and urged U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro to reconsider it.

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• White House requests DOJ revive charges against former Olympian David Hearn — The White House requested that the Department of Justice weigh new charges against former Olympian David Hearn after US Attorney Jeanine Pirro dropped vandalism charges on 31 July 2026, citing insufficient evidence and a contractor's flawed pool installation. Pirro's office determined damage predated Hearn's visit. Trump publicly criticized Pirro's decision. The request to Main Justice headquarters marks an extraordinary instance of White House pressure on DOJ prosecutorial decisions, departing from traditional arm's-length separation.

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• Trump attacks U.S. Attorney Pirro and demands she reverse decision to drop indictment — President Trump posted that "U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro should re-visit her hastily made decision" to drop the indictment against David Hearn, attacking Hearn as "a big player in ActBlue" and describing Hearn's attorney as a "TRUMP DERANGED SLEAZEBAG" and "Political Hack Lawyer." Trump's post pressures the U.S. Attorney to reverse her prosecutorial decision based on political considerations rather than legal merit.
• Trump demands U.S. Attorney Pirro prosecute David Hearn for reflecting pool damage — President Trump continues to insist that vandals, not poor installation, caused damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and demands that U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro prosecute the alleged wrongdoers. Trump specifically demands prosecution of Olympian David Hearn, whom the Department of Justice indicted, despite Pirro's decision to drop the indictment after determining the damage resulted from installation problems rather than vandalism.
• White House requests DOJ revive charges against former Olympian David Hearn — The White House requested that the Department of Justice weigh new charges against former Olympian David Hearn after US Attorney Jeanine Pirro dropped vandalism charges on 31 July 2026, citing insufficient evidence and a contractor's flawed pool installation. Pirro's office determined damage predated Hearn's visit. Trump publicly criticized Pirro's decision. The request to Main Justice headquarters marks an extraordinary instance of White House pressure on DOJ prosecutorial decisions, departing from traditional arm's-length separation.
• White House directed Justice Department to reconsider Reflecting Pool vandalism prosecution — Trump's White House asked the Justice Department to examine whether prosecutors could bring new charges related to alleged vandalism at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The DOJ had previously prosecuted former Olympic canoeist David Hearn over damage to the pool liner, but prosecutors dropped the case after reviewing evidence showing that rushed and flawed renovation work, not vandalism, caused the problems. Trump repeatedly blamed vandals for the damage and, despite new evidence, criticized the decision to drop the case and urged U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro to reconsider it.

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• Senate confirms Todd Blanche as attorney general — The US Senate voted 50-49 to confirm Todd Blanche, Trump's former personal attorney, as attorney general. Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana cast the deciding vote after two Republicans (Collins, Murkowski) opposed the nomination. Blanche had been serving in an acting capacity and faced pushback over a proposed $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization fund" and tax immunity provisions for Trump, his sons, and businesses. Cornyn and Tillis secured written assurances the fund would not proceed, enabling narrow confirmation.
• Todd Blanche confirmed as US Attorney General — The Republican-controlled Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as US Attorney General. Legal scholar Sherrilyn Ifill characterized the confirmation as signaling the collapse of the rule of law and the beginning of an accelerated program to suppress dissent. The confirmation occurred amid ongoing concerns about the use of the Justice Department as a political instrument.
• Senate confirmed Trump's former criminal defense lawyer Todd Blanche as attorney general — The Senate narrowly voted to confirm Todd Blanche, Trump's former criminal defense lawyer, as attorney general on August 8. As acting attorney general, Blanche greenlit the second indictment of former FBI Director James Comey, reauthorized the use of firing squads for death penalty executions, and signed off on a $1.776 billion "anti-weaponization fund" (now supposedly rescinded). The confirmation marks a significant shift in DOJ leadership toward Trump's personal interests.
• Senate Republicans confirm Todd Blanche as Attorney General — At 4:00 a.m. on August 9, 2026, just before a five-week recess, Senate Republicans confirmed Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to the permanent position of Attorney General of the United States. Blanche, who served as President Trump's personal criminal lawyer, becomes the top law enforcement officer of the country. Some Republicans, including 92-year-old Senate Judiciary Committee chair Chuck Grassley, expressed enthusiasm for the nomination. Others expressed skepticism but stated they believed confirming Blanche was preferable to allowing Trump to select an alternative candidate.
• Todd Blanche sworn in as attorney general by Trump defense lawyer Emil Bove — On August 10, Todd Blanche took the oath of office as attorney general, administered by federal appeals court judge Emil Bove, a Trump defense lawyer who later became deputy at the Department of Justice. The ceremony excluded the press but included FBI director Kash Patel and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller. Retired conservative judge J. Michael Luttig characterized Blanche as "the symbol of Donald Trump's corruption of the rule of law" and called his confirmation "a shameful act of acquiescence" by Senate Republicans.
• Todd Blanche sworn in as US attorney general — Todd Blanche, Trump's former personal criminal defense lawyer, was sworn in as US attorney general on Monday following a narrow 50-49 Senate confirmation vote on Saturday. Blanche had been serving as acting attorney general since April. He previously represented Trump in criminal cases before joining the administration as deputy attorney general in early 2025. His tenure has included the departure of over 200 prosecutors and agents who worked on Trump-related investigations.

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• Trump publicly rebukes US Attorney Jeanine Pirro over reflecting pool vandalism case dismissal — President Trump criticized US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro after she filed a motion to dismiss vandalism charges against a former Olympian and three others connected to damage at the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool. Pirro's office argued in a 20-page court filing that the damage resulted from a "botched" renovation, not vandalism. Trump told NBC News on Thursday that Pirro "made a terrible mistake" and called her decision "stupid," though he declined to commit to replacing her. The charges against David Hearn, a 67-year-old former Olympic canoeist, were dismissed by the Justice Department.

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• Trump pressures attorney general nominee over abandoned anti-weaponization fund — When attorney general nominee Todd Blanche announced he would abandon Trump's controversial $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization fund" to secure Republican Senate support from John Cornyn and Thom Tillis, Trump responded by telling reporters he had "plenty of thoughts." Trump insisted his supporters should receive compensation from the justice department, claiming the fund "could have given them some solace," while maintaining the posture of a commentator with no power over the decision.

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• Senate committee obtains copy of Fauci's iPhone and weighs contempt charges — Senator Ron Johnson, chair of the Senate homeland security permanent subcommittee on investigations, announced that his committee obtained a backup copy of Anthony Fauci's iPhone, used during Fauci's tenure as NIAID director and during the Covid-19 pandemic response. The phone was transferred by the Department of Health and Human Services, led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Johnson stated the device would address questions Fauci refused to answer at a hearing on July 29, where Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right dozens of times. The committee is weighing whether to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress.
• Senate committee votes to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress — The Republican-controlled Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee voted to refer Dr. Anthony Fauci for contempt of Congress after he repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment during a July 29 hearing on his Covid-19 pandemic response. Committee chair Rand Paul argued Fauci's pardon negated his right to invoke self-incrimination protections. The committee voted to refer the matter to the Department of Justice for potential criminal prosecution, though a full Senate vote would normally be required and Democrats warned the process violated constitutional protections.
• Senate Committee Holds Dr. Fauci in Contempt — The Senate Homeland Security Committee has voted along party lines to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after he invoked his Fifth Amendment rights during questioning. This action reflects ongoing political tensions and scrutiny of public health officials.
• Senate Republicans vote to hold Dr. Fauci in contempt of Congress — Republican senators voted to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, in contempt of Congress for invoking his Fifth Amendment right to remain silent during a Senate Homeland Security and Government Oversight Committee hearing on July 29. Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times as Republican senators taunted and berated him. All Democrats voted against the contempt measure.
• Senate Committee Votes to Hold Dr. Fauci in Contempt — The Senate Homeland Security Committee has voted to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress for refusing to answer questions during a hearing on his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. The vote follows Fauci's invocation of the Fifth Amendment over 100 times. The committee, led by Sen. Rand Paul, bypassed the full Senate and sent the contempt referral directly to the DOJ, a move criticized by Democrats as illegitimate.

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• Trump uses Truth Social to spread false claims about Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool vandalism — On Saturday, Trump posted on Truth Social a fictitious account of vandalism at the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool, claiming material was "being cut with a knife or a box cutter." The post misrepresented the facts of the incident. On Monday, Trump attacked U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro for dropping charges against a former Olympian accused of vandalizing the pool, accusing her of "choking" and "folding like an umbrella," and launched a tirade with exaggerated accusations against Biden and Obama regarding prior pool maintenance.

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• Trump threatens to withdraw Blanche's nomination and keep him as acting attorney general — Trump threatened to withdraw Todd Blanche's attorney general nomination and instead keep him as acting attorney general while pushing legislation for the "anti-weaponization" fund. Trump accused Cornyn and Tillis of blocking Blanche's confirmation out of personal grievance, claiming Cornyn was upset over Trump's endorsement of his primary challenger Ken Paxton. Trump posted on Truth Social that Blanche "was a voice of reason" and the fund "will immediately be back on the table."

Supporting reports

• Trump Administration Drops Reflecting Pool Vandalism Case — The U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, has decided to drop the case concerning vandalism at the Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C. This decision has been met with criticism from former President Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who both expressed their disagreement with the decision, citing evidence of vandalism. The case involved damage to the Reflecting Pool and surrounding areas, which Trump and Burgum believe was caused by vandals.
• Trump Considers Firing DC US Attorney Jeanine Pirro — Former President Trump is reportedly considering firing DC US Attorney Jeanine Pirro after she dropped charges related to vandalism at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Trump expressed his dissatisfaction with Pirro's decision, claiming it was a mistake and that the incident was indeed vandalism. The DOJ concluded that the issues stemmed from a flawed renovation rather than vandalism, which has led to Trump's frustration and potential action against Pirro.
• Trump publicly attacks US Attorney Pirro over dropped reflecting pool vandalism charges — Donald Trump accused interim US Attorney for DC Jeanine Pirro of "folding like an umbrella" after she dropped vandalism charges against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn in connection with damage to the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool. Trump, who nominated Pirro to the post in 2025, expressed disappointment and suggested she "choked" under judicial pressure. Reports indicate Trump is considering removing Pirro from her position. The DOJ had dismissed the case after discovering the pool damage resulted from contractor installation flaws, not vandalism.
• Trump publicly rebukes US Attorney Jeanine Pirro over reflecting pool vandalism case dismissal — President Trump criticized US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro after she filed a motion to dismiss vandalism charges against a former Olympian and three others connected to damage at the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool. Pirro's office argued in a 20-page court filing that the damage resulted from a "botched" renovation, not vandalism. Trump told NBC News on Thursday that Pirro "made a terrible mistake" and called her decision "stupid," though he declined to commit to replacing her. The charges against David Hearn, a 67-year-old former Olympic canoeist, were dismissed by the Justice Department.

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• 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.

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• Trump declares Netanyahu immune from arrest in the United States — Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that Benjamin Netanyahu "will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form while in the United States of America," despite Netanyahu being subject to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant since November 2024 for alleged war crimes in Gaza. Trump's statement came days after New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he was exploring whether his administration could arrest Netanyahu during a potential UN General Assembly visit in September. Trump framed Netanyahu as fighting Iran and suggested Iranian leaders should face arrest instead.

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• Trump announced declassification and criminal investigation of alleged election intelligence coverup — Trump announced immediate declassification of critical election intelligence and directed the DNI, DOJ, FBI, and CIA to investigate how and why information was allegedly hidden from presidential briefings, to fire those involved in a coverup, and to file criminal charges if appropriate. The directive targeted intelligence officials over alleged withholding of reports about foreign election targeting.
• Trump announced election security speech with unverified claims — President Trump announced he will deliver a primetime speech on election security, promising to reveal "really big news." The speech will touch on previously unreported Chinese meddling in U.S. elections, with Cabinet officials including heads of CIA, FBI, ODNI, and DHS invited to attend. However, Senate Intelligence Committee staff noted the information about Chinese access to voter data is not new—China gained access to publicly available voter files in several states that can be purchased for $485 from state election offices. Republican officials expressed concern Trump will repeat debunked conspiracy theories or make baseless claims about the 2020 election.
• Trump announced primetime speech claiming China accessed 2020 election data with CIA cover-up — President Trump scheduled a primetime address for July 16, 2026, claiming that China accessed U.S. voter data during the 2020 election and that the CIA knew about it and concealed the information during his first term. The speech is framed as laying groundwork to question the legitimacy of Democratic electoral wins in states like Georgia, months before the midterm elections. Trump has simultaneously posted photographs with Xi Jinping, the person he is accusing of orchestrating the alleged plot.

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• Trump directs ICE to resume vehicle stops within 24 hours — Within 24 hours of Homan's announcement of a temporary suspension of ICE vehicle stops, President Donald Trump directed federal immigration agents to resume them. The rapid reversal undercut the agency's stated intention to review procedures following the two fatal shootings.
• White House overturns DHS halt to ICE traffic stops after two fatal shootings — The White House reversed a one-day-old Department of Homeland Security memo halting ICE traffic stops following the fatal shootings of two unarmed men—Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston on July 7 and Joan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in Maine on July 14. Both men were shot by federal officers without body cameras and were not the intended targets. President Trump, via Truth Social, insisted ICE continue traffic stops, framing the DHS pause as capitulation to criminals and crediting ICE with crime reduction. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin subsequently aligned with Trump's position, announcing deportation enforcement and a $2,600 payment offer to undocumented immigrants to leave voluntarily.
• Trump overruled ICE vehicle-stop suspension order — President Trump overruled his own administration's order suspending most ICE vehicle stops after receiving intense pushback from his MAGA base. White House officials reported Trump heard complaints from hard-line allies including MAGA influencer Tomi Lahren, former Border Patrol official Greg Bovino, and podcaster Steve Bannon. Trump concluded that ICE abandoning traffic stops would "make them all look weak," and reversed the policy based on cable-news segments he watched.
• Trump directed ICE to continue traffic stops despite deaths — At 6:45 a.m. on July 16, Trump issued a statement insisting that ICE agents continue traffic stops as a "Crime Fighting tool," overriding an ICE memo issued the previous day that had ordered agents to prioritize tactics other than traffic stops. The directive came after two immigrants were killed in separate ICE operations six days apart, neither of whom was the intended target. Trump's statement falsely characterized undocumented immigrants as "Criminals" and rejected calls from Senator Susan Collins and others to cease non-urgent vehicle stops.

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• Trump-appointed judge dismisses seditious conspiracy convictions against Proud Boys leaders — Federal Judge Timothy Kelly, nominated by Trump in his first term, granted the Department of Justice's motion to dismiss seditious conspiracy convictions against Proud Boys leaders Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, and Zachary Rehl, who had been convicted by jury of serious crimes during the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack. Kelly acknowledged in his ruling that the dismissal was driven by Trump's desire to excuse the violence of his supporters, not by facts or law, but found himself bound by an appellate court's prior vacation of the convictions.
• Federal judge dismissed Proud Boys seditious conspiracy case — Federal Judge Timothy J. Kelly granted a DOJ request to dismiss a criminal case accusing five members of the Proud Boys of seditious conspiracy in connection with the January 6 Capitol attack. Judge Kelly, appointed by Trump, stated he did not agree with the administration's decision to dismiss the charges but had little choice but to accept it. Kelly wrote that the Capitol attack was "a perilous event" and an assault on "the peaceful transfer of power from one president to the next," contradicting revisionist narratives about the riot.

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• Speaker Johnson pledged to shield Trump administration from congressional oversight — Speaker of the House Mike Johnson spoke before Trump on June 26, 2026 and stated that if Republicans lose the midterm elections, Democrats will turn every congressional committee into an investigative body and target the president's family, cabinet, donors, and friends. Johnson stated: "I run the protection program. We'll take care of you," pledging to ensure that corruption and criminality in the Trump administration would be covered up by him and his committee chairs.

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• Trump installed William Pulte as acting director of national intelligence — Trump installed loyalist William Pulte as acting director of national intelligence, overseeing the nation's eighteen intelligence agencies, despite bipartisan opposition. Pulte officially took office on Friday. Pulte has no experience in intelligence, which is a requirement for the position. Pulte is known for using federal government power to attack Trump's political opponents, including harassing Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook, New York attorney general Letitia James, and U.S. senator Adam Schiff by accusing them of mortgage fraud, and pushing the ouster of Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell by claiming he lied to Congress.
• Pulte ordered firing of approximately 300 National Counterterrorism Center staff — William Pulte, on his first day as acting DNI (arriving a day early on June 21), ordered staff to compile a list of approximately 300 people to be fired from the National Counterterrorism Center. This follows prior cuts under former DNI Tulsi Gabbard, who announced in August 2025 that she would cut 40 percent of the staff of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI).
• Trump installs loyalist as acting director of national intelligence — President Trump appointed William Pulte as acting director of national intelligence, a move criticized for politicizing the intelligence community and redirecting its focus from foreign threats to domestic political opponents. This appointment raises concerns about the integrity of national security operations.
• Trump installs William Pulte as acting director of national intelligence — Trump installed loyalist William Pulte as acting director of national intelligence over bipartisan objections. According to Senator Mark Warner, the highest-ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, Pulte can claim a national security threat and use that authority to place troops or immigration agents at polling places or shut down elections, converting intelligence agencies from foreign-threat focus to domestic political targeting.