Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Justice Department Office of Professional Responsibility gutted; 1,666 misconduct complaints filed in 2025 — The Justice Department's Office of Professional Responsibility received 1,666 misconduct complaints in 2025, the highest number since 2005. Simultaneously, OPR staffing fell from 29 to 16 employees, and its director was fired with no replacement named. The inspector general's office lost 99 employees since the end of the Biden administration. Judge Kathleen Williams recently accused senior officials including acting Attorney General Todd Blanche of reaching a settlement in Trump's suit against the IRS, and a pattern of errors has recurred in the first Comey prosecution.

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.

Supporting reports

• Acting Attorney General Blanche announces Justice Department will not move forward with anti-weaponization fund — Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told a House Appropriations subcommittee that the Justice Department would not move forward with its proposed anti-weaponization fund, a roughly $1.8 billion pool that grew out of the settlement of the president's lawsuit against the IRS. Critics in both parties had described it as a slush fund to compensate Trump allies, potentially including January 6 defendants. The reversal followed weeks of bipartisan backlash that had stalled unrelated immigration funding.
• Acting attorney general announces scrapping of $1.8bn Trump 'anti-weaponization' fund while maintaining IRS audit immunity agreement — Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche testified before the House Appropriations Committee that the Trump administration is abandoning a proposed $1.8bn secretive fund designed to compensate Trump's allies for alleged government "weaponization." However, Blanche confirmed the administration will maintain a separate agreement granting immunity from IRS audits to Trump, his family, and related entities. The fund had faced legal challenges, including a federal judge's block on implementation and a Florida judge's decision to reopen the underlying lawsuit.
• Acting attorney general tells lawmakers administration will not move forward with anti-weaponization fund — Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told lawmakers on June 2 that the administration was "not moving forward with the fund, period," appearing to signal an end to the nearly $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund proposal. However, Trump continued to advocate for the fund during a subsequent NBC News interview on June 8, contradicting the official statement.
• Senator Thom Tillis called for codifying end to Trump's "weaponization fund" — Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) told Fox News that the Trump administration's "right hand and left hand" need to coordinate regarding the "weaponization fund"—a slush fund to pay criminals. Tillis noted that he heard the newly proposed Attorney General say the fund is "dead," and stated that if it is truly dead, Congress should "codify that and be done with it," suggesting uncertainty about whether the administration has genuinely ended the program.
• House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries stated intent to claw back weaponization fund — House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told Meidas that he does not believe Trump's claim that the "weaponization fund"—a slush fund to pay criminals—is dead. Jeffries stated that Congress must act to "bury it into the ground and ensure it can never rise again" and indicated that Democrats are "prepared to claw back anything that has been done in January" related to the fund.
• Rep. Jamie Raskin introduces BLANCHE Act to block Trump's IRS immunity deal — Rep. Jamie Raskin introduced the BLANCHE Act (Block Lawless Agreements and Nullify Corrupt Handouts and Emoluments Act) to block Trump's IRS audit immunity deal and prevent presidents from ever entering into sweetheart settlements with their own administration. The act is named after Acting AG Todd Blanche, who championed the corrupt deal that handed Trump a $1.776 billion slush fund in exchange for immunity from IRS audit. The legislation would also require independent courts to review any presidential "super pardon" or immunity arrangement.
• DOJ halts progress on Trump's "anti-weaponization fund" — Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche informed a House committee that the Department of Justice is not advancing President Trump's proposed $1.776 billion "anti-weaponization fund." Despite media reports suggesting the fund is "dead," Blanche's comments indicate that the fund has not been officially scrapped. President Trump continues to support the initiative. The fund was intended to address perceived weaponization of government agencies, but its status remains uncertain following the DOJ's decision not to move forward.

Supporting reports

• Federal judge dismisses charges against Chicago protest defendants due to prosecutorial misconduct — U.S. District Judge April Perry dismissed charges against six people, including a Democratic congressional candidate, who were indicted for interfering with a federal agent and conspiring to interfere with a federal agent at a protest at a detention facility. Judge Perry discovered that prosecutors had conducted ex parte communications with individual grand jurors, removed jurors who refused to indict, overstated evidence strength, and then redacted transcripts to hide these actions. Perry stated she had never witnessed such prosecutorial behavior in hundreds of grand jury transcripts.

Supporting reports

• Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard sent criminal referral to DOJ targeting Inspector General Michael Atkinson — Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard sent a second criminal referral to the Department of Justice targeting Michael Atkinson, the intelligence community inspector general who found the 2019 Ukraine whistleblower complaint "credible" and "urgent" and initiated the process of sharing it with congressional intelligence committees, which led to Trump's first impeachment. The referral is intended to criminalize the inspector general's lawful performance of his oversight duties.
• Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard sent criminal referrals to DOJ targeting 2019 Ukraine whistleblower — Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard sent a criminal referral to the Department of Justice targeting the former government official who was the whistleblower in the July 2019 phone call in which Trump pressured Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden in exchange for congressionally appropriated defense funds. The whistleblower had reported to the intelligence community inspector general that Trump was using his office to solicit foreign interference in the 2020 election. The referral is viewed as an attempt to criminalize whistleblowing and chill future complaints.
• DNI Gabbard issues criminal referrals against whistleblower and former IG — Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard issued criminal referrals to the Justice Department against a whistleblower whose complaint contributed to Trump's first impeachment and former Inspector General Michael Atkinson, who handled the complaint. The specific crimes alleged in the referrals were not disclosed.

Supporting reports

• DHS reduced Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties staff from 147 to under 40 — According to The Guardian's review of court records, the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL) was reduced from 147 full-time employees to fewer than 40. The office received nearly 6,000 complaints between late March and December 12, 2025, but approximately only 183 of those complaints were directly investigated. DHS described the oversight offices as "internal adversaries that slow down operations" when justifying the cuts. The office is responsible for investigating complaints of abuse and misconduct within immigration detention facilities and other DHS operations.
• DHS reduced Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman from 118 to 5 staff — According to The Guardian's review of court records, the DHS Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman was reduced from 118 staff members to five. This office was created by Congress to provide internal reviews and investigate complaints related to immigration enforcement and detention conditions. The office was responsible for investigating abuse allegations in immigration detention facilities, including cases involving children and pregnant women. One former employee described how detainees learned to recognize help by looking for the hummingbird logo on tablets carried by caseworkers from this office.
• DHS oversight offices drastically reduced — Court records revealed that key Department of Homeland Security oversight offices designed to investigate abuse and protect civil rights were drastically reduced. These offices serve as internal watchdogs for DHS enforcement and civil-rights compliance.

Supporting reports

• Kristi Noem testified before Senate Judiciary Committee — Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday regarding her department's handling of detentions, deportations, and other matters. During the hearing, lawmakers of both parties questioned her on the lawlessness and corruption in the department, including her labeling of individuals shot by federal agents as engaged in "domestic terrorism," her handling of FEMA disaster relief, and her refusal to back away from the administration's characterization of Trump opponents as engaged in "criminal and terroristic conspiracies."
• Sen. Tillis calls for DHS Secretary Noem's resignation — Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) formally called for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's resignation during the hearing, citing a pattern of poor leadership decisions, detention of American citizens, obstruction of inspector general investigations, and slow response to disaster relief in North Carolina. Tillis submitted a letter from the Office of Inspector General documenting ten instances of being misled and prevented from pursuing investigations, and announced he would place holds on nominations and deny quorum in committee markups until receiving written responses to his questions within two weeks.
• Senate hearing on DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's leadership and conduct — The Senate Homeland Security Committee held a hearing on DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's tenure, during which multiple senators criticized her management, including allegations of misuse of taxpayer funds, improper detention of U.S. citizens, conflicts of interest involving contracts awarded to associates, and failure to cooperate with inspectors general. Sen. Tillis detailed a $220 million ad campaign featuring Noem and questioned her judgment; Sen. Whitehouse asked about luxury aircraft purchases; Sen. Welch raised concerns about no-bid contracts to her former spokeswoman's husband; and Sen. Blumenthal questioned whether an agent involved in a shooting remained on duty.
• Sen. Blumenthal questions whether agent in shooting remains on duty — During the Senate hearing, Sen. Richard Blumenthal asked DHS Secretary Noem whether the agent who shot Ms. Martinez remained on the job carrying a gun. Noem stated she did not know the details and said she would get back to him. Blumenthal expressed concern that Americans would find it "absolutely terrifying" if the agent remained on duty.
• Sen. Welch questions DHS Secretary Noem on arrest quotas — During the Senate hearing, Sen. Chris Coons asked DHS Secretary Noem whether DHS operates with arrest quotas. Noem denied the practice, claiming only "targeted enforcement." Coons countered by citing a statement from Stephen Miller on Fox News the prior year stating, "We're setting a minimum of 3,000 arrests for ICE every day," directly contradicting Noem's testimony.
• DHS Secretary Noem questioned on $220 million ad campaign — During the Senate hearing, Sen. Adam Schiff questioned DHS Secretary Noem about a $220 million taxpayer-funded advertising campaign featuring her prominently. Schiff noted the contract went to a company that did not exist two weeks before receiving it, and that $143 million went to a subcontractor Noem had worked with extensively as South Dakota governor. Noem claimed she had nothing to do with the contract award, though she acknowledged Trump had approved the campaign.
• Sen. Kennedy questions DHS ad spending and Noem's name recognition — Sen. John Kennedy questioned DHS Secretary Noem about the $220 million ad campaign, noting it was a quarter-billion in taxpayer money while the administration was cutting budgets elsewhere. Kennedy stated the campaign was effective for Noem's personal name recognition and put the president in an awkward position, suggesting OMB Director Russ Vought would not have approved such spending.
• DHS Secretary Noem questioned on no-bid contract to former spokeswoman's husband — During the Senate hearing, Sen. Peter Welch questioned DHS Secretary Noem about a $143 million no-bid DHS contract awarded to Yoho, the husband of her former chief spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin. Noem confirmed the relationship and the contract award. Welch also asked Noem to inquire whether Corey Lewandowski, identified as a "special government adviser," received any compensation from these contracts.

Supporting reports

• Federal judge summons ICE acting head Todd Lyons to court for alleged defiance of court orders — Minnesota's top federal judge summoned Todd Lyons, the acting head of ICE, to appear in court on Friday for allegedly defying court orders. The judge stated "The court's patience is at an end," signaling potential contempt of court proceedings against the ICE leader for failing to comply with judicial directives.
• Minnesota federal judge summons ICE acting director for contempt over defiance of court orders — Chief US District Judge Patrick Schiltz issued a three-page order summoning acting ICE director Todd Lyons to appear before him on Friday, warning of potential contempt charges. Schiltz accused the Trump administration of deliberately delaying or ignoring judicial directives across Minnesota's federal courts during "Operation Metro Surge," an aggressive immigration enforcement campaign. The judge cited a specific case in which he had ordered a man released on January 15 who remained in custody as of Monday night, and noted that detained immigrants had been sent to Texas or released far from home without means to return, causing "significant hardship."
• Multiple Minnesota federal judges weigh legal challenges to Operation Metro Surge immigration enforcement — Several Minnesota federal judges are considering broader legal challenges that could significantly restrict federal immigration enforcement in the state or halt Operation Metro Surge entirely. US District Judge Michael Davis accused the administration of attempting to "defy court orders" and "deny noncitizens their due process rights." Judge Kate Menendez ordered government lawyers to respond by Wednesday evening to claims the operation was designed to punish Minnesota for its sanctuary policies. Another federal judge is weighing whether the deployment of 3,000 immigration agents constitutes an unconstitutional occupation, a case that gained momentum following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal officers.
• Federal judge orders ICE director to appear in court and threatens contempt — Minnesota's chief federal judge, U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz (appointed by President Bush), ordered the head of ICE, Todd Lyons, to appear in his courtroom on Friday and threatened to hold him in contempt for repeated defiance of judges' orders in the state. Judge Schiltz stated "The court's patience is at an end." The order came in response to the Trump administration's massive immigration enforcement action in the Twin Cities, which has flooded courts with emergency lawsuits. Schiltz noted that the administration has been slow-walking or outright defying directives of many Minnesota judges, including at least one of his own orders for release that was not complied with.
• Federal judge orders ICE director to appear in court for contempt of court — Judge Patrick J. Schiltz of the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota ordered Todd Lyons, the acting director of ICE, to appear in court on Friday to explain why he was not in contempt of court after ICE officials apparently ignored Schiltz's order to permit a detainee to have a bond hearing or be released. On Tuesday, the government released the detainee. On Wednesday, Schiltz canceled the Friday hearing but identified "96 court orders that ICE has violated in 74 cases" and warned that he would haul Lyons or other government officials into court if they continued ignoring court rulings.
• Minnesota federal judge issues scathing order documenting 96 ICE court order violations — Minnesota's Chief Federal Judge Schiltz issued an order that included an appendix identifying 96 court orders that ICE has violated in 74 cases. The judge stated: "This list should give pause to anyone—no matter his or her political beliefs—who cares about the rule of law. ICE has likely violated more court orders in Jan 2026 than some federal agencies have violated in their entire existence."

Supporting reports

• DOJ fired federal prosecutor who declined to prosecute Comey — MS NOW reported that the Justice Department fired a federal prosecutor who served as first assistant to the now-disqualified U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan after he declined to lead the prosecution of former FBI Director James Comey.
• Six DOJ Civil Rights Division leaders resigned in protest — At least six leaders of the criminal section of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division resigned in protest after the DOJ decided not to investigate the ICE officer who shot and killed Renee Good in Minneapolis, a process that usually takes place after any fatal shooting by a law enforcement officer.
• Federal leadership responded to ICE killings with defensive messaging and threats toward critics — After Renee Good was killed by ICE, federal leadership responded with defensive messaging, threats toward critics, and rhetoric framing accountability as an attack on law enforcement. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem appeared publicly behind messaging stating "One of ours, all of yours," signaling protection from consequences rather than transparency or restraint.
• DOJ Civil Rights Division officials resigned after being ordered not to investigate ICE agent's killing of Renee Nicole Good — Four high-ranking officials in the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division resigned in protest after the Trump DOJ instructed them to investigate the victim, Renee Nicole Good, rather than the ICE agent who shot and killed her. The resignations follow a February wave of departures from the DOJ's Public Integrity Section, where prosecutors refused orders to dismiss a bribery case against New York Mayor Eric Adams. The departures reflect broader institutional collapse within the DOJ, with thousands of career officials resigning or fired.
• Four leaders of DOJ Civil Rights Division criminal section resigned over ICE shooting decision — At least four leaders of the criminal section of the Civil Rights Division at DOJ resigned to protest the decision by Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon not to investigate the fatal ICE shooting of Renee Good. The departures included the chief of the section, principal deputy chief, deputy chief, and acting deputy chief. This represents the most significant mass resignation at DOJ since February 2025, when five leaders of the Public Integrity Section resigned rather than comply with orders to dismiss the bribery case against former New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
• Department of Justice declined to investigate shooting as civil rights violation — The Department of Justice declined to investigate the fatal shooting of Renee Good by ICE agent Jonathan Ross as a civil rights attack. Instead, the DOJ classified the incident as an assault on a federal officer and initiated an investigation into Good's ties to local activists rather than examining the shooting itself. This prosecutorial decision prompted the resignation of at least six career prosecutors from the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.
• DOJ declines civil-rights investigation into Minneapolis ICE shooting — The Trump administration's Department of Justice leadership declined to open a civil-rights investigation into a Minneapolis ICE shooting incident, stating there was "no basis" for review while the FBI continues its investigation. In response, four senior supervisors in DOJ's Civil Rights Division resigned in protest, citing their exclusion from the case and objecting to the refusal to initiate civil-rights oversight. The resignations signal internal resistance to narrowing accountability mechanisms.
• Federal prosecutors resign from DOJ civil rights division over blocked investigation into ICE shooting — Six lawyers from the US attorney's office in Minnesota and four leaders of the DOJ civil rights division resigned in protest after the department, under assistant attorney general Harmeet Dhillon, declined to investigate the January 7 fatal shooting of unarmed civilian Renee Nicole Good by ICE agent Jonathan Ross. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated there was "no basis for a criminal civil rights investigation" without elaboration. The resignations reflect broader purging of the civil rights division, which has lost roughly 70% of its staff since Trump's second term began.
• Federal prosecutors resign in protest over DOJ decision not to investigate killing of Renee Nicole Good — Several federal prosecutors resigned in protest after the Department of Justice declined to conduct a civil rights investigation into the killing of Minneapolis resident Renee Nicole Good by a federal immigration agent. The killing sparked widespread protests and prompted state and local legal challenges to the federal immigration enforcement operation. The Trump administration has defended the agent's actions as self-defense, a characterization disputed by local officials and video evidence.
• Four senior DOJ Civil Rights Division supervisors resign over case exclusion — Four senior supervisors in the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division resigned after being told they would be sidelined from the Minnesota ICE shooting investigation. The resignations were framed as protest against both their exclusion from the case and the broader refusal to open civil-rights oversight into the use-of-force incident. The departures represent internal institutional resistance to the narrowing of accountability mechanisms.
• Six career prosecutors resigned from DOJ Civil Rights Division — At least six career prosecutors from the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division resigned in protest over the DOJ's decision not to investigate the fatal shooting of Renee Good as a civil rights violation and instead to investigate Good's ties to local activists.
• DOJ declines to open civil-rights investigation into Minneapolis ICE shooting — The Department of Justice announced it found "no basis" to open a civil-rights investigation into the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. The decision was made by DOJ leadership and signaled that civil-rights review would be granted only at the administration's discretion. The refusal to investigate followed the fatal incident and preceded the resignation of four senior DOJ Civil Rights Division supervisors.
• DOJ Civil Rights Division head Harmeet Dhillon declines to open investigation into ICE agent's fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good — Harmeet Dhillon, head of the DOJ's Civil Rights Division, instructed federal prosecutors in the division's criminal section that she would not open an investigation into whether the ICE agent who shot and killed Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis violated federal law. The Civil Rights Division's criminal section normally handles investigations into law enforcement misconduct, but no probe was announced publicly or pursued internally.
• DOJ senior officials pressure federal prosecutors to investigate Renee Nicole Good's widow for criminality; six prosecutors resign — Senior DOJ officials pressed federal prosecutors to investigate Becca Good, widow of Renee Nicole Good, for possible criminality before the shooting. Six federal prosecutors in Minnesota and Washington, D.C.—including some who worked on fraud-related investigations—resigned in response to the pressure to pursue Good's family rather than investigate the ICE agent's conduct. The prosecutors' resignations were prompted by the DOJ's attempt to weaponize the fatal shooting and redirect the FBI's probe toward Good's family and their connections to local activist groups.
• DOJ civil rights division and federal prosecutors resign over handling of ICE shooting — At least four senior leaders of the DOJ Civil Rights Division and six federal prosecutors in Minnesota resigned in response to how the Trump administration handled the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE officer in Minneapolis. The resignations signal institutional breakdown and loss of confidence in federal accountability mechanisms.

Supporting reports

• 32 people die in ICE custody in 2025, deadliest year in two decades — A total of 32 people died in immigration custody in 2025, marking ICE's deadliest year in more than two decades. This occurred during the same period when the DHS watchdog offices were dismantled (March 2025) and understaffed (March–August 2025), leaving minimal independent oversight of detention conditions. The CRCL reviewed approximately 10 death reports but investigated only one, according to court filings.
• September 2025 ICE detention conditions deteriorate — Between September 2025 and early 2026, multiple reports documented inhumane conditions in ICE detention facilities. A Guardian investigation revealed that U.S. immigration officials had been detaining people in small, secretive holding facilities for days or weeks in violation of federal policy. By the end of 2025, 32 people had died in ICE custody. The reports triggered widespread outrage over the treatment of immigrants.

Supporting reports

• Illinois establishes Accountability Commission to document federal agent misconduct — Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker established the Illinois Accountability Commission to compile evidence of harassment, intimidation, brutalization, and detention of American citizens and legal residents by federal agents. Pritzker stated that federal agency supervisors and inspectors general would normally enforce accountability, but Trump has fired 17 inspectors general and installed cronies at the Department of Justice while MAGA Congress members refuse to conduct oversight. The commission will create an official public record of abuses and rights violations for potential future prosecution.

Supporting reports

• Trump attempts to remove Federal Reserve governor and other non-appointed officials — Trump is attempting to remove dozens of personnel he did not appoint, including a Federal Reserve governor, a top official at the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, prosecutors who investigated him, and leaders across the government including the National Archivist.
• Trump installs second deputy at FBI after souring on first — The White House installed a second deputy at the FBI after becoming dissatisfied with the first, continuing a pattern of rapid personnel changes across agencies.
• Trump pressures Treasury secretary to fire agency's second-in-command — Trump pushed his Treasury secretary to fire the agency's second-in-command, demonstrating continued pressure on cabinet officials to remove personnel who may not align with administration priorities.
• Trump removes acting FEMA administrator over disagreement on agency's continued existence — The White House removed the acting FEMA administrator after he stated the agency should continue to exist, contradicting others in the administration.
• Trump removes IRS director after two months over Treasury Department clash — Trump replaced the head of the IRS less than two months into the job because appointee Billy Long clashed with officials at the Treasury Department. This removal is part of a broader pattern of Trump firing appointees and career officials across multiple agencies.
• Trump removes two DOJ antitrust officials over alleged deal-making with lobbyists — Two top DOJ antitrust officials were removed from their roles after clashing with senior officials at the agency. They accused their colleagues of cutting deals with favored lobbyists. One of the removed officials has publicly questioned the integrity of other DOJ officials.
• Department of Justice launched criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook — The Department of Justice launched a criminal investigation into Lisa Cook, a governor of the U.S. Federal Reserve, for allegedly committing mortgage fraud by claiming two separate properties as her primary residence. Pro Publica reported that three Trump Cabinet members—Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin—have engaged in the same conduct but face no investigation.
• Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired CDC director Susan Monarez — Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired newly confirmed CDC Director Susan Monarez after she refused to preapprove recommendations from a vaccine advisory panel that Kennedy had stacked with anti-vaccine advocates. This action followed Kennedy's earlier purges of thousands of CDC advisors and staffers who did not share his opposition to vaccines.
• Trump fires Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook — President Trump removed Lisa Cook from her position as a Federal Reserve governor. This action raised concerns about central bank independence, as it represents part of a broader pattern of Trump's attacks on the Federal Reserve's autonomy. Trump's nominee to replace Cook stated he would respect Fed independence, but the removal itself signals potential politicization of monetary policy.

Supporting reports

• FBI forces out special agent Walter Giardina who worked on Trump and Navarro cases — The FBI, under director Kash Patel and deputy Dan Bongino, forced out special agent Walter Giardina, who had worked on cases involving Donald Trump and Peter Navarro, a top trade adviser to the president who was convicted of contempt of Congress. The ouster was part of a broader pattern of removals of senior FBI officials and agents under Patel's leadership.
• FBI pressures agent Michael Feinberg to resign or accept demotion over friendship with Peter Strzok — Special agent Michael Feinberg was told to resign or accept a demotion amid scrutiny from FBI leadership regarding his friendship with Peter Strzok, a lead agent on the FBI's Trump-Russia investigation who was fired by the Justice Department in 2018 after exchanging negative text messages about Trump with FBI lawyer Lisa Page.
• FBI subjects agents to polygraph exams under Patel leadership — Under FBI director Kash Patel and deputy Dan Bongino, numerous senior FBI officials and agents have been subjected to polygraph exams as part of aggressive personnel actions. Former officials report these moves have roiled the workforce and contributed to widespread angst among agents. Multiple senior agents in charge of field offices have been told to retire, resign, or accept reassignment.
• FBI DC field office head Steve Jensen terminated without stated cause — Steve Jensen, head of the FBI's Washington Field Office, announced in a farewell letter that his employment with the FBI will be terminated effective the next day. Jensen stated he received no explanation for the termination and pledged to meet the challenge with professionalism, integrity, and dignity. He urged colleagues to continue protecting the American people and upholding the Constitution.
• FBI forced out acting director Brian Driscoll and agent Walter Giardina — The New York Times reported that the FBI is forcing out at least two agents under Kash Patel's leadership, including Brian Driscoll, the former acting head of the bureau, and Walter Giardina, who was involved in Trump investigations. Driscoll sent a message to colleagues stating he was informed his employment would end the next day with no cause articulated. Driscoll had previously refused to carry out the Trump administration's plans for mass firing of January 6 agents.
• Trump administration ousts FBI official Brian Driscoll for resisting demands to name January 6 investigators — The Trump administration forced out Brian Driscoll, a senior FBI official who briefly served as acting director, after he resisted demands from the Justice Department for names of agents who investigated the January 6 Capitol riot. Driscoll and then-deputy director Rob Kissane had resisted the request, leading Justice Department official Emil Bove to accuse them of "insubordination." The FBI ultimately provided employee numbers rather than names. Driscoll's final day was Friday, August 8, 2025.

Supporting reports

• Trump fires head of Bureau of Labor Statistics — President Trump dismissed the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, accusing her of manipulating employment numbers to portray the economy negatively. This action follows the release of poor employment figures, which Trump claims were intentionally skewed. The firing raises concerns about the independence of statistical agencies and the potential politicization of economic data reporting. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is responsible for collecting and analyzing essential economic data, including employment statistics, which are crucial for policy-making and public understanding of economic conditions.
• Trump administration fires Bureau of Labor Statistics chief after unfavorable jobs report — Trump fired the chief of the Bureau of Labor Statistics hours after the agency reported weak job numbers for the final three months of his administration. White House economic advisors, including Kevin Hassett, claimed downward revisions in employment data constituted evidence of incompetence or rigging, despite economists and former BLS officials explaining that revisions are standard statistical practice and that hundreds of career professionals, not political appointees, construct the numbers. Lawrence Summers stated that firing a government agency head for disliking reported data is characteristic of authoritarian, not democratic, governance.
• Trump fires head of Bureau of Labor Statistics on day of poor economic data — On the same day that the Bureau of Labor Statistics released numbers showing a dramatic slowdown in the economy, Trump fired the head of the bureau. Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook subsequently expressed concern about the jobs numbers, suggesting the revisions "are somewhat typical of turning points" in the economy. The action appears to have alarmed businesspeople previously willing to support Trump, awakening them to the reality that his policies are pulling down the economy.
• Trump fires head of Bureau of Labor Statistics amid economic slowdown — On the same day that the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a significant slowdown in the economy, President Trump fired its head. This action has raised concerns among business leaders about the administration's economic management and its implications for future economic stability.

Supporting reports

• Appeal filed — Jenner & Block v. Department of Justice (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-00916 — The Department of Justice appealed Judge Bates' May 23 summary judgment to the D.C. Circuit.
• Appeal filed — Protect Democracy Project v. OMB (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01111 — Defendants appealed the court's grant of summary judgement to the D.C. Circuit.
• Case update — American Association of University Professors v. Rubio (D. Mass.) 1:25-cv-10685 — The bench trial concluded.
• Case update — National Academy of Education v. Department of Education (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01266 — Plaintiffs filed an amended complaint , which added multiple APA claims to the action and removed the ultra vires and separation of powers doctrine claims.
• Motion granted — Slaughter and Bedoya v. Trump (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-00909 — The D.C. Circuit unanimously granted an administrative stay of Judge Alikhan's ruling that had ordered the reinstatement of former FTC Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter . The court set a briefing schedule with filings due before July 29.
• Motion granted — VERA Institute of Justice v. U.S. Department of Justice (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01643 — Judge Mehta granted in part Plaintiffs' emergency motion for an injunction pending appeal of its order denying their preliminary-injunction motion and dismissing the case. Although the court declined to reinstate Plaintiffs' grants pending appeal, it found a narrower injunction appropriate-“one that prevents the re-obligation of the five named Plaintiffs' cancelled grant funding … [and] prohibits Defendants from re-obligating or otherwise diminishing the sums awarded but terminated under Plaintiffs' grant agreements.”
• Motion to dismiss decided — American Federation Of Government Employees, AFL-CIO v. Trump (N.D. Cal.) 3:25-cv-03698 — Defendants filed a motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction.
• Preliminary injunction ruling — American Gateways v. U.S. Department for Justice (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01370 — Judge Ali granted a preliminary injunction blocking the administration from terminating the NQRP. The court found that the termination of the program is likely arbitrary and capricious under the APA, and the court is empowered to “set aside” such agency action. The court also denied defendants' motion to dismiss as to Count I of the complaint and held it in abeyance as to Counts II and III.
• Preliminary injunction ruling — National Endowment for Democracy v. United States (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-00648 — Plaintiffs filed a motion for a preliminary injunction and supporting memorandum in which they request that the court enter an order that would stop Defendants and those they supervise from withholding or otherwise interfering with NED's congressionally mandated funding.
• Preliminary injunction ruling — Planned Parenthood Federation of America v. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. et al (D. Mass.) 1:25-cv-11913 — Judge Talwani granted a preliminary injunction prohibiting the administration from enforcing Section 71113 of the “ One Big Beautiful Act ” against the Planned Parenthood Association of Utah and other Planned Parenthood Federation of America Members. The injunction applies only to affiliates that are either barred from providing abortions due to state law or that received less than $800,000 in Medicaid reimbursements in 2023. The court found that the statute likely violates the First Amendment right of association by defunding affiliates based solely on their relationship to abortion providers-even when they do not themselves provide abortions or share funds. The court has not yet ruled on whether to extend relief to additional Planned Parenthood members.
• Summary judgment ruling — Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington v. Office of Management and Budget (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01051 — Judge Sullivan granted a summary judgment in part for the plaintiffs, holding that the administration's deletion of the Public Apportionments Database violates public disclosure requirements. The court noted “there is nothing unconstitutional about Congress requiring the Executive Branch to inform the public of how it is apportioning the public's money.”
• Summary judgment ruling — Protect Democracy Project v. OMB (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01111 — Judge Emmet Sullivan granted a summary judgment in part for the plaintiffs on the Administrative Procedure Act claim, holding that the administration's deletion of the Public Apportionments Database violated public disclosure requirements. The court further ordered that the Defendants must restore the Public Apportionments Database, make available the apportionment information required by the 2022 and 2023 Acts, and are permanently enjoined from removing the database without statutory authorization. The court noted “there is nothing unconstitutional about Congress requiring the Executive Branch to inform the public of how it is apportioning the public's money.”
• Temporary restraining order ruling — Washington State Association of Head Start and Early Childhood Assistance and Education Program, et al, v. Robert F. Kenned — Plaintiffs filed a motion for a temporary restraining order and proposed order seeking emergency relief for new claims arising from the Immigrant Exclusion Directive issued on July 14, 2025.
• Appeal filed — Harper v. Bessent (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01294 — Judge Ali granted a summary judgment in favor of Plaintiffs, ruling that the administration's firing of two Board members of the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) was unlawful. The court held that the statutory basis and structure of NCUA limits the president's power to fire board members at will, and such restriction is lawful under the Separation of Powers since the “NCUA Board fits comfortably within the traditional model of a multimember expert agency that does not wield substantial executive power.” The administration appealed to the D.C. Circuit and filed a motion to stay the judgment pending appeal (Case No. 25-5268 ).
• Appeal filed — Planned Parenthood Federation of America v. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. et al (D. Mass.) 1:25-cv-11913 — Following Judge Talwani's preliminary injunction , which prohibited the enforcement of Section 71113 of the “ One Big Beautiful Bill Act ” against certain members of Planned Parenthood Association, the administration appealed the decision to the First Circuit.
• Case update — American Oversight v. U.S. Department Of Government Efficiency (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01251 — Plaintiff amended its complaint to add additional APA claims and enumerate which of Defendants' actions applied to each of the claims.
• Case update — National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association v. Kennedy (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01265 — Plaintiff filed a motion for an order directing Defendants to hold the disputed funds pending a resolution on the merits.
• Case update — Project on Government Oversight, Inc. v. Trump (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-00527 — The case was stayed.
• Case update — Smith v. Trump (D. Me.) 1:25-cv-00158 — Plaintiffs filed an amended complaint , which noted that the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) had set forth regulations promulgating the EO. The amended complaint added a claim under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) alleging the regulations are not in accordance with law and requesting that the court declare the regulations to be unlawful.
• Motion denied — The Associated Press v. Budowich (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-00532 — The D.C. Circuit denied Plaintiffs' motion for en banc reconsideration, holding that the standard for en banc review was not met because the stay was a non-precedential order that did not resolve the appeal's merits.
• Preliminary injunction ruling — Valuta Corporation, Inc. v. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (W.D. Tex.) 3:25-cv-00191 — Judge Schydlower granted Plaintiffs' motion for a preliminary injunction, temporarily enjoining Defendants from “enforcing, implementing, and otherwise giving effect to the Border GTO as to the named Plaintiffs.”
• Appeal filed — Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington v. Office of Management and Budget (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01051 — Following Judge Sullivan's summary judgment in part, which rules the administration's deletion of the Public Apportionments Database violates public disclosure requirements, the administration appealed to the D.C. Circuit and filed a motion to stay the judgment pending appeal.
• Case update — American Academy of Pediatrics v. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (D. Mass.) 1:25-cv-11916 — Plaintiffs filed a first amended complaint adding two additional Plaintiffs - Massachusetts Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (MCAAP) and Jane Doe 2 - and provided amended and additional factual allegations and legal background.
• Certiorari petition filed — Boyle v. Trump (D. Md.) 8:25-cv-01628 — In a 6-3 opinion, the Supreme Court granted the administration's application to stay a Judge Maddox's June 13 summary judgment and injunction pending the government's Fourth Circuit appeal and any petition for a writ of certiorari, allowing the administration to remove three Commissioners from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The court noted that the case is similar to Trump v. Wilcox , which also involves the removal of members in the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). Justice Kavanaugh concurred. Justice Kagan, alongside Justices Sotomayor and Jackson, dissented, writing “[o]nce again, this Court uses its emergency docket to destroy the independence of an independent agency, as established by Congress.”
• Stay motion decided — Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington v. Office of Management and Budget (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01051 — Judge Sullivan denied the administration's motion to stay the court's summary judgment , which found the administration's deletion of the Public Apportionments Database violates public disclosure requirements. Judge Sullivan noted the administration's conduct “unequivocally violates federal law.” He further wrote “[t]he Court will not be complicit in further delaying Plaintiff and the public of information they are entitled to know as a matter of federal law!!” On that same day, the D.C. Circuit administratively stayed Judge Sullivan's July 21 summary judgment order.
• Stay motion decided — Protect Democracy Project v. OMB (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01111 — Judge Sullivan denied Defendants' motion to stay pending appeal, however the D.C. Circuit stayed Judge Sullivan's orders from July 21 pending their review of the appeal on that same day.
• Stay pending appeal decided — CASA, Inc. v. Noem (D. Md.) 8:25-cv-01484 — Following the Fourth Circuit's July 21 refusal to stay pending appeal the termination of TPS for Afghanistan and Cameroon , Plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed their appeal. The case now continues before Judge Chuang.
• Summary judgment ruling — State of Illinois v. Federal Emergency Management Agency (D.R.I.) 1:25-cv-00206 — Defendants moved for summary judgment as well.
• Temporary restraining order ruling — Pallek v. Rollins (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01650 — Judge Jia M. Cobb denied Plaintiffs' motion for an emergency temporary restraining order.
• Case update — State of Maryland v. Corporation for National and Community Service (D. Md.) 1:25-cv-01363 — The Plaintiff States filed an amended complaint . The updates included specifying which alleged APA violations applied to the AmeriCorps Defendants and OMB Defendants as well as the addition of an allegation against all Defendants requesting mandamus relief.
• Case update — State of New Jersey v. Bondi (D. Md.) 1:25-cv-01807 — All Plaintiffs and Defendants stipulated the dismissal of the non-federal defendants-specifically Kevin Maxwell; Lawrence DeMonico; Rare Breed Triggers, LLC; Rare Breed Firearms, LLC; National Association for Gun Rights, Inc.; Texas Gun Rights, Inc.; Patrick Carey; James Wheeler; and Travis Speegle.
• Complaint filed — Gordon v. Executive Office of the President — Three Department of Justice employees filed suit in D.D.C. challenging their terminations by Attorney General Pamela Bondi in June and July 2025. The plaintiffs, who had been involved in high-profile prosecutions including January 6th cases, allege the firings were politically motivated and retaliatory, violated the Administrative Procedure Act, the Fifth Amendment's due process clause, and the Civil Service Reform Act. They seek reinstatement, backpay, and a name-clearing hearing.
• Dismissal entered — Corporation for Public Broadcasting v. Trump (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01305 — Plaintiff Board member Laura Ross voluntarily dismissed her claims, which was approved by the district court the next day. All other Plaintiffs are otherwise proceeding with their claims.
• Preliminary injunction ruling — National Job Corps Association v. Department of Labor (S.D.N.Y.) 1:25-cv-04641 — Judge Carter issued an amended preliminary injunction order which narrowed the scope of applicability of the order to the 31 centers operated by the Operator Plaintiffs and the 5 additional centers at which Plaintiff Transportation Communications Union/IAM provides training services following the Supreme Court's June 27 ruling in Trump v. Casa . The court enjoined Defendants "from enforcing, implementing, maintaining or giving effect to the closure of the private Job Corps centers, including the stop work orders and termination and non-renewal notices delivered to Job Corps center operators starting May 29, 2025, from issuing, enforcing, implementing, maintaining or giving effect to any shutdown tasks, job terminations, or student removals; and from taking any further action to close any Job Corps Centers." Sept.18, 2025: Plaintiffs submitted an amended complaint . In addition to adding more plaintiffs and providing further detail as to the factual allegations, the complaint clarified the National Job Corps Association (“NCJA”) standing to bring suit on behalf of their harmed members. Additionally, the amended complaint supplements claims with more specific violations of the Administrative Procedure Act (“APA”) and the Workplace Innovation and Opportunity Act.
• Stay motion decided — Harper v. Bessent (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01294 — Judge Ali denied the administration's motion to stay the court's summary judgment , which reinstated two Board members of the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). The court distinguished itself from recent Supreme Court opinions that blocked the courts' reinstatements in the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Labor Relations Board, noting that NCUA does not exercise the same “considerable executive power” in those cases.
• Stay motion decided — Slaughter and Bedoya v. Trump (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-00909 — Judge Alikhan denied the administration's motion to stay her earlier summary judgment , which reinstated former FTC Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter . The court again reaffirmed that Supreme Court precedent limits the president's authority to remove FTC Commissioners. The court distinguished this case from recent Supreme Court opinions that stayed reinstatements at other agencies, noting those decisions did not mention FTC.
• Case update — Melgar-Salmeron v. Bondi (2d Cir.) 23-7792 — The Second Circuit ordered the government, in addition to its weekly status updates, to file by Aug. 1 a declaration from someone with personal knowledge explaining the basis for its assertion that Petitioner has been charged with illicit association and homicide, is housed at the Tecoluca maximum-security prison, and is awaiting trial, along with any corroborating documentation (with leave to seek sealing as needed). The court also noted it had held the petition in abeyance in early 2024 and, absent objection by Aug. 1, intends to lift that hold in due course.
• Case update — Quintero Chacon v. Dickerson (a.k.a. Q.C.E. v. Stewart Detention Facility) (M.D. Ga.) 4:25-cv-00050 — Petitioner Quintero filed a voluntary dismissal, based on the fact that he was removed to Venezuela on July 18, 2025, pursuant to an exchange between the United States and Venezuelan governments. The case has been closed.
• Complaint filed — State of Washington v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security — Washington State filed a federal complaint on July 25, 2025, challenging the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency's termination of the Shelter and Services Program (SSP), a congressionally established grant program. The administration zeroed out and revoked Washington's $4 million SSP grant in spring 2025, disrupting shelter, food, medical care, and hygiene services for thousands of newly arrived migrants. Washington names DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, FEMA, and Senior Official David Richardson as defendants, alleging violations of the Separation of Powers, the Spending Clause, and the Administrative Procedure Act, and seeking declaratory and injunctive relief to restore funding and prevent future executive interference with the grants.
• Notice of appeal filed — Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr v. Executive Office of the President (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-00917 — The Trump Administration filed a notice of appeal to the D.C. Circuit, challenging Judge Leon's summary judgment on May 27, which found Executive Order 14250 , targeting WilmerHale, was unlawful and void.
• Preliminary injunction ruling — Cabrera v. Department of Labor (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01909 — Judge Dabney L. Friedrich issued an order and opinion granting Plaintiffs' preliminary injunction motion and stayed DOL's directive to effectuate the closure of all privately-operated Jobs Corps centers pending the resolution of this litigation.
• Preliminary injunction ruling — Personal Services Contractor Association v. Trump et al (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-00469 — The court found that it likely lacks jurisdiction over the case's claims and consequently denied Plaintiff's motion for a preliminary injunction.
• Preliminary injunction ruling — Porwancher v. National Endowment for the Humanities (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01180 — Judge Carl J. Nichols granted Porwancher's June 2, 2025 motion for a preliminary injunction preventing the NEH from treating the grant as terminated and enjoining future actions regarding the grant unless they comply with procedural requirements under applicable regulations.
• Summary judgment ruling — Corporation for Public Broadcasting v. Trump (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01305 — The remaining Plaintiffs filed a motion for summary judgment requesting that the district court enter judgment declaring Trump's attempt to terminate CPB's Board members as unlawful.
• Summary judgment ruling — Harper v. Bessent (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01294 — The D.C. Circuit granted an administrative stay of the district court's July 22 summary judgment order, pending further order of the Court of Appeals.
• Supreme Court Grants Stay in Trump v. Boyle — On July 23, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court granted the federal government's request for a stay in the case of Trump v. Boyle. This decision temporarily halts the enforcement of a lower court's order that had reinstated three commissioners of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission who were terminated by the Trump administration. The stay was granted in a 6-3 decision, with Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissenting. The stay allows the Trump administration to maintain the commissioners' termination while the case proceeds through the courts.

Supporting reports

• Federal judge rules against non-profits challenging Trump administration rescission of violence-prevention grants — Judge Amit P. Mehta of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled against five non-profit organizations that sued the Trump administration over the rescission of hundreds of millions of dollars in grant funding for violence prevention, substance abuse response, and hate crime programs. Although Mehta called the cuts "shameful" and stated they would likely harm vulnerable communities, he ruled he lacked authority to issue an injunction to restore the funding. The Department of Justice had terminated the grants on April 22, 2025, claiming they no longer aligned with the administration's priorities.

Supporting reports

• AG Bondi fired DOJ prosecutors who worked on January 6 cases — Attorney General Pam Bondi fired at least three career DOJ prosecutors who worked on cases related to the January 6 insurrection. The attorneys received letters signed by Bondi stating they were "removed from federal service effective immediately" with no further explanation. A federal law enforcement official characterized the firings as "a slap in the face" to career prosecutors and warned of continued "brain drain" at the DOJ.
• Attorney General Bondi fires approximately 20 DOJ employees including January 6 prosecutors — In July 2025, Attorney General Pam Bondi fired approximately 20 Department of Justice employees, including support staff and several prosecutors who worked on January 6 cases for special counsel Jack Smith. The firings targeted individuals who had worked on cases against Trump and his allies, including prosecutions related to classified documents and efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
• Attorney General Bondi fires Joseph Tirrell, DOJ ethics official — In July 2025, Attorney General Pam Bondi abruptly fired Joseph Tirrell, the Department of Justice's top ethics official, without explanation. Tirrell's removal is part of a broader pattern of firings targeting officials perceived as obstacles to Trump's agenda.
• Attorney General Bondi fires Maureen Comey, prosecutor on Epstein case — In July 2025, Attorney General Pam Bondi abruptly fired Maureen Comey, a key prosecutor in the New York office who had worked on charges against sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and is the daughter of former FBI Director James Comey. The firing occurred without explanation and is part of a pattern of removing prosecutors who worked on cases against Trump or his associates.

Supporting reports

• Trump removes Gary Shapley as IRS acting commissioner after Bessent complaint — Donald Trump removed Gary Shapley from his position as acting IRS commissioner days after his appointment on Tuesday, following Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's complaint that Shapley had been installed without his knowledge at the direction of Elon Musk's DOGE office. Michael Faulkender, deputy treasury secretary, is expected to become the next acting head. The removal reflects an internal power struggle between Bessent and Musk over control of the IRS, which reports to the Treasury Department.

Supporting reports

• Hegseth fires three Pentagon aides based on leak investigation later undermined by illegal wiretap claims — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth fired three top aides—Dan Caldwell, Darin Selnick, and Colin Carroll—on April 18 in connection with a leak of a classified Panama Canal document. The investigation, overseen by Hegseth's personal lawyer Tim Parlatore, later claimed the aides were identified via an illegal warrantless NSA wiretap. White House advisers lost confidence in the investigation after learning of this unconstitutional claim, which Parlatore denied making. The episode has left the Pentagon leadership destabilized and raised questions about whether the firings were justified or weaponized against internal rivals.
• Secretary of Defense Hegseth fires three senior staffers; chief of staff departs — On Friday, April 18, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth fired three of his senior staffers. An official announced that his chief of staff was leaving. These personnel actions followed reports of classified information breaches and internal dissatisfaction with Hegseth's leadership.

Supporting reports

• FTC commissioners file lawsuit challenging Trump terminations — Democratic FTC commissioners Rebecca Kelly Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya filed a lawsuit on March 28, 2025, challenging their terminations by President Trump announced the previous week. They argue the removals violated the FTC Act, which permits removal only for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance, and violated the First and Fifth Amendments. The complaint seeks a court declaration that the terminations are unlawful and that the commissioners be reinstated to serve their remaining terms. Trump's removal notice cited only inconsistency with administration priorities, not statutory grounds.
• FTC commissioners Bedoya and Slaughter fired by Trump administration — Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, Democratic commissioners at the Federal Trade Commission, were terminated by the Trump administration. Bedoya, who had led cases against Amazon and other major tech firms, characterized the firings as illegal removals shielded by law only for "insufficiency, neglect of duty or malfeasance." Both commissioners have sued the administration. Bedoya warned of "quid pro quo" dealmaking between the administration and billionaire allies, citing Amazon's $1 million inaugural donation and reported payments to the Trump family, alongside the nomination of an Amazon safety executive to lead OSHA.

Supporting reports

• DOJ fires pardon attorney — The Department of Justice fired its pardon attorney after the attorney refused to recommend restoring gun rights for actor Mel Gibson. This firing raises questions about the politicization of the pardon process.

Supporting reports

• FBI official James Dennehy forced out — James Dennehy, the assistant director in charge of the FBI’s New York field office, was forced to retire after resisting the Trump administration's efforts to purge agents involved in investigating the January 6 Capitol assault. Dennehy was given an ultimatum to retire or be fired, without a stated reason. His departure follows the removal of eight other FBI officials involved in investigations into Trump. Dennehy had previously vowed to resist these purges, which he described as targeting agents for doing their jobs according to law and policy.

Supporting reports

• DHS dismantles independent watchdog offices, citing obstruction of immigration enforcement — The Trump administration's DHS dismantled three independent watchdog offices—the Civil Rights and Civil Liberties office (CRCL), the Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman (OIDO), and the CIS Ombudsman office—in March 2025. The agency stated the offices "obstructed immigration enforcement" and were being closed. All 147 full-time CRCL employees and 118 OIDO staff were ousted. This action became the subject of a federal lawsuit filed in April 2025 by civil rights organizations challenging it as violating separation of powers.
• Trump administration dismantles DHS civil rights watchdog offices, reducing oversight capacity by 97% — The Trump administration gutted three independent DHS watchdog offices tasked with investigating civil rights violations, detention conditions, and deaths in custody. Court records show the civil rights office received nearly 6,000 complaints from March to December 2025 but investigated only 183 (3%), compared to a historical 20% rate. Staff at the CRCL dropped from 147 to fewer than 40; the OIDO fell from 118 to 5 people. A lawsuit by civil rights groups challenges the action as violating separation of powers and constitutional norms.
• CRCL office staffing reduction and suppression of civil rights report — The Department of Homeland Security's Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL), which had approximately 150 employees, was reduced to only two full-time employees and around 20 outside contractors. A congressionally-mandated report documenting suspected civil rights violations by local police agencies in the 287(g) program—completed and cleared through multiple DHS components—was placed "into limbo" after Trump took office and has not been published. Former officials report the report identified jurisdictions, particularly in Florida, suspected of violating civil rights in 2023.
• Department of Homeland Security eliminates federal immigration detention oversight offices — In March 2025, the Department of Homeland Security effectively eliminated its Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman, and Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman. These offices were responsible for investigating complaints about immigration detention facilities and reporting conditions to Congress. The elimination removes federal watchdog capacity to monitor detention conditions as ICE custody reaches record levels and is projected to become the deadliest year for people in ICE custody.

Supporting reports

• Case update — Dellinger v. Bessent (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-00385 — The D.C. Circuit rejected Defendant's appeal in a 2-1 opinion.
• DC Court of Appeals rejects Trump case — The DC Court of Appeals rejected former President Trump's request to hear a case involving a lower court's temporary injunction preventing him from firing Hampton Dellinger, who monitors compliance with workplace protections for federal employees. The decision upholds the lower court's injunction.
• Trump administration files supreme court appeal over watchdog firing — The Government petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court asking the Justices to freeze and vacate the district court order that had temporarily reinstated Dellinger.
• — The Trump administration has filed an appeal with the US Supreme Court to approve the firing of Hampton Dellinger, the head of the Office of Special Counsel (OSC), an independent federal agency. This appeal challenges a federal judge's decision to reinstate Dellinger pending a court hearing. The administration argues that the judge's order is an impermissible check on presidential power. The case is a significant test of executive authority over independent agencies and could impact numerous lawsuits against the administration.
• — The Supreme Court rejected (7-2) the Government's petition on the ground that a TRO was not properly subject to appeal at this stage.