Trump Action Archive

A searchable record of documented actions, compiled weekly from public sources.

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Filtering Week: Week 34 × Category: Institutions and Governance × Attack target: The Justice Department × Clear all ☆ Save this search

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Tier 1 carried by a primary record Corroborated 2+ independent news desks Every result is verified and democracy-related.

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Sep 11, 2025 Former FBI officials sued FBI Director Kash Patel, Attorney General Bondi, and the DOJ for politicizing the bureau Corroborated Institutions and Governance

The lawsuit documents alleged purges of officials who worked on Trump-related investigations, formally alleging institutional capture of federal law enforcement.

Independently corroborated by5 independent news desks
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone

Supporting reports

  • Three former FBI agents filed lawsuit against Kash Patel — Three former FBI agents filed a lawsuit against FBI Director Kash Patel portraying him as a "partisan neophyte more interested in social media and swag" than professional law enforcement, occurring on the same day Patel mishandled the Kirk shooting investigation.
  • Three former FBI officials sue Kash Patel for wrongful termination over Trump investigations — Three senior FBI officials—Brian Driscoll Jr., Steven Jensen, and Spencer Evans—filed a federal lawsuit in Washington DC against FBI Director Kash Patel and the federal government, alleging wrongful termination and unlawful political influence. The complaint alleges Patel stated he was instructed by the White House to fire agents who worked on Trump investigations, and that Emil Bove pressured officials to compile lists of agents involved in January 6 investigations. The officials seek reinstatement, backpay, and a declaration that their firings were illegal.
  • Three former FBI officials sued Patel and DOJ for politicizing the FBI — Three former top officials at the FBI filed a lawsuit against FBI Director Patel, the FBI, Attorney General Bondi, the Department of Justice, and the president, accusing them of unlawfully politicizing the FBI and purging anyone who had ever worked on a criminal investigation of Trump. The lawsuit suggests Bongino had an "intense focus on [using] his social media profiles to change his followers' perceptions of the FBI."
  • FBI director and deputy director focused on social media rather than investigation — FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino, both MAGA influencers without law enforcement experience, appeared to prioritize social media activity over the investigation into Kirk's shooting. Hours after the shooting, Patel's personal social media account posted a picture of himself and Kirk; minutes later, Patel's official FBI account posted conflicting updates about the suspect's custody status. Both officials appeared focused more on posting than conducting investigative work.
Verified: Corroborated — 2+ independent news desks Week 34 – 2025-09-06–2025-09-12 wk34_IG_051
Sep 11, 2025 House of Representatives passed the Stop Illegal Entry Act imposing mandatory 5–10 year sentences for illegal re-entry Tier 1 · Primary Institutions and Governance

The bill would incarcerate thousands for non-violent immigration offenses and strain federal courts, reshaping the balance between enforcement and due process.

Primary sourceA record that carries the claim alone
Independently corroborated by1 independent news desk
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone

Supporting reports

  • House passes Stop Illegal Entry Act imposing mandatory 10-year sentences for migrants re-entering after removal — The Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed HR3486, the Stop Illegal Entry Act, on 11 September 2025, imposing mandatory minimum sentences of 5–10 years for migrants convicted of illegal re-entry combined with other crimes. The bill passed largely along party lines with 11 Democratic votes and White House support. Criminal justice groups warn it would incarcerate thousands for non-violent offenses, cost approximately $440,000 per person, paralyze federal courts by eliminating plea incentives, and disproportionately affect migrants fleeing violence or seeking family reunification. Senator Ted Cruz is advancing the measure in the Senate, where it requires 60 votes to proceed.
Verified: Tier 1 primary record Week 34 – 2025-09-06–2025-09-12 wk34_IG_052
Sep 9, 2025 Department of Justice reversed its position on numerous voting-rights cases including Callais Tier 1 · Primary Institutions and Governance

The DOJ's shift away from enforcement aligns it with conservative efforts to gut the Voting Rights Act at a critical moment.

Primary sourceA record that carries the claim alone
Independently corroborated by1 independent news desk
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone

Supporting reports

  • Department of Justice reverses position on voting rights cases under Attorney General Pam Bondi — Under Attorney General Pam Bondi, the U.S. Department of Justice has reversed its position on numerous voting rights cases, including Louisiana v. Callais. The reversal signals a shift away from federal enforcement of voting-rights protections and aligns the DOJ with conservative legal arguments attacking the Voting Rights Act.
Verified: Tier 1 primary record Week 34 – 2025-09-06–2025-09-12 wk34_IG_038
Sep 9, 2025 Driscoll, Patel FBI officials filed suit challenging summary dismissal from senior FBI positions Tier 1 · Primary Institutions and Governance

The suit alleges the removals lacked statutory cause and were retaliatory, testing civil-service protections against politically motivated firings.

Primary sourceA record that carries the claim alone
Independently corroborated by6 independent news desks

Supporting reports

  • Complaint filed — Driscoll v. Patel (D.D.C. 1:25-cv-03109) — Three senior FBI officials, including former FBI Acting Director Brian J. Driscoll, Jr., filed suit in federal district court challenging their summary dismissal by FBI Director Kash Patel on August 8, 2025. The plaintiffs claim they were entitled to statutory protections under the FBI Senior Executive Service (5 U.S.C. § 3151), which permits removal only for specified causes such as misconduct or neglect of duty. They allege their terminations violated the Fifth Amendment Due Process Clause and the First Amendment, arguing the dismissals were retaliatory and based on perceived political disloyalty rather than lawful cause. Plaintiffs seek reinstatement and an injunction against further adverse action without due process.
Verified: Tier 1 primary record Week 34 – 2025-09-06–2025-09-12 wk34_IG_042
Sep 8, 2025 Peter Navarro filed an appeal demanding DOJ explain its withdrawal from defending his subpoena-defiance conviction Corroborated Institutions and Governance

The filing raises separation-of-powers questions about whether DOJ selectively abandons legal positions for officials close to the president.

Independently corroborated by5 independent news desks
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone

Supporting reports

  • Navarro files appeal demanding DOJ explain withdrawal from defending his subpoena conviction — Peter Navarro, Trump's White House trade adviser, filed a 13-page appeal with the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit requesting the justice department explain why it will not defend his 2022 conviction for defying a January 6 committee subpoena. Navarro was convicted after refusing to testify, claiming executive privilege. After Trump returned to office and Navarro joined the White House, federal prosecutors withdrew their defense of the conviction and urged appointment of external counsel. Navarro's filing argues the DOJ must provide detailed explanation for abandoning its legal position, citing separation-of-powers concerns and potential implications for congressional subpoena enforcement against presidential advisers.
Verified: Corroborated — 2+ independent news desks Week 34 – 2025-09-06–2025-09-12 wk34_IG_022
Sep 7, 2025 Trump Justice Department sought to dismiss a civil lawsuit brought by 33 Epstein survivors against federal agencies Corroborated Institutions and Governance

Moving to dismiss survivors' claims against federal law enforcement blocks a path to accountability for decades-old failures to act on abuse allegations.

Independently corroborated by6 independent news desks
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone

Supporting reports

  • DOJ pushes to dismiss civil lawsuit by Epstein survivors against federal government — The Trump Justice Department is actively seeking to dismiss a civil lawsuit filed by Merson Law on behalf of 33 Epstein survivors. The suit alleges that federal law enforcement agencies failed to act on allegations against Epstein when survivors came forward 20 years ago. Attorneys Jennifer Plotkin and Jordan Merson note that the FBI has acknowledged responsibility to Larry Nassar victims but continues to fight Epstein survivors.
Verified: Corroborated — 2+ independent news desks Week 34 – 2025-09-06–2025-09-12 wk34_IG_017
Sep 7, 2025 Bill Pulte referred Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook for criminal investigation over mortgage-fraud allegations Tier 1 · Primary Institutions and Governance

An unusual, politically charged referral against a sitting Fed governor bypassed normal investigatory channels and appeared aimed at removing an independent official.

Primary sourceA record that carries the claim alone
Independently corroborated by6 independent news desks
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone

Supporting reports

  • Bill Pulte refers Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook for criminal investigation into alleged mortgage fraud — William Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and a Trump appointee, referred Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook to the Department of Justice for alleged mortgage fraud, claiming she misrepresented her homes as primary residences to secure favorable rates. The DOJ opened a criminal investigation and issued subpoenas. Cook denies wrongdoing, calling discrepancies a clerical error. Former officials and experts called Pulte's direct involvement "bizarre," as criminal referrals typically originate from the FHFA's inspector general office, not the agency director.
  • Housing Finance Agency director targeted Democrat with mortgage fraud allegations — Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte, who has been targeting Democrats with flimsy mortgage fraud allegations, posted that Federal Reserve Board member Dr. Lisa Cook obtained bank loans with "lower than allowed" interest rates while serving on the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago's academic advisory council. Economist Justin Wolfers responded that Pulte's claim was dishonest: Cook was asked to give macroeconomic advice to an academic advisory council, not to set interest rates, and the Chicago Fed does not set rates.
  • Trump administration officials accused Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook of mortgage fraud based on documents later shown to be inaccurate — President Trump sought to remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook by alleging she committed mortgage fraud by claiming two homes as primary residences to obtain lower interest rates. Reuters reported that documents show Cook actually designated the Georgia property as a "vacation home" to her lender, and standardized forms were overridden by her personal application specifying it as a second home. Cook never claimed a primary residence tax exemption for the Georgia property and referred to it officially as a "2nd home." The allegations appear to be false.
Verified: Tier 1 primary record Week 34 – 2025-09-06–2025-09-12 wk34_IG_018
Sep 7, 2025 Todd Blanche conducted an interview with Ghislaine Maxwell that avoided probing questions about Trump Corroborated Institutions and Governance

Survivors called the interview inadequate, suggesting the investigation was designed to shield the president rather than pursue accountability.

Independently corroborated by5 independent news desks
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone

Supporting reports

  • Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche conducts soft interview with Ghislaine Maxwell — In late July 2025, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche interviewed convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell over two days. The resulting transcript, released on August 22, revealed that Blanche's questions were not probing on key issues, particularly regarding Trump or those close to him. Survivors and their attorneys condemned the interview as inadequate and characterized it as "coddling" a known sex abuser.
  • Ghislaine Maxwell's lawyer suggested quid pro quo for prison transfer — Asked on CNN about why Ghislaine Maxwell was moved to a lower-security prison, her former lawyer seemingly admitted that it was likely part of a deal with the Trump administration in exchange for her interview with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, saying "when anybody who's represented by a lawyer who knows what they're doing goes in and meets with the government, there's always a quid pro quo."
Verified: Corroborated — 2+ independent news desks Week 34 – 2025-09-06–2025-09-12 wk34_IG_019
Sep 7, 2025 Trump Justice Department failed to contact roughly 50 Epstein survivors despite pledges to investigate Corroborated Institutions and Governance

Attorneys reported no outreach for over six months, undercutting stated commitments to transparent investigation of Epstein's crimes.

Independently corroborated by3 independent news desks
Supporting reportingSurfacings — do not carry alone

Supporting reports

  • Trump administration fails to contact Epstein survivors despite public commitment to investigate — Nine attorneys representing approximately 50 Epstein survivors told the Guardian that the Trump Justice Department has not contacted them in over six months, despite repeated public commitments to transparently investigate Jeffrey Epstein's crimes. Attorney Gloria Allred (27 survivors), Lisa Bloom (11 survivors), Spencer Kuvin, Jennifer Freeman, and others confirmed no outreach. The DOJ released previously public documents in February, announced in July it would release no further files, and conducted a soft interview with Ghislaine Maxwell in late July. Legal experts note that victim engagement is standard investigatory practice.
Verified: Corroborated — 2+ independent news desks Week 34 – 2025-09-06–2025-09-12 wk34_IG_020