Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Attorney General Blanche would not rule out challenging votes — Attorney General Todd Blanche declined to rule out the possibility of challenging some votes, leaving open the option of legal action to contest election results. The refusal to foreclose vote challenges raises questions about the DOJ's commitment to accepting electoral outcomes.

Supporting reports

• White powder envelopes sent to 36+ Congressional offices and election centers nationwide — More than 36 members of the US Congress and election offices in at least 15 states received envelopes containing white powder in the weeks before the November 3, 2026 midterm elections. The FBI, Capitol Police, and US Postal Inspection Service are investigating. Over 100 letters thought to contain white powder were circulating in the mail system. Envelopes bore a "Thinking of You" postmark and were processed through a north Texas mail center. Most were intercepted before delivery. Targets included Democrats (Chuck Schumer, Alex Padilla, Hakeem Jeffries) and Republicans (Mike Rounds, Ted Cruz, Pete Ricketts) across multiple states. No suspect has been identified.

Supporting reports

• 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."

Supporting reports

• 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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• US Department of Justice sues California to block tabulation of ballots allegedly cast by noncitizens — The US Department of Justice filed a federal lawsuit in the Central District of California seeking a court order to prevent the state from tabulating certain ballots in the midterm elections. The suit followed a demand sent to Los Angeles County officials on Tuesday containing a thumb drive with purported names of over 20,000 noncitizens registered to vote, with a 48-hour deadline to verify citizenship. Los Angeles County Clerk Dean Logan and California Secretary of State Shirley Weber both refused to act on the unverified list, citing lack of methodology and security concerns. The DOJ seeks an injunction requiring California to set aside and independently verify citizenship status of flagged voters before tabulation.
• Justice Department Sues State of California over Voter List — The Department of Justice announced this on 2026-10-15 through Office of the Attorney General. The recorded stage is a complaint filed. The allegations are unadjudicated; this documents the announcement, not the truth of any allegation. The department's own account of it reads: "The Justice Department, working with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), today filed a complaint against the State of California over its voter list after determining that more than 20,000 people who are likely aliens are registered to vote in California. Under California law, every registered voter is mailed a ballot. It is unlawful for aliens to vote in federal elections."

Supporting reports

• Supreme Court schedules Republican National Committee v. Mi Familia Vota for December argument — The Supreme Court agreed to hear Republican National Committee v. Mi Familia Vota in December 2026. The case, backed by the Trump Justice Department, challenges whether Arizona may cancel voter registrations of individuals deemed noncitizens during the 90-day quiet period before Election Day. The conservative justices noted in a footnote that they will consider the scope of the quiet period in this separate case and did not need to decide it in the earlier ruling.

Supporting reports

• DOJ seeks criminal charges against Cassidy Hutchinson for alleged perjury before Congress — The Department of Justice's civil rights division is pursuing criminal charges against Cassidy Hutchinson, a former Trump White House aide who provided testimony to the House committee investigating the January 6 Capitol attack. Hutchinson testified that Trump attempted to commandeer his SUV to join supporters at the Capitol. The charges involve allegations of lying to Congress. The move is described as highly unusual, as such investigations are typically handled by the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia.
• DOJ seeks federal criminal indictment of Cassidy Hutchinson for perjury — The Department of Justice is pursuing a federal criminal indictment against former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson on charges of lying to Congress during her January 6 testimony. The DOJ's Civil Rights Division presented evidence to a federal grand jury on Tuesday and is expected to present additional evidence and witnesses later in October.

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• Trump suggested allowing Iran to destroy Los Angeles and San Diego — At a rally in Nebraska on October 6, Trump stated that high oil prices were "a small price to pay" for keeping the country safe and suggested allowing Iran to attack U.S. cities: "They can take out a city, let 'em take out Los Angeles. Let 'em take out San Diego." He characterized destruction of these cities as acceptable and "a very small price to pay." The statement generated rapid and widespread outcry from Democratic officials and scholars of authoritarianism.
• Trump suggests Iran could attack Los Angeles and San Diego — Speaking at a rally in Nebraska, Trump appeared to suggest that Iran could "take out" Los Angeles and San Diego if it develops a nuclear weapon. Trump stated: "They could take out a city. Let them take - Let them take out Los Angeles. Let them take out San Diego." California Governor Gavin Newsom condemned Trump's comments as "deranged and dangerous," noting that Trump had previously sent the National Guard and Marines to occupy California. San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria stated that "SD is not collateral damage. We are not expendable." Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said Trump's statements were dangerous and could compromise city safety. GOP congressional nominee Jim Desmond, running in San Diego, disagreed with Trump's comments, stating that no American city is expendable.
• Trump suggested Iran could attack Los Angeles or San Diego — Trump made public statements suggesting Iran could "take out" Los Angeles or San Diego while discussing the economic costs of war. He subsequently clarified that his administration intends to prevent such attacks. The remarks drew significant criticism for appearing to acknowledge or speculate about foreign military threats to U.S. cities without clear strategic context.

Supporting reports

• DNC files lawsuit challenging Pentagon's FPCA modifications — The Democratic National Committee filed a federal lawsuit in Washington DC on October 2, 2026, seeking to overturn the Pentagon's August modifications to the Federal Post Card Application. The DNC argues the government violated the Administrative Procedure Act by bypassing standard rulemaking procedures, failing to allow public comment, and implementing changes without proper deliberation. The lawsuit requests a judicial declaration that the government violated the APA and asks the court to set aside the form modifications before the 2026 midterm elections.
• Trump administration initially planned more restrictive mail-in voting requirements — ProPublica reported that Trump's mail-in voting restrictions were initially far more expansive than the final executive order. The administration had wanted to require all ballots be delivered through certified mail, which would have resulted in undelivered ballots if voters were not home to sign for them. Postal Service officials were excluded from important discussions as the Trump administration finalized its executive order on mail-in voting.
• Trump administration removed voter registration option for citizens born abroad — The Democratic National Committee sued the Trump administration after it changed a federal voter form to remove the option for U.S. citizens born abroad who have never lived in the U.S. to register to vote and request a mail ballot. The lawsuit also revealed that the Trump administration removed information from a federal voter assistance guide about which states allow "never resided" voters to register.

Supporting reports

• Trump refuses to rule out declaring state of emergency before midterm elections — In a Time magazine interview, President Trump declined to rule out declaring a state of emergency before the November midterm elections, stating "I don't rule anything out or in. We'll see." He also said he "could use" the Insurrection Act to deploy military troops domestically, noting that "a lot of people think I should use it sometimes." Trump dismissed low approval ratings as "fake numbers" and blamed media for misrepresenting his earlier statements about the Iran war's duration.
• Trump expresses regret over Supreme Court appointments and discusses using Insurrection Act — In a 75-minute TIME magazine interview, Trump stated he regretted appointing Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett because they ruled against him on tariffs, mail ballots, and birthright citizenship. He expressed unapologetic expectations of judicial loyalty, stating "I do like loyalty, yeah." When asked whether he would rule out declaring a state of emergency before the midterms unless there was widespread violence, Trump said "I don't rule anything out or in" and indicated he could use the Insurrection Act, saying "A lot of people think I should use it sometimes."
• Trump defies congressional authority in TIME magazine interview — The President of the United States openly defied Congress during a TIME magazine interview, according to the article. The specific nature of the defiance is not detailed in the text provided, but the article characterizes the President's statements as demonstrating "no grasp on reality at all" and notes the defiance as part of a pattern of constitutional violations occurring under the current administration.

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• CNN reported Republican nominee for Texas Railroad Commission made repeated calls for public executions of political opponents — CNN reported that Bo French, the Republican nominee for the Texas Railroad Commission, has repeatedly called for public executions of his political opponents, including former President Barack Obama, using the hashtag "HangEmHigh" over the past six years. The report noted that Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Republican U.S. Senate nominee Ken Paxton have not withdrawn their endorsements of French despite the inflammatory rhetoric.

Supporting reports

• Supreme Court schedules Republican National Committee v. Mi Familia Vota for December argument — The U.S. Supreme Court has scheduled the case Republican National Committee v. Mi Familia Vota for argument in December. In that case, the Republican National Committee, backed by the Trump Justice Department, argues that Arizona may cancel the registrations of voters it deems noncitizens during the 90-day quiet period before Election Day. The Trump DOJ has already signaled it will argue that the quiet period does not apply to efforts by a state to remove noncitizens, and that "systematic checks within the 90-day window are the only way" for states to keep noncitizens off the rolls.

Supporting reports

• Supreme Court paused lower court order on SAVE citizenship database — The Supreme Court, over the dissent of its three liberal justices, paused a lower court order and allowed the administration to resume using its overhauled SAVE database while litigation continues. The SAVE system links Social Security data with state voter rolls for citizenship verification. A federal judge had found in June that the overhaul violated the Privacy Act and other federal laws. When Texas ran all 18 million of its voters through SAVE, the system flagged 2,724 people; nearly 20 percent were confirmed as citizens and reinstated. Federal law prohibits systematic voter purges within 90 days of federal elections. The Court's majority acknowledged this limit but stated citizenship checks remain permissible in that window and each state decides whether to use SAVE.
• U.S. Supreme Court rules Trump administration may resume voter suppression database for voter removal — The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Friday that the Trump administration can resume using its voter suppression database to help Republicans remove voters from the rolls. The decision permits the federal government to conduct individualized voter inquiries using the modified SAVE program during the 90-day quiet period before Election Day, though the Court acknowledged this "limits the potential impact" of the ruling. The Court has scheduled a separate case, Republican National Committee v. Mi Familia Vota, for December argument to consider the scope of the quiet period and whether states may conduct systematic noncitizen removal during that window.

Supporting reports

• California Supreme Court orders sheriff to return confiscated ballots — California's Supreme Court ruled that Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco unlawfully confiscated over 650,000 ballots during an inquiry into unsubstantiated fraud claims following a November 2025 special election. Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero found the seizure violated election law and created substantial risk to election integrity. Attorney General Rob Bonta had ordered Bianco to return the ballots; Bianco refused. The court rejected Bianco's argument that the AG could not direct a sheriff's investigation, affirming state authority over election materials. Governor Newsom signed legislation preventing future ballot seizures.
• California Supreme Court ordered sheriff to return confiscated ballots — The California Supreme Court ordered Sheriff Chad Bianco to return the confiscated ballots, ruling that it was Bianco, not voters, who was endangering elections. The court stated: "Allowing law enforcement unfettered access to ballots, or the ability to handle and count them in secret, based on unregulated protocols, itself creates a substantial risk to election integrity."

Supporting reports

• Complaint filed: DSCC v. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (D.D.C. 1:26-cv-03330) — The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Democratic Governors Association, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries filed a federal complaint against the Department of Homeland Security, ICE, and the FBI, alleging they have adopted a policy to station armed officers at polling places during the 2026 general election. Plaintiffs claim the policy violates 18 U.S.C. § 592 and Section 11(b) of the Voting Rights Act, chills voting particularly among naturalized citizens, and forces Democratic organizations to divert resources to voter protection. They seek declaratory and injunctive relief barring armed officers from polling places, drop boxes, and curbside voting locations.

Supporting reports

• Judge Michael Luttig warned Republicans are planning to steal midterm elections. — Judge Michael Luttig wrote an opinion piece in The New Republic warning that Republicans are planning to steal the midterm elections. Luttig stated that congressional Republicans "took a blood oath 6 years ago not just to put their party before their country, but to put Trump before their country." He warned that "only weeks before the midterm elections, House Republicans have already sworn their allegiance to Trump and doomed the US to another January 6 next January 3." Luttig asserted that House Republicans are "poised to claim that the midterm elections were stolen from them when they meet on January 3 to decide which members-elect will be seated in the 120th Congress." He stated that Trump has "exploited every conceivable unlawful means possible to rig the midterm elections in favor of the Republicans, and the federal courts have struck down as unconstitutional every one of these unlawful attempts." Luttig concluded: "Everyone knows that the greatest threat to the upcoming midterm elections is not the Democrats or the Chinese, noncitizen voting, or electronic voting machines, but the president of the United States and his servile Republican Congress."

Supporting reports

• House Speaker Mike Johnson declared Republicans will not allow Democrats to take the majority — House Speaker Mike Johnson told attendees at Trump's convention in Dallas on Thursday that "We cannot and will not allow them to take the majority in the Congress. We're not gonna do it." The statement came as Judge Luttig warned of Republican plans to refuse seating elected Democrats after a potential Democratic victory in the 2026 midterm elections.

Supporting reports

• Judge J. Michael Luttig published warning of Republican plan to refuse seating elected Democrats — Conservative judge J. Michael Luttig published an article in The New Republic warning that House Speaker Mike Johnson could remove the House clerk and replace him with a MAGA loyalist who would refuse to list elected Democrats on the roll for the 120th Congress. Luttig outlined how this scenario could paralyze the United States government and create a constitutional crisis, comparing it to Trump's 2021 attempt to overturn the election that was thwarted by Vice President Mike Pence.

Supporting reports

• Trump asked supporters to pledge allegiance to him instead of the nation — At the conclusion of his RNC convention speech, Trump asked the crowd to raise their right hands and recite a pledge of allegiance to him personally rather than to the United States. The pledge stated: "I pledge to the greatest president in the history of the US that loves us so much he can't even breathe, that I will go out with my family, my friends, I'll do it any way - I don't care if I'm registered or not, I'm going to try to cheat like hell just like they do."
• Trump told supporters voting is a religious obligation — During his RNC convention speech, Trump told the crowd: "You know what happens if you don't vote? You go to hell." He framed voting as a religious duty with eternal consequences.

Supporting reports

• Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals denies stay blocking Trump-backed Missouri redistricting map — On September 10, 2026, a federal appeals court panel (Eighth US Circuit Court of Appeals) declined to block the temporary restraining order issued by Judge Stephen Clark, allowing Missouri to proceed with using the Trump-backed congressional map in November's midterm elections. The decision came after the conservative group People Not Politicians filed an emergency stay request. The ruling left state election officials without legal clarity and prompted an immediate appeal to the US Supreme Court.

Supporting reports

• US Supreme Court receives emergency appeal challenging Missouri redistricting map — On September 10, 2026, opponents of Missouri's Trump-backed congressional redistricting map filed an emergency appeal to the US Supreme Court after the Eighth Circuit declined to block the map's use in November's midterm elections. The appeal follows a series of conflicting rulings across four courts, including a unanimous Missouri Supreme Court decision blocking the map and a federal judge's TRO ordering its use. The Supreme Court must act within weeks before the November elections.

Supporting reports

• DOJ sends letters to 30 election officials ordering retention of 2024 records and indicating investigation — Trump's Justice Department sent letters to at least 30 senior state election officials ordering retention of all 2024 election-related records, despite state laws permitting destruction of voting records 22 months after an election. The letters indicated that chief election officials "are currently under investigation" and subject to "ongoing litigation," though the nature, scope, and whether the probe is criminal or civil remain unclear. The action appears designed to create legal jeopardy for election administrators.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration proposes citizenship question on census and eliminates race/ethnicity data collection — The Trump administration issued a new proposal to add a citizenship question to the U.S. Census questionnaire and bar the Census Bureau from collecting race and ethnicity data despite the nation collecting such demographics since 1790. The citizenship question could exclude millions of people from the census count, affecting congressional apportionment, electoral district mapping, and federal funding allocation to states. The move directly contradicts the 14th Amendment's requirement to count all people living in the United States.

Supporting reports

• Trump campaign promises $5,000 dividend checks to every adult U.S. citizen if Republicans win midterm elections — At a Republican midterm convention in Dallas on September 9, Trump promised to distribute $5,000 checks to every adult U.S. citizen if Republicans win control of Congress, calling it the "Trump Dividend." The payout would cost approximately $1.2–1.3 trillion and would require congressional approval. Trump did not explain funding mechanisms. Multiple Republican lawmakers and observers noted the promise contradicts constitutional authority and echoes unfulfilled prior pledges (DOGE dividend, tariff rebates, stimulus checks).
• Trump suggests renaming geographic features after himself at convention speech — During the Dallas convention speech on September 9, Trump proposed renaming the Hormuz Strait the "Trump Strait," Lake Michigan "Lake America," and New Mexico "New America." He stated "I should get something out of it" regarding the strait naming and joked about personal financial benefit from geographic rebranding.
• VP Vance interviewed on Fox about $5,000 dividend promise — Fox host Bret Baier interviewed VP JD Vance after Trump's convention speech on September 9. When asked how a $1.3 trillion dividend payout would be funded without bankrupting the country, Vance claimed tariffs had generated substantial revenue and that the president was offering to share wealth created by his policies. A Community Note fact-check on X noted that annual tariff revenue (under $300 billion) cannot fund a $1.3 trillion payout and that previous cash dividend promises were never delivered.
• Trump claimed Iran war will end after midterm elections — Trump told reporters that Iran is prolonging the war to influence U.S. midterm elections and that he expects the conflict to end and gas prices to decline once the elections conclude. He stated, "They can't hold out any longer" and characterized Iran as "desperate to try and affect the election." However, Wall Street Journal reporting revealed that Trump's top advisors, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, have warned him the Iran war could continue through the remainder of his term. Hegseth has already extended troop deployments in the Middle East and planned additional extensions.
• Trump promised $5,000 checks to all adults if Republicans win midterms — At the "Trumpapaloosa" midterm convention in Dallas, Trump promised that if Republicans win the midterm elections, his administration will distribute $5,000 checks to all adult Americans. Trump branded the proposal the "Trump Dividend" and attributed it to "our tremendous strength and success economically." The plan would cost more than a trillion dollars and would require congressional approval, which Trump did not acknowledge.
• Trump pledges $5,000 payment to voters if Republicans win midterms — At the Republican National Convention in Dallas on September 10, President Trump promised a $5,000 check to every U.S. adult citizen if Republicans win the midterm elections. The pledge is widely understood within Trump's own circle as non-credible; no similar payments have been distributed during his second term despite prior promises. The announcement occurred during a lengthy speech that included incoherent remarks and calls for audience loyalty pledges.
• Trump Dividend: America Is Winning — and Americans Should Win With It — The White House published this release on 2026-09-10 through its releases channel.
• FDA announces priority review voucher fee rate for fiscal year 2027 — The Food and Drug Administration published a notice establishing the fiscal year 2027 fee rate for using priority review vouchers at $1,798,596. This fee applies to applications for tropical disease, rare pediatric disease, or material threat medical countermeasure products submitted with a priority review voucher, in addition to standard Prescription Drug User Fee Act fees. The rate is effective October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027, and was calculated based on the difference between average costs of priority and standard drug application reviews in fiscal year 2025, adjusted for cost increases.
• Trump gave cash gifts to executive assistant and staff — Trump gave his executive assistant Natalie Harp and two other young female employees gifts totaling $45,000 in cash last year, approximately one-third of their $150,000 annual salary. He also gave $20,000 to Walt Nauta, his co-defendant in the classified documents case. Richard Painter, chief White House ethics lawyer under President George W. Bush, stated the gifts appear to violate federal law prohibiting federal employees from receiving salary supplements from outside sources. Don Fox, acting director of the Office of Government Ethics under Obama, said the legality was unclear because such payments were not previously envisioned by OGE.
• Trump claimed he may not need congressional approval for $5,000 checks — During a backstage Fox News interview at the RNC convention, Trump was asked about the $5,000 dividend proposal. He responded that "there are a lot of people who think I don't even need congressional approval because we've made so much money," suggesting he might implement the policy unilaterally without legislative authorization.
• Trump claimed oil prices would drop after military conflict — Trump told reporters at the RNC convention that oil prices would drop "very rapidly" once the U.S. wins "the military conflict or war," and that he was "pretty sure" this would happen shortly after the election. The bulletin notes he has made similar claims for seven months while oil prices have continued to rise.
• Ron DeSantis criticized Trump's $5,000 check proposal — Florida Governor Ron DeSantis publicly denounced Trump's proposal to deliver $5,000 checks to Americans if Republicans hold their ground in the midterm elections. DeSantis warned that the infusion of cash would stir more inflation and expressed concern about borrowing an additional $1.5 trillion and flooding it into the economy.
• Trump claimed $5,000 checks would be funded by growth — During a press availability at the RNC convention in Dallas on September 11, Trump was asked how he would pay for proposed $5,000 checks to Americans. He responded that the checks would be funded by economic growth, and when asked about deficit impact, he said he was not worried about it. Economic data cited in the bulletin indicates GDP growth is weak.

Supporting reports

• Missouri federal judge issues temporary restraining order requiring use of Trump-backed congressional maps in November elections — US District Judge Stephen Clark issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) on September 8, 2026, ordering Missouri to use newly drawn congressional districts favoring Republicans in the November general election, overriding the state supreme court's ruling that the maps must go to voters for approval. The TRO cited voter confusion and fairness concerns from using different maps in the primary versus general election. The order was immediately appealed to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, creating conflicting legal directives days before the election.
• Missouri federal judge orders use of Trump-backed congressional map despite state supreme court block — On September 9, 2026, federal district judge Stephen Clark (Eastern District of Missouri) issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) requiring Missouri to use newly drawn congressional districts favoring Republicans in the November midterm elections, overriding a unanimous Missouri Supreme Court ruling that had blocked the same maps. The TRO cited potential voter confusion if different maps were used for the general election versus the August primary. The decision triggered immediate appeals to the Eighth Circuit and US Supreme Court, leaving state election officials without legal clarity weeks before the election.