Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• DOJ defends prosecution of James Comey over Instagram seashell post — The US Department of Justice filed court documents defending its prosecution of former FBI director James Comey, arguing that his May 2025 Instagram post featuring seashells arranged to read "8647" could reasonably be interpreted as a threat against President Trump. Prosecutors claimed there is "no serious dispute" that the image constituted a coded message meaning "kill" or "get rid of" the president. Comey was indicted in April 2026 on charges of making a threat against the US president and transmitting it across state lines. Comey's legal team argues the post is protected speech and seeks dismissal on grounds of vindictive and selective prosecution.

Supporting reports

• FBI raid of Ohio Organizing Collaborative, voting rights group — FBI agents raided the Cleveland office of the Ohio Organizing Collaborative, a grassroots voter registration organization, seizing computers and phones. Agents also visited homes of affiliated individuals throughout Ohio and conducted interviews. The raid appeared to examine accusations related to the 2024 election, though specifics were unclear. The action occurred amid a broader pattern of federal voter fraud investigations and came approximately one month after the acting attorney general's office instructed prosecutors to prioritize voter fraud cases.
• FBI raids voter registration organization office in Ohio — The FBI raided the office of a voter registration promotion group in Ohio and visited the homes of individuals associated with the organization.

Supporting reports

• FBI investigated New York Times reporter Elizabeth Williamson over story on Kash Patel's girlfriend — The FBI opened an investigation into New York Times reporter Elizabeth Williamson in March 2026 following her February 28 article alleging that FBI Director Kash Patel used federal resources to provide protection and transportation for his girlfriend, country singer Alexis Wilkins. FBI agents searched databases for details about Williamson and suggested assessing whether her reporting violated federal stalking laws. Patel denied the investigation on Fox News, claiming the article posed a direct threat to his girlfriend. The Times' executive editor condemned the FBI's actions as unconstitutional and a violation of First Amendment rights.

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• Independent journalist Brixton Hughes arrested in connection with Minnesota church protest — Brixton Hughes, identified as an independent journalist, was arrested on Friday morning in connection with the January 18 protest at Cities Church in St. Paul. Hughes posted on Facebook "Feds at my door" following the arrest. Hughes was among 25 people arrested as part of the DOJ's expanded prosecution of protest participants. Two other journalists, Don Lemon and Georgia Fort, were previously charged over the same protest, though they maintained they were covering it as reporters rather than participating.

Supporting reports

• Federal magistrate judge previously rejected arrest warrant for Don Lemon — A federal magistrate judge took the unusual step of declining to sign off on an arrest warrant for Don Lemon, finding there was "no evidence" of criminal behavior in his journalistic work at the Minnesota church protest. The decision reportedly enraged Attorney General Pam Bondi. Despite this judicial rejection, the DOJ proceeded to arrest and charge Lemon anyway.
• Don Lemon Arrested for Violating FACE Act — Federal agents arrested independent journalist Don Lemon in Minneapolis, charging him with violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act and conspiring to hurt the exercise of rights. The charges stem from Lemon's filming of a protest at a church service. Previous attempts by federal prosecutors to charge him were blocked by a magistrate judge and a federal judge. The administration's actions are seen as an attempt to intimidate independent journalists and suppress coverage of federal authority.
• Don Lemon arrested; Trump had made 10 posts attacking him — Don Lemon was arrested. Deputy AG Todd Blanche claimed the president had "never even thought of Don Lemon" when asked if the arrest was intended to make an example of someone the president had sparred with. However, a search of Trump's Truth Social account revealed Trump made 10 nasty posts about Lemon over the past three years, with several recent posts calling him a "sleazebag."

Supporting reports

• FBI Director Kash Patel launches investigation into Signal group chats used by protesters — FBI Director Kash Patel announced on January 26 that he launched an investigation into Signal group chats used by protesters in Minnesota to share information about federal immigration agents, including their locations and license plate numbers. The move targets legally obtained information and the act of recording law enforcement officials, both protected by the First Amendment.
• Justice Department appeals to Eighth Circuit after judge declines to issue arrest warrants for CNN anchor and protesters — Federal prosecutors sought Chief Judge Schiltz's assistance in arresting former CNN anchor Don Lemon and others linked to an anti-ICE church protest. After Schiltz declined to overturn a magistrate's denial of arrest warrants, the Justice Department appealed directly to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. The circuit court rejected the government's request, prompting Schiltz to write letters criticizing the Justice Department's approach and highlighting the flood of "illegal" detention cases overwhelming Minnesota courts.
• FBI director announced investigation of Signal chats of Minneapolis observers — FBI Director Kash Patel told a right-wing podcaster that the FBI will investigate Signal chats of those organized in Minneapolis to observe and record federal agents, to determine if they endangered federal agents. Podcaster Benny Johnson suggested the chats were "coordinated infrastructure" and asked the FBI to "take a crack at trying to get rid of this infrastructure the way they approach the mob or cartels or other terrorist networks."
• TikTok suppresses anti-ICE videos following Oracle acquisition — Following TikTok's acquisition by an Oracle-led consortium in late January 2026, users reported inability to upload videos critical of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Law professor Stephen Vladeck reported his anti-ICE video remained "under review" for nine hours; comedian Megan Stalter and California State Sen. Scott Wiener also reported suppression. TikTok attributed the issue to a data center outage, but the timing coincided with Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison's known Trump loyalty, raising concerns about state influence over the platform's content moderation.
• Federal agents arrested journalist Don Lemon on FACE Act and civil rights conspiracy charges — More than two dozen federal agents arrested independent journalist Don Lemon late on January 29, charging him with violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act and conspiring to hurt the exercise of rights—a Reconstruction-era law originally used against the Ku Klux Klan. Lemon had filmed protesters disrupting a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota, on January 18 at a white nationalist church with ties to the Trump administration. A magistrate judge and federal judge had both refused to issue warrants; the administration then sought indictment via federal grand jury. Lemon stated he would plead not guilty and continue his journalism.
• Federal agents arrest Don Lemon and three journalists — On January 29, federal agents arrested Don Lemon and three other journalists in relation to their coverage of an anti-ICE protest inside a St. Paul, Minnesota church. Lemon has been charged with conspiring to deprive others of their civil rights and violating the FACE Act by allegedly obstructing access to a house of worship. The arrests come one week after a federal magistrate judge rejected the Justice Department's initial request to bring charges. Lemon's lawyer Abbe Lowell called the move an "unprecedented attack on the First Amendment" and a "transparent attempt to distract attention from the many crises facing this administration."
• Federal magistrate and district judge refused to issue arrest warrants for Don Lemon — A federal magistrate judge refused to issue a warrant for Don Lemon and his producer, stating prosecutors had not shown evidence justifying arrest. When the administration asked a federal judge to overturn that decision, the judge also refused, calling the request "unprecedented." The administration then escalated the case to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, which also refused to intervene.
• DOJ charges Don Lemon and three others with civil rights crimes related to Minnesota church protest — The Department of Justice charged former CNN anchor Don Lemon and three others with federal civil rights crimes, alleging they interfered with religious freedom at a church in Minnesota earlier in January. Lemon was arrested in Los Angeles on Thursday while covering the Grammy Awards and released Friday. The charges also invoked the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. A federal magistrate judge had previously declined to sign an arrest warrant for Lemon, but the DOJ proceeded with charges anyway. The White House celebrated the arrest on social media.
• Don Lemon arrested on charges connected to Minnesota church protest — Ex-CNN anchor Don Lemon, 59, was arrested on charges related to a Minnesota church protest. Lemon, who was terminated by CNN in 2023 following allegations of problematic behavior toward female colleagues and controversial on-air remarks, has since worked as an independent journalist on YouTube. The arrest marks a significant development in his career trajectory following his departure from mainstream media.
• Federal agents arrest journalist Georgia Fort for covering ICE protest at Minnesota church — Georgia Fort, an independent Minnesota journalist, was arrested at her home on January 30 after covering a January 18 protest at St. Paul's Cities church, where a pastor reportedly works for ICE. Fort was charged alongside Don Lemon under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act) and conspiracy statutes—charges experts call unprecedented against journalists. The DOJ pursued the case aggressively after a federal judge and appeals court initially refused to charge the journalists; a grand jury eventually secured an indictment. Fort livestreamed her arrest and has since been unable to cover related stories due to legal and safety concerns.
• Federal agents conduct search of Fort's home and question her children — When federal agents arrested Georgia Fort at her home on January 30, approximately two dozen agents remained outside for hours after her arrest. As Fort's family attempted to leave, agents stopped them in the driveway and questioned her children about whether they possessed her laptop or cellphone. Fort's daughters, aged 17, 8, and 7, were terrified by the encounter. The youngest daughter now discusses ICE daily; the oldest has experienced nightmares. Fort stated agents could have waited until children left for school and questioned why so many agents were needed to arrest a journalist.
• Journalist Don Lemon arrested by Trump administration after covering anti-ICE protest — Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was arrested on January 30, 2026, by federal agents at a Los Angeles hotel while covering the Grammy Awards. The Trump administration obtained a federal grand jury indictment against Lemon, independent journalist Georgia Fort, and others on charges of conspiracy and interfering with worshippers' constitutional rights during an anti-immigration enforcement protest at a Minnesota church on January 18. A federal magistrate judge had previously refused to sign an arrest warrant for Lemon. On February 8, Lemon spoke publicly about the arrest, characterizing it as an attack on press freedom and warning that democracy becomes "hollow" when the First Amendment is threatened.
• Federal agents arrested journalist Georgia Fort and two protest participants — Federal agents arrested independent journalist Georgia Fort of Minnesota, along with two protest participants, Trahern Jeen Crews and Jamael Lydell Lundy, in connection with the January 18 church protest in St. Paul. All four people arrested in the past 24 hours are Black.
• Don Lemon arrested on federal civil rights charges — Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was arrested by federal authorities and charged with federal civil rights crimes in connection with a protest at a Minnesota church service earlier in January. The Department of Homeland Security stated Lemon was charged with conspiracy and interfering with the First Amendment rights of worshipers. His attorney Abbe Lowell stated Lemon's "constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different than what he has always done" and characterized the arrest as "an unprecedented attack on the first amendment." Career DOJ prosecutors in Minnesota and Louisiana refused to be involved in charging Lemon and other journalists who covered the Minneapolis church protests, believing the evidence does not support the charges.

Supporting reports

• Attorney General Bondi announced arrests of church protest organizers — Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the arrest of Nekima Levy Armstrong, whom she characterized as having "allegedly played a key role in organizing the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul." Bondi later announced a second arrest of Chauntyll Louisa Allen. Bondi stated the arrests were made "at my direction" and emphasized that the administration does not tolerate "attacks on places of worship."
• DOJ filed criminal complaints against church protest participants — The Department of Justice filed criminal complaints against seven protesters who entered St. Paul's Cities Church in Minnesota and interrupted a service. Arrests were made throughout the day. The DOJ also attempted to charge journalist Don Lemon, but a federal magistrate judge refused to sign the complaint, requiring the DOJ to pursue a grand jury indictment if it wishes to proceed against Lemon.
• Three arrested for anti-ICE protest at Minnesota church — Three people—Nekima Levy Armstrong, Chauntyll Louisa Allen, and William Kelly—were arrested on Thursday in connection with a protest at Cities church in St Paul, Minnesota on Sunday. Demonstrators had alleged that pastor David Easterwood was the acting field director of the St Paul ICE office. Armstrong was charged under a statute criminalizing conspiracy to block someone from exercising civil rights. The White House and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem celebrated the arrest on social media.

Supporting reports

• Attorney General issues memo directing prosecution of anti-ICE activism as domestic terrorism — On December 4, the U.S. Attorney General's office issued a memo to federal prosecutors directing them to prosecute conduct under domestic terrorism statutes, explicitly listing "opposition to immigration enforcement," "violent efforts to shut down immigration enforcement," and "extreme views in favor of mass migration and open borders" as potential terrorist ideologies. The memo also directs prosecution of "picketing or parading with intent to obstruct the administration of justice" and instructs federal law enforcement to share "Antifa" files with the FBI, effectively criminalizing protest and political opposition.
• Pam Bondi directs law enforcement to investigate antifa groups for tax crimes — US Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a memo to all law enforcement agencies and prosecutors instructing them to investigate antifa and other groups designated as domestic terrorists, with specific direction to search for tax crimes. The memo also ordered federal agencies to review files for antifa-related intelligence within 14 days and directed the FBI to compile a list of domestic terror groups. The action implements Trump's September executive order designating antifa as a domestic terrorism organization and signals efforts to revoke tax-exempt status of left-wing groups.

Supporting reports

• Miller directs visa revocations targeting pro-Palestinian academics and Gaza war critics — John Armstrong, senior bureau official for consular affairs, testified in court that Stephen Miller personally held "at least a dozen" conversations directing visa revocations for pro-Palestinian academics, often identified by the website Canary Mission. Miller also lobbied for visa revocations targeting critics of Israel's Gaza war and conservative pundit Charlie Kirk. These actions use visa authority as a tool for political retaliation and suppression of dissent.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration directs DOJ to investigate George Soros and Open Society Foundations — The Trump administration, through Attorney General Pam Bondi and President Trump, ordered a Department of Justice investigation into billionaire philanthropist George Soros and the Open Society Foundations (OSF), alleging without evidence that they finance "leftwing terrorism" and "professional anarchists and agitators." The New York Times reported the DOJ had directed prosecutors to consider possible charges under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). Trump named Soros and Reid Hoffman as targets in the Oval Office, stating "Soros, he's at the top of everything." Soros's office denied all allegations as "100% false."

Supporting reports

• DOJ to Investigate Statements by Democratic Politicians — The Trump administration has asked the Justice Department to investigate statements made by Democratic politicians, including calls for ICE agents to be unmasked, to determine if they threaten ICE officers. This move is part of a broader effort to scrutinize and potentially criminalize political speech against federal immigration enforcement.