Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Columbia Political Review staff writers resign and go on hiatus over article association fears — Three staff writers at Columbia Political Review have resigned and four additional writers have taken hiatus, citing fear that their association with certain articles could jeopardize their safety or future career prospects. Editor Adam Kinder attributes the departures to mounting pressure from the Trump administration's targeting of pro-Palestinian speech and activism.
• Columbia Political Review removes nearly a dozen articles and halts publication of additional pieces — Adam Kinder, editor of Columbia Political Review, reports the publication has been asked to remove nearly a dozen articles and halt publication of over a dozen more in recent weeks. The publication has complied with all takedown requests. Kinder attributes the requests to mounting pressure and student fears of retaliation from the Trump administration for expressing disagreement with its policies.
• National student journalism organizations issue alert on editorial norms amid repression — A coalition of national student journalism organizations issued an alert on Friday calling on student papers to reconsider longstanding editorial norms around unpublishing stories and anonymization. The alert acknowledges that the recommendations "stand in opposition to how many of us as journalism educators have taught and advised our students over the years," but states "these are not normal times," reflecting the unprecedented pressure on student media from Trump administration enforcement.
• Stanford Daily receives surge of article takedown requests from contributors — Greta Reich, editor of Stanford Daily, reports a rapid escalation in takedown requests from sources and opinion writers in recent weeks. Requests have ranged from anonymity demands to removal of bylines and blurring of identifying images. One international student staff editor resigned entirely, citing fear of association with articles that could jeopardize their safety or career prospects.
• Student journalists remove bylines and request article takedowns fearing Trump administration retaliation — Student journalists across US universities are removing their names from published articles, requesting full takedowns, and resigning from editorial roles amid fears of legal repercussions and deportation. The trend accelerated following the arrest of Tufts graduate student Rumeysa Ozturk, detained by ICE after writing a pro-Palestinian op-ed, and Columbia graduate student Mahmoud Khalil, arrested over pro-Palestinian protest involvement. University newspaper editors report international students are particularly vulnerable, though US citizens are also requesting anonymization. Major publications including Columbia Political Review, Stanford Daily, and Purdue Exponent have complied with takedown requests.
• University of Virginia Cavalier Daily staffer resigns over visa safety concerns — An immigrant staff member of the Cavalier Daily resigned from the editorial board after the publication ran pieces about Trump's policies on universities, specifically regarding immigrants and pro-Palestine activism. The student was advised by the university's international studies office that public association with these articles could pose risks to their visa status. Editor Naima Sawaya acknowledged that the current climate differs from the publication's historical refusal of takedown requests.
• Student journalists unpublishing stories amid fears of Trump administration repercussions — The Guardian reported that student journalists are unpublishing stories, retracting their bylines from published articles, and resigning from campus newsrooms amid fears of repercussions from the Trump administration.

Supporting reports

• State Department revokes visas of approximately 300 students for pro-Palestinian activism — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the State Department revoked approximately 300 student visas, stating at a news conference in Guyana that he removes visas from activists he identifies. The revocations target international students engaged in pro-Palestinian activism and demonstrations on U.S. campuses, including students at Columbia University and Tufts University.
• Secretary of State revoked all visas for South Sudanese passport holders — Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that he would revoke all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders and restrict new visas from being issued. No stated justification was provided for the blanket revocation.
• Trump administration revokes all South Sudanese visas in repatriation dispute — The U.S. Department of State, under Secretary Marco Rubio, revoked all visas held by South Sudanese passport-holders and suspended issuance of new visas, effective immediately. The action was taken in response to South Sudan's alleged failure to accept repatriation of one individual. Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau stated that all visa appointments are cancelled and no South Sudanese nationals will enter the U.S. on a visa until the matter is resolved. The measure affects approximately 133 people on temporary protected status.

Supporting reports

• FCC chair Brendan Carr orders investigations into NBC News, NPR, and PBS — Brendan Carr, Trump's appointed FCC chair and Project 2025 author, has ordered a flurry of investigations into NBC News, NPR, and PBS. These investigations are ongoing as of late March 2025 and represent part of a broader pattern of using federal regulatory authority to target news organizations critical of the administration.

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• Trump administration files $10 billion lawsuit against CBS News — Trump is suing CBS News owner for $10 billion, alleging the network selectively edited an interview with Kamala Harris during the 2024 campaign. CBS News denies the allegation. The lawsuit represents one of multiple legal actions the administration has taken against media organizations.
• Trump administration files lawsuit against Des Moines Register newspaper — Trump is suing the Des Moines Register newspaper, accusing it of "election interference" over a poll conducted before the 2024 election that showed Kamala Harris leading Trump in Iowa. The lawsuit uses legal action to punish a news organization for reporting that was unfavorable to the president.

Supporting reports

• Trump suggests certain media groups should be "illegal" — In recent weeks, Trump has suggested that some media groups should be "illegal," escalating his rhetoric against news organizations. This statement reflects the administration's increasingly aggressive posture toward the press and represents a threat to press freedom itself.
• Funding cut from Voice of America — The Trump administration has cut funding from Voice of America, a U.S. government-funded international news organization. This action reduces the capacity of a key institution for communicating American values and news globally.
• Trump signed executive order slashing federal funding for NPR and PBS — In late April 2025, President Trump signed an executive order aimed at slashing federal funding for NPR and PBS, accusing both news outlets of spreading "radical woke propaganda." This action is part of a broader crackdown on press freedom and government-funded media outlets critical of or independent from the administration.
• Trump calls for defunding NPR and PBS — On April 1, Trump posted on Truth Social calling on Republicans to "defund and totally disassociate themselves" from NPR and PBS, baselessly calling the public broadcasters "radical left 'monsters.'" The statement targeted public media for perceived political bias.

Supporting reports

• Trump dismissed Atlantic report on classified messaging breach — When asked about Jeffrey Goldberg's Atlantic article detailing the classified messaging breach, President Trump stated he knew nothing about the incident and dismissed The Atlantic as "a magazine that's going out of business." Trump declined to engage substantively with the security breach allegations.
• Secretary Hegseth denied texting war plans, contradicted by Signal messages — Asked by a reporter about the Signal group chat, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said "Nobody was texting war plans." This claim was directly contradicted by the chain of messages later published by The Atlantic, which included exact timings of strikes and information about planes and drones used—information that was highly classified at the time.
• Secretary of Defense Hegseth and administration officials denied classified information was shared in Signal chat — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and President Trump made public statements asserting that no classified information was shared in the Signal group chat discussing Yemen military strikes. Hegseth told reporters "Nobody was texting war plans." Gabbard testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee that "There was no classified material that was shared in that Signal group." Ratcliffe stated his communications "did not include classified information." Trump told reporters the information "wasn't classified." These statements were later contradicted when The Atlantic published screenshots of the messages showing precise attack details.
• The Atlantic published screenshots of classified Signal messages discussing Yemen military strikes — The Atlantic published screenshots of the Signal group chat messages in which senior administration officials discussed and planned military strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. The messages revealed that Secretary of Defense Hegseth had uploaded precise attack details including timing and targeting information before the operation commenced. The publication followed administration officials' repeated denials that classified information had been shared, and came after The Atlantic's reporters determined there was clear public interest in disclosing the information.

Supporting reports

• Hegseth attacked journalist Jeffrey Goldberg — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth attacked journalist Jeffrey Goldberg, calling him a "deceitful and highly discredited so-called 'journalist'" who has "made a profession of peddling hoaxes time and time again." The attack came in response to Goldberg's reporting on the classified Signal group chat.
• Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth attacked journalist credibility in response to breach reporting — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth responded to questions about the Signal chat breach by attacking journalist Jeffrey Goldberg's credibility, calling him a "deceitful and highly discredited so-called journalist who's made a profession of peddling hoaxes." Hegseth denied that war plans were shared, stating "Nobody was texting war plans," despite Goldberg's documented evidence of specific operational details including attack timing, targets, weapons systems, and sequencing.
• Trump called Goldberg a "sleazebag" — Trump separately called journalist Jeffrey Goldberg a "sleazebag" and said he's "basically bad for the country." The attack continued Trump's pattern of personal attacks on journalists who report on his administration.
• Waltz called Goldberg "bottom scum of journalists" — On Fox, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz called journalist Jeffrey Goldberg the "bottom scum of journalists" and baselessly suggested he may have hacked the Signal group chat. The attack represents an attempt to discredit the journalist and distract from the classified information breach.
• Fox News removed Jennifer Griffin from air over Signal scandal reporting — Fox News did not put Chief National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin on the air since the Signal scandal broke. Griffin, described as "one of their few honest reporters," had reported on the operational details shared by Defense Secretary Hegseth in a Signal group chat, noting that the information was far more sensitive than "war plans" and could have placed US military pilots in harm's way. Her reporting detailed that the shared information constituted classified "attack orders" or "operational plans" with timing and specific weapons systems.
• Trump claimed news outlets reporting stories that influence judges should be deemed illegal — President Trump stated that CNN and MSNBC should be investigated and deemed illegal for reporting negatively about him, claiming their coverage influences judicial opinions and changes law. Trump asserted the outlets work in coordination and that their reporting "has to be illegal" and "cannot be legal." The statement reflects rhetoric suggesting potential punishment of news organizations for critical coverage.
• Signal group chat leak: journalist Jeffrey Goldberg accidentally added to White House national security discussion — Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, was accidentally added to a Signal group chat that included the U.S. defense secretary, White House national security adviser, and intelligence community heads discussing plans to strike Yemen. Goldberg reported on the leak, prompting administration officials including National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to publicly attack him, calling him a "loser" and "deceitful" journalist. The incident raised questions about operational security and accountability within Trump's cabinet.

Supporting reports

• Trump attacked Fox reporter Jacqui Heinrich — On Truth Social, Trump attacked Fox reporter Jacqui Heinrich, who spoke out against the administration's move to choose which reporters are allowed in the White House press pool, saying she was "absolutely terrible" and that "she should be working for CNN, not FOX."

Supporting reports

• Trump attacked Atlantic journalists — Trump attacked The Atlantic staff writers Ashley Parker and Michael Scherer on Truth Social, calling Parker a "radical left lunatic" and complaining Scherer "has never written a fair story about me." He called The Atlantic a "third rate magazine" that will "hopefully fold up and be gone in the not-too-distant future."

Supporting reports

• Trump signed order eliminating USAGM — President Donald Trump signed an order eliminating the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the parent company of Voice of America (VoA), along with six other federal agencies. This action led to government-employed journalists at VoA being placed on administrative leave with full pay and benefits. The decision was not for disciplinary purposes but followed the termination of contracts with major news agencies like the Associated Press, Reuters, and Agence France-Presse. The move is part of broader efforts by the Trump administration to control media narratives and reduce reliance on external news sources.
• Voice of America employees put on administrative leave — Government-employed journalists at Voice of America (VoA) were placed on administrative leave following President Trump's order to eliminate the US Agency for Global Media, VoA's parent company. This move comes after VoA's parent company terminated contracts with major news agencies and instructed journalists to stop using wire service materials. The administrative leave is not for disciplinary purposes but reflects significant changes in the agency's operations.
• Trump administration shuts down Voice of America — The Trump administration ordered the shutdown of Voice of America (VOA), resulting in over 1,000 employees being locked out of their building and placed on administrative leave. The closure affects VOA's ability to broadcast news and information globally. Kari Lake, nominated to take over VOA, canceled contracts with affiliated networks, raising legal questions and potential lawsuits.
• Trump ordered gutting of pro-democracy media outlets — Trump took executive action ordering the gutting of the agency overseeing Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), and Radio Free Asia (RFA). More than 1,300 VOA employees were placed on leave, and funding for RFE/RL and RFA was terminated.

Supporting reports

• Trump escalates attacks on media, calls major news outlets "illegal" and "corrupt" — During his 14 March address to the Department of Justice, President Trump escalated attacks on the media by asserting without evidence that major reporting outlets are "illegal" and "corrupt." He specifically targeted CNN and MSNBC, calling them "highly paid political operatives" and claiming they are "influencing judges" and "changing law." Trump asserted these outlets "have to be illegal" and "it just cannot be legal."

Supporting reports

• White House issues press release attacking Democratic lawmaker Eugene Vindman — The White House published a press release titled "Another Democrat Lawmaker Roots Against American Success" attacking Rep. Eugene Vindman for stating he is "hard pressed to think of a worse 45 days" in American history than the first six weeks of President Trump's second term. The release characterizes Vindman's statement as "stupid" and "moronic," claims he suffers from "Trump Derangement Syndrome," and lists administration claims about border crossings, hostage releases, investment commitments, and other policy achievements as evidence Vindman's criticism is unfounded.

Supporting reports

• VOA journalist placed on extended absence — Veteran Voice of America journalist Steven Herman was placed on an extended "excused absence," pending an HR investigation into his social media posts on DOGE and USAID. This action follows criticism from senior Trump administration official Richard Grenell and raises concerns about press freedom.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration denies Reuters reporters access to cabinet meeting — The Trump administration denied reporters from Reuters news agency access to a cabinet meeting in February 2025. This represents another instance of restricting major news organizations' ability to cover government proceedings.
• Trump administration ejects HuffPost reporter from White House press pool — In February 2025, the Trump administration ejected a HuffPost reporter from the White House press pool, which is a rotating group of reporters allowed close access to the president and key administration officials. This action restricts a news organization's ability to cover the administration.

Supporting reports

• White House issues release attacking sanctuary city policies and Democratic officials over immigration enforcement — The White House published a release titled "Sick Politicians Want Killers, Rapists Roaming Our Streets" characterizing sanctuary city policies as shielding violent criminal immigrants. The release lists specific ICE arrests in Saint Paul, Chicago, Washington State, Los Angeles, and New York City, naming Democratic officials (including Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, Chicago Representatives Delia Ramirez, Chuy García, and Mike Quigley, Washington Attorney General Nick Brown, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) and quoting their statements opposing immigration enforcement cooperation. The release frames these officials' positions as enabling violent crime.

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• Elon Musk uses X platform to urge impeachment of judges — Elon Musk, using his social media platform X where he has over 200 million followers, has repeatedly urged the impeachment of judges whose rulings he dislikes. On February 25, Musk stated: "The only way to restore rule of the people in America is to impeach judges." These posts target judges who have blocked or delayed Trump administration actions and Musk's "department of government efficiency" initiatives.

Supporting reports

• Trump attacks journalist Joy Reid — President Trump attacked journalist Joy Reid on Truth Social, calling her "one of the least talented people in television" and a "mentally obnoxious racist." This attack follows the cancellation of her nightly news show on MSNBC and reflects ongoing tensions between the administration and the media.

Supporting reports

• Trump calls MSNBC a threat to democracy — During the Conservative Political Action Conference, President Donald Trump labeled MSNBC as a "threat to democracy." This statement is part of a broader pattern of attacks on media outlets that are critical of his administration, potentially undermining press freedom.

Supporting reports

• AP barred from White House coverage — The Associated Press (AP) has been indefinitely barred from covering the White House and other executive branch briefing rooms after refusing to call the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America, as demanded by Trump. This move has been criticized by other media outlets, though none have boycotted press conferences in solidarity with AP.
• Trump bans AP journalists from Oval Office and Air Force One — The Trump administration banned Associated Press journalists from the Oval Office and Air Force One after the AP refused to comply with an executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America." The White House justified the ban as a lawful geographic name change, but the AP maintained its stance to use the globally accepted name, citing press freedom.
• White House bans Associated Press — The White House banned the Associated Press from its press briefings because the news agency refused to change its stylebook entry from "Gulf of Mexico" to "Gulf of America." This punitive measure is part of a broader strategy to control media narratives and punish outlets that do not align with the administration's language and symbolism changes.

Supporting reports

• Associated Press barred from Oval Office — The Associated Press (AP) was barred from attending an Oval Office event where President Donald Trump signed an executive order. The exclusion was reportedly a punitive measure against AP for not adhering to Trump's executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. AP maintained its style guide, referring to the Gulf by its historical name. The White House Correspondents’ Association condemned the action as a violation of press freedom, emphasizing the importance of independent journalism.
• White House bars AP reporters from press events — The White House barred two Associated Press (AP) reporters from attending press events after the AP refused to use the term "Gulf of America" instead of "Gulf of Mexico." This decision followed a complaint over AP's editorial choices. The AP's executive editor, Julie Pace, criticized the move as a violation of free speech and the First Amendment, arguing it was intended to punish the AP for its editorial stance. The White House press secretary stated that access to the Oval Office is a privilege and defended the decision.
• Establishment of the National Energy Dominance Council — President Donald Trump issued an executive order establishing the National Energy Dominance Council within the Executive Office of the President. The Council, chaired by the Secretary of the Interior, aims to advise the President on strategies to enhance U.S. energy production and achieve energy dominance. It will focus on improving energy permitting processes, increasing production, and reducing regulatory barriers. The Council will also coordinate with federal agencies and private sector partners to implement a National Energy Dominance Strategy, aiming to boost economic growth and national security through energy initiatives.
• White House bans AP journalists from Oval Office — The White House has announced an indefinite ban on Associated Press (AP) journalists from accessing the Oval Office and Air Force One. This decision is part of an ongoing dispute between the Trump administration and the AP over the naming of the Gulf of Mexico, which the administration has renamed the Gulf of America. The White House accuses the AP of misinformation for not adopting the new name. Despite the ban, AP journalists retain their credentials for the White House complex. The AP and other media outlets have criticized the move as a violation of press freedoms.

Supporting reports

• White House blocks Associated Press from press pool over terminology dispute — In February 2025, the White House blocked the Associated Press from the press pool after the news agency refused to adopt Trump's preferred terminology of "Gulf of America" instead of the longstanding "Gulf of Mexico" in its reporting. The exclusion represents retaliation for editorial independence.
• White House removes Associated Press journalists from press pool for terminology dispute — In February 2025, White House officials removed Associated Press (AP) journalists from the press pool in retaliation for the AP's continued use of "Gulf of Mexico" instead of Trump's preferred term "Gulf of America." Although a federal judge ruled in April that the removal violated the AP's First Amendment rights and ordered restoration of access, the Trump administration continued to limit AP access, excluding them from Air Force One during a Middle East trip and announcing it would no longer reserve a regular press pool slot for the AP and other independent newswires.