Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Major news outlets omit Kushner conflict of interest from 97% of Iran diplomacy coverage — Analysis by Popular Information found that of 202 articles published by major news outlets (New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, CNN Wire, New York Post, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times) covering Kushner's diplomatic role in Iran negotiations from February 28 to April 19, 2026, only six mentioned his financial conflict of interest with Saudi Arabia. This represents 97% of coverage omitting the conflict. Five of the six articles mentioning the conflict appeared in the New York Times; one appeared in Foreign Policy and was republished by the Washington Post. The Wall Street Journal, AP, CNN Wire, New York Post, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, and Los Angeles Times collectively published dozens of articles on Kushner's diplomatic role without mentioning the conflict.
• Media coverage analysis reveals 97% of outlets omitted Kushner's Saudi financial conflicts during Iran negotiations — A Popular Information analysis of media coverage from February 28 to April 19, 2026, found that 97% of coverage from major media outlets failed to mention Jared Kushner's multi-billion-dollar business relationship with the Saudi government while he represented the U.S. in Iran negotiations. Kushner's simultaneous diplomatic role and substantial financial interests in a key regional actor constitute a significant undisclosed conflict of interest that received minimal journalistic scrutiny.
• Jared Kushner's financial ties to Persian Gulf governments not widely reported — Major news outlets have not prominently reported that Jared Kushner, the administration's de facto Iran negotiator, has received billions of dollars from Persian Gulf governments. The lack of coverage represents a gap in media scrutiny of potential conflicts of interest in high-stakes diplomatic negotiations.

Supporting reports

• FBI Director Kash Patel denies excess drinking allegations and threatens lawsuit against The Atlantic — The Atlantic published a report on April 18, 2026, citing allegations from two dozen current and former officials that FBI Director Kash Patel drinks to excess, has been unreachable during his tenure, and has had security detail difficulty waking him. Patel denied the allegations and threatened to sue The Atlantic, posting on X that the story was "false" and a "hit piece." The report also noted concerns among officials about Patel's fitness to lead the agency and public safety implications.
• FBI Director Kash Patel portrayed as poor manager with alcohol issues and security concerns — An article in The Atlantic by Sarah Fitzpatrick portrayed FBI Director Kash Patel as a poor manager who is terrified of losing his job, whose overuse of alcohol, tendency to disappear, and purges of FBI agents who had investigated Trump endangers national security. Fitzpatrick noted that Patel has retained his position by using the FBI to target Trump's perceived enemies, but his focus on matters like whether FBI merchandise looks "fierce" has led officials to conclude "we don't have a real functioning FBI director."
• Atlantic reports concerns about FBI Director Kash Patel's conduct — The Atlantic published a report describing multiple current and former officials' accounts of FBI Director Kash Patel exhibiting a pattern of excessive drinking to the point of obvious intoxication, missed meetings, and periods of being unreachable during critical moments. In one instance, he reportedly told allies he had been fired over a routine IT issue, causing widespread confusion and calls to the White House. Morale inside the FBI is described as collapsing, and officials are raising national security concerns about the leadership. Patel denies everything and says he will sue.
• Atlantic publishes article on Kash Patel's management and conduct — Sarah Fitzpatrick published an article in The Atlantic on April 18 portraying FBI Director Kash Patel as a poor manager who fears losing his job, whose overuse of alcohol, tendency to disappear, and purges of FBI agents who investigated Trump endanger national security.
• Kash Patel denounces Atlantic drinking problem story; announces defamation lawsuit — FBI Director Kash Patel responded to an Atlantic article alleging he has a serious drinking problem affecting his work by posting on social media and appearing on Fox News, denying the allegations and vowing his lawyer will file a defamation lawsuit on Monday. The Atlantic reported multiple instances of Patel's erratic behavior, including a panic-driven "freak-out" when he believed he had been locked out of a work computer, and accounts from officials describing "obvious intoxication" at private clubs and difficulty waking him during work hours.

Supporting reports

• Trump holds Oval Office press conference with Joe Rogan, bans press questions — Trump held a press conference in the Oval Office alongside Joe Rogan focused on psychedelic drugs. He then kicked the press out before questions could be asked, preventing journalists from questioning him about the Strait of Hormuz closure, collapsed talks, and other major developments.
• Trump ejects reporters from Oval Office when asked about Iran claims — Trump kicked reporters out of the Oval Office on Saturday when they attempted to ask questions about his Iran peace claims, including a question from CBS reporter Olivia Rinaldi about vessels allegedly fired upon by Iranian gunboats. Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) criticized the action, stating "The Strait of Hormuz just closed again today, and the press are demanding answers on behalf of the American people. Trump kicks them out of the Oval Office. Shameful."

Supporting reports

• Pete Hegseth attacked press for insufficient patriotism in war coverage — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth held a press conference attacking the press for what he characterized as relentlessly negative coverage and insufficient patriotism in reporting on the war. He compared journalists to Pharisees in a biblical analogy, stating they were "there to witness, to write everything down, and to report" with "hardened hearts" and "politically motivated animus" that blinded them to "the brilliance of our American warriors." He accused the media of peddling "garbage" and questioned which side some journalists were on.
• Pete Hegseth compares press to Biblical Pharisees at Pentagon briefing — At an 8 AM press briefing at the Pentagon, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth compared the American press corps to the Biblical Pharisees, stating that the media, like the Pharisees, witness miracles but have hardened hearts. This came after Trump faced significant backlash for posting an AI-generated image of himself as Jesus. The article notes this represents an escalation of religious comparisons rather than a retreat from the controversy.
• Pete Hegseth quoted non-biblical text as scripture at Pentagon prayer service — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth incorporated what he claimed was a Bible verse at his monthly Pentagon Christian prayer and worship service, attributing it to Ezekiel 25:17. The verse he quoted—"And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to capture and destroy my brother"—was actually written by screenwriter Quentin Tarantino for the 1994 film Pulp Fiction and recited by a character before committing murder. The text does not appear in the actual Bible.
• Hegseth took questions only from conservative and far-right media outlets — During his press conference, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth took questions exclusively from OAN (One America News Network), Real America's Voice, Daily Wire, and Just the News—all conservative or far-right media outlets. He did not take questions from mainstream or independent news organizations.
• Hegseth claims China assurances on Iran weapons shipments — When asked about intelligence reports suggesting China is preparing weapons shipments to Iran during the ceasefire, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth responded that "China has assured us that is not going to happen." The article notes the irony of relying on China's assurances while the Trump administration is in the middle of a catastrophic trade war with China.

Supporting reports

• Federal judge dismisses Trump's $10 billion defamation lawsuit against Wall Street Journal — A federal judge dismissed President Trump's $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal over its reporting on an alleged 2003 letter Trump purportedly wrote to Jeffrey Epstein. Judge Darrin Gayles found that even accepting all of Trump's allegations as true, the lawsuit failed to meet the legal standard for defamation, specifically the requirement of "actual malice." The judge noted that WSJ reporters had sought comment from Trump and published his denial, demonstrating investigation and fairness. The dismissal was without prejudice, allowing Trump to refile.

Supporting reports

• Justice Department settles lawsuit alleging Biden State Department social media censorship — The Department of Justice announced settlement of litigation alleging the Biden State Department censored disfavored speech through its Global Engagement Center by funding private companies' development of technologies to suppress protected speech online. The settlement implements President Trump's Executive Order on "Restoring Freedom of Speech and Ending Federal Censorship." The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas had denied the government's motions to dismiss and transfer venue, finding good cause for discovery. The settlement avoids continued litigation.

Supporting reports

• Trump attacked multiple media figures and political allies on Truth Social — President Trump posted a lengthy tirade on Truth Social personally attacking Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, Candace Owens, Alex Jones, and Marjorie Greene, calling them "stupid," "NUT JOBS," and "LOSERS." He criticized their media presence, questioned their intelligence, and suggested they were disloyal to MAGA. The post came hours after Melania's Epstein statement and Trump's claim he was unaware of it beforehand.
• Trump attacked former allies over Iran war opposition — At 4:28 p.m., President Trump's social media account posted attacks on former allies Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, Candace Owens, and Alex Jones, who do not support Trump's war in Iran. Trump called them "stupid people" and claimed their families and everyone else knows it. He reiterated his false claim of winning in a "LANDSLIDE" and suggested MAGA voters love him, while characterizing those opposing his Iran adventure as "not 'MAGA'" and "losers, just trying to latch on to MAGA."

Supporting reports

• Blue Origin positioned for Golden Dome satellite contracts following Jeff Bezos's Washington Post editorial shift toward Trump — Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos, is expected to compete for Golden Dome satellite work. Bezos has prioritized improving relations with Trump by converting the Washington Post editorial board into a conservative mouthpiece. Trump has responded positively, praising Bezos as a "good guy" trying to be "more fair" at the Washington Post. The positioning of Blue Origin for major defense contracts follows Bezos's strategic effort to align the Post's editorial stance with Trump's political interests.

Supporting reports

• Trump threatens journalist and demands source disclosure under threat of prosecution — Trump stated his administration will contact and potentially jail the reporter who published an article revealing that a second U.S. F-15E pilot was missing, unless the journalist discloses the name of the person who leaked the information. Trump characterized the disclosure as "leaking" and threatened prosecution.
• Trump threatens to jail journalists for revealing military information — During a White House press conference, President Trump threatened to jail journalists from an unnamed media outlet if they do not identify their source who revealed that a second U.S. airman was missing after Iran shot down a U.S. fighter jet. Trump stated the administration would tell the media company "national security, give it up or go to jail."

Supporting reports

• Trump threatened to jail journalist and compel source disclosure — During the press conference, Trump threatened to jail the journalist who first reported details about a missing U.S. airman, stating he would force the media company to reveal the source or face imprisonment. Trump stated: "We're going to go to media company who released it and say 'national security, give it up or go to jail.'" The journalist identified was Amit Segal, an Israeli journalist with proximity to Netanyahu. Trump repeated the threat: "The person that did the story will go to jail if he doesn't say."

Supporting reports

• Judge Randolph Moss ruled Trump's order stripping NPR and PBS funding unconstitutional — U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss of the District of Columbia ruled that much of Trump's executive order stripping NPR and PBS of federal funding violated the First Amendment. Moss quoted Supreme Court precedent, writing that "The First Amendment draws a line, which the government may not cross, at efforts to use government power—including the power of the purse—'to punish or suppress disfavored expression' by others." The ruling came as Republicans in Congress had voted to cut federal funding from both outlets.

Supporting reports

• Federal judge expresses skepticism of Pentagon's revised press policy restricting journalist access — Federal Judge Paul Friedman held a hearing on the Pentagon's newly implemented press restrictions, calling aspects "weird" and "Kafkaesque." The policy requires journalists to be escorted by Pentagon staff, closes the Correspondents' Corridor, and penalizes reporters for offering anonymity to sources—measures Friedman suggested violate First Amendment rights. The judge had previously struck down key aspects of an earlier Pentagon media policy on March 20 but stopped short of ruling on the New York Times' motion to force compliance with his decision.

Supporting reports

• Nine activists convicted on terrorism charges in Texas ICE protest case — Nine activists were convicted in Texas federal court on terrorism and related charges stemming from a March 2025 protest outside an ICE facility near Fort Worth. Eight were convicted of riot, explosives, and material support to terrorists; one (Benjamin Song) was convicted of attempted murder after shooting a police officer; a ninth was convicted for moving zines days after the protest. The Trump administration framed the verdict as vindication of its campaign against "antifa," though legal experts and the trial judge noted the charges had no organizational nexus and the terrorism label was legally irrelevant to the convictions.

Supporting reports

• Nine activists convicted on terrorism charges in Texas ICE protest case — Nine activists were convicted in Texas federal court on terrorism and related charges stemming from a March 2025 protest outside an ICE facility near Fort Worth. Eight were convicted of riot, explosives, and material support to terrorists; one (Benjamin Song) was convicted of attempted murder after shooting a police officer; a ninth was convicted for moving zines days after the protest. The Trump administration framed the verdict as vindication of its campaign against "antifa," though legal experts and the trial judge noted the charges had no organizational nexus and the terrorism label was legally irrelevant to the convictions.

Supporting reports

• FBI Director Kash Patel pressed to release decade-old investigative file on Rep. Eric Swalwell. — FBI Director Kash Patel directed agents in the San Francisco office to quickly redact and prepare for public release a decade-old investigative file involving Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) and a suspected Chinese intelligence operative, despite no evidence of wrongdoing by Swalwell. The file concerns Christine Fang (Fang Fang), who courted Swalwell and other California politicians from 2011–2015. When FBI agents conveyed concerns about Fang to Swalwell around 2015, he cut off ties and cooperated with investigators. Swalwell was not accused of wrongdoing in the original investigation, and the Republican-led House Ethics Committee closed a two-year investigation in 2023 with no action. Patel has reassigned multiple agents to work on bringing a criminal case against Swalwell, a vocal Trump critic and leading Democratic candidate for California governor.
• Trump FBI director Kash Patel pushes for release of Eric Swalwell investigative records — FBI Director Kash Patel, under the Trump administration, is reportedly pushing to release records from a decade-old FBI investigation into Eric Swalwell's alleged links to a Chinese agent. Swalwell, a Democratic congressman and California gubernatorial candidate, was found cooperative and not suspected of wrongdoing. The move occurs as Swalwell gains traction in the governor's race. Democrats characterize the effort as weaponized retaliation against a political opponent. Swalwell's attorneys issued a cease-and-desist letter on Monday.

Supporting reports

• DHS agent shoots USC student with less-lethal projectile at No Kings march, causing permanent eye loss — On 28 March, Tucker Collins, 18, an 18-year-old USC freshman and photographer, was struck in the right eye by a "less-lethal" projectile fired by a Department of Homeland Security agent during a No Kings protest outside the Metropolitan detention center in downtown Los Angeles. The impact fractured the bones in his eye socket; the eye was subsequently surgically removed. Collins's attorney states he was documenting the protest, posed no threat, and was shot in violation of a September federal court injunction prohibiting DHS use of force against journalists and legal observers exercising First Amendment rights. DHS claims officers followed training and used minimum necessary force after seven warnings.

Supporting reports

• US Treasury Department demands Financial Times retraction of Federal Reserve oversight story — On Friday, 28 March, the US Treasury Department issued a formal complaint to the Financial Times and its parent company Nikkei Inc., demanding retraction of a 26 March article reporting that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had discussed increasing oversight of the Federal Reserve modeled on the Bank of England system. Treasury officials, via acting assistant secretary Elliott Hulse, denied Bessent made any such statements publicly or privately and accused the FT of publishing "false claims" and a misleading headline. The FT stood by its reporting and included Treasury responses in the article.

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• White House launches official mobile application — The White House issued a release announcing the launch of an official mobile app designed to deliver "unfiltered, real-time updates" directly to users. The app offers breaking news alerts, live streams of briefings and speeches, a media library, policy updates, and a channel for users to send feedback to the administration. The release frames the app as a direct communication channel "cutting through the noise" and positions it as the "fastest, most powerful way to stay informed and engaged with the Trump Administration."

Supporting reports

• Trump reposted Russian propaganda about Ukraine and Biden — On March 27, President Trump reposted Russian propaganda claiming that Ukraine discussed funneling money to President Biden's reelection campaign. The repost amplified disinformation originating from a foreign adversary currently engaged in war against Ukraine.

Supporting reports

• Trump suggests Democratic lawmakers' criticism of military orders is seditious and punishable by death — Trump suggested that Democratic lawmakers' comments questioning unlawful military orders constitute "seditious behavior, punishable by death." Ninety-three percent of surveyed scholars rated this statement as a threat to democracy, viewing it as an attempt to criminalize political speech and dissent.

Supporting reports

• Complaint filed — Newhouse v. U.S. Agency for Global Media (D.D.C. 1:26-cv-00980) — VOA journalists and advocacy organizations filed suit in D.D.C. challenging the administration's dismantling of Voice of America's editorial independence following Executive Order 14238. The complaint alleges that defendants Michael Rigas and Kari Lake, acting for the administration, violated the statutory "Firewall" protecting VOA from political interference by censoring coverage of Iranian protests and forcing the Mandarin Service to publish White House talking points as news. Plaintiffs seek a permanent injunction to restore the Firewall, a declaration of constitutional violations, and a writ of mandamus to compel USAGM to fulfill its statutory duty to provide accurate, independent news coverage.

Supporting reports

• Conspiracy charges filed against anti-ICE protesters in multiple jurisdictions — Following the Spokane protest, federal prosecutors filed conspiracy charges against demonstrators in Chicago and investigated Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for the same alleged crime. Journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort were also charged with conspiracy to violate religious freedom stemming from coverage of a protest inside a Minnesota church. Both journalists have pleaded not guilty and await trial. Governor Walz condemned the probe as an "authoritarian tactic."

Supporting reports

• White House issues national AI legislative framework proposal — The White House issued a comprehensive legislative framework addressing six key AI policy objectives: protecting children and empowering parents through account controls and safety features; safeguarding communities by streamlining data center permitting and combating AI-enabled scams; respecting intellectual property while enabling fair use; preventing censorship and protecting free speech from AI systems; removing innovation barriers to ensure American AI dominance; and developing an AI-ready workforce. The administration states the framework requires uniform federal application to prevent conflicting state laws from undermining innovation.

Supporting reports

• Pete Hegseth held press conference attacking media and refusing mainstream journalists — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth held a press conference where he attacked the media while refusing to call on any mainstream journalists in the room. He only took questions from right-wing media outlets, stating "A dishonest and anti-Trump press will stop at nothing to downplay progress, amplify every cost, and call into question every step" and claiming "TDS is in their DNA. They want President Trump to fail."

Supporting reports

• Trump posted false claims on Truth Social denying prior knowledge of Israeli strike — Trump posted on Truth Social claiming "the US knew nothing about this particular attack" regarding the Israeli strike on Iran's South Pars Gas Field and stressed that Qatar "was in no way, shape, or form, involved with it, nor did it have any idea that it was going to happen." However, U.S. and Israeli officials later confirmed that Trump did know about the strike in advance and that PM Netanyahu and Trump had coordinated about it.