Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Judges rule against Trump administration in 75 First Amendment cases — Reuters analysis found that federal judges ruled against the Trump administration on First Amendment grounds in 75 of 93 cases where such arguments were raised, compared to 13 rulings against the Biden administration in 27 cases. The rulings covered retaliation against law firms, journalist restrictions, university funding cuts, actions against pro-Palestinian students and faculty, and excessive force at protests. Ten decisions came from Republican-appointed judges. The administration appealed approximately two-thirds of the rulings and persuaded appeals courts to pause or overturn 15 decisions.

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• Federal judge temporarily halts financial records disclosure order in Trump v. BBC libel case — US District Judge Roy Altman issued a temporary stay of a discovery order requiring Donald Trump to produce detailed financial records to the BBC in an ongoing libel lawsuit. Trump's legal team sought the suspension, arguing the BBC's demand for information about his business empire was "shockingly broad" and politically motivated. The judge indicated that if Trump successfully narrows his claims to reputational harm alone, the BBC's need for financial records might diminish. The BBC countered that Trump's business value remains relevant and that his $10 billion damages claim would be difficult to justify without financial evidence.

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• Human rights groups file federal lawsuit challenging Trump ICC sanctions executive order — Four prominent US human rights organizations—American Friends Service Committee, Center for Constitutional Rights, Human Rights Watch, and Open Society Institute—filed a federal lawsuit on Tuesday challenging Trump's February 2025 executive order imposing sanctions on ICC officials, judges, and affiliates investigating Israeli crimes in Palestine. The groups argue the sanctions regime violates First Amendment protections, criminalizes legitimate advocacy work, and undermines access to justice for victims of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

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• DOJ official encouraged prosecutors to "go big" and "go loud" in prosecuting protesters — A top Justice Department official encouraged prosecutors to "go big" and "go loud" when pursuing criminal charges against people who protested against the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, according to reporting. The Minneapolis case is one of several the DOJ has brought across the U.S. leveling charges against wide swaths of protesters, including cases in Texas where prosecutors secured decades-long sentences for nine people protesting outside an ICE facility.
• Law enforcement provided false information in criminal case against journalist Georgia Fort — Federal law enforcement officials, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), provided false information to federal judges in at least 15 search warrant applications and to a grand jury in the case against independent journalist Georgia Fort, who was charged alongside nearly 40 others after interrupting a Minnesota church service to protest an ICE official serving as a pastor. The Justice Department later conceded the false claims. Fort's lawyers filed motions on Thursday seeking dismissal, arguing the prosecution violates the First Amendment, fails to state an actual crime, and is vindictive retaliation against her journalism.
• Prosecutors charged journalist Georgia Fort with conspiracy to interfere with religious rights for documenting anti-ICE protest — Journalist Georgia Fort was charged with conspiracy to interfere with the religious rights of parishioners after she entered and documented a protest at Cities church in St Paul, Minnesota, where demonstrators interrupted a service upon learning an ICE official was a pastor. Fort's lawyers argue the prosecution is vindictive retaliation targeting her for her journalism and for amplifying a message the government opposes, violating the First Amendment.
• Prosecutors made false claims in search warrant applications regarding protest conduct — In search warrant applications, prosecutors claimed a congregant had broken her arm during the protest when she had not, and made other false characterizations of Fort's conduct, including claims she conspired with others in advance when evidence showed she arrived late and was not present for planning discussions. Prosecutors also claimed Fort blocked a van from leaving when her own livestream showed the van left easily.
• Journalist Georgia Fort indicted for covering anti-ICE protest; seeks dismissal on First Amendment grounds — Attorneys for Twin Cities journalist Georgia Fort asked a federal judge to dismiss charges against her for covering an anti-ICE protest at a St. Paul church, arguing the indictment violates her First Amendment rights. Fort was indicted alongside former CNN host Don Lemon and dozens of protesters on charges of conspiring against the right of religious freedom at a place of worship. Her attorneys argue the 19-page indictment contains no allegation of physical force, threats, or blocking the church entrance, and that her role was to observe and document. Magistrate Judge John Docherty twice refused to sign search warrants for Fort's and Lemon's YouTube accounts, finding they violated the Privacy Protection Act of 1980. A government attorney acknowledged a mischaracterization in an affidavit at a July hearing.

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• Trump threatens prosecution of leakers over munitions shortage reports — President Trump publicly attacked media reports of US munitions shortages in the Iran conflict, threatening "long term jail sentences" for officials leaking information about weapons stockpiles. The reports alleged Trump had confronted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over alleged shortages at a Camp David meeting. Trump denied the shortages, claimed massive ammunition supplies, and ordered investigations into the disclosures. The White House and Pentagon rejected the accounts as false.
• U.S. Munitions Stockpile Depletion Reported — Reports have emerged that the United States has depleted its stockpile of long-range precision missiles due to the ongoing conflict with Iran. President Trump has dismissed these reports as "fake news" while simultaneously calling for the prosecution of those who leaked the information. The depletion has reportedly led to a crisis meeting at the Pentagon and a confrontation between Trump and Pete Hegseth at Camp David.

Supporting reports

• Trump legal team seeks to block court order requiring financial disclosure to BBC — Donald Trump's legal team filed an emergency motion on Wednesday to temporarily halt a Miami court order requiring the president to disclose detailed financial records to the BBC by August 6, 2026. The disclosure was ordered as part of Trump's $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the broadcaster over a 2024 documentary on the January 6 Capitol attack. Trump's attorneys argued the BBC's document demands were "shockingly broad" and politically motivated, and requested the lawsuit be narrowed to focus only on "reputation harm" rather than financial impact.
• Trump pursues $10 billion defamation suit against Wall Street Journal — On Wednesday, Trump's legal team moved to advance a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal to trial. The suit stems from the Journal's reporting on a letter Trump allegedly included in a birthday book for Jeffrey Epstein in 2003, which the president characterized as "bawdy." The action is part of a broader pattern of Trump litigation against media outlets publishing critical coverage.
• Emergency Motion Filed in Trump's Suit Against BBC — Trump's family trust has filed an emergency motion to block a court order requiring the disclosure of financial records in his $10 billion lawsuit against the BBC. The motion comes after months of delays in the case, with a Trump-appointed judge pausing the order for financial disclosure.
• Federal Judge Freezes Discovery in Trump's Defamation Suit — A federal judge has frozen discovery in former President Trump's defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal. This decision prevents Trump from deposing Rupert Murdoch while the court considers dismissing the case. The lawsuit stems from the Journal's reporting on a letter allegedly linked to Trump in Jeffrey Epstein's birthday album.
• Federal judge temporarily halts financial records disclosure order in Trump v. BBC libel case — US District Judge Roy Altman issued a temporary stay of a discovery order requiring Donald Trump to produce detailed financial records to the BBC in an ongoing libel lawsuit. Trump's legal team sought the suspension, arguing the BBC's demand for information about his business empire was "shockingly broad" and politically motivated. The judge indicated that if Trump successfully narrows his claims to reputational harm alone, the BBC's need for financial records might diminish. The BBC countered that Trump's business value remains relevant and that his $10 billion damages claim would be difficult to justify without financial evidence.

Supporting reports

• CBS News New York corrects false reporting on 9/11 families and Mamdani attendance — CBS News New York initially published a false report claiming "thousands of 9/11 victims' families" opposed Mayor Zohran Mamdani's attendance at the 25th anniversary 9/11 remembrance ceremony, apparently based on misinformation from the New York Post. After inquiries from Popular Information, CBS News corrected the story but did not publish an editor's note. The network's main social media accounts quietly removed posts based on the inaccurate reporting. This week, CBS News New York aired a new segment highlighting that many 9/11 family members actually support Mamdani's attendance, featuring an interview with Elizabeth Miller of September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, which represents 250 individuals who lost family members in the attack.

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• New York Post publishes unverified 9/11 petition story targeting Mamdani — The New York Post published a story headlined "STAY AWAY: Thousands of 9/11 families demand Mamdani be banned from 25th-Anniversary," citing a Change.org petition started by Giovanni Galante, whose wife died in the 9/11 attacks. However, in an interview with Popular Information, Galante acknowledged that no actual list of family members had signed the petition. The story presented an unverified claim as fact, amplifying a viral petition without substantiation.
• New York Post published false headline about 9/11 families opposing Mamdani — The New York Post published a headline falsely claiming "Thousands of 9/11 families demand Mamdani be banned from 25th-Anniversary," according to Popular Information's investigation. An interview with the petition organizer revealed no actual list of family members had signed the petition. Multiple media outlets, including CBS News New York, initially amplified the false narrative before later attempting to correct course.

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• Newsmax agrees to allow Meta to train AI on its reporting — Newsmax announced a deal permitting Meta to train its artificial intelligence products on Newsmax's news reporting. Newsmax's CEO maintains close ties to Trump, and the outlet has a documented history of promoting misinformation, including false claims about the 2020 election being stolen. The agreement raises concerns about the amplification of misinformation through AI training.

Supporting reports

• Freelance Reporter Subpoenaed in Leak Investigation — A freelance reporter, Matthew Cole, is fighting a subpoena from the Trump administration seeking to force him to reveal his sources for a New York Times article about a failed top-secret mission in North Korea. The subpoena is part of an intensified campaign to investigate leaks of government secrets by pressuring reporters to divulge their sources.