Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Trump Administration Blocks Grant Funding for Harvard — The Trump administration, through Education Secretary Linda McMahon, has informed Harvard University that it will no longer receive federal research grants and aid unless it complies with a list of demands. This decision follows Harvard's rejection of demands from the administration's antisemitism taskforce, which were prompted by campus protests against Israel's military actions in Gaza. The administration has already frozen $2.2 billion in funding and threatened to freeze an additional $1 billion, while also considering revoking Harvard's tax-exempt status. Harvard has filed a lawsuit against the government, citing severe impacts on research and education.

Supporting reports

• Trump orders reopening of Alcatraz prison for ‘most ruthless offenders’ — Donald Trump announced a directive to reopen and expand Alcatraz prison, located on an island off San Francisco, to house America's most dangerous criminals. The prison, closed since 1963 due to operational costs and escape attempts, is now a national park and tourist attraction. Trump's plan has been criticized by California Democrats and civil rights advocates as a political distraction and an attack on the rule of law. The Bureau of Prisons, Department of Justice, FBI, and Homeland Security have been directed to implement this plan, though its feasibility and seriousness are questioned.
• Trump directs reopening of Alcatraz as a federal prison — President Donald J. Trump announced on his social media feed that he is directing the Bureau of Prisons, the Department of Justice, FBI, and Homeland Security to reopen Alcatraz as a federal prison to house violent offenders. This announcement is framed as a symbol of law and order, although the island has not been used as a prison since 1963. The announcement appears to be a distraction from declining popularity in rural areas and other controversies surrounding his administration.

Supporting reports

• FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr Opposes Verizon-Frontier Merger Over DEI Policy — FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr stated his opposition to the merger between Verizon and Frontier Communications due to Verizon's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policy. Carr indicated that companies seeking FCC approval for mergers should eliminate any forms of discrimination, suggesting that DEI policies are discriminatory.

Supporting reports

• Mass resignations and cuts at the US Department of Labor — The US Department of Labor has experienced a significant reduction in its workforce, with nearly 2,700 employees resigning or retiring, representing about 20% of its staff. This exodus is attributed to fears of further cuts following a February order from the White House for agencies to prepare reorganization plans. Additionally, international labor grants totaling $577 million were cut in March, affecting labor rights enforcement and research. The cuts are expected to have adverse effects on workers both in the US and overseas, as well as on the department's operational capacity.

Supporting reports

• Trump Administration Agrees to Halt School Funding Freeze in Maine — The Trump administration has agreed to halt its efforts to freeze funds for a child nutrition program in Maine, following a settlement with the state. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) had previously suspended these funds after Maine refused to comply with demands to bar transgender girls from participating in girls' sports. Maine had sued the USDA to maintain its funding, and the lawsuit was dropped in exchange for the restoration of funds. The settlement ensures that the USDA will not interfere with Maine's access to funds without following legal procedures.
• Dismissal entered — Maine v. US Department of Agriculture (D. Me.) 1:25-cv-00131 — Plaintiff voluntarily dismissed this action with prejudice.
• Trump Administration Settles with Maine Over Child Nutrition Program — The Trump administration reached a settlement with Maine, restoring federal funds for a state child nutrition program previously frozen due to Maine's trans athlete policies. Maine agreed to drop its lawsuit against the Department of Agriculture.

Supporting reports

• Trump Expands Elon Musk's 'Department of Government Efficiency' — On February 26, 2025, President Trump signed an order expanding the power of Elon Musk's "department of government efficiency," calling for a transformation in federal spending on contracts, grants, and loans with a centralized payment system.
• Trump Modernizes Payment System at US Treasury — On March 25, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order to modernize the payment system at the US Treasury. The order calls for accepting electronic payments to reduce fraud and abuse.
• Trump Orders Review of FEMA — On January 27, 2025, President Trump ordered a review of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), suggesting political bias in the agency's disaster response. A review council will report to Trump within 180 days.

Supporting reports

• Peace Corps to Undergo Significant Cuts After Doge Review — The Peace Corps is set to undergo significant restructuring following an assessment by the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), led by Elon Musk. Starting April 28, 2025, and continuing through May 6, 2025, the agency is offering a second deferred resignation program, known as "DRP 2.0," to its direct hire and expert staff. This move is part of a broader effort by Doge to cut budgets and lay off workers in federal agencies, particularly those involved in foreign aid and development. The restructuring will not affect the recruitment and placement of volunteers.

Supporting reports

• Pete Hegseth ends Women, Peace & Security program — Pete Hegseth announced the termination of the Women, Peace & Security (WPS) program within the Department of Defense, labeling it a divisive initiative. The program was originally enacted during Trump's first administration and aimed to integrate gender perspectives into security policies.
• Pete Hegseth Ends Pentagon’s Women, Peace and Security Program — On April 29, 2025, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the termination of the Pentagon’s Women, Peace and Security (WPS) program. Hegseth criticized the program as a "woke divisive/social justice/Biden initiative," despite its origins in the Trump administration. The WPS program, established by the Women, Peace and Security Act of 2017, aimed to enhance women's roles in peace and security efforts. Hegseth indicated that the Pentagon would meet only the minimum federal requirements and plans to lobby for defunding the program in the next budget cycle.

Supporting reports

• Hegseth fires three Pentagon aides based on leak investigation later undermined by illegal wiretap claims — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth fired three top aides—Dan Caldwell, Darin Selnick, and Colin Carroll—on April 18 in connection with a leak of a classified Panama Canal document. The investigation, overseen by Hegseth's personal lawyer Tim Parlatore, later claimed the aides were identified via an illegal warrantless NSA wiretap. White House advisers lost confidence in the investigation after learning of this unconstitutional claim, which Parlatore denied making. The episode has left the Pentagon leadership destabilized and raised questions about whether the firings were justified or weaponized against internal rivals.
• Secretary of Defense Hegseth fires three senior staffers; chief of staff departs — On Friday, April 18, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth fired three of his senior staffers. An official announced that his chief of staff was leaving. These personnel actions followed reports of classified information breaches and internal dissatisfaction with Hegseth's leadership.

Supporting reports

• Secretary of State Rubio fires Peter Marocco, USAID official — On Friday, April 18, Secretary of State Marco Rubio fired Peter Marocco, the official who was dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) without consulting career officials. According to reporting by Dasha Burns and Nahal Toosi of Politico, Marocco is aligned with MAGA ideology and was destroying the agency unilaterally. MAGA supporters view his firing as evidence that Rubio is part of the establishment they seek to dismantle.

Supporting reports

• White House extends federal hiring freeze through July 15, 2025 — The White House issued a presidential memorandum extending a freeze on hiring of federal civilian employees through July 15, 2025. The freeze, initially directed January 20, 2025, prohibits filling vacant positions or creating new positions except in military, immigration enforcement, national security, public safety, Social Security, Medicare, veterans' benefits, and Executive Office of the President roles. The memorandum permits agency heads to reallocate existing personnel and allows exemptions granted by the Office of Personnel Management.
• White House issues fact sheet on extension of federal hiring freeze — The White House issued a fact sheet announcing that President Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum extending the federal hiring freeze for an additional three months, through July 15, 2025. The freeze, originally implemented January 20, 2025, prohibits filling vacant federal civilian positions or creating new ones, with exemptions for immigration enforcement, national security, and public safety. The fact sheet states that after the freeze expires, agencies will be permitted to hire one employee for every four who depart. The document frames the extension as promoting fiscal responsibility and government efficiency.

Supporting reports

• Trump issues Executive Order 14273 directing HHS and agencies to modify Medicare drug negotiation program and accelerate generic/biosimilar approvals. — President Trump signed Executive Order 14273 on April 15, 2025, directing the Secretary of Health and Human Services and other federal agencies to propose modifications to the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program within 60 days, including improved transparency and prioritization of high-cost drugs. The order also mandates recommendations on stabilizing Medicare Part D premiums, developing alternative payment models for high-cost drugs, accelerating generic and biosimilar approvals, streamlining drug importation, and addressing pharmacy benefit manager practices. Multiple agencies must provide recommendations on competitive pharmaceutical markets and anti-competitive manufacturer behavior within specified timeframes.
• Trump signed executive order on prescription drug prices — On April 15, 2025, Trump signed a wide-ranging executive action aimed at lowering prescription drug prices. Trump directed his health department to work with Congress on revamping a law that allows Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices, seeking to introduce changes the pharmaceutical industry has lobbied for.
• Trump issues executive order on drug pricing reform — President Donald Trump issued an executive order on April 15, 2025, directing federal health agencies to reform prescription drug pricing policy. The order instructs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to propose guidance for the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, develop alternative payment models for high-cost drugs, streamline drug importation procedures, accelerate generic and biosimilar approvals, and improve pharmacy benefit manager transparency. The order also directs review of Medicaid drug rebate accuracy and anti-competitive pharmaceutical practices, with most actions to be completed within 60–180 days.
• Trump signed Executive Order 14273 directing federal agencies to modify Medicare drug pricing programs and accelerate generic/biosimilar approvals — President Trump signed Executive Order 14273 on April 15, 2025, directing the Secretary of Health and Human Services and other federal officials to propose modifications to the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, develop alternative payment models for high-cost drugs, streamline drug importation processes, accelerate generic and biosimilar approvals, improve pharmacy benefit manager transparency, and conduct reviews of anti-competitive pharmaceutical practices. The order states it aims to lower prescription drug prices and reverse what it characterizes as Biden-era reversals of Trump's first-term drug pricing initiatives.
• White House issues fact sheet on executive order to lower prescription drug prices — The White House published a fact sheet on April 15, 2025, announcing that President Trump signed an executive order directing the Department of Health and Human Services to reduce prescription drug prices. The order states it will improve Medicare drug negotiation, align Medicare payments with hospital acquisition costs, standardize Medicare payments for certain drugs, cap insulin prices for low-income patients at $0.03 plus administrative fees, cap injectable epinephrine at $15 plus fees, facilitate state importation programs, increase generic and biosimilar availability, and improve transparency regarding pharmaceutical benefit manager fees.

Supporting reports

• FCC Chair Carr threatens action against Comcast over coverage of Kilmar Garcia story — FCC Chair Brendan Carr threatened to take action against Comcast, the parent company of MSNBC and CNN, over what he characterized as biased coverage of the Kilmar Abrego Garcia story. Carr stated that Comcast outlets "spent days misleading the American public—implying that Abrego Garcia was merely a law abiding US citizen, just a regular 'Maryland man'" and claimed that when the truth emerged, they ignored it. Carr asserted that Comcast knows federal law requires its licensed operations to serve the public interest and that "news distortion doesn't cut it."
• FCC Chair Carr launched investigations of ABC and NBC at Trump's direction — FCC Chair Brendan Carr, demonstrating his MAGA credentials, launched FCC investigations of media outlets ABC and NBC that Trump had derided, as part of a pattern of Trump encouraging his appointees to apply government pressure against his critics.

Supporting reports

• Social Security Administration abandons plan to restrict phone service for new claims — On March 17, Popular Information published an internal SSA memo revealing a plan to end phone service for new benefit claims, forcing up to 85,000 elderly and disabled people weekly to travel to field offices for identity verification. The policy, framed as fraud mitigation, would have created severe operational strain given existing month-long appointment wait times. After national media coverage, advocacy group opposition (including AARP), and congressional pressure, the SSA delayed implementation from March 31 to April 14, then abandoned the plan entirely on April 8, announcing that phone claims would remain available for all claim types, with in-person appointments required only for applications flagged with fraud risk indicators.
• Social Security Administration cancels plan to restrict phone service after Popular Information investigation — On March 17, Popular Information published an internal SSA memo revealing plans to significantly limit phone service beginning April 1, which would flood field offices with millions of additional people and create "service disruption," "operational strain," and "budget shortfalls." After major national news outlets and advocacy groups including AARP amplified the reporting, the SSA announced on April 9 that it was scrapping the plan and would continue allowing all claim types to be completed over the telephone.
• Social Security Administration initially proposed restricting phone service for new benefit claims — An internal SSA memo, dated prior to March 17, 2025, outlined a plan to eliminate phone service for new Social Security benefit claims, requiring up to 85,000 elderly and disabled people each week to visit field offices in person for identity verification. The policy was justified as a fraud-mitigation measure, despite existing safeguards requiring social security numbers, dates of birth, parental names, and verification against tax returns, pay stubs, bank statements, and medical records. An SSA source characterized the initiative as part of an effort "to break the agency and hurt the public." The plan was scheduled for implementation on March 31, 2025.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration disbands DOJ cryptocurrency enforcement team — The Department of Justice announced on April 7 that it was disbanding the national cryptocurrency enforcement team established in 2022, which had prosecuted high-profile cases against North Korean hackers and crypto criminals. The memo stated DOJ is not a "digital assets regulator" and blamed the Biden administration's "reckless strategy of regulation by prosecution," citing a January Trump executive order on crypto as the impetus for the decision.
• Deputy Attorney General disbanded National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team — Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche sent a memo to DOJ staff informing them that the agency is disbanding its National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team. The DOJ is also ordering prosecutors to narrow their crypto investigations to focus on drug cartels and terrorist groups.
• DOJ disbands National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team — Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche issued a memo on Monday evening directing the immediate dissolution of the Department of Justice's National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET). The memo stated the unit "shall be disbanded effective immediately" and instructed that ongoing investigations "inconsistent" with new policy should be closed. The decision aligns with a Trump executive order promoting access to blockchain networks "without persecution" and reflects the administration's shift toward easing crypto regulation while narrowing DOJ enforcement in the sector.

Supporting reports

• Federal workforce reductions through DOGE restructuring — DOGE's rapid restructuring of government agencies resulted in thousands of federal employees being laid off or removed. The article notes this was a consequence of Musk's formation and leadership of DOGE, which systematized agency gutting across the federal government.
• USAID decimated by DOGE restructuring — DOGE, under Musk's leadership, decimated USAID, the world's largest single provider of humanitarian aid. The article describes this as one of Musk's "triumphant" moments during his tenure in government, indicating a major agency restructuring or defunding.

Supporting reports

• HHS mass layoffs eliminate public health programs across CDC, FDA, and related agencies — HHS Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr implemented layoffs affecting approximately 10,000 employees (one-quarter of the 82,000-person workforce) on April 1–2, 2025. The cuts eliminated entire divisions and programs including the CDC's infertility expertise branch, the Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice (responsible for climate health, lead poisoning, asthma, air quality), the FDA's tobacco policy division, the FDA's media affairs and drug communications teams, and the Administration for Community Living's disability and elderly services. The Mine Safety and Health Administration also sustained cuts affecting coal miner respiratory protection programs. Layoffs occurred with minimal public notice and left Congress uninformed.
• Department of Health and Human Services conducted mass layoffs affecting CDC, NIH, and FDA — The Department of Health and Human Services executed mass layoffs that gutted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on April 1, 2025. The layoffs significantly reduced capacity at three critical federal health agencies.
• HHS fires thousands of employees across FDA, CDC, and NIH — On April 1, HHS fired thousands of employees, including 3,500 staffers at the Food and Drug Administration, 2,400 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 1,200 from the National Institutes of Health. Former FDA Commissioner Robert Califf stated that the FDA "as we've known it is finished." The cuts included all employees responsible for handling Freedom of Information Act requests at the CDC and two-thirds of records request staff at the FDA.
• Trump administration implements mass layoffs at Health and Human Services, targeting 8,000–10,000 employees — The Trump administration, led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., began laying off thousands of HHS employees on April 1, 2025. Workers across the country were summoned to federal buildings and informed of termination via badge-scan systems. The cuts target 8,000–10,000 positions across multiple agencies, including 3,500 at the FDA, 2,400 at the CDC, 1,200 at the NIH, and 300 at CMS. The restructuring aims to reduce HHS staffing from 82,000 to 62,000 positions, eliminating nearly a quarter of the workforce. Positions in human resources, procurement, finance, IT, and "high cost regions" are prioritized for elimination.
• RFK Jr acknowledges 20% of HHS job cuts were errors; reinstatement process underway — Robert F Kennedy Jr, US health secretary, admitted that approximately 2,000 of the 10,000 jobs cut from the Department of Health and Human Services this week were terminated in error and will be reinstated. The cuts, orchestrated by Elon Musk's "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE), were intended to target administrative roles but mistakenly eliminated research positions, including CDC programs monitoring lead exposure in children and FDA tobacco policy divisions. Kennedy stated reinstatement was always part of the plan, though specifics on which staff and functions will be restored remain unclear.
• HHS reinstates roughly 20% of fired employees — Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told reporters on April 3 that roughly 20% of the 10,000 jobs cut from the HHS were being reinstated, claiming the firings were made in error. The reinstatement of a portion of fired employees suggests the initial cuts were not fully justified.
• Department of Health and Human Services slashed CDC jobs and programs. — On Tuesday (April 1), the Department of Health and Human Services slashed jobs and programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The cuts occurred even as measles continues to spread across the country and two Louisiana infants have died of whooping cough. The timing and scope of the cuts undermined the CDC's capacity to respond to ongoing public health threats.
• Termination of Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System team — In April 2025, the entire team behind the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), a critical tool for understanding maternal and child health outcomes, was eliminated. The loss of this team has rendered the system non-functional despite the registry remaining nominally in place, disrupting maternal and child health monitoring at state and local levels.
• NIH layoffs of senior researchers in neurological disease research — Senator Dick Durbin detailed to HHS Secretary Kennedy that on April 1, ten laboratory heads at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes—all PhDs and senior investigators—received layoff notices. Science magazine reported 25 of 320 physician researchers at NIH's Internal Clinical Center are leaving, patient numbers in the hospital have been reduced by 30%, and three grants involving ALS and dementia work at Northwestern University in Illinois have been paused. An ALS researcher at Harvard also had his grant cut. When Durbin asked Kennedy about these cuts, Kennedy claimed he had no knowledge of them until Durbin informed him.
• CDC officials overseeing bird flu response fired — On 1 April 2025, several CDC officials overseeing the bird flu (H5N1) response were fired. Following their dismissal, testing of people exposed to sick animals dropped dramatically from approximately 830 people tested by late February to only about 50 people tested afterward, with no positive cases announced. This reduction in surveillance coincided with a broader erosion of pandemic preparedness infrastructure.

Supporting reports

• RFK Jr announces 10,000 job cuts and restructuring of HHS — Robert F Kennedy Jr, US Health Secretary, announced the elimination of approximately 10,000 jobs from the Department of Health and Human Services' 82,000-person workforce, combined with previous cuts bringing total losses to roughly 20,000 workers. The restructuring includes closing half of HHS's regional offices, consolidating 28 branches into 15 new divisions, and creating a new agency called the "administration for a healthy America." Specific cuts target the FDA (3,500 employees), CDC (2,400), NIH (1,200), and CMS (300). Kennedy characterized the cuts as streamlining bureaucracy and realigning the department with new priorities.
• Robert F Kennedy Jr announces 20,000 HHS layoffs — Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr announced the Department of Health and Human Services will lay off approximately 20,000 workers—nearly 25% of its 82,000-person workforce—and consolidate 28 branches into 15. The cuts affect agencies including the CDC, NIH, CMS, and FDA. Health experts and Democratic senators warn the layoffs will impair pandemic preparedness and enable privatization of critical public health services, exacerbating health inequalities and undermining disease surveillance and emergency response capacity.
• HHS announces additional workforce reductions — The Department of Health and Human Services announced plans to cut 10,000 employees in addition to 10,000 who have already departed and more than 5,000 probationary workers fired in the previous month. The cuts include 3,500 full-time employees from the Food and Drug Administration and 2,400 employees from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, further degrading public health agency capacity.
• Trump administration implements workforce reductions across federal agencies — Internal White House documents obtained by the Washington Post detail planned employee cuts ranging from 8% to 50% across federal agencies. The Department of Housing and Urban Development faces a 50% workforce reduction, the Interior Department 25%, the IRS approximately one-third, the Justice Department 8%, the National Science Foundation 28%, the Commerce Department 30%, and the Small Business Administration 43%. These cuts follow earlier dismissals of approximately 20,000 IRS employees, particularly in enforcement divisions.
• Trump administration withholds federal funding from Columbia University over antisemitism concerns — The Trump administration withheld $400 million in federal grants from Columbia University, citing antisemitism concerns, until the university complied with administration demands. After Columbia's leadership agreed to changes, administration officials stated the modifications were only "early steps" and warned that other universities "should expect the same level of scrutiny and swiftness of action if they don't act to protect their students and stop anti-Semitic behavior on campus."

Supporting reports

• Homeland Security Secretary announces plan to eliminate FEMA — During a televised Cabinet meeting on Monday, March 24, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated her intention to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is responsible for responding to national emergencies including hurricanes and other disasters. This announcement follows Trump's executive order the previous week calling for the Department of Education to be shuttered along with approximately half of its workforce.
• Trump Administration's Proposal to Eliminate FEMA — Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced plans to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which is responsible for responding to national emergencies.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration announces transfer of federal student loan program from Department of Education to Small Business Administration — On March 21, 2025, President Trump announced that management of the federal student loan program—covering 42 million borrowers and $1.7 trillion in debt—would be transferred from the Department of Education to the Small Business Administration, effective immediately. The SBA simultaneously announced a 43% workforce reduction. Education experts warn the move will degrade borrower protections, increase defaults, and may not achieve claimed cost savings, as the SBA lacks experience managing individual loans and oversight infrastructure.

Supporting reports

• ICE arrests Mahmoud Khalil, Syrian-born Palestinian graduate student with green card — Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a Syrian-born Palestinian former graduate student at Columbia University who holds a green card, on March 20, 2025. Khalil had been vocal in support of Palestinians and participated in campus protests. The government is attempting to deport him under the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act, which allows the Secretary of State to order removal of individuals whose presence is deemed to have "potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences." The arrest prompted legal challenges and became a focal point for concerns about targeting of pro-Palestinian speech on campuses.
• Trump administration arrests Mahmoud Khalil under obscure provision — Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University student and leader of pro-Palestinian protests, was arrested by the Trump administration under a provision allowing deportation of foreign nationals deemed to have adverse foreign policy consequences. This arrest is part of a broader crackdown on university protests and is seen as a move to suppress dissent and control campus activism.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration cancels $400m in federal contracts to Columbia University — The Trump administration canceled $400 million in federal contracts and grants to Columbia University. This action is part of a pressure campaign demanding the university to discipline students involved in pro-Palestinian protests, reform admissions policies, and place an area studies department under external control. The administration's demands are seen as a test case for academic freedom, with Columbia reportedly considering compliance to avoid further financial losses.

Supporting reports

• Canadian detained by ICE for two weeks — Jasmine Mooney, a Canadian citizen, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for two weeks despite having a valid work visa. She was held in harsh conditions without clear explanation or access to legal counsel. Mooney's detention highlights systemic issues within ICE facilities, where detainees often face prolonged detention without due process. Her case gained media attention, which eventually led to her release. The incident underscores the challenges faced by immigrants and the potential for abuse within the immigration detention system.

Supporting reports

• Gaza protesters file lawsuit against UCLA for civil rights violations — Over 30 pro-Palestinian protesters have filed a lawsuit against UCLA and several law enforcement agencies, alleging civil rights violations, wrongful arrests, and excessive force during demonstrations from April to June 2024. The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles superior court, accuses UCLA of negligence during violent counterprotests and claims systemic anti-Palestinian bias. The plaintiffs include students, faculty, and community supporters who experienced significant injuries and arrests. The lawsuit seeks to expose the truth, protect free expression, and secure compensation for the plaintiffs.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration pauses $175m in funds to UPenn over trans athlete policy — The Trump administration has paused $175 million in federal funding to the University of Pennsylvania due to its policy of including transgender athletes in women's college sports. This decision follows an executive order signed by Donald Trump titled "Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports" and a Title IX investigation into the university's transgender athlete policy. The funding freeze is described as a proactive punishment and could lead to further financial repercussions for the university. The University of Pennsylvania has stated it has not received official notification of the funding suspension.
• Trump administration froze University of Pennsylvania funding — The Trump administration froze $175 million in funding to the University of Pennsylvania, citing the school's trans athlete policies, using federal funding as a weapon against institutional autonomy.
• Trump administration freezes $175m in funding to University of Pennsylvania — The Trump administration announced a freeze on $175 million in federal funding to the University of Pennsylvania. This decision is in response to the university's policies allowing transgender women to compete in women's sports, which the administration claims are harmful to women and girls. The funding freeze is part of broader actions targeting universities over policies and practices deemed unacceptable by the administration.