Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Trump administration uses nonprofit to conceal ballroom renovation donations — The Washington Post reported that the Trump administration has concealed the sources of donations for a $330 million ballroom renovation project by channeling funds through a nonprofit organization into a White House account directly controlled by the president. The Post obtained a list of 57 donors committed to giving $100,000 or more. The vast majority of funds came from companies and wealthy individuals with federal interests, including Nvidia and Apple ($25 million each), Microsoft, Palantir, and Lockheed Martin ($10 million each). Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's son Brandon contributed stock worth $2.5 million; U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands Joseph Popolo Jr. and his wife gave $1 million. Trump, who claimed he would help pay for the project, does not appear on the donor list.

Supporting reports

• Remand ordered — CREW v. DOGE (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-00511 — The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to stay the lower courts' action, and also to treat the petition as a writ for certiorari. The Court ruled that the district court could not order the Government, in discovery, “to disclose the content of intra-Executive Branch USDS recommendations and whether those recommendations were followed.” On remand, the Court of Appeals is instructed to narrow the discovery order with deference to internal Executive Branch communications.
• Supreme Court grants stay in U.S. Doge Service v. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington — The Supreme Court granted a stay in the case of U.S. Doge Service, et al., Applicants v. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. This decision allows the Department of Government Efficiency to proceed with its actions that were previously challenged by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. The stay was granted despite dissent from Justices Kagan, Sotomayor, and Jackson, indicating a division within the Court on this matter. The stay effectively pauses the lower court's ruling against the Department of Government Efficiency, pending further litigation.
• U.S. Doge Service v. CREW: Certiorari Granted and Stay Issued — The Supreme Court granted a stay and treated the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari in the case of U.S. Doge Service, et al. v. CREW. The Court vacated the D.C. Circuit's order denying a writ of mandamus and remanded the case for further consideration. The Court found that the District Court's discovery order requiring disclosure of intra-Executive Branch recommendations was not appropriately tailored, citing separation of powers concerns. The stay on the District Court's orders will remain pending further proceedings.

Supporting reports

• Musk's DOGE savings claims overstated by 92% — The Musk Watch DOGE Tracker has revealed that Elon Musk's claims of saving $105 billion through the U.S. DOGE Service are significantly overstated. The Tracker, which analyzes the purported savings, found that only $8.6 billion of the claimed savings can be verified. The discrepancy arises from Musk's use of inflated figures, such as the "Potential Award Amount" instead of the "Current Award Amount" for canceled contracts. This methodology results in a 92% overstatement of savings. The Tracker aims to provide transparency and accountability regarding these claims.

Supporting reports

• Federal judge orders Doge to release internal records — A federal judge, Christopher Cooper, has ruled that Elon Musk's "department of government efficiency" (Doge) must comply with transparency laws and release its internal documents. The ruling was made in response to a lawsuit by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (Crew), challenging the Trump administration's attempts to shield Doge from the Freedom of Information Act. The judge's decision highlights Doge's substantial authority and its impact on federal agencies, including the termination of employees and access to sensitive databases.

Supporting reports

• Kennedy's health department to eliminate public participation in policy decisions — The US Department of Health and Human Services, led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., announced plans to eliminate public participation in many of the agency's policy decisions. This move contradicts Kennedy's earlier promise of "radical transparency" made to Congress. The department has historically allowed public comment on a range of actions, and this change would significantly alter the rulemaking process at an agency that oversees substantial healthcare spending and programs.

Supporting reports

• Musk's Doge deletes savings claims from website — Elon Musk's "department of government efficiency" (Doge) removed five major savings claims from its "wall of receipts" after they were debunked. The deletions, which included erroneous savings figures for agencies like ICE and USAid, were made without explanation. The New York Times reported these changes, highlighting discrepancies such as a misreported $8 billion saving for ICE, which should have been $8 million. The initiative, part of Musk's cost-cutting drive, has faced criticism for errors and lack of transparency.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration shuts down national police misconduct database — The Trump administration has shut down the National Law Enforcement Accountability Database (NLEAD), which was created to track police misconduct and prevent officers with records of misconduct from moving undetected between agencies. The database, established by an executive order from President Biden in 2023, is no longer accessible, as confirmed by the US Department of Justice. The Trump administration rescinded Biden's executive order, citing concerns over "woke, anti-police concepts" and emphasizing law enforcement's ability to fight crime without such oversight.