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

• White House press secretary Katie Zacharia repeatedly claims to be a licensed attorney without evidence of bar admission — Katie Zacharia, appointed as Trump's press secretary, has publicly identified herself as a lawyer in multiple media appearances (Fox News, CNN, podcasts) since at least February 2026. Popular Information searched all 50 states and D.C. and found no evidence she has ever been admitted to practice law or passed a bar exam. She is not listed with the State Bar of California (where she claims to have worked as General Counsel), Texas, or D.C. When asked by Popular Information, the White House declined to provide evidence of her legal credentials, referring only to a Trump social media post calling her an attorney. In California, falsely holding oneself out as a lawyer while not admitted to the bar is a misdemeanor.
• White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia's false claims about legal credentials exposed — Popular Information reported that White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia, appointed by President Trump, has publicly claimed for years to be a lawyer and held positions as "outside counsel" to the World Bank and "general counsel" to a California non-profit, but has no evidence of ever being licensed to practice law in any U.S. state. When confronted by reporters on the White House South Lawn on October 13, Zacharia gave incoherent responses about passing a bar exam in China—a jurisdiction where U.S. citizens cannot take bar exams and where states do not administer exams. Georgetown Law professor Mark Jia confirmed that even her claimed work as a "foreign legal consultant" at a Chinese law firm from 2011–2013 would not constitute being a licensed attorney, and questioned whether she held that position at all.
• White House declines to provide evidence of press secretary's legal credentials — Popular Information sent detailed questions to White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly asking whether Katie Zacharia was ever admitted to practice law in any state. The White House declined to answer substantively, responding only: "Refer you to the President's TRUTH on Katie," directing the inquiry to a Trump social media post that calls Zacharia an attorney. The White House provided no documentation, bar admission records, or other evidence supporting her claimed legal credentials.
• Katie Zacharia's bar exam failure revealed; investigation requested — White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia, whom Trump has described as an "attorney," failed the California bar exam and is not licensed to practice law in any state. After Judd Legum of Popular Information noted the absence of evidence that Zacharia had passed the bar, the Wall Street Journal confirmed she failed the California bar exam. Democracy Defenders Fund, a nonpartisan organization led by attorney Norm Eisen, requested that the California State Bar and California Attorney General Rob Bonta investigate whether Zacharia practiced law without a license, which is a crime in California.

Supporting reports

• Administration considers MLB game at Grand Teton National Park — The Trump administration is considering hosting a Major League Baseball game at a national park and has been scouting locations to build a baseball facility in Grand Teton National Park, according to reporting on September 27.
• MLB approached Trump administration about national park baseball game — The Washington Post reported that Major League Baseball has approached the Trump administration about hosting a game at a national park. The administration has scouted locations in Grand Teton National Park to build a baseball stadium to host an MLB game. Grand Teton is the country's 8th-most visited national park and is famous for its views of the Teton Range. National Park Service Deputy Director Frank Lands visited Grand Teton this week and examined three potential locations for a baseball park within the park's boundaries. The report notes that national parks are among the country's most protected federal lands, and constructing a sports facility at Grand Teton could set a new precedent for use of vast national park land in the Western US.

Supporting reports

• Kennedy Center whistleblowers allege Trump-directed roof repair diversion — Whistleblowers formerly employed at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts reported that six months prior, Trump loyalists running the center cancelled plans to repair a leaking roof and instead diverted $1.4 million allocated for roof repairs toward a $4.4 million repainting of the building's columns, with the stated justification that the roof is now too dangerous and requires closure and repair that will necessitate adding Trump's name to the building.

Supporting reports

• Government Accountability Office report found ICE wasted tens of millions on detention plans — A nonpartisan Government Accountability Office report found that ICE had no strategic plan for spending the unprecedented $45 billion Congress appropriated in Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and has wasted tens of millions of taxpayer dollars on slapdash detention plans. The report documented nearly $3 million spent on tents at Guantanamo Bay that were never used, $20 million for maintaining warehouses never used to house detainees and now being sold, and excessive rates to lock people up. The Department of Homeland Security told the GAO it would have a plan by August 31, 2027.

Supporting reports

• Federal employees paid $6.7 billion to not work due to DOGE workforce reduction — According to a Government Accountability Office report, federal employees were paid $6.7 billion by the Trump administration in 2025 to not work as a result of DOGE's efforts to reduce the federal workforce. The payments represent a significant waste of taxpayer funds while simultaneously degrading the capacity of federal agencies to function.

Supporting reports

• Government investigations into Musk's businesses ended after he entered government — According to a February 2025 Washington Post investigation, Elon Musk has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of taxpayer dollars in history, receiving at least $38 billion in government contracts, loans, subsidies, and tax credits over more than 20 years. Once Musk entered power in Trump 2.0, government investigations into those businesses ended, eliminating oversight of his financial relationship with the state.

Supporting reports

• Corey Lewandowski allegedly sold government services for personal gain at DHS — On September 8, 2026, the Wall Street Journal published an investigation reporting that Corey Lewandowski, Trump's former 2016 campaign manager, appeared to offer aid to foreign countries navigating U.S. bureaucracy in the Department of Homeland Security for a fee, selling government services for his own gain. Lewandowski may have also been involved in awarding government contracts improperly. Congress had given DHS an additional $75 billion during Trump's term for deportations, detention facilities, and technology, creating opportunities for corruption.
• Lewandowski may have improperly awarded government contracts — The Wall Street Journal and ProPublica investigations report that Corey Lewandowski may have been involved in awarding government contracts improperly while serving in the Department of Homeland Security. A ProPublica article from November 14, 2025, covered similar accusations of improper contract awards.
• Lewandowski expects presidential pardon for potential criminal case — According to the Wall Street Journal investigation, Corey Lewandowski has told people close to him that he expects President Trump would pardon him in the event of a criminal case. This statement reflects an expectation of immunity from prosecution based on personal loyalty to the president.

Supporting reports

• DOGE accessed and shared sensitive Social Security Administration data — A documentary about Elon Musk by filmmaker Alex Gibney reports that under Musk, DOGE had access to federal IT systems. A whistleblower warned that members of DOGE accessed and shared sensitive data from the Social Security Administration, representing a breach of federal data security and privacy protections.

Supporting reports

• Pentagon secretly hired military veterans as paid right-wing influencers to promote Pete Hegseth — The Washington Post reported that the Pentagon has secretly hired military veterans with large social media followings to act as paid right-wing influencers to push Pete Hegseth's propaganda. Although these individuals are now government employees, the Pentagon refuses to provide details on their assignments. Their taxpayer-funded job is to "amplify Pete Hegseth's" messaging.
• Pentagon hires right-wing social media influencers as government employees — The Pentagon has hired right-wing social media influencers as special government employees using taxpayer money to amplify Defense Secretary Hegseth's viewpoints and attack critics of the Trump administration. Reported hires include Rob Maness, Kurt Schlichter, and Thomas Anderson. A Pentagon spokesperson declined to comment on their job content, salaries, or employment duration.
• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth hired right-wing social media influencers as Pentagon employees — Washington Post Pentagon reporter Dan Lamothe reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth hired right-wing social media influencers to work at the Department of Defense as Special Government Employees (SGEs) to promote him on social media platform X. Retired Colonels Rob Maness, Kurt Schlichter, and Tom Anderson acknowledged being SGE employees for the Pentagon after the article's publication. The Pentagon had previously declined to comment on the issue and withheld information about the SGEs' status for days, including after speculation on social media.

Supporting reports

• CFTC fines White House teleprompter operator $172,000 for insider trading on prediction market — Gabriel Perez, a White House teleprompter operator, was fined $172,000 by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission for using material nonpublic information about Trump's speeches to place bets on the Kalshi prediction market platform from December 2025 to February 2026. The CFTC ordered him to disgorge $107,539.02 in profits and pay a $65,000 civil penalty, citing his exemplary cooperation. Perez also received a three-year trading ban and agreed to cease violations of federal market manipulation laws.
• CFTC penalizes Gabriel Perez for insider trading on prediction markets — The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) penalized Gabriel Perez, a White House teleprompter operator, for trading on inside information. Perez agreed to pay $65,000 and forfeit more than $107,000 in winnings. The action occurred in the week prior to the Kalshi enforcement against Santos and reflects broader regulatory scrutiny of prediction-market trading by federal employees with access to non-public information.

Supporting reports

• Private prison company GEO Group donated $1.4 million to Trump super PAC after winning DHS contracts — Private prison company GEO Group donated $1.4 million to President Trump's primary super PAC MAGA Inc. weeks after the company won two contracts with the Department of Homeland Security to run immigration detention centers in North Carolina and Colorado. GEO Group stated that the contracts are estimated to generate more than $160 million in annual revenue. The timing and scale of the donation relative to the contract awards raise questions about the relationship between political contributions and government contracting decisions.

Supporting reports

• Meta agreed to pay $17.1 billion settlement over claims it endangered children with addictive platforms — Meta agreed to pay up to $17.1 billion as part of a settlement agreement over claims that the company endangered children with addictive social media platforms. The settlement represents one of the largest corporate penalties related to child safety and platform design practices intended to maximize user engagement regardless of developmental harm.

Supporting reports

• Kennedy suggests measles deaths in Pennsylvania were fabricated — As the U.S. faces a measles outbreak that has killed two unvaccinated people in Pennsylvania—including a newborn too young for vaccination—HHS Secretary Kennedy suggested that Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro's announcement of the deaths might have been "altogether fabricated by one of the Governor's hopeful staffers." The claim contradicts documented public health data.
• HHS Secretary RFK Jr. testified falsely about 2019 Samoa visit, documents show — According to the Associated Press, HHS Secretary RFK Jr. repeatedly told lawmakers who held the key to his confirmation last year that a 2019 visit to Samoa before a deadly measles outbreak had "nothing to do with vaccines." New documents refute that testimony. Kennedy, then a prominent anti-vaccine activist, preceded the visit with a letter to the Samoan Prime Minister requesting to study the Pacific island nation's measles, mumps and rubella vaccines after the deaths of two children who had received them.
• RFK Jr. praised low vaccine uptake in Lancaster County in 2021, preceding measles deaths — The Pennsylvania Department of Health announced that two unvaccinated people in Lancaster County died from measles. In 2021, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., then chair of the Children's Health Defense, spoke at an Amish country fair in Lancaster County where he praised the low childhood vaccine uptake and downplayed the severity of measles. The timing and location of Kennedy's remarks preceded the recent measles deaths in the same community.
• RFK Jr. falsely testified to Congress about Samoa vaccine visit — Documents obtained by the press reveal that RFK Jr., now HHS Secretary, made false statements during his 2025 Senate confirmation hearings when he claimed his 2019 Samoa visit had "nothing to do with vaccines." Letters show Kennedy explicitly told the Samoan prime minister he intended to investigate the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine. Kennedy's visit is reported to have empowered anti-vaccine activists; a measles epidemic followed that killed 83 people. Knowingly lying to Congress is a federal crime, though rarely prosecuted.

Supporting reports

• Trump organized "Freedom 250 Grand Prix" IndyCar race around National Mall — Trump organized the "Freedom 250 Grand Prix," an IndyCar race scheduled for the weekend of August 23 featuring 25 drivers covering 147 laps at speeds up to 150 mph around a 1.7-mile, 7-turn street circuit loop past the U.S. Capitol, Washington Monument, National Archives, and National Gallery of Art. The event required workers to weld down more than 200 manhole covers, move traffic lights, and install barriers that disrupted traffic. The National Gallery of Art had to protect sculptures from vibrations and airlines rerouted flights.
• Trump waves green flag at Indy car race in DC — Trump attended an Indy car race held in Washington, DC on Saturday and waved the green flag to start the race.

Supporting reports

• Trump's Freedom Grand Prix car race scheduled for Washington D.C. streets — Trump's Freedom Grand Prix car race is scheduled to take place this weekend on the streets of Washington D.C. The event will feature 25 IndyCars traveling at speeds of 180 to 190 miles per hour on city streets. Preparation required welding down 200 manhole covers and removing some street lights. White House Director of Protocol Monica Crowley announced the event.

Supporting reports

• Sean Duffy's "Great American Road Trip" YouTube series premiered with minimal viewership — Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy's six-episode YouTube reality show, filmed over seven months while serving in his Cabinet position, premiered on the Department of Transportation's YouTube channel. The series, which was originally scheduled for June but delayed, features Duffy, his wife Rachel Campos-Duffy (a Fox and Friends co-host), and their nine children traveling through seven states. After 24 hours, all six episodes combined had accumulated just over 5,000 views.

Supporting reports

• Senators Murray and Murphy request information on luxury planes for FBI director and border advisor — Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), the top-ranking Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, and Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) requested information from Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin regarding the purchase of twelve new planes, including one equipped with a bedroom, shower, kitchen, bar, and flatscreen televisions, to transport FBI Director Kash Patel and Trump's border advisor Tom Homan. The FBI already maintains a plane for the director's use. The senators characterized the purchases as wasteful expenditure of taxpayer funds for luxury amenities.

Supporting reports

• Kennedy Center board votes to renovate building and inscribe Trump's name despite federal court order — The Kennedy Center's board, described as mostly Trump allies, voted to proceed with a $250 million renovation project that would temporarily close the main building and inscribe "Restored and Renovated by President Donald J Trump" on the facade. This directly defies a May federal court order by Judge Christopher Cooper that ruled Trump's name must be removed from the building and blocked the closure plan. The board must present its plan to Cooper by the following week for judicial review.
• Kennedy Center board voted to restore Trump's name despite federal court ruling — The Kennedy Center board voted on Thursday to unveil President Trump's name on the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, directly challenging a May federal court ruling by U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper that only Congress could change the venue's name and that Trump's name must be removed. The legal process to remove the name had been completed in June. The administration has appealed the ruling, and the appellate court retains jurisdiction over the matter.
• Kennedy Center board votes to rename building after Trump — Trump's handpicked Kennedy Center board voted to place Trump's name on the Kennedy Center building, designating it as "Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump." Trump serves as chair of the Kennedy Center board, a position his loyalists elected him to hold. The action represents the use of a cultural institution to memorialize the sitting president.

Supporting reports

• Park Service redirected $323 million to Trump White House projects — Internal Park Service records obtained by Meidas reporter Scott Macfarlane reveal that more than $323 million have been made available for upgrades and projects on White House grounds in 2026, a dramatic increase of nearly 5,000 percent from the $7.5 million spent on such projects in 2024. The records show corresponding multi-million-dollar reductions in funding for major national parks including Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Grand Canyon. Tim Whitehouse of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility characterized the reallocation as using the National Park Service as "a piggy bank for Trump's vanity projects."
• Trump administration diverts $323 million from National Park Service to White House renovations — More than $323 million has been funneled from the National Park Service to Trump's vanity projects on the White House grounds, according to reporting by Scott MacFarlane on August 11. This represents a nearly 5,000% increase over the $7.5 million spent at the White House in 2024, the final year of the Biden presidency. The diversion occurs even as Trump's own Interior Secretary Doug Burgum estimates a $30 billion backlog of deferred maintenance in the parks themselves. An additional $100 million has been allotted to the National Mall this year. The $423 million allocated for White House and National Mall projects in 2026 exceeds the combined funding for Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Mammoth Cave, Zion, Joshua Tree, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and the Statue of Liberty complex.

Supporting reports

• Trump installed signs blaming past administrations for reflecting pool issues — Trump installed signs at the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool blaming "past administrations" like Obama and Biden for the pool's maintenance issues, with the signs likely paid for by taxpayer dollars.
• Trump installs signs at Lincoln Memorial blaming previous administrations for infrastructure problems — Trump has installed signs at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool attributing maintenance and operational issues to "past administrations" (Obama and Biden), despite Trump himself having served as a past administration.

Supporting reports

• Hegseth blames Deputy Secretary Feinberg for weapons shortage crisis — According to Washington Post sources, Defense Secretary Hegseth responded to Trump's confrontation by blaming Deputy Secretary of Defense Stephen Feinberg, a private equity billionaire overseeing the newly created Economic Defense Unit (EDU). The EDU directs government investment in private sector defense contractors and has negotiated deals for the government to take equity stakes in those businesses while Feinberg simultaneously pushes Congress to pass a $1.5 trillion military budget.

Supporting reports

• Trump orders modifications to White House South Lawn helipad for new Marine One helicopter — The White House confirmed that contractors are redoing a helipad on the South Lawn to accommodate a new, larger Marine One helicopter. President Trump ordered changes to the circular concrete landing pad after reports indicated he was unhappy with its appearance and the lawn's slope. Construction crews are working to complete the project before Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit in late September. The helipad, funded by Sikorsky Aircraft at $5–6 million, will feature a carved granite presidential seal.

Supporting reports

• White House renews effort to remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook — ABC News reported that the Trump administration is renewing its effort to remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. White House deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino sent Cook a letter on Wednesday giving her three weeks to respond to previous allegations of mortgage fraud that she has steadfastly denied. The latest push follows a Supreme Court ruling in June allowing her to continue in her position, which did not prevent Trump from attempting removal again.
• Trump informs Lisa Cook that he is “considering” her removal — Former President Donald Trump has informed Lisa Cook, a member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, that he is considering her removal from her position. This announcement has raised concerns about the independence of the Federal Reserve and the potential implications for monetary policy and economic stability. The Federal Reserve is a critical institution in managing the U.S. economy, and any changes in its leadership can have significant impacts on economic governance.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration ends federal legal funding for unaccompanied immigrant children — The Trump administration severed ties with nearly 100 legal organizations providing immigration counsel and ended a federal contract providing legal representation to over 20,000 unaccompanied children, effective July 31, 2026. Federal officials refused to reimburse organizations for $65 million in completed work unless they violated client confidentiality by disclosing sensitive medical and immigration data. The cuts are forcing legal nonprofits into layoffs and closures, leaving children to face immigration court without attorneys. Experts warn children without counsel win relief less than 10% of the time and face expedited deportation proceedings.
• Legal representation contract for immigrant children expires; no-bid contract offered to Trump-connected firm — The Trump administration allowed a contract for legal representation of immigrant children to expire on July 31. The administration then offered a $150 million no-bid contract to a small Texas law firm with no experience in immigration law but with close ties to Trump. Following public outcry, the law firm declined the contract. The action left immigrant children without guaranteed legal representation during deportation proceedings.