Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Wall Street Journal reports Witkoff, Kushner, and Dmitriev designed plan to create multibillion-dollar business opportunities in Russia and Ukraine — The Wall Street Journal reported that special envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and Kirill Dmitriev designed their peace plan to bypass U.S. national security officials and create opportunities for U.S. businessmen to win multibillion-dollar deals to develop energy and rare-earth minerals in Russia, Ukraine, and the Arctic. The plan would allow Moscow to reshape Europe's economic map while driving a wedge between America and its traditional allies.
• Ukraine peace negotiators met with US delegation led by Rubio, Witkoff, and Kushner — Ukraine's peace negotiators met with a US delegation led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner. The meeting followed Wall Street Journal reporting that Witkoff and Kushner had been privately meeting with Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia's sovereign-wealth fund and Putin's negotiator, to chart plans for bringing Russia's economy back into the global system and enabling US companies to access frozen Russian assets and Arctic resources, with no explicit focus on Ukrainian sovereignty or security.
• Wall Street Journal exposed Witkoff and Kushner's private negotiations with Russian officials — The Wall Street Journal reported that Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met privately with Kirill Dmitriev, Putin's handpicked negotiator and head of Russia's sovereign-wealth fund, at Witkoff's Miami Beach estate to chart plans for reintegrating Russia's $2 trillion economy into global markets. The plan included US companies accessing roughly $300 billion in frozen Russian central bank assets, joint US-Russian Arctic mineral exploitation, and reconstruction contracts in Ukraine, with no apparent constraint on Russian military objectives.
• Trump administration negotiates Ukraine peace plan centered on U.S.-Russia business deals — The Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump administration's approach to Ukraine peace involves a Russian-led blueprint for joint U.S.-Russia economic cooperation, with contracts for rebuilding Ukraine, Arctic mineral extraction, and space exploration directed to favored U.S. and Russian businessmen, many with White House ties. Trump envoy Steve Witkoff stated the plan aims to create prosperity and prevent future conflicts through shared economic benefit.

Supporting reports

• New York Times reports Trump administration's $10 billion corporate investment — The New York Times reported that the Trump administration has committed more than $10 billion in taxpayer funds to buy shares of private companies deemed essential to national security, including US Steel and Intel. Trump personally purchased up to $5 million worth of Intel corporate debt shortly after the government took a 10% stake in the company, raising concerns of corruption and market distortion.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration's Big Beautiful Bill Act and tariffs projected to worsen income inequality and cut benefits for the poor — The Trump administration enacted the Big Beautiful Bill Act and imposed indiscriminate tariffs, which the Budget Lab at Yale projects will reduce household income for all but the richest fifth of American families. The legislation cuts Medicaid and Affordable Care Act subsidies, trims hundreds of billions from SNAP nutrition assistance, and raises prices on staples. The bottom 10% of earners face a projected 7% income cut. The article frames these policies as deliberate choices to exacerbate inequality rather than market-driven outcomes.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration announces expanded offshore oil and gas drilling off California and Florida coasts — The Trump administration announced a new federal petroleum leasing schedule for 2026–2031 that includes up to 34 auctions across U.S. waters: six off California, 21 off Alaska (including a region never drilled), and two in the eastern Gulf of Mexico off Florida. The move reverses Biden-era climate protections and reflects Trump's National Energy Dominance Council priority on fossil fuel expansion. California Governor Newsom rejected the plan; Florida Republicans, including Senators Scott and Moody, have signaled opposition due to tourism and environmental concerns.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration proposes rollback of Endangered Species Act protections — The Trump administration presented a plan to weaken the Endangered Species Act through four new rules coordinated by the Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Marine Fisheries Service. The proposal would allow greater weight for economic impact in habitat designations, remove safeguards against future climate impacts, rescind automatic protections for threatened species, narrow the definition of "critical habitat," and create delays in protections for newly listed species. A 30-day public comment period opens Friday.

Supporting reports

• Trump signed Executive Order 14361 modifying tariffs on Brazilian imports, exempting certain agricultural products from the 40% additional duty imposed under EO 14323. — President Trump signed Executive Order 14361 on November 20, 2025, modifying the scope of tariffs on Brazil. The order exempts certain agricultural products from the 40% additional ad valorem duty imposed under Executive Order 14323 (July 30, 2025), which had declared a national emergency based on alleged threats from Brazilian government policies. The modifications, effective November 13, 2025, reflect initial progress in ongoing negotiations with Brazilian President Lula da Silva following an October 6, 2025 call between the two leaders. The Secretary of State is directed to monitor circumstances and implement the order in consultation with Treasury, Commerce, Homeland Security, and other officials.
• Trump modifies tariff scope on Brazilian agricultural products following negotiations — President Trump issued an executive order on November 20, 2025, modifying the scope of tariffs imposed on Brazil under a prior July 30, 2025 order that had declared a national emergency. The new order exempts certain agricultural products from the 40 percent additional ad valorem duty, effective November 13, 2025, based on initial progress in negotiations with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and recommendations from administration officials. The order directs the Secretary of State to continue monitoring the emergency and implement the tariff modifications.
• Trump signed Executive Order 14361 modifying tariffs on Brazilian imports — President Trump signed Executive Order 14361 on November 20, 2025, modifying the scope of tariffs imposed under Executive Order 14323 (July 30, 2025). The order removes certain agricultural products from a 40 percent additional duty rate previously applied to Brazilian imports, citing initial progress in ongoing negotiations with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva following an October 6, 2025 call between the two leaders. The modifications are effective retroactively to November 13, 2025, and the order directs the Secretary of State to continue monitoring the declared national emergency and consult with relevant officials on implementation.
• Trump proclamation exempts coke oven facilities from EPA emissions standards for two years — President Trump issued Proclamation 10993 on November 21, 2025, exempting certain stationary sources subject to the EPA's July 2024 Coke Oven Rule from compliance with specified emissions-control requirements for a period of two years beyond the rule's original compliance deadlines. The proclamation invokes section 112(i)(4) of the Clean Air Act and asserts that the required emissions-control technologies do not exist in commercially viable form and that the exemption serves national security interests tied to domestic coke and steel production capacity.

Supporting reports

• Congress inserts provision allowing Republican senators $500,000 in taxpayer payments — Language inserted into the bill ending the longest government shutdown allows eight Republican Senators to sue the federal government and receive $500,000 in taxpayer funds if their electronic records were subpoenaed without notice. The provision, reportedly inserted by Majority Leader John Thune, targets senators whose phone records were subpoenaed during Special Counsel Jack Smith's investigation into the 2020 election and January 6 attack. The Department of Justice changed its notification procedures in 2023, but Smith's subpoenas predated that policy change. Senator Lindsey Graham said he will seek payment; House Speaker Mike Johnson plans to introduce language to repeal the provision.

Supporting reports

• Trump Organization negotiating Saudi Arabia real estate deal — The New York Times reported that Trump Organization is in negotiations to bring a Trump-branded property to one of Saudi Arabia's largest government-owned real estate developments. The negotiations involve Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's $63 billion Diriyah project. Trump is set to host the Crown Prince next week to discuss a potential mutual defense agreement and possible transfer of American nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia, creating a scenario where Trump discusses national security matters with a foreign leader who is also a key figure in a potential business deal with the president's family.
• Trump Organization announced tokenized luxury resort development in Maldives with Saudi firm — Trump Organization and Dar Global, a Saudi real estate development company headquartered in Dubai, announced plans to build the Trump International Hotel Maldives on November 17. The project will be tokenized using blockchain technology, allowing investors to participate from the development phase. Eric Trump stated the development would "redefine luxury in the region" and set a benchmark for innovation in real estate investment through tokenization.

Supporting reports

• Polymarket map tracking Ukraine war was falsely manipulated to show Russian advance before market resolution, triggering 33,000% payouts — In November 2025, a live map tracking the Russia-Ukraine war used by Polymarket was falsely manipulated to show a Russian advance shortly before a market bet on the conflict resolved. Users had placed bets on whether Russia would capture the city of Myrnohrad by various dates, generating over $1 million in trading volume. On November 15, the map was edited to show Russian troops had taken control of an intersection in Myrnohrad. After the market resolved, the Russian advance was removed from the map. The unauthorized edit triggered payouts as high as 33,000% for those who bet Russia would gain control by November 15. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), which provided the map, condemned the unauthorized edit and stated it "strenuously objects" to use of its maps for prediction market betting.

Supporting reports

• Wall Street Journal reports on wealth concentration and ultrarich isolation — Arian Campo-Flores of the Wall Street Journal reported that the net worth of the top 0.1% of households in the U.S. reached $23.3 trillion in 2025, while the bottom 50% hold $4.2 trillion. The article outlined a world in which the ultrarich live in luxury increasingly sealed off from everyday people, inhabiting private, carefully curated spaces populated by similarly wealthy peers, with exclusive access to restaurants, clubs, resorts, and customized services that insulate them from ordinary public life.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration's military occupations of US cities cost nearly half a billion dollars — The Intercept reported on November 11 that the Trump administration's military occupations of US cities have cost nearly half a billion dollars, including $172 million in Los Angeles, roughly $270 million in DC, and almost $13 million in Chicago.

Supporting reports

• Fannie Mae confidant of Bill Pulte disclosed confidential mortgage pricing data to competitor — A confidant of Bill Pulte, Trump's top housing regulator, provided confidential mortgage pricing data from Fannie Mae to Freddie Mac, a principal competitor, alarming senior Fannie Mae officials who warned it could expose the company to claims of collusion to fix mortgage rates. Lauren Smith, Fannie Mae's head of marketing, acted on Pulte's behalf in disclosing the data. Senior Fannie Mae officials who questioned the conduct were forced out of their jobs late last month, along with internal ethics watchdogs investigating Pulte and his allies.

Supporting reports

• Trump signed executive order eliminating tariffs on select commodities — President Trump signed an executive order ending tariffs on beef, coffee, bananas, cocoa, and other commodities from certain countries in response to voter concerns about the economy. Representative Richard Neal (D-MA), the highest-ranking Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee, characterized the move as "putting out a fire that they started and claiming it as progress," referring to the administration's earlier tariff policies that had raised prices.
• Administration preparing tariff exemptions for food to lower prices — The New York Times reported that the Trump administration is preparing exemptions to tariffs in an attempt to lower food prices. The move suggests that some administration officials are acknowledging that Trump's tariff ideology cannot indefinitely defy economic reality.
• Trump issues executive order modifying reciprocal tariff scope for agricultural products — President Trump issued Executive Order modifying the scope of reciprocal tariffs imposed under prior orders, specifically exempting certain agricultural products from tariff duties. The order, effective November 13, 2025, modified the Harmonized Tariff Schedule and updated annexes to prior tariff executive orders based on recommendations from Commerce and Trade officials, negotiations with trading partners, and assessments of domestic demand and production capacity. The Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Trade Representative were directed to continue monitoring the national emergency declared under the original tariff order.
• Trump signed Executive Order 14360 modifying reciprocal tariffs on certain agricultural products, exempting specified goods from duties imposed under prior trade emergency orders. — President Trump signed Executive Order 14360 on November 14, 2025, modifying the scope of reciprocal tariffs imposed under Executive Orders 14257 and 14346. The order exempts certain agricultural products from ad valorem duties, effective November 13, 2025. Trump invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the National Emergencies Act, citing the national emergency declared in EO 14257 regarding U.S. trade deficits. The order directs the Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of Homeland Security, and U.S. Trade Representative to implement the modifications and monitor ongoing trade circumstances.
• President Trump signs executive order modifying reciprocal tariffs on agricultural products — The White House issued a fact sheet announcing that President Trump signed an executive order on November 14, 2025, modifying the scope of reciprocal tariffs first announced April 2, 2025. The order exempts certain qualifying agricultural products—including coffee, tea, tropical fruits, cocoa, spices, bananas, oranges, tomatoes, beef, and certain fertilizers—from reciprocal tariffs. The fact sheet states the modifications follow trade deal progress with multiple countries and take effect November 13, 2025.
• White House signed executive order modifying reciprocal tariff scope for agricultural products — President Trump signed an executive order on November 14, 2025, modifying the scope of reciprocal tariffs imposed under Executive Order 14257 (April 2, 2025). The order exempts certain agricultural products from reciprocal tariff duties, effective November 13, 2025. The order directs the Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of Homeland Security, and U.S. Trade Representative to implement the modifications and monitor the national emergency declared in EO 14257, which asserts that U.S. trade deficits constitute a national security threat.

Supporting reports

• Vought suspends majority of CFPB operations — Russell Vought, White House Office of Management and Budget director, suspended most of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's work while the full DC Circuit Court of Appeals decides whether to take the case. A lower court order previously blocked the firings of approximately 90% of the agency's staff, but Vought proceeded with operational suspension pending appellate review.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration formally said CFPB is legally prohibited from seeking additional funding — In a court filing on November 10, the Trump administration formally determined that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is legally prohibited from seeking additional funding from the Federal Reserve, a move that could result in the agency closing in early 2026 when current funds are exhausted unless Congress passes new funding, which is unlikely due to Republican opposition.
• Office of Legal Counsel issues opinion on CFPB Federal Reserve funding — The Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel issued a formal opinion claiming the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau cannot draw money from the Federal Reserve, arguing that "combined earnings of the Federal Reserve System" in the statute refers only to Fed profits rather than total earnings. Since the Federal Reserve has operated at a loss since 2022, the opinion concludes no funds are available to the CFPB under current law.
• Trump administration files court brief arguing CFPB funding mechanism is unlawful — The Trump administration's Department of Justice filed a court brief claiming the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's funding mechanism through the Federal Reserve is unlawful and that the agency will exhaust available funds by early 2026. The filing argues the CFPB cannot draw money from the Fed, citing an Office of Legal Counsel opinion that "combined earnings of the Federal Reserve System" refers only to Fed profits, which have operated at a loss since 2022. The brief sets the stage for the agency's dismantling absent new funding authority.

Supporting reports

• FAA cut thousands of flights from busiest airports due to unpaid air traffic controllers — The Federal Aviation Administration cut thousands of flights from the nation's busiest airports as a consequence of the ongoing government shutdown and the crisis of unpaid air traffic controllers. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy acknowledged to CNN's Jake Tapper that the disruption would prevent a substantial number of Americans from being with their families for Thanksgiving.
• FAA Cuts Flights Amid Unpaid Air Traffic Controllers — The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced cuts to thousands of flights from major airports due to the ongoing crisis of unpaid air traffic controllers, exacerbating travel disruptions during the holiday season.
• Transportation Secretary orders flight cutbacks citing unpaid air traffic controllers — Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy ordered cutbacks in flights at US airports, citing unprecedented strain on air traffic controllers who had worked weeks without pay during the shutdown. Widespread flight cancellations followed, disrupting travel for hundreds of thousands of Americans and demonstrating the cascading effects of the funding lapse on essential services.

Supporting reports

• Trump fires BLS director; inflation data quality declines — Trump fired the Bureau of Labor Statistics director after the agency reported inflation numbers the president disliked. Subsequently, the quality of CPI inflation data has declined significantly. In September, 40% of CPI items were estimated, up from 36% in August and a historical average of 10%. When price data is unavailable, the BLS fills gaps with estimated values from other categories or regions. The percentage of estimated data has quadrupled over seven months, making CPI numbers less accurate and less reflective of real consumer costs.
• Trump’s Economic Advisor Admits Data Reliability Issues — Trump’s top economic advisor publicly stated that the administration may never produce reliable inflation or employment data again due to the hollowing out of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This admission highlights the administration's failure to conduct critical surveys and suggests an attempt to fabricate economic data.

Supporting reports

• Administration opened partial SNAP payments; some states received full payments, others did not — During the back-and-forth on Friday, November 7, 2025, the Trump administration appears to have opened state payments for SNAP. Several states received their full November payments while others did not. States that received full payments worked to distribute that funding to beneficiaries' Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards immediately.

Supporting reports

• Trump granted Switzerland favorable tariff deal after receiving gold gifts from Swiss billionaires — Trump granted Switzerland a favorable tariff break one week after the country's industry leaders visited the White House and presented him with pricey gold gifts. U.S. Trade Representative Jamison Greer announced a trade deal with Switzerland that cut its tariff rate from 39 percent to 15 percent. Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter had previously failed to persuade Trump to change his tariff position in an icy August phone conversation. The breakthrough came after an entourage of gift-bearing Swiss billionaires, including Rolex CEO Jean Frédéric Dufour, Johann Rupert from luxury goods maker Richemont, and Marwan Shakarchi from gold refining company MKS, visited the White House on November 4. After the meeting, Trump had a gold clock and a bar of gold on his Oval Office desk.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration secured tungsten deal with Kazakhstan involving family financial interests — In September 2025, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trump secured access to one of the world's largest untapped tungsten reserves from Kazakhstan's president. An obscure U.S. company, Kaz Resources, won the access. Before the deal, Trump administration officials advanced applications for as much as $1.6 billion in federal funding for the company. An investment firm partly owned by Trump's sons Don Jr. and Eric took a 20% stake in a related entity. Lutnick's sons' firm, Cantor Fitzgerald, raised $210 million for a related entity. The deal was signed November 6, 2025.

Supporting reports

• Novo Nordisk executive faints during Trump administration event — Novo Nordisk executive Gordon Findlay fainted in the Oval Office during a lengthy series of speeches by Trump, RFK Jr., Dr. Oz, and other Trump administration officials and drug company CEOs. Fox reported he is fine. After the executive was removed, Trump told the Novo Nordisk CEO: "Maybe you should give us a piece of the company like I've been asking for."

Supporting reports

• Trump administration cuts SNAP benefits for November — The Trump administration announced that due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will receive only half of their usual benefits for November. This decision comes after a federal judge previously prevented the USDA from suspending SNAP altogether. Many beneficiaries, including vulnerable populations such as the elderly and disabled, expressed deep concern over the impact of these cuts on their ability to afford food. The government shutdown has been attributed to a failure of Congress to agree on spending legislation.
• Trump administration to provide partial SNAP funding amid shutdown — The Trump administration announced it will provide half of the usual funds to recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) due to a prolonged government shutdown. This decision follows a court order mandating the administration to comply with emergency funding requirements. The Department of Agriculture will utilize contingency funds to support nearly 42 million people, despite previous claims that such funds could only be used in disaster situations. The announcement aims to address the immediate needs of low-income individuals affected by the funding shortfall.
• Trump administration uses contingency funds for partial SNAP payments — The Trump administration agreed to use contingency funds to distribute partial payments for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, but refused to use other funding sources to make full payments for the month of November. Saturday's lapse of SNAP funding marked the first time in the 61-year history of the program that it has run out of money.

Supporting reports

• Public Citizen reports corporate donors received $279 billion in contracts — Non-profit organization Public Citizen published a report finding that two-thirds of the 24 known corporate donors to Trump's White House ballroom have received a total of $279 billion in government contracts over the past five years. Additionally, 14 of them are either facing federal enforcement actions or have had them suspended by the Trump administration. The corporate and billionaire donors have also spent $1.6 billion on lobbying and campaign contributions over the last five years.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration uses contingency funds for partial SNAP payments — The Trump administration agreed to use contingency funds to distribute partial payments for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, but refused to use other funding sources to make full payments for the month of November. Saturday's lapse of SNAP funding marked the first time in the 61-year history of the program that it has run out of money.

Supporting reports

• Administration instructed grocery stores to deny SNAP discounts — The Trump administration instructed grocery stores that they cannot offer discounts to customers affected by the lapse in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, according to economics journalist Catherine Rampell. This action compounded the hardship on low-income households already facing a gap in food assistance due to the administration's refusal to fund the program.