Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Senator Schiff requests FCC details on Trump-Paramount merger quid pro quo — Democratic Senator Adam Schiff sent a letter to FCC chair Brendan Carr requesting details to determine whether Trump tried to obtain programming or media coverage commitments in exchange for his administration approving Paramount's merger with Skydance. Schiff pointed to Paramount's $16 million settlement with Trump and the cancellation of 'The Late Night Show with Stephen Colbert' as a sequence of events raising concerns that the FCC has become a vehicle for Trump to exact personal retribution and undermine press freedom.

Supporting reports

• Harvard and Trump administration near $500 million settlement — The New York Times reported that Harvard University and the Trump administration are nearing a legal settlement in which Harvard would spend $500 million to restore billions in federal research funding. The framework would direct Harvard funds to vocational and educational programs, drop the proposed monitor, allow international student enrollment, and end investigations by the Justice and Commerce Departments.

Supporting reports

• New York Times reported on law firm deals with Trump — The New York Times reported that two law firms that made deals with Trump to prevent enforcement of executive orders targeting them were connected with the Commerce Department by Trump's personal lawyer Boris Epshteyn about assisting on trade deals as part of their pro bono work for the president's administration.
• Law firms reach agreements with Trump to quash executive orders — The New York Times reported that at least two prominent law firms that reached agreements with Trump to quash executive orders that targeted them have committed to doing pro bono legal work for the Commerce Department, including on trade deals.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration in talks with Intel for government stake — Bloomberg reported that the Trump administration is in talks with Intel Corp. to give the federal government a stake in the tech company. The move follows a meeting between Trump and Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan, whom the president said was "highly conflicted" and should resign on Truth Social last week.
• Trump administration pursues equity stake in Intel via Chips Act conversion — Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick announced on Tuesday that the Trump administration is pursuing conversion of Chips and Science Act funding into equity ownership in Intel. The administration seeks non-voting equity in the semiconductor manufacturer, framing the move as ensuring taxpayer return on investment rather than a grant. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent clarified that the stake would not obligate US businesses to purchase Intel chips. The announcement followed days of circulating reports and preceded SoftBank's $2 billion investment in the company.

Supporting reports

• Justice Department and National Economic Council solicit public comments on state laws with interstate economic effects — The Department of Justice and National Economic Council announced a joint effort to identify state laws that adversely affect interstate commerce and the national economy. The agencies invited public comments through September 15, 2025, on state regulations that burden commerce across state lines, asking whether such laws may be preempted by federal authority and what federal legislative or regulatory remedies might apply. The initiative frames state regulatory authority as a burden on national markets and economic growth.

Supporting reports

• Justice Department sues California to block enforcement of emissions standards for heavy-duty trucks — The Department of Justice filed two federal complaints against the California Air Resources Board (CARB) challenging the state's enforcement of emissions standards for heavy-duty trucks through a "Clean Truck Partnership" with manufacturers. The DOJ argues that CARB's standards are preempted by federal Clean Air Act law after Congress invalidated EPA preemption waivers in June 2025 via Congressional Review Act resolutions. The DOJ seeks to enjoin CARB from enforcing the standards and filed motions to intervene in pending cases in the Eastern District of California and Northern District of Illinois.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration approved Paramount-Skydance merger after company settled lawsuit with Trump — The Trump administration approved Paramount's merger with Skydance after Paramount agreed to pay Trump $16 million to settle a lawsuit Trump filed against CBS News, a Paramount subsidiary. Following the merger approval, Paramount secured an exclusive deal with the UFC valued at $7.7 billion over seven years. The timing and sequence suggest the settlement and merger approval were linked to securing favorable terms for the UFC, whose CEO Dana White is a close Trump ally.

Supporting reports

• Amazon donated $125,000 to Republican Attorneys General Association — Amazon donated $125,000 to the Republican Attorneys General Association in 2025. RAGA uses funds to support legal efforts restricting abortion access nationwide and overriding state shield laws that protect reproductive healthcare providers and patients.
• CVS Health donated $125,000 to Republican Attorneys General Association — CVS Health, which pledged to help provide abortion access for employees needing to travel out of state, donated $125,000 to the Republican Attorneys General Association in 2025. RAGA uses funds to support legal efforts restricting abortion access and overriding state shield laws that protect reproductive healthcare providers and patients.
• Mastercard donated $25,000 to Republican Attorneys General Association — Mastercard donated $25,000 to the Republican Attorneys General Association in 2025. RAGA uses funds to support legal efforts restricting abortion access nationwide and overriding state shield laws that protect reproductive healthcare providers and patients.
• Roblox donated $50,000 to Republican Attorneys General Association — Roblox, an online game platform, donated $50,000 to the Republican Attorneys General Association in 2025. RAGA uses funds to support legal efforts restricting abortion access nationwide and overriding state shield laws that protect reproductive healthcare providers and patients.
• Target donated $125,000 to Republican Attorneys General Association — Target donated $125,000 to the Republican Attorneys General Association in 2025. RAGA uses funds to support legal efforts restricting abortion access nationwide and overriding state shield laws that protect reproductive healthcare providers and patients.
• UnitedHealthcare donated $85,000 to Republican Attorneys General Association — UnitedHealthcare, which pledged to help provide abortion access for employees needing to travel out of state, donated $85,000 to the Republican Attorneys General Association in 2025. RAGA uses funds to support legal efforts restricting abortion access and overriding state shield laws that protect reproductive healthcare providers.

Supporting reports

• Trump revokes Biden's Executive Order on Competition — President Donald J. Trump signed Executive Order 14337 on August 13, 2025, revoking Executive Order 14036 (Promoting Competition in the American Economy), issued by President Biden on July 9, 2021. The revocation eliminates the prior administration's competition-focused regulatory framework. The order was published in the Federal Register on August 19, 2025. No substantive rights or benefits are created by the revocation itself.
• DOJ Antitrust Division announces revocation of Biden-Harris competition executive order — The Department of Justice's Antitrust Division announced on August 13, 2025, that it salutes the President's decision to revoke Executive Order 14036 on competition. Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater stated the Division will pursue "America First Antitrust" focused on empowering free markets rather than regulatory prescription. The Division cited streamlining merger review processes, reinstating early termination practices, and settling reviews with targeted consent decrees as priorities under the new approach.
• Trump revokes Biden's executive order on competition — President Donald Trump issued an executive order on August 13, 2025, revoking Executive Order 14036 (Promoting Competition in the American Economy), which had been signed by President Biden on July 9, 2021. The revocation eliminates the prior administration's competition-focused regulatory framework. The order contains standard provisions preserving agency authority and stating it creates no enforceable rights. Implementation is subject to applicable law and appropriations availability.
• Trump signed executive order revoking Biden's 2021 competition order — President Trump signed Executive Order 14337 on August 13, 2025, revoking Executive Order 14036 (Promoting Competition in the American Economy), issued by President Biden on July 9, 2021. The revocation order contains standard boilerplate provisions regarding implementation, legal effect, and cost allocation. No substantive policy direction or replacement framework is stated in the instrument.

Supporting reports

• Alt5 Sigma pursues $1.5 billion WLFI token acquisition with circular financing structure — On August 11, 2025, Alt5 Sigma announced that Zach Witkoff (co-founder of World Liberty Financial) would become its chairman and Eric Trump would join its board. Alt5 Sigma then announced a strategy to acquire $1.5 billion in WLFI tokens, with half financed by World Liberty Financial itself using WLFI tokens as payment. The remaining $750 million was raised from hedge funds including Jane Street. This circular transaction—in which World Liberty Financial acts as both buyer and seller of its own tokens through a publicly traded shell company—artificially inflates demand and directly enriches Trump and his family while using other investors' capital.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration sends patent-compliance letter to Harvard University — The Trump administration sent a letter to Harvard University notifying it of alleged failure to comply with the Bayh-Dole Act regarding patents worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Treasury Secretary Howard Lutnick's letter stated that non-compliance allows the federal government the option to assume ownership of the university's patents and set a September 5 deadline for Harvard's response.

Supporting reports

• Trump threatens India with tariffs and penalties over Russian oil purchases — Trump threatened India with unspecified penalties and a 25% tariff if the country did not cease importing Russian crude oil. Indian officials, including PM Modi's government and foreign policy spokesman Randhir Jaiswal, defied the threat, stating that India would continue purchasing cheap oil from Russia and that bilateral relationships should not be shaped by American pressure. Indian officials noted that long-term oil contracts cannot be terminated overnight and that India's partnership with Russia is "steady and time-tested." The defiance reflected growing frustration with increasingly volatile American policymaking.
• Trump claimed Republicans "entitled" to five more Texas seats and suggested running for third term — On CNBC, Trump claimed that Republicans are "entitled" to five more seats in Texas as part of the state's mid-decade congressional redistricting effort. Additionally, he said he would "like to run" for a third term, which would be unconstitutional, but said he "probably" wouldn't. Trump also went on a racist rant, suggesting that undocumented immigrants are "naturally" good at farm labor.
• Trump threatens substantial tariff increase on India — Trump stated that he settled on a 25% tariff on India but indicated he plans to raise it "very substantially over the next 24 hours." The threatened increase follows Trump's criticism of India for purchasing Russian oil.
• Trump imposes 25% tariff on Indian imports citing Russian oil transshipment — President Trump signed Executive Order 14329 on August 6, 2025, imposing a 25 percent ad valorem duty on all articles imported from India, effective 21 days after signing. The order invokes the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the national emergency declared in prior executive orders regarding Russian Federation threats. Trump determined that India is directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil and that additional tariffs are necessary to address the ongoing national security threat. The tariff applies to goods entered for consumption after September 27, 2025, with limited exceptions for goods already in transit.
• Trump administration issues tariff on India for purchasing Russian oil — The White House issued a fact sheet announcing that President Trump signed an executive order imposing a 25% tariff on imports from India, effective August 27, 2025, in response to India's importation of Russian Federation oil. The order directs the Secretary of Commerce, in coordination with State, Treasury, and other officials, to identify other countries importing Russian oil and recommend further tariff actions. The administration frames the measure as addressing a national emergency stemming from Russian actions in Ukraine.
• Trump signed Executive Order 14329 imposing 25% tariffs on Indian imports in response to Russian oil purchases — President Trump signed Executive Order 14329 on August 6, 2025, imposing an additional 25 percent ad valorem duty on all articles imported from India, effective 21 days after the order's date. The order states that India is "directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil" and characterizes this as part of an ongoing national emergency threat to U.S. national security and foreign policy. The tariff applies to goods entered for consumption after September 26, 2025, with limited exceptions for goods already in transit. The order delegates authority to the Secretary of State and other officials to identify other countries importing Russian oil and recommend similar tariffs.
• Trump imposes 25% tariff on Indian imports citing Russian oil concerns — President Trump issued an executive order on August 6, 2025, imposing a 25% ad valorem duty on all articles imported from India, citing India's direct or indirect importation of Russian Federation oil as a threat to U.S. national security and foreign policy. The tariff became effective 21 days after the order's date, with limited exceptions for goods already in transit. The order invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the National Emergencies Act to justify the action.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration suspends $584 million in federal funding to UCLA over civil rights allegations — On August 6, the Trump administration suspended $584 million in federal funding to the University of California, Los Angeles, alleging civil rights violations related to antisemitism and affirmative action. The administration accused UCLA of "acting with deliberate indifference in creating a hostile educational environment for Jewish and Israeli students." The UC system's president indicated willingness to engage in talks with the administration over the allegations.
• UCLA chancellor announced $584 million in frozen federal funds — UCLA's chancellor announced that the amount of federal funds frozen by the Trump administration is roughly $584 million, saying in a statement that, "if these funds remain suspended, it will be devastating for UCLA and for Americans across the nation."
• UCLA receives $6 million settlement demand and $300 million funding freeze despite prior concessions — UCLA agreed to pay $6 million to settle a lawsuit by Jewish students and a professor over its handling of pro-Palestinian protests. However, the Trump administration subsequently froze more than $300 million of the university's federal funding, citing "antisemitism and bias," despite UCLA's prior adoption of restrictive protest policies and centralized faculty hiring. The administration's continued targeting occurred despite UCLA's anticipatory compliance.

Supporting reports

• Trump claimed jobs report was rigged and promised to replace Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner — President Trump posted on Truth Social that the jobs report released the previous week was "RIGGED" and that prior employment numbers were fabricated by "Radical Left Democrats" to make Republican success "look less stellar." Trump promised to appoint a replacement for the Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner. Trump's claims contradicted his own economic advisors' later acknowledgment that revisions were normal and reflected more complete data.

Supporting reports

• Trump issues executive order modifying tariff rates for dozens of countries — The Trump administration issued an executive order outlining tariff modifications for dozens of countries after twice delaying implementation. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer stated the tariff rates were "pretty much set" and unlikely to be renegotiated before taking effect, though some rates depend on trade deficit or surplus levels with specific countries. National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett characterized the rates as "more or less locked in" with only minor adjustments possible.
• Trump imposed tariffs at highest rates since 1934 — President Trump began levying higher import taxes on dozens of countries, with tariff rates reaching approximately 18.3% on average for imported products—the highest level since 1934. The Wall Street Journal reported that the effective average tariff rate on all imported goods stands at roughly 18% compared to 2.3% the previous year. U.S. manufacturing activity contracted from March to July, with the Manufacturing PMI at 48, below the 50 threshold indicating growth. Trump announced plans to double tariffs on India to 50%, while tariff levels on China and Mexico remain in flux.
• Trump tariff wave implemented; retailers report price increases — On August 8, 2025, a new wave of Trump tariffs came into force affecting more than 60 countries. Business leaders warned the high, volatile tariffs would force companies to raise US consumer prices. Retailers including Walmart and Best Buy are already reporting price increases. The tariffs are affecting back-to-school supply costs as the new school year approaches, with families reporting rises in the cost of items needed for school.
• Trump's tariffs on foreign products take effect — Tariffs of at least 10 percent on products from other countries went into effect just after midnight Eastern Time on August 8. Despite administration claims that Trump's economic policies will generate "unprecedented" growth, economic indicators show signs of contraction: economic growth is slowing, job growth is stagnant, and prices are rising. Manufacturing activity in the U.S. has shrunk for most of Trump's second term, contrary to Trump's claims that tariffs would boost domestic manufacturing.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration reversed policy withholding disaster aid over Israeli boycott certification — Hours after Reuters reported that the Trump administration implemented a policy to withhold federal aid for natural disaster preparedness to states and cities unless they certify that they will not sever "commercial relations specifically with Israeli companies," the policy was reversed. While the explicit guideline was removed, the Department of Homeland Security tweeted that it will "enforce all anti-discrimination laws and policies," including those related to the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement.
• DHS issues and then revises FEMA disaster relief Israel boycott requirement — DHS published a directive stating that states and cities must certify they will not boycott Israel or face denial of FEMA disaster relief. Following public controversy, DHS revised the wording and issued a statement claiming there is no FEMA requirement tied to Israel in current notices of funding opportunity. However, DHS confirmed that boycotting Israel is considered a form of antisemitic "discrimination" under anti-discrimination laws and policies, meaning the policy remains in effect under revised language. A Community Note fact-check noted that DHS removed explicit language about Israeli companies but reworded the clause as a ban on "discriminatory prohibited boycotts."

Supporting reports

• SEC approved gun company backed by Trump Jr. to trade publicly — The watchdog organization Citizens for Responsible Ethics in Washington reported that the Securities and Exchange Commission approved a gun company backed by Donald Trump Jr. to trade publicly, less than two months after the new Trump-appointed SEC chair attended the launch party of another business affiliated with Trump Jr.

Supporting reports

• Harvard University signaled openness to $500 million settlement with Trump administration — The New York Times reported that Harvard University has signaled that it's open to spending as much as $500 million to settle with the Trump administration, apparently to resolve disputes over federal funding and compliance issues.
• Harvard University faces $2.6 billion funding cuts and international student eligibility revocation — Harvard University faced $2.6 billion in federal funding cuts and revocation of its eligibility to host international students by the Trump administration. Harvard sued over these measures and has achieved early court victories, though the university is also negotiating with the administration and has passed measures pre-empting some of its demands. Reports suggest Harvard is considering paying as much as half a billion dollars to restore billions in research funds.

Supporting reports

• Trump suspends duty-free de minimis treatment globally, imposing tariffs on all low-value imports — President Trump signed Executive Order 14324 on July 30, 2025, suspending the duty-free de minimis exemption for all shipments regardless of value or country of origin, effective August 29, 2025. The order invokes national emergencies declared under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) related to drug trafficking from Canada, Mexico, and China, and trade deficits. All articles previously exempt from duties under 19 U.S.C. 1321(a)(2)(C) will now be subject to applicable duties, taxes, and fees. International postal shipments face tiered specific duties ($80–$200 per package) or ad valorem duties based on country tariff rates. The Secretary of Homeland Security is directed to implement the order through regulatory changes and notices in the Federal Register.
• Trump suspends duty-free de minimis treatment for all countries — President Trump issued an executive order on July 30, 2025, suspending duty-free de minimis treatment (exemption from tariffs for low-value imports) for all countries effective August 29, 2025. The order applies to shipments from Canada, Mexico, China, Hong Kong, and globally, citing national emergencies related to drug trafficking and trade deficits. All articles previously eligible for duty-free treatment now face applicable duties, taxes, and fees; postal shipments face tiered duties based on country tariff rates.
• Trump signed executive order suspending duty-free de minimis treatment globally — President Trump signed Executive Order 14324 on July 30, 2025, suspending the duty-free de minimis exemption under 19 U.S.C. 1321(a)(2)(C) for all shipments regardless of value, country of origin, or entry method, effective August 29, 2025. The order invokes national emergencies declared under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) related to drug trafficking from Canada, Mexico, and China, and trade deficits. All shipments previously eligible for duty-free treatment must now be subject to applicable duties, taxes, and fees, with postal shipments assessed either ad valorem duties or specific per-package fees ($80–$200 depending on the country's tariff rate).
• White House issues fact sheet on executive order suspending de minimis duty-free exemption for commercial shipments — The White House published a fact sheet on July 30, 2025, describing an executive order signed by President Trump that suspends duty-free de minimis treatment for low-value commercial shipments globally, effective August 29, 2025. The order states it applies duties to imported goods valued at or under $800 sent outside the international postal network, and imposes ad valorem or specific duties ($80–$200 per item) on postal shipments. The fact sheet claims the exemption has been exploited to evade tariffs and smuggle fentanyl and counterfeit goods, citing CBP data that 90% of cargo seizures in FY24 originated as de minimis shipments.

Supporting reports

• EPA head announced revocation of 2009 endangerment finding on greenhouse gases — EPA head Lee Zeldin announced that the Trump administration would revoke the 2009 "endangerment finding," a declaration that found that greenhouse gas emissions lead to global warming and threaten public health. Zeldin called the move, which would remove the federal government's authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, the "largest deregulatory action in the history" of the US, if finalized.
• Environmental groups and former EPA leaders condemned endangerment finding revocation — Zeldin's announcement prompted widespread backlash from environmental groups, the scientific community, and three former EPA leaders. The executive director of the Natural Resources Defense Council told AP that the move "boggles the mind and endangers the nation's safety and welfare" as the US faces deadly floods and heat waves, adding that the council will sue the EPA if "this illegal and cynical approach" is finalized.
• EPA moves to rescind 2009 endangerment finding on greenhouse gases — Trump loyalists at the Environmental Protection Agency moved in August to rescind the agency's 2009 endangerment finding that has underpinned climate change regulatory efforts since the Obama administration. The move rejects widely accepted scientific consensus on climate change despite increased scientific evidence supporting the original finding.

Supporting reports

• Trump announced EU trade deal with 15% tariffs on most goods — Trump announced a broad trade agreement with the EU setting 15% tariffs on most EU goods including cars and pharmaceuticals, while the EU agreed to purchase $750 billion of American energy over three years. The deal avoids immediate trade war but retains a 50% tariff on steel and aluminum globally. Multiple analysts noted the agreement lacks specifics, contains unrealistic energy purchase commitments, and will likely increase costs for U.S. consumers through tariff pass-through.
• Trump announced trade agreement with European Union — Trump announced a trade deal with the European Union. Economist Justin Wolfers characterized the agreement as raising taxes on Americans across a wide range of goods while the EU announced tax cuts for Europeans across a narrow range of goods, suggesting an asymmetrical arrangement favoring the EU.
• White House issues fact sheet announcing U.S.-EU trade agreement — The White House published a fact sheet on July 28, 2025, announcing a trade deal between the United States and the European Union. According to the document, the agreement includes EU tariff reductions on U.S. industrial goods, a 15% tariff rate on EU goods including autos and pharmaceuticals, $600 billion in EU investment in the U.S. through 2028, and $750 billion in U.S. energy purchases by the EU through 2028. The fact sheet characterizes the deal as historic and claims it will benefit American workers, farmers, and manufacturers.
• Trump administration implements escalating tariff regime on EU, Japan, UK, and other trading partners — The Trump administration has implemented a 15% tariff on European Union exports to the US, 15% on Japanese exports, and 10% on British exports, with additional tariffs set to take effect Friday on countries including Brazil, Canada, and South Korea. A blanket 10% levy on all US imports remains in place, with threats to raise it to 15–20%. The Budget Lab at Yale estimates these tariffs have driven the average effective US tariff rate to 18.2%—the highest in nearly a century—and projects a 1.8% rise in US consumer prices, equivalent to an average household income loss of $2,400. Trump has suggested distributing tariff-funded "rebate" checks to consumers.
• White House issued promotional release on U.S.-EU trade deal — The White House published a compilation of statements from trade experts, business leaders, and industry representatives praising a U.S.-EU trade framework announced by President Trump. The release aggregates third-party commentary characterizing the deal as expanding market access, cutting non-tariff barriers, and benefiting sectors including agriculture, aviation, and energy. No operative details of the agreement itself are disclosed in this document.
• EU clarified inability to guarantee $600 billion investment pledge to U.S. — The European Union admitted it does not have the power to deliver on a $600 billion investment pledge in the U.S. economy announced hours earlier at trade talks in Scotland with Trump. EU President Ursula von der Leyen had struck a deal with Trump, but officials clarified the money would come exclusively from private European companies over which Brussels has no authority or control. The Commission stated it cannot guarantee the target and has not introduced incentives to ensure private sector compliance.
• White House issues promotional release on EU trade deal — The White House published a promotional release on July 31, 2025, titled "ICYMI: 'Trump nailed the biggest trade deal in American history and proved everyone wrong – again!'" The release claims President Trump's trade deal with the European Union is "among the most consequential trade deals in history," asserting it secured "massive investments," addressed a "lopsided trade deficit," and provided "new market access." The release quotes a New York Post op-ed by Miranda Devine characterizing critics' predictions of economic harm as wrong. No operative directive or policy change is announced; the document is promotional framing of a separately published trade agreement.

Supporting reports

• FCC approved Skydance-Paramount merger — The FCC voted to approve the merger of Skydance Media and Paramount Global. This approval came less than a day after Paramount fired Stephen Colbert and settled lawsuits with Trump, according to the bulletin's reporting.
• Skydance Media agrees to eliminate civil rights and DEI programs as condition of FCC merger approval — To obtain Federal Communications Commission approval of an $8 billion merger between CBS parent company Paramount and Skydance Media, Skydance agreed to eliminate programs related to civil rights, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and to produce "unbiased" journalism. FCC Chair Brendan Carr approved the merger and subsequently bragged on right-wing media that CBS agreed to install an internal political "bias monitor" reporting to Paramount's president to ensure news coverage favorable to Trump and the right wing.
• FCC approves Paramount and Skydance Media merger — The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved the merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media, which is valued at $8 billion. This approval comes after Skydance Media promised to eliminate Paramount's diversity, equity, and inclusion practices and to address perceived bias at CBS News to gain support from the administration. The merger is significant as it reflects the influence of political considerations on corporate practices in media.
• FCC approved Paramount-Skydance merger — The Federal Communications Commission approved the $8 billion merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media on July 25, 2025, after Skydance committed to eliminating Paramount's diversity, equity, and inclusion practices and addressing alleged bias at CBS News.
• Skydance Media promised to eliminate diversity and inclusion practices at Paramount to secure FCC merger approval — Skydance Media, in merger negotiations with Paramount Global requiring Federal Communications Commission approval, publicly committed to eliminating Paramount's diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices and rooting out alleged "bias" at CBS News. The commitment was made to win administration support for the $8 billion merger. The FCC approved the merger the same day.

Supporting reports

• Columbia University agrees to eliminate race and sex-based hiring in exchange for restored federal funding — After Columbia University agreed to pay $221 million and to promise it will not use "race, color, sex, or national origin" in hiring decisions, the Trump administration restored $1.3 billion in congressionally appropriated funding it had withheld over charges of antisemitism. Education Secretary Linda McMahon characterized the settlement as a "monumental victory for conservatives" seeking to reshape elite campuses by removing "far left leaning professors."
• Columbia University accepts federal funding restoration deal with Trump administration, agreeing to speech restrictions and disciplinary measures — Columbia University reached an agreement with the Trump administration to restore $400 million in federal funds that had been withheld over accusations of antisemitism. The deal requires Columbia to pay $221 million in settlements, codify restrictions on pro-Palestinian speech (including adoption of a controversial antisemitism definition conflating criticism of Israel with antisemitism), place an academic department under receivership, restrict protest activities, release admissions data, and submit to federal monitoring. The agreement follows the university's disciplining of approximately 80 students involved in pro-Palestinian protests and sparked divided reactions from faculty, students, and alumni.
• White House issues fact sheet on Columbia University settlement — The White House issued a fact sheet on July 24, 2025, announcing that President Trump secured a settlement with Columbia University to address alleged violations of federal civil rights laws. The settlement includes a $200 million payment to the United States, over $20 million to resolve alleged discrimination against Jewish employees, restrictions on racial discrimination in hiring and admissions, enhanced campus safety measures, reduced reliance on international student enrollment, and establishment of an independent monitor to ensure compliance.

Supporting reports

• EPA proposes rule eliminating the endangerment finding for greenhouse gases — The Environmental Protection Agency proposed a new rule to eliminate the endangerment finding established in 2009 that, based on scientific evidence, determined that greenhouse gas emissions like carbon dioxide and methane warm the planet and endanger human life. Most vehicle, factory, and power plant emissions standards currently in place derive from this finding. EPA officials told the New York Times they intend to argue that climate regulations, rather than greenhouse gas emissions themselves, cause harm to human health through higher prices and reduced consumer choice.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration awarded $1.26 billion detention facility contract — Bloomberg reported that the Trump administration awarded a $1.26 billion contract to build what would be the largest immigrant detention facility in the country at Fort Bliss, an Army base in Texas.
• Department of Defense awarded $1.26 billion contract for detention facility at Fort Bliss — The U.S. Department of Defense awarded a $1.26 billion contract to Acquisition Logistics to build the largest detention facility in the United States at Fort Bliss, an army base in El Paso, Texas. The facility will be designed to hold 5,000 people in tents and is expected to open in September 2027. The company awarded the contract appears not to have experience running detention centers.