Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• New York Governor Hochul requested $13.5 billion tariff refund — New York Governor Kathy Hochul formally requested that the Trump Administration refund $13.5 billion to New Yorkers in response to the consequences of the Supreme Court's decision on Trump's tariffs. At least 1,800 companies across the country are also seeking relief.

Supporting reports

• Trump meme coins collapse, retail investors lose billions — The Trump and Melania meme coins fell 92 percent and 99 percent respectively from their peaks. Retail investors absorbed overwhelming losses while insiders reportedly extracted significant fees and proceeds. Estimates showed retail losses exceeding $4.3 billion across nearly two million wallets. The collapse occurred amid Trump's promotion of other financial products, including "$100,000 'Fight, Fight, Fight' watches" on Fox News.

Supporting reports

• EPA finalizes repeal of 2024 MATS amendments for coal- and oil-fired power plants — The Environmental Protection Agency finalized a rule repealing key amendments to the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) promulgated in May 2024. The repeal eliminates the revised filterable particulate matter (fPM) emission standard (0.010 lb/MMBtu), the requirement for exclusive use of PM continuous emissions monitoring systems (CEMS) for compliance demonstration, and the revised mercury emission standard for lignite-fired units (1.2 lb/TBtu). The EPA reverts these standards to the 2012 MATS Rule levels, citing cost-effectiveness concerns and low remaining health risks. The rule becomes effective April 27, 2026, with estimated cost savings of $670 million (3% discount) to $490 million (7% discount) over 2028–2037.
• Trump administration grants blanket pollution exemptions to 71 coal plants — The Trump administration granted pollution exemptions to 71 coal plants across 24 states, allowing them to opt out of mercury pollution rules. All exemption requests were approved without denial, and many were granted for longer periods than operators requested. Exemptions were issued even when operators stated they possessed the technology to comply with pollution limits. The process involved operators simply emailing the president to request exemptions.
• Trump administration scraps mercury and air toxics standards for coal plants — The Trump administration formally reversed the 2024 Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) that had tightened limits on mercury, lead, arsenic, and other heavy metals from coal plants. The EPA's own analysis showed only 27 of 219 coal plants would need technological upgrades to comply. Despite this, the administration eliminated the standards entirely. Additionally, 71 coal plants across 24 states had previously received pollution exemptions via email requests to the president, all of which were approved without denial.

Supporting reports

• FedEx sues US government for refund of Trump tariffs ruled illegal by Supreme Court — FedEx filed a lawsuit in the US Court of International Trade on Monday, seeking a full refund of tariffs imposed by Donald Trump that the Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional last week. The suit names US Customs and Border Protection, its commissioner Rodney Scott, and the United States as defendants. The company did not specify a dollar amount but seeks reimbursement for duties paid. This marks the first major company attempt to recover from an estimated $175 billion in levies after the court found Trump exceeded his authority.
• FedEx sues US government for tariff refund — FedEx filed a lawsuit against the US government on Monday seeking a refund for tariffs paid following the Supreme Court's decision striking down the "liberation day" tariffs. The suit represents a private-sector challenge to the tariff regime and its retroactive application.

Supporting reports

• Business groups demand tariff refunds following Supreme Court ruling — Following the Supreme Court's 20 February ruling, major US business associations—including the National Retail Federation, US Chamber of Commerce, American Apparel and Footwear Association, and the coalition We Pay the Tariffs—formally demanded swift, automatic refunds of approximately $133 billion in tariffs collected under the now-struck-down IEEPA authority. Business leaders emphasized that small importers took loans, froze hiring, and canceled expansion plans to pay tariffs now deemed unlawful, and called on Customs and Border Protection to establish a clear refund process.

Supporting reports

• Multiple international tourists detained by ICE under expanded enforcement — Between January and July 2025, at least six international tourists were detained by ICE: German tourist Jessica Brösche (45 days, including 8 days solitary confinement, 25 January); Germans Lucas Sielaff and Fabian Schmidt (early February); British backpacker Rebecca Burke (19 days, late February); Canadian actor Jasmine Mooney (two weeks, March); and New Zealander Sarah Shaw and her six-year-old son (three weeks, July). Most were detained on suspicion of working without proper visas, though several had valid documentation. These cases represent a pattern of ICE detaining tourists and travelers under Trump's expanded enforcement directives.
• US tourism revenue declines $12.5 billion due to ICE detention crackdown — International tourism to the US declined sharply in 2025 following Trump's immigration enforcement crackdown. The US experienced 4.5 million fewer visits from international travelers; visits from Canada dropped 22%, from Germany 11%, and from the UK 15%. The World Travel & Tourism Council estimated the decline cost the US $12.5 billion in lost revenue. The decline reflects both the direct impact of high-profile detentions of tourists and the broader chilling effect of ICE's aggressive enforcement posture on international travel decisions.

Supporting reports

• Trump continues suspension of duty-free de minimis treatment for all imports, including postal shipments, imposing duties on goods previously exempt under 19 U.S.C. 1321(a)(2)(C). — President Trump issued Executive Order 14388 on February 20, 2026, continuing the suspension of duty-free de minimis treatment for all countries under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The order revises Executive Order 14324 to maintain duties on all shipments regardless of value or origin, including those sent through the international postal network. U.S. Customs and Border Protection will collect duties on postal shipments at rates specified in a February 20, 2026 proclamation imposing a temporary import surcharge. The order cites national emergencies related to drug trafficking, border security, synthetic opioids, and trade deficits as justification.
• Trump ends tariff actions imposed under emergency powers — President Trump signed Executive Order 14389 on February 20, 2026, terminating additional ad valorem duties imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) across nine prior executive orders addressing alleged threats from Canada, Mexico, China, Venezuela, Brazil, Russia, Cuba, and Iran. The order directs executive agencies to immediately cease collection of these tariffs, though it preserves other tariff actions under section 232 and section 301 authorities and leaves the underlying national emergency declarations intact.
• Trump suspends duty-free de minimis treatment for all imports, imposing tariffs on small-value shipments via postal network and other entry modes. — Executive Order 14388, signed February 20, 2026, continues the suspension of duty-free de minimis treatment under 19 U.S.C. 1321(a)(2)(C) for all countries and all shipments regardless of value or origin. The order directs U.S. Customs and Border Protection to collect duties on all qualifying shipments, including those sent through the international postal network, at rates specified in a concurrent temporary import surcharge proclamation. The order amends Executive Order 14324 (July 30, 2025) and becomes effective February 24, 2026. Implementation is delegated to the Secretary of Homeland Security.
• Trump issues executive order continuing suspension of duty-free de minimis treatment for all imports — President Trump issued an executive order on February 20, 2026, continuing the suspension of duty-free de minimis treatment under 19 U.S.C. 1321(a)(2)(C) for all countries. The order modifies prior tariff directives and establishes that U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall collect duties on all shipments, including those sent through the international postal network, effective February 24, 2026. The duty rate applied equals the temporary import surcharge established by a concurrent proclamation issued the same day.
• Trump revokes tariff duties imposed under emergency powers — President Trump issued an executive order on February 20, 2026, terminating additional ad valorem duties (tariffs) that had been imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) in nine prior executive orders addressing alleged threats from China, Brazil, Russia, Iran, Cuba, and illicit drug flows. The order directs executive agencies to immediately cease collection of these tariffs while preserving the underlying national emergency declarations and all other tariff actions under different statutory authorities (Section 232 and Section 301).
• President Trump signed Executive Order 14389 terminating ad valorem tariff duties imposed under prior emergency declarations. — On February 20, 2026, President Trump signed Executive Order 14389, which terminates the collection of additional ad valorem duties imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) in nine prior executive orders issued between February 2025 and February 2026. These orders had declared national emergencies related to drug flows, border situations, synthetic opioids, Venezuelan oil imports, reciprocal trade practices, and threats from Brazil, Russia, Cuba, and Iran. The order directs executive agencies to immediately cease collection of these tariffs, though it preserves the underlying national emergency declarations and other non-tariff actions taken under those orders. The order does not affect duties imposed under other statutory authorities, including section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act or section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.
• Trump issued proclamation imposing temporary 10 percent import surcharge for 150 days — President Trump issued a proclamation on February 20, 2026, imposing a temporary 10 percent ad valorem import surcharge effective February 24, 2026, for 150 days (through July 24, 2026), citing fundamental international payments problems including large trade deficits and a negative net international investment position. The proclamation exempts certain products including critical minerals, energy, agricultural goods, pharmaceuticals, vehicles, aerospace products, and goods from Canada, Mexico, and Central American trade partners. The surcharge is authorized under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974.
• White House issues fact sheet attributing economic growth to Trump agenda and blaming Democratic shutdown for GDP reduction — The White House issued a fact sheet claiming that President Trump's economic policies drove robust 2025 GDP growth despite a 43-day government shutdown attributed to Democrats. The document cites administration officials and external economists estimating the shutdown reduced GDP growth by 1.0–2.0 percentage points, and asserts that without the shutdown, growth would have been higher. The fact sheet frames the shutdown as deliberate Democratic harm and positions Trump's tax cuts, deregulation, tariffs, and energy policies as drivers of recovery.
• White House issues fact sheet on temporary import duty proclamation — The White House published a fact sheet on February 20, 2026, describing President Trump's signing of a proclamation imposing a temporary 10% ad valorem import duty on most articles imported into the United States, effective February 24, 2026, for 150 days. The fact sheet states the duty is authorized under section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 and is intended to address the U.S. balance-of-payments deficit. Specified categories of goods—including critical minerals, energy, certain agricultural products, pharmaceuticals, and USMCA-compliant goods—are exempted. The fact sheet claims the measure will stem dollar outflow, incentivize domestic production, create jobs, and lower consumer costs.
• White House signed executive order continuing suspension of duty-free de minimis treatment for imports — President Trump signed Executive Order 14388 on February 20, 2026, continuing the suspension of duty-free de minimis treatment for all countries under 19 U.S.C. 1321(a)(2)(C). The order directs U.S. Customs and Border Protection to collect duties on all shipments, including those sent through the international postal network, effective February 24, 2026. The order states the suspension is necessary to address national emergencies declared in prior executive orders concerning drug flows, border security, synthetic opioid supply chains, and trade deficits.

Supporting reports

• Trump invokes Defense Production Act to mandate domestic elemental phosphorus and glyphosate production, delegating authority to Secretary of Agriculture. — President Trump signed Executive Order 14387 on February 18, 2026, invoking the Defense Production Act of 1950 to designate elemental phosphorus and glyphosate-based herbicides as critical to national defense. The order delegates authority to the Secretary of Agriculture to allocate materials, set nationwide priorities, and issue orders ensuring adequate domestic supply. The EO shields domestic producers from corporate viability risk and grants them immunity under the Act. The order cites phosphorus's role in military devices, semiconductors, and batteries, and glyphosate's role in agricultural productivity.
• Trump issued executive order delegating Defense Production Act authority to Secretary of Agriculture to ensure domestic supply of elemental phosphorus and glyphosate-based herbicides — President Donald Trump issued an executive order on February 18, 2026, invoking the Defense Production Act to delegate authority to the Secretary of Agriculture to prioritize and allocate materials, services, and facilities to ensure adequate domestic supply of elemental phosphorus and glyphosate-based herbicides. The order designates these substances as critical to national defense and agricultural productivity, citing their use in military devices, semiconductors, lithium-ion batteries, and crop protection. The Secretary is directed to issue orders and regulations ensuring domestic producers' corporate viability is not jeopardized.
• Trump signed executive order invoking Defense Production Act to ensure domestic supply of elemental phosphorus and glyphosate-based herbicides — President Trump signed an executive order on February 18, 2026, invoking the Defense Production Act of 1950 to designate elemental phosphorus and glyphosate-based herbicides as critical to national defense. The order delegates authority to the Secretary of Agriculture to allocate materials and prioritize domestic production, stating that the U.S. imports over 6 million kilograms of elemental phosphorus annually and has only one domestic producer. The order directs the Secretary to ensure domestic producer viability and grants immunity to compliant producers under section 707 of the Act.
• White House issued fact sheet on Defense Production Act order for phosphorus and herbicide supply chains — The White House published a fact sheet on February 18, 2026, describing an executive order signed by President Trump that day invoking the Defense Production Act to mobilize domestic production of elemental phosphorus and glyphosate-based herbicides. The order delegates Defense Production Act authority to the Secretary of Agriculture to allocate materials and ensure supply continuity, framing both substances as critical to military readiness and food security. The fact sheet states the order directs the Secretary of Agriculture to issue implementing regulations in consultation with the Secretary of War.
• Trump administration issued executive order to ramp up domestic glyphosate production — The Trump administration announced an executive order aimed at spurring domestic production of glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup weedkiller. The move immediately provoked backlash from supporters of RFK Jr.'s "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) movement, who had been promised health reform. RFK Jr., now Health Secretary, had previously campaigned against glyphosate as a carcinogen and promised to ban its use as a desiccant on wheat. Despite the contradiction, Kennedy issued a statement supporting the president's decision. MAHA activists and advocates expressed outrage, viewing the order as a betrayal of the movement's core health agenda and a gift to the pesticide industry.
• Trump executive order provides legal protections for glyphosate manufacturers — Trump issued an executive order expected to provide legal protections for chemical manufacturers tied to glyphosate-based products as he seeks to increase production of the chemical found in weed killers. The move contradicts RFK Jr.'s stated position one month prior that glyphosate causes cancer. RFK Jr. is now supporting Trump's action despite his earlier public statements on the carcinogenic properties of the chemical.

Supporting reports

• EPA Rescission of 2009 Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding and Repeal of Motor Vehicle GHG Emission Standards — The Environmental Protection Agency issued a final rule rescinding the 2009 Endangerment Finding for greenhouse gas emissions from new motor vehicles and engines and repealing all associated GHG emission standards for light-duty, medium-duty, and heavy-duty vehicles and engines under Clean Air Act section 202(a)(1). The EPA concluded that the statute does not authorize regulation of GHG emissions based on global climate change concerns, that the major questions doctrine bars such authority, and that GHG standards are futile in addressing identified climate risks. The rule eliminates all GHG measurement, reporting, and compliance obligations for manufacturers of model years 2012 and beyond, effective April 20, 2026.

Supporting reports

• Trump Media stock collapsed to all-time low amid massive business losses and failed diversification strategy — Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), parent of Truth Social and majority-owned by President Trump, saw its stock (DJT) plummet from a peak of $62 in March 2024 to below $10 per share by February 2026. Despite Trump's extensive personal promotion on Truth Social, the company reported only $972,000 in quarterly revenue against a $58.4 million net loss in Q3 2025. Truth Social has approximately 359,000 daily active users versus 100+ million for competitors X and Threads. TMTG's diversification efforts—including a $2.5 billion Bitcoin purchase at $108,000 per coin (now worth $67,000), a $51 million loss on Crypto.com tokens, and a proposed $6 billion merger with nuclear fusion company TAE Technologies—have failed to stabilize the business or stock price.
• Trump administration dropped SEC investigation into Crypto.com, which then became TMTG's major business partner — Under the Biden administration, Crypto.com faced an SEC investigation. After Trump took office, the administration terminated the inquiry. Shortly thereafter, Crypto.com became TMTG's most significant business partner. In September 2025, TMTG announced it would offer Crypto.com's Cronos tokens (CRO) as rewards on Truth Social and purchased 684.4 million CRO tokens at 15.3 cents each. The partnership also included plans for a joint prediction market platform called Truth Predict. The timing and sequence—regulatory relief followed by lucrative business partnership—suggests potential quid pro quo dynamics.

Supporting reports

• David Stockman criticizes Trump administration policies — David Stockman, Reagan's former Budget Director, stated that Rep. Tom Massie is "literally throwing his body and his career in the path of the Trumpian madness," including unhinged protectionism, worsening budget deficits, massive pressure on the Federal Reserve to print inflationary money, rampant law enforcement authoritarianism, bully boy foreign policy actions such as kidnapping foreign presidents or bombing foreign cities that pose no threats to homeland security, and another round of free spending from a bankrupt government.

Supporting reports

• DHS/ICE announces $38.3bn warehouse-to-detention-center conversion plan across 24 facilities — US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) disclosed plans to acquire and retrofit 24 warehouses nationwide into immigration detention centers with capacity for tens of thousands of detainees. The plan includes 16 regional processing centers (1,000–1,500 capacity each) and 8 large-scale facilities (7,000–10,000 capacity) designated as "primary locations" for deportations. DHS estimates $158m to retrofit a Merrimack, New Hampshire facility and $146m to operate it over three years. The broader $38.3bn effort is intended to support mass deportations and is funded by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
• ICE expands facilities across United States — ICE has quietly and aggressively expanded across the United States in recent months, buying or leasing new facilities in nearly every state, many outside the country's largest cities but concentrated in Texas. DHS asked the General Services Administration to ignore competitive bidding rules and hide lease listings citing "national security concerns."
• ICE plans $38.3 billion detention center expansion — ICE officials are planning to spend $38.3 billion to buy warehouses across the country. ICE will retrofit sixteen of them to become processing centers that can hold 1,000 to 1,500 detainees at a time before funneling them into eight megacenters that can hold up to 10,000 detainees each.

Supporting reports

• CoreCivic revenue from ICE contracts more than doubled in 2025 — CoreCivic, a private prison company, reported that its revenue from ICE contracts more than doubled in 2025, rising from $120.3 million to $244.7 million. The company's overall profits spiked to $116.5 million, a 70% increase from the previous year. During a quarterly earnings call, investors expressed concern that ICE had not detained as many immigrants as expected, with detention levels at approximately 70,000 rather than the anticipated 100,000. CoreCivic projects even higher revenue for 2026.

Supporting reports

• OMB director diverted USAID appropriations to personal security detail — Office of Management and Budget director Russell Vought took $15 million in unlawfully impounded money that Congress had appropriated for the U.S. Agency for International Development—funds designated to feed starving children—and redirected it to his own security detail, according to Reuters reporting citing documents.

Supporting reports

• EPA revoked endangerment finding for greenhouse gas emissions — The Environmental Protection Agency revoked the endangerment finding that has been the basis for regulating emissions from cars and power plants since 2009. The finding reflected scientific consensus that greenhouse gases produced by burning fossil fuels endanger the health and general welfare of the American people. The Trump administration claims the revocation will save Americans $1.3 trillion, primarily through cheaper cars and trucks, but did not factor in costs of extreme weather or pollution-related health issues.
• Trump administration announces repeal of 2009 endangerment finding on greenhouse gases — The Trump administration, led by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, announced it will formally rescind the 2009 Obama-era endangerment finding that determined CO2 and other greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare. This finding has served as the legal foundation for federal climate regulations under the Clean Air Act. The White House press secretary characterized the action as "the largest deregulatory action in American history." Environmental groups have pledged legal challenges, arguing the move will expose Americans to climate risks and health harms while benefiting fossil fuel interests.
• Trump EPA rescinds 2009 endangerment finding, eliminating legal basis for federal climate regulations — The Trump administration, through EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, finalized the rescission of the 2009 endangerment finding—the legal foundation for all federal climate regulations under the Clean Air Act. The administration characterized this as the "largest deregulatory action in American history" and claimed it would save $1.3 trillion, though provided no methodology. Environmental groups including the Natural Resources Defense Council, Earthjustice, and Sierra Club pledged immediate litigation. The move follows Trump's campaign-trail request for $1 billion from oil executives in exchange for scrapping environmental rules.
• Trump EPA revokes endangerment finding, eliminating climate pollution regulation authority — The Trump administration's EPA, led by Administrator Lee Zeldin, revoked the 2009 endangerment finding that authorized the agency to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles, power plants, and industrial sources under the Clean Air Act. Trump called it "the single largest deregulatory action in American history." The move eliminates the EPA's legal basis to impose emissions tracking, reporting, and limits on transportation sources, though stationary sources remain technically covered under a separate Clean Air Act section. Environmental groups and California have pledged legal challenges; experts project 18 billion additional tons of planet-warming pollution by 2055 and up to $4.7 trillion in climate and air-pollution costs.
• EPA moves to revoke greenhouse gas emissions authority — The Environmental Protection Agency moved to revoke its longstanding authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the endangerment finding. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin claimed the endangerment finding, which stated that greenhouse gases pose a threat to human health, was built on a "con job" and asserted that climate change does not endanger public health.
• White House issues fact sheet announcing EPA revocation of 2009 Endangerment Finding — The White House issued a fact sheet announcing that President Trump has revoked the EPA's 2009 "Endangerment Finding" that classified greenhouse gases as harmful to human health under the Clean Air Act. The document claims this action eliminates the regulatory foundation for vehicle emissions standards, fuel economy mandates, and power plant regulations. The fact sheet asserts the revocation will save American families an average of $2,400 on vehicle purchases and reduce overall regulatory costs by $1.3 trillion. The announcement includes statements from industry groups, conservative organizations, and Republican officials supporting the action.

Supporting reports

• Congress allocates $45 billion for ICE detention expansion — In the Republicans' July 2025 budget reconciliation bill, called the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Congress allocated $45 billion in additional funding for ICE detention. This funding supports the expansion of detention capacity and facilities.

Supporting reports

• DHS purchases three major detention facilities for $194.4 million — The Department of Homeland Security has secured at least three facilities for the detention warehouse system. DHS paid $87.4 million for one facility outside Philadelphia, $37 million for another outside San Antonio (a warehouse of nearly 640,000 square feet), and $70 million for a building the size of seven football fields in Surprise, Arizona, outside Phoenix. The total expenditure for these three facilities is $194.4 million.
• ICE purchased multiple warehouses nationwide to convert into large-scale detention camps with minimal oversight — Immigration and Customs Enforcement has spent over half a billion dollars purchasing warehouses across the country to convert into detention camps. The planned facilities would hold between 8,500 and 10,000 people each in buildings not originally designed for human habitation, making them larger than Rikers Island, the physically largest jail in the United States. ICE has purchased at least six warehouses at costs of $70–$110 million each, with billions more required for retrofitting and staffing. Recent purchases include warehouses in multiple states. Immigration attorney Aaron Reichlin-Melnick noted these mega-camps would operate with little to no real oversight.
• DHS and ICE acquire multiple large warehouse properties across six states for immigration detention expansion — The Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement have purchased or are planning to acquire approximately 23 warehouse-style properties nationwide, with confirmed acquisitions documented in Arizona (418,000 sq ft, $70M), Pennsylvania (520,000 sq ft, $87.4M), Texas (640,000 sq ft, $66.1M), Maryland (825,000+ sq ft, $102.4M), Texas near El Paso (over $122M), and Georgia. Additional proposals include a Mississippi facility designed to hold 8,500+ beds and a Texas site in Hutchins. The acquisitions bypass traditional approval processes by utilizing already-zoned industrial properties, enabling rapid expansion of detention and processing capacity.
• DHS and ICE Acquire Large Warehouses for Detention Expansion — The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have been acquiring large industrial warehouse properties across multiple states to expand immigration detention and processing capacity. Confirmed purchases include a 418,000-square-foot warehouse in Surprise, Arizona, a 520,000-square-foot facility in Upper Bern Township, Pennsylvania, a 640,000-square-foot site in San Antonio, Texas, an 825,000-square-foot warehouse in Washington County, Maryland, and a property in Socorro, Texas. These acquisitions are part of a broader strategy involving approximately 23 warehouse-style properties nationwide, as reported by the Washington Post.
• Oklahoma City warehouse owner terminates DHS detention facility negotiations following public opposition — A warehouse owner in Oklahoma City ended negotiations with the Department of Homeland Security for use as an ICE detention facility after public opposition and community scrutiny. The outcome demonstrates that local engagement and documentation can alter federal acquisition outcomes.
• DHS purchased six warehouse properties for detention infrastructure — Public records confirm that the Department of Homeland Security has purchased at least six massive warehouse properties across multiple states totaling hundreds of millions of dollars: Arizona (418,000 sq ft, $70M), Pennsylvania (520,000 sq ft, $87.4M), Texas (640,000 sq ft, $66.1M), Maryland (825,000+ sq ft, $102.4M), another Texas site ($122M+), and Georgia. Internal DHS planning documents describe a strategy involving approximately 23 warehouse-style properties nationwide. These industrial structures near highways, freight corridors, and airports are selected for logistical efficiency and rapid conversion into processing centers capable of handling large numbers of individuals simultaneously.

Supporting reports

• Freedom 250 group offers access to Trump for $1 million donations — Trump's allies are offering access to the President and other perks to donors who give at least $1 million to Freedom 250, a new group supporting initiatives planned around the nation's 250th birthday. The group has emerged as another vehicle through which people and companies with interests before the Trump administration can make tax-deductible donations to gain access to and seek favor with the President. Donors giving $1 million or more receive invitations to a private thank-you reception with Trump and a historic photo opportunity; those giving $2.5 million or more also receive speaking roles at a July 4 event in DC.
• Freedom 250 events tailored to Trump's political agenda — Freedom 250's planned events and monuments lack obvious connections to seminal moments in the nation's founding but are instead tailored to Trump's political agenda and his penchant for spectacle and personal branding. Planned initiatives include construction of an arch overlooking DC, an IndyCar race through the capital, a national prayer event, and a UFC Championship match on the White House lawn to coincide with the President's 80th birthday. Meredith O'Rourke, the President's top fundraiser, is amassing private donations for the group.

Supporting reports

• ICE director calls for treating deportation like Amazon Prime business model — In April 2025, Todd Lyons, acting director of ICE, told attendees at the Border Security Expo in Phoenix, Arizona, that "We need to get better at treating this like a business." He called for a deportation process "like [Amazon] Prime, but with human beings," framing the removal of immigrants as a commercial operation rather than a legal process.

Supporting reports

• Trump revokes fishing restrictions in Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument — President Trump issued Proclamation 11009, revoking Proclamation 10287 and reinstating Proclamation 10049 to permit commercial fishing within the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument in the Atlantic Ocean. The 4,913-square-mile monument, originally designated by President Obama under the Antiquities Act, had been closed to commercial fishing by President Biden in 2021. Trump's proclamation asserts that existing federal fisheries laws and environmental statutes provide adequate protection for marine resources and that well-regulated commercial fishing poses no significant risk to the monument's scientific and historic objects.
• Trump revokes Biden proclamation, reopens Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument to commercial fishing — President Trump issued a proclamation on February 6, 2026, revoking Proclamation 10287 (issued by President Biden on October 8, 2021) and reinstating Proclamation 10049 (issued by Trump on June 5, 2020), which permits commercial fishing within the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument in the Atlantic Ocean. The proclamation covers approximately 4,913 square miles of waters and submerged lands. Trump's order states that existing federal laws, including the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the Endangered Species Act, provide sufficient protection for marine resources and that "appropriately managed commercial fishing would not put the objects of historic and scientific interest that the monument protects at risk."
• White House issued fact sheet promoting proclamation opening Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument to commercial fishing — The White House published a fact sheet on February 6, 2026, promoting a proclamation signed by President Trump that revokes protections on the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument (4,913 square miles off New England), restoring commercial fishing access. The fact sheet states the proclamation removes restrictions established by President Obama in 2016 and reinstated by President Biden in 2021, claiming the action supports coastal fishing communities and economic growth while asserting that commercial fishing restrictions are unnecessary for monument management.

Supporting reports

• Trump profited $4.05 billion from presidency in first year — The New Yorker's David Kirkpatrick calculated that Trump and his immediate family made $4.05 billion in the past year off the presidency, using a conservative methodology that excluded pre-existing businesses, long-standing extensions of those businesses, and illiquid assets like Truth Social shares. Even with these exclusions, the figure reached $3.4 billion by August 2025, with additional profits accumulated since then. The calculation does not account for political fundraising or assets that could not be readily liquidated.

Supporting reports

• Wall Street Journal reported secret $500 million deal between Trump family and Abu Dhabi royal — The Wall Street Journal reported that Abu Dhabi royal Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan reached a secret $500 million deal with the Trump family four days before Trump's second-term inauguration. As part of the deal, Tahnoon purchased a 49% stake in World Liberty Financial, the Trump family's cryptocurrency venture. The transaction occurred two months before the UAE secured a separate deal with the Trump administration to access American AI chips for building a major AI data center cluster.
• Abu Dhabi royal invested $500 million in Trump family cryptocurrency venture — Four days before Trump's 2025 inauguration, Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, an Abu Dhabi royal and brother to the UAE's president, secretly signed a deal to purchase a 49% stake in World Liberty Financial, a Trump family cryptocurrency venture, for $500 million. The deal, signed by Eric Trump, directed $187 million to Trump family entities and at least $31 million to entities affiliated with Steve Witkoff's family. Tahnoon had previously been denied access to advanced AI chips under the Biden administration due to concerns about ties to sanctioned Chinese firms, but the Trump administration later committed to providing the UAE with approximately 500,000 advanced AI chips annually.
• Trump received UAE investment in World Liberty crypto company — The Wall Street Journal reported that the royal family of Abu Dhabi invested hundreds of millions of dollars in World Liberty, Trump's crypto company, shortly before Trump agreed to the sale of advanced AI chips to the UAE. When asked about the investment, Trump stated he did not know details but acknowledged his son and family were handling the matter. The timing of the investment relative to the AI chip sale approval raised questions about potential conflicts of interest.

Supporting reports

• Trump officials approved Venezuelan oil deals worth $500 million — Trump administration officials approved Venezuelan oil deals worth $500 million involving trading houses with documented histories of bribery and corruption. Court records show those firms were previously prosecuted by the U.S. Department of Justice. One senior trader connected to the deals donated $6 million to Trump's campaign. The oil sales routed money through foreign bank accounts, creating glaring conflicts of interest.

Supporting reports

• Trump, his sons, and Trump Organization sue IRS for $10 billion over tax document leak — President Donald Trump, his sons Donald Jr. and Eric, and the Trump Organization filed a lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service seeking $10 billion in damages, claiming the agency was responsible for an IRS contractor's leak of Trump's tax documents to the press. The leaked documents showed Trump paid no income tax to the U.S. for fifteen of twenty years while paying approximately $200,000 in taxes to China. The lawsuit alleges the leak caused "reputational and financial harm, public embarrassment," and "unfairly tarnished their business reputations."
• Trump sued IRS and Treasury for $10 billion over tax record leaks — Donald Trump, his two eldest sons, and his family business sued the IRS and Treasury Department over alleged leaks of their confidential tax information. The plaintiffs seek at least $10 billion in damages in a civil complaint filed in Miami federal court. The lawsuit alleges the IRS and Treasury failed to prevent the leak of tax records by former IRS employee Charles Littlejohn in 2019 and 2020. Trump's legal team stated "The IRS wrongly allowed a rogue, politically-motivated employee to leak private and confidential information about President Trump, his family, and the Trump Org to the NYT, ProPublica and other left-wing news outlets." This is the second major lawsuit filed by Trump against the government where Attorney General Pam Bondi will decide whether to settle and for how much.

Supporting reports

• EPA initiates 66 environmental rollbacks and reduces workforce by 25 percent — The EPA under Trump has initiated 66 environmental rollbacks in its first year, including limits on mercury and soot from cars and power plants, cancellation of renewable energy grants, elimination of clean water protections, and removal of climate crisis mentions from agency websites. The agency's 16,000-person workforce has been reduced by approximately 25 percent through firings and early retirements, with entire divisions including the Office of Research and Development slated for closure. Enforcement actions against polluters have plummeted.
• EPA rescinds endangerment finding and eliminates human health cost consideration in pollution regulations — The EPA under administrator Lee Zeldin announced it would rescind the 2009 "endangerment finding"—a Supreme Court-affirmed determination that greenhouse gases harm human health—effectively demolishing federal climate regulations. Separately, the EPA said it would no longer assign monetary value to human health costs from air pollutants when setting standards, while still weighing industry compliance costs. The agency has initiated 66 environmental rollbacks in its first year, including paring back pollution limits, cancelling renewable grants, and deleting climate references from its website.