Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Texas enacts Senate Bill 17 restricting property purchases by Chinese, Iranian, Russian, and North Korean nationals — Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 17 into law, prohibiting nationals from China, Iran, Russia, and North Korea from purchasing most types of real estate in the state. The law permits limited exemptions for those with lawful status and US residency, such as primary residence purchases, but bars additional property acquisitions including commercial buildings, farmland, and rental homes. The measure was justified on national security grounds despite evidence to the contrary. Legal challenges have been filed arguing the law violates the Fair Housing Act and the Constitution's protections against national-origin discrimination.

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• Steve Witkoff met with UAE official and facilitated investment deals — The New York Times reported that President Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff met with Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who controls $1.5 trillion of UAE sovereign wealth, on a yacht in Sardinia. Over subsequent months, Witkoff and Sheikh Tahnoon became "both diplomatic allies and business partners." In May, Witkoff's son Zach announced that one of Sheikh Tahnoon's investment firms would deposit $2 billion into World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency startup founded by the Witkoffs and Trumps. Two weeks later, the White House agreed to allow the UAE access to hundreds of thousands of advanced computer chips crucial for AI development, with many chips going to G42, a firm controlled by Sheikh Tahnoon, despite national security concerns about sharing with China.
• Trump administration permitted UAE access to advanced computer chips — The Trump administration permitted the United Arab Emirates to gain access to hundreds of thousands of the world's scarcest and most advanced computer chips as part of a deal to develop the UAE into an artificial intelligence powerhouse. G42, a technology company controlled by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, would receive many of the chips. This occurred two weeks after an investment firm controlled by Sheikh Tahnoon announced a $2 billion investment in World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency startup founded by the Trump family and Steve Witkoff, Trump's Middle East envoy.

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• Rep. Jason Crow challenged Stephen Miller on targeting service members — Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO) posted on X challenging Stephen Miller's framing, stating that "Hunting down and prosecuting service members for their individual political beliefs is dangerous and un-American." Crow called for condemning political violence while protecting peaceful speech. Miller responded by mischaracterizing Crow's statement as defending assassination, and Crow countered that Miller was using tragedy to target political opponents and incite more violence.

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• Supreme Court allows Slaughter firing to proceed pending appeal — The US Supreme Court issued an order allowing Trump's firing of FTC Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter to take effect while the Court agreed to hear full arguments on the merits of the case. The order drew dissents from the three liberal justices, signaling deep disagreement over presidential removal power and independent agency protections.

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• Justice Department filed motion for summary judgment challenging Vermont's climate liability statute — The Department of Justice's Environment and Natural Resources Division filed a motion for summary judgment on September 16, 2025, challenging Vermont's "climate superfund" law, which imposes liability on energy companies for alleged past contributions to climate change. The DOJ characterized the statute as unconstitutional state overreach that violates federal authority over greenhouse gas emissions and threatens energy production. The motion was filed in support of an earlier complaint filed in May 2025, alongside a similar challenge to New York's statute, both framed as advancing President Trump's executive order to protect American energy from state regulation.
• Trump DOJ files motion to declare Vermont Climate Superfund Act unconstitutional — The Trump administration's Department of Justice filed a motion in federal court in Burlington, Vermont, seeking to shut down the state's Climate Superfund Act, which requires major polluters to pay for carbon emissions and climate damages. The DOJ argued the law was "unlawful on its face" and asked the court to declare it unconstitutional and permanently enjoin its enforcement. This follows a DOJ and EPA lawsuit filed four months earlier against Vermont and New York over similar climate accountability laws.

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• Peter Thiel hosts series of off-the-record lectures on antichrist theology and apocalyptic politics — Between September 15 and October 6, 2025, tech billionaire and political operative Peter Thiel hosted four ticketed lectures ($200 per ticket, sold out) in San Francisco on the antichrist, apocalypse, and end-times theology. Attendees were forbidden from recording or photographing the events. Thiel argued that a future antichrist figure would consolidate global power by exploiting fears of existential threats (climate change, AI, nuclear war) to impose technological stagnation and one-world government. He identified potential antichrist-adjacent figures including Greta Thunberg, Eliezer Yudkowsky, and others he views as "luddites," while defending figures like Marc Andreessen and Elon Musk. The lectures blended biblical exegesis, conspiracy theory, and political commentary, with Thiel expressing skepticism of international institutions (UN, ICC) and support for JD Vance as a katechon (restraining force).

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• Trump filed $15 billion lawsuit against New York Times — President Trump filed a $15 billion lawsuit against the New York Times and several of its leading reporters, alleging the newspaper is "a full-throated mouthpiece of the Democrat Party." The case filing praised Trump extensively for his success as a politician, entertainer, and entrepreneur. The New York Times responded that the case "lacks any legitimate legal claims and instead is an attempt to stifle and discourage independent reporting."
• Trump files $15 billion defamation lawsuit against New York Times — Donald Trump filed a defamation lawsuit in a Florida district court against the New York Times, book publisher Penguin, and several Times reporters, seeking $15 billion plus punitive damages and court costs. The suit alleges that Times reporting on Trump's role in The Apprentice, his inheritance from his father, and comments attributed to former chief of staff John Kelly about Trump's admiration for Hitler were false and designed to damage his business, personal, and political reputation. Trump argues the Times acted with malice and engaged in election interference through the timing and framing of its reporting.
• ABC and CBS settled Trump lawsuits after his election victory — Donald Trump filed a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against the New York Times in Florida district court, accusing the newspaper of being a "mouthpiece" for the Democratic Party and spreading false content about him. The suit targets articles and a book by Times journalists published before the 2024 election, claiming intentional malicious defamation. The Times responded that the lawsuit lacks merit and is an attempt to intimidate and stifle independent reporting.
• Pattern of Trump lawsuits against media organizations to suppress coverage — ABC and CBS, both defendants in Trump defamation lawsuits, reached settlements with Trump after his election victory in November 2024. David Enrich, deputy investigations editor at the New York Times, states: "I do not think it was a coincidence that they rushed to reach a settlement after Trump was elected, as opposed to before Trump was elected. I think that speaks pretty clearly to the power dynamics at play here and the fact that some major American institutions are not comfortable going up against the president."
• Trump sued the New York Times for $15 billion over 2024 election coverage — Trump has filed a series of lawsuits against major news organizations—ABC, CBS, the Des Moines Register, and the Wall Street Journal—over election coverage. ABC and CBS rushed to settle after Trump's election victory, according to David Enrich, deputy investigations editor at the New York Times. Enrich notes this represents a precedent-breaking use of presidential power: "Until a few weeks ago, when Trump sued the Wall Street Journal over the Epstein birthday book, a sitting United States president had never sued a news organization while in office."
• — President Trump filed a $15 billion lawsuit against the New York Times on September 17, 2025, alleging the paper published "malicious, defamatory, and disparaging articles" during the 2024 election. The articles, adapted from the book "Lucky Loser" by Times investigative journalists, detailed Trump's inheritance of hundreds of millions of dollars, consistent business losses, and bailouts by others. The lawsuit is part of a broader pattern: Trump has sued ABC, CBS, the Des Moines Register, and the Wall Street Journal over election coverage, with ABC and CBS settling after his election victory.

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• Trump attacked NFL over injury-prevention rule — One day after most NFL teams recognized Charlie Kirk in various ways before their games, President Trump attacked the league for a new kickoff rule designed to reduce serious injuries, calling it "ridiculous looking" and "Sissy football" that is "bad for America, and bad for the NFL."

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• Attorney General Bondi issues official DOJ statement linking murder to Democratic criminal justice policies — Attorney General Pam Bondi issued an official Department of Justice statement on or before September 15 stating: "Iryna Zarutska was a young woman living the American dream — her horrific murder is a direct result of failed soft-on-crime policies that put criminals before innocent people." The statement attributed the murder to Democratic policies without evidence. The article documents that the suspect was released in January 2025 for a misdemeanor 911 call; Cooper's June 2020 executive order created only an advisory task force whose recommendations were never enacted and preceded the suspect's actual release by months.

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• Kari Lake spoke at Charlie Kirk memorial service — At a memorial service for Charlie Kirk held at the Kennedy Center, Kari Lake delivered remarks attributing Kirk's assassin's radicalization to college indoctrination, calling on mothers not to send children to universities. Lake claimed the 22-year-old killer had been a Trump supporter five years earlier before being "brainwashed" by leftist institutions.
• Karoline Leavitt spoke at Charlie Kirk memorial service — White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt spoke at Kirk's memorial service, framing Kirk as offering "an alternative path" to influential voices she characterized as "brainwashing young people to abandon our faith, to stay single, not to have children and to bash our country."
• Trump skipped Charlie Kirk memorial service — President Trump did not attend the memorial service for Charlie Kirk held at the Kennedy Center, choosing instead to remain at his Bedminster golf club for the weekend.
• Trump unfamiliar with assassination of Democratic state representative — A reporter asked President Trump why he did not order flags to be flown at half-staff for Minnesota Democratic State Rep. Melissa Hortman, who was assassinated by a right-wing extremist in June. Trump responded "Uh, I'm not familiar, who?" indicating he was unaware of the killing of a state legislator by a political extremist.

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• ICE used Kirk assassination to recruit new agents — The Department of Homeland Security held a career expo at the Utah Valley Convention Center, located only miles from where Charlie Kirk was murdered, explicitly using the assassination as a recruitment tool. DHS messaging stated that "Like Charlie, DHS, under President Trump and Secretary Noem, will NEVER cower to those who threaten America."

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• Mayor Bowser halts MPD cooperation with ICE immigration enforcement — Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser issued an executive order creating an "emergency operations center" that coordinated with federal law enforcement agencies but explicitly excluded Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In a press conference, Bowser stated that immigration enforcement is not the role of the Metropolitan Police Department and would not be in the future. Her administration signaled support for federal agents patrolling the city while maintaining that violent crime had "notably decreased."
• Trump administration's 30-day police takeover of Washington DC expires — A 30-day takeover of the Washington Metropolitan Police Department that Trump ordered on August 11 expired in mid-September. During the takeover, Trump deployed national guard troops and federal agents across DC. An Associated Press analysis found that approximately 40% of the more than 2,300 arrests credited to the takeover were immigration-related. The Trump administration requested Congress extend the emergency, but the Republican-controlled House and Senate declined to vote on the extension.
• Trump threatens national emergency to force DC police cooperation with immigration enforcement — President Trump threatened on Monday to declare a national emergency and federalize Washington DC's police department if the city did not cooperate with immigration enforcement operations. The threat followed the expiration of a 30-day police takeover Trump had ordered in August, citing crime concerns. Mayor Muriel Bowser issued an executive order halting MPD cooperation with ICE arrests. Trump's statement on Truth Social warned that without federal control, "CRIME would come roaring back," despite violent crime in DC being at 30-year lows.

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• Trump threatened to withhold federal funding from New York over mayoral candidate — President Trump threatened to withhold federal funding from New York if the state elects Zohran Mamdani as mayor of New York City, calling him a "Liddle Communist" and stating "Washington will be watching this situation very closely. No reason to be sending good money after bad!"
• Trump warned Hochul over Mamdani endorsement — After New York Governor Kathy Hochul endorsed Zohran Mamdani in New York City's mayoral election, Trump warned, "Washington will be watching this situation very closely. No reason to be sending good money after bad!" The statement represents federal interference in a local election.

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• Trump administration deploys ICE and threatens National Guard deployment to Chicago citing crime — The Trump administration has ramped up Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Chicago and threatened or sent National Guard deployments to the city, citing violent crime as justification. Chicago violence prevention workers and community organizers argue this approach exploits the city's crime narrative to normalize military force on streets and expand surveillance in already over-policed neighborhoods, rather than addressing root causes like poverty and lack of investment.
• Trump announces intention to deploy national guard to Chicago — During remarks at the White House on Monday, Trump stated that his administration would deploy national guard troops to Chicago "probably next" and indicated the deployment would proceed regardless of opposition from Illinois Democratic governor JB Pritzker. Trump also floated St. Louis, New Orleans, and Baltimore as potential future targets for similar deployments, stating "We want to save these places."
• Trump deploys national guard to Memphis; Democratic officials challenge deployment in state court — On September 15, 2025, President Trump signed a memo mobilizing the national guard to Memphis, Tennessee, citing the city's high murder rate. On November 4, 2025, a state chancery court in Nashville heard a legal challenge filed by Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris, state representatives Gabby Salinas and GA Hardaway, and other Democratic officials, with ACLU support, arguing the deployment violates state law and lacks proper authorization. The city of Memphis declined to join the lawsuit. Judge Patricia Head Moskal appeared skeptical of the state's defense and indicated she would issue a written ruling after receiving briefs.
• Trump signs executive order deploying national guard to Memphis — Donald Trump signed a presidential memo on Monday establishing a "Memphis Safe Task Force" and authorizing the deployment of national guard troops to Memphis, Tennessee, in coordination with federal law enforcement agencies including the FBI, ATF, DEA, ICE, US Marshals, and DOJ. Tennessee Republican governor Bill Lee welcomed the deployment. Trump stated Chicago would "probably" be next and suggested potential future deployments to St. Louis, New Orleans, and Baltimore, while indicating he would proceed without Illinois governor JB Pritzker's cooperation if necessary.

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• Trump administration begins construction of 27-mile border wall through San Rafael Valley wildlife corridor in Arizona — The Trump administration has begun construction of a 27-mile section of a 30-foot-high border wall in San Rafael Valley, southeastern Arizona, despite ongoing legal challenges. The wall will cut through one of North America's most biodiverse regions and one of the last unbroken grasslands in the west. Construction began in mid-September 2025 and is expected to take 30 months. The project involves issuing waivers that nullify more than 30 environmental and public health laws to accelerate construction.

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• Texas Governor calls for expulsion of student for mocking Kirk's death — On or around 14 September, Devion Canty Jr., a Texas State University student, was filmed imitating Charlie Kirk's death at a memorial. Texas Governor Greg Abbott called for his immediate expulsion on X, writing "Expel this student immediately. Mocking assassination must have consequences." Canty later withdrew from the school. His attorney argued the governor's call violated the Constitution by pressuring a public university to suppress protected speech.

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• Department of Homeland Security announces plan to intensify immigration enforcement in Los Angeles — Following the Supreme Court ruling, the Department of Homeland Security publicly vowed to "flood the zone in Los Angeles" with immigration enforcement operations. The announcement signals an escalation of raids targeting day laborers and immigrant workers in vulnerable neighborhoods, particularly in areas like Westlake where workers gather seeking employment. The statement emboldened federal agents to conduct more aggressive enforcement despite the economic and social devastation already inflicted on immigrant communities.

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• Deputy Secretary of State suggested stripping visas from Kirk death celebrants — Christopher Landau, deputy secretary of state, suggested the administration would strip visas from individuals who celebrated Charlie Kirk's death, signaling use of immigration enforcement as a tool for political retaliation.
• Secretary of State Rubio threatens visa revocation for Kirk critics — Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking from Jerusalem on Monday, reiterated threats to revoke visas for foreign nationals who "celebrate" Charlie Kirk's killing or engage in "negative and destructive behavior." Rubio's deputy, Chris Landau, previously instructed consular officers to undertake "appropriate action" when assessing visas for anyone "praising, rationalizing, or making light of" Kirk's death.

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• ICE conducted raid on Hyundai plant in Georgia with unclear legal authority — ICE conducted a raid on a Hyundai-LG battery factory in Georgia, initially targeting four Hispanic workers but ultimately detaining Korean workers holding valid B1 business visas. Immigration lawyers questioned the legality of the operation, noting the warrant was for Hispanic workers but ICE "just transported everybody to the jail to sort it out later." The B1 visa guidance left unclear whether the workers' activities constituted legal consulting.
• ICE raid on Hyundai plant was operational mistake due to inexperienced agents — Labor policy analyst Sam Peak reported that the ICE raid on a Hyundai plant, which resulted in the arrest of hundreds of legally authorized Korean workers and became the largest raid in U.S. history, was an operational mistake. Peak attributed the error to agents lacking worksite enforcement experience, having previously worked on counter-terrorism and child sex trafficking cases. These agents were reassigned to low-priority immigration enforcement to boost the administration's deportation numbers, causing deprioritization of terror threat investigations, child trafficking cases, and other transnational crimes.
• Immigration raid in Georgia arrested Korean workers to meet quotas — Officials who conducted a raid on a Hyundai plant in Georgia, which sparked an international uproar after U.S. officials arrested more than 300 Korean workers, possessed a warrant to search for four people from Mexico. According to reporting, once officials were at the facility, they decided to arrest South Korean workers in order to meet quotas established by White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller.

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• Korean workers detained by ICE reported mistreatment and coercion — A repatriated Korean worker from the Hyundai-LG battery factory wrote a detention diary describing a seven-day ICE custody experience in Georgia. Workers reported being mocked with references to "North Korea" and "Rocket Man" despite holding valid business visas. They were housed in a 72-person room with four shared toilets, two urinals, moldy mattresses, and bad-smelling water. Korean Consulate officials told detainees to "sign whatever they ask you to sign unconditionally" and warned that disputes could result in detention for 4 months to several years.

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• Supreme Court ruling permits warrantless immigration raids and racial profiling in California — The U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling that invalidated a July temporary restraining order barring federal agents from racially profiling immigrants in southern and central California. The decision cleared the way for the Department of Homeland Security to conduct warrantless raids targeting people based on skin color, accent, or employment. Following the ruling, DHS announced plans to "flood the zone in Los Angeles" with enforcement operations, intensifying fear in immigrant communities already experiencing economic hardship and deportation risk.

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• Trump administration pressured Supreme Court on tariff ruling — The Trump administration ramped up public pressure on the Supreme Court to reverse a lower court ruling that his tariffs are illegal. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that delaying a ruling until June 2026 could result in $750 billion to $1 trillion in tariffs already collected, with unwinding causing significant disruption. The court was scheduled to hear arguments on Wednesday.

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• Federal Housing Finance Director's criminal referral against Lisa Cook unraveling — A criminal referral from Federal Housing Finance Director Bill Pulte against Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, which was being used to justify an attempt to fire her by Trump, appears to be falling apart. A loan estimate for an Atlanta home purchased by Cook shows she declared the property as a "vacation home," contradicting claims that she committed mortgage fraud by reporting two different homes as her primary residence. The loan documents also contained language stating the primary residence stipulation exists "unless Lender otherwise agrees in writing."

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• Missouri lawmakers approved mid-decade gerrymander to convert Democratic seat to Republican — Missouri lawmakers approved a mid-decade gerrymander designed to convert one of the state's two Democratic seats into a Republican seat, demonstrating Republican efforts to make the electoral system more rigged in response to Trump's low approval ratings and policy disapproval.

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• Stephen Miller posted that Americans in positions of authority have been "deeply and violently radicalized" — White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller posted that Americans in positions of authority—including child services workers, law clerks, hospital nurses, teachers, and Department of Defense employees—have been "deeply and violently radicalized" as a consequence of "a vast, organized ecosystem of indoctrination."
• White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller posted attack on political opponents characterizing them as an ideology of violence — White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller posted on social media an attack on his political opponents, characterizing them as an ideology that "hates everything that is good, righteous and beautiful" and leads "always, inevitably and willfully, to violence." The post came before information emerged about the shooter in the death of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.
• Stephen Miller characterized political opposition as "wicked ideology" — Stephen Miller characterized the current moment in America as a battle between "family and nature" and those who celebrate "everything that is warped, twisted and depraved," stating that the "fate of millions depends upon the defeat of this wicked ideology." This rhetoric framed political opponents as existential threats requiring defeat.