Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• DOJ considering ban on trans firearm ownership — Multiple outlets reported that the Justice Department is considering banning trans people from owning firearms by designating being trans as a mental illness that could disqualify someone from possessing a firearm under existing regulations.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration warned of deportation for asylum seeker Kilmar Abrego Garcia — In a court filing, the Trump administration warned that the government will seek to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia back to El Salvador if his attempt to open an asylum case in the US is successful, arguing the move would nullify an earlier ruling meant to prevent him from being sent back to his home country.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration deploys National Guard to Washington DC and calls for prosecuting minors as adults — The Trump administration deployed approximately 2,000 National Guard troops to Washington DC, temporarily taking over the city's police department. Trump called for charging teens as young as 14 as adults for certain crimes, citing a recent assault case. US Attorney Jeanine Pirro stated she would push to prosecute even younger minors. The deployment occurred amid a broader federal crackdown including immigration raids. DC officials and juvenile justice advocates expressed concern that the measure does not address root causes of crime and may increase police violence against young Black residents.
• Trump administration deploys national guard and federal agents to Washington DC streets — The Trump administration deployed national guard troops and federal agents to Washington DC streets, citing crime reduction as justification despite DC crime rates being at 30-year lows. The president took control of the city's police department and threatened similar federal interventions in Chicago and New Orleans. This action prompted the formation of the activist group Free DC and sparked large-scale protests, including a march of thousands to the White House on Saturday.
• Trump Administration Deploys National Guard in Washington DC — The Trump administration deployed national guard troops in Washington DC, prompting protests from residents and activist groups. The deployment is part of a broader federal intervention in the city, which has included taking over the police department and sending federal agents onto city streets. These actions have been met with significant opposition from local groups like Free DC, which argue that such federal interventions threaten the city's autonomy and democracy at large.

Supporting reports

• Pentagon approved Navy base as DHS immigration enforcement hub — The Pentagon approved the use of a Chicago-area Navy base as a hub for the Department of Homeland Security as part of its crackdown on undocumented immigrants. The base could also be used to house National Guard troops or military members if Trump deploys them to the city.
• Pentagon reassigning 600 military lawyers as temporary immigration judges — The Washington Post reported that Hegseth plans to reassign up to 600 military lawyers to serve as temporary immigration judges after a request for assistance from the Department of Homeland Security. The move has raised concerns, including from one person involved in the planning of their reassignment, who says officers may not have experience or would receive insufficient training for immigration court proceedings, including deportation hearings.

Supporting reports

• Trump family earned up to $5 billion windfall from World Liberty Financial cryptocurrency — The Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump family earned as much as a $5 billion windfall after Trump's venture, World Liberty Financial, opened trading of a new cryptocurrency. This likely makes the venture the Trump family's most valuable asset, worth more than their property portfolio.

Supporting reports

• ICE Raid at Nutrition Bar Confectioners in New York — On the same day as the Georgia raid, ICE conducted another operation in upstate New York at the Nutrition Bar Confectioners facilities near Syracuse. Federal officers forcibly entered the facility and detained over 40 workers, including parents of children, prompting criticism from New York Governor Kathy Hochul. The governor expressed outrage over the separation of families and the impact on children, emphasizing New York's stance against such actions while supporting border security and deportation of violent criminals.
• ICE Raid on Hyundai Battery Factory in Georgia — On September 5, 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted a large-scale raid at a construction site in Georgia, detaining approximately 475 workers, including 300 South Korean nationals. The site is a joint venture between LG Energy Solution and Hyundai Motor, intended to manufacture car batteries. The raid, described as the largest single-site enforcement operation in the history of the Department of Homeland Security, was part of an investigation into unlawful employment practices. The South Korean government has responded by setting up a taskforce to assist its citizens.
• U.S. immigration agents conducted raid on Hyundai battery plant in Georgia — U.S. immigration agents arrested 475 individuals at a Hyundai Motor battery plant construction site in Georgia, including more than 300 South Korean nationals and business travelers. The raid occurred despite Hyundai's August announcement of a $26 billion U.S. investment through 2028, potentially signaling hostile treatment of foreign manufacturers and investors.
• ICE raids Hyundai factory in Georgia, arrests hundreds of workers — Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted a raid on a Hyundai manufacturing facility in Georgia, resulting in the arrest of hundreds of factory workers. The action is cited as an example of the administration's immigration enforcement creating negative supply shocks in the economy by removing workers from production facilities.
• Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security conducted raid on Hyundai-LG Energy electric vehicle battery plant in Georgia — Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security agents conducted a raid on an electric vehicle battery plant under construction by South Korean carmaker Hyundai and battery supplier LG Energy Solution in Ellabell, Georgia. Federal agents arrested 475 people, 300 of whom were South Korean nationals. The plant was billed as Georgia's biggest economic development project in history. South Korean leaders expressed anger, and LG Energy Solution pulled most of its employees out of the United States. LG Energy Solution subsequently suspended construction of the factory. The detained workers are scheduled for repatriation.

Supporting reports

• Rep. Massie introduced discharge petition to force Epstein files release vote — Republican Rep. Thomas Massie introduced what's known as a discharge petition in an effort to force a vote on the release of the Epstein files. The measure must receive 218 signatures to succeed. A White House official later told NBC News in an email that Republicans deciding to sign on to the "attention-seeking" petition "would be viewed as a very hostile act to the administration."

Supporting reports

• Trump sought Supreme Court review of E. Jean Carroll verdict — AP reported that Trump is expected to ask the Supreme Court to overturn a jury decision in a civil lawsuit that found him liable for sexually abusing writer E. Jean Carroll, along with defamation, according to a filing last week that saw his lawyers ask the Supreme Court to extend a deadline for challenging the verdict to mid-November as Trump "intends to seek review" of "significant issues" related to the trial and an appeals court upholding the decision. In response, Carroll's lawyer said, "We do not believe that President Trump will be able to present any legal issues in the Carroll cases that merit review" by the Supreme Court.

Supporting reports

• Amy Coney Barrett discusses Supreme Court methodology and same-sex marriage petition in CBS interview — Justice Amy Coney Barrett gave her first television interview since joining the Supreme Court in 2020, promoting her new book "Listening to the Law." She stated that Supreme Court rulings are "not just an opinion poll" and that the court should not impose its own values on Americans. Barrett defended the 2022 abortion ruling as respecting American choice, while the Court faces a petition to overturn the 2015 same-sex marriage decision (Obergefell v. Hodges), which 68% of Americans support according to a May 2025 Gallup poll.
• Amy Coney Barrett publishes memoir defending Dobbs abortion ruling — Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett released her memoir "Listening to the Law," for which she received a $2 million advance. In the book, Barrett defends the June 2022 Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade, arguing the ruling "respected the choice" of the American people by returning abortion regulation to the states. She characterizes abortion as a "complicated moral debate" distinct from other fundamental rights. The memoir was published September 9, 2025, though extracts were released by CNN on September 3.

Supporting reports

• Justice Department sought to keep Epstein associates' names secret — Lawyers for the Justice Department asked a federal judge to keep the names of two Epstein associates who received large payments ($100,000 and $250,000) in 2018 secret. The payments occurred days before the Miami Herald began examining Epstein's 2008 sweetheart plea deal. As part of that deal, Epstein received a guarantee that the associates would not be prosecuted.
• — Lawyers for the Justice Department asked a federal judge to keep the names of two Epstein associates who received large payments in 2018 secret. One associate received $100,000 and the second $250,000. As part of his plea deal, Epstein received a guarantee that these associates would not be prosecuted.

Supporting reports

• White House warned Republicans against releasing Epstein files — The White House warned Republican members of Congress that voting to release the Epstein files "would be viewed as a very hostile act to the administration." Trump subsequently claimed the agitation for release is a "Democrat HOAX" intended to distract from Republican success. The warning represents an attempt to suppress disclosure of documents potentially implicating the president.

Supporting reports

• DOJ official caught on hidden camera discussing Epstein file redactions — The acting deputy chief of a Justice Department unit was caught on a hidden camera by the far-right O'Keefe Media Group saying that the government will "redact every Republican" from a list of Epstein associates and "leave all the liberal, Democratic people in those files." He also said Ghislaine Maxwell was transferred to a minimum-security prison in an effort to offer "her something to keep her mouth shut." In a statement, the official said his comments were based on "what I've learned in the media and not from anything I've done at or learned via work." On Twitter, a DOJ spokesperson said the official's comments "have absolutely zero bearing with reality and reflect a total lack of knowledge of the DOJ's review process."

Supporting reports

• Trump posts threat to Chicago referencing "Department of War" and deportations — Trump posted on Truth Social that Chicago was about to discover "why it's called the Department of War," referencing a recent executive order renaming the Department of Defense. The post also stated "I love the smell of deportations in the morning," alluding to the film Apocalypse Now. Governor Pritzker responded by stating the president was "threatening to go to war with an American city" and that "This is not a joke. This is not normal." The rhetoric escalates the administration's framing of immigration enforcement as military action against a domestic city.
• Trump posted AI-generated image threatening military action against Chicago — President Trump's social media account posted an AI-generated image depicting him as a Vietnam War character in front of Chicago's skyline with military helicopters and flames, captioned "Chipocalypse Now" with text reading "I love the smell of deportations in the morning… Chicago about to find out why it's called the Department of WAR." The post included helicopter emojis associated with Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet's extrajudicial killings. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker responded by calling the threat abnormal and warning against intimidation.
• Trump shared "Chipocalypse Now" meme threatening deportations and war on Chicago — On Truth Social, Trump posted a meme depicting himself as an officer from "Apocalypse Now" with the caption "I love the smell of deportations in the morning" and "Chicago about to find out why it's called the Department of War." Illinois Governor JB Pritzker responded by calling Trump a "wannabe dictator" and stating he is "threatening to go to war with an American city," characterizing the rhetoric as abnormal and dangerous.
• Trump posted apocalyptic threat against Chicago on Truth Social — Trump posted on Truth Social depicting himself as the character from Apocalypse Now with the caption "I love the smell of deportations in the morning. Chicago about to find out why it's called the Department of WAR." The post threatened military action against a major U.S. city. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, and California Governor Gavin Newsom responded by characterizing the threat as authoritarian and unconstitutional. Senator Tammy Duckworth called it a declaration of war on an American city.

Supporting reports

• President Trump signs executive order to rename Department of Defense — President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order to rename the Department of Defense as the Department of War. This change requires Congressional approval and is estimated to cost billions of dollars. The new name reflects a shift in military strategy towards a more offensive posture, as articulated by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Nameplates and signage with the new name were installed in government offices, and the department's website URL was changed to war.gov.
• Trump administration renamed Department of Defense to Department of War — The Trump administration renamed the Department of Defense to the Department of War. The article notes that despite the name change, the administration's primary focus appears to be immigration enforcement rather than traditional military conflict, with the rebranding reflecting the administration's framing of immigration as an existential threat requiring military-scale response.
• Trump announces plan to rename Department of Defense to Department of War — Trump announced a move to change the name of the Department of Defense to the Department of War, a change that requires passage by Congress to become official. Sen. Rand Paul stated he plans to lead opposition to the name change, arguing it sends a bad signal to the world and glorifies war in an era of nuclear weapons.

Supporting reports

• Trump announced federal law enforcement deployment to Chicago and Baltimore — Speaking to reporters, Trump said he will be sending federal law enforcement to both Chicago and Baltimore, but didn't specify a timeline for the deployment. Trump also said that many of the people arrested as part of his DC crackdown on crime were "born to be criminals."
• Trump suggested National Guard deployment to New Orleans — Trump suggested that he may deploy National Guard troops to New Orleans, a blue city in the red state of Louisiana.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration deploys federal immigration agents to Chicago amid Mexican Independence Day events — The Trump administration announced plans to deploy 230 federal immigration agents (primarily Customs and Border Protection) to Chicago as part of an intensified immigration enforcement effort. The deployment, combined with Trump's inflammatory rhetoric describing Chicago as "the most dangerous city in the world," prompted organizers to cancel or postpone multiple Mexican Independence Day celebrations, including El Grito Chicago (which drew 24,000 attendees in 2024). Governor JB Pritzker alleged the timing targeted Mexican community events. Thousands protested peacefully on Saturday against the deployment and broader administration policies.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration launches "Patriot 2.0" ICE operation targeting immigrants in Massachusetts — The Department of Homeland Security and ICE announced a new enforcement operation called "Patriot 2.0" in Massachusetts, expected to last several weeks. The operation targets immigrants released from custody despite ICE pickup attempts from local jails. DHS officials blamed Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's sanctuary policies, claiming they harbor criminals. The action follows Wu's March congressional testimony defending sanctuary city laws that limit local law enforcement cooperation with ICE.

Supporting reports

• Trump threatens Chicago with federal military intervention over sanctuary policies — President Trump posted on Truth Social on Saturday that "Chicago about to find out why it's called the Department of WAR," threatening federal intervention in the city. He later walked back the statement on Sunday. Trump has stated plans to deploy the National Guard to Chicago to combat crime, similar to deployments in Los Angeles and Washington DC, citing the city's sanctuary immigration policies.

Supporting reports

• Revolution Wind developers file federal lawsuit seeking preliminary injunction — On September 5, 2025, Revolution Wind project developers Ørsted and Skyborn Renewables filed a separate lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia challenging the stop-work order and requesting a preliminary injunction. The filing asserts the order "was issued without statutory authority, lacks any evidentiary basis, and is unlawful." The companies warn that if specialized offshore construction vessels depart due to the stoppage, the project faces delays of at least one year or potential cancellation, despite having already invested $5 billion.
• Rhode Island and Connecticut file lawsuit challenging Revolution Wind halt — On September 5, 2025, Rhode Island and Connecticut attorneys general filed suit in federal court challenging the Trump administration's stop-work order on Revolution Wind as "blatantly illegal." Connecticut Attorney General William Tong stated the order was "erratic and reckless governing." The states argue the halt threatens jobs (over 1,000 union workers employed), clean energy deployment, billions in private investment, and state climate goals. The lawsuit contests the order's legality and seeks to reverse the stoppage.

Supporting reports

• Federal judges criticize Supreme Court's emergency docket handling in Trump cases — Lower court federal judges, in rare media interviews and court opinions, have publicly criticized the Supreme Court for overturning their rulings through brief, unsigned emergency orders without legal explanation. Judges across the ideological spectrum say the practice creates legal confusion, undermines public trust in the judiciary, and fails to defend lower courts against Trump's attacks on judicial integrity. The Supreme Court has sided with Trump on nearly every emergency application filed in his second term—over 20 in seven months—a record pace.

Supporting reports

• Judge Allison Burroughs critiques Supreme Court's treatment of emergency orders as binding precedent — In a ruling on Trump's attempt to strip research funding from Harvard, U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs publicly criticized the Supreme Court for expecting lower courts to treat its emergency orders as binding legal precedent when those orders appear to overturn longstanding precedent without explanation. Burroughs argued that the Supreme Court's informal orders create confusion in a "rapidly evolving doctrinal landscape" and that criticizing district courts for "defying" the high court is unhelpful when courts are working to apply both existing precedent and interim Supreme Court guidance.

Supporting reports

• Justice Gorsuch accuses lower courts of defying Supreme Court orders in NIH funding case — In an emergency order allowing Trump to cancel approximately $800 million in National Institutes of Health grants, Justice Neil Gorsuch, joined by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, accused lower courts of deliberately ignoring the Supreme Court's orders. Gorsuch claimed this was the third time in weeks the Court had to intervene in a case "squarely controlled" by its precedent and suggested lower court misbehavior prompted the Supreme Court's involvement. Gorsuch referred to the Court's emergency orders as "precedents."

Supporting reports

• Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissents in NIH case, accusing majority of "Calvinball jurisprudence" — In dissent to the Supreme Court majority's decision allowing Trump to cancel NIH grants, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson accused her conservative colleagues of "Calvinball jurisprudence"—a reference to a fictional game with no fixed rules. Jackson wrote that the Court appears to operate under two rules: that there are no fixed rules, and that the Trump administration always wins. Jackson has previously denounced the Court's use of the shadow docket.

Supporting reports

• Judge William Young apologizes to Justices Gorsuch and Kavanaugh for NIH ruling — U.S. District Judge William Young, a Reagan appointee overseeing litigation challenging Trump's attempt to eliminate NIH grant funding, publicly apologized to Justices Gorsuch and Kavanaugh during a court hearing. Young stated he did not intend to defy any Supreme Court precedent and that such defiance would be "foreign" to his conduct as a judicial officer. The apology followed Gorsuch's accusation that lower courts were deliberately ignoring the Supreme Court's orders.

Supporting reports

• Board of Immigration Appeals curtails bond release for immigration detainees — The Board of Immigration Appeals issued a decision on September 5 that dramatically curtailed the immigration system's ability to release detainees on bond while awaiting status determinations. The decision "virtually eliminate[d] bond for people no matter how long they've lived here and whether they have jobs and contribute to our nation," according to the American Immigration Lawyers Association. This action prompted immigration attorneys to shift strategy toward filing habeas corpus petitions in federal district courts.