Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Senator Blumenthal demands USPS Postmaster General cease ballot mail project and provide records — Senator Richard Blumenthal, top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, issued formal demands to Postmaster General David Steiner to abandon the ballot mail IT project, cease work ordered halted by federal court, and provide by September 8 all records related to the project, including names and dates of personnel involved. Blumenthal characterized the system as designed to "disenfranchise millions of Americans," noting that one-third of all Americans cast ballots by mail.
• Senator Blumenthal requested information on USPS mail-voting plan and accused administration of political motivation — Senator Blumenthal requested detailed information from the Postmaster General about the USPS mail-voting verification plan. Blumenthal stated the USPS rule puts all mail voters at risk and accused the Trump administration of being "hellbent on changing the framework of casting ballots in this country, clearly for political reasons."
• Federal whistleblower disclosed flaws in USPS mail-voting verification system — An anonymous federal worker filed a whistleblower disclosure with Senator Blumenthal warning that the U.S. Postal Service's new system to regulate mail voting for the midterms has been "rushed, chaotic, and fundamentally flawed." The USPS issued the rule last week, and it is currently blocked by federal court. The whistleblower alleges workers were forced to create the system in weeks when it should have taken 9 months, and that work continued on implementation even after being ordered to stop. The disclosure warns the Trump administration "has hidden the high likelihood that the new ballot mail verification processes will result in major disruptions in mail ballots ever getting delivered to voters." Specific concerns include rejection of entire batches of thousands of ballots when a problem with one voter is found, and no planning for inevitable errors. The whistleblower called one portion of internal software "garbage."

Supporting reports

• Complaint filed — Trainor v. United States of America (D.D.C. 1:26-cv-03029) — Avery A. Trainor, a transgender Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel, filed a federal complaint challenging the Trump administration's ban on transgender military service and a May 2026 military action that allegedly accelerated her retirement, reduced her rank and pay from Lieutenant Colonel to Major, and imposed stigmatizing conditions. Trainor alleges violations of Fifth Amendment equal protection and due process rights and claims the military action is arbitrary, capricious, and contrary to the Administrative Procedure Act. She seeks declaratory relief, injunctions blocking enforcement of the ban and the military action, reinstatement of her original retirement date and rank, and relief from male-only uniform and grooming standards.

Supporting reports

• Complaint filed: Electronic Privacy Information Center v. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, et al. (D. Md.) — Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland challenging Executive Order 14399 and a Department of Homeland Security implementation memorandum directing creation of "State Citizenship Lists" derived from federal citizenship, naturalization, Social Security, and other databases to be sent to state election officials. EPIC alleges the collection, disclosure, and consolidation of members' sensitive personal information—including Social Security numbers, dates of birth, and citizenship status—without consent violates the Privacy Act, Administrative Procedure Act, and constitutional provisions including separation of powers and the Elections Clause. EPIC contends the data is unreliable and risks eligible voters being misidentified as non-citizens and purged from voter rolls. Plaintiff seeks declaratory relief, vacation of the lists, deletion of data, and injunctive relief against further disclosure or use.

Supporting reports

• Pentagon secretly hired military veterans as paid right-wing influencers to promote Pete Hegseth — The Washington Post reported that the Pentagon has secretly hired military veterans with large social media followings to act as paid right-wing influencers to push Pete Hegseth's propaganda. Although these individuals are now government employees, the Pentagon refuses to provide details on their assignments. Their taxpayer-funded job is to "amplify Pete Hegseth's" messaging.
• Pentagon hires right-wing social media influencers as government employees — The Pentagon has hired right-wing social media influencers as special government employees using taxpayer money to amplify Defense Secretary Hegseth's viewpoints and attack critics of the Trump administration. Reported hires include Rob Maness, Kurt Schlichter, and Thomas Anderson. A Pentagon spokesperson declined to comment on their job content, salaries, or employment duration.
• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth hired right-wing social media influencers as Pentagon employees — Washington Post Pentagon reporter Dan Lamothe reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth hired right-wing social media influencers to work at the Department of Defense as Special Government Employees (SGEs) to promote him on social media platform X. Retired Colonels Rob Maness, Kurt Schlichter, and Tom Anderson acknowledged being SGE employees for the Pentagon after the article's publication. The Pentagon had previously declined to comment on the issue and withheld information about the SGEs' status for days, including after speculation on social media.

Supporting reports

• Interior Secretary Doug Burgum indicates Trump reached out to Apple regarding Lake Ontario name change — Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, appearing on Fox News, stated that President Trump has reached out to Apple directly regarding changing Apple Maps' designation of Lake Ontario to "Lake America." Burgum indicated that a change may be coming soon as a result of Trump's direct contact with the company.

Supporting reports

• CFTC fines White House teleprompter operator $172,000 for insider trading on prediction market — Gabriel Perez, a White House teleprompter operator, was fined $172,000 by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission for using material nonpublic information about Trump's speeches to place bets on the Kalshi prediction market platform from December 2025 to February 2026. The CFTC ordered him to disgorge $107,539.02 in profits and pay a $65,000 civil penalty, citing his exemplary cooperation. Perez also received a three-year trading ban and agreed to cease violations of federal market manipulation laws.
• CFTC penalizes Gabriel Perez for insider trading on prediction markets — The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) penalized Gabriel Perez, a White House teleprompter operator, for trading on inside information. Perez agreed to pay $65,000 and forfeit more than $107,000 in winnings. The action occurred in the week prior to the Kalshi enforcement against Santos and reflects broader regulatory scrutiny of prediction-market trading by federal employees with access to non-public information.

Supporting reports

• DHS deployed 19 USC 1509 administrative summonses to obtain records on journalists, non-profits, and unions without judicial oversight — The Trump administration's Department of Homeland Security has systematically used an obscure customs law (19 USC 1509) to issue administrative summonses demanding records from social media companies and telecommunications providers targeting journalists (Georgia Fort, Don Lemon, Megyn Kelly, Brendan Gutenschwager, Democracy Now), unions (SEIU, Communications Workers of America), and left-leaning non-profits (Sunrise Movement, Voices for Racial Justice). The summonses bypass judicial review required for search warrants and include secrecy directives. Fort's six-month phone records from T-Mobile and YouTube account information were obtained after a federal judge had twice rejected similar warrant requests in February 2026, citing lack of probable cause.
• Trump administration uses customs law to obtain journalist records without judicial oversight — The Trump administration deployed an obscure legal maneuver to obtain private information on journalists, non-profits, and unions without judicial oversight. The Department of Homeland Security served Google with an administrative summons citing 19 USC 1509, a customs statute, to obtain YouTube account information for journalist Georgia Fort and Don Lemon. The summons bypassed judicial review required for search warrants, which a judge had twice rejected for lacking probable cause. DHS officials used the customs provision—designed to investigate import duties and taxes—to investigate a domestic protest at a Minneapolis church that the journalists were covering.

Supporting reports

• ICE arrests and deports British far-right commentator Milo Yiannopoulos within 24 hours — US Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Milo Yiannopoulos, a British far-right commentator, at a New Orleans airport on Thursday, 29 August 2026, for overstaying his visitor visa and failing to appear at an immigration hearing. A federal immigration judge had issued a final removal order on 22 July. ICE deported him to the UK on Friday, 30 August—one day after arrest. Border Czar Tom Homan defended the rapid deportation as standard procedure to expedite removals, though the speed prompted questions about preferential treatment compared to typical detention periods for other deportees.
• Milo Yiannopoulos deported by ICE to UK for visa overstay — Milo Yiannopoulos, a far-right British media provocateur and former Breitbart editor, was arrested by ICE on Thursday, August 28, 2026, at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and deported to the UK on Friday, August 29. ICE cited expired authorization to remain in the country and a final removal order issued by an immigration judge on July 22 after Yiannopoulos failed to appear for his immigration hearing. He had legally entered the US in May 2019 but overstayed his visa.

Supporting reports

• Mike Rogers makes false claim about witnessing Osama bin Laden's body — Michigan Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers, former House Intelligence Committee chair, claimed in a fundraising email that he "saw the dead body of Osama bin Laden with my own eyes." In fact, Rogers was in Washington DC on May 1, 2011, when the raid occurred in Pakistan. He was informed by phone by CIA Director Leon Panetta and later saw a photograph of Bin Laden's body, not the body itself. Rogers has a pattern of exaggerating his role in counterterrorism operations.
• Mike Rogers misleads supporters about role in Osama bin Laden killing — Republican candidate Mike Rogers, in a fundraising email, suggested he played an active role in the killing of Osama bin Laden, stating he "saw the dead body of Osama bin Laden with my own eyes, knowing that together, we had delivered justice for America." However, Rogers was not in Abbottabad, Pakistan, on May 1, 2011, when bin Laden was killed, nor was he in the White House Situation Room where President Obama and senior officials followed the raid. Instead, Rogers was at home in Washington, D.C., where as chair of the House Intelligence Committee, he was informed of the raid in a phone call from CIA Director Leon Panetta.

Supporting reports

• Trump threatens media companies over poll coverage and FCC action — Trump posted multiple messages threatening media companies while watching Sunday morning talk shows. He declared "THE FAKE POLLS USED BY OUR CROOKED MEDIA ARE OUT OF CONTROL, AND SOMETHING MUST BE DONE ABOUT IT. FCC TO THE RESCUE!" and specifically targeted NBC's Kristen Welker, stating she would be "reported to the FCC for rebuke or punishment" for saying Trump has "mixed results" on candidate endorsements. Trump characterized the press as "a Disgrace to our Nation" and called on FCC Chairman Brendan Carr to "take this Threat to our Country very seriously."

Supporting reports

• Trump issues executive order renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America — President Trump signed an executive order on Thursday directing US federal agencies to refer to Lake Ontario as "Lake America," effective immediately. The order affected the US Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), which sets the standard for official US maps. Google Maps complied, changing the lake's name for US users. The renaming escalated an existing trade dispute between the US and Canada involving 50% US tariffs on Canadian steel and Canadian retaliatory tariffs. Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected the renaming, citing the lake's Indigenous Wendat origin meaning "the lake is beautiful, the lake is great."

Supporting reports

• Milo Yiannopoulos detained by ICE for immigration violation — Milo Yiannopoulos, a British far-right political commentator and former Breitbart editor, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Thursday, August 28, 2026, at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport in Louisiana. According to the Department of Homeland Security, Yiannopoulos legally entered the U.S. in May 2019 but overstayed his visa. An immigration judge issued a final removal order on July 22, 2026, after Yiannopoulos failed to appear for his immigration hearing. He remains in ICE custody pending deportation.
• ICE arrested Milo Yiannopoulos for visa overstay — ICE arrested Milo Yiannopoulos, a UK national and self-described libertarian political commentator, at New Orleans International Airport. According to DHS, Yiannopoulos legally entered the United States on May 14, 2019, but subsequently overstayed his visa in violation of immigration law. He remains in ICE custody pending removal proceedings. Yiannopoulos has prior ties to Kanye West, served as his chief of staff during presidential campaigns in 2020 and 2024, and previously interned in the DC office of former Representative Marjorie Greene.

Supporting reports

• Trump family crypto bank backed by UAE national security advisor — The Trump family's new crypto bank is backed by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed al Nahyan, the national security advisor of the United Arab Emirates and brother of the UAE president. The Abu Dhabi royal invested $500 million in the Trumps' World Liberty Financial. Simultaneously, Trump is negotiating with the UAE over access to U.S. artificial intelligence chips, raising concerns that such access could enable technology transfer to China. Ethics lawyers have characterized the arrangement as an unprecedented conflict of interest and a threat to national security.

Supporting reports

• Twenty-four states and DC file lawsuit challenging Trump mail-voting executive order — Twenty-four states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit on Wednesday to block the Trump executive order restricting mail-in voting in the 2026 midterm elections. The states argue the USPS policy is part of a broader effort by the administration to "rewrite federal election law and usurp the authority of the states and Congress."

Supporting reports

• Navy transfers payroll funds to combat operations amid Iran war costs — The U.S. Navy, bearing the brunt of Trump's military operations against Iran, is transferring money from payroll to combat operations, creating personnel pay shortfalls that officials are covering by raiding other accounts. The issue was raised in a July Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, where Defense Secretary Hegseth blamed the Biden administration rather than address the spending mechanism. A conservative defense analyst speculated the shortages reflect a deliberate political decision to avoid appearing to damage military readiness over an increasingly unpopular war.

Supporting reports

• Former ICE official describes construction of "deportation machine" — Claire Trickler-McNulty, a former senior ICE official, stated that the agency now has "more officers, more money, more detention space, more local partners and better systems" and is "finally putting all the pieces together to build out this deportation machine."
• Immigration arrests surge to record highs; majority lack criminal convictions — According to a New York Times analysis of newly released federal data, immigration arrests surged in summer 2026, reaching record highs of 43,000 in June and 49,000 in July. The surge swept up thousands of people who had not previously been the focus of Trump's mass deportation campaign, including people married to U.S. citizens, people who had entered legally and were pursuing asylum claims, and others with temporary legal status that the administration pushed to revoke. A majority of immigrants arrested in July were accused of violating civil immigration laws but had not been charged with or convicted of a crime. The share of arrestees with a past violent criminal conviction fell to less than 4%.
• ICE detained record 49,571 people in one month under Trump administration — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained 49,571 people last month, setting a new monthly record since Trump retook office. The figure represents the highest monthly detention total under the current administration and reflects intensified immigration enforcement operations.

Supporting reports

• Parents detained at school-bus stops in Danbury, Connecticut — Immigrant-rights groups in Danbury, Connecticut, reported dozens of immigration arrests over several days this week, including parents detained in front of school-bus stops. Danbury Unites for Immigrants reported at least 25 people detained on Wednesday. Connecticut Students for a Dream counted another 16 on Monday and 12 on Tuesday based on arrests witnessed and reported by activists. ICE did not respond to requests for information about the operation. Local rapid-response volunteers documented federal vehicles, distributed know-your-rights cards, and helped families prepare custody paperwork.

Supporting reports

• Former Border Patrol Commander claims Trump administration pulled security detail to silence him — In an interview with Tucker Carlson, former Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino stated that the Trump administration pulled his security detail in order to silence him. When asked if the removal was intended to get him killed, Bovino responded: "Do I think they want me dead? Yes. Every time I go out I'm in a battle. There's some crazies out there. Do I think they want me killed? Absolutely." When Carlson asked "Who, the Trump Admin?" Bovino confirmed: "Yes."

Supporting reports

• Administration cancels offshore wind project; funnels $900 million to Trump donor's firm — The Trump administration canceled an offshore wind project and directed the German company RWE to receive $1.2 billion in federal funds to abandon wind leases off New York, California, and Louisiana in exchange for investing in "conventional energy" projects. RWE will spend $900 million of that sum acquiring a stake in a liquefied natural gas project in Louisiana currently owned by a private equity fund run by Australian billionaire Michael Dorrell, who donated approximately $1 million to Trump's inaugural committee. The arrangement effectively funnels federal funds to a Trump donor's private equity firm.
• Trump administration settles offshore wind cancellation with $1.2 billion payout to RWE — The Trump administration reached a settlement requiring German energy company RWE to receive $1.2 billion from a federal fund in exchange for surrendering offshore wind leases in New York, California, and Louisiana and investing in conventional energy projects instead. Of the payout, $900 million will be used by RWE to purchase a stake in a liquefied natural gas project in Louisiana from a private equity fund owned by Australian billionaire Michael Dorrell, who donated $926,300 to Trump's inaugural committee in late 2024 and another $73,700 weeks later.

Supporting reports

• Trump's investment accounts trade oil and gas stocks during Iran war — According to CBS News investigation of Trump's financial disclosure filings, the president's investment accounts have continued to purchase and sell holdings in oil and natural gas companies while overseeing the U.S. war with Iran. In the first three months of 2026, his accounts executed approximately 3,600 stock or securities trades worth between $212 million and $695 million. Democrats on the Joint Economic Committee estimated his oil and gas holdings increased in value from $13–$46 million at the start of the year to $17–$61 million by mid-August, with energy stocks surging during the period encompassing U.S. operations in Venezuela and the Iran war.

Supporting reports

• Federal judge strikes down Texas drag performance ban for second time — US District Judge David Hittner ruled on Tuesday that Texas Senate Bill 12, which bans drag performances in settings where children may be present, violates the First Amendment and cannot be enforced. The judge found the law's definition of "sexually oriented performance" and "prurient interest" unconstitutional and impermissibly vague, noting it could restrict mainstream performances by artists like Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced he would appeal the decision.

Supporting reports

• Kennedy suggests measles deaths in Pennsylvania were fabricated — As the U.S. faces a measles outbreak that has killed two unvaccinated people in Pennsylvania—including a newborn too young for vaccination—HHS Secretary Kennedy suggested that Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro's announcement of the deaths might have been "altogether fabricated by one of the Governor's hopeful staffers." The claim contradicts documented public health data.
• HHS Secretary RFK Jr. testified falsely about 2019 Samoa visit, documents show — According to the Associated Press, HHS Secretary RFK Jr. repeatedly told lawmakers who held the key to his confirmation last year that a 2019 visit to Samoa before a deadly measles outbreak had "nothing to do with vaccines." New documents refute that testimony. Kennedy, then a prominent anti-vaccine activist, preceded the visit with a letter to the Samoan Prime Minister requesting to study the Pacific island nation's measles, mumps and rubella vaccines after the deaths of two children who had received them.
• RFK Jr. praised low vaccine uptake in Lancaster County in 2021, preceding measles deaths — The Pennsylvania Department of Health announced that two unvaccinated people in Lancaster County died from measles. In 2021, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., then chair of the Children's Health Defense, spoke at an Amish country fair in Lancaster County where he praised the low childhood vaccine uptake and downplayed the severity of measles. The timing and location of Kennedy's remarks preceded the recent measles deaths in the same community.
• RFK Jr. falsely testified to Congress about Samoa vaccine visit — Documents obtained by the press reveal that RFK Jr., now HHS Secretary, made false statements during his 2025 Senate confirmation hearings when he claimed his 2019 Samoa visit had "nothing to do with vaccines." Letters show Kennedy explicitly told the Samoan prime minister he intended to investigate the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine. Kennedy's visit is reported to have empowered anti-vaccine activists; a measles epidemic followed that killed 83 people. Knowingly lying to Congress is a federal crime, though rarely prosecuted.

Supporting reports

• Three journalists sue Pentagon for retaliatory firing from Stars and Stripes — Three employees of Stars and Stripes—a government-funded military news outlet—filed a federal lawsuit against the Department of Defense and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, alleging they were fired in retaliation for reporting on deteriorating conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln and for defending press freedom in a CBS News interview. The plaintiffs claim their dismissals violated First Amendment rights and were illegal. Publisher Max Lederer refused to comply with the firing order and retired instead; he was subsequently dismissed.

Supporting reports

• Trump signs executive order to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America — President Trump signed an executive order on Thursday directing federal agencies to rename Lake Ontario as "Lake America" on US maps, documents, and databases. The order follows a similar action renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America" on his second term's first day. Trump lacks authority to rename Canada's portion of the lake or compel international adoption of the name. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected the move, citing the lake's Indigenous Wendat origin and historical precedence. Several US governors in the Great Lakes region also dismissed the renaming.
• Trump signs executive order renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America — Trump signed an executive order in the Oval Office designating Lake Ontario as "Lake America," effective immediately. He stated the administration is "changing the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America" and suggested potentially renaming the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Trump also suggested canceling subscriptions to media companies that refer to the lake by its original name, with an exception for Fox News.
• Trump issues executive order renaming Lake Ontario as Lake America — President Donald Trump issued an executive order on August 27, 2026, directing the Secretary of the Interior to rename Lake Ontario to "Lake America" within 30 days. The order asserts that the United States is the "greatest protector" of the Great Lakes, citing U.S. Coast Guard ice-breaking operations and $4 billion in ecosystem investments. The Secretary must coordinate with the Board on Geographic Names to update all federal references, maps, contracts, and the Geographic Names Information System to reflect the new name.
• Honoring the American History of the Great Lakes and Renaming Lake Ontario as Lake America — The White House published this executive order on 2026-08-27 through its executive-orders channel.
• Trump signed executive order renaming Lake Ontario — On Thursday, Trump signed an executive order directing the federal government to refer to Lake Ontario as "Lake America." The change applies only to the U.S. federal geographic naming system; Trump cannot force Canada to use the name, as the United States and Canada share the lake. The action occurred during an escalating trade dispute in which the United States imposed 50 percent tariffs on $20 billion in Canadian goods and Canada responded with retaliatory tariffs. Trump displayed a map with "LAKE AMERICA" printed across the lake and floated the possibility of renaming an ocean, suggesting the Atlantic or Pacific could be next. The original name derives from the Huron word "oniatarí:io," meaning "lake of shining waters."
• Trump signed executive order renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America — Trump signed an executive order directing Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to change the name of Lake Ontario to "Lake America" in all official U.S. government documents, communications, and the Geographic Names Information System. Trump framed the action as part of a broader effort to rename geographic features, referencing his earlier change of the Gulf of Mexico's name and suggesting future changes to the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The order appears designed to assert U.S. dominance over shared geography and pressure Canada.
• Trump signed executive order to rename Lake Ontario as "Lake America" during trade war — President Trump signed an executive order to rename Lake Ontario as "Lake America" amid an ongoing trade war between the U.S. and Canada. The action appears to be a symbolic gesture during heightened trade tensions with Canada, which shares sovereignty over the Great Lake.

Supporting reports

• Earthjustice files lawsuit challenging EPA approval of datacenter chemicals — Earthjustice, a nonprofit environmental law organization, filed a lawsuit challenging the EPA's approval of two photoacid generator compounds used in datacenters. The lawsuit argues that the EPA violated the Toxic Substances Control Act by approving chemicals it acknowledged may present unreasonable risk to workers and the public without implementing adequate protective restrictions, and that the approval represents a fundamental failure of the agency's obligation to protect public health.