Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Sixteen states sue Trump administration over transgender youth healthcare restrictions — Sixteen Democratic-led states, led by California, New York, Massachusetts, Illinois, and Connecticut, filed a lawsuit challenging Trump administration actions that restrict gender-affirming care for transgender youth. The suit targets a January executive order describing puberty blockers and hormone therapy as "chemical and surgical mutilation," threatening federal funding withdrawal from hospitals providing such care, and suggesting DOJ criminal investigations of providers. The complaint also challenges a June memo directing DOJ to prioritize investigations of doctors and clinics offering gender-affirming care.

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• Civil rights lawyers reported detainees barred from attorneys at Alligator Alcatraz — AP reported that during a court hearing, civil rights lawyers seeking to temporarily block detentions at "Alligator Alcatraz" told a federal judge that detainees have been barred from meeting with their attorneys, are being held without charges, and that a federal immigration court cancelled bond hearings, while over 100 individuals have already been deported from the facility.

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• PhD researcher arrested at airport without explanation or attorney access — The Washington Post reported that 40-year-old Tae Heung "Will" Kim, a PhD researcher and scientist born in South Korea who has lived in the US since he was 5 and currently holds a green card, was arrested by immigration officials at the San Francisco International Airport and remains in custody. His lawyer said the reason for Kim's detainment hasn't been explained by the government, and noted that immigration officials have denied Kim access to an attorney.

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• Venezuelan asylum seeker reported sexual assault in El Salvador megaprison — Makeup artist Andry Hernandez Romero, a gay asylum seeker from Venezuela who was sent by the US to El Salvador's megaprison, told NBC News that he was sexually assaulted by prison staff while in custody.

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

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

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• House Republicans sought to rename Kennedy Center after Trump — NBC News reported that efforts by House Republicans to rename the Kennedy Center after Trump and its opera house after first lady Melania Trump would violate the law put in place when the center was created.

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• Democratic governors announce willingness to conduct partisan redistricting in response to Republican gerrymandering — Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, and California Governor Gavin Newsom announced they would consider or pursue partisan redistricting in their own states to counter Republican mid-decade redistricting efforts. Newsom stated California could eliminate nine Republican-leaning districts and posted "Game on," signaling Democratic willingness to abandon previous commitments to independent redistricting commissions and engage in tit-for-tat partisan gerrymandering.
• New York Governor Hochul announced intent to abandon independent redistricting commission and redraw congressional lines — Governor Kathy Hochul held a press conference in response to Texas gerrymandering, stating she would explore redrawing New York's congressional lines and disband the state's independent redistricting commission. When asked directly if the commission should be disbanded, Hochul said "Yes," stating she was "tired with fighting this fight with my hand tied behind my back" and that "politics is a political process."
• California, Illinois, and New York Democrats pledge retaliatory mid-decade redistricting — Democratic governors in California, Illinois, and New York announced plans to redraw congressional districts in retaliation for Texas Republicans' mid-decade redistricting effort. California Governor Gavin Newsom is leading an effort to reduce Republican seats from the current distribution; New York Governor Kathy Hochul indicated consideration of a constitutional amendment to allow mid-decade redistricting. These actions represent an escalating partisan redistricting cycle that could persist for years and undermine electoral stability.

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• US Office of Special Counsel opens investigation into Jack Smith for alleged Hatch Act violations — The US Office of Special Counsel, an independent federal agency, confirmed it is investigating former Department of Justice special counsel Jack Smith for possible violations of the Hatch Act—a 1939 federal law restricting political activities by federal employees. The investigation was initiated following a request by Republican Senator Tom Cotton, who alleged Smith's prosecutions of Donald Trump constituted illegal campaign interference. Smith had led investigations into Trump's role in the January 6 Capitol riot and alleged mishandling of classified documents before resigning in January 2025.
• Office of Special Counsel investigates former special counsel Jack Smith for alleged Hatch Act violations — The U.S. Office of Special Counsel confirmed it is investigating former special counsel Jack Smith for alleged violations of the Hatch Act, a law prohibiting certain political activities by federal officials. Trump and other prominent Republicans have alleged that Smith's investigations into Trump amounted to illegal political activity, though Trump and his allies have not presented specific evidence of wrongdoing. Trump's nominee to head the Office of Special Counsel, Paul Ingrassia—a former podcast host who became a lawyer on July 30, 2024—is meeting with senators ahead of a confirmation vote.

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• Republican-controlled Senate confirmed Jeanine Pirro as US attorney for the District of Columbia — The Republican-controlled Senate voted to confirm Jeanine Pirro, a former Fox News personality and judge, as US attorney for the District of Columbia. Pirro has a history of calling for the "cleansing" of the FBI and DOJ, spreading conspiracy theories about the 2020 election, and making xenophobic and Islamophobic comments about Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar, for which she was suspended from Fox News.
• Senate confirms Jeanine Pirro as US Attorney for Washington DC — The US Senate confirmed Jeanine Pirro, a former Fox News host and Trump ally who promoted false claims about the 2020 election, as the top federal prosecutor for Washington DC in a 50-45 party-line vote on Saturday. Pirro, a former New York district attorney and county judge, has been serving as interim US attorney since May. She was nominated after Trump withdrew his initial choice, conservative activist Ed Martin, due to opposition from Republican Senator Thom Tillis. Pirro's confirmation raises concerns about prosecutorial independence given her documented promotion of election fraud falsehoods and her close alignment with Trump.
• Senate confirms Jeanine Pirro as U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C. — The Senate confirmed former Fox News host Jeanine Pirro as U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia by a vote of 50–45. No Democratic senator voted in favor of her confirmation. Pirro, a partisan media figure, will oversee federal prosecutions in the nation's capital, including cases involving federal crimes and matters arising from the Capitol.

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• NSA top lawyer fired after Daily Wire story about Democratic staff work — The New York Times reported that the top lawyer for the National Security Agency was fired last week after the right-wing outlet the Daily Wire published a story about her past work for the Senate Intelligence Committee's Democratic staff, and Laura Loomer amplified a social media post saying "Biden burrowed a far-left Democrat activist into the NSA before he left office."

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• FDA vaccine official resigned after public campaign by Laura Loomer — The top vaccine and gene therapy official at the Food and Drug Administration resigned from his position after a public campaign opposing him, which was also led by Loomer. A Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson said the official "did not want to be a distraction" to the agency's work. Politico later reported that Trump overruled Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary and ordered the official's removal himself.

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• Federal Bureau of Prisons transferred Ghislaine Maxwell to minimum-security facility in violation of policy — Officials from the Federal Bureau of Prisons quietly transferred Ghislaine Maxwell, a convicted sex trafficker serving a 20-year sentence, from a Florida prison to a minimum-security prison camp in Texas. According to the Bureau of Prisons's own designation policy, Maxwell is ineligible for transfer to a minimum-security facility because she is a convicted sex offender. Only the administrator of the Bureau of Prisons Designation and Sentence Computation Center can grant a waiver to this policy. The transfer occurred without public announcement.
• Ghislaine Maxwell transferred to minimum-security federal prison camp in Texas — Ghislaine Maxwell, convicted associate of Jeffrey Epstein, was transferred from a Florida federal prison to a minimum-security prison camp in Bryan, Texas. According to MSNBC reporting and federal prison records, the Bureau of Prisons waived eligibility rules to facilitate the transfer, as Maxwell was technically ineligible for minimum-security placement. The facility, described as a "luxury" camp by victims' advocates, offers yoga, a fully-stocked gym, gardening, limited perimeter fencing, and other amenities. Prison experts stated they had never seen such a waiver granted for a sex offender before.
• Ghislaine Maxwell transferred to minimum-security facility — Ghislaine Maxwell, a convicted sex offender, was transferred to a minimum-security facility ("Club Fed"). Trump stated he did not know about the transfer, claiming it is "not an uncommon thing." The source characterizes this as unprecedented, noting that convicted sex offenders are never transferred to minimum-security facilities and that Deputy AG Blanche, Trump's former attorney, would not have approved the transfer without Trump's authorization.

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• New Jersey man challenged acting US attorney Alina Habba's appointment as unlawful — A New Jersey man facing drug trafficking and firearms-related charges filed a court motion to dismiss his case, arguing that the appointment of the state's acting US attorney, Alina Habba, is illegitimate and unlawful. Habba was appointed to her position after the Justice Department fired her successor.

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• Secret Service and Army Corps of Engineers alter Caesar Creek Lake water level for Vice-President Vance's birthday boating trip — The US Secret Service requested that the Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) change the outflow of Caesar Creek Lake in Ohio on 2 August to facilitate Vice-President JD Vance's family boating trip on his birthday. The USACE complied, stating the request met operational criteria and required no deviation from normal procedures. Senator Adam Schiff subsequently demanded answers, alleging misuse of public resources for personal benefit and suggesting standard documentation requirements were waived. The incident raises questions about appropriate use of federal infrastructure and funds.
• Vice President Vance's team requested Army Corps of Engineers alter lake outflow for recreational boating — The Guardian reported that Vice President JD Vance's team requested that the Army Corps of Engineers change the outflow of Caesar Creek Lake in Ohio to accommodate a boating excursion during a family holiday on August 2, Vance's 41st birthday. One source alleged the outflow request was made to create "ideal kayaking conditions." Former White House ethics counsel Norm Eisen stated that such a request would have been denied during the Obama administration, as it creates the appearance of special treatment unavailable to ordinary citizens.
• Former Russian President Medvedev hints at possession of compromising material on Trump — Former Russian President Dmitri Medvedev posted on social media: "Trump should not think that the video archive of his past immoralities is only in the hands of Mossad." The statement suggests that Russia possesses or claims to possess compromising video material on Trump and implies that such material could be used as leverage.
• Secret Service requested Army Corps of Engineers raise Ohio river water level for Vice President Vance's boating trip — The Secret Service requested the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in Louisville, Kentucky, to raise the water level of the Little Miami River ahead of Vice President JD Vance's family boating trip in early August. Vance's office stated he and his staff were unaware of the decision. The Secret Service said the adjustment was operationally necessary to support safe navigation of security details, local law enforcement, and emergency responders, and that a public safety boat had run aground during advance scouting. The USACE confirmed the request met operational criteria and did not require deviation from normal procedures.

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• Trump urges Texas Republicans to conduct mid-decade redistricting before 2026 midterms — President Trump asked Texas Republicans to redraw congressional district lines mid-decade, outside the normal ten-year post-census cycle, to eliminate five Democratic-leaning districts and create Republican-favoring ones. Trump stated he expected Texas to yield five additional House seats and urged other Republican-controlled state legislatures in Florida, Indiana, Missouri, New Hampshire, and Ohio to undertake similar redistricting. The effort aims to secure Republican House control despite declining electoral popularity.

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• Trump discusses potential pardon for Sean Combs, citing past criticism as complicating factor — During a Newsmax interview on Friday, President Trump stated he considers Sean "Diddy" Combs "sort of half-innocent" despite Combs's July conviction on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. Trump indicated that pardoning Combs would be "more difficult" because Combs had made critical statements about Trump in 2017 and 2020, including calling for Trump to be "banished." Trump noted that Combs's past hostility toward his candidacy clouds his judgment on whether to grant a pardon. Combs faces sentencing on October 3 and has requested release on a $50 million bond pending that hearing.

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• Rising threats and intimidation against federal judges, including copycat "pizza delivery" threats referencing murdered judge's son — Federal judges including Esther Salas, John McConnell, and Robert Lasnik reported an intensifying climate of threats and intimidation since Trump's return to office in January 2025. Judges described receiving threatening calls, death threats, and coordinated "pizza delivery" threats using the name of Salas's son Daniel, who was murdered in 2020 by a disgruntled lawyer. McConnell received ~400–500 hostile calls and six credible death threats after ruling against Trump's funding freeze; Lasnik reported pizzas sent to upwards of 50 judges. Chief Justice Roberts warned the threats undermine the rule of law.

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• Trump administration denies daily arrest quota for immigration enforcement in court filing — The Trump administration filed court documents denying the existence of a daily quota for immigration arrests, contradicting earlier public statements by White House adviser Stephen Miller and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. In May 2025, reports revealed that Miller and Noem had demanded ICE agents arrest 3,000 people per day; Miller later confirmed this goal on Fox News. However, in a Friday court filing responding to a lawsuit by immigrant advocacy groups in California, DOJ attorneys claimed no such directive or policy had been issued. The filing states DHS and ICE leadership have not been directed to meet numerical targets for arrests or removals.

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• Trump administration deploys federal agents and National Guard to Washington DC for immigration enforcement disguised as crime control — In August 2025, Trump ordered federal law enforcement and National Guard deployment to Washington DC ostensibly to combat crime, but the operation functioned as an immigration enforcement campaign. The deployment resulted in indiscriminate arrests based on skin color and occupation, with immigration-related arrests surging immediately. Though arrests declined as administration attention shifted, they remain elevated compared to pre-campaign levels. A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction in December preventing warrantless immigration arrests without probable cause of flight risk. Data shows warrantless arrests decreased in December and further declined in January, though federal agents continue patrols assisted by local police despite local law limiting DC cooperation with ICE.

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• Department of Justice charges healthcare workers with assaulting federal agents — In August 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice charged two staff members at Ontario Advanced Surgical Center in San Bernardino County, California—Jesus Ortega and Danielle Nadine Davila—with assaulting and interfering with ICE officers. The charges stem from a July 8 incident when ICE agents pursued an immigrant inside the facility. Staff members attempted to protect the man and remove agents from the building by locking doors and blocking vehicles. Defense counsel argues the charges are baseless, with video evidence contradicting the government's claim that Davila struck an agent. Trial is scheduled for October 6, 2025.

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• DHS restaffed gutted watchdog offices with minimal personnel after lawsuit filed — After a federal lawsuit was filed in April 2025 challenging the dismantling of DHS watchdog offices, the Trump administration backtracked and allocated a very small number of people to restart the offices in August 2025. This left a five-month gap (March to August 2025) with little to no independent oversight of immigration detention, civil rights complaints, or deaths in custody. Court filings from August and February 2026 document the minimal restaffing.

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• Newsom announces possible special election to modify California's independent redistricting commission — California Governor Gavin Newsom announced at a Thursday press conference that he may call a special election in November to allow voters to approve changes to the state's independent redistricting commission, which currently draws congressional maps. The move is framed as a response to Republican-led mid-decade redistricting efforts in Texas and other GOP-dominated states, which Newsom characterized as an attempt to entrench Republican House control. Newsom stated the commission would not be eliminated but modified to allow the state to redraw maps competitively.

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• Federal judge overturns injunction protecting CFPB from Trump administration gutting — Although unions initially won an injunction preventing Trump from gutting the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a DC circuit panel judge overturned the injunction in August 2025. The unions are seeking to appeal the decision.

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• DOJ impanels grand jury to investigate Obama officials on conspiracy charges — The Justice Department impaneled a grand jury in August to investigate a conspiracy charge by Trump's Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard that Obama and his aides engaged in "treasonous conspiracy" by launching inquiries into Russian election interference in 2016. The investigation proceeds despite bipartisan Senate findings confirming Russian efforts to boost Trump and despite Gabbard's release of classified materials that did not support the allegations.