Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• House oversight subcommittee approves subpoena for Ghislaine Maxwell testimony — A House oversight subcommittee approved a subpoena proposed by Republican congressman Tim Burchett for testimony from Ghislaine Maxwell, a close associate of Jeffrey Epstein serving a 20-year prison sentence for sex trafficking. The Justice Department is also seeking to speak with Maxwell, and the timing of her congressional appearance remains unclear.
• House Oversight Committee subpoenas DOJ for Epstein files — The House Oversight Committee voted 8-2 on Wednesday to subpoena the Department of Justice for documents related to the Epstein investigation. Three Republicans joined all Democrats in the vote. The committee also subpoenaed Ghislaine Maxwell to testify before committee officials on August 11. The action follows the DOJ's announcement that it would not release additional Epstein documents despite earlier pledges by President Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi.
• House Oversight Committee Democrats voted to subpoena DOJ for Epstein files — Democrats on a subcommittee of the House Oversight Committee, supported by three Republicans, voted to subpoena the Department of Justice for its files on the Epstein investigation. Representative Summer Lee (D-PA), who introduced the subpoena motion, stated that failure by Republican colleagues to support the subpoena would constitute "joining President Donald Trump in complicity." The subpoena still requires negotiation before it can be finalized.
• House Oversight Committee voted to subpoena Ghislaine Maxwell — Under pressure from Democrats, the House Oversight Committee voted to subpoena Ghislaine Maxwell, the associate of Jeffrey Epstein who was convicted of grooming victims for him. Maxwell is currently appealing her conviction.
• House Oversight Committee subpoenaed Ghislaine Maxwell — The House Oversight Committee subpoenaed Ghislaine Maxwell for a deposition. Meanwhile, a committee spokesperson revealed that the body will also subpoena the Justice Department to release the Epstein files.

Supporting reports

• House Republicans call early recess to avoid voting on Epstein files release — The Republican-controlled House of Representatives announced it would end its legislative week one day early, moving the final votes from Thursday to Wednesday, ahead of the five-week summer recess. Democrats accused Republicans of fleeing to avoid politically difficult votes on amendments demanding release of Jeffrey Epstein case documents. Speaker Mike Johnson defended the decision as protecting victims, while the GOP majority declined to directly address whether the Epstein issue prompted the early departure.
• House Speaker Mike Johnson sent members home without voting on Epstein files release — House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) sent members of the House of Representatives home early for their summer break without holding a vote on whether to release the Epstein files. The House will not reconvene until September 2, effectively postponing any legislative action on the matter.

Supporting reports

• Trump calls for prosecution of Obama and senior officials — President Trump, responding to DNI Gabbard's report, called for the prosecution of former President Obama, Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, and Susan Rice, claiming they committed treason and orchestrated a coup. Trump posted on Truth Social that "Obama himself manufactured the Russia, Russia, Russia HOAX" and called it "THE CRIME OF THE CENTURY" and "Irrefutable EVIDENCE." He demanded severe consequences for those involved.
• Trump baselessly accused Obama of committing treason — Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump baselessly accused Obama of committing treason, falsely claiming the former president and his administration "tried to rig the [2016] election, and they got caught. And there should be very severe consequences for that." Obama's spokesperson responded that the claims are "outrageous" and "ridiculous," noting that documents issued by Gabbard "undercuts the widely accepted conclusion that Russia worked to influence the 2016 presidential election."
• Trump accused Obama and Clinton of treason and election rigging — When asked about Deputy Attorney General Blanche's meeting with Maxwell, Trump attacked former President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, claiming they "tried to rig the [2016] election, and they got caught" and should face "very severe consequences." Trump referenced allegations made by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on Friday, in which she called for prosecution of Obama and former senior national security officials for a "treasonous conspiracy" against Trump related to Russian interference in the 2016 election.
• Trump directed Republican congressmembers to deflect questions about Epstein files by claiming Obama cheated in 2016 election — During a morning meeting with Republican members of Congress, President Trump stated his popularity is rising and instructed them to redirect questions away from the Epstein files by repeatedly claiming that former president Barack Obama cheated in the 2016 election. Trump requested that cameramen cut cameras during the accusation, though the recording continued uninterrupted. He told congressmembers to use the Obama claim as a deflection tactic for any "inappropriate" questions.
• Trump publicly calls for prosecution of Obama, alleging "coup" and "treason" — Donald Trump told reporters that Barack Obama attempted to lead a "coup" against him and committed "treason" by allegedly manufacturing evidence of Russian interference in the 2016 election. Trump named Obama as the primary target of a criminal investigation recommended in a report by Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence. Obama's office responded with an emphatic public refutation, breaking precedent to reject the accusations as "outrageous" and "ridiculous," and reaffirmed that Russia's 2016 interference was confirmed by bipartisan Senate investigation and the Mueller report.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration targets sanctuary cities with escalated ICE enforcement operations — Tom Homan, Trump's border czar, announced plans to "flood the zone" with ICE agents in sanctuary cities, specifically targeting New York following a shooting incident involving an off-duty CBP officer allegedly shot by an undocumented person. Homan vowed to deploy more agents in communities and worksites, stating that if arrests cannot be made in county jails, they will occur in public spaces. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem blamed sanctuary city policies for the incident, claiming they endanger public safety, though evidence does not support this claim.
• Tom Homan announces plan to flood sanctuary cities with ICE agents — Deportation Czar Tom Homan announced on MSNBC that ICE will "flood the zone of sanctuary cities" with additional agents and officers, and will "flood the neighborhoods with officers" and "flood worksite enforcements" now that Congress has tripled ICE's budget, making it the largest law enforcement organization in America. Homan blamed Democrats for the controversial policy of ICE officers wearing masks.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration dismisses Epstein file inquiries as "waste of time" — Donald Trump publicly denounced demands for more information on Jeffrey Epstein as a "waste [of] Time and Energy" about "somebody that nobody cares about," seeking to contain a rift with his own supporters over the sex-trafficking scandal. The statement triggered backlash from influential Maga figures, including Tucker Carlson, who criticized the administration's dismissive handling of public questions about Epstein's influence and connections at a Turning Point USA event in Tampa.
• Trump posted that Epstein files release is a "Democrat SCAM" — Trump posted on social media that Democrats have "gone absolutely CRAZY" and are playing a "Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax" but "under the guise of what we will call the Jeffrey Epstein SCAM," calling it a "Democrat CON JOB." He stated he hopes grand jury files will be released quickly but that "people who are innocent should not be hurt," a reference to his earlier statement that AG Pam Bondi should only release materials deemed "credible."

Supporting reports

• Trump Media & Technology Group acquires $2 billion in bitcoin — Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), a publicly traded company majority-owned by Trump, announced on Monday that it had acquired $2 billion in bitcoin. TMTG, the parent company of Truth Social, lost over $185 million on $3.6 million in revenue in 2024. The acquisition converts a failing media company into a bitcoin holding company, mirroring a strategy pioneered by MicroStrategy. The move positions Trump to profit directly from future pro-bitcoin policy decisions made by his administration.

Supporting reports

• Speaker Johnson blocks bipartisan Epstein files release resolution before August recess — Speaker Mike Johnson announced he will not bring a bipartisan resolution to release the Epstein files to the House floor before the August recess. The resolution is sponsored by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and is supported by at least 7 Republicans, including Rep. Marjorie Greene. Johnson stated his belief that "we need the administration to have the space to do what it is doing." The resolution is certain to pass if brought to a vote.
• House Republicans call early recess to avoid voting on Epstein files release — The Republican-controlled House of Representatives announced it would end its legislative week one day early, moving the final votes from Thursday to Wednesday, ahead of the five-week summer recess. Democrats accused Republicans of fleeing to avoid politically difficult votes on amendments demanding release of Jeffrey Epstein case documents. Speaker Mike Johnson defended the decision as protecting victims, while the GOP majority declined to directly address whether the Epstein issue prompted the early departure.
• House Speaker Mike Johnson sent members home without voting on Epstein files release — House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) sent members of the House of Representatives home early for their summer break without holding a vote on whether to release the Epstein files. The House will not reconvene until September 2, effectively postponing any legislative action on the matter.
• Speaker Johnson shut down the House to block Epstein files vote — Speaker Mike Johnson sent the House home early for summer recess and canceled all scheduled votes and business to prevent a bipartisan vote on releasing Epstein-related documents. House Republicans lost control of the floor due to bipartisan pressure. Rep. Thomas Massie's discharge petition will ripen in September, forcing a vote unless the Trump administration releases documents satisfying Republican concerns by August. Johnson stated he would wait until August to give the Trump administration time to release the documents.
• Speaker Mike Johnson sent House home until September to avoid Epstein files vote — Speaker Mike Johnson sent the House home until September to avoid a vote on releasing the Epstein files. Johnson claimed that release may not be necessary upon return because DOJ was working on releasing grand jury transcripts. However, the DOJ conceded it had no legal basis to unseal the transcripts, and the court denied the request. Judge Robin Rosenberg noted the court's "hands are tied" by the government's own concession that criminal procedure laws forbid unsealing grand jury testimony except in narrow circumstances.

Supporting reports

• Department of Justice dismisses Biden-era lawsuit challenging Tennessee's law restricting gender-affirming medical care for minors — The Department of Justice announced dismissal with prejudice of its complaint in intervention challenging Tennessee's law restricting gender-affirming medical procedures for minors. The dismissal followed a June 2025 Supreme Court decision upholding the law on rational-basis grounds. Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated the department would no longer challenge such state laws, characterizing them as protective of children. The announcement represents a reversal of the Biden administration's legal position.

Supporting reports

• Appeal filed — Jenner & Block v. Department of Justice (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-00916 — The Department of Justice appealed Judge Bates' May 23 summary judgment to the D.C. Circuit.
• Appeal filed — Protect Democracy Project v. OMB (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01111 — Defendants appealed the court's grant of summary judgement to the D.C. Circuit.
• Case update — American Association of University Professors v. Rubio (D. Mass.) 1:25-cv-10685 — The bench trial concluded.
• Case update — National Academy of Education v. Department of Education (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01266 — Plaintiffs filed an amended complaint , which added multiple APA claims to the action and removed the ultra vires and separation of powers doctrine claims.
• Motion granted — Slaughter and Bedoya v. Trump (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-00909 — The D.C. Circuit unanimously granted an administrative stay of Judge Alikhan's ruling that had ordered the reinstatement of former FTC Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter . The court set a briefing schedule with filings due before July 29.
• Motion granted — VERA Institute of Justice v. U.S. Department of Justice (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01643 — Judge Mehta granted in part Plaintiffs' emergency motion for an injunction pending appeal of its order denying their preliminary-injunction motion and dismissing the case. Although the court declined to reinstate Plaintiffs' grants pending appeal, it found a narrower injunction appropriate-“one that prevents the re-obligation of the five named Plaintiffs' cancelled grant funding … [and] prohibits Defendants from re-obligating or otherwise diminishing the sums awarded but terminated under Plaintiffs' grant agreements.”
• Motion to dismiss decided — American Federation Of Government Employees, AFL-CIO v. Trump (N.D. Cal.) 3:25-cv-03698 — Defendants filed a motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction.
• Preliminary injunction ruling — American Gateways v. U.S. Department for Justice (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01370 — Judge Ali granted a preliminary injunction blocking the administration from terminating the NQRP. The court found that the termination of the program is likely arbitrary and capricious under the APA, and the court is empowered to “set aside” such agency action. The court also denied defendants' motion to dismiss as to Count I of the complaint and held it in abeyance as to Counts II and III.
• Preliminary injunction ruling — National Endowment for Democracy v. United States (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-00648 — Plaintiffs filed a motion for a preliminary injunction and supporting memorandum in which they request that the court enter an order that would stop Defendants and those they supervise from withholding or otherwise interfering with NED's congressionally mandated funding.
• Preliminary injunction ruling — Planned Parenthood Federation of America v. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. et al (D. Mass.) 1:25-cv-11913 — Judge Talwani granted a preliminary injunction prohibiting the administration from enforcing Section 71113 of the “ One Big Beautiful Act ” against the Planned Parenthood Association of Utah and other Planned Parenthood Federation of America Members. The injunction applies only to affiliates that are either barred from providing abortions due to state law or that received less than $800,000 in Medicaid reimbursements in 2023. The court found that the statute likely violates the First Amendment right of association by defunding affiliates based solely on their relationship to abortion providers-even when they do not themselves provide abortions or share funds. The court has not yet ruled on whether to extend relief to additional Planned Parenthood members.
• Summary judgment ruling — Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington v. Office of Management and Budget (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01051 — Judge Sullivan granted a summary judgment in part for the plaintiffs, holding that the administration's deletion of the Public Apportionments Database violates public disclosure requirements. The court noted “there is nothing unconstitutional about Congress requiring the Executive Branch to inform the public of how it is apportioning the public's money.”
• Summary judgment ruling — Protect Democracy Project v. OMB (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01111 — Judge Emmet Sullivan granted a summary judgment in part for the plaintiffs on the Administrative Procedure Act claim, holding that the administration's deletion of the Public Apportionments Database violated public disclosure requirements. The court further ordered that the Defendants must restore the Public Apportionments Database, make available the apportionment information required by the 2022 and 2023 Acts, and are permanently enjoined from removing the database without statutory authorization. The court noted “there is nothing unconstitutional about Congress requiring the Executive Branch to inform the public of how it is apportioning the public's money.”
• Temporary restraining order ruling — Washington State Association of Head Start and Early Childhood Assistance and Education Program, et al, v. Robert F. Kenned — Plaintiffs filed a motion for a temporary restraining order and proposed order seeking emergency relief for new claims arising from the Immigrant Exclusion Directive issued on July 14, 2025.
• Appeal filed — Harper v. Bessent (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01294 — Judge Ali granted a summary judgment in favor of Plaintiffs, ruling that the administration's firing of two Board members of the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) was unlawful. The court held that the statutory basis and structure of NCUA limits the president's power to fire board members at will, and such restriction is lawful under the Separation of Powers since the “NCUA Board fits comfortably within the traditional model of a multimember expert agency that does not wield substantial executive power.” The administration appealed to the D.C. Circuit and filed a motion to stay the judgment pending appeal (Case No. 25-5268 ).
• Appeal filed — Planned Parenthood Federation of America v. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. et al (D. Mass.) 1:25-cv-11913 — Following Judge Talwani's preliminary injunction , which prohibited the enforcement of Section 71113 of the “ One Big Beautiful Bill Act ” against certain members of Planned Parenthood Association, the administration appealed the decision to the First Circuit.
• Case update — American Oversight v. U.S. Department Of Government Efficiency (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01251 — Plaintiff amended its complaint to add additional APA claims and enumerate which of Defendants' actions applied to each of the claims.
• Case update — National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association v. Kennedy (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01265 — Plaintiff filed a motion for an order directing Defendants to hold the disputed funds pending a resolution on the merits.
• Case update — Project on Government Oversight, Inc. v. Trump (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-00527 — The case was stayed.
• Case update — Smith v. Trump (D. Me.) 1:25-cv-00158 — Plaintiffs filed an amended complaint , which noted that the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) had set forth regulations promulgating the EO. The amended complaint added a claim under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) alleging the regulations are not in accordance with law and requesting that the court declare the regulations to be unlawful.
• Motion denied — The Associated Press v. Budowich (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-00532 — The D.C. Circuit denied Plaintiffs' motion for en banc reconsideration, holding that the standard for en banc review was not met because the stay was a non-precedential order that did not resolve the appeal's merits.
• Preliminary injunction ruling — Valuta Corporation, Inc. v. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (W.D. Tex.) 3:25-cv-00191 — Judge Schydlower granted Plaintiffs' motion for a preliminary injunction, temporarily enjoining Defendants from “enforcing, implementing, and otherwise giving effect to the Border GTO as to the named Plaintiffs.”
• Appeal filed — Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington v. Office of Management and Budget (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01051 — Following Judge Sullivan's summary judgment in part, which rules the administration's deletion of the Public Apportionments Database violates public disclosure requirements, the administration appealed to the D.C. Circuit and filed a motion to stay the judgment pending appeal.
• Case update — American Academy of Pediatrics v. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (D. Mass.) 1:25-cv-11916 — Plaintiffs filed a first amended complaint adding two additional Plaintiffs - Massachusetts Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (MCAAP) and Jane Doe 2 - and provided amended and additional factual allegations and legal background.
• Certiorari petition filed — Boyle v. Trump (D. Md.) 8:25-cv-01628 — In a 6-3 opinion, the Supreme Court granted the administration's application to stay a Judge Maddox's June 13 summary judgment and injunction pending the government's Fourth Circuit appeal and any petition for a writ of certiorari, allowing the administration to remove three Commissioners from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The court noted that the case is similar to Trump v. Wilcox , which also involves the removal of members in the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). Justice Kavanaugh concurred. Justice Kagan, alongside Justices Sotomayor and Jackson, dissented, writing “[o]nce again, this Court uses its emergency docket to destroy the independence of an independent agency, as established by Congress.”
• Stay motion decided — Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington v. Office of Management and Budget (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01051 — Judge Sullivan denied the administration's motion to stay the court's summary judgment , which found the administration's deletion of the Public Apportionments Database violates public disclosure requirements. Judge Sullivan noted the administration's conduct “unequivocally violates federal law.” He further wrote “[t]he Court will not be complicit in further delaying Plaintiff and the public of information they are entitled to know as a matter of federal law!!” On that same day, the D.C. Circuit administratively stayed Judge Sullivan's July 21 summary judgment order.
• Stay motion decided — Protect Democracy Project v. OMB (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01111 — Judge Sullivan denied Defendants' motion to stay pending appeal, however the D.C. Circuit stayed Judge Sullivan's orders from July 21 pending their review of the appeal on that same day.
• Stay pending appeal decided — CASA, Inc. v. Noem (D. Md.) 8:25-cv-01484 — Following the Fourth Circuit's July 21 refusal to stay pending appeal the termination of TPS for Afghanistan and Cameroon , Plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed their appeal. The case now continues before Judge Chuang.
• Summary judgment ruling — State of Illinois v. Federal Emergency Management Agency (D.R.I.) 1:25-cv-00206 — Defendants moved for summary judgment as well.
• Temporary restraining order ruling — Pallek v. Rollins (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01650 — Judge Jia M. Cobb denied Plaintiffs' motion for an emergency temporary restraining order.
• Case update — State of Maryland v. Corporation for National and Community Service (D. Md.) 1:25-cv-01363 — The Plaintiff States filed an amended complaint . The updates included specifying which alleged APA violations applied to the AmeriCorps Defendants and OMB Defendants as well as the addition of an allegation against all Defendants requesting mandamus relief.
• Case update — State of New Jersey v. Bondi (D. Md.) 1:25-cv-01807 — All Plaintiffs and Defendants stipulated the dismissal of the non-federal defendants-specifically Kevin Maxwell; Lawrence DeMonico; Rare Breed Triggers, LLC; Rare Breed Firearms, LLC; National Association for Gun Rights, Inc.; Texas Gun Rights, Inc.; Patrick Carey; James Wheeler; and Travis Speegle.
• Complaint filed — Gordon v. Executive Office of the President — Three Department of Justice employees filed suit in D.D.C. challenging their terminations by Attorney General Pamela Bondi in June and July 2025. The plaintiffs, who had been involved in high-profile prosecutions including January 6th cases, allege the firings were politically motivated and retaliatory, violated the Administrative Procedure Act, the Fifth Amendment's due process clause, and the Civil Service Reform Act. They seek reinstatement, backpay, and a name-clearing hearing.
• Dismissal entered — Corporation for Public Broadcasting v. Trump (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01305 — Plaintiff Board member Laura Ross voluntarily dismissed her claims, which was approved by the district court the next day. All other Plaintiffs are otherwise proceeding with their claims.
• Preliminary injunction ruling — National Job Corps Association v. Department of Labor (S.D.N.Y.) 1:25-cv-04641 — Judge Carter issued an amended preliminary injunction order which narrowed the scope of applicability of the order to the 31 centers operated by the Operator Plaintiffs and the 5 additional centers at which Plaintiff Transportation Communications Union/IAM provides training services following the Supreme Court's June 27 ruling in Trump v. Casa . The court enjoined Defendants "from enforcing, implementing, maintaining or giving effect to the closure of the private Job Corps centers, including the stop work orders and termination and non-renewal notices delivered to Job Corps center operators starting May 29, 2025, from issuing, enforcing, implementing, maintaining or giving effect to any shutdown tasks, job terminations, or student removals; and from taking any further action to close any Job Corps Centers." Sept.18, 2025: Plaintiffs submitted an amended complaint . In addition to adding more plaintiffs and providing further detail as to the factual allegations, the complaint clarified the National Job Corps Association (“NCJA”) standing to bring suit on behalf of their harmed members. Additionally, the amended complaint supplements claims with more specific violations of the Administrative Procedure Act (“APA”) and the Workplace Innovation and Opportunity Act.
• Stay motion decided — Harper v. Bessent (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01294 — Judge Ali denied the administration's motion to stay the court's summary judgment , which reinstated two Board members of the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). The court distinguished itself from recent Supreme Court opinions that blocked the courts' reinstatements in the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Labor Relations Board, noting that NCUA does not exercise the same “considerable executive power” in those cases.
• Stay motion decided — Slaughter and Bedoya v. Trump (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-00909 — Judge Alikhan denied the administration's motion to stay her earlier summary judgment , which reinstated former FTC Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter . The court again reaffirmed that Supreme Court precedent limits the president's authority to remove FTC Commissioners. The court distinguished this case from recent Supreme Court opinions that stayed reinstatements at other agencies, noting those decisions did not mention FTC.
• Case update — Melgar-Salmeron v. Bondi (2d Cir.) 23-7792 — The Second Circuit ordered the government, in addition to its weekly status updates, to file by Aug. 1 a declaration from someone with personal knowledge explaining the basis for its assertion that Petitioner has been charged with illicit association and homicide, is housed at the Tecoluca maximum-security prison, and is awaiting trial, along with any corroborating documentation (with leave to seek sealing as needed). The court also noted it had held the petition in abeyance in early 2024 and, absent objection by Aug. 1, intends to lift that hold in due course.
• Case update — Quintero Chacon v. Dickerson (a.k.a. Q.C.E. v. Stewart Detention Facility) (M.D. Ga.) 4:25-cv-00050 — Petitioner Quintero filed a voluntary dismissal, based on the fact that he was removed to Venezuela on July 18, 2025, pursuant to an exchange between the United States and Venezuelan governments. The case has been closed.
• Complaint filed — State of Washington v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security — Washington State filed a federal complaint on July 25, 2025, challenging the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency's termination of the Shelter and Services Program (SSP), a congressionally established grant program. The administration zeroed out and revoked Washington's $4 million SSP grant in spring 2025, disrupting shelter, food, medical care, and hygiene services for thousands of newly arrived migrants. Washington names DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, FEMA, and Senior Official David Richardson as defendants, alleging violations of the Separation of Powers, the Spending Clause, and the Administrative Procedure Act, and seeking declaratory and injunctive relief to restore funding and prevent future executive interference with the grants.
• Notice of appeal filed — Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr v. Executive Office of the President (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-00917 — The Trump Administration filed a notice of appeal to the D.C. Circuit, challenging Judge Leon's summary judgment on May 27, which found Executive Order 14250 , targeting WilmerHale, was unlawful and void.
• Preliminary injunction ruling — Cabrera v. Department of Labor (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01909 — Judge Dabney L. Friedrich issued an order and opinion granting Plaintiffs' preliminary injunction motion and stayed DOL's directive to effectuate the closure of all privately-operated Jobs Corps centers pending the resolution of this litigation.
• Preliminary injunction ruling — Personal Services Contractor Association v. Trump et al (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-00469 — The court found that it likely lacks jurisdiction over the case's claims and consequently denied Plaintiff's motion for a preliminary injunction.
• Preliminary injunction ruling — Porwancher v. National Endowment for the Humanities (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01180 — Judge Carl J. Nichols granted Porwancher's June 2, 2025 motion for a preliminary injunction preventing the NEH from treating the grant as terminated and enjoining future actions regarding the grant unless they comply with procedural requirements under applicable regulations.
• Summary judgment ruling — Corporation for Public Broadcasting v. Trump (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01305 — The remaining Plaintiffs filed a motion for summary judgment requesting that the district court enter judgment declaring Trump's attempt to terminate CPB's Board members as unlawful.
• Summary judgment ruling — Harper v. Bessent (D.D.C.) 1:25-cv-01294 — The D.C. Circuit granted an administrative stay of the district court's July 22 summary judgment order, pending further order of the Court of Appeals.
• Supreme Court Grants Stay in Trump v. Boyle — On July 23, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court granted the federal government's request for a stay in the case of Trump v. Boyle. This decision temporarily halts the enforcement of a lower court's order that had reinstated three commissioners of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission who were terminated by the Trump administration. The stay was granted in a 6-3 decision, with Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissenting. The stay allows the Trump administration to maintain the commissioners' termination while the case proceeds through the courts.

Supporting reports

• Attorney General Bondi fires Grace and attacks judges — Hours after the federal judges selected Desiree Leigh Grace as U.S. attorney on July 22, 2025, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on social media that Grace was no longer first assistant and attacked the judges who appointed her. Bondi stated, "This Department of Justice does not tolerate rogue judges — especially when they threaten the President's core Article II powers," characterizing judicial exercise of statutory authority as a threat to presidential power.
• Federal judges reject Trump's interim US attorney pick Alina Habba for New Jersey — A panel of federal judges in New Jersey declined to permanently appoint Alina Habba, Trump's former defense lawyer, as the state's US attorney after her interim status expired on July 22. The judges offered no explanation but appointed career prosecutor Desiree Leigh Grace as her replacement. In retaliation, Attorney General Pam Bondi removed Grace hours later, citing judicial overreach of presidential Article II powers. The removal sparked Democratic condemnation of what senators called an attempt to intimidate the judiciary.
• AG Bondi removes Desiree Grace as US Attorney for New Jersey — Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the removal of Desiree Grace from her position as US Attorney for New Jersey, immediately after Grace was appointed by judges to replace Alina Habba. Bondi stated that "politically minded judges refused to allow her to continue in her position" and claimed the DOJ "does not tolerate rogue judges—especially when they threaten the President's core Article II powers."
• AG Bondi accused judges of refusing to appoint Alina Habba — Hours after judges on the US District Court in New Jersey declined to appoint Trump's former lawyer and interim US attorney for the state, Alina Habba, for a permanent position, AG Bondi accused the "politically minded" and "rogue" judges of refusing to allow her to continue in her position. Bondi also removed Habba's court-appointed successor, Desiree Grace, who had been serving as the second-highest-ranking official in the US attorney's office.
• Deputy AG Blanche defends Habba; urges judges to retain her — Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who served as Habba's co-counsel in Trump's criminal cases, issued a statement defending Habba and urging the district judges to retain her. Blanche stated that Habba has "the full confidence of DOJ leadership" and is performing her duties "aggressively, independently, and by the book." He characterized criticism as a "smear campaign" and urged judges to disregard "political noise."

Supporting reports

• White House removes Wall Street Journal reporter from Trump's Scotland trip — The White House removed Tarini Parti, a Wall Street Journal reporter scheduled to serve as print pooler for the final two days of Trump's four-day trip to his golf courses in Turnberry and Aberdeen, Scotland, from the trip manifest. The White House took control of pool rotations earlier in 2025, removing that authority from the White House Correspondents' Association. The removal follows the WSJ's recent story connecting Trump to Jeffrey Epstein via a signed birthday card.
• Press Secretary Leavitt defends exclusion of Wall Street Journal from coverage — Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the Wall Street Journal and other news outlets are not guaranteed special access to cover President Trump in the Oval Office, aboard Air Force One, or in private workspaces. She cited the WSJ's "fake and defamatory conduct" as the reason for excluding them from the 13 outlets on board Trump's trip, while claiming the White House has "taken significant steps to include as many voices as possible."
• White House removed Wall Street Journal from Trump's press pool — The White House pulled the Wall Street Journal off the reporters' pool covering Trump's Friday trip to Scotland after the Journal published an article about a "bawdy" letter the president wrote to Epstein in 2003. In response, the New York Times released a statement in solidarity, calling the move "an attack on the core constitutional principles underpinning free speech and a free press" and "simple retribution by a president against a news organization for doing reporting he doesn't like."
• White House assumes direct control of press pool assignments — The Trump administration has assumed direct control of press pool assignments, a role traditionally managed by the White House Correspondents' Association. This shift enables selective inclusion and exclusion of media outlets from official access, representing a departure from established norms of independent press pool management.
• White House bars Wall Street Journal from press pool over Epstein reporting — The Trump administration excluded the Wall Street Journal from the White House press pool following the publication of investigative reporting about alleged ties between Trump and Jeffrey Epstein, specifically a story claiming Trump sent a "bawdy" birthday letter to Epstein in 2003. The New York Times and White House Correspondents' Association condemned the exclusion as retribution and an attack on press freedom. Trump has filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the WSJ; the paper stands by its reporting.
• Trump administration sues Wall Street Journal over Epstein story — The Trump administration sued the Wall Street Journal and its owner Rupert Murdoch in response to reporting that Trump had sent Epstein a lewd drawing and suggestive dialogue. The lawsuit represents a direct legal action against press coverage of Trump's personal connections to Epstein during a period of heightened scrutiny over the administration's handling of Epstein files.
• Trump files defamation lawsuits against major media companies — Trump has filed lawsuits against several major media companies, including CBS/Paramount, ABC News, Meta, and the Wall Street Journal. The article notes that all companies have settled their cases for millions of dollars. These lawsuits follow unfavorable reporting and represent a pattern of legal action against press outlets.
• Trump sues Wall Street Journal and bans outlet from press pool over Epstein letter report — After the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump allegedly sent a "bawdy" letter to Epstein in 2003, Trump sued the Journal and its owners. In retaliation, the paper was subsequently banned from participating in the press pool during Trump's upcoming trip to Scotland. The action reflects Trump's use of legal threats and access restrictions to punish media coverage of his ties to Epstein.

Supporting reports

• White House removed Wall Street Journal from Trump's press pool — The White House pulled the Wall Street Journal off the reporters' pool covering Trump's Friday trip to Scotland after the Journal published an article about a "bawdy" letter the president wrote to Epstein in 2003. In response, the New York Times released a statement in solidarity, calling the move "an attack on the core constitutional principles underpinning free speech and a free press" and "simple retribution by a president against a news organization for doing reporting he doesn't like."
• White House bans Wall Street Journal from Trump Scotland trip — The White House confirmed that President Trump will visit his golf courses in Scotland from July 25-29 and has banned the Wall Street Journal from the trip. Media Matters' Matthew Gertz noted that the bigger scandal is that the president and his entourage are flying to Scotland on the public's dime to open a new 18-hole golf course at his resort.

Supporting reports

• ICE director affirms policy allowing agents to wear masks during arrest operations — Todd Lyons, acting director of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, stated on CBS Face the Nation that he will continue permitting ICE officers to wear masks during arrest raids, citing officer safety and doxxing concerns. Legal advocates, state attorneys general, and civil rights groups have challenged the practice as obscuring accountability, enabling impersonation, and contributing to a climate of fear. The policy has coincided with record deportation enforcement under the Trump administration.

Supporting reports

• ICE confirmed use of Medicaid data to track undocumented immigrants — During the same CBS interview, Todd Lyons confirmed that ICE has obtained and is using Medicaid data to identify and locate immigrants believed to be in the US unlawfully. Critics note that undocumented immigrants are ineligible for Medicaid, raising privacy and data-misuse concerns. The revelation highlights the administration's use of government databases for immigration enforcement targeting.

Supporting reports

• ICE expanded detention capacity with temporary tent structures despite safety warnings — Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with a tripled annual budget and intensifying pressure to increase deportations, is rapidly expanding detention space using temporary tent-like structures at military bases and adjoining ICE jails. The Trump administration identified limited detention space as a major obstacle to meeting deportation targets and allocated $45 billion for detention through the end of the term to reach 100,000 beds by year-end, up from roughly 40,000 when Trump took office. Internal tensions have emerged as some administration officials and Republican allies warned that detaining immigrants long-term in flimsy structures could prove disastrous, particularly in flood-prone or hurricane-prone locations.

Supporting reports

• Atlanta reporter detained by ICE — A reporter from Atlanta remains in detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The article cites this as an example of ICE's "immoral and unconstitutional" actions and notes ongoing detention of individuals in for-profit detention centers.
• ICE continues detention of journalist Guevara despite dropped charges — Mario Guevara remains detained by ICE in a south Georgia immigration detention center despite all criminal charges being dropped. First Amendment rights groups, including the Committee to Protect Journalists, stated at a press conference that Guevara is being "punished for his journalism." Guevara, a Salvadoran native with 20+ years in the US, has a work permit and pending green card application. He is now held in isolation at the Folkston immigration center. His family was forced to make an extortion payment after another inmate threatened him while briefly in general population at a federal Atlanta prison.

Supporting reports

• Republican lawmakers and media figures called for prosecution and arrest of Obama administration officials — Multiple Republican members of Congress and conservative media personalities responded to DNI Gabbard's referral by publicly demanding criminal prosecution, arrest, and imprisonment of former President Obama and senior officials. Rep. Marjorie Greene called it "Crimes of the century." Rep. Anna Paulina Luna cited federal law violations carrying seven-year sentences. Rep. Byron Donalds stated "People need to go to jail." Newsmax host Carl Higbie declared prosecution should be Attorney General Bondi's "NUMBER ONE priority." Conservative figures including Dinesh D'Souza and James Woods echoed demands for arrests and trials.

Supporting reports

• Sen. Durbin inquired about FBI reassignment of hundreds of agents to flag Trump mentions in Epstein files — Sen. Dick Durbin sent an inquiry to the Department of Justice and FBI asking them to explain why hundreds of agents from the New York Field Office were reassigned to review Epstein-related records and flag any documents mentioning President Trump's name. The FBI responded with "no comment" when contacted by CNBC about the inquiry. The reassignment raised questions about whether law enforcement resources were being directed toward protecting the sitting president by identifying and potentially suppressing information.

Supporting reports

• Trump demands Senate end blue-slip judicial confirmation tradition — On July 20, Trump posted on social media demanding the Senate immediately abandon the blue-slip tradition, an informal process allowing minority-party senators to block judicial nominees for their state. Trump characterized the practice as preventing him from appointing his chosen nominees and demanded Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley end it, while reposting attacks calling Grassley a "RINO" and suggesting he hates America. Grassley refused, stating he was offended by Trump's personal insults.

Supporting reports

• Pete Hegseth renames military bases with Confederate namesakes using legal workaround — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reverted multiple U.S. Army bases to Confederate names by claiming to rename them after non-Confederate soldiers with identical surnames (e.g., Fort Bragg after "Roland Bragg," Fort Benning after "Fred Benning"). Congress had passed legislation in January 2021 mandating new names for Confederate-named bases; the House Armed Services Committee voted 15 July to block Hegseth's actions. Hegseth also announced plans to rename the USS Harvey Milk after a different honoree, stripping recognition from the gay rights pioneer.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration pursues anti-voting executive order affecting overseas voters — The Trump administration is working to implement an anti-voting executive order that would impose strict citizenship documentation requirements and ban the counting of ballots received after Election Day. These provisions directly contradict UOCAVA's long-standing protections that allow extended counting periods and flexible documentation for overseas voters. The order represents a federal effort to undermine overseas voting rights.

Supporting reports

• Trump threatened to interfere with NFL stadium deal over team name — Trump threatened to interfere with a deal to build a new football stadium in Washington, DC, if the local NFL team did not change its name back to the "Redskins," a name dropped in 2020 for being a racial slur tied to genocide of Indigenous peoples. He also called for the Cleveland Guardians to revert to their former name, the "Indians."
• Trump Threatens to Block Name Change of Washington Commanders — President Trump threatened to block the relocation of the Washington Commanders back to Washington, D.C., unless the team reverts to its former name, the "Washington Redskins." He claimed that there is a significant demand from the public to restore the name, which has been criticized for its racist connotations. This statement follows the team's previous name change in 2020.

Supporting reports

• White House issues fact sheet claiming six-month record of policy achievements — The White House published a fact sheet asserting accomplishments across economic, border, military, and diplomatic domains during the first six months of the Trump administration. The document claims the largest tax cut in history, record-low border encounters, 671,000 net job additions, egg price declines, tariff revenue collection, military recruitment goals met, and diplomatic agreements including ceasefires and NATO defense spending increases. The fact sheet attributes these outcomes to executive orders, legislation, and administration policy direction.
• White House issues promotional fact sheet claiming fulfillment of campaign promises — The White House published a fact sheet titled "President Trump Has Kept His Promises — and Then Some," asserting that the administration has delivered on 20 core campaign commitments within six months. The document claims achievements across border security, deportations, inflation reduction, energy production, manufacturing, tax cuts, constitutional protections, military modernization, and election integrity. It attributes specific policy actions (executive orders, regulatory changes, enforcement operations) to each claimed promise and frames them as accomplished outcomes.

Supporting reports

• Republican congressman and Trump administration target Mamdani with unsubstantiated terrorism allegations and citizenship questions — Following Mamdani's primary victory, Republican Congressman Andy Ogles demanded material support for terrorism charges against Mamdani without evidence and called for his deportation. Donald Trump falsely questioned Mamdani's citizenship. The Trump administration's Homeland Security Advisory Council initiated an investigation into Mamdani. These actions echo post-9/11 tactics used against Muslim charities and organizations.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration makes undocumented immigrants ineligible for bond hearings — The Washington Post reported that the Trump administration implemented a policy making undocumented immigrants no longer eligible for bond hearings while they challenge their deportation proceedings in court. Under the new policy, only DHS officials can release detainees on parole, rather than judges, affecting millions of immigrants.