Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Trump fires Attorney General Pam Bondi; Todd Blanche becomes acting AG and affirms Trump's "right" to direct DOJ investigations — Donald Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi on April 2, 2026, after months of pressure to prosecute political rivals including James Comey, Letitia James, and Adam Schiff. Though the DOJ secured indictments against Comey and James, the cases collapsed. Trump was reportedly angered by the department's lack of progress in pursuing enemies. Todd Blanche, the acting attorney general, subsequently stated Trump has the "right" to direct investigations at the justice department, signaling the administration's intent to weaponize law enforcement for political retribution.

Supporting reports

• Pam Bondi fired as Attorney General; Todd Blanche assumes interim role — President Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi on April 1, 2026, shortly before delivering a primetime address on the Iran war. Trump announced her departure via Truth Social, stating she would transition to the private sector. According to reporting, Trump cited Bondi's alleged intervention in matters related to Rep. Eric Swalwell and FBI investigative documents concerning Swalwell's relationship with Christine Fang as a reason for the dismissal. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche was named interim AG. Bondi reportedly pleaded for more time but Trump remained firm.
• Trump fires Attorney General Pam Bondi; Todd Blanche becomes acting AG and affirms Trump's "right" to direct DOJ investigations — Donald Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi on April 2, 2026, after months of pressure to prosecute political rivals including James Comey, Letitia James, and Adam Schiff. Though the DOJ secured indictments against Comey and James, the cases collapsed. Trump was reportedly angered by the department's lack of progress in pursuing enemies. Todd Blanche, the acting attorney general, subsequently stated Trump has the "right" to direct investigations at the justice department, signaling the administration's intent to weaponize law enforcement for political retribution.
• Trump dismisses Attorney General Pam Bondi — President Trump announced on 2 April via Truth Social that Attorney General Pam Bondi was being removed from office. Trump cited her transition to "a much needed and important new job in the private sector" without explicitly naming the Epstein files as the reason, though reporting indicates her mishandling of the Epstein investigation and repeated missed disclosure deadlines under the Epstein Files Transparency Act (EFTA) were a primary motivation for her ouster. Todd Blanche assumed the role of acting attorney general.
• Trump fires attorney general Pam Bondi — Donald Trump dismissed Pam Bondi as US attorney general after 14 months, citing frustration with her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files and her failure to prosecute additional political enemies to his satisfaction. Bondi had reshaped the Justice Department through staff purges, shifted prosecutorial focus toward immigration, and complied with Trump's demands to indict former FBI director James Comey and New York attorney general Letitia James. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche assumed acting leadership; Lee Zeldin is reportedly a top contender for permanent replacement.
• Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi via social media — President Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi by posting her dismissal on social media. Trump was reportedly angry that Bondi had not adequately punished his political enemies and that her handling of the Epstein files had failed to contain the story. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, Trump's former personal lawyer, will serve as her replacement.
• Pam Bondi fired as Attorney General — President Trump terminated Pam Bondi as Attorney General on April 2, 2026. According to reporting, Bondi reportedly pleaded with Trump not to fire her during a confrontation at the White House. Trump released a statement describing her as a "Great American Patriot" transitioning to the private sector. Todd Blanche, Trump's former personal attorney and current Deputy Attorney General, assumed the role of Acting Attorney General. Bondi remains subject to a bipartisan congressional subpoena to testify before the Oversight Committee regarding the Epstein files.
• Trump appoints Todd Blanche as acting Attorney General — Trump appointed Deputy AG Todd Blanche, his former criminal defense attorney, to replace fired Attorney General Pam Bondi in an acting capacity on April 2. Blanche's appointment places a personal loyalist with no prior DOJ leadership experience in control of the nation's chief law enforcement agency, raising concerns about politicization of the Justice Department.
• Trump fires Attorney General Pam Bondi — Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi on April 2 after she failed to prosecute Trump's perceived political enemies and mishandled the release of the Epstein files. CNN reported that Bondi's upcoming deposition about the Epstein files influenced the timing of her firing, as the White House sought to avoid it. Trump appointed Deputy AG Todd Blanche, his former criminal defense attorney, to replace Bondi in an acting capacity. Bondi is the second woman in Trump's Cabinet to be fired.

Supporting reports

• ProPublica report detailed $220 million DHS ad contract to cronies — A November 2025 ProPublica report by Justin Elliott, Joshua Kaplan, and Alex Mierjeski documented that the Department of Homeland Security awarded a $220 million contract for a taxpayer-funded advertising campaign to cronies. The contract circumvented transparency laws by being awarded to a small company that then subcontracted the work to associates of Kristi Noem and Corey Lewandowski. Trump allegedly commented on the arrangement: "Corey made out on that one."

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• Attorney General Bondi appears at closed-door briefing instead of sworn hearing — Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche appeared at a closed-door, unsworn briefing before the House Oversight Committee on March 18, rather than complying with the subpoena requiring sworn testimony on April 14. When Democrats repeatedly asked if Bondi would comply with the subpoena, she refused to commit. Committee Chair Comer dismissed Democratic concerns about the lack of sworn testimony.
• House Democrats walk out of Bondi briefing — Democratic members of the House Oversight Committee walked out of the closed-door briefing with Attorney General Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Blanche on March 18, in protest of the lack of sworn testimony and the Attorney General's refusal to commit to complying with the subpoena. Representative Maxwell Frost (D-FL) characterized the briefing as a "fake deposition" designed to allow Bondi to "weasel herself out of sitting in front of us under oath."

Supporting reports

• House Oversight Committee chair issues subpoena to Attorney General Bondi — House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-KY) formally issued a subpoena requiring Attorney General Pam Bondi to appear before the committee on April 14 to testify under oath regarding DOJ handling of Epstein files.
• House Oversight Committee subpoenas Attorney General Pam Bondi over Epstein investigation — On March 17, the Republican-led House Oversight Committee issued a subpoena requiring Attorney General Pam Bondi to testify about the Justice Department's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation and associates, as well as DOJ compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Later that day, Democratic committee members walked out of a private briefing with Bondi after she refused to commit to complying with the subpoena and providing a deposition.
• House committee subpoenas Attorney General Pam Bondi over Epstein files handling — The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, chaired by Republican James Comer, formally subpoenaed Attorney General Pam Bondi to testify about the Department of Justice's handling of the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Lawmakers from both parties have criticized the DOJ for improperly redacting material, withholding names of potential criminals, and exposing survivor personal information. Bondi is required to appear for a deposition on April 14, 2026. The subpoena followed a March 4 committee vote in which five Republicans joined Democrats to authorize it.

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• DOJ proposes rule requiring state bars to defer ethics investigations into DOJ attorneys — The Department of Justice published a proposed rule requiring state bar authorities to suspend parallel investigations into DOJ attorneys' conduct and wait while DOJ conducts its own internal review first. The rule would also direct DOJ personnel not to share non-public information with state bar proceedings until DOJ completes its review. State bars would retain final disciplinary authority but would face procedural delays in investigating allegations tied to DOJ attorneys' official federal duties. The rule is open for public comment for 30 days via Regulations.gov under Docket No. OAG199.
• Department of Justice proposed rule to shield its own attorneys from state bar ethics investigations — The Department of Justice published a proposed rule requiring DOJ to review state bar complaints against its attorneys first and request that state bar authorities suspend their investigations until DOJ completes its own review. The rule would also direct DOJ personnel not to share non-public information with parallel state bar proceedings. Attorney General Pam Bondi signed the draft rule. State bar discipline is described as one of the few accountability mechanisms that follows attorneys across jobs and administrations.

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• DOJ releases documents describing Trump's alleged sexual assault of a minor — The Department of Justice released documents on March 5, 2026, containing summaries of FBI interviews with a woman who alleges that President Trump sexually assaulted her when she was 13 years old and had been trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein. The victim told the FBI that Trump forced her to perform oral sex and struck her when she resisted. The DOJ initially withheld these three interview summaries in its January 30 release, claiming they were "incorrectly labeled as duplicative," but released them only after public outcry and reporting by independent journalist Roger Sollenberger.
• DOJ releases additional Epstein files containing uncorroborated allegations against Trump — The US Department of Justice released 20 additional documents related to Jeffrey Epstein on Thursday, March 6, 2026, including FBI memos describing interviews with a woman who made uncorroborated allegations of sexual assault against Epstein and Donald Trump in the 1980s. The DOJ stated the files were initially withheld because they were mistakenly categorized as duplicates. The woman's allegations have not been verified, and the FBI never brought charges. Trump has denied wrongdoing, and the White House called the allegations "completely baseless."
• DOJ releases 3 million Epstein investigative documents — The US Department of Justice released more than 3 million investigative documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. Legal experts note the DOJ has possessed these materials for years and already made charging decisions regarding potential co-conspirators. The release prompted public and international scrutiny but has not yet resulted in new federal arrests or prosecutions in the United States.

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• Six newly-created accounts on Polymarket placed nearly $1 million in bets predicting U.S. strike on Iran hours before it occurred — In the hours before the February 28 U.S. strike on Iran, six newly-created accounts on the prediction market Polymarket placed nearly $1 million in bets that the U.S. would strike Iran by that date. One account, "dicedicedice," wagered nearly $30,000 and recorded a profit of about $120,000 hours later. Analytics sites flagged the trades as suspicious, with many observers suspecting the accounts benefited from insider knowledge. The international version of Polymarket does not require user identification and accepts crypto payments. Overall, $529 million was traded on Iran strike-related contracts. The White House denied anyone in Trump's orbit was involved, though Donald Trump Jr. serves as an advisor to both Polymarket and rival Kalshi.
• Polymarket account made $515,000 betting on Iran strikes before public announcement — A Polymarket account named "Magamyman" made $515,000 in a single day betting on the US strike on Iran, with the first trade placed 71 minutes before the news broke publicly. When the account bought in, the market had the strike at a 17% probability; the account turned roughly $87,000 into over half a million dollars overnight. Representative Mike Levin (D-CA) noted that Donald Trump Jr. sits on Polymarket's advisory board and his firm invested double-digit millions into the platform in the previous year. The DOJ and CFTC had active investigations into Polymarket that were dropped after Trump took office.
• DOJ and CFTC dropped investigations into Polymarket after Trump took office — The DOJ and CFTC had active investigations into Polymarket that were dropped after Trump took office. This occurred in the context of the suspicious trading activity on the Iran strikes and Trump Jr.'s financial interest in the platform.

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• House Democrats demand DOJ briefing on removal of antitrust chief Gail Slater — House Democrats Jamie Raskin and Jerry Nadler requested a briefing from Attorney General Pam Bondi regarding the forced resignation of Gail Slater, head of the antitrust division, in February 2026. Slater's removal followed her attempt to block a $14 billion Hewlett Packard Enterprise–Juniper Networks merger and alleged interference by Trump-connected lobbyists. The letter raised concerns about potential corruption, the role of Trump allies including Mike Davis, and questioned DOJ handling of multiple high-profile merger cases and antitrust matters.
• Gail Slater forced to resign as antitrust chief amid Trump administration pressure — Gail Slater, assistant attorney general for the antitrust division, was forced to resign in February 2026 after her relationship with Attorney General Pam Bondi and Vice President JD Vance deteriorated. Her removal followed her effort to block the $14 billion Hewlett Packard Enterprise–Juniper Networks merger and her claims that the intelligence community had not raised national security concerns. Trump-connected lobbyist Mike Davis, retained by Hewlett Packard Enterprise, publicly took credit for her removal. The DOJ subsequently dropped the antitrust suit in favor of a settlement.

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• House Democrats launch investigation into alleged DOJ withholding of Epstein files containing Trump abuse allegations — House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Democrats, led by ranking member Robert Garcia, announced an investigation into whether the Department of Justice withheld materials from the public release of Epstein files. The investigation focuses on allegations that the DOJ concealed FBI interviews with a woman who accused President Trump of sexually abusing her as a minor decades ago. An NPR investigation published the same day reported the DOJ withheld over 50 pages of FBI interviews and removed documents mentioning Trump from the public database. The White House denied wrongdoing, claiming documents were temporarily pulled only for victim redactions or PII removal.
• House Oversight Democrat Robert Garcia confirmed DOJ illegal withholding — Robert Garcia, top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, released a statement confirming that after reviewing unredacted evidence logs at the Department of Justice, "Oversight Democrats can confirm that the DOJ appears to have illegally withheld FBI interviews with this survivor who accused President Trump of heinous crimes." The statement corroborates NPR's reporting that material related to sexual assault allegations against Trump was removed from the publicly released Epstein files.

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• Judge Aileen Cannon blocked release of Special Counsel Jack Smith's classified documents report — U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon issued an order permanently blocking the release of Volume Two of Special Counsel Jack Smith's report on classified documents. Cannon ruled that releasing the report would be "unfair" to Trump and his co-defendants, citing her prior conclusion that the Special Counsel lacked lawful authority. The Department of Justice did not oppose the motion, allowing Cannon to write that "all parties agree" disclosure would violate the court's dismissal order. The decision shields the report from public scrutiny.
• Judge Cannon permanently blocks release of Jack Smith's classified documents report — US District Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, issued a permanent injunction barring the Department of Justice from releasing Special Counsel Jack Smith's report on the classified documents case (Volume II). Cannon condemned Smith's compilation of the report after she had dismissed the underlying case in 2024 on grounds of unlawful appointment, calling it a "brazen stratagem" and a breach of her dismissal order. She ruled that release would expose grand jury material and cause irreparable harm to Trump, distinguishing the case from prior special counsel reports (Mueller) that were publicly released.
• Judge Aileen Cannon blocked release of Jack Smith's classified documents report — Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, blocked the release of Special Counsel Jack Smith's report on his investigation of Trump's retention of classified documents after leaving office in 2021. It is standard procedure for a special counsel's report to be made public. Legal analyst Joyce White Vance noted that Cannon has consistently worked to suppress Smith's report and that Trump's fierce fight to keep it under wraps has led to speculation about surprising contents.
• Judge blocks release of Jack Smith’s report on Trump — Judge Aileen Cannon blocked the release of special counsel Jack Smith's report regarding Trump's retention of classified documents. This decision is notable as it deviates from the usual procedure of making such reports public, raising concerns about transparency and accountability.

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• Oversight Chair James Comer declined to hold hearings on Trump-Epstein connection — House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer appeared on Fox News and stated there is no need for his committee to hold hearings on Trump's connection to Jeffrey Epstein, claiming that "millions of documents that have been released" show that "Trump is completely exonerated in the whole Epstein saga." Democratic members of the Oversight Committee responded that "the cover up continues, this couldn't be farther from the truth."

Supporting reports

• Trump Media stock collapsed to all-time low amid massive business losses and failed diversification strategy — Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), parent of Truth Social and majority-owned by President Trump, saw its stock (DJT) plummet from a peak of $62 in March 2024 to below $10 per share by February 2026. Despite Trump's extensive personal promotion on Truth Social, the company reported only $972,000 in quarterly revenue against a $58.4 million net loss in Q3 2025. Truth Social has approximately 359,000 daily active users versus 100+ million for competitors X and Threads. TMTG's diversification efforts—including a $2.5 billion Bitcoin purchase at $108,000 per coin (now worth $67,000), a $51 million loss on Crypto.com tokens, and a proposed $6 billion merger with nuclear fusion company TAE Technologies—have failed to stabilize the business or stock price.
• Trump administration dropped SEC investigation into Crypto.com, which then became TMTG's major business partner — Under the Biden administration, Crypto.com faced an SEC investigation. After Trump took office, the administration terminated the inquiry. Shortly thereafter, Crypto.com became TMTG's most significant business partner. In September 2025, TMTG announced it would offer Crypto.com's Cronos tokens (CRO) as rewards on Truth Social and purchased 684.4 million CRO tokens at 15.3 cents each. The partnership also included plans for a joint prediction market platform called Truth Predict. The timing and sequence—regulatory relief followed by lucrative business partnership—suggests potential quid pro quo dynamics.

Supporting reports

• Ghislaine Maxwell refuses to answer questions in congressional deposition — Ghislaine Maxwell, serving a 20-year prison sentence for trafficking teen girls for Epstein, refused to answer questions during her deposition before the House oversight committee. Her attorney invoked her Fifth Amendment right to remain silent, citing her ongoing legal fight against her conviction. Maxwell's counsel stated she would be willing to speak if granted clemency by President Trump, effectively conditioning cooperation on executive pardon.
• House oversight committee subpoenas Bill and Hillary Clinton for Epstein depositions — The House oversight committee subpoenaed former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to provide closed-door depositions regarding their ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Bill Clinton has publicly acknowledged flying on Epstein's airplane in the early 2000s for humanitarian work but denied visiting Epstein's private island. The Clintons are scheduled to sit for depositions the following week.
• Les Wexner testifies before House oversight committee on Epstein ties — Billionaire Les Wexner, former boss of Victoria's Secret, testified before the House oversight committee on Wednesday regarding his past financial relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Wexner, subpoenaed as part of the committee's investigation into Epstein's crimes, denied misconduct and claimed he was "duped" by Epstein. Democrats on the committee questioned his credibility, suggesting he must have known about Epstein's abuse given their close association. The testimony continued throughout the afternoon at Wexner's Ohio home.
• Rep. Garcia reported DOJ and FBI did not contact Les Wexner about Epstein — House Oversight ranking member Robert Garcia reported that during Les Wexner's deposition, Wexner stated that neither the DOJ nor the FBI had ever contacted him to ask about Epstein and his crimes, despite Wexner's decades-long relationship with Epstein, his power of attorney over Epstein's finances, and his position as someone Epstein trusted deeply. Garcia characterized this as "outrageous and unforgivable."
• Rep. Lynch criticized DOJ for inaction on Epstein investigation compared to UK — Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) appeared on CNN and contrasted the British government's swift action in arresting Prince Andrew with the U.S. government's inaction. Lynch stated that "our chief law enforcement officer Pam Bondi is defending and obstructing the investigation," highlighting the stark difference in how the two governments have responded to Epstein-related allegations.
• Leslie Wexner deposition underway in Epstein investigation; House Oversight Committee examines financial transfers — A major deposition involving Leslie Wexner, Epstein's longtime financial patron, is underway as part of the ongoing Epstein investigation. Congressman Robert Garcia, ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, emphasized Wexner's significance prior to the deposition, noting that much of Epstein's wealth came directly from Wexner and that understanding why such vast sums were transferred remains central to understanding the broader enterprise. Survivors have consistently pointed to Wexner as a key figure within Epstein's network. Wexner submitted a written statement claiming he was "naive" and had been duped by a "con man," insisting he severed ties nearly two decades ago and had no knowledge of Epstein's criminal conduct.
• California congressman Ro Khanna identifies Les Wexner as previously redacted name in Epstein files — California congressman Ro Khanna publicly identified Les Wexner as one of six previously redacted names in the Epstein trove, where the FBI appears to have named him as a co-conspirator. Khanna's disclosure prompted national attention to Wexner's ties to Epstein. Wexner is scheduled to be deposed in front of an oversight committee on Wednesday following the disclosure.

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• DOJ claims full compliance with Epstein Transparency Act — Attorney General Pam Bondi and Todd Blanche issued a letter asserting that the Department of Justice has completely fulfilled its obligations under the Epstein Transparency Act, claiming release of all records, documents, communications, and investigative materials in DOJ's possession relating to Epstein. House Oversight ranking member Robert Garcia disputed this claim, stating that approximately 50% of Epstein files remain withheld.
• Rep. Massie alleges DOJ removed Epstein documents — Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) stated that the DOJ took down significant Epstein documents before Congress could review unredacted versions. Massie said the DOJ cannot keep documents down after already producing them, indicating potential destruction or concealment of evidence.
• Sen. Schumer accuses DOJ of Epstein file cover-up — Sen. Chuck Schumer stated that the Epstein Transparency Act required all files to be released by December 19, 2025. Schumer alleged that DOJ delayed release for 43 days, cherry-picked documents with heavy redactions, and admitted to releasing less than 1% of all documents until recently. Schumer accused Attorney General Bondi of attempting to deceive the American people.
• Trump administration declares Epstein files case closed despite evidence of undisclosed material — Reporting indicates the Epstein files are substantially larger than previously disclosed, with researchers estimating as much as 50 terabytes of material, with only a fraction produced publicly. The Trump administration has declared the case "closed" and insisted there is nothing more to see, despite evidence to the contrary. Millions of documents reportedly remain undisclosed.
• DOJ withholds approximately 3 million Epstein files despite congressional mandate — The Trump administration's Department of Justice continues to withhold approximately 3 million documents related to Jeffrey Epstein's crimes, despite Congress mandating their release in late 2025. Hillary Clinton, speaking at the Munich Security Conference, accused the DOJ of "slow-walking" the release and urged the administration to "get the files out." Periodic document dumps have occurred, but the vast majority remain unreleased.

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• Abigail Slater forced out as DOJ Antitrust Division head — Abigail Slater, head of the Department of Justice Antitrust Division, was forced out after tensions with senior administration figures over efforts to scrutinize and potentially block major corporate mergers. The removal signals that antitrust enforcement was viewed as unacceptable by those pushing a corporations-first agenda.
• Gail Slater ousted as head of DOJ antitrust division — Gail Slater, assistant attorney general for antitrust, was forced out of the Trump administration on Thursday after months of tension with Attorney General Pam Bondi and loss of support from Vice President JD Vance. Disputes centered on Slater's opposition to the Hewlett Packard Enterprise-Juniper Networks merger and interpersonal conflicts within the department. Bondi had communicated to the White House that differences were irreconcilable. Omeed Assefi is expected to assume interim leadership of the antitrust division.

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• Attorney General Bondi testified before House Judiciary Committee and refused to answer questions about Epstein co-conspirators — Attorney General Pam Bondi testified before the House Judiciary Committee on February 11, 2026. When asked by Congressman Nadler how many of Jeffrey Epstein's co-conspirators had been indicted and how many perpetrators were being investigated, Bondi did not answer directly. Instead, she attacked members of Congress throughout the hearing. When Congresswoman Jayapal asked survivors of Epstein's crimes to stand if they had not met with the Department of Justice, all survivors present raised their hands. Jayapal then asked Bondi to turn and apologize to the survivors; Bondi refused to acknowledge them and instead attacked Democrats over past impeachment proceedings.
• Pam Bondi testified before House Judiciary Committee on Epstein files handling — Attorney General Pam Bondi appeared before the House Judiciary Committee to address her handling of Epstein-related documents and redactions. Her testimony drew intense criticism from Democratic lawmakers and observers who alleged she was covering up information, lying under oath, and that the DOJ had improperly surveilled members of Congress reviewing the files. Multiple representatives and senators called for her impeachment or resignation, citing her conduct as unprofessional and her role in withholding documents and redacting victim information.
• Attorney General Bondi refused to release Epstein files to public as required by law — Attorney General Pam Bondi appeared before the House Judiciary Committee but refused to release all Epstein files to the public as Congress required when it passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Bondi did not acknowledge survivors of Epstein's sexual assaults and sex trafficking who were present in the audience. When Representative Pramila Jayapal urged her to apologize to survivors for the sloppiness of the release that left many survivors' names, identifying information, and sexually explicit photos unredacted while covering perpetrators' names, Bondi accused Jayapal of theatrics and dragging the hearing "into the gutter."
• Pam Bondi defends DOJ Epstein file handling in heated House judiciary committee hearing — US Attorney General Pam Bondi appeared before the House judiciary committee on Wednesday to defend the Department of Justice's handling of files related to Jeffrey Epstein. Democrats questioned the DOJ's compliance with a law mandating complete release of the files, citing concerns about released survivor names and unexplained redactions of names of potential crime perpetrators. Bondi avoided substantive answers, instead attacking and insulting Democratic questioners, calling one a "washed-up loser lawyer" and refusing to apologize to Epstein victims present in the hearing room.
• DOJ Refuses to Release Epstein Files to Congress — The Department of Justice (DOJ) did not comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which required the release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein. Attorney General Pam Bondi appeared before the House Judiciary Committee but did not provide satisfactory answers regarding the withheld documents, which has raised concerns about transparency and accountability in the administration.

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• Trump DOJ moves to dismiss Steve Bannon contempt of Congress case — The Department of Justice, under Trump, filed a motion on February 9, 2026, to dismiss the criminal case against Steve Bannon, Trump's former adviser who was convicted in 2022 of contempt of Congress for refusing to testify before the House January 6 committee and declining to produce requested documents. US Attorney Jeanine Pirro, a Trump appointee, requested dismissal "with prejudice," which would bar prosecutors from refiling. Bannon had served four months in federal prison in 2024 before his release.

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• DOJ established controlled in-person review system for congressional Epstein files access — The Department of Justice opened an in-person review facility in Washington on February 9, 2026, allowing members of Congress to search unredacted Epstein records under tight controls on access and note-taking. This was the sole mechanism established for congressional review of unredacted files following passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act in late 2025, which required DOJ to release unclassified Epstein-related records. The DOJ controlled all variables of the review process, including which files could be accessed, how searches were conducted, and what records were kept of congressional activity.
• DOJ tracked congressional searches in Epstein files review system — Attorney General Pam Bondi appeared at a House Judiciary Committee oversight hearing on February 11, 2026, carrying a printed document labeled "Jayapal Pramila Search History" that detailed Rep. Pramila Jayapal's searches within the DOJ's controlled, members-only review system for unredacted Epstein records. A Reuters photographer captured the document. The DOJ had established the in-person review system on February 9, 2026, as the sole mechanism for congressional access to unredacted Epstein files under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The revelation suggests the DOJ monitored lawmakers' investigative activity and used that intelligence during the oversight hearing itself.
• DOJ surveilled House member's access to Epstein files — During Attorney General Bondi's testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, a photograph captured by Reuters showed a page of Bondi's briefing book with a printout titled "Jayapal Pramila Search History," appearing to be files showing what Representative Pramila Jayapal accessed after the DOJ made some Epstein files available at DOJ offices. This represents executive branch surveillance of a legislative branch member's document access. Representative Jamie Raskin, top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, said he will ask for an investigation of this "outrageous abuse of power."
• Ranking Member Raskin requested DOJ Inspector General investigation into congressional surveillance — House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin formally requested that the DOJ Inspector General investigate the DOJ's apparent surveillance of lawmakers' searches in the Epstein files review system. Raskin stated he had "reason to believe that it was happening to everyone," not just Rep. Jayapal. He also called for the DOJ to immediately stop tracking member searches, open Epstein file review to senior congressional staff, and publicly release all remaining files with only survivor information properly redacted.
• Rep. Jayapal organized formal congressional letter demanding investigation into surveillance — Rep. Pramila Jayapal organized a formal congressional letter demanding an investigation into what she characterized as improper surveillance of Congress by the DOJ. Jayapal also raised the question of whether the DOJ's decision to open the Epstein files to congressional review two days early was intended to allow the DOJ to surveil members' searches and anticipate their questions for the oversight hearing.
• DOJ tracked congressional members' Epstein files research and displayed search records at hearing — During a House oversight hearing on Wednesday, US Attorney General Pam Bondi displayed a document titled "Jayapal Pramila Search History" showing which Epstein files Democratic Representative Pramila Jayapal had accessed. The DOJ confirmed it monitors all Epstein file searches by lawmakers on its systems. Congressional members, including Jamie Raskin and Jayapal, alleged the tracking violates separation of powers and constitutes surveillance designed to anticipate questions and gather intelligence on their investigative activities.
• DOJ surveilled Congress members' search history of Epstein files — Multiple members of Congress confirmed that the Department of Justice tracked and monitored which Epstein documents members of Congress searched, opened, and reviewed, including timestamps. Rep. Pramila Jayapal reported that AG Bondi presented her with a printed search history of her email searches. Rep. Nancy Mace confirmed the DOJ was tagging all documents searched by members and that timestamps were associated with the tracking. Speaker Mike Johnson stated he was investigating the allegations.
• DOJ monitored congressional search history in Epstein files review system — Attorney General Pam Bondi carried a printed document labeled "Jayapal Pramila Search History" into a House Judiciary oversight hearing, revealing that the Department of Justice had tracked which Epstein-related files Rep. Pramila Jayapal searched within DOJ's controlled, members-only review system. The executive branch collected intelligence on the legislative branch's investigation of the executive branch. Rep. Jamie Raskin called the practice Orwellian and requested a DOJ Inspector General investigation; Rep. Jayapal is organizing a congressional letter demanding answers.
• Racist video of Obamas posted on Trump's Truth Social account — A racist video depicting the Obamas as apes appeared on President Trump's official Truth Social account. The video was removed, but Trump refused to apologize and claimed a staffer posted it without review. The incident occurred on an official presidential account.

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• Jamie Raskin accuses DOJ of improper redactions in Epstein files — Rep. Jamie Raskin, House Judiciary ranking member, reviewed unredacted Epstein files at a DOJ facility in Washington DC on February 9 and publicly accused the Justice Department of making "mysterious redactions" that obscured names of alleged abusers while failing to redact victims' identities. Raskin stated the redactions were either "spectacular incompetence" or a deliberate threat to survivors. He said he reviewed approximately 30–40 unredacted files and identified unnecessary redactions of public figures including Les Wexner and references to Trump. Raskin announced he would raise the issue with Attorney General Pam Bondi at her scheduled House Judiciary Committee testimony.
• House members reviewed unredacted Epstein documents revealing child victims as young as nine years old and multiple co-conspirators — Representatives including Jamie Raskin, Jared Moskowitz, and Jasmine Crockett reviewed previously redacted Epstein documents at the Department of Justice. The documents revealed evidence of victims as young as nine years old and identified numerous co-conspirators in the international child sex trafficking operation. Raskin noted unnecessary redactions beyond victim name protection and stated that a billion-dollar trafficking ring could not operate with only two perpetrators. The documents also contained references to Trump's relationship with Epstein at Mar-a-Lago that had been redacted.
• Rep. James Walkinshaw identified improperly redacted Epstein email involving Trump — Rep. James Walkinshaw reported that he reviewed Epstein file redactions and found an email from Epstein's attorneys recounting a 2009 conversation with Trump that contained no mention of victims and should not have been redacted. Walkinshaw noted there were many other inexplicable redactions in the files.
• Rep. Jamie Raskin documented severe restrictions on congressional access to Epstein files — Rep. Jamie Raskin stated that the DOJ is providing Congress with only four computers in a satellite office to review more than 3 million unredacted Epstein documents. Raskin calculated that working 40 hours per week on nothing else, it would take more than 7 years for the 217 House members who signed the discharge petition to read only the documents the DOJ has decided to release, with 3 million additional documents still being withheld.
• Rep. Ro Khanna criticized DOJ redactions of Epstein files — Rep. Ro Khanna stated on MSNBC that the Epstein files released by the DOJ had already been scrubbed by Trump's FBI in March 2025 before being provided to Congress. Khanna alleged that the DOJ is protecting powerful people by maintaining redactions and that the vast majority of documents containing survivor statements remain unredacted, preventing full accountability for crimes.
• Rep. Thomas Massie revealed DOJ unredacted co-conspirator identities in Epstein files — Rep. Thomas Massie reported that in response to his social media posts, the DOJ unredacted FBI files labeling two individuals as co-conspirators in child sex trafficking, unredacted files listing men who might be implicated, and tacitly admitted that Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem sent a torture video to Epstein. Massie noted that FBI's own 2019 document listed Wexner as a coconspirator, information not previously unredacted, and that no one knew the sender of the torture video until he obtained the unredacted email.
• Attorney General Bondi refused to release Epstein files to public as required by law — Attorney General Pam Bondi appeared before the House Judiciary Committee but refused to release all Epstein files to the public as Congress required when it passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Bondi did not acknowledge survivors of Epstein's sexual assaults and sex trafficking who were present in the audience. When Representative Pramila Jayapal urged her to apologize to survivors for the sloppiness of the release that left many survivors' names, identifying information, and sexually explicit photos unredacted while covering perpetrators' names, Bondi accused Jayapal of theatrics and dragging the hearing "into the gutter."
• National Parks Foundation agreed to keep Freedom 250 donors anonymous — A representative for the National Parks Foundation, which is serving as the legal vehicle for Freedom 250, told a Congressional committee that it would keep donors anonymous upon request. This arrangement allows major corporations to fund partisan political advocacy through a nonprofit structure while maintaining donor confidentiality.

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• FBI ordered to halt civil rights investigation into fatal shooting — After an immigration agent fatally shot Renee Good, a senior federal prosecutor in Minnesota sought a warrant to search the vehicle for evidence in what he expected would be a standard civil rights investigation into the agent's use of force. However, FBI agents equipped with a signed warrant and prepared to document evidence were ordered to stop by senior officials, including Kash Patel, who worried that pursuing a civil rights investigation would contradict Trump's claim that Good "violently, willfully, and viciously ran over the ICE Officer."

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• Trump officials approved Venezuelan oil deals worth $500 million — Trump administration officials approved Venezuelan oil deals worth $500 million involving trading houses with documented histories of bribery and corruption. Court records show those firms were previously prosecuted by the U.S. Department of Justice. One senior trader connected to the deals donated $6 million to Trump's campaign. The oil sales routed money through foreign bank accounts, creating glaring conflicts of interest.

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• Federal judge summons ICE acting head Todd Lyons to court for alleged defiance of court orders — Minnesota's top federal judge summoned Todd Lyons, the acting head of ICE, to appear in court on Friday for allegedly defying court orders. The judge stated "The court's patience is at an end," signaling potential contempt of court proceedings against the ICE leader for failing to comply with judicial directives.
• Minnesota federal judge summons ICE acting director for contempt over defiance of court orders — Chief US District Judge Patrick Schiltz issued a three-page order summoning acting ICE director Todd Lyons to appear before him on Friday, warning of potential contempt charges. Schiltz accused the Trump administration of deliberately delaying or ignoring judicial directives across Minnesota's federal courts during "Operation Metro Surge," an aggressive immigration enforcement campaign. The judge cited a specific case in which he had ordered a man released on January 15 who remained in custody as of Monday night, and noted that detained immigrants had been sent to Texas or released far from home without means to return, causing "significant hardship."
• Multiple Minnesota federal judges weigh legal challenges to Operation Metro Surge immigration enforcement — Several Minnesota federal judges are considering broader legal challenges that could significantly restrict federal immigration enforcement in the state or halt Operation Metro Surge entirely. US District Judge Michael Davis accused the administration of attempting to "defy court orders" and "deny noncitizens their due process rights." Judge Kate Menendez ordered government lawyers to respond by Wednesday evening to claims the operation was designed to punish Minnesota for its sanctuary policies. Another federal judge is weighing whether the deployment of 3,000 immigration agents constitutes an unconstitutional occupation, a case that gained momentum following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal officers.
• Federal judge orders ICE director to appear in court and threatens contempt — Minnesota's chief federal judge, U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz (appointed by President Bush), ordered the head of ICE, Todd Lyons, to appear in his courtroom on Friday and threatened to hold him in contempt for repeated defiance of judges' orders in the state. Judge Schiltz stated "The court's patience is at an end." The order came in response to the Trump administration's massive immigration enforcement action in the Twin Cities, which has flooded courts with emergency lawsuits. Schiltz noted that the administration has been slow-walking or outright defying directives of many Minnesota judges, including at least one of his own orders for release that was not complied with.
• Federal judge orders ICE director to appear in court for contempt of court — Judge Patrick J. Schiltz of the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota ordered Todd Lyons, the acting director of ICE, to appear in court on Friday to explain why he was not in contempt of court after ICE officials apparently ignored Schiltz's order to permit a detainee to have a bond hearing or be released. On Tuesday, the government released the detainee. On Wednesday, Schiltz canceled the Friday hearing but identified "96 court orders that ICE has violated in 74 cases" and warned that he would haul Lyons or other government officials into court if they continued ignoring court rulings.
• Minnesota federal judge issues scathing order documenting 96 ICE court order violations — Minnesota's Chief Federal Judge Schiltz issued an order that included an appendix identifying 96 court orders that ICE has violated in 74 cases. The judge stated: "This list should give pause to anyone—no matter his or her political beliefs—who cares about the rule of law. ICE has likely violated more court orders in Jan 2026 than some federal agencies have violated in their entire existence."

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• Federal prosecutors resign in protest over DOJ's refusal to investigate ICE shooting — A wave of federal prosecutors in Minnesota and Washington DC resigned in protest over the Justice Department's decision not to hold a civil rights investigation into the fatal shooting of Renee Good by ICE agent Jonathan Ross. The resignations reflect internal dissent within the DOJ over the politicization of the civil rights division and the selective application of investigative standards based on the political alignment of the officer involved.

Supporting reports

• DOJ investigates Renee Good's widow for allegedly impeding ICE agent — The Justice Department is investigating Becca Good, the widow of Renee Good, for allegedly impeding ICE agent Jonathan Ross by taunting him moments before he fatally shot her. Deputy Attorney General Blanche promised to "prosecute anyone attacking or obstructing" ICE officers. The investigation of the victim's widow occurs while the DOJ refuses to investigate the fatal shooting itself, creating an asymmetry in which the federal government pursues the family of the deceased but not the agent who killed her.