Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Trump gloated about death of former FBI Director Robert Mueller on Truth Social — On Truth Social, President Trump posted that he was "glad" former FBI Director and Special Counsel Robert Mueller had died, stating "He can no longer hurt innocent people!" Mueller had led the investigation into Trump's 2016 campaign and Russia's interference efforts during Trump's first term. The post represents Trump's public celebration of the death of a former official who investigated him.
• Trump posted celebrating death of Robert Mueller — At 1:26 p.m. on March 22, Trump posted on social media: "Robert Mueller just died. Good, I'm glad he's dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people! President DONALD J. TRUMP." Mueller, 81, was a lifelong public servant who served as a Marine Corps officer in Vietnam, became a federal prosecutor, and was appointed FBI director by President George W. Bush. In 2017, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed Mueller special counsel to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 election. Mueller's investigation resulted in charges against thirty-four people, including six Trump advisors, five of whom pleaded guilty.
• Trump attacked deceased Robert Mueller — Trump continued attacking Robert Mueller, the deceased former FBI director and special counsel, on Sunday. Representative Jason Crow, a veteran, responded by stating that Mueller's lifetime of service represents everything Trump is not, contrasting the former official's decorated military and law enforcement career with Trump's conduct.
• Trump posted celebrating death of former FBI Director Robert Mueller — Trump posted on social media: "Robert Mueller just died. Good, I'm glad he's dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people!" The post received widespread condemnation from members of both parties, including Republican Rep. Don Bacon and Fox analyst Brit Hume. Mueller was a decorated Marine Vietnam veteran with a Bronze Star and Purple Heart who served as FBI Director for 12 years. Former Presidents Obama and Bush issued respectful statements about Mueller's service and legacy.

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• Conspiracy charges filed against anti-ICE protesters in multiple jurisdictions — Following the Spokane protest, federal prosecutors filed conspiracy charges against demonstrators in Chicago and investigated Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for the same alleged crime. Journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort were also charged with conspiracy to violate religious freedom stemming from coverage of a protest inside a Minnesota church. Both journalists have pleaded not guilty and await trial. Governor Walz condemned the probe as an "authoritarian tactic."

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• Trump administration implements final version of commercial driver's license restrictions after court block — Following a federal court's November 2025 halt of interim restrictions, the Trump administration issued an updated final version of commercial driver's license requirements for immigrants. The new rules went into force in late March 2026, requiring English proficiency and valid immigration status. The policy effectively circumvented the earlier judicial block and continues to remove immigrant drivers from the workforce.
• Transportation Department tightens commercial driver's license requirements for non-citizens and non-permanent residents — The Trump administration's Transportation Department implemented new restrictions on commercial driver's licenses (CDLs) for immigrants without U.S. citizenship or permanent residency, requiring English proficiency and stricter documentation. The rules, which came into force in late March 2026, have resulted in approximately 9,500 drivers being removed from roads for failing English proficiency tests. Additionally, 7,000 trucking training providers and schools have had their accreditations revoked. The policy has caused significant enrollment drops at trucking schools, with some reporting 70% declines, forcing staff reductions and threatening business closures.

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• Judge rules RFK Jr overstepped authority in declaring gender-affirming treatments unsafe — Federal Judge Mustafa Kasubhai ruled Thursday that Robert F Kennedy Jr, Trump's health secretary, exceeded his authority when he issued a December 2025 declaration labeling gender-affirming treatments unsafe for minors and threatening to exclude providers from Medicare and Medicaid. The judge found Kennedy failed to follow proper administrative procedures and granted relief to doctors providing such care. The ruling came in a lawsuit brought by 21 states and Washington DC challenging the declaration's legality and accuracy.

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• Complaint filed: State of New Jersey v. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement — New Jersey and the Township of Roxbury filed a federal complaint challenging DHS and ICE's decision to establish a large-scale immigration detention facility at an industrial warehouse in Roxbury without complying with the Administrative Procedure Act, National Environmental Policy Act, Intergovernmental Cooperation Act, or Immigration and Nationality Act. Plaintiffs allege the agency failed to conduct required environmental review, consult state and local officials, or account for infrastructure deficiencies, public health risks, and environmental harm to protected waterways. They seek declaratory and injunctive relief to set aside the decision and require statutory compliance before the facility may proceed.

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• Complaint filed: Underground Railroad History Project of the Capitol Region v. National Endowment for the Humanities — The Underground Railroad History Project of the Capital Region (URHP), a non-profit researching Underground Railroad history and civil rights, filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York challenging the NEH's withdrawal of a $250,000 Challenge Grant awarded during the previous administration. The withdrawal was part of a mass termination of over 1,400 NEH grants in April 2025 pursuant to an internal NEH directive (Feb. 7, 2025) ordering termination of grants connected to "environmental justice," "diversity, equity, and inclusion," or "gender ideology." URHP alleges discriminatory animus toward Black history programming (Fifth Amendment Equal Protection), viewpoint discrimination conditioning federal funding on suppression of equity perspectives (First Amendment), and arbitrary and capricious action contrary to NEH's statutory mandate (Administrative Procedure Act). Relief sought includes declaratory judgment, vacatur of the directive, and restoration of the grant.

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• Republicans refuse congressional oversight of Iran war — Republicans in Congress are refusing to exercise oversight of the Pentagon and White House regarding the Iran war. Rather than holding public hearings that would allow Americans to hear the administration's justification and plans, as Democrats demand, Republicans are permitting the administration to inform Congress only in closed-door sessions. Senator Ron Johnson stated that public division would undermine the war effort, and House Speaker Mike Johnson claimed operations were too sensitive for public discussion.

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• Senate Democrats attempt to require congressional war authorization — Senate Democrats have attempted twice to pass a measure requiring Trump to obtain congressional authorization before continuing the war in Iran. Republicans have rejected both attempts. Senator Cory Booker stated that Republicans "want to circumvent the Constitution" and "avoid the glare, the questions of the American people."

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• Trump administration considered plans to occupy or blockade Iran's Kharg Island — According to Axios reporting, the Trump administration is considering plans to occupy or blockade Iran's Kharg Island to pressure Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Kharg Island, located 15 miles offshore, processes 90 percent of Iran's crude oil exports. A senior administration official stated that if Trump decides to take Kharg Island or conduct a coastal invasion to open the Strait, "that's going to happen." The plan could put US troops more directly in the line of fire and represents potential escalation despite Trump's stated desire to wind down operations.

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• Trump posted objectives for Iran military campaign and signaled intent to wind down operations — Trump posted a detailed list of military objectives in Iran, including degrading Iranian missile capability, destroying Iran's defense industrial base, eliminating Iran's navy and air force, preventing Iranian nuclear capability, and protecting Middle Eastern allies. He also signaled intent to wind down military efforts, stating "we are getting very close to meeting our objectives." The post included language suggesting the US would not guard the Strait of Hormuz and that other nations should police it. The framing appeared designed to provide Trump with an off-ramp from the conflict while redefining objectives to claim success.

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• Dylan Lopez Contreras released from ICE detention after 10 months — Dylan Lopez Contreras, a 21-year-old Venezuelan freshman at Ellis Prep Academy in the Bronx, was released from Moshannon Valley ICE processing center in Pennsylvania on Wednesday after 10 months in detention. He was arrested by federal immigration agents in May 2025 while attending public school, sparking national outrage as the first widely known instance of a public school student being arrested by ICE. He was released with a GPS tracking device; DHS stated he faces swift removal if a judge finds he has no right to remain in the US.

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• Immigration judge denies asylum claim for Liam Conejo Ramos family — A federal immigration judge denied asylum for Liam Conejo Ramos, a five-year-old preschooler detained in January during Trump administration immigration enforcement operations, along with his father Adrian Conejo Arias and family. The family, including a 13-year-old brother and pregnant mother, is appealing to the Board of Immigration Appeals. The Trump administration is moving to expedite their removal to Ecuador despite public outcry and school district concerns about humanitarian impact.

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• Treasury Secretary Bessent announces potential removal of sanctions on Iranian oil stranded in tankers — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced on March 19 that the Trump administration may remove sanctions on approximately 140 million barrels of Iranian oil stranded on tankers at sea within days. The stated rationale is to increase global oil supply and reduce prices amid Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz. A potential waiver mechanism similar to one used for Russian oil would allow sales of the stranded crude within a narrow timeframe. The administration also announced unilateral releases from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

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• Sergey Brin donates $45m total to Super PACs opposing California billionaire wealth tax — Google co-founder Sergey Brin contributed $25m to the Super PAC "Building a Better California," adding to a prior $20m donation, for a total of $45m aimed at blocking California's proposed 5% wealth tax on billionaires. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt added $1.02m to his previous $2m contribution. The tax would apply to California residents worth over $1bn and would generate revenue for education, food assistance, and healthcare. Brin relocated to Nevada in late 2025, potentially to avoid the tax's residency requirement.

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• Senate Republicans block war-powers resolution limiting Trump's Iran military authority — The US Senate voted 53-47 to block a Democratic resolution that would have forced debate and congressional authorization for Trump's military campaign against Iran. Led by Senator Cory Booker, Democrats sought to reassert constitutional war-powers authority after Operation Epic Fury strikes killed over 1,300 Iranians and hundreds of Lebanese civilians. Only Republican Rand Paul crossed party lines to support the measure; Democrat John Fetterman voted against it. Booker vowed to reintroduce similar resolutions repeatedly.

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• Trump threatened massive escalation against Iran on Truth Social — Trump posted on Truth Social that "NO MORE ATTACKS WILL BE MADE BY ISRAEL pertaining to this extremely important and valuable South Pars Field unless Iran unwisely decides to attack a very innocent, in this case, Qatar - In which instance the US, with or without the help or consent of Israel, will massively blow up the entirety of the South Pars Gas Field at an amount of strength and power that Iran has never seen or witnessed before."

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• Kash Patel admits FBI purchasing location data on Americans without warrants — FBI Director Kash Patel testified under oath before the Senate Intelligence Committee that the FBI purchases commercially available location data on Americans, stating it is "consistent with the constitution and the laws under the Electronic Communications Privacy Act." Senator Ron Wyden challenged this practice as an unconstitutional end-run around the Fourth Amendment, noting that law enforcement must obtain warrants to get location data directly from telecom companies but can circumvent this by buying from private data brokers. Wyden called for passage of the bipartisan Government Surveillance Reform Act to close the data broker loophole.
• FBI Director Kash Patel admits agency buys Americans' location data — During a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on March 18, FBI Director Kash Patel admitted under oath that the FBI purchases Americans' location data. The admission drew criticism from Republican lawmakers, including Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio), who called the practice "a clear violation of the Fourth Amendment" and called for passage of the Government Surveillance Reform Act to close the data broker loophole allowing intelligence agencies to purchase private data.
• FBI Director Patel admits FBI purchases location data on Americans — During Senate Intelligence Committee testimony on March 19, FBI Director Kash Patel admitted that under Trump, the government has been buying location data derived from internet advertising on Americans from private companies. When asked by Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) if the FBI would commit to stopping this practice, Patel stated: "We do purchase commercially available information that's consistent with the Constitution and the laws under the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, and it has led to some valuable intelligence for us." This represents a reversal from 2023, when FBI Director Christopher Wray testified that the FBI did not buy such information.

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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."

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• Complaint filed — Center for Biological Diversity v. Burgum — The Center for Biological Diversity filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia seeking to block Interior Secretary Doug Burgum from convening a March 31, 2026 meeting of the Endangered Species Committee (the "God Squad"), which has authority to exempt federal actions from Endangered Species Act protections. The plaintiff alleges Burgum violated the ESA's mandatory procedural requirements by publishing only a vague one-page Federal Register notice with 15 days' notice, identifying no applicant or specific agency action, and proposing to restrict public attendance to a YouTube link rather than an open meeting. The complaint asserts two Administrative Procedure Act violations and a mandamus claim, and seeks an injunction barring the March 31 meeting and any future Committee meetings that fail to satisfy ESA requirements.

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• Minnesota sued Trump administration for withholding evidence in federal officer-involved shootings — Minnesota filed a lawsuit in US District Court for the District of Columbia against the Trump administration, alleging that the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice are withholding investigative evidence and records related to three shootings involving federal agents deployed under Operation Metro Surge: the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, and the shooting of Julio Sosa-Celis. The state seeks a court order compelling disclosure of evidence, including the identities of federal agents involved. Minnesota argues the federal government is improperly shielding law enforcement officers from criminal scrutiny in violation of federalism principles.

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• Senate committee advances Markwayne Mullin's nomination to lead Department of Homeland Security — The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs voted on March 20, 2026, to advance Markwayne Mullin's nomination to lead the Department of Homeland Security on a near party-line vote. Eight of nine Republicans supported the nomination; Rand Paul dissented. One Democrat, John Fetterman, voted in favor; six opposed. The committee's top Democrat, Gary Peters, criticized Mullin for failing to be forthright and transparent, and for appearing to condone political violence. Mullin's nomination now proceeds to a full Senate vote, where Republicans hold sufficient numbers for confirmation.
• Fetterman casts decisive committee vote to advance Mullin nomination for DHS secretary — Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) cast the deciding vote in the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on March 20, 2026, to advance Republican Markwayne Mullin's nomination as Department of Homeland Security secretary. Fetterman was the sole Democrat to join seven Republicans in supporting the nomination, which faced Democratic opposition over allegations that Mullin had encouraged political violence. The vote prompted calls from fellow Pennsylvania Democrats for Fetterman's resignation and criticism that he had abandoned party and constituent interests.
• Markwayne Mullin confirmation hearing for Department of Homeland Security — Markwayne Mullin, Trump's nominee to replace Kristi Noem as DHS secretary, appeared before the Senate Homeland Security Committee on March 18, 2026. He defended the administration's mass deportation agenda while striking a more diplomatic tone than his predecessor. Mullin expressed regret for past inflammatory comments about a US citizen killed by immigration agents and acknowledged mistakes in his public statements. The hearing was contentious, with committee chair Rand Paul demanding explanations for Mullin's past hostile remarks toward him. Democrats pressed Mullin on his truthfulness regarding claimed combat experience, his willingness to enforce immigration at polling places, and his commitment to constitutional limits on executive power. The committee scheduled a vote for the following day.
• Trump nominates Markwayne Mullin as DHS secretary; senator claims undisclosed overseas military-adjacent experience — Donald Trump selected Oklahoma Republican senator Markwayne Mullin to lead the Department of Homeland Security. Mullin, who never served in the U.S. military, has repeatedly made cryptic public statements suggesting combat or overseas security experience, claiming "special assignments outside of DoD" and referencing war zones. During his Senate confirmation hearing, Mullin confirmed he had never traveled abroad except for vacation or mission work, contradicting his earlier implications. His office later clarified the "overseas" work involved Christian mission activities with returning troops.
• Markwayne Mullin confirmation hearing for DHS Secretary; Fema restructuring and staffing concerns raised — Senator Markwayne Mullin, Trump's nominee to replace Kristi Noem as DHS Secretary, testified before the Senate during his confirmation hearing. He pledged to restructure rather than eliminate Fema, revoke Noem's $100,000 expenditure review policy, and appoint a qualified Fema director. However, he declined to commit to reversing Fema staff cuts, suggesting some agencies are "bloated," and reiterated that states should lead disaster response with federal support only at certain levels. Disaster management officials expressed concern about his preparedness and vision.
• Senator Markwayne Mullin testified for Secretary of Homeland Security confirmation — Senator Markwayne Mullin, Trump's nominee to replace Kristi Noem as Secretary of Homeland Security, testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee in a contentious confirmation hearing. The hearing began with Chairman Rand Paul confronting Mullin over past comments where Mullin appeared to justify or "understand" the violent assault on Paul by his neighbor. Mullin refused to fully apologize for those comments, leading to a heated exchange.

Supporting reports

• Director of National Intelligence Gabbard omits intelligence assessment contradicting Iran war justification during Senate testimony — Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee on March 18, 2026. Her written opening statement asserted that Iran's nuclear enrichment program was "obliterated" by Operation Midnight Hammer in June 2025 and that Iran had made no efforts to rebuild it. However, when testifying in person, Gabbard omitted this passage, claiming time constraints. The omitted statement contradicts the Trump administration's repeated public claims that Iran was weeks away from acquiring nuclear weapons—the stated justification for the war. Intelligence community assessments, including from Gabbard herself in March 2025, had concluded Iran was not building a nuclear weapon.
• Director of National Intelligence Gabbard testifies before Senate Intelligence Committee — Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee on March 19 regarding worldwide threats. Gabbard removed from her opening statement references to the 2025 strikes against Iran's nuclear enrichment program having "obliterated" it and the country not restarting the program. When asked why she omitted this material, she claimed her statement was running long. She also declined to confirm publicly that Russia is sharing intelligence with Iran, saying such information was appropriate only for closed session, despite the report being in public press.
• Tulsi Gabbard submitted written testimony on Iran nuclear program — In written testimony submitted to Congress ahead of her oral testimony, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard stated that Iran's nuclear enrichment program was "obliterated" in June 2026 and that no efforts to rebuild that capability have been detected since. She noted that entrances to underground facilities targeted in strikes have been buried and sealed with cement, effectively shutting them down. Gabbard affirmed these statements only after being pressed by Senator Jon Ossoff.

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• Wyden accuses Deputy Attorney General Blanche of blocking Epstein document release — Senator Wyden sent a letter to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche on March 19, 2026, alleging that Blanche intervened to prevent the DEA from complying with Wyden's request for an unredacted copy of the Epstein investigation memo. According to a confidential tip to Wyden's staff, DEA Administrator Terry Cole was prepared to provide the unredacted document, but Blanche stepped in to block it. Wyden noted the document is marked "unclassified" on every page and demanded immediate authorization for its release. Wyden also highlighted Blanche's role in Ghislaine Maxwell's transfer to a minimum-security facility and suggested the interference reflects a coverup to protect individuals in the Trump administration.
• Wyden posts on social media alleging Blanche coverup — Senator Wyden posted on social media on March 19, 2026, publicly accusing Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche of intervening to block the DEA from providing details of the Epstein investigation to the Senate Finance Committee. Wyden characterized the interference as "stunning" and noted that the document is marked "unclassified" and the investigation is closed. Wyden stated that given Blanche's close personal ties to Donald Trump, the action "reeks of a continued coverup to protect key names in the Trump administration."
• Todd Blanche blocked release of DEA task force document on Epstein — A 69-page target profile prepared for the DEA by a now-defunct Department of Justice task force details money laundering and drug trafficking schemes linked to Jeffrey Epstein. Todd Blanche, Trump's former criminal defense attorney now serving in the Department of Justice, is blocking the release of this document. The document relates to financial machinery connected to a child sex trafficking network.

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• Leqaa Kordia released from ICE detention after year in custody despite three judicial release orders — Leqaa Kordia, a 33-year-old pro-Palestinian activist from the West Bank, was arrested at a Gaza protest outside Columbia University in April 2024, then taken into ICE custody a year later during a routine check-in at a New Jersey ICE office. She was held at Prairieland detention center in Texas for over a year despite a judge ruling three times that she posed no threat and could be released on bond. She was finally released on a $100,000 bond on March 17, 2026. During detention, she reported dangerous conditions, was hospitalized after a seizure in February while shackled, and faced accusations from then-DHS Secretary Kristi Noem of being a terrorist sympathizer.

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• ICE detains Texas immigration court interpreter without explanation or stated destination — Meenu Batra, a 53-year-old Texas court interpreter and the state's only licensed Punjabi, Hindi, and Urdu interpreter, was detained by ICE on March 17, 2026, at Harlingen International Airport while traveling for work. She has been held at El Valle detention facility for over a month without being told why she was detained or where she will be deported. Despite holding a valid legal status and work permit, and having been granted "withholding of removal" protection in 2000 due to persecution risk in India, ICE has not reopened her case or clarified her destination, raising concerns she may be sent to an unfamiliar third country.