Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Trump launches military campaign against Iran without congressional authorization — President Trump initiated air and naval military operations against Iran in coordination with Israel without requesting congressional authorization, departing from precedent established during the 2003 Iraq War when President Bush sought legislative approval. Republican congressional leaders, including House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, stated the president possessed inherent constitutional authority to conduct the campaign. The conflict has resulted in six U.S. military deaths and approximately 1,230 Iranian casualties, with costs estimated at $891.4 million per day.

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• Trump clarified unconditional surrender definition on Air Force One — When asked aboard Air Force One what unconditional surrender looks like, Trump defined it as either when Iran "cries uncle" or when they "can't fight any longer and there's nobody around to cry uncle," or when they are "rendered useless in terms of military." The response indicated that the definition of surrender remained fluid and dependent on Trump's subjective assessment rather than negotiated terms.

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• Trump demanded unconditional surrender from Iran via social media post — At 8:50 a.m. on March 7, President Trump posted on social media demanding Iran's "unconditional surrender" as a condition for any future negotiations. The demand represented a shift from his earlier stated goals of eliminating Iran's nuclear facilities or offering Iranians a better future. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified that unconditional surrender means whatever Trump decides it means once he determines Iran no longer poses a threat and Operation Epic Fury's goals are met. The statement came as ships stopped transiting the Strait of Hormuz, American citizens were stranded in the Middle East, the conflict spread regionally, and U.S. military personnel had died.
• Trump demands unconditional surrender from Iran — On March 7, 2026, President Donald J. Trump posted on social media demanding "unconditional surrender" from Iran, stating that the U.S. and its allies would work to bring Iran back from destruction. This marked a significant shift from his earlier promises to the Iranian people. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt indicated that the definition of unconditional surrender would be determined by Trump as commander in chief. The situation escalated as U.S. military personnel faced casualties and American citizens were stranded in the Middle East.

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• Republican lawmakers push DOJ to prosecute Jan. 6 witness Cassidy Hutchinson — On March 6, 2026, CNN reported that Republican lawmakers are pressuring the Justice Department to bring criminal charges against Cassidy Hutchinson, a former Trump aide who provided damaging testimony about Trump's role in the January 6 insurrection. Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.) filed a criminal referral accusing Hutchinson of perjury in her 2022 congressional testimony about Trump's conduct on January 6.

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• House rejects war powers resolution on Iran conflict — The US House of Representatives voted 212–219 to reject a bipartisan war powers resolution that would have forced withdrawal of US troops from hostilities with Iran pending congressional authorization. The measure, proposed by Republican Thomas Massie and Democrat Ro Khanna, failed largely along party lines, with two Republicans and four Democrats crossing over. The vote came after the Senate GOP rejected a similar resolution on Wednesday. The underlying conflict, initiated by the Trump administration without formal congressional authorization, has killed six US troops and over 1,200 people in Iran.

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• Senator Blumenthal initiates perjury investigation into former DHS Secretary Noem — Senator Richard Blumenthal announced he would push the Senate's permanent subcommittee on investigations to examine whether ousted DHS Secretary Kristi Noem committed perjury during congressional testimony. Noem denied that her senior adviser Corey Lewandowski had involvement in approving DHS contracts; Blumenthal claims DHS records and federal procurement data show Lewandowski personally signed off on contracts, including a $250,000 award to American Made Media Company with partisan requirements. Blumenthal stated Democrats possess evidence contradicting her testimony and noted criminal penalties apply to false statements to Congress.

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• U.S. Development Finance Corp Faces Shortfall for Strait of Hormuz Insurance — The U.S. Development Finance Corp is $200 billion short of the capacity needed to underwrite insurance policies for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. President Trump has ordered the DFC to insure vessels in the region, but raising the liability cap would require congressional action. The shortfall affects global oil supply and trade.
• Treasury issues 30-day waiver allowing Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a temporary 30-day waiver permitting Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil to maintain global oil supply flows. The waiver signals a shift in sanctions enforcement to address energy market disruption caused by the Middle East conflict. Bessent stated the US anticipates India will increase purchases of US oil in return.

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• Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation donated $2 million to MAGA Inc. while DOI reconsidered rival tribe's casino eligibility — On March 5, 2026, the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, a 41-member California tribe, donated $2 million to MAGA Inc., President Trump's Super PAC. The donation occurred while the Department of the Interior was reconsidering a January 2025 decision that had approved a rival tribe's (Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians) casino project on restored lands. The Yocha Dehe, which operates a competing casino, had tripled its lobbying payments to Miller Strategies after Trump's election and engaged multiple lobbyists with Trump administration connections to pressure the DOI to reverse the Scotts Valley approval.

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• Democratic attorneys general and governors sue Trump over new tariffs — A coalition of Democratic attorneys general and governors from 24 states, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, filed suit challenging Trump's newly announced 15% tariff on all imports, issued after the Supreme Court struck down the earlier tariffs. The suit argues the president lacks constitutional authority to impose the tariffs under the alternative legal basis cited and demands states be refunded for resulting costs. The action represents a coordinated state-level challenge to executive economic power.
• Democratic attorneys general filed lawsuit to block new tariffs — The attorneys general of more than twenty states, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, filed a lawsuit to stop new tariffs of 15% on all global trade that Trump imposed under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. James stated that Trump was "ignoring the law and the Constitution to effectively raise taxes on consumers and small businesses." The lawsuit challenged the legal basis for the tariffs, particularly given that Trump's own Department of Justice had previously argued in court that Section 122 did not apply to trade deficits.
• New York and 24 states sue Trump administration over tariffs under Trade Act Section 122 — A coalition of 24 Democratic-led states, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, filed suit in the U.S. Court of International Trade challenging Trump's planned 15% tariff on all imports. The lawsuit argues the president lacks constitutional and statutory authority to impose tariffs under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which caps rates at 15% for 150 days maximum. The suit demands refunds for tariff costs already paid by states and seeks to block the new tariffs from taking effect. The White House stated it would vigorously defend the action in court.

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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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• Nashville journalist Estefany Rodríguez detained by ICE without warrant, released after 15 days — Estefany Rodríguez, a Colombia-born journalist covering immigration for Nashville Noticias, was arrested by ICE on March 4 without a warrant, despite holding a valid work permit and pending asylum and green card applications. She spent 15 days in custody across Alabama and Louisiana detention facilities, endured isolation and alleged chemical abuse by guards, and was denied attorney contact for 10 days. A federal judge released her on a $10,000 bond on March 20. Her lawyers alleged she was targeted for her reporting on ICE operations.

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• Senate votes down war powers resolution to prevent Trump from continuing Iran conflict — The Senate voted 47-53 to reject a war powers resolution introduced by Senator Tim Kaine that would have required President Trump to obtain Congressional approval before continuing military operations against Iran. The measure broke largely along party lines, with only one Democrat (John Fetterman) voting against it and one Republican (Rand Paul) supporting it. The resolution would have forced an end to ongoing US air and naval campaigns and required Congressional authorization for any resumption of hostilities. Six US service members and an estimated 1,045–1,500 Iranian civilians have died since the conflict began.
• Senate Republicans block war powers resolution on Iran conflict — Senate Republicans blocked a Democratic-backed war powers resolution on Wednesday that would have required congressional approval for continued U.S. military operations against Iran. House Republicans voted down an identical measure the following day. President Trump launched air and naval operations against Iran without seeking congressional authorization, and Republican leaders stated the president possessed sufficient constitutional authority to conduct the campaign independently. The conflict has killed six U.S. service members and over 1,200 Iranian civilians, with estimated costs of $3.7 billion in the first 100 hours.
• — Senate Republicans refused to pass a war powers resolution to end or limit the military campaign against Iran. Some senators expressed concern about the lack of planning and clear objectives, but others argued that supporting the troops required backing the war regardless of how it began. The war remains unpopular with the American public, with only 34 percent supporting the attack on Iran.

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• Dallas district court orders polling places to remain open two additional hours — A Dallas district court judge ordered Democratic primary polling places to remain open for two additional hours after the original 7:00 PM closing time. The judge cited "mass confusion as to where voters were entitled to cast their ballots on election day" and noted that "voter confusion was so severe that the Dallas County Election Department website crashed." The order was issued in response to an emergency petition filed by Dallas County Democratic Party chair Kardal Coleman.
• Williamson County judge orders two polling places to remain open until 10:00 PM — A Williamson County judge ordered two polling places to remain open until 10:00 PM to address voter confusion caused by the elimination of countywide polling access. The order was issued in response to an emergency petition filed by the Texas Civil Rights Project.
• Dallas and Williamson County Republican Party chairs eliminate countywide polling place access — Republican Party chairs in Dallas and Williamson counties, Texas, eliminated the previous system allowing voters to cast ballots at any polling place in their county. The change was made without adequate public notice, creating confusion and chaos on election day. Williamson County Republican Party chair Michelle Evans stated the change was made "because we can. It's legal. It's something we're entitled to do, and it's something that our party would like us to do." The Texas Secretary of State's office failed to provide accurate voting location information to affected voters.

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• Texas Attorney General Paxton challenges lower court polling extension orders — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican candidate for the same Senate seat James Talarico is seeking, challenged the Dallas and Williamson County court orders extending polling hours. Paxton's challenge was successful; the Republican-dominated Texas Supreme Court blocked the lower court orders. The state supreme court allowed only those voters already in line by 7:00 PM to cast ballots, with other ballots separated and their counting status uncertain.

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• House passed SAVE America Act requiring citizenship proof to register to vote — The House voted 218–213 to pass the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote, demanding documents such as passports or birth certificates that must match current legal names. An estimated 69 million American women who changed their surnames after marriage do not have documents that align with current legal names. Election workers who register a citizen without the exact required paperwork could face up to five years in prison. The bill is now heading to the Senate. The National Organization for Women has characterized it as effectively limiting women's voting rights.

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• Kristi Noem refuses to retract "domestic terrorist" claim about unarmed protesters — Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem appeared before Congress on March 3, 2026, and refused to retract her statements labeling two unarmed protesters killed by ICE and CBP officers as "domestic terrorists." Senator Dick Durbin challenged her to withdraw the claim, noting that ICE and CBP officials had testified they did not provide information supporting the terrorism allegation. Noem cited "reports from the ground" but offered no evidence.
• Kristi Noem refuses to retract false statements calling killed Minnesotans "domestic terrorists" at Senate oversight hearing — Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 3 and refused to retract her characterization of two U.S. citizens killed by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis as "domestic terrorists." Senator Dick Durbin pressed Noem to acknowledge the false accusation against Renee Good and Alex Pretti, but she deflected, citing "chaotic" reports from agents at the scene. The hearing also addressed concerns about arrest quotas, a $220 million advertising contract awarded to a firm run by Noem's former spokesperson, and inspector general complaints of obstruction.

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• Kristi Noem testified before Senate Judiciary Committee — Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday regarding her department's handling of detentions, deportations, and other matters. During the hearing, lawmakers of both parties questioned her on the lawlessness and corruption in the department, including her labeling of individuals shot by federal agents as engaged in "domestic terrorism," her handling of FEMA disaster relief, and her refusal to back away from the administration's characterization of Trump opponents as engaged in "criminal and terroristic conspiracies."
• Sen. Tillis calls for DHS Secretary Noem's resignation — Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) formally called for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's resignation during the hearing, citing a pattern of poor leadership decisions, detention of American citizens, obstruction of inspector general investigations, and slow response to disaster relief in North Carolina. Tillis submitted a letter from the Office of Inspector General documenting ten instances of being misled and prevented from pursuing investigations, and announced he would place holds on nominations and deny quorum in committee markups until receiving written responses to his questions within two weeks.
• Senate hearing on DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's leadership and conduct — The Senate Homeland Security Committee held a hearing on DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's tenure, during which multiple senators criticized her management, including allegations of misuse of taxpayer funds, improper detention of U.S. citizens, conflicts of interest involving contracts awarded to associates, and failure to cooperate with inspectors general. Sen. Tillis detailed a $220 million ad campaign featuring Noem and questioned her judgment; Sen. Whitehouse asked about luxury aircraft purchases; Sen. Welch raised concerns about no-bid contracts to her former spokeswoman's husband; and Sen. Blumenthal questioned whether an agent involved in a shooting remained on duty.
• Sen. Blumenthal questions whether agent in shooting remains on duty — During the Senate hearing, Sen. Richard Blumenthal asked DHS Secretary Noem whether the agent who shot Ms. Martinez remained on the job carrying a gun. Noem stated she did not know the details and said she would get back to him. Blumenthal expressed concern that Americans would find it "absolutely terrifying" if the agent remained on duty.
• Sen. Welch questions DHS Secretary Noem on arrest quotas — During the Senate hearing, Sen. Chris Coons asked DHS Secretary Noem whether DHS operates with arrest quotas. Noem denied the practice, claiming only "targeted enforcement." Coons countered by citing a statement from Stephen Miller on Fox News the prior year stating, "We're setting a minimum of 3,000 arrests for ICE every day," directly contradicting Noem's testimony.
• DHS Secretary Noem questioned on $220 million ad campaign — During the Senate hearing, Sen. Adam Schiff questioned DHS Secretary Noem about a $220 million taxpayer-funded advertising campaign featuring her prominently. Schiff noted the contract went to a company that did not exist two weeks before receiving it, and that $143 million went to a subcontractor Noem had worked with extensively as South Dakota governor. Noem claimed she had nothing to do with the contract award, though she acknowledged Trump had approved the campaign.
• Sen. Kennedy questions DHS ad spending and Noem's name recognition — Sen. John Kennedy questioned DHS Secretary Noem about the $220 million ad campaign, noting it was a quarter-billion in taxpayer money while the administration was cutting budgets elsewhere. Kennedy stated the campaign was effective for Noem's personal name recognition and put the president in an awkward position, suggesting OMB Director Russ Vought would not have approved such spending.
• DHS Secretary Noem questioned on no-bid contract to former spokeswoman's husband — During the Senate hearing, Sen. Peter Welch questioned DHS Secretary Noem about a $143 million no-bid DHS contract awarded to Yoho, the husband of her former chief spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin. Noem confirmed the relationship and the contract award. Welch also asked Noem to inquire whether Corey Lewandowski, identified as a "special government adviser," received any compensation from these contracts.

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• Secretary Rubio admitted Trump knew military strikes would raise gas prices — Secretary of State Marco Rubio admitted in an interview that the Trump administration knew in advance that military strikes on Iran would raise gas prices for Americans. When asked about his message to Americans concerned about energy price increases, Rubio stated: "We knew that going in that it would be a factor so we have a program in place that will begin to be implemented." The bulletin notes that no such program is in place and gas prices are rising.

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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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• FBI investigated New York Times reporter Elizabeth Williamson over story on Kash Patel's girlfriend — The FBI opened an investigation into New York Times reporter Elizabeth Williamson in March 2026 following her February 28 article alleging that FBI Director Kash Patel used federal resources to provide protection and transportation for his girlfriend, country singer Alexis Wilkins. FBI agents searched databases for details about Williamson and suggested assessing whether her reporting violated federal stalking laws. Patel denied the investigation on Fox News, claiming the article posed a direct threat to his girlfriend. The Times' executive editor condemned the FBI's actions as unconstitutional and a violation of First Amendment rights.

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• Trump deflects responsibility for bombing of Iranian girls' school killing 175 children — On the first day of conflict, US forces bombed a girls' school in southern Iran, killing at least 175 people, mostly children. Trump blamed Iran's security forces for being "very inaccurate" with munitions and falsely claimed Tehran had access to US Tomahawk missiles. A preliminary US military investigation reportedly determined the US was responsible for the strike. When asked about the report and whether he accepted responsibility, Trump said "I don't know about it."

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• Trump administration pays $1 billion to TotalEnergies to cancel offshore wind leases — In March 2026, the Trump administration announced a deal paying nearly $1 billion in taxpayer dollars to French energy firm TotalEnergies to terminate offshore wind lease projects off New York and North Carolina. TotalEnergies agreed to abandon the windfarms and pledge not to develop new offshore wind in the US, while investing hundreds of millions in oil and gas. On June 3, seven state attorneys general (led by New York's Letitia James) sued, arguing the deal violated the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act and the Judgment Fund Act, and requesting the court strike down the agreement and halt implementation.

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• Securities and Exchange Commission settled lawsuit against Chinese billionaire Justin Sun for $10 million — The Securities and Exchange Commission settled a lawsuit against Chinese billionaire Justin Sun for securities and market manipulation, which had been filed in 2023, for a payment of $10 million in March 2026. Sun had been a major investor in World Liberty Financial, the cryptocurrency venture founded by Trump's sons, and had poured as much as $90 million into Trump family cryptocurrency ventures. The settlement occurred quietly and at a fraction of typical penalties for such violations.

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• Pentagon briefers tell Congress Iran had no plan to attack U.S. unless Israel struck first — Briefers from the Pentagon told congressional staff that Iran had not been planning to attack U.S. forces or bases in the Middle East unless Israel attacked first. This contradicted Trump administration claims made on Saturday that Iran was planning to strike the U.S. preemptively and posed an imminent threat. The Pentagon briefers stated there was no intelligence to support the administration's imminent-threat claim.
• Pentagon admitted no intelligence supported imminent Iranian threat — During closed-door congressional briefings on March 1, 2026, the Pentagon disclosed that it possessed no intelligence indicating Iran was planning to attack U.S. forces first. This admission directly contradicted Trump's public justification for the military campaign. Trump separately told the New York Times the war could last "four to five weeks" and acknowledged there would "likely be more" deaths of U.S. troops before it concludes.

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• Judge Eaton ordered CBP to begin tariff refund process — On March 1, 2026, Judge Richard Eaton of the U.S. Court of International Trade ruled that companies that paid tariffs were "entitled to benefit" from the Supreme Court's ruling and directed U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to begin the refund process and stop collecting the struck-down tariffs. CBP later requested a temporary suspension, citing logistical impossibility of immediate compliance, and estimated it could begin offering refunds by late April 2026.
• Federal judge orders CBP to issue tariff refunds using existing systems — Judge Richard Eaton of the US Court of International Trade issued an order requiring US Customs and Border Protection to begin processing refunds to all affected importers using its standard liquidation system, with interest, without waiting for individual lawsuits. The order applied to all 330,000+ importers affected by the struck-down tariffs. CBP filed a response indicating it could establish a dedicated refund system within 45 days. The judge emphasized CBP's existing capacity to issue refunds routinely.
• Judge ruled companies entitled to refunds for tariffs struck down as unconstitutional — Judge Richard Eaton of the U.S. Court of International Trade ruled that companies that paid tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) are entitled to refunds. This followed the Supreme Court's earlier decision striking down those tariffs as unconstitutional. The administration had attempted to slow-walk repayment of the approximately $130 billion collected under those tariffs.