Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• DOJ official recorded discussing selective redaction of Epstein files — Joseph Schnitt, Acting Deputy Chief at the DOJ, was recorded on hidden camera by an operative associated with James O'Keefe discussing the handling of Epstein files. According to the video, Schnitt stated that files would be redacted to remove names of Republicans and conservatives while leaving Democratic names visible, suggesting partisan manipulation of sensitive investigative materials.

Supporting reports

• Trump publicly demands prosecution of political rivals including Letitia James — In a September post on Truth Social addressed to US Attorney General Pam Bondi, Trump wrote: "What about Comey, Adam 'Shifty' Schiff, Leticia [sic]??? They're all guilty as hell, but nothing is going to be done. We can't delay any longer, it's killing our reputation and credibility." The statement explicitly demands prosecution of named political opponents and reflects Trump's stated intent to use the Department of Justice to punish rivals.

Supporting reports

• Trump attempts to remove Federal Reserve governor and other non-appointed officials — Trump is attempting to remove dozens of personnel he did not appoint, including a Federal Reserve governor, a top official at the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, prosecutors who investigated him, and leaders across the government including the National Archivist.
• Trump installs second deputy at FBI after souring on first — The White House installed a second deputy at the FBI after becoming dissatisfied with the first, continuing a pattern of rapid personnel changes across agencies.
• Trump pressures Treasury secretary to fire agency's second-in-command — Trump pushed his Treasury secretary to fire the agency's second-in-command, demonstrating continued pressure on cabinet officials to remove personnel who may not align with administration priorities.
• Trump removes acting FEMA administrator over disagreement on agency's continued existence — The White House removed the acting FEMA administrator after he stated the agency should continue to exist, contradicting others in the administration.
• Trump removes IRS director after two months over Treasury Department clash — Trump replaced the head of the IRS less than two months into the job because appointee Billy Long clashed with officials at the Treasury Department. This removal is part of a broader pattern of Trump firing appointees and career officials across multiple agencies.
• Trump removes two DOJ antitrust officials over alleged deal-making with lobbyists — Two top DOJ antitrust officials were removed from their roles after clashing with senior officials at the agency. They accused their colleagues of cutting deals with favored lobbyists. One of the removed officials has publicly questioned the integrity of other DOJ officials.
• Department of Justice launched criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook — The Department of Justice launched a criminal investigation into Lisa Cook, a governor of the U.S. Federal Reserve, for allegedly committing mortgage fraud by claiming two separate properties as her primary residence. Pro Publica reported that three Trump Cabinet members—Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin—have engaged in the same conduct but face no investigation.
• Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired CDC director Susan Monarez — Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired newly confirmed CDC Director Susan Monarez after she refused to preapprove recommendations from a vaccine advisory panel that Kennedy had stacked with anti-vaccine advocates. This action followed Kennedy's earlier purges of thousands of CDC advisors and staffers who did not share his opposition to vaccines.
• Trump fires Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook — President Trump removed Lisa Cook from her position as a Federal Reserve governor. This action raised concerns about central bank independence, as it represents part of a broader pattern of Trump's attacks on the Federal Reserve's autonomy. Trump's nominee to replace Cook stated he would respect Fed independence, but the removal itself signals potential politicization of monetary policy.

Supporting reports

• Trump directs DOJ to investigate ActBlue, Democratic fundraising platform — President Trump ordered the Department of Justice to investigate ActBlue, an online portal that has raised hundreds of millions in small-dollar donations for Democratic candidates over two decades. The investigation targets a Democratic fundraising tool while Trump's appointees have not similarly investigated WinRed, the Republican equivalent. This action represents a direct use of federal prosecutorial power to disadvantage the opposing party ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Supporting reports

• Trump directs FHFA head Pulte to publicly accuse Democratic opponents of mortgage fraud and demand Cook's resignation from Federal Reserve — Bill Pulte, appointed by Trump to lead the Federal Housing Finance Agency, has publicly accused New York Attorney General Letitia James, California Senator Adam Schiff, and Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook of owner-occupancy mortgage fraud via social media and referrals to the Department of Justice. Trump has demanded Cook resign and threatened to fire her if she does not step down. Cook, the first Black woman appointed to the Fed, denies the allegations and states she will not be "bullied" into resigning. The accusations remain unverified.
• Sen. Adam Schiff accused Trump administration of mortgage-based political persecution — Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA), who is being criminally investigated after a referral from Bill Pulte, stated that the Trump administration's use of mortgage investigations against political opponents is "patently false" and that Pulte is "essentially doing the president's bidding." Schiff stated that "Mortgage is their new weapon to go after their critics" and that the administration will "manufacture anything to go after their critics."
• Trump administration weaponized Federal Housing Finance Agency against political opponents — The Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump administration weaponized the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to investigate mortgage records of political opponents. Bill Pulte, a homebuilder heir appointed to lead the agency overseeing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, initiated probes into mortgages of prominent Democrats and a Biden-appointed Federal Reserve official. Pulte partnered Fannie Mae with Palantir, a data analysis firm co-founded by Peter Thiel, and took an unusually active role at both firms.
• Bill Pulte weaponized Federal Housing Finance Agency to investigate Democrats for mortgage fraud — Bill Pulte, Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, weaponized the typically low-key, non-political agency to open investigations of Democrats for alleged mortgage fraud. Pulte made a criminal referral against Senator Adam Schiff and others, and provided the justification for Trump's attempted firing of Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, citing mortgage fraud concerns. Pulte posted on social media that "fraud will not be tolerated in President Trump's housing market."

Supporting reports

• Trump threatens investigation of Chris Christie — Trump threatened to investigate former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie over the 2013 "Bridgegate" scandal after Christie criticized Trump's views on separation of powers during an ABC News interview. The threat represents potential retaliation for political criticism.

Supporting reports

• DOJ investigates former intelligence officials — The Department of Justice launched investigations into former FBI Director James Comey and former CIA Director John Brennan, alleging they made false statements to Congress regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election. This move is part of a broader effort to undermine the credibility of intelligence agencies that have scrutinized Trump's actions.
• Attorney General Bondi launched criminal investigations into political opponents — Trump loyalist Attorney General Pam Bondi initiated criminal investigations into Senator Adam Schiff, New York Attorney General Letitia James, and Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. The investigations were based on allegations of mortgage fraud made by William Pulte, head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. All three targets have denied the allegations. The investigations follow a pattern of targeting Trump's political opponents and critics.
• DOJ launched investigations into Comey and Brennan — The Department of Justice launched investigations of former FBI Director James Comey and former CIA Director John Brennan, alleging they made false statements to Congress regarding the investigation into Russian operatives' attempts to assist Trump's 2016 campaign. The investigations represent a continuation of Trump's focus on the Russia investigation.

Supporting reports

• Trump acknowledged potential involvement in Bolton raid — When asked whether he knew about the FBI raid on John Bolton ahead of time or had involvement, Trump stated: "I could know about it. I could be the one starting it. I'm actually the chief law enforcement officer." The statement suggests potential presidential direction or knowledge of law enforcement action against a political critic.

Supporting reports

• DOJ delays full release of Epstein Files to House Oversight Committee — The Department of Justice announced it would provide selected Epstein Files documents incrementally over time rather than delivering the full set to the House Oversight Committee as scheduled. Ranking Member Robert Garcia (D-CA) stated the committee demanded complete compliance with its bipartisan subpoena and called partial, handpicked productions "wholly insufficient and potentially misleading." Garcia also disputed Chairman James Comer's characterization of former AG Bill Barr's deposition testimony regarding Trump's connection to Epstein.
• DOJ transmitted first batch of Epstein documents to House Oversight Committee — The Department of Justice handed over the initial batch of Epstein-related documents to the House Oversight Committee. The DOJ is employing a piecemeal approach to document transmission. The House Oversight Committee stated its intention to make records public after thorough review to redact victims' identities and child sexual abuse material, and to consult with DOJ to ensure released documents do not negatively impact ongoing criminal cases.
• House Oversight Committee received incomplete Epstein files from DOJ — The Department of Justice sent the House Oversight Committee its first tranche of Epstein-related files in response to a congressional subpoena on Friday. House Oversight Ranking Member Robert Garcia stated that only 3% of the 33,000 pages contained new information; the remainder were already in the public domain. Garcia alleged the White House, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Speaker Mike Johnson were engaged in a "massive cover-up" by withholding the full unredacted client list and information about those involved in Epstein's crimes, instead releasing documents in limited tranches.

Supporting reports

• Ed Martin demands New York AG Letitia James resign — The New York Times reported that Ed Martin, Trump's "weaponization czar" who was recently selected by the DOJ to investigate New York Attorney General Letitia James, sent a letter to her lawyer last week in which he said that her resignation would be considered an "act of good faith" and "best serve the good of the state and nation." While James' lawyer didn't directly respond to calls for her client to resign, she wrote a letter to the DOJ calling Martin's visit to James' apartment last week a "truly bizarre, made-for-media stunt" that is "outside the bounds of DOJ and ethics rules."

Supporting reports

• Tulsi Gabbard revokes security clearances of 37 intelligence officials — Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced that, at Trump's direction, the agency is revoking the security clearances of 37 current and former intelligence officials, several of whom were involved in an assessment ordered by then-President Barack Obama involving Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Gabbard accused the officials of "abus[ing] the public trust by politicizing and manipulating intelligence, leaking classified intelligence without authorization, and/or committing intentional egregious violations of tradecraft standards."

Supporting reports

• Chattah accuses Nevada senators of corruption without evidence — Sigal Chattah, interim U.S. attorney for Nevada, accused Nevada's Democratic U.S. senators Catherine Cortez-Masto and Jacky Rosen of committing corruption without providing evidence. She made cryptic references to bodies being buried, stating, "You know, a lot of these people, I know that they're scared because I know where a lot of the bodies are buried because I come from the defense world" and "Sometimes we even choose the location to bury them."

Supporting reports

• Essayli pressures subordinates to pursue MAGA-aligned cases — Bill Essayli, interim U.S. attorney for Los Angeles, has repeatedly pressured his subordinates in the Los Angeles U.S. Attorney's Office to pursue cases aligned with Trump's political agenda despite warnings of insufficient evidence, according to reporting by Bloomberg Law.
• Sarcone publicly confirms DOJ investigation into New York Attorney General James — John Sarcone III, interim U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York, publicly confirmed the DOJ's investigation into New York Attorney General Letitia James, one of Trump's foremost political adversaries. While confirming the probe, Sarcone disparaged James by accusing her of being improper, unprofessional, and unethical. This public confirmation appeared to violate internal DOJ policies regarding commentary on ongoing investigations.

Supporting reports

• DOJ issues subpoenas to New York attorney general Letitia James — The Department of Justice issued two subpoenas to New York Attorney General Letitia James. One subpoena relates to the civil fraud case James's office brought against Trump, which resulted in a $500 million judgment against the president. The second concerns James's investigation into the National Rifle Association. NBC News reported the government's cases focus on whether James deprived Trump and the NRA of legal rights in civil lawsuits. James's lawyer characterized the action as political retaliation and weaponization of the DOJ.

Supporting reports

• Ed Martin appointed special counsel to investigate Letitia James — Ed Martin, whose nomination for DC U.S. Attorney was withdrawn due to lack of Senate confirmation prospects, was appointed as special counsel to lead a criminal investigation of New York Attorney General Letitia James for allegedly depriving Trump and NRA President Wayne LaPierre of civil rights in separate prosecutions, and to investigate Senator Adam Schiff for alleged mortgage fraud.
• Federal prosecutors investigate New York Attorney General Letitia James — Federal prosecutors opened an investigation into the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James, focusing on whether her civil suits against Trump, his businesses, and the National Rifle Association constituted deprivation of legal rights under color of law. James's office responded that any weaponization of the justice system should concern all Americans and reaffirmed confidence in its litigation.

Supporting reports

• Trump's former lawyer Todd Blanche met twice with Ghislaine Maxwell regarding potential pardon — Trump's former lawyer Todd Blanche, now deputy attorney general at the Department of Justice, met twice with Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a twenty-year sentence for sex trafficking and other charges. Maxwell indicated she will testify openly and honestly before Congress about Epstein if she receives a pardon. The meetings signal potential consideration of a pardon for Maxwell in exchange for testimony that could benefit Trump.
• Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche interviews Ghislaine Maxwell regarding Epstein case details — Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche interviewed Ghislaine Maxwell in Florida in what the White House characterized as an effort to uncover new details about Jeffrey Epstein's criminal activities. Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence after conviction on sex trafficking charges related to Epstein. This action follows Trump's authorization for the Justice Department to request release of transcripts from federal grand juries that indicted Epstein and Maxwell.

Supporting reports

• Republican senators warned Trump against pardoning Ghislaine Maxwell — Republican senators warned Trump and Attorney General Bondi that they should consider very carefully whether it would be a good idea to grant a pardon to Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently serving a twenty-year sentence for sex trafficking and other charges. The warning came as Maxwell signaled willingness to testify before Congress if pardoned.

Supporting reports

• Attorney General Bondi establishes "weaponization" working group at DOJ — After becoming attorney general, Pam Bondi quickly issued a memo establishing a "weaponization" working group within the Department of Justice. Critics argue that the working group itself weaponizes law enforcement by promoting a false narrative about the two special counsel investigations of Trump and undermining public confidence in the DOJ.

Supporting reports

• Attorney General Pam Bondi directed DOJ to open criminal grand jury investigation into Obama, Clinton, and Clapper — Attorney General Pam Bondi directed the Department of Justice to act on a criminal referral from Tulsi Gabbard and open a grand jury investigation into whether former President Barack Obama, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, and others committed treason or other crimes when the government issued a report stating Russia attempted to interfere in the 2016 election. The investigation's scope and potential charges remain unclear, and statutes of limitations for much of the conduct have lapsed.
• Attorney General Pam Bondi directed DOJ to investigate baseless claims by Tulsi Gabbard — Attorney General Pam Bondi directed the Justice Department to launch a grand jury investigation into baseless claims by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard that former President Barack Obama and his administration manufactured intelligence regarding Trump and Russia in the 2016 presidential election.
• Attorney General Bondi directed U.S. attorney to present evidence to grand jury on Obama-era allegations — According to a Department of Justice official, Attorney General Pam Bondi signed an order directing a U.S. attorney to present evidence to a grand jury concerning allegations made by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard that Obama administration officials manufactured evidence in 2016 to suggest Trump's campaign was connected to Russian operatives. The order represents a major escalation in the administration's effort to prosecute claims that Trump is a victim of political persecution.

Supporting reports

• Office of Special Counsel investigates former special counsel Jack Smith for alleged Hatch Act violations — The U.S. Office of Special Counsel confirmed it is investigating former special counsel Jack Smith for alleged violations of the Hatch Act, a law prohibiting certain political activities by federal officials. Trump and other prominent Republicans have alleged that Smith's investigations into Trump amounted to illegal political activity, though Trump and his allies have not presented specific evidence of wrongdoing. Trump's nominee to head the Office of Special Counsel, Paul Ingrassia—a former podcast host who became a lawyer on July 30, 2024—is meeting with senators ahead of a confirmation vote.

Supporting reports

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

Supporting reports

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

Supporting reports

• Trump suggests he may pardon Ghislaine Maxwell — President Trump told reporters that he is "allowed" to pardon Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence for conspiring with Jeffrey Epstein to sexually abuse children. This statement came amid the administration's refusal to release the Epstein files and ongoing DOJ meetings with Maxwell.
• Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche meets with Ghislaine Maxwell — Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche met with Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking, over two days in the week prior to July 27, 2025. The meetings occurred amid pressure on the Trump administration to disclose more information about Jeffrey Epstein's crimes and raised questions about the purpose and nature of the meetings, particularly given Maxwell's potential value as a witness or source of information.

Supporting reports

• Attorney General Bondi proposes removal of DOJ Public Integrity Section oversight — Attorney General Pam Bondi introduced a proposal in 2025 that removes the DOJ's Public Integrity Section from the approval process for cases against public officials and political candidates. The change gives presidentially appointed U.S. attorneys greater authority to pursue prosecutions of lawmakers without the oversight historically exercised by the Public Integrity Section. This structural change facilitates the targeting of political opponents without institutional checks.
• Interim U.S. Attorney Martin seeks grand jury investigation of Senator Chuck Schumer — Ed Martin, Trump's first pick for interim U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., sought a grand jury investigation into Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for saying that Supreme Court Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch would "pay the price" for ruling against abortion rights. Martin's efforts were rebuffed by the DOJ's Public Integrity Section, which exercises oversight in cases against public officials. A proposal by Attorney General Pam Bondi earlier in 2025 cut the Public Integrity Section out of the approval process, giving presidentially appointed U.S. attorneys more authority to pursue lawmaker prosecutions.

Supporting reports

• House Rules Committee blocked amendment to release Epstein files — Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) introduced an amendment in the Rules Committee to release the Epstein files. The amendment was rejected, with only Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) voting in favor. Seven Republicans voted to block release: Virginia Foxx (R-NC), Michelle Fischbach (R-MN), Erin Houchin (R-IN), Nick Langworthy (R-NY), Austin Scott (R-GA), Morgan Griffith (R-VA), and Brian Jack (R-GA). Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) skipped the vote.