Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• DHS launches massive recruitment drive for 10,000 ICE officers and 3,000 CBP agents with lowered standards and condensed training — The Department of Homeland Security, backed by $170 billion in funding, is recruiting 10,000 Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and 3,000 Customs and Border Protection agents by year-end to meet Trump's goal of 3,000 daily immigration arrests. The DHS has expanded age eligibility from 21–40 to 18+, condensed training from 13 weeks to 8 weeks, reduced Spanish and firearms instruction, and launched recruitment campaigns featuring language critics say echoes white supremacist ideology. Former DHS officials and human rights advocates warn that lowered standards, accelerated hiring, and gutted oversight will increase officer misconduct, abuse, and civil rights violations.

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.

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• 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

• 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.

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• Jeanine Pirro's office issues policy protecting gun law violators from felony charges — The Washington Post reported that Pirro's office issued a new policy instructing federal prosecutors in DC not to seek felony charges against people who violate a district law prohibiting most individuals from carrying shotguns or rifles, no matter how strong the evidence against them may be. Meanwhile, Pirro directed staff to seek the toughest possible criminal charges against anyone arrested as part of Trump's federal takeover of the DC police force.
• Pirro directs prosecutors not to enforce DC rifle and shotgun prohibition — US Attorney Jeanine Pirro directed DC prosecutors not to pursue felony charges against individuals for possessing rifles or shotguns in Washington DC, despite a local law prohibiting such weapons. Pirro stated the policy does not apply to cases involving violent crimes or individuals barred from owning firearms, and attributed the change to guidance from the US Supreme Court and the Justice Department's solicitor general. This selective enforcement reverses prior enforcement of local gun laws.
• US Attorney Pirro directs prosecutors to pursue maximum charges in DC arrests — Jeanine Pirro, the District of Columbia's top federal prosecutor, issued a directive instructing prosecutors to pursue the most serious charges possible in cases stemming from recent arrests, narrowing prosecutorial discretion. The policy, issued this week as part of Trump's intensified law-enforcement push in the capital, could result in longer prison sentences for convicted defendants. Pirro stated prosecutors must "charge the highest crime that is supported by the law and the evidence."

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• Texas Governor Abbott requests expulsion of House Democratic leader from legislature — Texas Governor Greg Abbott asked the Texas Supreme Court to allow him to expel Representative Gene Wu, the leader of the House Democrats, from the legislature, claiming Wu had abandoned his office by leaving the state to break quorum on the redistricting vote. Legal experts disagreed with the characterization, with constitutional law expert Charles Rhodes stating there is "absolutely no authority that says breaking quorum is the same as the intent to abandon a seat."
• Texas Governor Abbott filed emergency appeal to remove Democratic caucus chair — Texas Governor Abbott filed an emergency appeal with the state Supreme Court to remove Democratic caucus chair Rep. Gene Wu from office, calling him "the ringleader" of lawmakers who left the state in recent days, and arguing the move constitutes "abandonment of their office." In response, Wu said, "I took an oath to the Constitution, not a politician's agenda, and I will not be the one to break that oath."
• Texas governor files petition to remove Democratic state representative from office — Texas Governor Greg Abbott filed an emergency petition with the state supreme court seeking to remove state representative Gene Wu, chair of the House Democratic caucus, from office for leaving the state to prevent a quorum on redistricting legislation. Abbott stated that Democratic lawmakers "abandoned their duty to Texans" and must face consequences. Wu responded that denying quorum was a constitutional duty and moral obligation to prevent what he characterized as Trump's demand for additional congressional seats through gerrymandering.

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• 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.

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• Texas Attorney General threatens arrest of fleeing Democrats — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a public statement on X threatening to arrest Democratic lawmakers who left the state to prevent the redistricting vote. Paxton stated: "Democrats in the Texas House who try and run away like cowards should be found, arrested, and brought back to the Capitol immediately. We should use every tool at our disposal to hunt down those who think they are above the law." The statement represents official threat of law enforcement action against political opponents.
• Texas AG Ken Paxton threatened prosecution and arrest of fleeing Democratic legislators — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton posted on social media demanding that Democratic House members who fled the state be "found, arrested, and brought back to the Capitol immediately," stating they should be treated as lawbreakers. Paxton invoked a legal opinion he authored to support Abbott's threats, though legal analysts noted the opinion did not actually authorize removal of lawmakers or declare quorum-breaking unconstitutional.
• Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sought judicial orders to declare Democratic seats vacant — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced that he would seek judicial orders to declare that state House Democrats who left the state to block redistricting efforts have vacated their office if they don't return by Friday. Paxton tweeted, "The people of Texas elected lawmakers, not jet-setting runaways looking for headlines. If you don't show up to work, you get fired."
• Texas Attorney General Paxton launches investigation into Beto O'Rourke group — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced an investigation into a group run by former congressman Beto O'Rourke that has been covering the costs of Texas Democratic lawmakers remaining in Illinois during the quorum break. Each lawmaker breaking quorum is fined $500 per day. The investigation appears aimed at the funding mechanism supporting the lawmakers' absence.

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• Texas governor threatens removal and extradition of absent Democratic legislators — Texas governor Greg Abbott threatened to remove from office any Democratic state representatives absent for Monday's redistricting vote and replace them with his own appointees. Abbott also suggested he would consider the Democrats felons for accepting financial support for housing and meals in Illinois, and threatened to use his extradition authority to compel their return to Texas. These threats were issued in response to the Democratic quorum break.
• Texas Gov. Abbott ordered arrest of Democratic state representatives who fled to break quorum — Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered the arrest of Texas House Democrats who left the state to prevent a quorum on a special legislative session aimed at aggressive gerrymandering. Abbott claimed the Democrats were "abandoning their duty" and "holding hostage" flood relief legislation. The walkout, which included over 51 of 62 Democratic members, successfully blocked the session. Abbott threatened removal from office, felony bribery charges, and prosecution under a legal opinion from AG Ken Paxton, though legal experts disputed the validity of these threats.
• Abbott threatened felony bribery charges against Democratic legislators — Governor Abbott threatened to prosecute Texas House Democrats for felony bribery if they accepted travel, lodging, or meals from other state governors (such as Illinois Governor JB Pritzker) while out of state. Abbott framed acceptance of such support as a "quid pro quo" for breaking quorum. Legal experts, including Democratic Rep. Jolanda Jones, a lawyer, stated no such felony exists in Texas law and Abbott was fabricating charges.
• Texas Republicans advanced aggressive gerrymandering map in special session — Texas Governor Abbott convened a special legislative session to advance a radical gerrymandering plan that would eliminate at least five Democratic state House seats. The map was so extreme that it placed U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett's house outside her own district and combined the districts of U.S. Representatives Greg Casar and Lloyd Doggett. Democratic legislators' walkout successfully blocked the session.
• Texas House Republicans advance redistricting plan as Democrats flee state to deny quorum — Texas House Republicans, at the direction of Governor Greg Abbott following a White House proposal, moved forward with a redistricting plan to redraw congressional lines in Republican favor. Democrats denied a quorum by leaving the state on August 4. Abbott ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety to arrest and return absent Democratic lawmakers. The special session, lasting 30 days, imposes $500-per-day fines on absent members. Democrats vowed to fight the plan, which would dilute Democratic voting strength and give Republicans five additional congressional seats.
• Texas Governor Abbott announces plan to arrest Democratic representatives — Texas Governor Greg Abbott appeared on Fox News discussing his plan to hunt down and arrest Democratic representatives who refuse to show up for what the source characterizes as his "illegal gerrymander." Abbott stated that Texas officers are on the streets looking for those Democratic House members to arrest them.

Supporting reports

• Department of Education investigates at least 60 universities under Title VI for alleged antisemitism violations — The U.S. Department of Education has opened Title VI investigations against at least 60 universities, including Columbia, CUNY, Harvard, and Barnard, for alleged violations related to antisemitism. These investigations, conducted under Trump administration pressure, have prompted universities to adopt antisemitism trainings that critics argue conflate legitimate criticism of Israel with antisemitism and chill free speech on campus.

Supporting reports

• UCLA settles lawsuit with Jewish students over antisemitic discrimination during pro-Palestinian protests — UCLA agreed to pay $6.5 million to settle a lawsuit filed by Jewish students and a professor alleging the university allowed antisemitic discrimination during pro-Palestinian campus protests. The settlement includes $2.33 million to eight Jewish community support groups, $320,000 to an antisemitism initiative, and $50,000 to each plaintiff. The Department of Justice's civil rights division simultaneously announced findings that UCLA violated the 14th Amendment's equal protection clause and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by acting with deliberate indifference in creating a hostile environment for Jewish and Israeli students.
• Department of Education investigates at least 60 universities under Title VI for alleged antisemitism violations — The U.S. Department of Education has opened Title VI investigations against at least 60 universities, including Columbia, CUNY, Harvard, and Barnard, for alleged violations related to antisemitism. These investigations, conducted under Trump administration pressure, have prompted universities to adopt antisemitism trainings that critics argue conflate legitimate criticism of Israel with antisemitism and chill free speech on campus.

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• Trump's special assistant ordered removal of interim U.S. Attorney Leigh Grace — An email from Trump's special assistant to First Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Grace claimed that district court judges lacked authority to appoint her as interim New Jersey U.S. Attorney because Alina Habba had resigned before her appointment. The email stated that even if the court had such authority, "the president hereby removes you from office" and declared Habba the acting U.S. Attorney. This action directly contradicted the court's appointment of Grace.

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• Attorney General Bondi filed misconduct complaint against Judge Boasberg — On Twitter, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that her office filed a misconduct complaint against Judge James Boasberg, who oversees the lawsuit against the Trump administration's removal of Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvador's megaprison. Bondi accused Boasberg of making "improper public comments about President Trump and his Administration," after he allegedly suggested at a meeting of judges in March that the Trump administration might "disregard rulings of federal courts" and trigger "a constitutional crisis."
• — Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that the DOJ filed a misconduct complaint against U.S. District Court Chief Judge James Boasberg, claiming he made "improper public comments" about President Trump and his administration that "undermined the integrity of the judiciary." According to reporting, Boasberg's actual comments were expressing concern that the Trump administration was liable to "disregard rulings of federal courts leading to a constitutional crisis" at a judicial conference. The complaint appears to target Boasberg for expressing professional judicial concerns.

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• ICE agents arrest asylum seeker in immigration courtroom immediately after judge grants her case continuance — Jenny, a 25-year-old Cuban asylum seeker who entered the US legally under the Biden-era CBP One program, attended her immigration hearing in San Antonio, Texas on an unspecified date in July 2025. The immigration judge granted her asylum claim a continuance to August 2026—a favorable outcome. However, as Jenny left the courtroom and approached the elevator, ICE agents in masks converged on her, detained her, and removed her from the courthouse. Her case was subsequently transferred to a judge with a lower asylum approval rate, and her next hearing was rescheduled to the following month. The incident is part of a documented pattern of ICE arrests occurring inside immigration courthouses across the country.

Supporting reports

• ICE implements pattern of courthouse arrests targeting migrants with ongoing cases and longer US tenure — ICE agents have conducted arrests at immigration courthouses across multiple states (Texas, Illinois) targeting migrants whose cases remain ongoing and have not been dismissed by judges. The Guardian's reporting documents that ICE is arresting individuals who have been in the US longer than two years—exceeding the legal threshold for expedited removal—and those with legal pathways to remain in the country. After apprehension, detainees are transferred to often overcrowded, privately run detention facilities sometimes far from their homes and families, where they face limited access to attorneys and high-stakes deportation proceedings. The pattern is occurring under Trump administration pressure for ICE to achieve 3,000 daily arrests, a tenfold increase from Biden's final year.

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• 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.

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

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

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

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

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• Trump sued Wall Street Journal for ten billion dollars over Epstein letter publication — After the Wall Street Journal revealed the existence of a 2003 birthday letter from Trump to Jeffrey Epstein in July 2025, Trump sued the Journal, its reporters, and its parent company for ten billion dollars. Trump claimed the letter was "nonexistent," despite the paper's documented possession and publication of the document. The lawsuit represents an attempt to suppress press coverage through financial intimidation and legal action.
• Trump sues Wall Street Journal for $10 billion over Epstein letter story — President Trump filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal, its owner Rupert Murdoch, and the two reporters who authored the story about the alleged 2003 birthday message to Epstein. Trump claimed the letter is "fake" and "not the way I talk," seeking damages for what he characterized as false reporting. The lawsuit represents an attempt to use legal action to suppress or punish journalism about the alleged communication.
• Trump sues Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch over Epstein story — Trump filed a lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal and owner Rupert Murdoch (who also owns Fox News) in response to the WSJ's story connecting Trump to Jeffrey Epstein via a signed birthday card message. The lawsuit was assigned to Judge Darrin Gayles, appointed by Barack Obama. The White House subsequently banned the WSJ from covering Trump in the Oval Office, aboard Air Force One, and in private workspaces.
• Trump sues Wall Street Journal over Epstein-Maxwell letter story — After the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that Trump contributed a letter with a doodle of a nude woman to a 2003 Festschrift compiled by Ghislaine Maxwell for Jeffrey Epstein's 50th birthday, Trump denied the story and announced on Friday that he was suing the Wall Street Journal's publisher for libel. The lawsuit represents an attempt to suppress or punish press reporting on Trump's documented connections to Epstein.
• Wall Street Journal publishes alleged 2003 birthday message from Trump to Epstein — The Wall Street Journal reported on July 18, 2025, that materials collected during the Department of Justice's investigation into Jeffrey Epstein included a 2003 birthday message allegedly from Trump to Epstein. The message, described as typewritten text framed by a hand-drawn outline of a naked woman, contains a dialogue between Trump and Epstein discussing shared secrets and enigmas. Trump denied authenticity, calling it "fake" and sued the Journal, its owner Rupert Murdoch, and the two reporters for $10 billion, claiming the letter does not reflect how he speaks or writes.

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• DOJ drops charges against Utah doctor Michael Kirk Moore for vaccine fraud and saline substitution — US Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the dismissal of charges against Dr. Michael Kirk Moore, a Utah physician accused of destroying over $28,000 in government Covid-19 vaccines and administering saline injections to children instead. Moore had been indicted in 2023 on charges including conspiracy to defraud the United States, distributing 1,937 fraudulent vaccination cards, and converting government property. Bondi stated Moore "gave his patients a choice when the federal government refused to do so." The dismissal reflects the Trump administration's embrace of vaccine skeptics and represents a reversal of Biden-era prosecution.
• AG Pam Bondi dismissed charges against Michael Kirk Moore mid-trial — Attorney General Pam Bondi dismissed charges against Michael Kirk Moore, a MAGA favorite who had been charged with discarding hundreds of COVID vaccines and distributing 2,000 fraudulent COVID-19 vaccination cards in exchange for cash or donations. Moore had administered saline shots to children, deceiving them into believing they were receiving the vaccine. Bondi's dismissal occurred mid-trial in an apparent attempt to divert attention from the Epstein files controversy.

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• Trump Suggests Revoking O'Donnell's Citizenship — On July 12, 2025, President Trump suggested he might revoke comedian Rosie O'Donnell's citizenship, claiming she is a "Threat to Humanity." This statement follows a federal judge's ruling that barred the administration from denying citizenship to U.S.-born children of undocumented immigrants.
• Trump threatened to revoke citizenship of natural-born American citizen Rosie O'Donnell — On July 12, 2025, at approximately 9:42 a.m., President Trump posted on Truth Social that he was "giving serious consideration to taking away" the citizenship of comedian and talk show host Rosie O'Donnell, a natural-born American citizen born in New York who has relocated to Ireland. Trump called her "a Threat to Humanity." O'Donnell responded on Instagram, asserting her rights and criticizing Trump's authoritarian posture. A federal judge had barred the administration from denying citizenship to U.S.-born children of undocumented immigrants on Thursday, July 10.
• Trump threatens to strip Rosie O'Donnell of citizenship — Trump posted on Truth Social that he is "giving serious consideration" to taking away the US citizenship of Rosie O'Donnell, a longtime critic who moved to Ireland after his 2024 election. Trump called O'Donnell "a Threat to Humanity." Legal experts note Trump lacks constitutional authority to unilaterally revoke citizenship.

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• Trump announces 50% tariff on Brazil, citing Bolsonaro trial as "witch-hunt" — On Wednesday, President Trump announced a 50% tariff on Brazilian products, explicitly linking it to what he called a "witch-hunt" trial against former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro. Trump also announced tariffs on seven other countries (Philippines, Brunei, Moldova, Algeria, Libya, Iraq, Sri Lanka) ranging from 25–30%, effective 1 August. Trump cited Brazil's regulation of social media platforms and claimed an unfair trade deficit. Brazilian President Lula rejected the demands, asserting Brazil's sovereignty and independent judiciary.