Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• DOJ opposed unsealing Epstein associate names — The Department of Justice asked a federal judge overseeing the Jeffrey Epstein case to deny NBC News's request to unseal the names of two associates who received large payments from Epstein in 2018—one receiving $100,000 and another $250,000. The DOJ cited privacy concerns expressed by the two individuals. Prosecutors noted in filings that Epstein's payments may constitute evidence of "efforts to influence witnesses" and suggested the defendant was attempting to influence co-conspirators.

Supporting reports

• Rep. Massie introduced discharge petition to force Epstein files release vote — Republican Rep. Thomas Massie introduced what's known as a discharge petition in an effort to force a vote on the release of the Epstein files. The measure must receive 218 signatures to succeed. A White House official later told NBC News in an email that Republicans deciding to sign on to the "attention-seeking" petition "would be viewed as a very hostile act to the administration."

Supporting reports

• Justice Department sought to keep Epstein associates' names secret — Lawyers for the Justice Department asked a federal judge to keep the names of two Epstein associates who received large payments ($100,000 and $250,000) in 2018 secret. The payments occurred days before the Miami Herald began examining Epstein's 2008 sweetheart plea deal. As part of that deal, Epstein received a guarantee that the associates would not be prosecuted.
• — Lawyers for the Justice Department asked a federal judge to keep the names of two Epstein associates who received large payments in 2018 secret. One associate received $100,000 and the second $250,000. As part of his plea deal, Epstein received a guarantee that these associates would not be prosecuted.

Supporting reports

• White House warned Republicans against releasing Epstein files — The White House warned Republican members of Congress that voting to release the Epstein files "would be viewed as a very hostile act to the administration." Trump subsequently claimed the agitation for release is a "Democrat HOAX" intended to distract from Republican success. The warning represents an attempt to suppress disclosure of documents potentially implicating the president.

Supporting reports

• DOJ official caught on hidden camera discussing Epstein file redactions — The acting deputy chief of a Justice Department unit was caught on a hidden camera by the far-right O'Keefe Media Group saying that the government will "redact every Republican" from a list of Epstein associates and "leave all the liberal, Democratic people in those files." He also said Ghislaine Maxwell was transferred to a minimum-security prison in an effort to offer "her something to keep her mouth shut." In a statement, the official said his comments were based on "what I've learned in the media and not from anything I've done at or learned via work." On Twitter, a DOJ spokesperson said the official's comments "have absolutely zero bearing with reality and reflect a total lack of knowledge of the DOJ's review process."

Supporting reports

• House Oversight Committee released 33,000 Epstein documents with minimal new information — The House Oversight Committee "released" more than 33,000 documents from the Epstein files, but they appeared to contain information already in the public domain, with Democrats saying 97% of them weren't new. The release fell short of transparency expectations.

Supporting reports

• Rep. Adelita Grijalva won special election but was not sworn in during government shutdown — Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ) won her special election in September 2025 and was the 218th required signature for the Epstein Files Transparency Act discharge petition. However, Speaker Johnson kept the House out of session during a 40+ day government shutdown, preventing her from being sworn in and signing the petition. She was finally sworn in on November 12, 2025, and signed the petition within minutes.

Supporting reports

• ICE transfers detained LA teen to Arizona without family notification — Benjamin Guerrero-Cruz, 18, was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Los Angeles on August 8 while walking his dog. He was held at Adelanto detention facility in San Bernardino County, then transferred late Monday to a remote holding site in Arizona without notifying his family. ICE subsequently prepared to send him to Louisiana for deportation processing but removed him from the plane at the last moment. He remains in custody at Adelanto. Congresswoman Luz Rivas introduced legislation requiring ICE to notify detainees' families within 24 hours of transfer.

Supporting reports

• DOJ releases redacted Maxwell interview transcripts; Trump distancing from Epstein — Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche interviewed Ghislaine Maxwell, serving a 20-year sentence for involvement in Epstein's abuse, in July 2025. On August 22, the DOJ published redacted transcripts of these interviews. Maxwell's statements largely supported Trump's efforts to distance himself from Epstein, stating she never witnessed them as close friends and never saw Trump in "massage settings." The transcripts also contained extensive questioning about Bill and Hillary Clinton's connections to Epstein, though Maxwell provided limited incriminating information about either political figure.
• Proffer interview recording of Ghislaine Maxwell released by DOJ — Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, Trump's former criminal defense lawyer, conducted and released a proffer interview with convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell. In the recording, Maxwell stated Trump "was never inappropriate with anybody" and claimed she was innocent of all charges and victims were lying. Following the interview, Maxwell was transferred to a minimum-security federal prison camp and placed atop the presidential pardon list.
• Administration released Ghislaine Maxwell interview transcripts — The Trump administration released portions of transcripts from Todd Blanche's interview with Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell. In the transcripts, Maxwell praised Trump, stating he was "always very cordial and very kind" to her and expressing admiration for his presidency. Maxwell is currently serving a sentence for sex trafficking convictions and is reportedly seeking a pardon.

Supporting reports

• ICE seeks millions for customized vehicles without open bidding — ICE proposed spending more than $2.4 million on customized vehicles, including $2.25 million for 25 Chevrolet Tahoes from Hendrick Motorsports and approximately $174,000 for custom wrapping with gold-detailed "DEFEND THE HOMELAND" emblems. The agency selected the companies without an open bidding process, as revealed in government contracting documents made public this week.

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

• House Oversight Committee heard testimony on Epstein investigation — The House Oversight Committee began hearing testimony from subpoenaed witnesses after Democrats used a parliamentary maneuver to compel Chair James Comer (R-KY) to hold the hearings. Former Attorney General William Barr, who was in office when Jeffrey Epstein died in custody in 2019, testified behind closed doors. The Department of Justice was scheduled to begin releasing documents from the Epstein investigation on Tuesday but missed that deadline, with officials stating they would begin the release the following day.

Supporting reports

• State Department website omitted mention of Alaska summit — As of midday Sunday, August 17, there was no mention of the Alaska meeting between Trump and Putin on the State Department's website, although the website had been updated since Friday to acknowledge Indonesia Independence Day and the Gabonese Republic National Day.

Supporting reports

• Texas legislature refuses to release redistricting map draft records citing legislative privilege — Following a Public Information Act request by Democracy Docket, the Texas legislature acknowledged holding map draft records detailing racial demographics and communications about specific Latino-predominated districts but refused to release them, citing "legislative privilege" and "attorney-client communication." The withholding prevents public and judicial scrutiny of the decision-making process behind the redistricting plan.

Supporting reports

• ICE used Sheraton hotel in Louisiana to detain immigrants despite Marriott's 2019 pledge — Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained a father and teenage son at a Sheraton hotel in Alexandria, Louisiana, for four days in August 2025 before deporting them to Ecuador. The detention contradicts Marriott's July 2019 public commitment that its properties would not be used to cooperate with ICE or serve as detention facilities. A source with knowledge of hotel operations indicated the Sheraton has been used to detain immigrant families and unaccompanied children since its late 2023 renovation. Marriott did not respond to requests for comment about whether it has a formal contract with ICE or knowledge of the detentions.

Supporting reports

• Administration officials scheduled Epstein strategy meeting at Vice President's residence — Top administration officials, including Vice President J.D. Vance, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and FBI Director Kash Patel, were scheduled to meet at the Vice President's residence to coordinate the administration's Epstein strategy. Notably, President Trump was not included in the meeting. After news of the meeting leaked, a source told Reuters the meeting had been canceled.
• Administration officials coordinate Epstein strategy without Trump — Top administration officials, including Vice President J.D. Vance and Attorney General Pam Bondi, met to coordinate the administration's strategy regarding the Epstein case, notably without President Trump present.
• White House meets to discuss Epstein-Trump relationship response — After initially denying plans for a meeting, White House officials met late on August 7 to discuss responses to questions about the relationship between convicted sex abuser Jeffrey Epstein and President Trump. Attendees included Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel. The White House has been attempting to suppress public inquiry into the Epstein-Trump connection with limited success.
• White House meeting held to coordinate Epstein files strategy — Top Trump administration officials, including Vice President JD Vance, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and FBI Director Kash Patel, met at the White House on Wednesday night to discuss strategy regarding the handling of Epstein-related documents and the administration's response to public pressure for full disclosure. The meeting was moved from Vance's official residence to the White House. Officials were weighing whether to release recorded audio from a DOJ interview with Ghislaine Maxwell and whether Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche should hold a press conference about his interviews with Maxwell.

Supporting reports

• Library of Congress Constitution website missing Article I sections — Reporters discovered that the online United States Constitution maintained by the Library of Congress was missing parts of Article I, which lays out the rights and duties of Congress. Missing sections included Congress's control over the District of Columbia, Congress's power to make laws, the promise that habeas corpus would not be suspended, the requirement that Congress appropriate all government spending, the prohibition on presidential acceptance of foreign gifts, and the specification that only Congress can levy tariffs. Officials attributed the deletions to "a coding error," and the missing sections were restored by the end of the day.
• Sections of US Constitution temporarily removed from government website — Sections of the US Constitution were temporarily removed from the Constitution Annotated website, which is maintained by the federal government. The missing sections included provisions like habeas corpus, which ensures the right for people to challenge their detention in court, and another that prohibits foreign emoluments for government officials. On Twitter, the Library of Congress blamed the removals on a "coding error," and the sections returned to the website later in the day.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration classified Air Force One renovation costs in nuclear modernization budget — The New York Times reported that the Trump administration used "inventive" techniques to classify the cost to renovate Trump's new Air Force One, which was gifted by Qatar, by slipping the total into a $934 million transfer of funds dedicated to modernizing the country's "ground-based nuclear missiles."

Supporting reports

• FBI officials directed to redact Trump's name from Epstein files in response to FOIA requests — Bloomberg reported that senior officials at the FBI's Record/Information Dissemination Section were instructed to redact Trump's name from Epstein investigation documents in preparation for public release under FOIA. Michael Seidel, the section chief who had worked at the FBI for 14 years, vocally opposed the directive and was subsequently told he could either retire or be fired; he chose retirement. The redactions were applied despite Trump being identified in numerous documents during the federal investigation launched in 2006.

Supporting reports

• Senator Durbin demands DOJ produce Epstein-Maxwell meeting records and commits against pardon — Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, demanded that the Department of Justice produce all recordings and transcripts of July 24 and 25 meetings between DOJ officials and convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell. He also demanded that the DOJ commit it would not offer a pardon or sentence commutation to Maxwell in exchange for information she provided.
• Senator Durbin demanded DOJ recordings and transcripts from Ghislaine Maxwell interviews — Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, sent a letter to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche demanding all recordings and transcripts from his interviews with Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, which took place the previous week. He also demanded that the DOJ commit to offering no pardon or commutation for Maxwell, writing that there are "serious questions about the potential for a corrupt bargain" between her and Trump.

Supporting reports

• Freedom of the Press Foundation v. U.S. Department of Justice, complaint filed (D.D.C. 1:25-cv-02432) — Freedom of the Press Foundation filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on July 28, 2025, alleging that the Department of Justice failed to respond to a FOIA request submitted on May 15, 2025, seeking a memorandum from Attorney General Pam Bondi regarding the Trump Administration's acceptance of a $400 million aircraft from Qatar. FPF seeks declaratory and injunctive relief to compel DOJ compliance with FOIA's statutory response deadlines.
• Freedom of the Press Foundation sues DOJ over Qatar jet gift legal memo — The Freedom of the Press Foundation, represented by American Oversight, filed a federal FOIA lawsuit in Washington DC district court against the Department of Justice for refusing to release a legal memorandum signed by Attorney General Pam Bondi in May 2025 that cleared Trump's acceptance of a $400 million luxury Boeing 747-8 aircraft from Qatar's government. The DOJ granted expedited processing but estimated over 600 days to fulfill the request, with no documents released after more than two months. The memo's contents and the gift itself have drawn criticism from Republican senators and Democratic lawmakers over constitutional emoluments concerns and national security risks.

Supporting reports

• Mike Johnson adjourns House to avoid Epstein files disclosure vote — House Speaker Mike Johnson adjourned the U.S. House of Representatives early the previous week to avoid a vote on legislation to release Epstein files. Johnson defended the decision on Meet the Press, arguing that the proposed legislation would require release of uncorroborated information and could harm victims by unmasking their identities. Representatives Massie and Khanna countered that their legislation carefully redacted victim names and excluded child pornography, characterizing Johnson's argument as a "straw man."

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

• Department of Government Efficiency uses AI tool to create federal regulation "delete list" — The Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), formerly led by Elon Musk, is using an artificial intelligence tool called the "Doge AI Deregulation Decision Tool" to analyze 200,000 federal regulations and identify those for elimination. Internal documents obtained by the Washington Post show the tool has already been deployed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development to review over 1,000 regulatory sections and by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to draft deregulations. Doge claims 100,000 regulations can be eliminated, with a goal of cutting 50% of all federal regulations by the first anniversary of Trump's second inauguration.
• DOGE staff use AI to eliminate half of government regulations — Staff associated with the "Department of Government Efficiency" are using artificial intelligence to eliminate half of the government's regulations by January 2026. James Burnham, former chief attorney for DOGE, described this as a "creative deployment of artificial intelligence to advance the president's regulatory agenda" as a strategy to make significant progress during Trump's term.

Supporting reports

• Trump's name reported in DOJ Epstein files; Congress subpoenas Maxwell — The Wall Street Journal reported that Donald Trump's name appears multiple times in Department of Justice files related to Jeffrey Epstein. Attorney General Pam Bondi informed Trump in May that he was named in the files, though she stated the findings warranted no further investigation. The House Oversight Committee voted 8–2 to subpoena DOJ for Epstein-related files and subpoenaed Ghislaine Maxwell for a deposition on August 11. Trump subsequently filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the Journal and banned one of its reporters from Air Force One.
• Wall Street Journal reported Trump's name in Epstein files — The Wall Street Journal reported that AG Bondi told Trump in May that his name was in the Epstein files, following a review by Justice Department officials who discovered his name "multiple times" in the "truckload" of documents. The bombshell report comes one week after Trump told reporters that Bondi told him he wasn't in the files.
• Trump informed months ago that his name in Epstein files — The New York Times reported that Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy AG Todd Blanche, both former Trump lawyers, informed the president months ago that his name, along with those of other high-profile figures, had appeared in documents connected to the Epstein case that had not previously been made public. This contradicts Trump's denials of prior knowledge. The White House responded by characterizing the report as "fake news" concocted by Democrats and the liberal media.