Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Trump announces $15bn Iowa steel plant financed by Export-Import Bank — President Trump announced a $15 billion steel plant to be built in eastern Iowa by Indian-owned Mesabi Metallics, claiming it will be the largest in American history. The Export-Import Bank will provide up to $10 billion in federal financing. Trump credited his tariff policies for attracting the investment and projected 6,000 construction jobs and 2,000 manufacturing jobs, with production expected to begin in 2030. The announcement was made in the Oval Office with Iowa Republicans present, including Senate candidate Ashley Hinson.
• Trump announced Iowa steel plant project — Trump announced plans for a massive steel plant in Iowa as part of an $18 billion investment from Mesabi Metallics, a company owned by India's Essar Group. The project is valued at $15 billion and Trump claimed it would create construction jobs in a state hit hard by his policies. However, the plant would not come online until 2030. The project has been supported by the U.S. Export-Import Bank with loans worth up to $10 billion. Trump hired Jason Miller, a longtime Trump adviser, as Mesabi's lobbyist, paying him at least $240,000. The Indian government also hired Miller's company for $150,000 per month for strategic counsel.
• ICYMI: President Trump Announces Largest-Ever Steel Plant Coming to Iowa — The White House published this release on 2026-09-30 through its releases channel.
• Trump announces $15 billion Iowa steel plant deal without completed financial or permitting details — Trump announced a deal to build a $15 billion steel plant in Lee County, Iowa, with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick crediting Trump's tariffs and stating the deal was done. However, local reporting found no major property purchases tied to the project, company officials said they lack details about plans, no permits have been filed, and financial arrangements remain unsettled. The Iowa legislature was scheduled to meet in special session to debate incentives, and the exact location in Lee County had not been disclosed.

Supporting reports

• Trump announced potash deal with Belarus — Trump posted that the United States is working on a deal to purchase potash from Belarus at substantially lower prices than current Canadian suppliers, describing it as good news for farmers and ranchers. NBC reported that Belarus is Russia's closest ally and currently subject to U.S. sanctions. Social media commenters noted that Belarus has no available potash due to sanctions forcing production into long-term contracts with China, Russia, and Asian markets, and that the logistics of importing from Belarus would cost 8-10 times more than the claimed savings.

Supporting reports

• Federal Reserve raised interest rates by quarter percentage point — The Federal Reserve's board voted unanimously to raise interest rates by a quarter percentage point to a target range of 3.75% to 4%, the first rate increase since July 2023. The decision came amid rising diesel and gasoline prices driven by Houthi threats to the Bab el-Mandeb strait and Iranian strikes on U.S. military bases. Trump had previously threatened to cut off trade with countries unless the Fed lowered rates.
• Trump calls Federal Reserve rate increase politically motivated against him — Trump claimed the Federal Reserve raised interest rates to harm his political standing, stating "they're doing it to make Trump do as bad as possible." The bulletin notes that every Trump nominee to the Federal Reserve voted to raise rates, contradicting Trump's assertion that the decision was politically motivated against him rather than based on economic policy.
• Federal Reserve raises interest rates, increasing borrowing costs — The Federal Reserve raised interest rates on Wednesday, increasing the cost of borrowing for mortgages, auto loans, and credit card debt at a time when many voters are already paying high rates. The rate increase is expected to negatively impact Republican electoral prospects in the midterms, as voter anger over high prices and economic conditions is cited as a major factor in GOP electoral decline.
• Federal Reserve raises interest rates despite Trump opposition — The Federal Reserve, chaired by Trump appointee Kevin Warsh, raised its benchmark interest rate by 0.25 percentage points to 3.75%–4%, marking the first rate hike in three years. Warsh described the decision as "sober," "serious," and "responsible." Trump lashed out, telling reporters the board was "very hostile" and "very political," though he avoided directly blaming Warsh, instead attributing the decision to board hostility.
• Mortgage rates and gas prices surge before midterms — The Wall Street Journal reported that mortgage rates have climbed close to 7%, gas prices are near their highest levels since 2022, and the Federal Reserve raised interest rates for the first time in three years. These increases have made buying a house and filling a gas tank more expensive than a week prior, putting affordability back in the spotlight before midterm elections. For five months, wage gains have not kept pace with inflation, and with sharp recent increases in gas prices, wages are unlikely to keep pace in the current month. A veteran Republican strategist noted that despite some wage increases, voters have not concluded they are in a better position to handle current prices.

Supporting reports

• Trump dismisses AI safety warnings and prioritizes competition with China — When asked today about industry calls to slow AI development, Trump dismissed the warnings, stating the U.S. needed to stay ahead of China. He characterized the safety concerns as "negative forces" bringing up "things that won't happen," rejecting the industry leaders' calls for measured development in favor of rapid advancement for competitive advantage.
• Trump dismissed AI safety concerns and rejected tech CEO regulation proposals — Trump posted on Truth Social that the only "control or guardrails" AI needs is a "strong and smart president," rejecting calls from large-cap tech CEOs for AI regulation. He accused AI safety advocates of conspiracy and treason, naming Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei as a target. Trump stated his administration had "stopped AI people from doing bad things" and warned "conspiracy theorists, treasonists, traitors, and leakers" to beware. The post dismissed concerns about catastrophic AI risks raised by technology leaders.

Supporting reports

• Palo Alto cybersecurity company disclosed AI-driven WeChat worm — A Palo Alto-based cybersecurity company disclosed an AI-developed computer worm capable of compromising over one billion WeChat accounts, demonstrating the capability of AI to create large-scale cyberattacks. The company posted a video demonstration showing how the exploit could read and send messages and act on victims' behalf, though the company did not specify which AI model was used.

Supporting reports

• AFL-CIO releases report warning electronic shelf labels will cost jobs and enable surveillance pricing — The AFL-CIO Tech Institute released a policy brief analyzing electronic shelf label (ESL) manufacturers' marketing materials, concluding that universal adoption could eliminate 44,223 to 191,633 jobs and cost workers $1.6 billion to $6.9 billion annually in lost wages. The report warns ESLs enable algorithmic "surveillance pricing" that changes prices based on personal data, potentially raising grocery costs further. The AFL-CIO calls for a federal ban on electronic labels and surveillance pricing to protect workers and consumers.

Supporting reports

• Freedom Fuel Network gas stations linked to unpaid fuel acquisition — A lawsuit filed in federal court in Pennsylvania alleges that Freedom Fuel Network stations, promoted by the White House for discounted gas prices, obtained approximately $4 million worth of fuel without payment. According to the complaint by Mansfield Oil Co., Syed Kazmi's company KRSM acquired over 1 million gallons of fuel from a Sunoco terminal valued at $4 million and never paid for it, then sold the fuel to Freedom Fuel Network stations. The stations, located around Philadelphia and New Jersey, were promoted by Trump in July as examples of patriotic price-cutting.

Supporting reports

• Trump EPA proposes rule to exempt datacenters from public air pollution disclosure — The Trump administration's Environmental Protection Agency proposed a new rule that would eliminate the Clean Air Act requirement for datacenters to publicly disclose air pollution emissions. The rule would make disclosure voluntary at state and local officials' discretion rather than mandatory. Datacenters are significant sources of nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, and heavy metals. Environmental advocates warn the change will reduce public oversight, prevent communities from knowing what pollutants they will breathe, and weaken enforcement of federal pollution limits linked to asthma, heart disease, and cancer.
• EPA approves two toxic datacenter chemicals despite acknowledged health risks — The Trump administration's Environmental Protection Agency approved two photoacid generator compounds for import and immediate use in U.S. datacenters, despite acknowledging in consent orders that the chemicals may present "unreasonable risk" to workers and the public and could cause sudden death, cancer, neurological damage, and reproductive harm. The EPA admitted insufficient data to quantify acute toxicity and lethality risks but approved the chemicals anyway with minimal restrictions, prompting a lawsuit by Earthjustice arguing the approval violates the Toxic Substances Control Act.

Supporting reports

• Bessent intervenes in Japanese yen market to prop up currency — The Financial Times reported that three weeks prior, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent inserted himself into the market for the Japanese yen, buying the currency to prop it up in what was publicly painted as a friendly act of solidarity with an ally. However, bond market insiders interpreted the move as an effort to stop Japan from fixing its yen problem by selling down its gigantic stash of US debt, which would further destabilize US Treasury markets.
• Financial Times reports Bessent's bond market intervention resembles failed military strategy — The Financial Times reported that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's "running battle with the bond market is starting to look like his boss's war in Iran - started by his own hand with a tangled set of objectives, an underestimated opponent and an implausible path to victory." The article noted that Bessent has given the message to investors three times in three weeks to stop selling bonds, but they are selling anyway.
• Former Federal Reserve governor Dudley warns of stock market bubble — Former Federal Reserve governor Bill Dudley identified multiple signs of a massive stock market bubble, including: (1) stock market valuations that are "crazy by any number of measures"; (2) the entire AI financial boom operating in a "classic Ponzi-style loop" characteristic of financial manias that are always followed by downturns or worse; and (3) rising long-term interest rates in the US and globally, which are "exactly the kind of thing that could burst the bubble."
• MarketWatch reports US Treasury losing control of long-term rates — MarketWatch reported that it appears increasingly likely that the US Treasury, the global lender of last resort, is losing control of long-term interest rates. The article noted that the alleged Treasury "buyback" program that sparked a brief rally involved "trivial sums of money and no new money."
• Treasury Secretary Bessent doubles long-term bond buyback program — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, facing turmoil in financial markets, instructed officials to double the amount of long-term US government bonds they should buy back from the market in the coming months, from $2 billion to $4 billion. The Telegraph reported that Bessent was attempting to shore up the bond market and stop "bond vigilantes" from destabilizing the global economy by artificially increasing demand for US Treasury bonds to push up prices and lower yields.
• Treasury announces bond buyback program funded by General Account reserves — The Treasury Department announced a "Treasury Twist" operation to increase purchases of longer-term government bonds, doubling buybacks of off-the-run securities from $2 billion to at least $4 billion. Treasury officials indicated the General Account (TGA)—currently holding approximately $950 billion—could be deployed to fund the operation, though they declined to specify the amount or timing. The TGA had been built up from the prior administration's balance of $550–600 billion.

Supporting reports

• Republican newspapers warned of economic collapse if tariffs were lowered — Republican newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune, published warnings that lowering tariff rates would destroy industries and throw workers out of work. The Tribune stated that "the working classes of the country need such a lesson," indicating that Republican media outlets viewed economic hardship for workers as a necessary consequence of tariff reduction. These publications amplified Republican claims that Democrats' tariff policies would cause economic catastrophe, creating panic among investors and consumers.

Supporting reports

• California assembly passes diaper chemical disclosure legislation — California's assembly passed legislation (68-1 vote) requiring diaper manufacturers to disclose all intentionally added chemicals on a public webpage by 2028 and on packaging by January 1, 2029. The bill addresses health risks from toxic substances—phthalates, PFAS, lead, formaldehyde, and volatile organic compounds—that accumulate in diapers worn continuously against infants' thin, absorbent skin. The measure is expected to advance to the state senate and is supported by over 150 public health groups.

Supporting reports

• Trump pardons Binance founder Changpeng Zhao — Trump granted a pardon to Changpeng Zhao, Binance's ex-CEO and founder, who had pleaded guilty in U.S. federal court to violating the Bank Secrecy Act and failing to maintain an effective anti-money-laundering program. Zhao served a four-month jail term in 2024 before receiving the pardon in 2025. Zhao still owns 90 percent of Binance, which has been plagued by money-laundering violations and internal findings of $1.7 billion in crypto moving to Iranian entities linked to terrorism.
• Trump settles $10 billion IRS lawsuit with immunity provision — Trump used the Department of Justice to forge a settlement of his $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS regarding a leak of his tax returns. The settlement grants Trump and his family immunity from IRS audits of prior tax returns and could save him approximately $100 million. A federal judge later found that because Trump controlled both sides of the case, there was no genuine adversity of parties to provide the court with jurisdiction, characterizing the arrangement as essentially a gift to Trump at taxpayer expense.
• Trump uses presidency to amass $2.2bn in personal revenue through crypto, Truth Social, and foreign deals — Donald Trump has generated approximately $2.2 billion in personal revenue during his second presidency through multiple ventures: $1.4 billion from cryptocurrency holdings (including $799 million from World Liberty Financial and $636 million from his $Trump memecoin), a $100,000-per-month Truth Social scheme offering wealthy buyers early access to presidential posts, a $10 billion IRS settlement providing tax immunity, and a $400 million plane gift from Qatar. Ethics experts and congressional Democrats have raised corruption concerns, noting that Trump has declined to place assets in a blind trust and has dismantled regulatory guardrails that previously constrained presidential conflicts of interest.
• Trump's World Liberty Financial receives $2 billion UAE investment in Binance deal — Trump's World Liberty Financial (WLF), co-founded by Trump and his sons with Steve Witkoff's family in fall 2024, received a central role in a $2 billion investment by Abu Dhabi's MGX fund (backed by the United Arab Emirates) into Binance, the world's largest crypto exchange. The deal involved MGX purchasing $2 billion of WLF's USD1 stablecoin for investment in Binance. This arrangement occurred despite Binance's 2023 guilty plea to money-laundering violations, a $4.3 billion DOJ fine, and internal findings that $1.7 billion in crypto moved through Binance to Iranian entities linked to terrorism.
• Truth Social launches $100,000-per-month early-access scheme for wealthy investors — Trump's Truth Social media business announced a new scheme offering wealthy buyers special early access to Trump's posts for a fee of $100,000 per month, dubbed Truth API. The product would provide institutional investors with high-speed access to non-public presidential communications before public release. Democratic senators Mark Warner, Elizabeth Warren, and Adam Schiff, along with ethics watchdog groups, have raised serious conflict-of-interest and corruption concerns, characterizing the arrangement as insider trading and a step toward normalizing public corruption.
• Trump accepts $400 million plane gift from Qatar — Trump circumvented the Constitution's prohibition on foreign emoluments by accepting a $400 million plane as a gift from Qatar. This arrangement, along with other wealthy foreign backing of Trump family hotel and golf deals abroad, has raised concerns among critics about violations of the Foreign Emoluments Clause.
• Businessman under UK money-laundering investigation invested $100 million in Trump crypto — The New York Times reported that a businessman once under investigation in the UK for money laundering became one of the biggest buyers of tokens from Trump's cryptocurrency company, spending $100 million through a newly formed firm. As much as three-quarters of the money ultimately went to a company controlled by Trump and his sons.

Supporting reports

• Truth Social launches $100,000-per-month early-access scheme for wealthy investors — Trump's Truth Social media business announced a new scheme offering wealthy buyers special early access to Trump's posts for a fee of $100,000 per month, dubbed Truth API. The product would provide institutional investors with high-speed access to non-public presidential communications before public release. Democratic senators Mark Warner, Elizabeth Warren, and Adam Schiff, along with ethics watchdog groups, have raised serious conflict-of-interest and corruption concerns, characterizing the arrangement as insider trading and a step toward normalizing public corruption.

Supporting reports

• One Nation nonprofit spent $1.7 million on false attack ad against Senator Ossoff in Georgia — One Nation, an opaque nonprofit affiliated with Senate Republicans, spent $1.7 million in five days to deliver 78 million impressions of an attack ad against Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) across Georgia. The ad falsely claims Ossoff voted to "gut" the child tax credit, supported a "$2,100 tax increase," and voted for higher taxes on Social Security recipients earning under $75,000. In fact, Ossoff voted to expand the child tax credit to its largest level in history and voted against the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" that Republicans supported. One Nation does not disclose its donors, making the funding source opaque.
• One Nation spent $1.7 million on dishonest attack ad against Senator Ossoff — One Nation, an opaque nonprofit affiliated with Senate Republicans, spent $1.7 million in less than a week on an attack ad against Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA). The ad received 78 million impressions across Georgia but contained false claims, attacking Ossoff for positions actually pursued by Republicans, including cutting the child tax credit, according to Popular Information's analysis.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration threatens to withhold federal funding from Smithsonian Institution — As part of a broader campaign against the Smithsonian Institution, the Trump administration has threatened to withhold federal funding from the institution, which operates 21 museums and the National Zoo. This threat follows Trump's March 2025 executive order "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History" and a comprehensive review of eight museums ordered by the administration. The administration has also released a list of exhibits it does not agree with.

Supporting reports

• GDP growth slowed to 1.5% in Q2, below economist expectations of 2.1%, attributed to Iran war disruptions and elevated energy costs. — The Commerce Department reported Thursday that U.S. GDP grew at an annualized rate of 1.5% in the second quarter, falling short of the 2.1% rate economists had predicted. The slowdown reflects economic strain from the Iran conflict, which has disrupted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and driven global energy costs higher. U.S. gas prices surged from $2.98 per gallon before the war to over $4 during the quarter. The first quarter had shown 2.1% growth.
• Trump administration campaign to rewrite pandemic history and restrict scientific funding — The article documents a broader Trump administration effort to rewrite the history of the Covid-19 pandemic and restrict scientific research funding. The administration has invoked the "lab leak" theory to criticize past pandemic policies while simultaneously cutting $11.4 billion in state and local health department funding. Disruptions to cancer and Alzheimer's research funding are justified as eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. A proposed rule would place the entire $1 trillion federal grant-making apparatus under control of political appointees, based on trials at the National Institutes of Health in 2025.
• Q2 GDP growth falls to 1.5%, below forecast — Second-quarter GDP growth came in at 1.5%, significantly below the 2.1% estimate. Trump administration officials have continued to promise 4–6% growth, creating a gap between official projections and actual economic performance.
• Treasury bond selloff follows Fed decision to hold rates steady — A selloff in Treasury bonds occurred after the Federal Reserve held interest rates steady for a seventh consecutive month. The bond market reaction suggests investor concern about inflation or economic conditions despite the Fed's decision to maintain current rates.
• U.S. GDP Growth Slows Amid Iran Conflict — The U.S. GDP grew at an annual rate of 1.5% in the second quarter, falling short of the expected 2.1% growth. The Commerce Department attributes the slowdown to the ongoing conflict in Iran, which has disrupted shipping and increased global energy costs. The economic impact is evident in rising gas prices and concerns over future growth.
• US GDP Growth Slows in Q2 2026 — The US GDP grew at an annual rate of 1.5% in the second quarter of 2026, below expectations. The slowdown is attributed to the economic impact of the conflict in the Middle East, which has disrupted shipping and increased energy costs.

Supporting reports

• US trade representative defends tariffs before Senate; Democrats challenge inflation claims — Jamieson Greer, US trade representative, testified before the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday, denying that Trump's tariffs have increased prices for American families despite inflation surging to a three-year high. Democratic senators, including Elizabeth Warren and Raphael Warnock, challenged Greer with estimates showing families paying an average of $1,700 more in tariff costs since Trump's return to office. Greer cited core inflation at 2.6% year-on-year but did not address overall inflation remaining higher than when Biden left office. The hearing occurred as a 10% tariff regime was set to expire Friday, with Trump officials indicating replacement with new duties.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration discourages antidepressant use — The Trump administration, led by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has been actively discouraging the use of antidepressants, particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). This campaign aligns with the Church of Scientology's long-standing opposition to psychiatric medications. On May 4, 2026, the Department of Health and Human Services announced initiatives to reduce "psychiatric overprescribing" and promote non-medication treatments. The American Psychiatric Association criticized this approach, arguing it oversimplifies the mental health crisis and ignores barriers to comprehensive care. Kennedy's financial ties to a Scientology-linked law firm further complicate the administration's stance.

Supporting reports

• Kalshi's political prediction markets found to be systematically flawed — A study by the National Economics University in Vietnam analyzed 292 million trades on Kalshi and Polymarket, finding that Kalshi's political markets systematically overvalue longshots and undervalue favorites. This flaw was evident in CNN's coverage of Kalshi's odds on Trump acquiring Greenland, which were inaccurately portrayed as having a "very high chance." The study suggests that reliance on these markets can mislead journalists and news consumers.

Supporting reports

• National Design Studio installs undisclosed visitor-tracking software on federal websites — The National Design Studio (NDS), a White House office led by Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia and staffed by Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) veterans, rebuilt sensitive federal websites for passport applications, voter registration, prescription-drug pricing, and children's savings accounts. The NDS installed commercial visitor-tracking software (PostHog) configured to evade privacy tools on four public federal websites without publishing required privacy impact assessments or system-of-records notices mandated by the Privacy Act of 1974 and E-Government Act of 2002. The NDS removed the tracking software after Guardian inquiry on 4 June; White House responded 17 June claiming compliance with legal requirements.

Supporting reports

• Trump's $14 million Reflecting Pool renovation covered in algae; conservative media blamed sabotage — The Trump administration's $14 million no-bid contract to renovate the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool resulted in the pool becoming covered in green algae. The renovation painted the pool bottom blue but failed to address filtration and circulation problems, accelerating the algae problem. Conservative media personality Grant Stinchfield declared the algae a result of sabotage by the left, calling it vandalism by people who "can't stand Trump, American greatness and his quest to make DC beautiful again." The post received 3.2 million views. The actual cause was stagnant water with poor filtration, a basic scientific problem.
• National Park Service dumps hydrogen peroxide into Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool — National Park Service workers dumped bottles of hydrogen peroxide directly into the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on the morning of June 16 in an attempt to mitigate an algae bloom caused by recent renovations. Reuters photographer Jonathan Ernst captured foam floating on the surface. Dr. Michael O'Brien questioned on social media whether the approach was scientifically sound, noting that at least 8,000 liters of 12% hydrogen peroxide would be needed to reach minimum concentration to kill algae.
• Trump administration awards no-bid contract for Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool renovation — The Trump administration awarded a $14.2 million no-bid contract to Virginia-based Atlantic Industrial Coatings to renovate the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool, intending to turn it "American flag blue" for the nation's 250th birthday. The contractor had previously worked on a swimming pool at one of Trump's golf clubs. Days after completion, algae proliferated in warm weather, forcing National Park Service workers to use skimmers and hydrogen peroxide to address the bloom. The administration claims a "nanobubbler technology" water treatment system will resolve the issue.
• Reflecting Pool renovation cost $16 million instead of stated $1.5 million — Federal contracting records revealed that Trump's renovation of the Reflecting Pool by the Lincoln Memorial cost approximately $16 million, not the $1.5 million Trump had publicly stated. The pool is now fouled with green algae. Trump and Interior Department officials claimed the project was a success and reposted articles praising the renovation despite the cost overrun and visible algae contamination.
• Workers treated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool with hydrogen peroxide to address algae bloom — Workers poured hydrogen peroxide into the Reflecting Pool by the Lincoln Memorial to attempt to kill an algae bloom that had turned the pool bright green. The algae bloom resulted from Trump's renovation of the pool, which included dark paint on the pool floor. The dark paint caused the sun to heat the water faster than before, creating conditions that accelerated algae growth, an outcome experts had warned about.
• U.S. Park Police arrested cyclist for touching peeling pool material — On Friday, June 18, former Olympic canoe racer David Hearn, 67, was arrested by U.S. Park Police for destruction of government property, a misdemeanor, after he reached into the reflecting pool to feel the detached blue epoxy material while on a 52-mile bike ride. Hearn denied vandalizing anything, stating he was unaware of what was happening before being handcuffed. The arrest occurred as the pool's coating was actively peeling and floating in algae-filled water.
• Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool develops severe algae bloom after $14 million renovation — Days after completion of a $14 million renovation, the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool developed an algae bloom more severe than any recorded in June for at least five years. Trump had promised in April to clean up the "filthy" and "disgusting" water and resurface the basin to eliminate leaking and paint it "American flag blue." After refilling began on June 4, Trump praised the "clean, beautiful water." However, satellite analysis by University of Virginia environmental scientist Alana Menendez detected more algae in the pool in an image taken the week after reopening than in any June images from 2021 onward. The Interior Department began treating the pool with hydrogen peroxide and nanobubble ozone technology, but the hydrogen peroxide is causing the new blue paint to peel, as documented in social media posts.

Supporting reports

• US Department of Justice approves $111 billion Paramount–Warner Bros Discovery merger — The Trump administration's Department of Justice antitrust division approved the $111 billion merger of Paramount Skydance (controlled by the Ellison family) and Warner Bros Discovery after an eight-month investigation. The DOJ concluded the transaction would not harm competition in streaming, linear television, or theatrical film distribution. The deal still faces scrutiny from UK and European regulators and potential legal challenge from a coalition of US state attorneys general, with concerns raised about job losses, news network consolidation, and editorial independence at CNN.

Supporting reports

• Oil executives warn White House of potential $5 gasoline prices — Oil executives privately warned the White House that gasoline prices, already at $4.13 per gallon nationally and up over 40% year-over-year, could break $5 per gallon by summer's end. The Strategic Petroleum Reserve is at 349.2 million barrels, approaching lows not seen since 1983. An industry official stated that the White House understands the severity of the situation but is "politically constricted from saying that publicly."

Supporting reports

• OMB proposes rule placing federal research grants under political appointee control — On May 29, 2026, OMB Director Russ Vought proposed a rule that would place all federal research and discretionary grants under the control of political appointees rather than scientific experts. The rule would prohibit grants that "promote anti-American values" and require awards to "demonstrably advance the president's policy priorities." Stand Up for Science estimates nearly half of approximately 10,000 NIH-funded clinical trials could be discontinued, including over 1,000 cancer trials, pediatric studies, and trials addressing veterans' health, suicide, heart disease, and diabetes. The public comment period closes July 13, 2026.
• Trump administration proposed merit-based federal research grant system be replaced with political appointee approval — On May 29, 2026, the Trump administration proposed dramatic changes to federal research grant awards. Rather than continuing the merit-based system established through rigorous peer review, grants would be awarded based on approval by political appointees. The Office of Management and Budget, directed by Christian nationalist Russell Vought, would control grant allocation. The proposal limits foreign collaboration and allows the OMB to revoke grants deemed to fail "program goals, Federal agency priorities, or the national interest."
• Russell Vought proposes political control over research grants — Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget and co-author of Project 2025, proposed on May 28 that political appointees in his office should have final say over research grants, including those for the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and other governmental science agencies. The proposal aims to root out what it characterizes as a "woke" policy agenda and would also require approval by political appointees for international research collaboration.

Supporting reports

• FDA sends serious enforcement letter to pharmaceutical company; CEO donates $1 million to Trump super PAC days later — On May 26, the FDA sent a letter to pharmaceutical company QOL Medical containing serious allegations that could threaten the company's existence. Days later, QOL Medical CEO Frederick Cooper donated $1 million to MAGA Inc., Trump's super PAC. The timing and sequence raise questions about whether the donation was made in response to the regulatory threat or as an attempt to influence the agency's enforcement action.
• FDA sends warning letter to QOL Medical for false drug advertising — On May 26, 2026, the FDA sent a warning letter to QOL Medical accusing the pharmaceutical company of using "false or misleading" advertising to promote Sucraid, a drug for treating congenital sucrase-isomaltase deficiency (CSID). The FDA alleged that QOL Medical's marketing materials encouraged doctors to prescribe Sucraid for patients with IBS-like symptoms (gas, bloating, diarrhea, nausea), despite the drug being unable to treat IBS or its symptoms. The FDA determined QOL Medical violated the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act's prohibition on drug misbranding. The letter required QOL Medical to respond within 15 working days.