Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• CNN Investigation Finds Fewer Than 10% of ICE Detainees Convicted of Violent Crimes — An investigation by CNN reporters published on Monday found that fewer than 10% of those taken into custody by ICE since October have been convicted of violent crimes. This contradicts public statements by Trump administration supporters that deportations would target only undocumented immigrants who had committed violent crimes.

Supporting reports

• ICE Director Claims Increased Assaults Against Officers — Todd Lyons, acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, justified the use of plainclothes, unidentified agents by citing a 413% increase in assaults against ICE officers. Philip Bump of the Washington Post investigated the claim and found ICE conflated "threatening to assault" with actual assault, avoided disclosing absolute numbers, and refused to provide evidence. Bump concluded ICE's representations should not be taken at face value. The Department of Homeland Security subsequently posted on social media claiming a 500% increase in assaults.
• Department of Homeland Security Attributes ICE Officer Assaults to Democratic Opposition — After Philip Bump's Washington Post article questioned ICE's assault statistics, the Department of Homeland Security posted on social media claiming a 500% increase in assaults and stating: "Make no mistake, sanctuary politicians are contributing to the surge in assaults of our ICE officers through their repeated vilification and demonization of ICE." The statement blamed Democratic legislators for violence against ICE officers.
• ICE Director Lyons defended masked agents and claimed doxxing threat — ICE Director Todd Lyons was asked on Newsmax about calls from Democrats for ICE agents to stop wearing masks. Lyons stated that ICE agents did not have to wear masks before or after January 20, that he personally does not want officers wearing masks because it is hot and dangerous, but that ICE agents are being doxxed at a horrible rate. The bulletin notes that there have not been any incidents of anyone going to the homes of ICE agents and threatening them or their families.

Supporting reports

• JD Vance misidentifies Senator Alex Padilla in public remarks — During his Los Angeles press conference, Vice-president Vance made a joke about "Jose Padilla" in response to a question about Democrats detained by federal officers. He was referring to California Senator Alex Padilla, who had been forcibly detained by the FBI the previous week. Vance conflated Padilla with Jose Padilla, an American citizen accused of planning a radioactive dirty bomb for al-Qaida in 2002. Padilla's spokesperson called the remark inappropriate and noted Vance and Padilla were former Senate colleagues.
• Vice President Vance Misidentifies Senator Padilla as Convicted Terrorist — At a news conference in Los Angeles, Vice President J.D. Vance was asked if Trump's administration is "cracking down on Democrats." Vance, who served with Alex Padilla in the Senate, called his former colleague by the wrong name, referring to him as "José Padilla," the name of a man convicted in 2007 of conspiring to commit murder and fund terrorism. Vance's press secretary stated the vice president "must have mixed up two people who have broken the law."

Supporting reports

• Trump attributed bombing success to God — Trump posted a statement thanking God for the bombing operation, stating "I just want to thank everyone—in particular, God. We love you God."
• Trump declared total victory on social media — Trump posted an all-caps message on Truth Social declaring the bombing a historic moment and demanding that Iran end the war, without acknowledging uncertainty about the operation's actual effectiveness or the diplomatic negotiations that had been underway.
• Trump declares Iran nuclear sites "completely and totally obliterated" after bombing campaign — President Trump addressed the nation on June 21, 2025, declaring the bombing of Iran a "spectacular military success" and claiming all key nuclear sites were "completely and totally obliterated." Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth echoed these claims, stating Iran's nuclear ambitions had been obliterated. However, within hours, senior military officials contradicted these assertions, with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Dan Caine stating it was "way too early" to assess the bombing's impact and that battle damage assessment was still ongoing.

Supporting reports

• Fox correspondent reported uncertainty about Isfahan tunnel destruction — Fox News Chief National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin reported that experts told her the underground tunnel at Isfahan is a much harder target than Fordo and it is unclear whether Tomahawk missiles were able to destroy it. A source told Fox the tunnel is deeper than Qom and made of harder rock, making penetration unlikely.
• International Atomic Energy Agency reported no radiation increase — The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that no increase in off-site radiation levels had been reported following the attacks on the three Iranian nuclear sites and stated it would provide further assessments as more information became available.
• Joint Chiefs Chair acknowledged uncertainty about bombing effectiveness — Joint Chiefs Chair Dan Caine admitted that bomb damage assessments were still pending and stated it would be "way too early" to comment on what may or may not remain of Iran's nuclear program, contradicting Trump and Hegseth's claims of total destruction.
• Satellite imagery analyst assessed bombing penetration uncertainty — Satellite imagery analyst Ben Macales stated that while the bombing targeted specific corridors at Fordo where uranium enrichment occurs, it is not yet possible to determine whether the bombs penetrated the dozens of meters of rock to reach their intended targets.
• Science and technology expert questioned bombing effectiveness — Sky News Science & Tech Editor Tom Clarke stated that Iran has spent two decades developing the ability to shape uranium metal and create shaped explosive charges for nuclear weapons, and that these capabilities can be conducted in laboratory-sized facilities that are easier to hide. He noted that Iran had already moved enriched uranium out of Fordo before the strike and questioned whether Iran had actually lost its ability to make a bomb.
• Administration officials walked back Trump's damage assessment — Within hours of Trump's announcement, administration officials began contradicting his claims about the bombing's success. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine told the Wall Street Journal it was "way too early" to assess damage. International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi stated that no one could determine how much damage had been inflicted. New York Times reporter David Sanger reported evidence suggesting Iran had moved uranium and equipment from the Fordo site before the strikes occurred.
• IAEA Director General contradicted Trump and Netanyahu — Director General of the IAEA Rafael Grossi stated on CNN that the IAEA did not have elements to prove that Iran had a plan or systematic effort toward building a nuclear weapon, directly contradicting Trump and Netanyahu's claims that Iran was building a bomb.
• General Dan Caine states assessment of Iran bombing damage is premature — Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine appeared at the Pentagon on June 22, 2025, and stated it was "way too early" to assess the impact of the bombing campaign on Iran's nuclear capabilities. Caine noted that battle damage assessment was still in progress and that many critical facilities are located deep underground, making assessment difficult. This directly contradicted Trump's claims made hours earlier that Iran's nuclear sites had been "completely and totally obliterated."
• Experts questioned whether Trump achieved stated goal of stopping nuclear threat — Experts raised questions about whether Trump achieved his stated goal of "a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world's No. 1 state sponsor of terror" given that the Isfahan facility, which houses a significant portion of Iran's enriched uranium stockpile, appears to have survived the strike with only aboveground damage. Even if the US was successful in destroying Iran's facility at Fordow, the survival of Isfahan raised doubts about the operation's success.
• NYT reported US may not know location of Iran's highly enriched uranium — The New York Times reported that the US may not know the whereabouts of Iran's roughly 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium, which is small enough to fit in the trunks of about 10 cars.
• Experts assess Iran's nuclear enterprise "far from destroyed" — Experts who reviewed satellite imagery of the three US-targeted sites concluded that Iran's "long-running nuclear enterprise is far from destroyed." Rafael Grossi of the IAEA noted that while damage to underground facilities could be significant, "no one… neither us nor anybody else could be able to tell you how much it has been damaged." Additionally, satellite imagery showed 16 cargo trucks positioned near the Fordo facility before the attack, suggesting Iran may have relocated equipment or materials before the strikes.
• IAEA reports Iran moved enriched uranium stockpile before US strikes — Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, stated that Iran moved its stockpile of enriched uranium from targeted sites before the US bombing campaign. The stockpile includes approximately 400 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent purity, stored in portable casks. Vice President Vance acknowledged on ABC's This Week that Iran retained this stockpile and said the administration would have "conversations with the Iranians" about it, effectively conceding that a key objective of the bombing—eliminating enriched uranium—was not achieved.
• Vice President Vance declines to confirm Iran nuclear sites destroyed — Vice President JD Vance appeared on Meet the Press and refused to confirm Trump's claim that Iran's nuclear sites were "completely and totally obliterated," citing sensitivity of intelligence. Vance stated only that the strikes "pushed [Iran's] program back by a very long time" and acknowledged that preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon would require future diplomatic conversations with Iran and regional allies. This represented a significant retreat from Trump's categorical assertions.

Supporting reports

• Trump announced U.S. bombing of Iranian nuclear sites — President Trump announced that the United States had bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities—Fordo, Natanz, and Esfahan—using twelve 30,000-pound Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs) for the first time in history. Trump declared the strikes "a spectacular military success" and stated Iran's nuclear enrichment facilities had been "completely and totally obliterated." He called on Iran to "make peace." The announcement came one week after a military parade and amid five million Americans protesting his administration.
• Trump ordered military strikes on Iranian nuclear sites — On June 21, 2025, President Trump ordered U.S. military strikes against three Iranian nuclear facilities, deploying 12 Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs. According to New York Times reporting, Trump initially warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against striking Iran but reversed course after observing Israel's military operation receive favorable television coverage, particularly on Fox News. Trump had decided on the strike by June 17, following a military parade that drew large protests. The actual damage and effectiveness of the strikes remain unclear despite Trump's claims of "obliteration."
• Trump administration conducts airstrikes on Iran's nuclear sites — The U.S. military conducted surprise airstrikes on Iran's nuclear enrichment facilities on Saturday evening, targeting sites related to nuclear development. The strikes were announced by President Trump in a national address and were reportedly based on Israeli intelligence indicating Iran was close to developing a nuclear weapon. The administration stated the raids targeted only nuclear enrichment infrastructure and avoided population centers, economic assets, and oil terminals. Vice President JD Vance later praised the precision of the B-2 bombers involved.
• Trump announces U.S. military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities — At 7:50 p.m. Eastern Time, President Trump posted on social media announcing that the U.S. military had completed attacks on three Iranian nuclear sites: Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. He stated all aircraft had exited Iranian airspace and a full payload of bombs was dropped on Fordow. At 10:00 p.m., Trump addressed the nation from the White House, flanked by Vice President Vance, Secretary of State Rubio, and Defense Secretary Hegseth, declaring the strikes a "spectacular military success" and stating Iran's nuclear enrichment capacity had been "completely and totally obliterated." He warned of further attacks if Iran did not pursue peace.
• Trump administration bombs Iranian nuclear sites based on intelligence assessment contradicting U.S. Intelligence Community consensus — On June 21, 2025, the Trump administration announced bombing of Iranian nuclear sites, justifying the action with claims that Iran is actively pursuing nuclear weapons. However, the U.S. Intelligence Community's official assessment, stated publicly by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on March 25, 2025, concluded that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon and Supreme Leader Khamenei has not authorized such a program. Trump publicly dismissed Gabbard's assessment, stating "my intelligence community is wrong" and "She's wrong." Vice President Vance and Secretary of State Rubio mischaracterized or dismissed the March intelligence findings to justify the strikes, while Defense Secretary Hegseth avoided confirming whether intelligence had changed since March. Congressional briefings and the International Atomic Energy Agency corroborated the IC's March assessment that no decision to weaponize had been made.
• President Trump ordered coordinated airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities without congressional authorization — On June 21, 2025, President Trump ordered U.S. airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities—Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan—using B-2 stealth bombers and possibly bunker-buster ordnance. No congressional resolution, debate, or formal declaration of war preceded the action. Trump described the strikes as "very successful" and claimed all aircraft had exited Iranian airspace. The strikes followed rapid regional escalation beginning mid-June, including Israeli operations and Iranian missile responses. Trump stated diplomatic avenues had been exhausted and cited the goal of denying Iran nuclear capability.
• U.S. Airstrikes on Iranian Nuclear Facilities Ordered by President Trump — On June 21, 2025, President Trump ordered airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. This marks the first U.S. bombing of Iranian soil in decades. The strikes were carried out using B-2 stealth bombers and possibly GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators. The action was taken without a congressional resolution or debate, bypassing the War Powers Resolution, which requires legislative approval for military engagements of this magnitude. The decision has sparked a constitutional crisis, as it represents a unilateral escalation into a regional conflict without democratic oversight.
• Trump administration launched military strikes against Iran without congressional authorization — On June 21, the Trump administration conducted military strikes against Iran without seeking prior authorization from Congress or making a public case for the operation's necessity or timing. Trump subsequently claimed on Truth Social that "NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE!" and warned that any Iranian retaliation would be met with "FORCE FAR GREATER THAN WHAT WAS WITNESSED TONIGHT." Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth later admitted that congressional leaders were notified only after the planes had safely departed.
• Trump authorizes airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities without congressional approval — President Trump authorized airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites on Saturday night without prior congressional approval or consultation. Congressional leaders, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, were not adequately informed before the operation commenced. Schumer received a call from Trump officials but was not told which country would be targeted; Jeffries could not be reached until after the strikes had begun. The action prompted immediate calls for impeachment from Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and accusations of executive overreach and constitutional violation from Democratic leadership.
• U.S. conducts airstrikes on Iran's nuclear enrichment facilities — The United States bombed Iran's three nuclear enrichment facilities. President Trump announced the strikes on social media. The strikes targeted Iran's nuclear program narrowly after Israel had already degraded Iran's long-range strike capability. Iran responded with threats but had limited retaliatory capacity. The strikes did not trigger a broader military escalation or "boots on the ground" invasion, and Trump indicated he would back off after the nuclear facilities were destroyed, leaving further conflict to Israel.

Supporting reports

• Trump called for a special prosecutor to investigate 2020 election claims — On June 20, 2025, former President Donald Trump announced his call for a special prosecutor to investigate claims of election fraud in the 2020 presidential election, despite the lack of evidence supporting these claims. This announcement comes amid a politically charged environment and aims to distract from other issues facing his administration.
• Trump Calls for Special Prosecutor to Investigate 2020 Election Claims — President Donald Trump announced he is calling for a special prosecutor to investigate claims that Democrats stole the 2020 presidential election. No evidence of election fraud has ever been produced, and courts dismissed numerous cases brought over the claim. Trump's announcement follows a week of embarrassing news and occurs amid deep MAGA division over U.S. involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict.