Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• House Majority Whip Tom Emmer labels Democratic opposition as "terrorist wing" — House Majority Whip Tom Emmer joined Speaker Johnson in attacking political opponents, labeling those opposing Trump's destruction of constitutional checks and balances as "the terrorist wing" of the Democratic Party. Emmer characterized the October 18 rally defending constitutional separation of powers as a "hate America rally."
• House Republican leadership claimed No Kings protests are terrorism — House Republican leadership, including Speaker Mike Johnson and GOP Whip Tom Emmer, claimed that the "No Kings" protests scheduled for October 18 on the National Mall are acts of terrorism and alleged that Democratic leadership wants to keep the government shutdown ongoing to avoid facing the protesters. Johnson stated the protests are "Pro-Hamas, Antifa people" and accused House Democrats of selling merchandise for the event. Emmer called the protests "the terrorist wing of their party."
• House Speaker Johnson labels "No Kings" protest as "Hate America rally" — House Speaker Mike Johnson labeled the planned "No Kings" protest scheduled for October 18—a demonstration against Trump's authoritarian overreach—as a "Hate America rally." Republicans also characterized the peaceful protest as "pro-Hamas" or "anti-America."

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• Trump proclaims October 13, 2025, as Columbus Day with rhetoric defending Columbus against "left-wing" criticism. — President Trump issued Proclamation 10980 on October 9, 2025, officially designating October 13, 2025, as Columbus Day. The proclamation characterizes Columbus as "the original American hero" and "a giant of Western civilization," and explicitly frames the observance as a defense against what the proclamation calls "left-wing radicals" who have "toppled his statues" and "vandalized his monuments." The proclamation invokes statutory authority (36 U.S.C. 107) and directs display of the U.S. flag on public buildings and "appropriate ceremonies and activities" in Columbus's honor.
• Trump issued Columbus Day proclamation presenting white Christian nationalist historical narrative — On October 9, President Trump's office issued an official proclamation declaring October 13 Columbus Day, presenting Columbus as "the original American hero" and "a giant of Western civilization." The proclamation emphasizes Christianity, claiming Columbus was guided by a "noble mission" to "spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ" and that he "planted a majestic cross" dedicating the land to God. It frames modern historical scholarship on Columbus's role in Indigenous decimation as "left-wing arson" seeking to "erase our history" and "attack our heritage," asserting that "every citizen is eternally indebted to his relentless determination."
• White House issued Columbus Day proclamation — The White House issued a proclamation on October 9, 2025, designating October 13, 2025, as Columbus Day. The proclamation characterizes Columbus as "the original American hero" and "a giant of Western civilization," frames recent efforts to remove Columbus statues and monuments as a "vicious and merciless campaign to erase our history," and states that "under my leadership, those days are finally over." The proclamation directs that the U.S. flag be displayed on all public buildings on Columbus Day.

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• RFK Jr promoted unsubstantiated theory linking circumcision, Tylenol, and autism — During a cabinet meeting, RFK Jr stated that two studies show children who are circumcised early have double the rate of autism, attributing this to Tylenol use. He acknowledged the theory is not yet proven but stated his office is conducting studies to "make the proof." Trump subsequently recommended that pregnant women avoid Tylenol and "tough it out," and reiterated his longstanding claim that vaccines cause autism, citing the size of vaccine doses and referencing the Amish population as having no autism.
• Trump made false claims about measles vaccine availability — Trump stated that "the measles is already separate now, and it works out much better," repeating his call to split the MMR combination vaccine into three separate shots. CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale reported that there is no separate measles shot available in the United States, contradicting Trump's claim.

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• Major media outlets promote Amazon Prime Day sales while ignoring fraud allegations — CNN, NBC News, the New York Times, Fox News, USA Today, and Marketwatch published articles promoting Amazon Prime Day and Prime Deal Days sales without covering the federal class-action lawsuit alleging fraudulent pricing practices. The outlets earn affiliate revenue when readers click shopping links in their deal-promotion articles; the New York Times reported $70.5 million in affiliate sales revenue in Q2 2025, primarily from its Wirecutter shopping site's Amazon referrals. This financial incentive structure may create conflicts of interest that suppress critical coverage of Amazon's business practices, even as the company faces documented allegations of consumer deception.

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• Federal ICE agents shot and killed Chicago resident Silverio Villegas González — Federal ICE agents shot and killed Chicago resident Silverio Villegas González during enforcement operations in the city. The administration initially claimed the agents were under attack, but subsequent information indicated the federal agents were the aggressors in the incident.
• Federal ICE agents shot unarmed woman Marimar Martinez in Chicago — Federal ICE agents shot an unarmed woman, Marimar Martinez, during enforcement operations in Chicago. The administration initially claimed agents were under attack, but subsequent information showed the federal agents were the aggressors.

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• Trump held antifa roundtable with conspiracy theorists — Trump held an "antifa" roundtable with right-wing commentators, including "Pizzagate" conspiracy theorist Jack Posobiec. Talking about his effort to criminalize flag burning, a move protected by the First Amendment through the Supreme Court, Trump said, "We took freedom of speech away." Attorney General Pam Bondi noted that, "just like we did with cartels, we're going to take the same approach with antifa." Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem compared "antifa," which has no organized structure or leadership, to Tren de Aragua, MS-13, Hamas, and ISIS, saying they are "just as sophisticated" and "dangerous" as other "terrorist" organizations.
• White House issues release characterizing Portland protests as "Antifa-led" terrorism and promoting federal deployment — The White House published a release titled "PORTLAND: Fake News Ignores Antifa Violence, Residents' Pleas for Help" on October 8, 2025. The document characterizes years of Portland protests as an "Antifa-led hellfire" involving "firebombs, beatings, and brazen attacks," accuses news media of denial about "Radical Left's reign of terror," and frames federal resource mobilization as necessary to "safeguard lives and property." The release includes resident testimonies supporting National Guard deployment and a chronology of Portland incidents dating to 2016, attributing violence to "Antifa terrorists" and "Antifa militants."
• White House held "Antifa Roundtable" with far-right influencers to promote narrative of left-wing violence — Trump held an "Antifa Roundtable" at the White House with far-right influencers to promote the narrative that "antifa" is a real organized threat responsible for violence and destruction. Participants included Jack Posobiec, a proponent of the Pizzagate conspiracy theory. The White House used the event to advance claims about left-wing terrorism despite evidence that federal agents had characterized pre-deployment protests as "low energy."
• White House issued press release falsely characterizing Portland protests as "Antifa-led hellfire" — The White House issued a press release claiming that Portland has been consumed for years by an "Antifa-led hellfire" of firebombs, beatings, and attacks on federal officers and property, and accused the media of "shameful denial" about left-wing violence. The characterization contradicted federal agents' own descriptions of the protests as "low energy" before the administration ordered troops into the city.

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• Pentagon Press Association condemned new Defense Department restrictions — The Pentagon Press Association (PPA) released a statement saying new restrictions by the Defense Department for reporters "appear designed to stifle a free press and potentially expose us to prosecution for simply doing our jobs." It added that the restrictions convey "an unprecedented message of intimidation" to everyone within the department. The PPA noted that the new policy could result in reporters losing their credentials "by seeking information that hasn't been pre-approved for formal release, even when the information is entirely classified."
• Pentagon imposes restrictive media access policies requiring journalist sign-off — The Trump administration's Pentagon released revised media guidelines requiring journalists to sign acknowledgment of policies that restrict solicitation of information from Department employees and limit independent reporting. Major news organizations including The New York Times and The Atlantic expressed opposition, citing concerns the policies will stifle press freedom and expose journalists to prosecution. CNN announced it will not sign. The Pentagon Press Association, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, and PEN America all condemned the policies as incompatible with independent journalism, though the Pentagon defended them as reasonable regulations on access privileges.

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• White House posted misleading ICE arrest video — The White House posted a video on its Twitter account that it implied showed ICE agents making arrests in Chicago, writing, "Chicago doesn't need political spin—it needs HELP," but the Daily Beast later reported that much of the footage used in the video was actually filmed in the Republican state of Florida last spring.

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• Six former surgeons general condemn Kennedy's HHS leadership — Six former surgeons general appointed by presidents from George H.W. Bush through the Biden administration—Jerome Adams, Richard Carmona, Joycelyn Elders, Vivek Murthy, Antonia Novello, and David Satcher—published an op-ed in the Washington Post stating that Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s actions as HHS secretary are "endangering the health of the nation." They warned that consequences of his mismanagement and promotion of misinformation will be "measured in lives lost, disease outbreaks and an erosion of public trust that will take years to rebuild."

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• Kristi Noem tours ICE facility in Portland with partisan influencers; Oregon governor accuses federal officers of antagonizing protesters — Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visited the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Portland, Oregon, on October 7, accompanied by conservative influencers Benny Johnson, Nick Sortor, and David Medina. Portland police cleared streets and held back reporters from non-partisan outlets while the influencers filmed from the facility roof. Oregon Governor Tina Kotek accused ICE of using disproportionate teargas and inviting influencers to antagonize protesters. A federal judge had previously blocked Trump's effort to federalize Oregon's National Guard, finding claims that Portland was "burning to the ground" were "untethered to the facts."

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• CDC deputy secretary calls for separate MMR vaccines amid measles outbreak — Jim O'Neill, acting CDC director and HHS deputy secretary, posted on X/Twitter calling for vaccine manufacturers to develop separate monovalent measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines to replace the combined MMR shot. The call came amid the worst measles outbreak in decades and followed a Trump post urging against "mixed" vaccines. Public health experts warned that separating vaccines would increase costs, require more pediatric visits, reduce vaccination completion rates, and serve no scientific purpose.

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• Alliance Defending Freedom petitions Supreme Court to overturn Colorado conversion therapy ban, citing misrepresented research — Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a Christian legal group, filed a petition in Chiles v. Salazar urging the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Colorado's 2019 law banning conversion therapy for minors. ADF's brief cited scholars including Clifford Rosky and Dr. Lisa Diamond to argue that conversion practices should be permitted, but both researchers stated ADF "profoundly misrepresented" their work, which explicitly condemns conversion therapy as psychologically damaging. The case threatens protections for transgender and queer youth across more than 20 states with similar bans.

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• Oregon Republican Party posts fabricated image depicting Portland protests using South American photographs — The Oregon Republican Party posted a composite image on Facebook, Instagram, and X to support Trump's claim that Portland protests are "burning to the ground." The image combined a 2008 photograph of South American riot police (marked "Policia," from Ecuador) with a 2017 Brazilian protest photograph from Pexels. When challenged, the party acknowledged the fabrication, stating "We're not reporters, just bad memers." The post preceded a federal judge's Sunday blocking of Trump's request to deploy California National Guard to Portland.

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• Stephen Miller made false claims about ICE officer combat in Portland — Stephen Miller stated on CNN that ICE officers engage in "street battles" and "hand to hand combat every night" against Antifa to come and go from their building in Portland. When asked if characterizing protesters as terrorists was hyperbolic, Miller stated it was not and claimed he was "understating the severity of the situation," calling it "a textbook example of domestic terrorism."
• Stephen Miller posted about "leftwing terrorism" on day of judge's house fire — On the same day as the arson attack on Judge Goodstein's home, Stephen Miller posted that "There is a large and growing movement of leftwing terrorism in this country. It is well organized and funded. And it is shielded by far-left Democrat judges, prosecutors and attorneys general." This post came after the judge had ruled against the administration and after she received death threats.

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• Paramount hires Bari Weiss as CBS News editor-in-chief; purchases The Free Press for $150 million — Paramount announced it would hire Bari Weiss, a former New York Times opinion columnist with no broadcast news experience, as editor-in-chief of CBS News. Weiss founded The Free Press in 2021, a publication she has used to criticize progressive movements. Paramount simultaneously purchased The Free Press for a reported $150 million. Weiss stated her commitment to "fair," "factual" journalism, but a Popular Information review found The Free Press repeatedly distorted facts to conform to a right-wing ideological agenda.
• Bari Weiss hired to run CBS News — Bari Weiss, a journalist who was forced out of the New York Times for being insufficiently progressive, was hired to lead CBS News, marking a significant shift in mainstream media leadership away from progressive editorial influence.

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• White House issues fact sheet on government shutdown polling — The White House published a fact sheet citing a Harvard CAPS/Harris poll on public opinion regarding a government shutdown. The document states that 70% of Americans oppose the shutdown, 65% say Democrats should accept a Republican continuing resolution, and 62% say Republicans "will win" the shutdown. The fact sheet attributes the shutdown to Democrats' "sick push to give illegal aliens free health care" and warns of impacts on service members, federal employees, food assistance, and state economies.

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• CDC released new immunization schedule removing COVID-19 vaccine recommendation — The CDC released a new immunization schedule that removed a universal COVID-19 vaccine recommendation. It also recommended that toddlers receive the chickenpox vaccine separately from the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, changes that Trump had recently called for despite the lack of any scientific evidence that the combined shot is unsafe.
• CDC deputy secretary calls for separate MMR vaccines amid measles outbreak — Jim O'Neill, acting CDC director and HHS deputy secretary, posted on X/Twitter calling for vaccine manufacturers to develop separate monovalent measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines to replace the combined MMR shot. The call came amid the worst measles outbreak in decades and followed a Trump post urging against "mixed" vaccines. Public health experts warned that separating vaccines would increase costs, require more pediatric visits, reduce vaccination completion rates, and serve no scientific purpose.
• CDC advisory committee meeting on immunization practices indefinitely postponed — The CDC's advisory committee on immunization practices (ACIP) meeting scheduled for 22–23 October was indefinitely postponed. The committee had been expected to discuss further vaccine schedule changes, including potential delays to hepatitis B vaccination and other modifications to combination vaccines, amid ongoing Trump administration reassessment of the childhood immunization schedule.
• CDC officially adopts removal of MMR-varicella combination vaccine recommendation — In September, the ACIP voted to remove the recommendation for the combination MMR and varicella (chickenpox) vaccine. The CDC officially adopted this change the following week. The removal is creating confusion among patients and pediatric offices, as the combination vaccine had been a standard part of the childhood immunization schedule for decades.

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• FBI Director Kash Patel fired agents for kneeling during 2020 protest — FBI Director Kash Patel fired several FBI agents who were photographed kneeling during a 2020 protest. According to text messages reviewed by the Minneapolis Star Tribune, White House official Anthony Salisbury celebrated the firings, suggesting Trump would approve and insulting Patel as "a giant douche canoe" while noting "This is how Kash survives. He will do this stuff for the man."

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• Trump attacked Fox News for interviewing Senator Mark Kelly about Republican responsibility for government shutdown — Trump posted on social media criticizing Fox News Channel for interviewing Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and allowing him to point out that Republicans had shut down the government rather than extend premium tax credits for healthcare. Trump questioned why Fox News was "putting on Democrat Senator Mark Kelly to talk about, totally unabated or challenged, Healthcare" and complained that "The FAKE SPIN is so bad for Republicans that it is hard to believe that we WIN."
• Trump attacked Fox News and Pete Doocy — Trump posted on Truth Social attacking Fox News and reporter Pete Doocy for interviewing Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) about healthcare without "abated or challenged" opposition. Trump stated: "Why is Fox News and Peter Doocy putting on Democrat Senator Mark Kelly to talk about, totally unabated or challenged, Healthcare? The FAKE SPIN is so bad for Republicans that it is hard to believe that we WIN." Trump demanded Fox either "get on board, or get off board, NOW," claiming Fox benefits from Trump's ratings but spins them "in the Democrats' direction." Trump complained that Fox refuses to publish polls showing him at "65% in Popularity, a Republican RECORD."

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• Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem made false claims about Portland — Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem stated on Fox News that she is "saving Chicago and Portland," claiming "Portland, it's been dark and horrible for so many years. It been a train wreck." She asserted that "Gangs, cartel members, and known terrorist organizations have placed bounties on the heads of several of our law enforcement officers." The bulletin notes Noem has never visited Portland and bases her statements on Fox propaganda rather than direct knowledge or evidence.
• Illinois Governor Pritzker contradicted federal claims about Chicago — Illinois Governor JB Pritzker stated on CNN that Trump and Homeland Security claims that Chicago is a "war zone" are false. Pritzker said: "They're just making this up. And then what do they do? They fire tear gas and smoke grenades, and they make it look like it's a war zone." Pritzker also reported that ICE is "just picking up people who are brown and black and then checking their credentials," resulting in U.S. citizens being detained and arrested without proper documentation checks.
• Kristi Noem claimed Portland officials lied about city safety during her visit — During a cabinet meeting, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated that during a visit to Portland on Tuesday, she met with the governor, mayor, and police chief, all of whom she characterized as "lying" and "dishonest." She claimed the mayor said Portland was safe and beautiful, but that streets were cleared and a four-block radius was secured for her visit. The Wall Street Journal reported that Portland police daily reports from the month prior painted a different picture, with one sergeant noting on September 5 that only 8 people were present at a demonstration and "couldn't even get one of them to flip me the bird. Very low energy."

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• Trump criticized Trump-appointed judge — Trump publicly attacked Judge Karin Immergut on Truth Social, stating "If he made that decision - Portland is burning to the ground" and "That judge ought to be ashamed of himself." Trump claimed he "wasn't served well by the people who pick judges" despite having appointed Immergut himself. Trump's statements misrepresented conditions in Portland, where protests have been confined to a single city block with no widespread destruction.
• Trump attacked Rev. Al Sharpton and called for FCC investigation of NBC — On Truth Social, Trump attacked Rev. Al Sharpton, a civil rights activist and MSNBC host, claimed Comcast chair Brian Roberts is "afraid" to cancel his show because it wouldn't be "Politically Correct," and once again called on the Federal Communications Commission to "look into" NBC's broadcasting license. This represents a continued pattern of Trump using regulatory agencies to target media outlets critical of his administration.

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• House Speaker Delays Swearing-in of New Representative — House Speaker Mike Johnson postponed the swearing-in of newly elected Arizona representative Adelita Grijalva, which has been interpreted as a delay tactic regarding a vote on releasing files related to the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein.
• House Speaker Johnson delays House return and swearing-in of newly elected Arizona representative — House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) sent House members home until October 14, delaying the return to session that was scheduled for Monday. Representative Chellie Pingree (D-ME) noted that Johnson appears to be delaying the swearing-in of newly elected Arizona representative Adelita Grijalva, a Democrat. Grijalva has indicated she will sign a discharge petition that needs only one more signature to force a House floor vote on instructing the Department of Justice to release files from the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein's actions.
• Speaker Johnson delayed swearing in newly elected congresswoman — Speaker Mike Johnson has delayed the swearing in of newly-elected Arizona Democrat Adelita Grijalva, whose vote is needed to bring the Epstein Files Transparency Act to the floor for a vote. Grijalva won her election in a landslide two weeks prior, but Johnson has not sworn her in despite southern Arizona being without representation for seven months following the death of the previous representative. Johnson told Meet the Press the delay "has nothing to do with that" and called it "totally absurd," but his office has not responded to requests for comment on when he will swear her in.
• House Speaker Mike Johnson claimed Republicans are working to fix healthcare while sending House home until October 14 — Speaker Johnson stated on camera that "Republicans are the ones concerned about healthcare. Republicans are the party working around the clock everyday to fix healthcare. This is not talking points for us: we've done it." However, Johnson simultaneously sent the House home until October 14. The statement appears to refer to Republican cuts to Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in their July budget reconciliation bill, which the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates will increase the number of uninsured Americans by 10 million by 2034.
• Speaker Johnson delays House return and blocks Epstein files vote — Speaker Mike Johnson kept the House on recess for a second consecutive week, stating he would not call the chamber back into session until government funding is restored. He also announced he would not swear in newly elected Democratic representative Adelita Grijalva until the House returns. Republican Thomas Massie accused Johnson of using the recess to delay a discharge petition vote on releasing Jeffrey Epstein-related files, which Massie said had reached 218 signatures—enough to force a floor vote.
• House Republicans blocked swearing in of Arizona Democrat — House Republicans, led by Speaker Mike Johnson, refused to swear in Arizona's newly elected Democrat, Adelita Grijalva. This decision is seen as an effort to prevent Democrats from obtaining the final vote needed to release the Epstein files.
• Speaker Johnson claimed he votes with Trump because "that's my party" — During a CSPAN call-in program, a caller asked Speaker Mike Johnson if he had ever voted against anything Trump has proposed in terms of policy. Johnson responded: "I typically vote with President Trump because that's my party."
• Speaker Johnson refused to swear in Rep. Adelita Grijalva and blamed Chuck Schumer — During a CSPAN call-in program, a caller asked why Speaker Johnson had sworn in other members during pro forma sessions but refused to swear in Adelita Grijalva. Johnson blamed Chuck Schumer and stated that two Florida members had their families and supporters in town, so "as a courtesy to them, went ahead and administer the oath." He stated this had "zero to do with Epstein" and was "for maximum transparency." Rep. Marge Greene subsequently stated on CNN that the House should be in session and that Grijalva "does deserve to be sworn in," and questioned whether the delay was to avoid a discharge petition. Rep. Ro Khanna stated on MSNBC that the House is not even holding votes to pay troops because they are "so concerned about swearing Grijalva in" and that "the only reason they're not doing this is because of the Epstein files."
• House Speaker Johnson cancels fourth week of House session — House Speaker Mike Johnson announced cancellation of another week of House sessions, marking the fourth week he has kept House members away from their jobs since September 19. The extended recess prevents the House from working on the overdue budget, necessary appropriations bills, extension of healthcare premium tax credits, and swearing in Representative Adelita Grijalva, whose vote would provide the 218th signature on a discharge petition to force a vote on releasing files from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.

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• Department of Homeland Security posts video depicting nostalgic America with white supremacist imagery — The Department of Homeland Security posted a video showing a bar with text saying "LIFE AFTER ALL CRIMINAL ALIENS ARE DEPORTED," with background images of the United States in the late 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s, including Trump as a young man and Trump Tower. The video incorporates the McDonald's Mac Tonight moon image, which has been adopted and used by white supremacists. The nostalgic imagery depicts an America from before Trump met convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

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• Homeland Security Secretary Noem posts misleading video of Chicago ICE raid — On Saturday morning, October 4, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted a video that appeared to show a federal raid on a Chicago apartment building from September 30. The video misrepresented the actual event, in which federal agents arrived with a Black Hawk helicopter and large vehicles and dragged unarmed residents from their beds. Agents took all but one resident outside in zip ties before trashing the apartments. Targets included U.S. citizens and children, some separated from parents. Noem's caption stated "Chicago, we're here for you."

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• Stephen Miller calls court ruling "legal insurrection" — Following Judge Immergut's decision blocking the Oregon National Guard deployment, Stephen Miller posted that her ruling constituted "[l]egal insurrection." He characterized the decision as "an organized terrorist attack on the federal government and its officers" and asserted that "the deployment of troops is an absolute necessity to defend our personnel, our laws, our government, public order and the Republic itself."
• Stephen Miller posts statement on "leftwing terrorism" — On Saturday afternoon, Stephen Miller posted a statement asserting that "there is a large and growing movement of leftwing terrorism in this country. It is well organized and funded. And it is shielded by far-left Democrat judges, prosecutors and attorneys general." He called for using "legitimate state power to dismantle terrorism and terror networks," framing political opposition and judicial oversight as terrorism requiring state suppression.