Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez announces egg-freezing procedure on Instagram — On Sunday, U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez announced via Instagram that she is freezing her eggs at age 36, documenting the process including hormone injections. Conservative critics, including podcaster Allie Beth Stuckey and Turning Point USA spokesperson Andrew Kolvet, attacked the decision on social media, claiming it "glamorizes the lie that women can have it all" and contributes to falling fertility rates. Medical experts countered that age 36 is medically sound for egg freezing and that the criticism lacks factual basis.

Supporting reports

• Trump posts false claims about Strait of Hormuz control — At 10:31 a.m. on August 12, Trump posted on social media claiming that the U.S. has "total control" over the Strait of Hormuz and that a naval blockade is being called "a wall of steel" with nothing Iran can do about it. Trump claimed Iran has no navy, no air force, unpaid soldiers, a decimated IRGC, and uncertain leadership. However, Reuters reported that in the preceding week, approximately one ship per day passed through the strait, compared to the prewar average of about 130 ships per day, contradicting Trump's claims of effective control.
• Trump falsely claims total U.S. control over Strait of Hormuz — Trump posted on social media claiming the U.S. has "total control" over the Strait of Hormuz and that Iran has no navy, air force, or money. The claims contradict contemporaneous reporting of U.S. military weakness in the region, embassy drawdowns, and base evacuations.

Supporting reports

• Karoline Leavitt announces resignation as White House press secretary — Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that Karoline Leavitt, his press secretary since January 2025, would depart at the end of August 2026 after 20 months in the role. Leavitt, 28, had served as Trump's most prominent spokesperson and won regular praise from the president for her unflinching defense of his agenda, but faced frequent criticism for amplifying misinformation, curbing press freedom, attacking reporters, and controlling media access to the White House briefing room.
• Trump announced White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt is leaving — Trump announced on Truth Social that White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt is leaving her post by the end of August but will remain as one of the president's "top outside advisors." Leavitt, the youngest press secretary ever, welcomed far-right content creators into press briefings, lashed out at reporters, and argued that Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists who covered Russian interference should be stripped of their awards.
• Karoline Leavitt prepares to step down as Trump's fifth White House press secretary — Karoline Leavitt, 28, announced her resignation as White House press secretary effective end of August 2026, citing desire to spend more time with her family after returning from maternity leave in May. Trump announced the departure on Truth Social, saying Leavitt would become "one of my top outside advisors." Leavitt had served as the youngest White House press secretary since Trump's return to office in January 2025. No successor was named.
• White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announces resignation — Karoline Leavitt, Donald Trump's fifth White House press secretary, is preparing to step down from her role after approximately 20 months of service. The Guardian analysis examines her tenure alongside her four predecessors, documenting a pattern in which each press secretary told significant falsehoods while representing the president. Leavitt's tenure began with a false claim about Biden administration plans to send condoms to Gaza, contradicted by USAID records. The article traces similar patterns across all five press secretaries, suggesting Trump prioritizes willingness to lie above other qualifications.
• — White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced her resignation, stating she could not be "the best mom my two young children deserve" while holding the role. According to sources, Trump repeatedly called Leavitt during her brief maternity leave asking when she would return. Insiders reported the decision had been building for months due to the stress of the job and lack of sleep. Early contenders to replace her include Alina Habba, Breitbart DC Bureau Chief Matthew Boyle, former deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich, communications director Steven Cheung, Katie Miller, Scott Jennings, and Kari Lake.

Supporting reports

• Complaint filed: Intercept Media, Inc. v. Trump (S.D.N.Y. 1:26-cv-06867) — Intercept Media, Inc. and Freedom of the Press Foundation filed a complaint in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York challenging President Trump's use of Truth Social to announce official government business and Trump Media & Technology Group's "Truth API," a subscription service charging up to $100,000 per month for early access to presidential posts. Plaintiffs allege they cannot subscribe for financial and editorial-independence reasons and thus face delayed access to official announcements relative to paying subscribers. The complaint asserts violations of the First Amendment right to receive public officials' statements on equal terms, First Amendment limits on government restriction of access to designated public forums, First and Fifth Amendment unconstitutional-conditions doctrine, and Fifth Amendment equal protection. Plaintiffs seek declaratory judgment and an injunction barring defendants from posting official government information exclusively on Truth Social through the paid early-access API.
• Trump sued over Truth API subscription service selling early access to market-sensitive posts — The Intercept and Freedom of the Press Foundation filed suit in US District Court for the Southern District of New York against Trump, two aides, and the Executive Office of the President, challenging "Truth API," a paid data feed launched August 1 by Trump Media & Technology Group. The service charges $100,000/month (or $60,000/month for three-year commitments) for early access to posts from Trump and nine other senior officials' accounts on Truth Social. The complaint alleges the arrangement is corrupt and unconstitutional, allowing Trump—who remains Truth Media's largest shareholder—to personally profit from selling privileged access to information generated in his official capacity. The suit seeks to declare the service unlawful and bar the administration from using Truth Social as an exclusive venue for official announcements while selling preferential access.

Supporting reports

• State Department cancels visas of parents seeking birthright citizenship for children — A US embassy in North Africa canceled more than 100 visas held by parents accused of traveling to the US primarily so their children would be born American citizens. The action aligns with Trump's separate executive order seeking to restrict birthright citizenship, which is being challenged in court following a Supreme Court setback.
• Secretary of State designates foreign nationals deportable on foreign policy grounds — Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined that a number of foreign nationals are deportable on foreign policy grounds, including a Cuban national linked to an influence campaign tied to Havana, Iranian nationals connected to Tehran's government, and a Kuwaiti national accused of voicing hostility toward the US president. The designations expand grounds for deportation beyond criminal conduct to include alleged foreign ties and political speech.
• State Department cancels 175,000 visas under Trump administration — The US Department of State announced it has revoked more than 175,000 visas since Trump returned to office, quadrupling the pace from Biden's final year. The department cited grounds including alleged visa violations, crimes, calls for violence, fraud, and national security concerns. However, revocations also targeted political speech, including a Turkish doctoral student whose visa was pulled after criticizing her university's Gaza stance, and foreign nationals who commented on a conservative activist's death. The department has not disclosed the categorical breakdown of revocations.
• State Department deports Laotian national despite gubernatorial pardon — Tou Lue Vang, a Laotian national, was deported last month despite having been pardoned weeks earlier by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz for a 2005 conviction for sexually abusing a child. The case illustrates the State Department's disregard for state-level clemency and its assertion of unilateral deportation authority.
• State Department revokes visa of Turkish student for political speech on Gaza — Rümeysa Öztürk, a Turkish doctoral student at Tufts University, had her visa revoked after co-writing an opinion piece criticizing the university's stance on the war in Gaza. She was detained by immigration authorities, though a judge later dismissed the case against her. She has since moved back to Turkey. The case exemplifies the State Department's targeting of political speech as grounds for visa cancellation.
• State Department revokes visas of foreign nationals for comments on activist's death — The State Department canceled the visas of multiple foreign nationals who commented on the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in September 2025, including one who said Kirk had "died too late." The department characterized such speech as incompatible with US national interests and a serious national security concern warranting immediate reconsideration of visa eligibility.
• State Department targets visa applicants based on social media and political views — A March 2025 State Department cable, obtained by the Guardian, ordered consular officers to expand screening of student visa applicants by vetting their social media activity and barring anyone deemed engaged in "terrorist activity"—a category critics interpret as targeting Palestinian-cause supporters. The pattern has continued into 2026, with applicants now required to affirm they have not experienced harm or fear returning home; answering affirmatively or declining to answer sharply increases denial odds, potentially filtering out abuse survivors, threatened journalists, and persecuted minorities.

Supporting reports

• Trump concealed location during NATO summit departure via aircraft deception operation — The Washington Post reported that Trump abandoned Air Force One in Turkey after the NATO summit and hid in a catering truck to transfer to a different aircraft. Security officials devised an elaborate "deception operation" in response to an Iranian assassination threat, involving a decoy flight with reporters and staff unaware Trump was not aboard. Trump boarded a C-32A under the call sign "Reach 18" with flight-tracking systems reportedly disabled, flew to Britain, then transferred back to the legacy Air Force One before returning to Washington. Reporters were instructed to close window shades and remained unknowing participants in the ruse.
• Trump secretly used decoy plane to flee Turkey for Britain — Trump secretly used a small plane to leave Turkey for Britain after credible Iranian threats of assassination, leaving journalists and White House staffers to act as a decoy on a separate aircraft. The decision revealed Trump's prioritization of personal loyalists over government officials: he left Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the decoy plane but took White House deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino, executive assistant Natalie Harp, and director of Oval Office operations Walt Nauta. Nauta had been indicted on six felony counts, including conspiracy to obstruct justice, for allegedly helping Trump hide classified documents. The incident demonstrated Trump's willingness to endanger others to protect himself.
• Trump, Scavino, Harp, and Nauta evacuated in catering truck during Iranian threat — Washington Post reporter Dan Lamothe reported that Trump, along with Dan Scavino, Natalie Harp, and Walt Nauta, were secretly transferred in a catering truck during a potential Iranian attack on Air Force One. A separate report indicates Secretary of Defense Hegseth may also have been in the vehicle. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Rubio, other officials, and the entire press pool were used as decoys on a separate aircraft.

Supporting reports

• Trump claimed the Strait of Hormuz is open and under U.S. Navy control — When asked by a reporter when he thought the Strait of Hormuz would open, Trump answered that it was already open and that "the only one that has control of the Strait of Hormuz right now is the United States Navy," contradicting the factual situation that Iran had closed the strait and was actively negotiating terms for its reopening.
• Trump posts false claims about Strait of Hormuz control — At 10:31 a.m. on August 12, Trump posted on social media claiming that the U.S. has "total control" over the Strait of Hormuz and that a naval blockade is being called "a wall of steel" with nothing Iran can do about it. Trump claimed Iran has no navy, no air force, unpaid soldiers, a decimated IRGC, and uncertain leadership. However, Reuters reported that in the preceding week, approximately one ship per day passed through the strait, compared to the prewar average of about 130 ships per day, contradicting Trump's claims of effective control.
• Trump falsely claims total U.S. control over Strait of Hormuz — Trump posted on social media claiming the U.S. has "total control" over the Strait of Hormuz and that Iran has no navy, air force, or money. The claims contradict contemporaneous reporting of U.S. military weakness in the region, embassy drawdowns, and base evacuations.

Supporting reports

• Polymarket promoted false vaccine injection claim on X — On August 10, Polymarket's official X account posted a graphic falsely claiming U.S. babies receive 72 injections, attributing this to Trump policy. Fact-checkers including PolitiFact, FactCheck.org, STAT News, and CNN determined the claim false; babies actually receive 12–30 shots by age two depending on vaccine combinations. The White House had previously posted the same false graphic in January 2026. Polymarket did not respond to requests for comment.
• New York Times documented hundreds of false Polymarket posts — In a March 2026 review, the New York Times identified hundreds of posts on Polymarket's social media accounts (which have millions of combined followers) containing false or misleading information. The review documented a pattern of misinformation, frequently targeting opponents of the Trump administration. Polymarket is connected to Trump through Donald Trump Jr., who has invested in the company and serves as an unpaid advisor.
• Polymarket falsely attributed quote to Jeff Bezos — In January 2026, Polymarket posted on X that Amazon founder Jeff Bezos advised young people to work at McDonald's or Palantir before starting their own companies. Bezos replied directly, stating "Nope. Not sure why [P]olymarket made this up." The claim distorted an earlier interview answer in which Bezos advised working at "best-practices companies" to learn fundamentals; he did not mention McDonald's or Palantir.
• Polymarket posted false claim about Ilhan Omar's net worth — In December 2025, Polymarket posted conspiracy theories about how Congresswoman Ilhan Omar's net worth increased since 2019, without disclosing that her net worth now includes assets of her husband, whom she married in 2020. The omission was material to understanding the increase and fueled unfounded speculation about financial impropriety.

Supporting reports

• Trump signs executive order redefining U.S. childhood vaccine recommendations and directing legal challenges to state vaccine mandates. — President Trump signed Executive Order 14420 establishing "Gold Standard Childhood Vaccine Recommendations" aligned with peer nations' practices, reducing the number of recommended vaccines and doses. The order directs the Attorney General to challenge state vaccine-mandate laws on constitutional grounds (parental authority, religious freedom, disability accommodations, equal protection) and instructs federal agencies to ensure contractors and grantees comply with religious and medical exemptions. It also establishes an HHS Task Force to develop single-dose vaccine alternatives and reassess vaccine safety and timing.
• Trump signs executive order restructuring childhood vaccination schedule — Donald Trump signed an executive order directing sweeping changes to the CDC childhood vaccination schedule, including breaking the MMR vaccine into three separate shots, reducing recommended vaccines from 18 to 11 diseases, and moving several vaccines to "shared clinical decision-making." The order bypasses the CDC—the federal agency tasked with vaccine recommendations—and attempts to reinstate changes halted by a federal judge in March for violating federal law. Trump and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. repeatedly invoked an unproven autism-vaccine link during the signing.
• Trump issued executive order mandating split MMR vaccine and separate childhood immunizations — Trump signed an executive order requiring the combined MMR vaccine to be administered as three separate single-disease shots and mandating that childhood immunizations be given at separate medical visits, once domestically available. The order reflects a decades-long personal belief that vaccines cause autism, a claim contradicted by scientific evidence. Sen. Bill Cassidy, a physician who confirmed RFK Jr. as health secretary, publicly opposed the order, stating vaccines are safe, effective, and do not cause autism, and that splitting vaccines will increase hesitancy and make children less safe.
• Trump issues executive order realigning U.S. childhood vaccine recommendations with peer-developed-nation standards — President Trump signed an executive order on August 10, 2026, directing the Department of Health and Human Services to implement "Gold Standard Childhood Vaccine Recommendations" aligned with practices in peer developed countries. The order identifies three vaccine categories (universal, high-risk, and shared clinical decision-making), directs HHS to develop single-dose vaccine alternatives to combination products, and instructs the Attorney General to challenge state vaccine mandate laws on constitutional grounds. The order emphasizes parental choice and religious exemptions while maintaining vaccine availability.
• Trump signed Executive Order 14420 establishing "Gold Standard Childhood Vaccine Recommendations" and directing federal agencies to challenge state vaccine mandate laws. — President Trump signed Executive Order 14420 on August 10, 2026, declaring a new set of "Gold Standard Childhood Vaccine Recommendations" based on a HHS scientific assessment. The order categorizes vaccines into three tiers: those recommended for all children (measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Haemophilus influenzae type B, pneumococcal disease, HPV, varicella); those for high-risk groups; and those based on shared clinical decision-making. The order directs the Attorney General to challenge state vaccine mandate laws and directs federal agencies to ensure contractors comply with parental choice and religious exemption obligations. It also establishes an HHS Task Force on Safer Childhood Vaccines to develop single-dose vaccine options and reassess vaccine schedules.
• White House issued fact sheet on executive order revising childhood vaccine recommendations — The White House published a fact sheet on August 10, 2026, describing an executive order signed by President Trump that revises U.S. childhood vaccine recommendations. The order reduces recommended routine childhood vaccines from 18 diseases to 11, recommends separating the combined MMR vaccine into three single-disease shots, and advises spacing vaccines across separate medical visits. The order directs HHS to present plans for vaccine research and directs federal agencies to advance the new recommendations. States with school vaccine requirements are advised to consider updating their laws accordingly.
• Trump issues executive order on vaccines attempting to reinstate vaccine schedule changes — Donald Trump issued an executive order attempting to reinstate sweeping changes to the US vaccine schedule previously made by Robert F Kennedy Jr, the health secretary, which had been halted by a federal judge. The order cannot change CDC recommendations or federal law, but experts warn it creates confusion and undermines public trust in vaccines. The order invokes religious freedom, potentially pressuring states to reduce vaccination mandates for school attendance.
• Trump issues executive order on childhood vaccine schedule — On Monday, Trump issued an executive order directing states to revise their recommendations on childhood vaccinations. The order calls for separating the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine into three single-disease shots administered at separate appointments, despite such separate vaccinations not being available in the United States. Trump falsely claimed the vaccines could be "quite lethal" in combination, contradicting scientific evidence of the MMR vaccine's safety and effectiveness. Separating vaccines would require multiple doctor visits, reducing vaccination rates among poor families and leaving communities more vulnerable to disease.

Supporting reports

• Kevin Hassett disputed economic data on CNN — White House economic advisor Kevin Hassett appeared on CNN and disputed the host's economic statistics, claiming the economy is "really booming" despite evidence of job losses in one-third of months during Trump's second term, 800,000 jobs created versus 2 million under Biden, and Federal Reserve warnings about tariff-driven inflation.

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• Speaker Mike Johnson launched "Contrast for America" campaign website — Speaker Mike Johnson unveiled a website titled "Contrast for America," modeled on Newt Gingrich's 1994 "Contract with America," to highlight what he calls the contrast between Republican "common sense" and Democratic "crazy." The site features a video message from Johnson comparing images of U.S. civil unrest to patriotic displays, a timeline of failed communist governments, and dueling lists of Republican versus Democratic policy positions. Johnson framed the effort as a defense of freedom against communism, drawing a parallel between Cold War anti-communism and present-day Democratic policies.

Supporting reports

• Trump installed signs blaming past administrations for reflecting pool issues — Trump installed signs at the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool blaming "past administrations" like Obama and Biden for the pool's maintenance issues, with the signs likely paid for by taxpayer dollars.
• Trump installs signs at Lincoln Memorial blaming previous administrations for infrastructure problems — Trump has installed signs at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool attributing maintenance and operational issues to "past administrations" (Obama and Biden), despite Trump himself having served as a past administration.

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• Trump posts AI-generated images attacking Abdul El-Sayed with Islamophobic framing — Trump posted multiple AI-generated meme images on social media, including one juxtaposing himself and Melania with Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed and his wife, captioned "Two VERY DIFFERENT America's." Republicans, including Trump, have repeatedly used El-Sayed's full name (Abdulrahman) instead of his preferred name (Abdul) to invoke religious fear, mirroring tactics previously used against President Obama.

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• Polymarket misrepresented WNBA transgender athlete discussion — On August 8, Polymarket posted on X that the WNBA Commissioner announced the league would review "what a woman is" after NBA stars announced plans to join. The post was inaccurate. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert's internal memo, obtained by the Associated Press, stated only that "transgender athlete participation in women's basketball" would be discussed by a task force at a scheduled meeting—not a formal review or announcement. Polymarket used the post to promote a prediction market on Enes Kanter Freedom's WNBA draft prospects.

Supporting reports

• DOJ official encouraged prosecutors to "go big" and "go loud" in prosecuting protesters — A top Justice Department official encouraged prosecutors to "go big" and "go loud" when pursuing criminal charges against people who protested against the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, according to reporting. The Minneapolis case is one of several the DOJ has brought across the U.S. leveling charges against wide swaths of protesters, including cases in Texas where prosecutors secured decades-long sentences for nine people protesting outside an ICE facility.
• Law enforcement provided false information in criminal case against journalist Georgia Fort — Federal law enforcement officials, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), provided false information to federal judges in at least 15 search warrant applications and to a grand jury in the case against independent journalist Georgia Fort, who was charged alongside nearly 40 others after interrupting a Minnesota church service to protest an ICE official serving as a pastor. The Justice Department later conceded the false claims. Fort's lawyers filed motions on Thursday seeking dismissal, arguing the prosecution violates the First Amendment, fails to state an actual crime, and is vindictive retaliation against her journalism.
• Prosecutors charged journalist Georgia Fort with conspiracy to interfere with religious rights for documenting anti-ICE protest — Journalist Georgia Fort was charged with conspiracy to interfere with the religious rights of parishioners after she entered and documented a protest at Cities church in St Paul, Minnesota, where demonstrators interrupted a service upon learning an ICE official was a pastor. Fort's lawyers argue the prosecution is vindictive retaliation targeting her for her journalism and for amplifying a message the government opposes, violating the First Amendment.
• Prosecutors made false claims in search warrant applications regarding protest conduct — In search warrant applications, prosecutors claimed a congregant had broken her arm during the protest when she had not, and made other false characterizations of Fort's conduct, including claims she conspired with others in advance when evidence showed she arrived late and was not present for planning discussions. Prosecutors also claimed Fort blocked a van from leaving when her own livestream showed the van left easily.
• Journalist Georgia Fort indicted for covering anti-ICE protest; seeks dismissal on First Amendment grounds — Attorneys for Twin Cities journalist Georgia Fort asked a federal judge to dismiss charges against her for covering an anti-ICE protest at a St. Paul church, arguing the indictment violates her First Amendment rights. Fort was indicted alongside former CNN host Don Lemon and dozens of protesters on charges of conspiring against the right of religious freedom at a place of worship. Her attorneys argue the 19-page indictment contains no allegation of physical force, threats, or blocking the church entrance, and that her role was to observe and document. Magistrate Judge John Docherty twice refused to sign search warrants for Fort's and Lemon's YouTube accounts, finding they violated the Privacy Protection Act of 1980. A government attorney acknowledged a mischaracterization in an affidavit at a July hearing.

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• Trump threatens prosecution of leakers over munitions shortage reports — President Trump publicly attacked media reports of US munitions shortages in the Iran conflict, threatening "long term jail sentences" for officials leaking information about weapons stockpiles. The reports alleged Trump had confronted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over alleged shortages at a Camp David meeting. Trump denied the shortages, claimed massive ammunition supplies, and ordered investigations into the disclosures. The White House and Pentagon rejected the accounts as false.
• U.S. Munitions Stockpile Depletion Reported — Reports have emerged that the United States has depleted its stockpile of long-range precision missiles due to the ongoing conflict with Iran. President Trump has dismissed these reports as "fake news" while simultaneously calling for the prosecution of those who leaked the information. The depletion has reportedly led to a crisis meeting at the Pentagon and a confrontation between Trump and Pete Hegseth at Camp David.

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• Trump legal team seeks to block court order requiring financial disclosure to BBC — Donald Trump's legal team filed an emergency motion on Wednesday to temporarily halt a Miami court order requiring the president to disclose detailed financial records to the BBC by August 6, 2026. The disclosure was ordered as part of Trump's $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the broadcaster over a 2024 documentary on the January 6 Capitol attack. Trump's attorneys argued the BBC's document demands were "shockingly broad" and politically motivated, and requested the lawsuit be narrowed to focus only on "reputation harm" rather than financial impact.
• Trump pursues $10 billion defamation suit against Wall Street Journal — On Wednesday, Trump's legal team moved to advance a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal to trial. The suit stems from the Journal's reporting on a letter Trump allegedly included in a birthday book for Jeffrey Epstein in 2003, which the president characterized as "bawdy." The action is part of a broader pattern of Trump litigation against media outlets publishing critical coverage.
• Emergency Motion Filed in Trump's Suit Against BBC — Trump's family trust has filed an emergency motion to block a court order requiring the disclosure of financial records in his $10 billion lawsuit against the BBC. The motion comes after months of delays in the case, with a Trump-appointed judge pausing the order for financial disclosure.
• Federal Judge Freezes Discovery in Trump's Defamation Suit — A federal judge has frozen discovery in former President Trump's defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal. This decision prevents Trump from deposing Rupert Murdoch while the court considers dismissing the case. The lawsuit stems from the Journal's reporting on a letter allegedly linked to Trump in Jeffrey Epstein's birthday album.
• Federal judge temporarily halts financial records disclosure order in Trump v. BBC libel case — US District Judge Roy Altman issued a temporary stay of a discovery order requiring Donald Trump to produce detailed financial records to the BBC in an ongoing libel lawsuit. Trump's legal team sought the suspension, arguing the BBC's demand for information about his business empire was "shockingly broad" and politically motivated. The judge indicated that if Trump successfully narrows his claims to reputational harm alone, the BBC's need for financial records might diminish. The BBC countered that Trump's business value remains relevant and that his $10 billion damages claim would be difficult to justify without financial evidence.

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• CBS News New York corrects false reporting on 9/11 families and Mamdani attendance — CBS News New York initially published a false report claiming "thousands of 9/11 victims' families" opposed Mayor Zohran Mamdani's attendance at the 25th anniversary 9/11 remembrance ceremony, apparently based on misinformation from the New York Post. After inquiries from Popular Information, CBS News corrected the story but did not publish an editor's note. The network's main social media accounts quietly removed posts based on the inaccurate reporting. This week, CBS News New York aired a new segment highlighting that many 9/11 family members actually support Mamdani's attendance, featuring an interview with Elizabeth Miller of September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, which represents 250 individuals who lost family members in the attack.

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• Senate committee obtains copy of Fauci's iPhone and weighs contempt charges — Senator Ron Johnson, chair of the Senate homeland security permanent subcommittee on investigations, announced that his committee obtained a backup copy of Anthony Fauci's iPhone, used during Fauci's tenure as NIAID director and during the Covid-19 pandemic response. The phone was transferred by the Department of Health and Human Services, led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Johnson stated the device would address questions Fauci refused to answer at a hearing on July 29, where Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right dozens of times. The committee is weighing whether to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress.
• Senate committee votes to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress — The Republican-controlled Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee voted to refer Dr. Anthony Fauci for contempt of Congress after he repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment during a July 29 hearing on his Covid-19 pandemic response. Committee chair Rand Paul argued Fauci's pardon negated his right to invoke self-incrimination protections. The committee voted to refer the matter to the Department of Justice for potential criminal prosecution, though a full Senate vote would normally be required and Democrats warned the process violated constitutional protections.
• Senate Committee Holds Dr. Fauci in Contempt — The Senate Homeland Security Committee has voted along party lines to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after he invoked his Fifth Amendment rights during questioning. This action reflects ongoing political tensions and scrutiny of public health officials.
• Senate Republicans vote to hold Dr. Fauci in contempt of Congress — Republican senators voted to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, in contempt of Congress for invoking his Fifth Amendment right to remain silent during a Senate Homeland Security and Government Oversight Committee hearing on July 29. Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times as Republican senators taunted and berated him. All Democrats voted against the contempt measure.
• Senate Committee Votes to Hold Dr. Fauci in Contempt — The Senate Homeland Security Committee has voted to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress for refusing to answer questions during a hearing on his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. The vote follows Fauci's invocation of the Fifth Amendment over 100 times. The committee, led by Sen. Rand Paul, bypassed the full Senate and sent the contempt referral directly to the DOJ, a move criticized by Democrats as illegitimate.

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• 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.

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• Marco Rubio and Stephen Miller made false claims about left-wing violence at international terrorism conference — Marco Rubio and Stephen Miller delivered speeches at an international conference on terrorism in which they claimed that "left-wing violence" is rampant and must be eliminated by any means necessary. The article characterizes these claims as filled with lies.

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• Polymarket promoted false NYC grocery store ID requirement claim — On August 3, Polymarket's X account posted that NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a requirement for ID to purchase at city-owned grocery stores. The claim was false and never made by Mamdani; it was a baseless rumor spread by right-wing media. Mamdani explicitly denied it in an August 3 media interview. The uncorrected post garnered 19.6 million views, which Polymarket leveraged to promote a prediction market on whether Mamdani would open city-owned grocery stores by December 31.
• Fake News Spread About NYC Grocery Store ID Requirement — False information is being circulated claiming that NYC Mayor Mamdani requires ID for grocery store entry. This misinformation campaign is part of broader efforts to spread fake news.

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• Trump uses Truth Social to spread false claims about Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool vandalism — On Saturday, Trump posted on Truth Social a fictitious account of vandalism at the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool, claiming material was "being cut with a knife or a box cutter." The post misrepresented the facts of the incident. On Monday, Trump attacked U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro for dropping charges against a former Olympian accused of vandalizing the pool, accusing her of "choking" and "folding like an umbrella," and launched a tirade with exaggerated accusations against Biden and Obama regarding prior pool maintenance.

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• RFK Jr calls for measles vaccination while continuing to spread vaccine misinformation — Robert F Kennedy Jr, US health secretary and longtime vaccination skeptic, told CNN's State of the Union on Sunday that parents should vaccinate children against measles as cases surged to 2,371 in 2026—the highest in 35 years. Despite this call, Kennedy claimed vaccines are a "personal choice," blamed religious communities and global conditions for outbreaks, denied responsibility for the surge, and spread further misinformation about RSV, Lyme disease, and autism links. He became combative with the interviewer, using personal attacks and condescension.

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• Idaho restaurant shooting incident — On Saturday, a shooting occurred at a fast-food restaurant in Twin Falls, Idaho, resulting in three deaths and seven injuries. The suspect, Chad Williams, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. An off-duty state trooper and an armed bystander intervened, potentially preventing further casualties. The police chief confirmed that Williams acted alone and dismissed false online claims about another suspect. The FBI is seeking public assistance with photos or videos to aid the investigation.
• Idaho police release video of In-N-Out Burger mass shooting that killed three — On August 4, 2026, a 24-year-old gunman, Chad Williams, opened fire at an In-N-Out Burger restaurant in Twin Falls, Idaho, killing three people and wounding ten others across multiple locations including the restaurant, adjacent road, and a visitor center parking lot. Police released surveillance and bodycam video on August 7. Williams killed himself as police closed in on a nearby walking trail. An unarmed bystander and armed civilians engaged the gunman, potentially preventing additional casualties.