Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• United States sells Venezuelan oil and holds proceeds in Qatar — The United States has sold $500 million worth of Venezuelan oil and is holding the proceeds in a Qatar account rather than in U.S. banks. Trump claims he has the power to manage this money and is attempting to prevent its capture by oil companies with prior claims against Venezuela. Senator Elizabeth Warren stated there is no legal basis for a president to set up an offshore account to control assets seized by the American military.
• Trump administration completed first Venezuelan oil sale valued at $500 million — The Trump administration executed its first sale of Venezuelan oil valued at $500 million following the ouster of Nicolás Maduro. Trump signed an executive order detailing how the U.S. plans to block courts and creditors from accessing revenue from oil sales. Revenue is being held in bank accounts controlled by the U.S. government, with the main account located in Qatar and additional funds held in U.S. Treasury accounts. Trump indicated the U.S. would effectively run Venezuela and take control of up to 50 million barrels of oil.
• Trump discusses Venezuelan oil sales — Trump revealed that the U.S. has sold $500 million worth of Venezuelan oil and is keeping the proceeds in Qatar, claiming he has the authority to manage these funds.

Supporting reports

• Trump proclamation imposes 25% tariff on advanced computing chips and semiconductor manufacturing equipment under Section 232 national security authority. — President Trump signed Proclamation 11002 on January 14, 2026, invoking Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act to impose a 25 percent ad valorem tariff on advanced computing chips and derivative semiconductor products effective January 15, 2026. The proclamation, based on a Commerce Department investigation, finds that semiconductor imports threaten U.S. national security due to dependence on foreign supply chains and insufficient domestic manufacturing capacity. Exemptions apply to chips for U.S. data centers, R&D, startups, repairs, and public-sector use. The Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Trade Representative are directed to pursue trade negotiations within 90 days, with potential for broader tariffs in a second phase.
• Trump issued proclamation imposing 25 percent tariff on advanced computing chips and semiconductor manufacturing equipment — President Trump signed a proclamation under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, imposing a 25 percent ad valorem tariff on certain advanced computing chips and derivative semiconductor products effective January 15, 2026. The proclamation states the Secretary of Commerce found that semiconductor imports threaten U.S. national security due to insufficient domestic production capacity and reliance on foreign supply chains. The tariff exempts chips for U.S. data centers, R&D, startups, consumer applications, civil industrial uses, and public sector applications. The proclamation directs the Secretary and U.S. Trade Representative to pursue trade negotiations within 90 days and reserves the President's authority to impose broader tariffs on semiconductors after negotiations conclude.
• Trump signed proclamation imposing 25% tariff on advanced computing chips under Section 232 — President Trump signed a proclamation invoking Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, imposing a 25% tariff on certain advanced computing chips including NVIDIA H200 and AMD MI325X. The proclamation directs the Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Trade Representative to negotiate agreements addressing semiconductor imports. The fact sheet states the tariff aims to incentivize domestic semiconductor production and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains, with potential for broader tariffs on semiconductors and derivative products in the future.

Supporting reports

• Trump proclaims critical minerals import adjustment under Section 232, directing negotiations with trading partners and authorizing future tariffs or price floors. — President Trump issued Proclamation 11001 on January 14, 2026, invoking Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to address national security threats from imports of processed critical minerals and derivative products (PCMDPs). The proclamation directs the Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Trade Representative to negotiate agreements with foreign trading partners to reduce import reliance and secure domestic supply chains. The President reserves authority to impose tariffs, minimum import prices, or other trade restrictions if negotiations fail within 180 days or prove ineffective. The Secretary of Commerce had determined that the U.S. is 100% net-import reliant for 12 critical minerals and lacks sufficient domestic processing capacity, creating strategic vulnerabilities in defense and critical infrastructure sectors.
• Trump issued proclamation invoking Section 232 to direct negotiations on processed critical minerals imports — President Trump issued a proclamation on January 14, 2026, invoking Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to address imports of processed critical minerals and derivative products (PCMDPs). The proclamation, based on a Commerce Department investigation, directs the Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Trade Representative to negotiate agreements with foreign trading partners to adjust PCMDP imports. The President states he may impose alternative remedies, including tariffs or minimum import prices, if negotiations do not succeed within 180 days.
• Trump signs proclamation directing trade negotiations on processed critical minerals imports — President Trump signed a proclamation under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 directing the Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Trade Representative to jointly negotiate agreements with trading partners on imports of processed critical minerals and derivative products (PCMDPs). The proclamation states the administration will promote price floors for PCMDP trade and may take further action, including tariffs or restrictions, if negotiations are not completed within 180 days or prove ineffective. The fact sheet claims a prior Commerce Department investigation found such imports threaten national security.

Supporting reports

• Trump Organization sought to hire foreign workers at below-market wages after administration lowered H-2A minimum wages — Weeks after the Trump administration lowered minimum wages for some temporary farmworkers, the Trump Organization sought approval to hire 36 foreign workers for its Virginia winery at a pay rate of $13.90 per hour—nearly $2 per hour below what it previously offered. In October 2025, Trump's Department of Labor enacted a rule changing how wages are calculated for some temporary foreign farmworkers on H-2A visas, lowering pay rates for certain jobs. Two months later, the Trump Organization filed paperwork seeking approval to hire 36 foreign workers via H-2A visas for its winery, claiming it could not find enough U.S. workers. The $13.90 hourly rate is $1.91 less than what the winery paid in 2025 and below what it has offered for similar roles since 2021. The Trump Organization has sought to bring at least 2,069 foreign workers into the U.S. since 2008.

Supporting reports

• Peter Thiel donates $3 million to oppose California billionaire tax ballot measure — Peter Thiel, co-founder of Palantir and worth approximately $26 billion, donated $3 million to the California Business Roundtable's political action committee to oppose the proposed 2026 Billionaire Tax Act. The ballot measure, still in signature-gathering phase, would impose a one-time 5% tax on individuals worth more than $1 billion in California, affecting roughly 200 people. Thiel would owe approximately $1.3 billion if the measure passes. The donation signals mobilization by California's tech elite to defeat the proposal.

Supporting reports

• Eric Adams removed liquidity from memecoin, allegedly scamming investors of $2.5 million — Former New York City Mayor Eric Adams removed liquidity from a newly launched memecoin called $NYC, allegedly scamming investors of over $2.5 million. Adams launched the memecoin approximately 30 minutes before removing its liquidity after promoting it on his personal social media. The scheme reportedly more than doubled his net worth in less than an hour. Adams was able to engage in this conduct because the Trump administration dropped many fraud charges against him last year for political reasons.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration deliberately reduced ICE and Border Patrol training to 47 days — Senator Mark Warner revealed that Trump administration deliberately slashed ICE and Border Patrol training periods from five months to 47 days, with the number 47 chosen because Trump is the 47th president. This deliberate undertraining of law enforcement personnel creates public safety risks and reflects prioritization of symbolic messaging over operational competence.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration cuts all federal funding to Minnesota USDA programs — Trump's USDA cut off all federal funding to Minnesota, following earlier efforts to cut childcare funding to multiple blue states before a federal judge blocked that action. The funding cut is described as a deliberate act of economic punishment targeting a state that did not vote for Trump.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration gives $40 billion to Argentina — Trump administration provided $40 billion to Argentina, while simultaneously failing to deliver promised economic relief to American families and cutting federal funding to states that did not vote for him.
• Trump administration pushes for $100 billion in oil company subsidies — The Trump administration pushed for $100 billion in subsidies to oil companies while failing to deliver promised economic relief to American families and cutting federal funding to states that did not vote for him.

Supporting reports

• Trump Organization announced $10 billion in Saudi Arabian developments — Trump's family business announced $10 billion in luxury real estate developments in Saudi Arabia, expanding its footprint in the Gulf. Real estate developer DarGlobal, which has partnered with the Trump Organization in the past, announced a $7 billion project including a Trump-branded hotel and golf course as part of the Diriyah development backed by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund. The two businesses are also working on a $3 billion Trump Plaza tower in Jeddah that will include offices, high-end apartments, and townhouses. The announcement comes weeks after Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Trump at the White House and agreed to a series of deals in defense, AI, and nuclear energy.
• Trump Organization announces $3 billion Saudi development deal in Jeddah — The Trump Organization announced a separate $3 billion deal with Dar Global to construct Trump Plaza in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Like the Diriyah project, this development is part of Saudi Arabia's broader investment initiatives and involves licensing the Trump name to a developer closely tied to the Saudi government. The deal follows Trump's November 2025 grant of major non-NATO ally status to Saudi Arabia and represents a second major Trump Organization project in the kingdom announced simultaneously.
• Trump Organization announces $7 billion Saudi development deal while holding presidency — The Trump Organization announced a partnership with Dar Global to build a $7 billion "Trump-branded hotel and golf course" in Saudi Arabia's Diriyah development. The project, which includes 500 mansions priced between $6.7 million and $24 million, is funded by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. According to Forbes reporting on similar deals, approximately 80% of the money will flow directly to Trump through licensing fees. The Diriyah Company, which is implementing the master plan, is a wholly owned subsidiary of PIF, making the deal effectively with the Saudi government.
• Lauder donated to Trump's campaign and subsequently received favorable policy treatment on Ukraine minerals — Ronald Lauder donated $100,000 to Trump's 2016 campaign and $5 million to Maga Inc in March 2025. A November 2023 leaked letter revealed Lauder was part of a mining consortium seeking to exploit Ukrainian lithium deposits. After Lauder's 2025 donations, the US and Ukraine signed a minerals-exploitation deal in April 2025, and Lauder's consortium reportedly won the first lithium tender under that agreement, suggesting a direct correlation between financial support and policy outcomes favoring his business interests.
• Ronald Lauder encouraged Trump to acquire Greenland and subsequently acquired business interests there — Ronald Lauder, a billionaire cosmetics heir and longtime Trump associate, first proposed in 2018 that the US purchase Greenland. Trump's national security adviser John Bolton confirmed Lauder made this suggestion, after which the White House explored increasing US influence in the Arctic territory. Years later, as Trump threatened military seizure of Greenland during his second term, Lauder acquired commercial holdings there, including ventures in luxury springwater export and hydroelectric power generation for an aluminium smelter.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration uses False Claims Act to investigate DEI initiatives — The Wall Street Journal reported on December 28 that the Trump administration is using a novel interpretation of the False Claims Act, which is normally used to probe government contractors committing fraud, to investigate US companies over the use of DEI initiatives in hiring and promotion, including Google and Verizon.

Supporting reports

• Trump told oil executives he would not repay historical losses from Venezuelan nationalization — At a meeting with oil executives on January 10, 2026, Trump stated that he would not use revenue from the sale of Venezuelan oil to repay billions of dollars owed to U.S. oil companies for losses from the 2007 nationalization of their Venezuelan assets. Trump said: "We're not going to look at what people lost in the past, because that was their fault. That was a different president. You're going to make a lot of money, but we're not going to go back."