Trump Action Archive

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• Trump attacked New York Times and objected to First Amendment — Trump reacted with fury to a New York Times story reporting that analysts did not believe the Iran war had accomplished much. Trump called the paper's reporters "corrupt and unethical cowards" and appeared to object to the First Amendment, writing that the Times' coverage was "TREASONOUS" and announcing he would add their reporting to a multi-billion-dollar lawsuit against them, calling them "Criminals."

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• DOJ civil rights division announces investigation into Brooklyn coffee shop for alleged discrimination — Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon announced that the U.S. Department of Justice's civil rights division is investigating Poetica Coffee in Brooklyn after the cafe posted a social media message criticizing Democratic Representative Dan Goldman over his pro-Israel views and banned him from the establishment. The cafe later deleted the post and refunded Goldman's purchase. Dhillon stated that federal law prohibits public accommodations from discriminating based on race, religion, or national origin, and said the DOJ would consider enforcement action if warranted.

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• CBS 60 Minutes correspondent departs after editorial independence compromised — Sharyn Alfonsi, a correspondent for CBS's 60 Minutes, departed the program this week after her contract was not renewed. In a statement, Alfonsi criticized CBS management for "abandoning" the show's mission of "fearless, independent reporting," stating the network is "choosing access journalism over accountability and protecting power rather than scrutinizing it." She alleged that "the wall between editorial independence and corporate interest at CBS is being methodically torn down."
• Kash Patel's girlfriend sues MSNBC for defamation — Alexis Wilkins, girlfriend of Kash Patel, filed a defamation lawsuit against MSNBC. Her legal team used the phrase "This was hogwash and they knew it" in the filing.
• Scott Pelley confronts new 60 Minutes leadership hire at all-hands meeting — Scott Pelley publicly confronted new 60 Minutes hire Nick Bilton at an all-hands meeting, questioning his qualifications. Pelley also called out Bari Weiss by name, stating she was brought in to kill the show and is doing exactly that, per Puck's Dylan Byers.

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• Kash Patel sued The Atlantic and journalist Sarah Fitzpatrick for defamation — FBI Director Kash Patel filed a defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic magazine and journalist Sarah Fitzpatrick, seeking $250 million in damages over Fitzpatrick's April 17 article detailing Patel's drinking and inability to perform his job. The Atlantic and Fitzpatrick stood by the story, which was sourced from two dozen sources, and Fitzpatrick reported that additional informants came forward after publication to corroborate her findings.
• Kash Patel files $250 million defamation lawsuit against the Atlantic and reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick — Kash Patel filed a lawsuit in US District Court for the District of Columbia against the Atlantic magazine and reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick, seeking $250 million in damages. Patel's attorneys characterized the Atlantic's reporting on his alleged excessive alcohol consumption and whiskey bottle distribution as "a sweeping, malicious and defamatory hit piece." This lawsuit follows an earlier Atlantic report alleging Patel's excessive drinking and claims that security personnel struggled to wake him on multiple occasions.
• Kash Patel filed defamation suit against The Atlantic and journalist Sarah Fitzpatrick — FBI Director Kash Patel filed a defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic magazine and journalist Sarah Fitzpatrick in response to her article reporting that FBI personnel were alarmed by what they said was erratic behavior and excessive drinking by Patel. Fitzpatrick's story included reporting that Patel was known to drink to the point of intoxication and that on occasion his security detail had trouble waking him in the morning. Patel has denied the allegations.

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• Trump's EEOC sued the New York Times over hiring practices — Trump's Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued the New York Times, alleging the publication engaged in "unlawful employment practices" and discriminated against a white man after he was passed over for a promotion, claiming the decision was influenced by the paper's "stated race and sex-based representation goals." A Times spokesperson called the allegations "politically motivated." The litigation follows Trump's $15 billion lawsuit against the Times and its reporters last fall.

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• Trump threatens journalist and demands source disclosure under threat of prosecution — Trump stated his administration will contact and potentially jail the reporter who published an article revealing that a second U.S. F-15E pilot was missing, unless the journalist discloses the name of the person who leaked the information. Trump characterized the disclosure as "leaking" and threatened prosecution.
• Trump threatens to jail journalists for revealing military information — During a White House press conference, President Trump threatened to jail journalists from an unnamed media outlet if they do not identify their source who revealed that a second U.S. airman was missing after Iran shot down a U.S. fighter jet. Trump stated the administration would tell the media company "national security, give it up or go to jail."

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• Trump threatened to jail journalist and compel source disclosure — During the press conference, Trump threatened to jail the journalist who first reported details about a missing U.S. airman, stating he would force the media company to reveal the source or face imprisonment. Trump stated: "We're going to go to media company who released it and say 'national security, give it up or go to jail.'" The journalist identified was Amit Segal, an Israeli journalist with proximity to Netanyahu. Trump repeated the threat: "The person that did the story will go to jail if he doesn't say."

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• FCC Chairman Brendan Carr signals enforcement of equal-time rule against talk shows — FCC Chairman Brendan Carr issued new guidance signaling that late-night and daytime talk shows can no longer assume they fall under the "bonafide news" exemption from the equal-time rule. Carr indicated that exemption determinations would depend on multiple factors, including whether there was "partisan motivation" in featuring political candidates as guests. The guidance prompted stations to seek pre-approval before booking candidates, effectively making the FCC a de facto guest-booking authority.
• FCC Chair Carr opened investigation of The View — FCC chair Brendan Carr opened an investigation of the morning talk show The View after Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico appeared on the show earlier this month. Carr changed the FCC's enforcement of the Equal Time Rule to apply to non-news talk shows that appear to be "motivated by partisan purposes," requiring networks to give equal time to all candidates for an office if they interview one candidate.
• FCC chair investigates talk show for Equal Time Rule violation — FCC chair Brendan Carr opened an investigation into the talk show "The View" after it featured Democratic candidate James Talarico, suggesting that the show may have violated the Equal Time Rule by not providing equal airtime to other candidates.
• FCC launches investigation into ABC's interview with Democratic candidate — After ABC's The View interviewed Texas State Representative James Talarico on February 2, 2026, an anonymous FCC source leaked to Fox News that the Commission had launched an investigation into the interview. The FCC source stated, "Fake news is not getting a free pass anymore," signaling that the investigation was retaliatory and politically motivated.
• FCC investigated San Francisco radio station over ICE coverage — Early in Trump's second term, the FCC launched an investigation into San Francisco radio station KCBS over its coverage of ICE operations in San Jose. According to the Associated Press, the station's news directors told employees to ensure that the station's coverage did not anger the FCC, demonstrating that regulatory threat had a chilling effect on editorial independence.

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• Stephen Colbert reports CBS blocked Talarico interview — The Trump administration issued new guidance in January 2026 reinterpreting the "equal-time rule" to apply to daytime and late-night talk shows, reversing the longstanding assumption that interviews with politicians conducted by talk show hosts would be exempt from the rule. This guidance became the legal basis cited by CBS for blocking the Colbert-Talarico interview.
• Texas Democratic Senate primary between Talarico and Crockett — James Talarico and Jasmine Crockett are competing in the Texas Democratic primary for a U.S. Senate seat scheduled for March 3, 2026. On February 16, CBS refused to air Stephen Colbert's interview with Talarico, citing Trump administration FCC guidance concerns. The incident generated widespread censorship allegations and boosted Talarico's campaign through viral YouTube views and fundraising. Both candidates present contrasting strategies: Crockett emphasizes partisan confrontation of Trump; Talarico pursues cross-partisan economic messaging to appeal to disaffected Trump voters and independents.
• Stephen Colbert reports network legal censorship of Texas state representative — Late-night host Stephen Colbert announced on air that his network's legal team had prohibited him from interviewing Texas state Representative James Talarico, who was scheduled as a guest. Colbert stated he was told "in no uncertain terms" that he could not have Talarico on the broadcast and was further instructed not to mention the prohibition itself. Colbert then proceeded to discuss the censorship on air, citing the network's apparent unwillingness to address the matter.
• CBS refused to air Colbert interview with Democratic candidate over FCC equal-time rule — Late-night host Stephen Colbert reported that CBS refused to broadcast an interview he conducted with Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico, citing legal concerns about FCC chair Brendan Carr's regulatory guidance issued in January requiring equal airtime for political candidates on daytime and late-night talk shows. CBS claimed the broadcast "could trigger" the equal-time rule, though the network stated the program was not prohibited. Colbert's team found no historical enforcement of the rule on late-night shows dating to the 1960s. The interview was uploaded to YouTube instead.
• CBS Blocks Stephen Colbert Interview with Texas State Representative — CBS network legal counsel blocked Stephen Colbert from airing an interview with Texas State Representative James Talarico and instructed him not to mention the cancellation. The network cited concerns about retaliation from FCC Chair Brendan Carr. Colbert disclosed the censorship on-air and subsequently released the interview independently online, revealing the chilling effect of government pressure on editorial decisions.
• CBS prohibits Colbert interview with Democratic candidate under FCC pressure — CBS forbade Late Show host Stephen Colbert from interviewing Texas State Representative James Talarico, a Democrat running for U.S. Senate, citing the FCC's January 21 "equal time rule" reinterpretation. The FCC declared that talk-show interviews with political candidates would no longer have blanket news exemptions and would be evaluated case-by-case for "bona fide" news purposes versus "partisan purposes." CBS also instructed Colbert's lawyers to prevent him from discussing the censorship decision. Colbert aired the incident anyway on his February 17 show, calling it an effort to silence Trump critics on television.
• Colbert's interview with Talarico received 3.8 million YouTube views — As of 10:00 p.m. on February 18, Colbert's 15-minute interview with Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico had been viewed on YouTube 3.8 million times. Forbes reported it is Colbert's most watched interview in months, indicating significant public interest in Talarico's message criticizing Republican use of Christianity as a political weapon.
• CBS blocked interview with Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico — Late-night talk show host Stephen Colbert told viewers he had been unable to air an interview he did with Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate from Texas James Talarico. Colbert stated: "I was told…that not only could I not have him on, I could not mention me not having him on." CBS chose not to challenge the FCC's reinterpreted Equal Time Rule, which FCC chair Brendan Carr had changed to apply to non-news talk shows deemed "motivated by partisan purposes."

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• Department of Homeland Security issued hundreds of subpoenas to tech companies for social media account data — The Department of Homeland Security sent Google, Meta, and other tech companies hundreds of administrative subpoenas seeking names, emails, phone numbers, and identifying data for social media accounts that criticize ICE or monitor its operations. Google, Meta, Reddit, and Discord reportedly complied with some subpoenas. These were administrative subpoenas not signed by a judge but issued directly by DHS.

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• Claimed Civil Rights Act harmed white people — In a New York Times interview, Trump claimed that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 led to white people being "very badly treated."
• Trump announces expansion of defamation lawsuit against New York Times over unfavorable poll — President Donald Trump announced via Truth Social that he is expanding his existing defamation lawsuit against the New York Times to include claims related to a Times/Siena University poll showing his approval rating at 40%. Trump alleged the poll was "heavily skewed toward Democrats" and "fake results," and instructed his lawyers to demand the Times preserve records of how the poll was "computed." The Times responded by defending its polling methodology as rigorous and independent of political favorability.
• Trump threatened legal action against polling organizations over unfavorable poll — Following release of a New York Times/Siena poll showing Trump with 40% job approval and 56% disapproval across multiple policy areas, Trump posted three lengthy posts on Truth Social threatening to sue the Times and prosecute polling companies criminally. Trump claimed the polls were "fake" and "tremendously negative," and stated his lawyers had demanded the Times preserve records of how results were "computed."
• Trump delivers address at World Economic Forum in Davos with multiple false and exaggerated claims — Donald Trump addressed the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 22, 2026, making numerous claims about foreign policy achievements, technological leadership, renewable energy, NATO support, and budget matters. Fact-checkers found the claims ranged from exaggerated to provably false, including assertions about settling eight wars, leading China in AI, China's wind capacity, NATO allies' commitment, and the US ownership of Greenland. The speech exemplified a pattern of dubious assertions presented as fact to an international audience.
• Trump threatened to criminalize polling and sued New York Times — After the New York Times/Siena poll was released showing his approval at 40%, Trump's social media account posted that "Fake and Fraudulent Polling should be, virtually, a criminal offense" and claimed polls during the 2020 election were knowingly wrong and designed to influence the outcome. Trump announced he would add the Times/Siena poll to an existing lawsuit against the New York Times, threatening legal action against the news organization for publishing polling data.
• Trump threatened to sue New York Times over approval rating poll — Trump spent the morning lashing out at the press and threatened to sue The New York Times over its latest Siena poll, which shows his approval rating deeply underwater. Trump labeled the poll fake, accused the paper of fraud, and demanded internal records. The poll showed Trump with a net approval of minus sixteen and underwater on nearly every major issue, from the economy to foreign relations to immigration.
• Trump continues to repost conspiracy theories about 2020 election — Trump is still reposting conspiracy theories about the 2020 election, including content from QAnon-linked accounts. Many lawyers who pushed these lies lost their licenses, but the damage to the information environment remains.

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• Trump threatened to sue BBC for $1 billion over Jan. 6 documentary — Trump threatened to sue the BBC for $1 billion on November 10, claiming in a letter from his lawyers that their documentary included "malicious, disparaging" edits to his January 6 speech at the Ellipse. The letter demanded an apology, full retraction of the documentary, and compensation for alleged harm.
• Trump threatens $1bn lawsuit against BBC over edited January 6 speech — Donald Trump's legal team sent a letter to the BBC threatening a $1 billion defamation lawsuit in Florida state court unless the corporation provides a "full and fair retraction" of a Panorama documentary that edited his January 6, 2021 Capitol speech. The BBC has acknowledged the edit was misleading. Trump claims reputational and financial harm. Legal experts note Trump has a history of unsuccessful libel suits and that the $1bn figure lacks substantive basis; the BBC has not yet committed to settlement.
• Trump threatens $1 billion lawsuit against BBC over Panorama January 6 editing — Donald Trump's legal team sent a cease-and-desist letter to the BBC threatening a $1 billion defamation lawsuit over a Panorama documentary episode that aired in October 2024, alleging the network defamatorily edited Trump's January 6 speech to suggest he encouraged Capitol violence. The letter cites "election interference" and claims the editing caused Trump "overwhelming financial and reputational harm." BBC director general Tim Davie and chief executive of BBC News Deborah Turness have already resigned over the controversy. The BBC stated it will review the correspondence and respond in due course.

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• Michael Wolff files defamation lawsuit against Melania Trump — Journalist Michael Wolff filed a lawsuit against Melania Trump in New York seeking declaratory judgment and damages for defamation. The lawsuit was filed after Melania allegedly threatened to sue Wolff for $1 billion over comments he made about the Trumps and Jeffrey Epstein.
• Biographer Michael Wolff sued by Melania Trump for defamation — Biographer Michael Wolff filed a lawsuit against Melania Trump after she threatened to sue him for $1 billion for statements he made on the MeidasTouch podcast and in a Daily Beast article alleging she played an extensive role in White House efforts to minimize Epstein's relationship with herself and her husband. Wolff's lawsuit characterizes Melania's threat as a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP) designed to silence speech and intimidate critics. Wolff stated he would welcome the opportunity to depose both Trumps under oath regarding their relationship with Epstein.

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• Trump filed $15 billion lawsuit against New York Times — President Trump filed a $15 billion lawsuit against the New York Times and several of its leading reporters, alleging the newspaper is "a full-throated mouthpiece of the Democrat Party." The case filing praised Trump extensively for his success as a politician, entertainer, and entrepreneur. The New York Times responded that the case "lacks any legitimate legal claims and instead is an attempt to stifle and discourage independent reporting."
• Trump files $15 billion defamation lawsuit against New York Times — Donald Trump filed a defamation lawsuit in a Florida district court against the New York Times, book publisher Penguin, and several Times reporters, seeking $15 billion plus punitive damages and court costs. The suit alleges that Times reporting on Trump's role in The Apprentice, his inheritance from his father, and comments attributed to former chief of staff John Kelly about Trump's admiration for Hitler were false and designed to damage his business, personal, and political reputation. Trump argues the Times acted with malice and engaged in election interference through the timing and framing of its reporting.
• ABC and CBS settled Trump lawsuits after his election victory — Donald Trump filed a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against the New York Times in Florida district court, accusing the newspaper of being a "mouthpiece" for the Democratic Party and spreading false content about him. The suit targets articles and a book by Times journalists published before the 2024 election, claiming intentional malicious defamation. The Times responded that the lawsuit lacks merit and is an attempt to intimidate and stifle independent reporting.
• Pattern of Trump lawsuits against media organizations to suppress coverage — ABC and CBS, both defendants in Trump defamation lawsuits, reached settlements with Trump after his election victory in November 2024. David Enrich, deputy investigations editor at the New York Times, states: "I do not think it was a coincidence that they rushed to reach a settlement after Trump was elected, as opposed to before Trump was elected. I think that speaks pretty clearly to the power dynamics at play here and the fact that some major American institutions are not comfortable going up against the president."
• Trump sued the New York Times for $15 billion over 2024 election coverage — Trump has filed a series of lawsuits against major news organizations—ABC, CBS, the Des Moines Register, and the Wall Street Journal—over election coverage. ABC and CBS rushed to settle after Trump's election victory, according to David Enrich, deputy investigations editor at the New York Times. Enrich notes this represents a precedent-breaking use of presidential power: "Until a few weeks ago, when Trump sued the Wall Street Journal over the Epstein birthday book, a sitting United States president had never sued a news organization while in office."
• — President Trump filed a $15 billion lawsuit against the New York Times on September 17, 2025, alleging the paper published "malicious, defamatory, and disparaging articles" during the 2024 election. The articles, adapted from the book "Lucky Loser" by Times investigative journalists, detailed Trump's inheritance of hundreds of millions of dollars, consistent business losses, and bailouts by others. The lawsuit is part of a broader pattern: Trump has sued ABC, CBS, the Des Moines Register, and the Wall Street Journal over election coverage, with ABC and CBS settling after his election victory.

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• Trump sued Wall Street Journal for ten billion dollars over Epstein letter publication — After the Wall Street Journal revealed the existence of a 2003 birthday letter from Trump to Jeffrey Epstein in July 2025, Trump sued the Journal, its reporters, and its parent company for ten billion dollars. Trump claimed the letter was "nonexistent," despite the paper's documented possession and publication of the document. The lawsuit represents an attempt to suppress press coverage through financial intimidation and legal action.
• Trump sues Wall Street Journal for $10 billion over Epstein letter story — President Trump filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal, its owner Rupert Murdoch, and the two reporters who authored the story about the alleged 2003 birthday message to Epstein. Trump claimed the letter is "fake" and "not the way I talk," seeking damages for what he characterized as false reporting. The lawsuit represents an attempt to use legal action to suppress or punish journalism about the alleged communication.
• Trump sues Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch over Epstein story — Trump filed a lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal and owner Rupert Murdoch (who also owns Fox News) in response to the WSJ's story connecting Trump to Jeffrey Epstein via a signed birthday card message. The lawsuit was assigned to Judge Darrin Gayles, appointed by Barack Obama. The White House subsequently banned the WSJ from covering Trump in the Oval Office, aboard Air Force One, and in private workspaces.
• Trump sues Wall Street Journal over Epstein-Maxwell letter story — After the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that Trump contributed a letter with a doodle of a nude woman to a 2003 Festschrift compiled by Ghislaine Maxwell for Jeffrey Epstein's 50th birthday, Trump denied the story and announced on Friday that he was suing the Wall Street Journal's publisher for libel. The lawsuit represents an attempt to suppress or punish press reporting on Trump's documented connections to Epstein.
• Wall Street Journal publishes alleged 2003 birthday message from Trump to Epstein — The Wall Street Journal reported on July 18, 2025, that materials collected during the Department of Justice's investigation into Jeffrey Epstein included a 2003 birthday message allegedly from Trump to Epstein. The message, described as typewritten text framed by a hand-drawn outline of a naked woman, contains a dialogue between Trump and Epstein discussing shared secrets and enigmas. Trump denied authenticity, calling it "fake" and sued the Journal, its owner Rupert Murdoch, and the two reporters for $10 billion, claiming the letter does not reflect how he speaks or writes.