Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• White House issues fact sheet celebrating Supreme Court decision limiting nationwide injunctions — The White House issued a fact sheet on June 27, 2025, celebrating a Supreme Court decision that restricts the use of nationwide injunctions against executive actions. The document states that the ruling "restores the proper separation of powers" and claims that 35 of 40 nationwide injunctions filed against Trump's second-term executive actions originated from five jurisdictions (California, Maryland, Massachusetts, Washington, and D.C.). The fact sheet lists pending policy actions it states can now proceed, including ending birthright citizenship, ceasing sanctuary city funding, suspending refugee resettlement, and other measures.
• Trump celebrates Supreme Court ruling as vindication of executive power expansion — President Trump declared the Supreme Court's decision a "giant win" and stated that the ruling would allow his administration to "promptly file to proceed with numerous policies that have been wrongly enjoined on a nationwide basis." Trump framed the decision as freeing the executive from judicial constraints, signaling intent to enforce previously blocked policies across all states without nationwide court protection.

Supporting reports

• Trump announces plan to end birthright citizenship via executive order — Following the Supreme Court's Trump v. CASA decision, President Trump announced to reporters his intention to use an executive order to end birthright citizenship, claiming the Fourteenth Amendment was based on a misinterpretation of law and rooted in a fabricated historical narrative about the Civil War ending in 1869 and a case filed on that exact day concerning "babies of slaves."

Supporting reports

• Defense Secretary Hegseth held press conference defending Iran strike claims — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth held a press conference on June 26, 2025, defending the Trump administration's characterization of recent military strikes against Iran. Hegseth stated that "President Trump directed the most complex and secretive military operation in history, and it was a resounding success resulting in a ceasefire agreement and the end of the 12-day war." He appeared to rebuke media outlets for contradicting the administration's narrative that the strikes had "completely obliterated" Iran's nuclear weapons program.
• Fox News correspondent Jennifer Griffin challenged Hegseth on Iran uranium claims — Fox News chief national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin asked Secretary Hegseth whether he was certain that highly enriched uranium had not been moved prior to the strikes. Hegseth responded angrily, telling Griffin she had been "the worst" and "misrepresents the most, intentionally, what the president says." Griffin defended her reporting record. Fox analyst Brit Hume subsequently defended Griffin on air, stating the attack on her was unfair and praising her professionalism and Pentagon expertise.
• Secretary of Defense Hegseth conducted press conference attacking media over Iran nuclear assessment — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth held a press conference with Joint Chiefs Chair Dan Caine to defend the Trump administration's claims about the Iran bombing campaign. Hegseth angrily attacked the press for publishing a leaked Defense Intelligence Agency report contradicting Trump's assertion that Iran's nuclear program had been "completely obliterated." Hegseth interrupted Caine, ranted about media bias, and accused journalists of cheering against Trump. The briefing appeared designed to pressure the intelligence community into supporting the administration's narrative rather than presenting independent assessment.

Supporting reports

• DOD social media account posted attack on press — Secretary of Defense Hegseth hired a right-wing social media influencer to run the official Department of Defense social media account. The account posted a screenshot of Trump's praise for Hegseth's press conference with the caption: "SecDef just called out the Fake News: 'I mean specifically you, the press core, because you cheer against Trump so hard…'" The post used the official DOD account to amplify attacks on the press and promote partisan messaging.

Supporting reports

• Trump claimed Medicaid cuts would not be felt by beneficiaries — President Trump stated regarding the reconciliation bill, which includes the largest Medicaid cut in U.S. history and raises the deficit by $3.4 trillion over 10 years according to the Congressional Budget Office: "We're cutting $1.7 trillion in this bill and you're not gonna feel any of it. Your Medicaid is left alone. It's left the same." The statement contradicts the bill's actual contents and CBO analysis.
• Trump claimed no taxes on Social Security not in reconciliation bill — President Trump stated "We will deliver no taxes on social security for our great seniors," claiming this provision was included in the budget reconciliation bill. The article notes this claim is false—the provision is not in the bill.

Supporting reports

• ICE and CoreCivic Plan to Open California's Largest Immigration Jail — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has partnered with CoreCivic, a private prison contractor, to convert a shuttered 2,500-bed prison in California City into the state's largest immigrant detention center. This move is part of the Trump administration's efforts to increase detention capacity amid a crackdown on immigration. CoreCivic has received $10 million in initial funding for a six-month contract to transform the facility. The plan has sparked significant opposition from advocacy groups and local residents, who argue it will lead to long-term harm and economic detriment to the community.
• Gavin Newsom sues Fox News for defamation over edited Trump call footage — California Governor Gavin Newsom filed a defamation lawsuit against Fox News on Friday, demanding $787 million in damages. The suit alleges that Fox host Jesse Watters aired a deceptively edited clip of Donald Trump to falsely claim Newsom lied about the timing of a phone call with Trump regarding military deployment to Los Angeles. Records show the call occurred on June 7, not immediately before the June 10 deployment announcement. The lawsuit also invokes California's Unfair Competition Law and mirrors the $787.5 million Dominion settlement Fox paid in 2023.
• Gov. Newsom filed defamation lawsuit against Fox News and Jesse Watters — California Governor Gavin Newsom filed a $787 million defamation lawsuit against Fox News and host Jesse Watters after Watters aired a deceptively edited clip and made false claims about Newsom's communications with Trump. Newsom's legal team stated they would drop the suit if Fox issues a public retraction and Watters apologizes on air. The damages figure matches Fox's 2023 Dominion settlement.

Supporting reports

• Secretary Rubio and State Department officials publicly name recipients of terminated aid programs — Secretary of State Marco Rubio and staffers from the "Department of Government Efficiency" publicly named some programs cut in previous reviews of foreign assistance. State Department officials have warned that public identification of aid recipients in authoritarian nations could expose vulnerable individuals and minorities to retaliation by their governments, as most DRL programs are not listed publicly precisely because they support at-risk populations.

Supporting reports

• Samuel Samson recommends redirecting DRL funds to Afrikaner resettlement and Marine Le Pen legal defense — Samuel Samson, a recent college graduate appointed as senior adviser to the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, recommended in a DRL white paper that congressionally appropriated foreign assistance funds be redirected to support the resettlement of Afrikaners to the United States and to fund the legal defense of French far-right politician Marine Le Pen. Samson also led a State Department delegation meeting with National Rally officials in late May and wrote a controversial post on the State Department's Substack criticizing the labeling of Germany's Alternative für Deutschland as extremist. It is unclear whether his recommendations were adopted by DRL leadership.

Supporting reports

• Kari Lake testified VOA should be eliminated as independent agency — Kari Lake, Trump's appointee to oversee the US Agency for Global Media, testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee that President Trump wants to completely eliminate VOA as an independent agency. Lake argued the agency "does not know how to manage" and is disrespectful to taxpayers. She made unsubstantiated claims about security screening failures and suggested folding VOA's remaining functions into the State Department, referencing the 1940s-1950s as "glory days" when there were "guardrails on what the story of America was being told."

Supporting reports

• White House issues release claiming Iran's nuclear facilities have been obliterated by U.S. strikes — The White House published a release on June 25, 2025, asserting that precision U.S. strikes have obliterated Iran's nuclear facilities. The document compiles statements from President Trump, Israeli officials, U.S. military and intelligence leadership, and independent analysts claiming severe damage to enrichment sites at Fordo, Natanz, and Esfahan, and asserting that Iran's nuclear weapons capability has been set back by years. The release frames contrary reporting as "fake news."
• White House issues fact sheet claiming Iran's nuclear facilities have been obliterated — The White House published a fact sheet on June 26, 2025, asserting that U.S. military strikes have destroyed Iran's nuclear facilities. The document compiles statements from U.S. officials (CIA Director Ratcliffe, DNI Gabbard, Secretary Hegseth, Secretary Rubio, Chairman Caine), international figures (IAEA Director Grossi, Israeli officials), and outside experts claiming severe damage to Natanz, Fordow, and Esfahan sites. The fact sheet states that Iran's nuclear program has been "set back by years" and that centrifuges have been rendered inoperable, though it does not present independent verification or dissenting assessments.

Supporting reports

• Defense Intelligence Agency assessed Iran nuclear strikes ineffective — The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), the intelligence arm of the Pentagon, conducted early assessments of damage caused by U.S. military strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. The DIA concluded that the strikes did not destroy the main parts of Iran's nuclear program and probably set it back by only a few months. The White House called the DIA assessment "flat out wrong." CNN and later the New York Times confirmed the DIA's reporting.
• U.S. intelligence assessment concluded Iran's nuclear program largely intact after strikes — Three sources told CNN that according to an early Defense Intelligence Agency assessment, U.S. military strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities did not destroy the core components of Iran's nuclear program and likely only set it back a few months. The assessment concluded that underground facilities, centrifuges, and highly enriched uranium were largely intact, contradicting Trump's public claims of complete destruction.
• White House dismisses Pentagon intelligence assessment on Iran nuclear strikes — The Defense Intelligence Agency, the Pentagon's intelligence arm, produced a classified report concluding that the recent strikes on Iranian nuclear sites did not destroy two of the targeted facilities and probably only set back Iran's nuclear program by a few months. The report found key nuclear components including centrifuges could be restarted within months and that much of Iran's enriched uranium stockpile was moved before the strikes to other secret sites. The White House dismissed the report as "flat-out wrong."
• CNN reported Iran nuclear program not destroyed by US strikes — On June 24, CNN, citing an early US intelligence assessment, reported that the core components of Iran's nuclear program were not destroyed by the US military strikes, despite Trump's claims that it was "obliterated." The report concluded that the strikes likely only set the program back by just a few months. White House Press Secretary called the report "flat-out wrong … but was still leaked to CNN by an anonymous, low-level loser in the intelligence community." CNN responded, saying the network "stands by our thorough reporting," and added that the White House "has acknowledged the existence of the assessment."

Supporting reports

• Trump posted video mocking Iran bombing — Trump's social media feed posted a video at 7:15 p.m. that recalled Senator John McCain's 2007 call to "bomb, bomb, bomb Iran" set to the Beach Boys' "Barbara Ann." Trump's version was longer and included visual imagery of planes dropping bombs, with lyrics such as "went to a mosque, gonna throw some rocks" and "gonna turn Iran into a parking lot."

Supporting reports

• DHS posts propaganda poster encouraging citizens to report undocumented immigrants — The Department of Homeland Security posted an image on X (formerly Twitter) modeled after World War II propaganda posters, depicting Uncle Sam and urging citizens to "Help your country locate and arrest illegal aliens" with a DHS phone number. The poster weaponizes propaganda and encourages mass surveillance and denunciation.

Supporting reports

• Trump baselessly claimed CNN and New York Times coordinated against him — On June 24, Trump baselessly claimed on Truth Social that CNN and the New York Times "TEAMED UP IN AN ATTEMPT TO DEMEAN ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL MILITARY STRIKES IN HISTORY," and continued to say Iran's nuclear sites were "COMPLETELY DESTROYED!"

Supporting reports

• White House Press Secretary Leavitt claimed Iranian nuclear sites were completely obliterated — White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated on ABC that the administration is confident that Iran's nuclear sites were "completely and totally obliterated" and that Iran no longer has the capability to build nuclear weapons and threaten the world. The bulletin notes that every military and nuclear expert, including Trump's own Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Dan Caine, said it is impossible to know what was destroyed at this early stage.

Supporting reports

• LA Sheriff's Department deletes and apologizes for social media post expressing sympathy for Iran strike victims — The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department posted a message on X, Facebook, and Instagram expressing sympathy for "victims and families impacted" by US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. Following swift online backlash, the department deleted the post and issued an apology characterizing its own original message as "offensive and inappropriate." The department stated the post was made in error and did not reflect the views of Sheriff Robert Luna or the department, and pledged to strengthen social media oversight protocols.

Supporting reports

• Case update — D.V.D. v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (D. Mass.) 1:25-cv-10676 — The Supreme Court stopped a lower court's order which has prevented the administration from removing immigrants to third countries without an opportunity to present their claims of potential torture first. The Supreme Court's order is now in place while the litigation proceeds. Justices Sotomayor, Kagan, and Jackson dissented.
• CDC presentation included nonexistent vaccine study — On June 24, a presentation scheduled for Thursday's meeting of the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices was found to have included a study that does not appear to exist after it was published on the agency's website. The presentation by Lyn Redwood, a former leader of an anti-vaccine group, claimed that the nonexistent study found that the vaccine preservative thimerosal can have "long-term consequences in the brain."
• ACIP agenda cites study that author says was not conducted or published — The ACIP panel's new agenda cited a study that the cited author stated he did not conduct or publish, according to Reuters reporting. This continues a pattern of Kennedy's health department producing references to garbled or nonexistent studies while Kennedy repeatedly touts "gold-standard" science.

Supporting reports

• Secretary of State Rubio dismisses intelligence assessment as irrelevant to Iran nuclear decision — On June 22, 2025, Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared on CBS Face the Nation and, when asked whether the United States had intelligence that the Supreme Leader had ordered weaponization of Iran's nuclear program, declared the question "irrelevant." When pressed by interviewer Margaret Brennan that this is "the key point in U.S. intelligence assessments," Rubio contradicted her, stating "No, it's not." This represents an explicit rejection of the foundational criterion—whether Iran's leadership has decided to weaponize—that defines the U.S. Intelligence Community's assessment of the nuclear threat.
• Vice President Vance mischaracterizes intelligence testimony to justify Iran strikes — On June 22, 2025, Vice President JD Vance appeared on Meet the Press and claimed that Director of National Intelligence Gabbard had said in March that Iran was "producing highly-enriched Uranium that was only consistent with them wanting to build a nuclear weapon." However, the transcript of Gabbard's Congressional hearing reveals this characterization is false and misleading. Gabbard stated that Iran was enriching uranium (a fact true for many years) and had a higher stockpile than other non-nuclear nations, but she was explicit that Iran had not taken steps to build a nuclear weapon nor had such a program been authorized. Vance's misrepresentation was used to justify military strikes.

Supporting reports

• Trump claimed Republican unity — Trump posted on Truth Social that there is "Great unity in the Republican Party, perhaps unity like we have never seen before," despite significant divisions within the MAGA base over the bombing.

Supporting reports

• White House issued compilation of congressional statements supporting military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities — The White House published a compilation of statements from Republican lawmakers in Congress expressing support for military strikes conducted against Iranian nuclear facilities. The document presents statements from Senate and House Republicans characterizing the strikes as necessary action against Iran's nuclear program, with lawmakers framing the operation as "peace through strength" and emphasizing Iran's status as a state sponsor of terrorism. The statements do not constitute new policy announcements but rather curate existing public statements of support.
• White House releases statement on precision strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities — The White House issued a press release compiling statements from Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio from Sunday morning television appearances. The officials stated that the Trump administration conducted precision strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities, claiming to have destroyed Iran's nuclear program without civilian casualties. They characterized the strikes as a response to failed diplomacy and stated the administration remains open to negotiated settlement if Iran chooses diplomacy, while warning of "overwhelming force" if Iran retaliates.

Supporting reports

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

Supporting reports

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

Supporting reports

• JD Vance conducts Los Angeles press conference excluding local reporters — Vice-president JD Vance visited Los Angeles on June 21 to tour federal immigration enforcement operations and held a 14-minute press conference. The White House selected only national reporters; local Los Angeles journalists were barred from attending. Vance blamed California Governor Gavin Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass for encouraging violent protests against federal immigration raids, claiming sanctuary city policies enabled rioters. He made a joke misidentifying Senator Alex Padilla as "Jose Padilla," conflating him with a 2002 terrorism suspect.

Supporting reports

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

Supporting reports

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