Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Supreme Court schedules reargument in Louisiana v. Callais on VRA Section 2 remedy — The U.S. Supreme Court delayed issuing an opinion in Louisiana v. Callais during summer 2025 and announced a reargument scheduled for October on whether Louisiana's creation of a second majority-minority congressional district violates the Fourteenth or Fifteenth Amendments. The case originated after Louisiana was ordered in 2024 to redraw maps with an additional majority-Black district following a successful Section 2 challenge. The reargument signals the Court may be preparing a sweeping ruling that could substantially narrow or eliminate the VRA's most powerful remaining provision.

Supporting reports

• Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians appeals to Supreme Court on Section 2 private right of action — Native American plaintiffs led by the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians are appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court after the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that private plaintiffs cannot bring Section 2 claims via Section 1983. The tribes had successfully challenged North Dakota's state legislative maps under both Section 2 and Section 1983, resulting in a VRA-compliant map used in 2024. The Supreme Court agreed to pause the 8th Circuit's ruling while it deliberates the appeal.

Supporting reports

• Department of Justice reverses position on voting rights cases under Attorney General Pam Bondi — Under Attorney General Pam Bondi, the U.S. Department of Justice has reversed its position on numerous voting rights cases, including Louisiana v. Callais. The reversal signals a shift away from federal enforcement of voting-rights protections and aligns the DOJ with conservative legal arguments attacking the Voting Rights Act.

Supporting reports

• Supreme Court uses shadow docket to overturn lower court rulings without explanation — The Supreme Court has dramatically expanded its use of the "shadow docket"—unsigned, unexplained decisions traditionally reserved for emergencies—to overturn lower court rulings in favor of Trump. The court, three of whose justices Trump appointed, has sided with him in shadow docket decisions more than 70% of the time. These decisions lack hearings, briefs, or written justification, undermining judicial transparency and the rule of law while supporting the administration's narrative that courts are subverting Trump's presidency.

Supporting reports

• Complaint filed — Driscoll v. Patel (D.D.C. 1:25-cv-03109) — Three senior FBI officials, including former FBI Acting Director Brian J. Driscoll, Jr., filed suit in federal district court challenging their summary dismissal by FBI Director Kash Patel on August 8, 2025. The plaintiffs claim they were entitled to statutory protections under the FBI Senior Executive Service (5 U.S.C. § 3151), which permits removal only for specified causes such as misconduct or neglect of duty. They allege their terminations violated the Fifth Amendment Due Process Clause and the First Amendment, arguing the dismissals were retaliatory and based on perceived political disloyalty rather than lawful cause. Plaintiffs seek reinstatement and an injunction against further adverse action without due process.

Supporting reports

• Supreme Court agreed to hear Trump's tariff appeal — The Supreme Court said it would take up Trump's emergency appeal related to the legality of his global tariffs, with oral arguments expected in November. In the meantime, the tariffs will remain in place. The decision allows the contested tariffs to continue while the Court considers their constitutionality.
• SCOTUS grants certiorari before judgment and expedites consolidated cases on Trump tariff authority — The Supreme Court granted a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump (No. 24-1287) and granted the motion to expedite and petition for certiorari in Trump v. V.O.S. Selections, Inc. (No. 25-250). The cases were consolidated with one hour allotted for oral argument. Briefing schedule compressed: respondents' opening brief due September 19, 2025; response briefs due October 20, 2025; reply brief due October 30, 2025. Argument set for the first week of November 2025 argument session.

Supporting reports

• Supreme Court partially stays District Court order in Department of State v. AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition — The Supreme Court, in an emergency application, partially stayed a September 3, 2025 District Court order (D.D.C., cases 1:25-cv-400 and 1:25-cv-402) for funds subject to the President's August 28, 2025 rescission proposal pending before Congress. The stay applies only to those funds and remains in effect pending further order of the Chief Justice or the full Court. Respondents were ordered to file a response by September 12, 2025, at 4 p.m. EDT.

Supporting reports

• Democrat James Walkinshaw won special election for Virginia's 11th Congressional District — Democrat James Walkinshaw easily won the special election to replace the late Representative Gerry Connolly (D-VA) in Virginia's 11th Congressional District. According to Strength in Numbers analyst Elliott Morris, the district has swung 16 percentage points toward the Democrats since the 2024 election.

Supporting reports

• Republicans block release of Epstein files in Rules Committee vote — All eight Republicans on the House Rules Committee voted to block the release of the Epstein files after Trump warned them it would be a "hostile act" to vote for release. The Republicans who voted to block were Virginia Foxx (NC), Michelle Fischbach (MN), Ralph Norman (SC), Chip Roy (TX), Nick Langworthy (NY), Austin Scott (GA), Morgan Griffith (VA), and Brian Jack (GA). Democrats have secured 216 signatures on a discharge petition and expect two special election victories to provide the votes needed to force a floor vote on release.

Supporting reports

• Michigan judge dismissed fake elector charges — A Michigan state judge dismissed charges against a group of fake electors who signed certificates that falsely stated Trump won the state in the 2020 presidential election, ruling that there wasn't sufficient evidence to prove their intent to commit fraud. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel called the dismissal "the most dangerous slippery slope for American democracy" and expressed terror about the 2026 elections.
• Michigan judge dismisses charges against 15 Trump fake electors — Judge Kristen Simmons in Michigan dismissed felony charges against 15 of 16 people accused of falsely signing documents claiming Trump won the 2020 election. The judge ruled the state had not provided sufficient evidence of intent to prove fraud, characterizing the defendants' actions as exercising their constitutional right to seek redress. The dismissal represents a significant setback for efforts to hold Trump and allies accountable for attempting to overturn the 2020 election results.

Supporting reports

• Federal judge blocked Trump from firing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook — A federal judge temporarily blocked Trump from firing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, finding that the president's decision to terminate her over accusations of mortgage fraud that allegedly occurred before her tenure is outside the bounds of the "for cause" provision, which is limited to her behavior in office. The ruling prevented the removal while litigation continues.

Supporting reports

• White House issued fact sheet on BLS jobs revisions — The White House issued a fact sheet claiming that Bureau of Labor Statistics benchmark revisions downward by 911,000 jobs from April 2024 to March 2025 vindicate President Trump's criticism of the Biden economy and the BLS itself. The statement attributes the revision to Biden-era data inaccuracy, illegal immigration, and federal spending, and calls for congressional confirmation of Trump's BLS commissioner nominee E.J. Antoni and "major reforms" to restore trust in BLS data.

Supporting reports

• Wall Street Journal publishes Trump's 1998 birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein with sexualized imagery — The Wall Street Journal published the full text and image of a 2003 birthday letter to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein bearing Trump's signature. The letter contains sexually suggestive dialogue between "Donald" and "Jeffrey" with illustrations depicting pubescent female anatomy. The letter includes references to shared secrets and a statement that "enigmas never age." Trump had sued the Journal in July for ten billion dollars, claiming the letter was "nonexistent," after the paper first revealed its existence.

Supporting reports

• DNI Gabbard directs NSA to recall classified Venezuela report — Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard directed the NSA to recall a classified report about Venezuela despite agency staff affirming it was accurate and complied with all NSA policies. The report related to Trump special envoy Richard Grenell and included conversations Grenell had with Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, as well as NSA-collected information about Grenell. An unclassified addendum directed staff to remove the original report from all manual and computer files.

Supporting reports

• CBS News changes "Face the Nation" editing policy after Trump administration pressure — CBS News announced it will change the editing policy for its program "Face the Nation" to air only live or unedited interviews, following criticism from the Trump administration. The change came after Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem targeted the program, claiming an interview she gave was deceptively edited. Noem objected to CBS cutting a segment in which she made unsubstantiated claims about a deportee; the claims were denied by the subject and were not part of criminal charges against him.

Supporting reports

• White House Press Secretary falsely attributed signature analysis article to Daily Signal — White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed that the Daily Signal had published an article with "three separate signature analysts" concluding the letter's signature was not authentic. The Daily Signal published no such article. The Daily Wire, a different conservative outlet, published an article claiming "3 forensic analyses" but actually only ran the letter through AI models, which falsely claimed Trump had never used words like "enigma" that appear in the letter. Expert Thomas W. Vastrick, president of the American Society of Questioned Document Examiners, told the Washington Post the signature was "very consistent" with Trump's known signatures.

Supporting reports

• White House press secretary made baseless claim about domestic violence reports — Asked about Trump's Monday comments downplaying domestic violence during a White House press briefing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt baselessly claimed that women are falsely reporting cases of domestic violence as a crime "to undermine the great work" Trump's task force is doing in DC. The claim was made without evidence.

Supporting reports

• White House issues fact sheet on presidential memorandum directing HHS and FDA to increase transparency and accuracy requirements in direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertisements — The White House published a fact sheet announcing that President Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum directing the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration to ensure transparency and accuracy in direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertisements, including increased disclosure of drug risks. The memorandum directs the FDA Commissioner to enforce legal requirements that such advertisements be truthful and not misleading. The fact sheet states that pharmaceutical companies spent over $10 billion on direct-to-consumer advertising in 2024 and claims such ads can mislead the public about risks and benefits.
• White House issues memorandum directing FDA to increase risk disclosure in direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising — President Trump signed a presidential memorandum directing the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Commissioner of Food and Drugs to ensure transparency and accuracy in direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising. The memorandum states that the FDA has historically required balanced information about drug benefits and risks, but that requirements have permitted less information in broadcast advertising as drug manufacturer advertising has increased. The administration directs the HHS Secretary to increase the amount of risk information required in advertisements and directs the FDA Commissioner to enforce existing prescription drug advertising provisions to ensure truthful, non-misleading information.

Supporting reports

• Trump announces pocket rescission of $4.9bn in foreign aid via notification to House Speaker — Trump informed House Speaker Mike Johnson in late August that he would not spend $4.9bn in congressionally appropriated foreign aid, using a "pocket rescission" mechanism announced shortly before the 30 September fiscal year end. The funds were designated for UN organizations, peacekeeping operations, development assistance, and democracy-promotion projects. Trump characterized the spending as "woke, weaponized and wasteful." This was the first pocket rescission in 50 years, preventing Congress from acting within the required 45-day timeframe.

Supporting reports

• Trump invokes Alien Enemies Act to render Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvador prison — Trump invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to justify rendering undocumented Venezuelan immigrants to CECOT, a notorious terrorist prison in El Salvador. The act, designed for wartime use, was applied to justify extrajudicial deportation to a foreign detention facility without due process. This represents an extreme expansion of executive power using a historical statute to bypass normal immigration procedures and constitutional protections.

Supporting reports

• ICE resumes immigration sweeps in Los Angeles following court ruling — Following the Supreme Court's reversal of the restraining order, ICE resumed large-scale immigration enforcement operations in Los Angeles on September 8. Greg Bovino, head of U.S. Border Patrol in Los Angeles, announced via social media that operations were "starting back up" and that agents were "going hard in Los Angeles today." The Department of Homeland Security declared the decision a victory and vowed to "flood the zone" in the city, accusing Mayor Karen Bass of "protecting" immigrants.
• Attorney General Pam Bondi celebrated Supreme Court racial profiling decision — Attorney General Pam Bondi characterized the Supreme Court's decision permitting racial profiling in immigration detentions as "another massive victory" and stated that ICE can now continue roving patrols in California "without judicial micromanagement."
• ICE detained Donna Hughes-Brown, lawful permanent resident, for 37-year-old probation — Donna Hughes-Brown, a lawful permanent resident of 37 years, was detained by ICE and separated from her four children and five grandchildren. Her detention was based on a bad check for $25 written in 2015, for which she had already paid restitution and received probation. Under Trump administration policy, this prior conviction classified her as a "criminal illegal alien" eligible for deportation.
• Navy veteran James Brown expressed regret for voting for Trump after wife's ICE detention — U.S. Navy veteran James Brown told Newsweek he "100%" regrets voting for Trump after his wife was taken into ICE detention. Brown stated that Trump had advertised he would deport criminal illegal immigrants, but that the administration is not being truthful about what is actually happening to legal immigrants.

Supporting reports

• Chicago mayor opposes militarized immigration enforcement — Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson released a statement opposing the Trump administration's announced immigration enforcement operation, stating the city received no advance notice of enhanced ICE action. Johnson cited ICE's documented track record of detaining and deporting U.S. citizens and violating detainees' human rights as grounds for opposing militarized enforcement without due process protections.
• Chicago mayor reports lack of federal notice for ICE enforcement operations — Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson posted on X that the city received no advance notice of enhanced immigration enforcement operations by the Trump administration. Johnson stated the city remains opposed to militarized immigration enforcement without due process, citing ICE's documented history of detaining and deporting American citizens and violating detainees' human rights.

Supporting reports

• Rightwing influencer accompanies ICE agents during enforcement raids in Chicago — Ben Bergquam, a far-right internet personality, accompanied Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents during raids in Chicago on Sunday, filming content and confronting local residents. ICE arrested four people on the city's southwest side. Bergquam, who has a history of spreading false claims about migrants and federal agencies, was present in vehicles with agents and later yelled at protesters that they were "the enemy within." The Department of Homeland Security did not confirm whether Bergquam was authorized to participate in enforcement operations.

Supporting reports

• Evanston issues warning of imminent ICE operations — The city of Evanston, Illinois issued a public statement urging residents to report sightings of federal immigration agents after local officials were informed over the weekend that ICE activity was likely in the coming days. Mayor Daniel Biss stated he received information from the governor's office indicating ICE agents would be deployed to Evanston. The city reaffirmed its commitment to protecting immigrant and refugee residents.

Supporting reports

• Police dismantle 44-year White House peace vigil on Trump's direct orders — Law enforcement officials dismantled a peace vigil that had stood outside the White House for over 44 years on Sunday, acting on orders Trump issued two days earlier after a journalist's question. The vigil, started in 1981 to promote nuclear disarmament, was believed to be the longest continuous anti-war protest in the U.S. Trump ordered its removal after learning of it, telling staff "Take it down, right now." Volunteers were given 30 minutes to leave; at least one was detained. Vigil stewards indicated they expect legal action.