Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• FBI investigation into defense contractor corruption halted after Trump administration takes office — A defense contractor allegedly engaged in "campaign cash-for-contracts" dealings with former South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham and Congressman James Clyburn (D-SC). The FBI was actively investigating these interactions, but after Trump began his second term, the administration gutted the teams responsible for investigating public corruption, effectively halting the inquiry.

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• Federal search of Ilhan Omar's home and seizure of property — Federal agents conducted a search of U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar's home and seized property, including her phone, as part of a criminal investigation into her immigration paperwork. Omar's attorneys filed a letter with the Department of Justice contending the search was "neither justified nor lawful" and demanding return of seized items and preservation of search recordings. The investigation was launched weeks before the November 3 midterm election in which Omar is a candidate. A DOJ spokesperson denied the allegations, stating agents complied with all court orders.

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• Trump administration investigated Representative Ilhan Omar's citizenship paperwork with intent to strip citizenship — Federal agents, acting under Trump administration direction, conducted a search of Representative Ilhan Omar's home on Monday, seizing her cellphone, notebooks, personal computers, and passport. According to Wall Street Journal reporting, the investigation targets citizenship paperwork completed by her father in the 1990s when the family arrived from a refugee camp in Kenya, with the stated goal of finding grounds to strip her of U.S. citizenship and deport her. Omar is running for reelection with Election Day less than a month away. DOJ rules caution prosecutors against actions that could affect elections or create such perception.
• Federal agents search home of Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar — Federal agents searched the home of Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar on Monday as part of a criminal investigation. More details about the investigation were not immediately clear. Vice President JD Vance has previously accused Omar of committing immigration fraud without offering evidence and stated that he and deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller had been discussing how to investigate the Minnesota congresswoman and "what the legal remedies are" now that they believe "she's committed immigration fraud." Omar's chief of staff Connor McNutt responded that the accusation was "a ridiculous lie and desperate attempt to distract" from the administration's unpopular policies. Omar posted after the raid: "This is an attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement. For 10 years, Trump has targeted me with baseless lies and smear campaigns. This is just the latest escalation in his campaign of political intimidation."
• Trump administration and DOJ attack on Representative Ilhan Omar — Representative Ilhan Omar faced what the article describes as a "devastating attack by Trump and the DOJ." The article references this incident as a basis for urging supporters to donate to her campaign and offer support via her office phone line. No specific charges, legal action, or enforcement detail is provided in the text; the nature and timing of the attack are not elaborated.

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• Federal prosecutors seek indictment of Cassidy Hutchinson for perjury — Federal prosecutors are attempting to obtain a grand jury indictment in Washington, D.C., against Cassidy Hutchinson, a former aide to Trump's first-term chief of staff Mark Meadows, for perjury. Hutchinson worked in the White House during the period when Trump was attempting to overturn the 2020 election results and testified before Congress about Trump's behavior during that time.

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• Trump has pardoned nine of last eleven convicted Republican congressmen — CNN reporter Aaron Blake reported that Trump has pardoned nine of the last eleven Republican congressmen convicted of federal crimes, while his Department of Justice has indicted, attempted to indict, or taken investigative steps against thirteen Democrats currently serving in Congress. The disparity illustrates a pattern of selective law enforcement based on party affiliation.

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• DOJ seeks criminal charges against Cassidy Hutchinson for alleged perjury before Congress — The Department of Justice's civil rights division is pursuing criminal charges against Cassidy Hutchinson, a former Trump White House aide who provided testimony to the House committee investigating the January 6 Capitol attack. Hutchinson testified that Trump attempted to commandeer his SUV to join supporters at the Capitol. The charges involve allegations of lying to Congress. The move is described as highly unusual, as such investigations are typically handled by the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia.
• DOJ seeks federal criminal indictment of Cassidy Hutchinson for perjury — The Department of Justice is pursuing a federal criminal indictment against former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson on charges of lying to Congress during her January 6 testimony. The DOJ's Civil Rights Division presented evidence to a federal grand jury on Tuesday and is expected to present additional evidence and witnesses later in October.

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• Judge dismisses reflecting pool case against David Hearn with prejudice — Judge Todd Edelman of DC Superior Court dismissed charges against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn over alleged damage to the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool, ruling the case could not be refiled. The US Attorney's office, led by Trump ally Jeanine Pirro, had already conceded the damage resulted from flawed installation, not Hearn's actions. Trump had publicly pressured for prosecution in August, calling Pirro's decision to drop charges a failure. The court found prosecutors lacked factual support and acted under political pressure.
• Judge dismisses DOJ vandalism case against David Hearn with prejudice — A judge dismissed with prejudice the Department of Justice's Reflecting Pool vandalism case against former Olympian David Hearn. The judge warned that leaving the door open could expose Hearn to a "meritless, politically motivated prosecution" and what would "objectively" be harassment.
• Judge dismisses case against David Hearn with prejudice — Judge Todd E. Edelman dismissed the government's case against Olympian David Hearn with prejudice, meaning it cannot be resurrected. The government had accused Hearn of vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, although the contractors themselves acknowledged they were responsible for its torn lining. After the government acknowledged there was no merit in the prosecution, Trump continued to insist Hearn should be prosecuted. The judge stated the dismissal was necessary to protect Hearn from "what, objectively, would be harassment" from his own government and from the "extraordinary possibility that Mr. Hearn will nonetheless face a meritless, politically motivated prosecution."

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• Senate blocks Republican congressional stock-trading restriction bill — The US Senate voted 53–47 on Wednesday to block the Stop Insider Trading Act, a Republican bill that would have barred members of Congress, their spouses, and dependent children from buying individual stocks. Democrats opposed the measure, arguing it did not go far enough because lawmakers could retain existing holdings and reinvest dividends, and objected to bundled voter ID requirements they characterized as a "poison pill." The vote fell seven votes short of the 60 needed to advance debate.

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• Trump housing chief investigated Attorney General Todd Blanche's mortgage to pressure him into investigating Trump opponents — In 2025, Trump administration housing chief Bill Pulte looked into the mortgages of prominent Trump opponents including New York Attorney General Letitia James. According to officials who spoke to the Wall Street Journal, Pulte also investigated Attorney General Todd Blanche's mortgage while Blanche was deputy AG, in order to pressure him into more aggressively investigating Trump's opponents.

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• ProPublica investigation reveals bribery scheme involving Sen. Susan Collins and defense contractor Navatek — ProPublica published an investigation detailing allegations that Sen. Susan Collins steered millions in federal defense contracts to Navatek in exchange for illegal campaign contributions funneled through shell companies. Navatek CEO Martin Kao was indicted in 2022 for making illegal campaign contributions after the FBI discovered the scheme. Kao told the FBI the arrangement involved a pay-to-play operation spanning dozens of politicians. The FBI had assembled evidence for a sweeping bribery probe by end of 2024, but the investigation was halted after Trump returned to the White House and dismantled specialized FBI and DOJ public corruption units.
• FBI investigation into Senator Susan Collins shut down — ProPublica reported that the FBI had evidence Senator Susan Collins participated in a pay-to-play scheme, and that the investigation was shut down after Trump took office. The closure of the investigation into a sitting senator suggests potential interference with law enforcement independence and selective application of accountability.
• FBI anti-corruption investigators fired after investigating Senator Collins for pay-to-play scheme — ProPublica reported that the FBI's anti-corruption group was investigating Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, for a pay-to-play scheme in which defense contractor Navatek made illegal donations to her 2020 campaign and later received multimillion-dollar government contracts. When Trump returned to the White House in 2025, he fired the investigators building the case and largely stopped investigating public corruption. Collins's office admitted the campaign disgorged illegal contributions but denied knowledge of the arrangement, though emails suggest otherwise.
• FBI investigation into Senator Susan Collins' steering of defense contracts was halted after Trump purged public corruption unit — In 2020, the FBI launched an investigation into the relationship between a former defense contractor CEO and Senator Susan Collins' staff, with ProPublica reporting that "the senator's office steered government contracts worth millions toward the company while her campaign was pumping [the CEO] and his network for donations." After Trump began his second term in 2025, he purged the FBI unit working on public corruption investigations, effectively halting the probe.

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• Trump ally Joe diGenova resigns from DOJ investigation into alleged conspiracy against president — Joe diGenova, a longtime Trump ally appointed in April 2026 to lead a Department of Justice investigation into alleged conspiracy by former law enforcement and intelligence officials against Trump, resigned from the post after five months. DiGenova cited the time required to build solid cases. The investigation, based in Florida and targeting officials involved in Trump-related probes including the 2016 Russian interference assessment, had shown recent activity with grand jury subpoenas but produced no charges. His departure signals internal disagreement over the pace and viability of retribution cases.

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• DOJ investigates virus scientists including former COVID czar Fauci — Trump's Justice Department has been investigating several virus scientists, including former COVID czar Anthony Fauci, seeking phone, email, grant, payment records, and grand jury testimony. The investigation's status and scope remain unclear. Fauci is protected from federal prosecution for his official actions from 2014 to 2025 by a preemptive pardon issued by former President Joe Biden.

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• DOJ blocks civil rights charges against ICE officer Castro — A federal prosecutor working on the case informed lawyers for Julio Sosa-Celis that Justice Department officials had blocked the prosecutor's plans to bring civil rights charges against ICE officer Christian Castro for shooting Sosa-Celis. This represents an obstruction of potential accountability for the use of force against a civilian during immigration enforcement operations.

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• ICE officer Christian Castro indicted for false statements to investigators in shooting of Venezuelan man — Christian Castro, an ICE officer, was indicted by federal prosecutors on charges of making false statements to federal investigators regarding the January 2026 shooting of Julio Sosa-Celis in Minneapolis. Castro shot Sosa-Celis in the leg during "Operation Metro Surge," a Trump administration immigration enforcement operation. Castro had previously been charged in state court with assault and false reporting. A federal prosecutor's plans to bring civil rights charges against Castro were blocked by DOJ officials.

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• Texas Governor Abbott refuses to sign extradition warrant for ICE officer Castro — Texas Governor Greg Abbott refused to immediately sign an extradition warrant that would have surrendered ICE officer Christian Castro to Minnesota authorities for state charges of assault and false reporting related to the shooting of Julio Sosa-Celis. Castro was subsequently released from jail, obstructing Minnesota's prosecution.

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• Trump administration reassigns all USCIS anti-fraud officers to screen South African refugees and investigate alleged unlawful voters — The Trump administration has reassigned all Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate (FDNS) immigration officers at USCIS to two "high-priority" initiatives: screening South African refugees and investigating alleged noncitizen voters. Internal correspondence indicates USCIS cannot provide officers for asylum officer training in the near future. The refugee screening prioritizes South Africans, primarily Afrikaners, while the voter-screening initiative targets noncitizens alleged to have registered or voted. This diversion of anti-fraud personnel raises questions about whether routine asylum application screening has also slowed.
• Federal immigration officers reassigned to voter-data examination — Hundreds of officers in U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate were reassigned to examine voter data for possible noncitizen registrations, according to Washington Post reporting. Three former officials stated the reassignment caused regular work screening immigration applications for fraud and security threats to effectively halt. The administration stated it was lawfully cross-referencing voter information. Homeland Security Investigations also sought contractors capable of collecting and delivering voter-registration and voter-history files. The reassignment occurred less than three months before the November midterms.

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• Department of Justice refuses to comply with court order to release unredacted Epstein files — Judge Emmet Sullivan of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia held a status conference in Phang v. Blanche on Thursday, August 14. The lawsuit, filed by independent journalist Katie Phang, seeks unredacted versions of Epstein investigation documents that the Department of Justice has withheld in violation of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which Congress mandated be released by December 19, 2025. Sullivan had granted Phang's request in late June and ordered the DOJ to produce unredacted documents in July; the DOJ refused both times. When Sullivan asked if he would learn anything more from the government, DOJ lawyer Andrew Block answered affirmatively. Sullivan warned he had held prosecutors in contempt in the past and gave Phang's lawyers ten days to propose an order.

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• Trump orders investigations into weapons shortage leakers — According to Wall Street Journal reporting by Alexander Ward, Josh Dawsey, Lara Seligman, and Meridith McGraw, Trump ordered investigations into who has been leaking information about weapons shortages. Trump also called Deputy Secretary Feinberg to discuss speeding up production, with Hegseth joining the call. Vice President J.D. Vance separately contacted Republican senators to defend the administration's handling of the Iran war.
• Trump denies missile shortage reports and threatens leakers — On Thursday morning at 12:34 a.m., President Trump posted on social media denying the Reuters report, claiming the U.S. has "massive amounts" of munitions and that large quantities are being manufactured and shipped. Trump stated that "leakers" of what he called "treasonous statements" are "being hunted down" and that "long term jail sentences will be sought."

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• New Mexico sues DOJ for withholding Epstein investigation documents — New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez filed a lawsuit in US District Court for the District of Columbia against the Department of Justice and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, alleging the DOJ "stonewalled" the state's criminal investigation into Jeffrey Epstein's activities at Zorro Ranch near Santa Fe. Torrez had set a July 31 deadline for the DOJ to provide unredacted investigative records; the deadline passed without compliance. The lawsuit seeks a court declaration that the DOJ acted illegally, demands compliance with the Epstein transparency law and Touhy regulations, and requests costs and further relief.
• Complaint filed: State of New Mexico v. U.S. Department of Justice (D.D.C.) — New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez filed a complaint in federal district court against the Department of Justice and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, alleging that DOJ reneged on a 2019 agreement to share investigative materials related to Jeffrey Epstein's activity at Zorro Ranch in New Mexico. Torrez claims DOJ's rejection of a formal Touhy request for unredacted records—citing overbreadth, the Privacy Act, and protective orders—is pretextual and obstructs the state's ability to identify victims, witnesses, and potential unindicted co-conspirators. The complaint challenges the denial as arbitrary and capricious under the Administrative Procedure Act and seeks declaratory relief and an order compelling production of the requested records.
• Federal Judge Orders DOJ to Address Non-Compliance in Epstein Files Case — U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan has ordered the Department of Justice (DOJ) to address its non-compliance with previous court orders regarding the release of the Epstein files. The judge scheduled a status hearing for August 13, where the DOJ must explain its failure to provide documentation justifying redactions in the files. Sullivan criticized the DOJ for not substantiating claims that certain redacted names belong to victims and for not producing FBI interview notes as ordered. The DOJ's actions are under scrutiny as they have not met statutory requirements for transparency.
• New Mexico Attorney General Sues DOJ Over Epstein Investigation — The Attorney General of New Mexico has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Justice, accusing it of stonewalling the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. The lawsuit seeks to compel the DOJ to release information and cooperate with state-level inquiries into Epstein's activities and connections.
• New Mexico Sues DOJ for Access to Epstein Records — The state of New Mexico has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Justice (DOJ) seeking access to unredacted Jeffrey Epstein records. The complaint alleges that the DOJ is withholding documents crucial to the state's investigation into Epstein's alleged crimes at Zorro Ranch. The lawsuit accuses the DOJ of obstructing the investigation by not providing full access to the files, which could aid in holding Epstein's associates accountable.

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• Trump pressures attorney general nominee over abandoned anti-weaponization fund — When attorney general nominee Todd Blanche announced he would abandon Trump's controversial $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization fund" to secure Republican Senate support from John Cornyn and Thom Tillis, Trump responded by telling reporters he had "plenty of thoughts." Trump insisted his supporters should receive compensation from the justice department, claiming the fund "could have given them some solace," while maintaining the posture of a commentator with no power over the decision.

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• Blanche terminates Trump's $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund — Todd Blanche, as acting attorney general, issued a formal order late Sunday terminating Trump's $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" slush fund designed to compensate political allies who had been "targeted" by the justice department, including prosecutions of January 6 insurrectionists. The termination followed weeks of negotiations with Republican senators Thom Tillis and John Cornyn, who were blocking Blanche's nomination. Blanche had promised the Senate judiciary committee he would not pursue the payout fund.
• Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche releases documents claiming to rescind Trump's $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization fund" — Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche released two documents purporting to rescind Trump's $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization fund" and narrow a provision to retroactively protect only Trump, his two sons, and his company from tax audits. Legal experts questioned whether the documents are legally binding and expressed concern about loopholes that could allow the original orders to be reinstated. The move secured votes from holdout Republican senators for Blanche's confirmation as permanent attorney general.
• Acting Attorney General Rescinds Slush Fund Order — Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche rescinded the May 18, 2026, order that established a $1.776 billion slush fund for individuals claiming persecution by the Department of Justice under former President Joe Biden. The fund was perceived as a means to compensate those convicted of crimes related to the 2020 election overturn efforts. Blanche's order did not alter the existing nonprosecution order for Trump and his associates regarding tax returns filed before May 19, 2026.
• House Judiciary Committee Member Calls for Action — Jamie Raskin, the top-ranking Democratic member of the House Judiciary Committee, released a statement criticizing Blanche's actions and calling for six House Republicans to join Democrats in passing a discharge petition to stop the funding for convicted January 6 felons and Trump allies.

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• Fauci invokes Fifth Amendment and refuses to testify at Senate Covid hearing — Dr. Anthony Fauci, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and declined to answer questions at a Senate committee hearing on Covid-19 origins called by Kentucky Senator Rand Paul. Fauci stated Paul's goal was to embarrass, intimidate, and land him "behind bars." Paul responded by threatening a contempt vote and removing one of Fauci's attorneys from the room. The hearing became contentious, with Republican senators demanding apologies and attacking Fauci's credibility while Democrats defended him as a victim of harassment.
• Rand Paul announces intent to pursue contempt of Congress vote against Fauci — Following Fauci's invocation of the Fifth Amendment during the Senate hearing, Senator Rand Paul told reporters he intends to call a vote for contempt of Congress the following week in the committee on homeland security and governmental affairs. Paul stated there would be "repercussions" for Fauci's refusal to testify. Republican Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri joined in, asserting Fauci has no Fifth Amendment rights in this context and accused him of contempt for Congress and the American people.
• Rand Paul chairs Senate hearing on Covid origins; Fauci invokes Fifth Amendment and declines testimony — Dr. Anthony Fauci appeared before a Republican-led Senate committee hearing chaired by Senator Rand Paul, ostensibly to investigate Covid-19 origins. Fauci, citing his attorneys' advice and invoking the Fifth Amendment, declined to answer questions throughout the hearing. Paul had asserted that Fauci could bear responsibility for the pandemic due to NIH funding to the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Fauci characterized Paul's investigation as an "unhinged obsession." Paul indicated he intends to call a vote for contempt of Congress the following week.
• Republican senators attack Fauci's pandemic record and scientific credibility — Multiple Republican senators used the hearing to criticize Fauci on various grounds. Senator Ron Johnson accused Fauci of covering up unfavorable vaccine information, calling vaccines "experimental gene therapy." Senator Bernie Moreno demanded Fauci apologize for military vaccine mandates, pandemic business closures, and a mask-enforcement arrest, calling him a "total and complete disgrace." Senator Joni Ernst criticized use of aborted fetal tissue in research. Democratic Senator Gary Peters warned the hearing was scapegoating one official for a crisis involving hundreds of officials across administrations.
• Fauci invokes Fifth Amendment during Senate testimony — Dr. Anthony Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right during a Senate hearing led by Senator Rand Paul, where he faced aggressive questioning regarding his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fauci stated that he believed the hearing was aimed at vindicating Paul's public claims for his imprisonment, and he refrained from answering questions over 100 times.
• Senator Rand Paul subpoenas Fauci to testify — Senator Rand Paul, now chair of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, subpoenaed Dr. Anthony Fauci to appear before the committee. Fauci's lawyers noted Paul's history of calling for Fauci's imprisonment, which influenced Fauci's decision to invoke his Fifth Amendment rights during the testimony.
• Republicans continue to target Fauci amid political tensions — Republicans, including Senator Rand Paul, have intensified their attacks on Dr. Anthony Fauci, accusing him of lying about the origins of COVID-19 and calling for his arrest. This campaign has been fueled by the release of Fauci's private diary, which Republicans have used to further their narrative against him, despite a lack of evidence of wrongdoing.

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• House Judiciary Chair Jordan Urges Prosecution of Former Special Counsel Jack Smith — House Judiciary Committee chair Jim Jordan sent a letter to acting Attorney General Todd Blanche urging the Trump Justice Department to prosecute former special counsel Jack Smith, alleging he made false statements during closed-door testimony. Smith's lawyers countered that the referral reflects "a chilling eagerness to weaponize the justice system by attacking a career, nonpartisan public servant." The allegation centers on Smith's testimony regarding how his office obtained congressional text messages, with Republicans claiming he knowingly lied by not mentioning a NARA subpoena.
• House Judiciary Committee refers Jack Smith for criminal investigation — House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan referred former special counsel Jack Smith to the acting attorney general for alleged perjury, claiming Smith made false statements to Congress about access to lawmakers' phone records during testimony in December 2025 and January 2026. Jordan asserted that DOJ documents revealed Smith's team had access to text messages of 44 members of Congress, contradicting Smith's prior testimony that they only had "toll records." Smith's attorneys denied the allegations, characterizing the referral as weaponization of the justice system and retaliation for investigating Trump.

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• FBI Halts Investigations into ICE Confrontations — Federal agents were informed that the FBI is no longer investigating ICE confrontations, a decision made after multiple killings by federal officers in recent weeks. The move would severely impede evidence collection for potential prosecutions of agents. The DOJ and Department of Homeland Security publicly denied the change, claiming the FBI "will continue to investigate in accordance with agency policy."

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• Third immigrant death at Delaney Hall; DHS changes reporting policy — Federal officials announced that a third immigrant detained at New Jersey's Delaney Hall has died. Jose Chajon-Raxon experienced a medical emergency on July 19 and died in the hospital. DHS implemented a new policy to stop reporting the deaths of detainees released from federal custody, classifying Chajon-Raxon as "released from ICE custody" on July 22, despite his death occurring after that date. The policy change obscures the circumstances and frequency of detainee deaths.