Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Supreme Court upholds Mississippi mail-in ballot counting rule — The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5–4 in Watson v. RNC that a Mississippi law allowing mail-in ballots to be counted if postmarked by and received within five days of Election Day does not violate federal law. The Court rejected the argument that federal law requires mail-in ballots to be received by Election Day itself.
• Supreme Court rejects RNC challenge to late-received mail-in ballots — The U.S. Supreme Court issued a 5-4 decision authored by Justice Barrett rejecting the Republican National Committee's challenge to state laws counting mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day but received after Election Day. The Court held that the Federal Election Day statute does not preempt state authority to count such ballots and that responsibility for the mechanics of elections belongs to the states by default. The RNC had sued Mississippi in Watson v. RNC, seeking to establish that "Election Day" means the date by which all ballots must be received, a theory the Court rejected.
• US Supreme Court upholds state law counting mail-in ballots arriving after election day — The US Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in Watson v. Republican National Committee that states may count mail-in ballots postmarked by election day even if they arrive within five business days afterward. Justice Amy Coney Barrett wrote the majority opinion, joined by Chief Justice Roberts and the three liberal justices, rejecting the RNC's challenge to Mississippi's law. The decision affirms state authority over election procedures and protects similar laws in fourteen states, Washington DC, and three territories. President Trump called the ruling a "tremendous loss" and renewed calls for the Save America Act.
• Justices uphold state law allowing for late-arriving mail-in ballots — The Supreme Court upheld a state law that permits mail-in ballots to be counted even if they arrive after Election Day, as long as they are postmarked by that day. This decision supports the state's efforts to ensure that all votes are counted, particularly in light of potential postal delays. The ruling is seen as a victory for voting rights advocates who argue that such measures are necessary to ensure fair and accessible elections.
• Supreme Court releases opinion in Watson v. Republican National Committee (24-1260) — The Supreme Court released an official slip opinion in Watson v. Republican National Committee. Docket number(s): 24-1260.
• Trump characterizes mail-in ballot ruling as enabling illegal voting — During an Oval Office press availability, Trump stated that the Supreme Court's mail-in ballot ruling was "a little bit surprising" and "very detrimental to honest elections" because it "gives people more time to vote illegally."
• US Supreme Court strikes down limits on coordinated party campaign spending — The US Supreme Court ruled in National Republican Senatorial Committee v Federal Election Commission that limits on "coordinated party expenditures" are unconstitutional, eliminating restrictions on how much political parties can spend in support of their candidates. The case originated from a 2022 lawsuit by JD Vance and Republican officials challenging the FEC's enforcement of these limits. The Trump administration supported the challenge; the FEC, lacking a quorum since April 2025, could not mount a full defense. The ruling continues a two-decade trend of dismantling campaign finance restrictions.
• Supreme Court rules in favor of unlimited coordinated political party spending — The Supreme Court issued a ruling permitting unlimited coordinated spending by political parties. The decision expands the scope of campaign finance by removing restrictions on coordination between parties and outside groups, potentially increasing the influence of wealthy donors and organized party structures in elections.

Supporting reports

• Virginia Supreme Court strikes down voter-approved congressional redistricting maps — Virginia's Supreme Court ruled 4-3 on May 8 that the state cannot use new congressional maps approved by voters in an April referendum. The court found that the Democratic-controlled state legislature violated the state constitution by passing the amendment creating the maps before early voting began in the 2025 general election, rather than following the required two-session approval process. The maps would have helped Democrats gain up to four House seats. The ruling nullifies the referendum result and restores the previous maps, benefiting Republicans ahead of November's midterm elections.
• Virginia Supreme Court struck down redistricting referendum — The Virginia Supreme Court issued a 4-3 decision invalidating a voter-approved redistricting referendum that had taken place on April 21, 2026. The court ruled that the legislature had not satisfied the constitutional requirement of passing the amendment through two consecutive legislative sessions with an election in between, finding that the first passage occurred while early voting was already underway in the 2025 statewide elections. The decision overturned the will of approximately 3 million Virginians who voted in the referendum.
• Virginia Supreme Court struck down new congressional maps — The Virginia Supreme Court struck down the state's new congressional maps, which had been narrowly approved by voters in an April referendum, ruling that the constitutional amendment was submitted by the legislature "in an unprecedented manner." The new map would have paved the way for Democrats to win as many as four additional House seats in the midterm elections. The court's decision blocked a voter-approved redistricting reform.
• Virginia Supreme Court struck down voter-approved redistricting referendum — The Virginia state supreme court, voting 4–3 along partisan lines, struck down a referendum approved by Virginia voters on April 21, 2026, that would have created a temporary new congressional district map to gain four additional seats for Democrats and counter Republican gerrymandering. Voters had approved the measure in response to gerrymandering imposed by Republican legislators in Texas, Ohio, Tennessee, Missouri, North Carolina, and Florida, which is expected to gain Republicans an additional 14 seats nationally. The court ruled that the process of passing the referendum violated the state constitution. The decision occurred in the context of Trump's low job approval ratings (low 30s), public anger over rising prices, frustration with the Iran war, and dislike of the administration's attacks on immigrants. Trump posted on social media celebrating the decision as a "huge win for the Republican Party."

Supporting reports

• Tennessee repealed 1972 law prohibiting mid-decade redistricting — To enable the new congressional map, Tennessee lawmakers repealed a 1972 state law that prohibited mid-decade redistricting. Gov. Bill Lee signed the repeal approximately one hour after it cleared the Republican supermajority. The repeal was necessary to make the rapid redistricting legally possible and was enacted during a special session whose stated purpose did not include redistricting reform, according to legal challenges filed by the NAACP Tennessee State Conference.
• Tennessee repealed law prohibiting mid-decade redistricting — As part of the special legislative session, Tennessee's Republican supermajority repealed the state's longstanding law that prohibited redistricting between census cycles. The legislature also removed the requirement that election officials notify voters by mail if redistricting changed their polling places or precincts.
• Tennessee legislature enacts new congressional map eliminating majority-Black Memphis district — Tennessee's Republican-controlled legislature enacted a new congressional map on May 7, 2026, that carves up the state's only majority-Black congressional district centered in Memphis, splitting it across three Republican-leaning districts. Gov. Bill Lee called a special session on May 5, the legislature repealed a state law prohibiting mid-decade redistricting since 1972, drew the new map, and passed it on May 7. Lee signed it into law the same day. The action followed the Supreme Court's April 29 ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, which weakened Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act protections for voters of color in redistricting cases.
• Tennessee Republicans approved congressional map dismantling majority-Black district — On May 7, Tennessee Republican lawmakers approved a new congressional map that splits Black voters in Memphis and Shelby County across three majority-white districts stretching hundreds of miles into central Tennessee, dismantling the state's only majority-Black congressional district. The map was unveiled only 24 hours before the vote. To enable mid-decade redistricting, lawmakers first repealed a 1972 state law prohibiting it; Gov. Bill Lee signed the repeal within an hour. The ACLU and civil-rights groups argue the map constitutes intentional racial discrimination and dilutes Black voting power, though Republican leaders defend it as partisan rather than racial redistricting.
• Tennessee Republicans passed new congressional map carving majority-Black Memphis into three Republican districts — On May 7, Tennessee's Republican supermajority passed a new congressional map that splits Shelby County (majority-Black Memphis) across three Republican-controlled districts, weakening the political power of the state's only majority-Black congressional district. The legislature also repealed its longstanding law prohibiting mid-decade redistricting and removed the requirement that election officials notify voters of redistricting changes. Gov. Bill Lee signed the map into law the same day. Protesters filled the state Capitol; state troopers cleared the House gallery; Democratic lawmakers walked out. The NAACP Tennessee State Conference filed an emergency lawsuit in Davidson County Chancery Court within three hours to block the map.
• Tennessee weakened voter-notice requirements for redistricting changes — The redistricting package weakened direct voter-notice requirements. County election officials will no longer be required under state law to directly notify voters by mail when redistricting changes affect their polling-place assignments, though separate funding was included to reimburse counties that choose to send notices. The Secretary of State's office announced a special qualifying period for U.S. House candidates through noon on May 15, and local reporting indicates the new districts bring changes for some voters and candidates.
• Tennessee legislature cracked Memphis into three districts, diluting Black voting power — The Tennessee legislature, in emergency special session called by Governor Bill Lee, repealed its own law prohibiting mid-decade redistricting and then cracked Memphis—where 60 percent of residents are Black—into three districts. This diluted Black voting power by swamping Black voters with white suburban voters. The action targeted Tennessee's only Democratic member of Congress, who represented Memphis.
• Tennessee legislature redraws congressional maps to eliminate majority-Black 9th District — The Tennessee state legislature voted to redraw congressional district maps, cracking the city of Memphis into three pieces and joining them to white suburbs, thereby converting all state districts to Republican seats. This action directly eliminated the majority-Black 9th Congressional District, stripping Black voters of effective representation. The redistricting followed the Supreme Court's April 29 decision in Louisiana v. Callais, which struck down race-conscious district creation under the Voting Rights Act, triggering a wave of Republican-led redistricting nationwide to eliminate Democratic representation.
• Tennessee governor signed new congressional map into law — Gov. Bill Lee signed the new congressional redistricting map into law on May 7, the same day the Republican supermajority passed it. The map redraws the state's only Democratic-held U.S. House seat (Tennessee's 9th District, held by Rep. Steve Cohen and rooted in majority-Black Memphis) by splitting Shelby County across three Republican-leaning districts.
• Tennessee Republicans redrew congressional maps eliminating Democratic district — Tennessee Republicans redrew the state's congressional maps behind closed doors with the explicit goal of eliminating the single Democratic congressional district in the state. The new map breaks up the state's only Black-majority district. Democratic Representative Justin Pearson confronted the Sergeant at Arms who was blocking the door during the redistricting process and was ultimately escorted out by state troopers.

Supporting reports

• US Supreme Court expedites Voting Rights Act ruling to allow Louisiana congressional map redraw before midterms — The US Supreme Court accelerated its judgment in a case striking down Louisiana's congressional map and gutting Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, allowing the ruling to take effect immediately rather than after the standard 32-day waiting period. The expedited ruling came at Louisiana's request and provides legal cover for the state's decision to cancel its May 16 primary election and redraw maps before the general election in six months. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented sharply, arguing the court departed from its usual procedure and was improperly influencing the implementation of its own ruling.

Supporting reports

• AI industry funds Innovation Council led by January 6 operative to boost MAGA candidates — The AI industry has hired Taylor Budowich, a key operative in efforts to overturn the 2020 election, to lead the Innovation Council, a new group planning to spend $100 million to boost Republican candidates in the 2026 midterms. Budowich previously directed over $200,000 in advertisements to build crowds for the January 6, 2021 attack and founded MAGA Inc., Trump's main Super PAC. The Innovation Council is organized as a nonprofit to avoid disclosing donors or filing with the Federal Election Commission, maintaining donor anonymity through complex organizational structures.
• Leading the Future PAC spent more on attacking Democrat than supporting Democrats — Leading the Future, a pro-AI PAC that raised over $125 million and claims to be bipartisan, has spent approximately $2.9 million supporting Republicans and $2.5 million supporting Democrats. However, the PAC's Democratic affiliate, Think Big, spent $2.3 million attacking Democrat Alex Bores running for Congress in New York. The Democrats supported by the PAC, Jesse Jackson Jr. and Melissa Bean, are running in historically blue Illinois districts where Republican candidates are unlikely to win.
• Leading the Future pledged $5 million to support Byron Donalds' gubernatorial campaign — Leading the Future, the pro-AI PAC claiming bipartisan support, pledged to spend $5 million in support of Representative Byron Donalds' (R-FL) campaign for Florida Governor. This spending was reportedly an effort to solidify the PAC's relationship with the White House, demonstrating how corporate political spending is used to maintain access and influence with the Trump administration.
• Innovation Council created pages describing AI concerns as "hoaxes" — The Innovation Council, led by Taylor Budowich, created a series of web pages that describe concerns about AI job displacement, data center energy use, and safety as "hoaxes." The pages were later taken offline but were indexed by the Bing search engine. The group's public website features materials created by the Trump White House.
• Meta created multiple Super PACs with $65 million in funding — Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, created multiple new pro-AI Super PACs: Mobilizing Economic Transformation Across (Meta) California, which received $20 million, and the American Technology Excellence Project (ATEP), which received $45 million. While Meta indicated the PACs would support bipartisan candidates, the ATEP appears to favor Republicans, with spending concentrated in Illinois and Texas. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg was appointed to Trump's President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, and Meta donated $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund.
• Andreessen appointed to Trump's science advisory council after major political donations — Marc Andreessen, a cofounder of Andreessen Horowitz, was appointed to Trump's President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. Andreessen and his partner Ben Horowitz each donated $12.5 million to Leading the Future, a pro-AI PAC, and both had previously donated millions to a Super PAC supporting Trump in the 2024 election. Andreessen's appointment follows this pattern of corporate political investment followed by executive branch access.

Supporting reports

• Trump pressure campaign for mid-decade congressional redistricting — Trump initiated a White House pressure campaign to redraw congressional districts mid-decade to create Republican-friendly maps ahead of the 2026 midterms. Texas responded by drawing five additional Republican districts; California advanced a ballot measure for five Democratic districts in response. Federal courts blocked Texas's maps, and the Supreme Court will review the decision. Some Republican and Democratic state lawmakers have resisted the pressure, citing concerns about partisan gerrymandering, legal risks, and democratic norms. Trump threatened Indiana legislators with primary challenges if they did not support redistricting.
• Trump threatened Indiana state senators with primary challenges over redistricting — Trump posted on Truth Social on an unspecified date (referenced as "Tuesday" in the article) threatening Indiana state senators who did not support mid-decade redistricting. He stated he would ensure supporters won their primaries and achieve "Greatness," but warned that those who refused would face primary challenges from "MAGA Grassroots Republicans." Some Indiana legislators who opposed redistricting subsequently experienced swatting attacks.
• Trump pressured Indiana to redraw congressional map for partisan gain — Trump, with support from Indiana Governor Mike Braun, has vowed to back primary challengers against Republican state legislators blocking a redistricting plan designed to gain two GOP seats and help the party hold its House majority in the 2026 midterm elections. An unnamed Indiana legislator told The Atlantic he fears his house could be firebombed if he speaks out against the plan, illustrating the intimidation climate surrounding the redistricting effort.
• Indiana State Senator Michael Bohacek announced opposition to redistricting after Trump's ableist remarks — Indiana State Senator Michael Bohacek announced he will vote against the redistricting plan after Trump called Minnesota Governor Tim Walz a "retard" in a Thanksgiving post. Bohacek, who has advocated for people with intellectual disabilities since his daughter was born with Down Syndrome, stated that Trump's repeated use of derogatory language has consequences and will influence his vote.

Supporting reports

• Musk's campaign contributions raise concerns — Elon Musk has contributed over $20 million to the upcoming Wisconsin Supreme Court election, which has national significance due to its potential impact on voting rights and redistricting.
• Musk's Financial Contributions to Republican Candidates — Elon Musk has contributed over $20 million to the April 1 election for a Wisconsin Supreme Court seat, where his support is seen as an effort to influence the court's composition. His financial backing is part of a broader strategy to support Republican candidates in key elections.
• Wisconsin supreme court election featuring record spending by Elon Musk and allies — Wisconsin held a supreme court election on March 30, 2025, to fill a retiring liberal justice's seat. Liberal judge Susan Crawford faced conservative judge Brad Schimel. The race became the most expensive judicial election in U.S. history, with over $80 million spent. Elon Musk's Super PAC spent more than $20 million supporting Schimel, including a controversial $1 million giveaway offer that Wisconsin's Democratic attorney general sued to stop. The election will determine control of a court ruling on abortion, voting rights, and congressional redistricting in the swing state.
• Elon Musk distributed $2 million to Wisconsin voters in exchange for petition signatures — On March 30, billionaire Elon Musk gave away two checks for $1 million each to individuals who attended his rally for Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Brad Schimel and signed a petition against "activist judges." Musk circumvented Wisconsin law prohibiting exchange of items of value for voting by claiming the checks were for "spokesperson agreements." Video evidence linked one recipient's vote directly to Musk's payment, with the recipient stating she did "exactly what Elon Musk told everyone to do: sign the petition, refer friends and family, vote, and now I have a million dollars." The second $1 million check went to the chair of the Wisconsin College Republicans, who has worked for Republican campaigns.
• Elon Musk spent nearly $20 million on Wisconsin Supreme Court race and held rally — Billionaire Elon Musk invested approximately $20 million in support of Brad Schimel's Wisconsin Supreme Court candidacy. On March 30, Musk traveled to Wisconsin and held a rally for Schimel, where he stated the election could determine "the future of America and Western Civilization" and warned that a court with opponent Susan Crawford would redraw gerrymandered districts and "add seats for Democrats." Musk's spending and rhetoric framed a state judicial election as a national existential contest.
• Appellate court declined to block Musk's million-dollar giveaways in Wisconsin election — An appellate court declined to hear an emergency request filed by Wisconsin AG Josh Kaul to block Elon Musk from handing out million-dollar giveaways in an attempt to buy votes in the state's key Supreme Court election scheduled for Tuesday. The court stated that Kaul had not filed or supported his motion properly, forcing them to deny the request.
• Brad Schimel distanced himself from Musk's election interference — Republican candidate Brad Schimel, facing backlash over Musk's vote-buying scheme in Wisconsin's Supreme Court election, suddenly decided to distance himself from Musk. When asked if he would be at Musk's rally where he was handing out two separate million-dollar checks, Schimel responded: "We have no plans to be there. We have a very aggressive campaign calendar. I have no idea what he's doing. I have no idea what this rally is."
• Kid Rock endorsed Brad Schimel in Wisconsin Supreme Court election — Kid Rock endorsed Republican candidate Brad Schimel in the Wisconsin Supreme Court election this weekend.
• Elon Musk distributes $1 million checks to petition signers opposing judges — After the Wisconsin State Supreme Court refused to hear a challenge to Elon Musk's lottery, Musk handed out two $1 million checks to voters who signed a petition opposing "activist" judges. The distribution occurred on March 30 and appears designed to reward political opposition to judicial decisions.
• Elon Musk held rally for Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Brad Schimel — Elon Musk held a rally in Wisconsin supporting Supreme Court candidate Brad Schimel, where he made hyperbolic claims about the stakes of the election and responded to protesters by claiming George Soros paid them to attend. Musk stated that if his candidate did not win, human civilization would end. The rally featured paid attendees, each compensated $100 by Musk to be present.
• Musk announced $1 million payment scheme for Wisconsin Supreme Court election — Elon Musk announced a vote-buying scheme offering $1 million payments to individuals who help mobilize voters for Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Brad Schimel. The first recipient was identified as the President of the Wisconsin College Republicans. Musk claimed winners were selected randomly by lottery, though no independent observers were present during the selection process.
• Musk announced $20 payment scheme for Wisconsin Supreme Court election — At 3:25 AM, Elon Musk announced a new payment scheme offering $20 per person to individuals who could recruit Wisconsin voters to hold pictures of Brad Schimel and give a thumbs-up gesture, with participants potentially earning over $1,000 per day. The scheme did not require participants to be Wisconsin residents, only to recruit people within the state.

Supporting reports

• Elon Musk's PACs spent $12 million on Wisconsin Supreme Court race with $20 million expected — Elon Musk's political action committees have spent $12 million supporting Republican Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Brad Schimel, with an expected total of $20 million by election day. Musk is also buying votes by offering to pay people $100 to "sign a petition" against "activist judges," replicating a strategy used in Pennsylvania and other key states. Trump has made multiple posts on Truth Social promoting Schimel and attacking his Democratic opponent Susan Crawford. Schimel's opponent is using Musk's involvement to her advantage, running ads stating "Elon Musk is trying to buy Schimel a seat on the Supreme Court."
• Elon Musk attempted to influence Wisconsin Supreme Court election through financial intervention — Elon Musk made an attempt to buy influence in the Wisconsin Supreme Court election through financial means. The election is described as the most expensive judicial race in history and will determine abortion laws and legislative and congressional district lines. The intervention represents private wealth attempting to shape judicial outcomes on major policy questions.
• Elon Musk's PAC spent $19 million on Wisconsin Supreme Court election and paid voters — Elon Musk's political action committee spent $19 million supporting the Republican candidate in the Wisconsin Supreme Court election, which will determine the court's ideological balance. The PAC also paid Wisconsin residents $100 each to sign a petition against "activist judges" and announced $1 million prize awards to incentivize petition signatures, with additional million-dollar awards planned.
• Elon Musk offers million-dollar payments to Wisconsin voters — Elon Musk advertised a contest offering two Wisconsin voters $1 million each in exchange for signing a petition against "activist judges" in the Wisconsin Supreme Court election. The offer violated Wisconsin law prohibiting offering anything worth more than $1 to induce voting or refraining from voting. After Wisconsin Democrats identified the violation, Musk deleted the original tweet and reposted it, removing language requiring voters to have already voted and instead offering checks to petition spokespeople. Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul sued to stop Musk from making any payments to Wisconsin electors to vote.
• Elon Musk contributes $20 million to Wisconsin Supreme Court election — Elon Musk contributed more than $20 million to the April 1, 2025 election for a ten-year seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Trump loyalist Brad Schimel is running against circuit court judge Susan Crawford. The election has national significance because Wisconsin's court composition determines whether voting rules are suppressed and districts are gerrymandered. Currently, the Republican gerrymander gives Republicans 75% of Wisconsin's U.S. House seats despite nearly even statewide voting. The court's makeup will likely determine Wisconsin's congressional districts through 2041.