Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Starlink and Starshield services restricted in Ukraine — Ukraine's access to Starlink and Starshield satellite communication systems was abruptly restricted without warning or explanation. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy stated the restrictions came from the U.S. government. Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied U.S. involvement, claiming SpaceX was responsible, while SpaceX and the White House blamed each other. The timing coincided with Trump's pressure on Ukraine not to attack Russian refineries and preceded intensive Russian aerial attacks on Ukrainian territory. Starshield's speed limitations rendered it unable to detect Russian missiles traveling above approximately 100 miles per hour.
• Elon Musk ordered Starlink slowdown during Ukrainian bombardment — The Wall Street Journal reported that Elon Musk ordered a slowdown of Starlink service during one of the worst bombardments of the war in Ukraine. Ukrainian forces lost control of their drones when Starlink slowed during the attack, impairing their defensive capability at a critical moment.

Supporting reports

• Judge Wilson rules California oil pipeline can continue operating under Trump's Defense Production Act order — Federal Judge Stephen Wilson ruled that the Sable offshore oil pipeline off Santa Barbara can continue operating, overriding California state opposition. The Trump administration invoked the Defense Production Act (DPA) in March 2026 to order the pipeline's reopening, citing national security and energy supply needs during the Iran war. Wilson found the DPA order pre-empts conflicting state law, including California's trespass claims. The judge fined Sable $1.5 million for violating a consent decree but allowed operations to proceed under federal oversight rather than state authority.
• Federal court upholds Defense Production Act order requiring Santa Ynez Pipeline operation against California state obstruction — The U.S. District Court for the Central District of California ruled that a Defense Production Act order issued by the Secretary of Energy preempts California state law and environmental challenges to the Santa Ynez Pipeline's operation. The court rejected California's motion for a preliminary injunction, held that federal law bars state trespass claims against pipeline operations, modified an existing consent decree to place pipeline safety oversight under federal rather than state authority, and clarified that state courts cannot enforce injunctions conflicting with federal directives. The Department of Justice announced the ruling as a victory for national energy security.

Supporting reports

• Trump DOJ announces $300m "Model Cities" policing grants with ideological conditions — The Trump administration's Department of Justice announced a "Model Cities Initiative" offering up to $300 million in federal policing grants to two to four cities with populations exceeding 100,000 residents. In exchange for funding, recipient cities must comply with federal immigration enforcement, adopt conservative anti-homelessness policies, and agree to reimburse the federal government for costs of future federal law enforcement interventions or national guard deployments. The initiative cites Memphis and Washington DC as models, despite documented officer-involved deaths in Memphis. Several Democratic-led cities have declined to apply.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration ends federal legal funding for unaccompanied immigrant children — The Trump administration severed ties with nearly 100 legal organizations providing immigration counsel and ended a federal contract providing legal representation to over 20,000 unaccompanied children, effective July 31, 2026. Federal officials refused to reimburse organizations for $65 million in completed work unless they violated client confidentiality by disclosing sensitive medical and immigration data. The cuts are forcing legal nonprofits into layoffs and closures, leaving children to face immigration court without attorneys. Experts warn children without counsel win relief less than 10% of the time and face expedited deportation proceedings.
• Legal representation contract for immigrant children expires; no-bid contract offered to Trump-connected firm — The Trump administration allowed a contract for legal representation of immigrant children to expire on July 31. The administration then offered a $150 million no-bid contract to a small Texas law firm with no experience in immigration law but with close ties to Trump. Following public outcry, the law firm declined the contract. The action left immigrant children without guaranteed legal representation during deportation proceedings.

Supporting reports

• Pentagon allocates $58.5bn to AI research under former Uber executive oversight — The Trump administration's defense budget allocates $58.5bn to artificial intelligence research, overseen by Emil Michael, former Uber executive and head of the Pentagon's research and engineering division. Michael, while in his first months in office, reportedly made millions in profits—between 400% and 4,800%—on his personal investment in Elon Musk's xAI company, creating a potential conflict of interest between his Pentagon role and private financial interests in AI ventures.
• Pentagon's Office of Strategic Capital allocates $20bn under private equity leadership — The Pentagon's Office of Strategic Capital, functioning as a private equity arm of the Department of Defense, is allocated $20bn in the Trump budget. The office is presided over by a former employee of Cerberus Capital, the private equity firm formerly headed by Deputy Secretary of Defense Stephen Feinberg. Last year, the office committed $620m to a mining company backed by a fund tied to Trump's son Donald Jr., exemplifying the blending of private equity interests with defense spending.

Supporting reports

• TSA privatizes airport screening at Des Moines and Tampa airports — Des Moines International Airport and Tampa International Airport have opted into the Transportation Security Administration's new privatization model for airport screening. This resurrects the pre-9/11 system in which individual airlines contracted with private security firms to screen passengers and baggage. Congress created the TSA after the September 11, 2001 attacks because the private system had demonstrated dangerous vulnerabilities.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration drains Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool again; awards repeat contracts without competitive bidding — Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced that crews were draining the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool for a second time to address algae blooms, peeling paint, and debris from Independence Day fireworks. The Trump administration plans to award the same contractors—Green Water Solutions ($1.7m) and Atlantic Industrial Coatings ($14.7m)—without seeking competitive bids. The project's estimated cost has exceeded $16m. Democratic lawmakers are investigating the pool's renovation, including questions about taxpayer funding and contractor selection practices.

Supporting reports

• National Design Studio builds copy of Login.gov federal sign-in gateway — The NDS built and operates a copy of Login.gov, the federal sign-in gateway used by more than 150 million Americans to access services from Social Security to tax filing. A former Doge engineer, Greg Hogan, was reportedly put in charge of the NDS's Login.gov version. The studio's voter-registration system uses this copied Login.gov to verify visitor identities. The General Services Administration (GSA), which operates the official Login.gov, stated that all personnel supporting Login.gov must comply with GSA policies and governance processes.
• National Design Studio builds passport-application portal outside State Department — The NDS built and operates passports.gov, a federal passport-application website now run from inside the White House rather than through the State Department's existing travel.state.gov portal. The studio's version collects identity information from passport applicants, carries no privacy notice, and had developer test code left running on the live page. The State Department confirmed it is "working closely with the White House" on the initiative but deferred additional questions to the White House.
• National Design Studio operates children's investment program website outside Treasury Department oversight — The NDS operates trumpaccounts.gov, the federal website for a children's investment program created in summer 2025 tax legislation. Although the Treasury Department is the registrant of record and administers the program, the website runs through the same White House-controlled commercial account as other NDS sites. The Treasury Department did not respond to requests for comment. The site collects sensitive financial and identity information from families enrolling children in the program.

Supporting reports

• New Jersey attorney general sued GEO Group over Delaney Hall conditions — New Jersey's attorney general filed suit against GEO Group to force health inspectors into Delaney Hall detention facility. The governor toured the facility. More than 80 people were arrested at solidarity protests outside. Lawmakers from two states demanded access. Some of the most vulnerable detainees were released, including an 18-year-old high school senior who spent nearly two months inside.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration awarded $103 million in federal contracts for 250th anniversary celebrations — Trump administration officials and allies seized funds Congress appropriated for celebrations honoring the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence signing and awarded nearly $103 million in federal contracts and grants to politicized entities under the control of Trump administration officials and political allies—nearly 80% of the $126 million total funding for the semiquincentenary celebrations. Private funding, including from corporations with issues pending before the administration, also poured money into Trump's events.

Supporting reports

• ICE refused Senator Kim access to detainees during congressional oversight visit — Senator Andy Kim visited Delaney Hall, an ICE detention center in Newark, New Jersey, to conduct congressional oversight. ICE and GEO Group, the private prison company operating the facility under federal contract, refused to allow Kim to speak with any detainees and restricted his ability to conduct his oversight duties. Kim observed a woman in apparent distress in a fetal position and reported that facility staff refused to disclose information about her condition. The facility has only one full-time doctor for hundreds of detainees.

Supporting reports

• Washington Post reported corporate donors to Trump ballroom project received federal contracts — A watchdog report detailed that more than half of the publicly identified corporate donors to Trump's White House ballroom project received new or expanded federal contracts worth collectively over $50 billion. Fourteen of 27 known corporate donors secured additional federal business following their contributions. Lockheed Martin received approximately $43.8 billion in new contracts; Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Palantir also received increased federal contracts. Many donating companies simultaneously faced federal enforcement actions that were eased or suspended under the Trump administration.
• Fourteen Trump ballroom project donors won over $50 billion in federal contracts — According to reporting by Jonathan Edwards of the Washington Post on June 4, 2026, fourteen of the twenty-seven known donors to Trump's $400 million ballroom project have won new or expanded federal contracts totaling over $50 billion since making their donations. The pattern suggests a direct correlation between donations to the president's personal project and receipt of federal contract awards.

Supporting reports

• Pentagon loan of $620 million pushed through for Trump Jr.-linked company — ProPublica reported that a top White House aide intervened to expedite a $620 million Pentagon loan for a small North Carolina startup linked to Donald Trump Jr. A person involved in the transaction told ProPublica: "The call came from the White House: We have to get this done." The company's valuation jumped from approximately $200 million to billions following the White House intervention, indicating the loan was granted on terms favorable to Trump family interests rather than merit-based criteria.
• Pentagon awarded $620 million loan to Trump Jr.-linked startup via White House request — ProPublica reported that the Pentagon awarded a $620 million loan to Vulcan Elements, a North Carolina startup linked to Donald Trump Jr., following a direct request from Peter Navarro, a White House adviser and friend of Trump Jr. The Pentagon and the company initially denied any political favoritism, with Trump Jr.'s spokesperson claiming he was not involved. However, interviews and DOD records show Navarro initiated the loan request, and Vulcan's was the only deal among dozens of Pentagon funding considerations that originated from a top presidential aide. Pentagon staff worked at an unusually rapid pace with minimal sleep to complete the loan in a matter of weeks after receiving the White House directive.
• Trump trade advisor pressures Pentagon to loan $620 million to company with Trump Jr. stake — Trump's trade advisor Peter Navarro personally pressured the Pentagon to loan $620 million to Vulcan Elements, a North Carolina startup in which Donald Trump Jr. holds a financial stake. The Pentagon invested $620 million in Vulcan, a rare-earth magnet company, and another $80 million in its partner ReElement. The Commerce Department provided $50 million in additional incentives, and the government took a $50 million stake in Vulcan. When Trump Jr.'s venture capital firm 1789 Capital invested in August 2025, Vulcan was valued at approximately $200 million; after government investments, the valuation jumped to around $2 billion.
• Pentagon Approves $620 Million Loan to Trump Jr. Company at White House Direction — ProPublica reported that a $620 million loan approved by the Pentagon to a company linked to Donald Trump Jr. was initiated by White House adviser Peter Navarro, with a Pentagon source stating, "The call came from the White House: We have to get this done." The loan was approved last year and represents a direct intervention by the White House in Pentagon contracting decisions.

Supporting reports

• Appeal filed — Institute for Applied Ecology v. Burgum (D. Or.) 6:25-cv-02364 — The government appealed the March 12, 2026, preliminary injunction to the Ninth Circuit (Case No. 26-3011 ).
• Complaint filed — Cultural Landscape Foundation v. U.S. Department of the Interior — The Cultural Landscape Foundation and Charles A. Birnbaum filed a complaint in D.D.C. challenging the National Park Service's decision to resurface the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool basin with vivid blue coating without following mandatory consultation and environmental review processes. The NPS awarded a $6.9 million no-bid contract in mid-April 2026 without completing required procedures under the National Historic Preservation Act and National Environmental Policy Act. Plaintiffs allege violations of the Administrative Procedure Act and seek injunctive relief, vacatur of agency decisions, and restoration of the pool's historic elements.
• Federal Lawsuit Filed Over Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool — A federal lawsuit has been filed concerning the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The details of the lawsuit have not been disclosed, but it involves federal oversight and management of the historic site. This legal action could have implications for federal property management and public access to national monuments.
• Former DOJ employees filed emergency lawsuit to halt Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool repainting — A litigation team of former DOJ employees filed an emergency lawsuit seeking to halt and reverse Trump's repainting of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The suit alleged that the administration engaged a swimming pool contractor to resurface the pool with vivid blue coating without following congressionally mandatory Section 106 procedures required for changes to historic properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The lawsuit noted the pool was a character-defining feature of the historic landscape and the site of the 1963 March on Washington. The contract was awarded as a $6.9 million no-bid deal to Atlantic Industrial Coatings, which had performed work at Trump's golf club in Sterling, Virginia.

Supporting reports

• Trump awarded no-bid contract for Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool repairs — Trump awarded a $6.9 million no-bid contract to Atlantic Industrial Coatings to reseal joints, waterproof, and paint the Reflecting Pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial. The company had never won a federal contract before but had worked at one of Trump's golf clubs. Trump bypassed the required competitive bidding and review process by invoking an exemption designed for emergencies, citing the need to complete work before the July 4, 2026 Declaration of Independence anniversary. The contract price is more than triple the $1.8 million Trump initially promised, and officials estimate the repairs will last 7–10 years rather than the 50 years Trump claimed.
• Cost of Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool project increased 88 percent to $13.1 million — According to New York Times reporting, the cost of Trump's plan to repair the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool jumped 88 percent to $13.1 million. Government records showed the price appeared to include a 20 percent profit margin for Trump's handpicked contractor, who received the job via no-bid contract.

Supporting reports

• Deputy Defense Secretary Feinberg consolidates control over Pentagon shipbuilding and acquisitions — Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg, a private-equity billionaire and close ally of Defense Secretary Hegseth, is consolidating control over shipbuilding and Navy acquisitions—roles traditionally held by the Secretary of the Navy. Feinberg is simultaneously overseeing the newly created Economic Defense Unit (EDU), which directs government investment in private defense contractors and has negotiated deals for the government to take equity stakes in those businesses.

Supporting reports

• Palantir's Maven AI system became official Pentagon program of record — Deputy Secretary of Defense Steve Feinberg announced in a letter to Pentagon leaders that Palantir's Maven AI system will become an official program of record, locking in long-term use of Palantir's weapons-targeting technology across the U.S. military.

Supporting reports

• DHS considers purchasing $70 million Boeing 737 for deportation flights and official travel — The Department of Homeland Security is reportedly considering purchasing a $70 million Boeing 737-8 Max aircraft for dual use: transporting immigration detainees on deportation flights and ferrying Trump administration officials. The plane features luxury amenities including a bedroom with queen bed, showers, kitchen, flat-screen TVs, and bar. DHS stated it would convert at least one bedroom for seating to accommodate deportation missions. Some DHS officials privately questioned the necessity, noting the plane's 18-passenger capacity is incompatible with typical ICE deportation flights carrying over 100 shackled detainees. The purchase requires Office of Management and Budget approval.

Supporting reports

• DHS/ICE announces $38.3bn warehouse-to-detention-center conversion plan across 24 facilities — US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) disclosed plans to acquire and retrofit 24 warehouses nationwide into immigration detention centers with capacity for tens of thousands of detainees. The plan includes 16 regional processing centers (1,000–1,500 capacity each) and 8 large-scale facilities (7,000–10,000 capacity) designated as "primary locations" for deportations. DHS estimates $158m to retrofit a Merrimack, New Hampshire facility and $146m to operate it over three years. The broader $38.3bn effort is intended to support mass deportations and is funded by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
• ICE expands facilities across United States — ICE has quietly and aggressively expanded across the United States in recent months, buying or leasing new facilities in nearly every state, many outside the country's largest cities but concentrated in Texas. DHS asked the General Services Administration to ignore competitive bidding rules and hide lease listings citing "national security concerns."
• ICE plans $38.3 billion detention center expansion — ICE officials are planning to spend $38.3 billion to buy warehouses across the country. ICE will retrofit sixteen of them to become processing centers that can hold 1,000 to 1,500 detainees at a time before funneling them into eight megacenters that can hold up to 10,000 detainees each.

Supporting reports

• CoreCivic revenue from ICE contracts more than doubled in 2025 — CoreCivic, a private prison company, reported that its revenue from ICE contracts more than doubled in 2025, rising from $120.3 million to $244.7 million. The company's overall profits spiked to $116.5 million, a 70% increase from the previous year. During a quarterly earnings call, investors expressed concern that ICE had not detained as many immigrants as expected, with detention levels at approximately 70,000 rather than the anticipated 100,000. CoreCivic projects even higher revenue for 2026.

Supporting reports

• Administration plans national detention warehouse system with seven mega facilities — The Trump administration is working to establish a national detention system that would book newly arrested detainees into processing sites before sending them to one of seven warehouses designed to hold 5,000 to 10,000 people each. Sixteen smaller warehouses would hold up to 1,500 people each. From these facilities, people would be deported. A DHS spokesperson stated the facilities would meet "regular detention standards."
• ICE Plans for New Detention Facilities Announced — The Department of Homeland Security has secured funding for new detention facilities, including a $87.4 million facility outside Philadelphia and a $37 million facility near San Antonio. These facilities are part of a broader plan to expand the capacity for immigrant detention across the United States.
• Increase in Immigrant Detention Numbers Reported — Following the implementation of the new mass detention policy, the number of immigrants held in U.S. detention facilities has surged from approximately 40,000 to over 70,000. This increase is attributed to the policy's expansion of the categories of noncitizens subject to detention, with facilities now numbering 224, which is 104 more than before the Trump administration took office.

Supporting reports

• Camp East Montana detention facility violates 60 federal detention standards — According to ICE's own oversight unit, Camp East Montana at Fort Bliss, Texas, has violated at least 60 federal standards for immigrant detention. The $1.24 billion contract was awarded to a small business that operates out of a residential address and has little to no publicly available record of managing immigration facilities.
• Death ruled homicide at Camp East Montana detention facility — A medical examiner ruled the death of detainee Geraldo Lunas Campos at Camp East Montana, a $1.2 billion detention facility located at Fort Bliss Army base in Texas, a homicide. The death occurred in January 2026. Two other detainees have also died at the facility: Victor Manuel Díaz, whose death in January remains unclear though officials claim it was "presumed suicide," and Francisco Gaspar Andrés, who died in December after being transported to an El Paso hospital for treatment of a serious medical condition.

Supporting reports

• DHS purchases three major detention facilities for $194.4 million — The Department of Homeland Security has secured at least three facilities for the detention warehouse system. DHS paid $87.4 million for one facility outside Philadelphia, $37 million for another outside San Antonio (a warehouse of nearly 640,000 square feet), and $70 million for a building the size of seven football fields in Surprise, Arizona, outside Phoenix. The total expenditure for these three facilities is $194.4 million.
• ICE purchased multiple warehouses nationwide to convert into large-scale detention camps with minimal oversight — Immigration and Customs Enforcement has spent over half a billion dollars purchasing warehouses across the country to convert into detention camps. The planned facilities would hold between 8,500 and 10,000 people each in buildings not originally designed for human habitation, making them larger than Rikers Island, the physically largest jail in the United States. ICE has purchased at least six warehouses at costs of $70–$110 million each, with billions more required for retrofitting and staffing. Recent purchases include warehouses in multiple states. Immigration attorney Aaron Reichlin-Melnick noted these mega-camps would operate with little to no real oversight.
• DHS and ICE acquire multiple large warehouse properties across six states for immigration detention expansion — The Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement have purchased or are planning to acquire approximately 23 warehouse-style properties nationwide, with confirmed acquisitions documented in Arizona (418,000 sq ft, $70M), Pennsylvania (520,000 sq ft, $87.4M), Texas (640,000 sq ft, $66.1M), Maryland (825,000+ sq ft, $102.4M), Texas near El Paso (over $122M), and Georgia. Additional proposals include a Mississippi facility designed to hold 8,500+ beds and a Texas site in Hutchins. The acquisitions bypass traditional approval processes by utilizing already-zoned industrial properties, enabling rapid expansion of detention and processing capacity.
• DHS and ICE Acquire Large Warehouses for Detention Expansion — The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have been acquiring large industrial warehouse properties across multiple states to expand immigration detention and processing capacity. Confirmed purchases include a 418,000-square-foot warehouse in Surprise, Arizona, a 520,000-square-foot facility in Upper Bern Township, Pennsylvania, a 640,000-square-foot site in San Antonio, Texas, an 825,000-square-foot warehouse in Washington County, Maryland, and a property in Socorro, Texas. These acquisitions are part of a broader strategy involving approximately 23 warehouse-style properties nationwide, as reported by the Washington Post.
• Oklahoma City warehouse owner terminates DHS detention facility negotiations following public opposition — A warehouse owner in Oklahoma City ended negotiations with the Department of Homeland Security for use as an ICE detention facility after public opposition and community scrutiny. The outcome demonstrates that local engagement and documentation can alter federal acquisition outcomes.
• DHS purchased six warehouse properties for detention infrastructure — Public records confirm that the Department of Homeland Security has purchased at least six massive warehouse properties across multiple states totaling hundreds of millions of dollars: Arizona (418,000 sq ft, $70M), Pennsylvania (520,000 sq ft, $87.4M), Texas (640,000 sq ft, $66.1M), Maryland (825,000+ sq ft, $102.4M), another Texas site ($122M+), and Georgia. Internal DHS planning documents describe a strategy involving approximately 23 warehouse-style properties nationwide. These industrial structures near highways, freight corridors, and airports are selected for logistical efficiency and rapid conversion into processing centers capable of handling large numbers of individuals simultaneously.

Supporting reports

• ICE launches $100 million "wartime recruitment" media campaign targeting ideological applicants for deportation enforcement — Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced a $100 million, one-year media blitz to recruit new agents for mass deportation operations. The campaign uses geofencing to target conservative radio listeners, gun enthusiasts, military followers, and men's interest audiences near military bases, NASCAR races, and gun shows. ICE offers up to $50,000 signing bonuses and $60,000 in student loan forgiveness. The agency has already received over 220,000 applications and made 18,000 tentative offers. Officials plan to spend $8 million on influencer partnerships to promote the immigration agenda to younger audiences.

Supporting reports

• ICE launches $100 million "wartime recruitment" targeting specific demographics — ICE announced a $100 million "wartime recruitment" strategy to hire thousands of new officers, targeting gun rights supporters, military enthusiasts, and listeners of right-wing radio shows. The agency directed ads to people near military bases, NASCAR races, gun shows, trade shows, and college campuses, and to those who have attended UFC fights or shopped for guns and tactical gear.
• ICE launches $100 million "wartime recruitment" media campaign targeting ideological applicants for deportation enforcement — Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced a $100 million, one-year media blitz to recruit new agents for mass deportation operations. The campaign uses geofencing to target conservative radio listeners, gun enthusiasts, military followers, and men's interest audiences near military bases, NASCAR races, and gun shows. ICE offers up to $50,000 signing bonuses and $60,000 in student loan forgiveness. The agency has already received over 220,000 applications and made 18,000 tentative offers. Officials plan to spend $8 million on influencer partnerships to promote the immigration agenda to younger audiences.
• ICE recruitment campaign with $50,000 signing bonuses — In July 2025, ICE expanded its workforce by offering new recruits $50,000 signing bonuses and pledges of patriotism. The recruitment drive reflected the Trump administration's commitment to expanding immigration enforcement capacity and making ICE a central component of its policing strategy.
• US House Representative Jamie Raskin expresses concern about ICE recruitment targeting extremist groups — In early 2026, US House Representative Jamie Raskin publicly expressed concern that ICE was using "white nationalist 'dog whistles'" in its recruitment campaign, seemingly targeting members of extremist militias including the Oath Keepers, Proud Boys, Three Percenters, and other far-right groups involved in the January 6, 2021 Capitol insurrection. Raskin noted that many of these individuals had subsequently received blanket clemency from Donald Trump, raising concerns about the ideological composition and extremist infiltration of ICE.