Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Anonymous false CPS report filed against Pete Buttigieg, triggering family separation — An anonymous caller filed a meritless report with Michigan Child Protective Services alleging that Pete Buttigieg, former US transportation secretary, had committed violent crimes. The report, which police determined was false and unsubstantiated, prompted CPS and police to investigate. Buttigieg and his husband were required to separate from their four-year-old twins for 24 hours while the allegation was investigated. Buttigieg characterized the incident as a "politically motivated hoax" and "swatting" directed at his family, and stated his intent to pursue civil or criminal charges.

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• Trump administration directs CDC to impose new funding priorities deprioritizing harm reduction and overdose prevention — The Trump administration directed the CDC to inform state, territorial, tribal, and local health programs that they must align with new federal priorities within five business days or face potential funding cancellation. The new priorities deprioritize proven overdose-prevention methods like harm reduction and housing-first programs, prioritize "parental authority" in education (signaling potential pressure on school vaccine mandates), and emphasize reducing "public disorder." Public health experts warn the move will worsen the opioid crisis and represents political interference in evidence-based public health.

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• Trump administration pauses refugee admissions except for white South Africans — Since taking office, the Trump administration has paused nearly all refugee admissions except for white South Africans and has worked to reshape the refugee system to favor English speakers and white Europeans. The administration has also stopped processing immigration applications for people from 39 countries largely in Africa and the Middle East, including applications for green cards and asylum.

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• Rep. Tom Emmer made anti-Somali remarks at Faith and Freedom Coalition — Representative Tom Emmer (R-MN), the third-ranking Republican in the House, stated at a Faith and Freedom Coalition town hall in Washington that Somalis "don't assimilate" and "should go the hell back to where they came from." Emmer declared he was "done being careful" about such statements, marking a dramatic shift from his 2016 position praising Somali assimilation.

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• Silicon Valley billionaires file counter-ballot measures opposing wealth tax — Tech billionaires, led by Google co-founder Sergey Brin ($82 million spent) and crypto billionaire Chris Larsen ($13.2 million spent), successfully placed two counter-initiatives on California's November ballot designed to block the wealth tax. One measure would prohibit new taxes on individually owned assets and bar retroactive taxation; the other would require audits of voter-initiative-funded programs and prohibit new state taxes after January 1, 2026. The spending represents an unprecedented campaign finance effort to defeat the wealth tax through ballot manipulation.

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• House committee issues subpoenas to Leon Black over Epstein nondisclosure agreements — During a voluntary transcribed interview before the House Oversight and Reform Committee on Friday morning, billionaire financier Leon Black refused to answer questions about nondisclosure agreements allegedly connected to Jeffrey Epstein. Committee Chair James Comer (R) and ranking member Robert Garcia (D) stated that Black's refusal to discuss the NDAs was obstructive. Comer issued two subpoenas: one demanding Black produce any NDAs and another requiring him to appear for a deposition next month. Black's legal team characterized the committee's action as a "political stunt," asserting Epstein had no involvement with any NDAs.

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• White House issues fact sheet celebrating Supreme Court TPS termination ruling and listing 60 immigration enforcement actions — The White House issued a fact sheet on June 26, 2026, announcing that the Supreme Court had upheld the Trump Administration's authority to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian migrants. The document frames this as a victory for "American sovereignty" and lists 60 actions taken as part of what it characterizes as the "largest and most aggressive immigration enforcement effort in American history," including expanded ICE workforce, accelerated deportations, border wall construction, visa restrictions, and denaturalization efforts.

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• Complaint filed — Democracy Forward Foundation v. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services — Democracy Forward Foundation, a nonprofit government transparency organization, filed a FOIA lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on June 26, 2026, challenging the government's failure to produce records concerning the Trump administration's denaturalization program. DFF had submitted multiple FOIA requests to USCIS and three DOJ components (Civil Division, Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, and Office of Information Policy) between January and April 2026, seeking internal communications, inter-agency coordination records, and agency policies relating to revocation of naturalized citizenship. DFF alleges violations of FOIA and seeks a court order compelling production of non-exempt records, a Vaughn index, an injunction against continued withholding, and attorneys' fees.

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• Speaker Johnson pledged to shield Trump administration from congressional oversight — Speaker of the House Mike Johnson spoke before Trump on June 26, 2026 and stated that if Republicans lose the midterm elections, Democrats will turn every congressional committee into an investigative body and target the president's family, cabinet, donors, and friends. Johnson stated: "I run the protection program. We'll take care of you," pledging to ensure that corruption and criminality in the Trump administration would be covered up by him and his committee chairs.

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• Trump addresses Faith & Freedom Coalition, attacks Democrats as "godless communists" — President Trump spoke at the Faith & Freedom Coalition's Road to Majority conference in Washington on Friday, seizing on Democratic primary wins by progressive candidates backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to portray Democrats as communists threatening Christianity and "traditional American way of life." Trump claimed communists want to "mutilate" transgender children, "restart the war on Christians," and that assassinations are "a very important element of their ideology." House Speaker Mike Johnson echoed the messaging, listing alleged radical positions of leftwing candidates running for Congress.
• Trump called Democratic opponents "animals" and "communists" — At a Faith and Freedom Coalition convention in Washington, Trump called Democratic political opponents "hard core, godless communists" and "animals," framing them as a "horrible thread of cancer" permeating the country. The rhetoric was deployed as midterm messaging following Democratic primary victories by progressive candidates in New York.
• Trump launched midterm campaign theme attacking Democrats as communists — Trump delivered a speech on June 26, 2026 launching a new midterm election theme characterizing Democrats as communists and framing the election as necessary to prevent a communist takeover of America. Trump based his premise on candidates endorsed by New York state legislator Zohran Mamdani who won their primary elections. Trump stated that communists are "godless," will "close your churches," and want to "end religion," and characterized them as "animals." Trump also made statements suggesting he would be "the greatest communist in history" if he implemented free rent and free food policies.

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• Senator Wyden accuses HHS of planning expedited removal of 500+ migrant children without statutory authority — Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) sent a letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. alleging the Department of Health and Human Services is preparing to deport more than 500 unaccompanied migrant children in federal custody using an "unprecedented legal framework" lacking statutory authority. The children, classified as category 4 (no identified US sponsor), have been in long-term foster care for at least 180 days and many have legal representation. Wyden warned the effort bypasses due process and coincides with a June 30 deadline for immigration courts to conclude cases, potentially evading judicial oversight.

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• Trump instructs DOJ to investigate oil companies for alleged price gouging — Donald Trump announced via social media post on Tuesday night that he had instructed the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate oil companies for alleged price gouging, claiming they are not lowering gas prices at the pump proportionally to drops in wholesale oil costs amid Middle East conflict. Trump stated "customers are being 'gouged'" and demanded gas prices fall faster. No further investigation details have been released since the announcement.
• Trump directs Justice Department to investigate oil companies for price gouging — Just after midnight, Trump posted that "big Oil Companies" are not dropping gas prices quickly enough and accused them of price gouging. He stated he had directed the Justice Department to "start looking into this" and warned that gasoline prices must drop faster. The post reflects Trump's concern about economic conditions ahead of midterm elections.

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• California Secretary of State certifies billionaire tax ballot measure — California's Secretary of State certified a ballot measure proposing a one-time 5% wealth tax on billionaires, after the initiative gathered more than double the required signatures. The measure, backed by the SEIU-UHW union and championed by progressives including Senator Bernie Sanders, would apply retroactively to California residents worth over $1 billion as of January 1, 2026, with revenue directed to food assistance, education, and healthcare. Governor Newsom opposed the measure throughout, including failed last-minute negotiations to reduce the tax to 2%.
• California billionaire tax measure qualifies for November ballot — California's controversial billionaire tax measure officially qualified for the November 2026 general election ballot after an expensive campaign. The measure faced significant opposition from wealthy individuals and Silicon Valley interests who spent millions to derail it. The effort will continue through November, with further spending expected from tech industry opponents seeking to prevent the measure's passage.

Supporting reports

• Trump commissioned 250-foot Triumphal Arch in Washington, D.C. — Trump commissioned a 250-foot Triumphal Arch in Washington, D.C., claiming he could finance it with surplus funds from his ballroom fundraising. A New York Times analysis found that Trump's 18 major construction projects during his second term carry a potential cost exceeding $1 billion, with significant taxpayer expense despite claims of private funding.
• Trump's construction projects carry over $1 billion in taxpayer costs — A New York Times analysis revealed that Trump's 18 major construction projects undertaken during his second term—including an East Wing ballroom, Kennedy Center renovations, National Garden of American Heroes, Lafayette Park, Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, and others—carry a potential cost exceeding $1 billion, with significant taxpayer expense despite Trump's claims of private funding.

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• Rep. Luna refused to reopen House floor pending Senate return — Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) announced she would not vote to reopen the House floor until the Senate returned to Washington to act on the SAVE Act. Luna criticized Senate Majority Leader Thune for obtaining unanimous consent to adjourn, saying "Thune is running and hiding."
• Rep. Luna shut down House floor over SAVE Act demand — Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) shut down the House floor, preventing any legislation from being brought up, because the Senate had not acted on the SAVE Act. Luna froze the House despite the fact that shutting down the floor does not accomplish anything in the Senate. Speaker Mike Johnson was unable to pass a rule or bring any legislation to a vote.

Supporting reports

• Federal judge blocks Trump administration's executive order restricting mail-in voting — US District Judge Indira Talwani ruled unconstitutional an executive order issued by Trump on March 31, 2026, requiring the postal service to implement a barcode tracking system for ballot envelopes tied to citizenship data. The order would have denied mail-in ballots to states refusing to submit voter rolls to federal officials. Voting rights groups, 23 states, and DC sued to block the rule, arguing the Constitution grants no presidential authority over election administration. The injunction prevents the administration from creating a federal program to control state voter rolls or prosecuting states for non-compliance, though states may voluntarily participate.
• Federal judge blocks Trump executive order requiring voter citizenship documentation — US District Court Judge Denise Casper in Massachusetts ruled on June 25, 2026, that Trump's executive order mandating documentary proof of citizenship for voter registration was unconstitutional. The order would have required voters to present passports, birth certificates, or similar documents. Casper found that the Constitution grants the President no specific powers over elections, which are primarily governed by states and Congress. None of the order's provisions had been implemented before the ruling.
• Summary judgment ruling — State of California v. Trump (D. Mass.) 1:26-cv-11581 — Judge Talwani granted Plaintiffs' motion for summary judgment, declaring Sections 2 and 3 of Executive Order 14399 - which directed DHS to compile “State Citizenship Lists” of eligible voters from federal databases and directed USPS to maintain “Mail-In and Absentee Participation Lists” and refuse delivery of mail ballots from voters not on those lists - legally void as ultra vires and unconstitutional violations of the separation of powers. The court held that voter eligibility is reserved exclusively to the states under the Constitution and that no federal statute delegates to the president or USPS any authority over mail-in ballot delivery. The court permanently enjoined defendant agencies from implementing those provisions with respect to the Nov. 3, 2026 general election and any earlier federal elections in Plaintiff States. The court also declared Section 5 of the EO - which provided that states should preserve election records for five years - is a nonbinding recommendation because the president lacks authority to impose a retention requirement beyond the twenty-two-month period Congress set in the Civil Rights Act of 1960. Defendants are ordered to file a status report with the court within seven days describing steps taken to ensure compliance.
• Federal judge voided mail-ballot restriction order — On Thursday, June 26, Judge Indira Talwani voided the core of the March mail-voting order, which would have used the Postal Service to limit mail-ballot delivery to a federally approved voter list and would have built that national list in the first place. Roughly two dozen states joined the suits challenging the order.

Supporting reports

• Preliminary injunction ruling — Phang v. Blanche (D.D.C.) 1:26-cv-01417 — In an order and opinion , Judge Sullivan granted Phang's motion for a preliminary injunction. The court rejected the Attorney General's threshold objections, including that the Epstein Act lacks a private right of action, that Phang lacked Article III standing, and that the Freedom of Information Act provided an adequate alternative remedy. It held that Phang has a private right of action under the APA and likely has standing based on informational and redressable economic injuries. The court further found Phang likely to succeed on the merits, treating the Attorney General's failure to respond substantively to her five asserted Epstein Act violations as a concession, and that irreparable harm, the balance of equities, and the public interest favored relief. The court ordered the Attorney General to either publicly produce specified emails, DOJ documents, and underlying FBI interview notes, or to show cause as to why those materials should not be produced or the redactions removed by July 2, 2026. The court also ordered the Attorney General to review and produce potentially responsive foreign-language materials and either to publish the Act's required Federal Register redaction log, with concurrent updates for future redacted releases, or show cause as to why he cannot do so.
• Judge Sullivan ordered Trump administration to advance Epstein Files transparency — Judge Emmet Sullivan granted Katie Phang's motion for preliminary injunction in Phang v. Blanche, ordering the Trump administration to move forward on key transparency measures in the Epstein Files case, including defending redactions, producing additional records, and publishing the required disclosure log. Sullivan set a July 2 deadline for Todd Blanche to either produce unredacted files or show cause why he cannot.

Supporting reports

• Federal judge orders Trump administration to explain tarp obscuring Kennedy Center facade — US District Judge Christopher Cooper ordered the Trump administration to report by 31 July on the purpose and status of a tarp and scaffolding installed at the Kennedy Center after workers removed Donald Trump's name from the building's facade in a predawn operation. The tarp was placed following Cooper's court order requiring removal of Trump's name, which had been unlawfully added in December. The administration faces scrutiny for what critics characterize as obstruction of the restoration of the Kennedy Center's original name.

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• Interior Department spokesperson attributes pool damage to "leftist activists" without evidence — Katie Martin, an Interior Department spokesperson, told the Associated Press that fencing erected around the reflecting pool was brought forward due to an "increase in vandalism by leftist activists." She offered no evidence to support this characterization. The fencing had been originally scheduled for installation ahead of the Fourth of July but was accelerated following Trump's initial insistence that vandals were responsible for the pool's deterioration.

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• Trump conditions FISA reauthorization on voting bill passage — President Trump announced he will condition the renewal of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), a key intelligence tool that expired earlier this month, on passage of the Save America Act voting-restriction bill. This follows his earlier decision to block the housing bill until the voting measure passes. Democrats have refused to support FISA reauthorization in protest of Trump's appointment of inexperienced loyalist Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence, and his subsequent derailment of Jay Clayton's permanent nomination.

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• Supreme Court grants border officials broad discretion to deport lawful permanent residents — On Tuesday, the Supreme Court granted border officials broad discretion to deport lawful permanent residents (green card holders) suspected of crimes of "moral turpitude" without requiring "clear and convincing evidence." The ruling allows officials to place green card holders in immigration limbo based on suspicion alone, effectively stripping legal status from people who have been living and working in the U.S. for years.

Supporting reports

• US Supreme Court overturns Humphrey's Executor, grants presidents power to fire independent agency leaders — On June 24, 2026, the US Supreme Court ruled in Trump v. Slaughter that the president may fire leaders of independent agencies without cause, overturning the 1935 Humphrey's Executor precedent that had protected agency independence for 90 years. The decision followed Trump's March 2026 firing of FTC Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter and other agency officials. Legal experts warned the ruling abandons constitutional safeguards against executive overreach and replaces them with a "loyalty test," enabling future presidents to politicize agencies Congress designed to be insulated from presidential coercion.

Supporting reports

• Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals rejects Trump administration suit against Michigan for voter roll access — The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit rejected the Trump administration's lawsuit against Michigan seeking access to state voter rolls. This ruling continues a pattern in which courts have struck down Trump's attempts to obtain voter rolls in all nine cases on which there has been a ruling. The administration has sued 30 states and the District of Columbia to compel surrender of voter rolls.
• U.S. District Judge Denise Casper permanently blocks Trump's March 2025 election executive order — U.S. District Judge Denise Casper in Boston permanently blocked much of Trump's March 2025 executive order attempting to gain power over elections. The ruling prevents implementation of provisions that would have centralized election authority in the executive branch.
• Federal judge permanently barred proof-of-citizenship registration order — On Wednesday, June 25, Judge Denise Casper in Boston permanently barred the proof-of-citizenship registration order, writing that the Constitution gives the president no specific power over elections. The ruling struck down a key element of the administration's effort to federalize election administration.

Supporting reports

• US Postal Service proposes rule requiring states to surrender voter mail-ballot lists — The US Postal Service, under Postmaster General David Steiner, issued a proposed rule requiring states to hand over lists of voters who requested mail-in ballots and associated barcodes to the postal service. Steiner stated that the postal service would refuse to deliver mailed ballots in states that declined to comply. All 47 Democratic senators sent a letter warning the rule would disenfranchise millions of voters and risked abuse and inaccuracies that would prevent eligible voters from casting ballots.
• Postmaster General announces USPS will not deliver election mail in states refusing to surrender voter rolls — Postmaster General David Steiner testified before the Senate Homeland Security Committee that under a new Trump administration rule, the United States Postal Service will not deliver election mail in states that refuse to surrender their voting lists to the federal government. Senator Gary Peters clarified that the proposed rule coerces states to comply with federal voting requirements or lose mail-in voting access.
• USPS proposes rule to withhold election mail — The Postmaster General testified that under a new proposed rule, the United States Postal Service will not deliver election mail in states that refuse to provide their voting lists to the federal government. This rule is seen as a coercive measure to enforce compliance with federal demands.

Supporting reports

• Trump cancels housing bill signing event — President Trump canceled a scheduled signing event for the housing bill, citing the need for Congress to pass the SAVE America Act first. This cancellation reflects his prioritization of voter eligibility legislation over housing reform, which could impact public perception and support for his administration.
• Trump threatens to withhold housing bill signature — President Trump announced he will not sign a bipartisan housing bill into law until Congress passes the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, which requires proof of citizenship to vote. This announcement came after the Senate and House passed the housing measure aimed at increasing housing supply and affordability.
• Trump withholds signature on bipartisan housing bill pending passage of voter ID legislation — After the Senate and House overwhelmingly passed a bipartisan housing affordability bill designed to increase housing supply and prevent private equity from purchasing single-family homes, Trump announced he would not sign it into law until Congress passes the SAVE Act, which requires proof of citizenship to vote and mandates states surrender voting rolls to the federal government. Trump cancelled a scheduled housing bill signing ceremony, declaring the voter ID measure a "National Emergency."
• Trump refuses to sign housing bill pending Senate passage of voting restrictions measure — President Trump refused to sign a major housing bill that had passed with bipartisan majorities in Congress, conditioning its approval on the Senate advancing the Save America Act, a voting restrictions measure. This represents a continuation of Trump's linkage of unrelated legislative priorities, previously connecting the housing bill's passage to renewal of a foreign surveillance law. The standoff has created a legislative logjam and prompted House Republican leadership to cancel scheduled votes.
• Trump canceled bipartisan housing bill signing hours before ceremony — Roughly an hour before Trump was scheduled to sign bipartisan housing legislation on Capitol Hill alongside Republican leaders, he canceled the signing via social media post, calling the bill "of minor importance" and demanding Congress pass the SAVE Act first. The presidential seal-emblazoned table sat waiting in Statuary Hall as some top Republicans were mid-speech or press conference touting the bill, unaware the president had canceled.
• White House Press Secretary contradicted housing bill signing announcement — White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt posted hours before Trump's refusal to sign the housing bill, announcing that "Trump will sign into law the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, one of the most significant pieces of housing affordability legislation in American history," touting it as a bipartisan achievement and "promise made, promise kept." Trump then canceled the signing.
• Interior Department transferred taxpayer funds to Freedom 250 events — The Department of Interior transferred taxpayer money to the National Park Foundation for use in Freedom 250 events, and the National Park Service funded the Fourth of July fireworks display. Michael Scherer of The Atlantic reported this fact-check in response to Alexis Wilkins' claim that the celebration was not taxpayer-funded.
• Trump's construction projects carry over $1 billion in taxpayer costs — A New York Times analysis revealed that Trump's 18 major construction projects undertaken during his second term—including an East Wing ballroom, Kennedy Center renovations, National Garden of American Heroes, Lafayette Park, Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, and others—carry a potential cost exceeding $1 billion, with significant taxpayer expense despite Trump's claims of private funding.
• Trump demanded Senate pass SAVE Act before signing legislation — Trump announced he would not sign any additional legislation until the Senate passed the SAVE Act (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act), designed to restrict voting before the 2026 election. This conditional demand effectively halted all legislative activity and prompted House MAGA members to vote against procedural measures, leading Speaker Johnson to adjourn the House.
• Trump refused to sign bipartisan housing bill into law — President Trump declined to sign a landmark bipartisan housing bill after a midday confrontation with senators. The refusal followed Trump's demand that the Senate pass the SAVE Act to restrict voting before the 2026 election. Trump announced he would not sign any additional legislation until this voting-restriction measure advanced, effectively halting legislative activity and prompting Speaker Johnson to adjourn the House.
• House Freedom Caucus voted against procedural measures — Members of the far-right Freedom Caucus voted against procedural measures necessary for the House to conduct business, citing Trump's refusal to sign legislation as justification. Their obstruction rendered the House unable to accomplish any legislative work, prompting Speaker Johnson to adjourn members on Thursday.
• Senate Republicans voted against war powers resolution — Senate Republicans voted to reject advancing a war powers resolution that the Senate had passed the day before. The vote occurred after Trump's refusal to sign the housing bill and his confrontation with senators, appearing as an attempt to mollify the president following their brief assertion of independence.
• Trump canceled housing bill signing to leverage proof-of-citizenship voting requirement — President Trump canceled his scheduled signing of the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act on Wednesday, June 25, stating he would not approve it until Congress passed his SAVE America Act, which includes a proof-of-citizenship voting requirement. The bill passed with overwhelming bipartisan support (85–5 in Senate, 358–32 in House). Under the ten-day pocket-veto rule, the bill becomes law without Trump's signature if Congress remains in session and he does not veto it; Speaker Johnson indicated Trump will ultimately sign.
• Rep. Luna refused to reopen House floor pending Senate return — Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) announced she would not vote to reopen the House floor until the Senate returned to Washington to act on the SAVE Act. Luna criticized Senate Majority Leader Thune for obtaining unanimous consent to adjourn, saying "Thune is running and hiding."
• Rep. Luna shut down House floor over SAVE Act demand — Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) shut down the House floor, preventing any legislation from being brought up, because the Senate had not acted on the SAVE Act. Luna froze the House despite the fact that shutting down the floor does not accomplish anything in the Senate. Speaker Mike Johnson was unable to pass a rule or bring any legislation to a vote.
• Sen. Murkowski criticized Trump's housing bill obstruction — Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) told CNN's Manu Raju that Trump's decision to hold up his own agenda by demanding action on the SAVE Act was "not helpful to him" and "not helpful to the country." She noted that "If you don't have the votes, sir, you don't have the votes" and said Trump's actions do not help chances of keeping the GOP majority, as people want Congress to focus on issues affecting them at home.
• Sen. Whitehouse warned of Republican dissension and Trump's destructive intent — Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) warned that Thune may be growing fed up with Trump and that dissension in the Republican Caucus may be growing. Whitehouse suggested that "The realization may be dawning that Trump prefers to take them all down with him than fail alone."
• Senate Majority Leader Thune adjourned Senate for 19 days — Senate Majority Leader John Thune obtained unanimous consent to adjourn the Senate for 19 days after Trump's last-minute cancellation of the housing bill signing. Thune declined to comment on Trump's reversal, saying "I guess I would say at this point I don't have any observations."