Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin responded to Mamdani — DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin held a press conference to respond to Mayor Mamdani's criticism of ICE. While flexing his fist on a rubber stress ball throughout, Mullin called Mamdani's words "dangerous and incite hostility" and called the shooting subject "a thug, an absolute worst of the worst." When asked whether it was clear to the subject that he was being stopped by ICE given that agents were in plain clothes and vehicles were unmarked, Mullin responded that undercover investigations necessarily involve unmarked cars and uniforms.

Supporting reports

• Republican Super PAC airs anti-trans attack ad against South Carolina Democratic Senate candidate — A Super PAC supporting Republican Darline Graham aired an attack ad against Democratic Senate candidate Dr. Annie Andrews in South Carolina, claiming she "is for they/them" and framing transgender people as predatory toward children. The ad targeted Andrews' support for trans rights. Andrews responded with a direct-to-camera statement in a lab coat opposing "biological men playing in women's sports" and denying she has performed gender surgery on minors, attempting to distance herself from the Republican framing while maintaining some support for trans people.

Supporting reports

• Trump made inflammatory statements targeting Somali immigrants in Minnesota — Trump accused Somali immigrants of taking over Minnesota and associated them with crime and violence. He repeatedly urged residents to "fight back" and mentioned that the federal government could intervene if requested by Governor Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey. His statements followed reports of criminal investigations involving Somali American individuals, including an alleged plot against the Mall of America.

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• Representative Austin Scott criticized livestreamed execution plan — Representative Austin Scott (R-GA) issued a statement supporting Hasan's death sentence but opposing the livestreaming of the execution, stating that live-streaming executions is what jihadists do and that America should be better than that.
• Senator Jon Ossoff criticized Pete Hegseth over execution plan — Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) issued a statement characterizing Pete Hegseth as "frankly a deeply unwell person who seems to relish this kind of brutality" and noting that Hegseth is running the Department of Defense incompetently while spending time on "this kind of obscene medieval spectacle."
• Senator Thom Tillis criticized livestreamed execution plan — Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) issued a statement opposing the livestreaming of Nidal Malik Hasan's execution, calling it "beyond disgusting" and comparing it to practices of oppressive dictatorships like Iran and Afghanistan.

Supporting reports

• DHS purchases five aircraft at markup from Kristi Noem donor on her last day as secretary — On Kristi Noem's final day as secretary of homeland security, the Department of Homeland Security purchased five aircraft at a considerable markup from one of Noem's political donors. The most expensive aircraft—a Boeing 737 converted into a private jet featuring marble showers and a manta ray skin-covered table—cost the department $108 million. The timing and pricing of the purchase raise questions about whether the transaction was conducted at fair market value and whether Noem's personal political relationships influenced a major government procurement decision.

Supporting reports

• Supreme Court upholds state laws excluding transgender girls and women from female sports — Earlier in 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling upholding laws in two conservative states that exclude transgender girls and women from competing in female sports. The decision was characterized as a "culture war" victory for Trump and provided legal foundation for Republican anti-trans messaging in the 2026 midterm elections.

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• Disney and ABC challenged FCC's early broadcast license review — Disney and ABC filed a federal court challenge to the Federal Communications Commission's decision to initiate an early review of broadcast licenses for eight ABC-owned television stations, despite the licenses not being due for renewal until 2028–2031. Disney argued the review constitutes retaliation for programming and editorial decisions disfavored by the Trump administration. The FCC stated the review was routine regulatory oversight linked to investigations of the company's practices.

Supporting reports

• Arlington County filed lawsuit against Trump's triumphal arch project — Arlington County Board in Virginia filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration to block the construction of the President's proposed triumphal arch in Washington, DC. Lawyers for the county cited concerns about the project's impact on the county and its residents, as well as on tourists. Arlington County is home to the Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery. The lawsuit stated that "The Trump-Vance Administration has made it a priority to remake the physical landscape of the Nation's Capital in President Trump's image and based on his whims, destroying treasured public spaces in the process."

Supporting reports

• DHS documents reveal election denier Heather Honey's role in noncitizen voting investigation — Internal Department of Homeland Security documents obtained by Popular Information reveal that election denier Heather Honey is playing a prominent role in DHS efforts to find evidence of noncitizen voting ahead of midterm elections. The documents detail DHS investigations into nonprofit voter registration organizations and outline plans for potential undercover operations targeting these groups. The revelation raises questions about whether election-fraud investigations are being driven by ideological commitments rather than evidence of actual violations.

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• Trump's lawyer attacked Nobel Committee decision — Trump's lawyer David Schoen issued a statement attacking the Nobel Committee's decision to award the prize to Pillay, calling her "an unabashed hater of America and Israel" and her investigation into Israeli genocide "phony." Schoen contrasted Pillay's award with Trump's Abraham Accords and efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war and counter Iran.

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• Trump endorsed presidential retreat development at his golf club — Trump endorsed a proposal to develop a Camp David-style presidential retreat at his golf club in West Palm Beach. The proposal involves county-owned land leased to the Trump Organization, with the company offering to finance construction and provide presidential facilities without charging the government for use. Trump stated the facility would serve future presidents.

Supporting reports

• Trump announced oil deal with Putin to supply diesel fuel to the US market — Trump announced via Truth Social that he and Vladimir Putin reached an agreement for Russia to supply over 300,000 tons of diesel fuel immediately, 500,000 tons in November, and 1,000,000 tons thereafter, with an additional 3,000,000 tons to follow. Trump stated the deal would lower diesel prices for Americans, farmers, ranchers, and truckers. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy immediately responded, stating the deal provides additional funding for Russia's war effort and accused Trump of using Ukraine peace negotiations as a smokescreen while colluding with Putin.

Supporting reports

• 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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• Pentagon announces livestreamed military execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan — Pentagon Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that Nidal Hasan, an Army psychiatrist convicted of killing 13 people at Fort Hood in 2009, will be executed by firing squad on December 3, 2026, at Fort Hood, Texas. Hegseth stated the execution will be public and livestreamed. A Defense Department official confirmed the livestream plan. This would be the first U.S. military execution in over 60 years. President Trump approved the sentence this week on Hegseth's recommendation after Hasan exhausted his appeals.
• Pentagon announced plan to livestream military execution — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced that the Pentagon plans to livestream the December 3 execution of former Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan, who was convicted of killing 13 people and wounding 32 others in the 2009 Fort Hood shooting. The execution would be the first U.S. military execution since 1961, though further legal proceedings could delay it.

Supporting reports

• Texas executes Jamaal Howard by pentobarbital despite Pike execution complications — Texas executed Jamaal Howard on October 8, 2026, using pentobarbital, the same drug that failed in Christa Pike's execution. Howard was convicted in 2001 of fatally shooting convenience store clerk Vickie Swartout during a robbery. His legal team argued the execution should be halted given the documented problems with pentobarbital in Pike's case, but multiple courts refused to intervene.

Supporting reports

• HSI considered undercover operations against voter registration groups — According to internal documents, Homeland Security Investigations considered deploying undercover agents to investigate voter registration organizations, with Pennsylvania and New Jersey as priority targets. The stated goal was for undercover agents to engage with organizations to "substantiate recruitment methods and activities related to illegal alien voter registration," gather evidence, disrupt activities, trace financial backing, and ultimately "initiate prosecutions and dismantle illicit facilitation networks." It remains unclear whether undercover operations were actually conducted.
• HSI investigated over 150 voter registration organizations — Homeland Security Investigations conducted investigations into over 150 organizations suspected of facilitating unlawful noncitizen voter registration. For the vast majority, HSI found no derogatory information. Twenty-six organizations remain under review, and two were flagged for further investigation in Pennsylvania: the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and Zumiez, a skateboard and clothing retailer. HSI also investigated Black Fork Strategies, a progressive Ohio voter engagement firm, in coordination with the FBI.
• DHS documents reveal election denier Heather Honey's role in noncitizen voting investigation — Internal Department of Homeland Security documents obtained by Popular Information reveal that election denier Heather Honey is playing a prominent role in DHS efforts to find evidence of noncitizen voting ahead of midterm elections. The documents detail DHS investigations into nonprofit voter registration organizations and outline plans for potential undercover operations targeting these groups. The revelation raises questions about whether election-fraud investigations are being driven by ideological commitments rather than evidence of actual violations.

Supporting reports

• ICE collected tens of millions of voter records for deportation targeting — Immigration and Customs Enforcement, under direction of Deputy Assistant Secretary Heather Honey, collected approximately 48.4 million voter records through undisclosed "independent sources" and obtained an additional 50.6 million records from the Department of Justice. Records from ten states—Texas, Pennsylvania, California, New Jersey, Minnesota, Michigan, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, and Ohio—were prioritized. The data was sent to HSI's Innovation Lab and is pending entry into Palantir's ELITE system, used to identify and locate people for deportation. This effort targets noncitizen voters, though noncitizen voting is extremely rare.

Supporting reports

• Billionaires fund California Proposition 39 voter ID ballot measure — Multiple billionaires, including Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia, Richard Uihlein, and others, have donated over $36 million to support California's Proposition 39, a ballot measure requiring voters to show identification at polls and including ID numbers on mail ballots. The measure was authored by Republican lawmaker Carl DeMaio in response to Trump administration pressure. California currently requires ID only at voter registration, not at polling places. The yes campaign has vastly outraised opponents by approximately $13 million. Democratic groups, the ACLU, and the League of Women Voters oppose the measure.

Supporting reports

• ICE agents shot man in car with 5-year-old in Manhattan — ICE agents surrounded a vehicle in Marble Hill in northern Manhattan and fired multiple rounds into the vehicle, shooting a man in the neck. The vehicle also contained a 5-year-old child. The man was taken to a hospital, remained conscious, and was in stable condition as of Thursday night.
• ICE agent shoots man in New York City during enforcement operation with child in vehicle — An ICE agent shot and wounded a 28-year-old man during an enforcement operation in the Marble Hill neighborhood of Manhattan on Thursday afternoon. Early reports indicated agents surrounded the man and a five-year-old child in a car before firing multiple rounds. The child was physically unharmed. NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated he negotiated unsuccessfully with President Trump and DHS Secretary Mullin for the man's release and demanded ICE cease enforcement in the city. The shooting sparked immediate protests and clashes between demonstrators and NYPD at a nearby hospital.
• ICE officer shoots man in neck during arrest in Manhattan's Marble Hill neighborhood — On Thursday afternoon, a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot Oscar Belgal, 28, in the neck with an assault-style rifle during an arrest in Manhattan's Marble Hill neighborhood. Belgal's young child was in the back of his car at the time. Residents reported the officers were not clearly identified and expressed fear and anger. Belgal was detained and booked into the federal Metropolitan Detention Center, Brooklyn. A federal judge ordered ICE to keep him in the area after his attorneys filed emergency motions requesting release.
• WIRED reported on ICE agent Brenden Cuni's history of unlawful arrests — WIRED reported that an ICE agent on the scene of the Manhattan shooting, identified as Brenden Cuni, has repeatedly been accused in federal court of unlawful arrests and using force during arrests in New York City and Minneapolis. Cuni was photographed at the scene in a high-visibility yellow construction vest brandishing a modified AR-15-style rifle. Federal court cases, social media, and public records reviewed by WIRED suggest Cuni has repeatedly been at the center of illegal ICE street arrests. Court filings accuse him of using a Taser on a handcuffed man, while activists allege he forced a pregnant woman to the ground during a Minneapolis operation. In recent months, federal judges have repeatedly found arrests involving Cuni unlawful, with one judge calling an arrest warrant he signed "fraudulent," another saying video evidence contradicts his sworn account, and a third case where the government withdrew his sworn statements as inaccurate.

Supporting reports

• NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani called for ICE removal from city — NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani held a press conference expressing anger at ICE following the shooting in Manhattan. Mamdani called for ICE to be removed from the city, schools, hospitals, and streets, stating that ICE operates with impunity, sows chaos and terror, and has killed more people than it has saved. He criticized the shooting tactics as having no explanation, particularly firing multiple rounds into a car with a 5-year-old. Mamdani noted that ICE agents in plain clothes and unmarked vehicles create confusion about whether they are law enforcement or attackers. He stated he made clear to the president and secretary that ICE agents should leave the scene and cease enforcement actions in NYC, arguing these actions make the city less safe and terrify New Yorkers.

Supporting reports

• EPA approves Georgia air quality plan removing nonattainment new source review requirements — The Environmental Protection Agency finalized approval of Georgia's State Implementation Plan revision removing nonattainment new source review (NNSR) permitting requirements and emission reduction credit provisions from the state's air quality regulations. The revision follows Georgia's 2022 redesignation of the Atlanta ozone area from nonattainment to attainment status under the Clean Air Act. The EPA rejected arguments that NNSR should remain as a contingency measure despite recent ozone standard exceedances, finding that Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permitting and maintenance plan triggers provide adequate protection.
• EPA approves Kentucky's Limited Maintenance Plan for Louisville Area ozone standards — The Environmental Protection Agency finalized approval of Kentucky's Limited Maintenance Plan (LMP) for the 1997 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) covering the Kentucky portion of the bi-state Louisville Area (Bullitt, Jefferson, and Oldham Counties). The plan demonstrates that air quality will remain in attainment through 2027, the end of the second 10-year maintenance period following the area's 2007 redesignation from nonattainment to attainment. The EPA evaluated design value data, monitoring networks, and contingency provisions, and determined the plan adequately assures maintenance of the standard. The approval makes the plan's commitments federally enforceable under the Clean Air Act.
• EPA approves Maryland air plan revisions establishing nitrogen oxide emission limits for municipal waste combustors — The Environmental Protection Agency finalized approval of Maryland's State Implementation Plan revisions establishing reasonably available control technology (RACT) requirements for nitrogen oxide emissions from municipal waste combustors. The rule sets specific emission limits for two large facilities—Montgomery County Resource Recovery Facility (140 ppmv 24-hour average, 105 ppmv 30-day average) and Wheelabrator Baltimore (150 ppmv 24-hour average, 145 ppmv 30-day average)—and exempts small combustors constructed before August 30, 1999. The EPA rejected a commenter's request for stricter limits, finding Maryland's determinations adequate under the Clean Air Act.
• EPA approves Missouri air quality rule revisions on construction permit exemptions — The Environmental Protection Agency finalized approval of Missouri's State Implementation Plan revision modifying construction permit exemptions under the Minor New Source Review program. The rule refines emergency generator exemptions, updates recordkeeping requirements, and clarifies cross-references. EPA found the revisions comply with the Clean Air Act, do not backslide air quality, and strengthen permit exemption standards. The rule becomes effective November 9, 2026.
• EPA approves New Jersey State Implementation Plan revisions for ozone RACT certifications under Clean Air Act sections 182 and 184. — The Environmental Protection Agency issued a final rule approving New Jersey's State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions submitted November 23, 2021, and March 3, 2025, certifying that the state meets Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) requirements for volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides emissions under the 2008 and 2015 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards. The approval covers the New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island nonattainment area (Serious classification for 2008 ozone; Moderate for 2015) and the Philadelphia-Atlantic City nonattainment area (Moderate for 2015), as well as statewide Ozone Transport Region obligations. The rule becomes effective November 9, 2026.
• EPA approves Oklahoma air plan for interstate SO2 transport requirements under Clean Air Act — The Environmental Protection Agency issued a final rule approving portions of Oklahoma's State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted May 28, 2021, demonstrating compliance with Clean Air Act section 110(a)(2)(D)(i)(I) interstate transport requirements for the 2010 1-hour sulfur dioxide (SO2) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). EPA determined Oklahoma's emissions will not significantly contribute to nonattainment or interfere with maintenance of the SO2 NAAQS in other states, based on weight-of-evidence analysis including certified design values, emissions trends, and source-specific evaluations within a 50-kilometer urban-scale assessment. The rule becomes effective November 9, 2026, and applies to certain areas of Indian country in Oklahoma consistent with prior SAFETEA approval and D.C. Circuit precedent.
• EPA approves clean data determination for Berrien and Muskegon County ozone nonattainment areas — The Environmental Protection Agency finalized a determination that Berrien County and Muskegon County, Michigan have attained the 2015 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards based on 2023-2025 monitoring data and approved exceptional events exclusions for wildfire smoke impacts. The determination suspends requirements for these areas to submit attainment demonstrations, Reasonably Available Control Measures plans, Reasonable Further Progress plans, and other State Implementation Plan requirements related to ozone attainment, contingent on continued compliance with the standard.
• EPA publishes weekly Environmental Impact Statements notice — The Environmental Protection Agency published a notice of availability for Environmental Impact Statements filed between September 28 and October 5, 2026, pursuant to Clean Air Act Section 309(a) and CEQ guidance. The notice lists two EIS actions: a draft Nuclear Regulatory Commission combined license application for the Project Matador Advanced Energy and Intelligence Campus in Texas (comment period ending November 23, 2026), and an amended APHIS draft grizzly bear damage management EIS for Montana with an extended comment period (now ending November 4, 2026). EPA's comment letters on EISs are available through the EPA's CDX database.

Supporting reports

• FDA extended safety review of mifepristone into 2027 — The FDA announced that its ongoing safety review of mifepristone, the nation's primary abortion pill, will continue into 2027. The agency stated a report on findings is expected no later than March 2027, after which it will decide whether to impose new restrictions on the drug. The review was ordered by RFK Jr. following pressure from anti-abortion groups and their congressional allies seeking to restrict the pill's use.

Supporting reports

• Supreme Court guts Voting Rights Act in Louisiana v. Callais decision — The Supreme Court issued a decision in Louisiana v. Callais that substantially weakened the Voting Rights Act, removing federal protections that had constrained state redistricting practices. The ruling prompted Republican-controlled legislatures in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Tennessee to immediately pursue aggressive congressional redistricting aimed at fragmenting Black voting blocs and concentrating Democratic voters into fewer districts. The decision marked a major shift in voting rights jurisprudence and triggered the subsequent wave of redistricting efforts across the South.
• Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Tennessee legislatures pursue aggressive congressional redistricting — Following the Louisiana v. Callais decision, Republican-controlled legislatures in four Southern states moved rapidly to redraw congressional maps with the explicit goal of fragmenting Black voting communities and concentrating them into fewer districts. The redistricting efforts were pursued despite impending primary elections, signaling the priority placed on diluting Black electoral power. The actions represented a coordinated partisan response to the Supreme Court's weakening of federal voting rights protections.

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• Democratic National Committee sues Trump administration over taxpayer-funded campaign ads — The Democratic National Committee filed a federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Wednesday, October 8, 2026, challenging the Trump administration's use of taxpayer funds to broadcast campaign ads promoting President Trump. The ads, costing over $12 million, allegedly violate federal law prohibiting use of congressionally appropriated money for "publicity or propaganda." The complaint names Trump, the White House office, the Office of Management and Budget, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection as defendants, alleging they violated the Administrative Procedure Act and misused public funds for self-aggrandizement during the midterm campaign season.

Supporting reports

• Federal judge voids DOJ policy collecting state voter rolls — US District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan ruled that the Trump administration's Department of Justice policy of collecting unredacted state voter rolls to cross-check against a federal immigration database violated federal privacy laws and exceeded DOJ authority. The policy, adopted under Trump's election integrity executive order, had already removed US citizens from voter rolls and risked further disenfranchisement. Sooknanan found Congress, not the federal government, controls voter roll maintenance. The lawsuit was brought by Common Cause after roughly 18 states complied with DOJ requests in May, providing voters' names, birth dates, addresses, and partial identification numbers.