Rule of Law and Democracy in the U.S.

Freedom of Speech | Freedom of Press | Freedom to Peaceably Assemble | Free Exercise and Non-Establishment of Religion | Right to Bear Arms | Freedom from Unreasonable Searches and Seizures | No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house | The powers not delegated to the United States…are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people | No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice

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Resources for tracking lawsuits against Administration actions:

• Just Security: litigation tracker

• NYTimes snapshot of lawsuits against President Trump

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Recent Developments Impacting Rule of Law & Democracy:

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Wed, June 17, 2026:

• GOP opposition that shelved Trump’s ‘Anti-Weaponization Fund’ is much quieter on audit immunity deal - Politico

• OMB nominee touts plan to give Trump appointees power to kill grants.

  The administration is expected to finalize the proposed changes as soon as this summer. - Politico

Sun, May 31, 2026:

• Inside the Deal to Drop Trump’s $10 Billion Suit Against the I.R.S. - NYT

Fri, May 29, 2026:

• Judge Reopens Trump’s I.R.S. Suit and Questions His ‘Weaponization’ Fund

  The ruling was a blow to both President Trump, who had voluntarily dismissed the suit last week, and to the Justice Department, which used the suit to establish a fund likely intended for Trump allies. - NYT

• Judge pauses Trump administration’s ‘anti-weaponization’ fund. The temporary order halts any payments from the controversial fund. - Politico

Wed, May 27, 2026:

• Former Judges Urge Inquiry Into Deal Trump Struck With I.R.S. The motion was particularly significant because it asked the judge overseeing the initial suit against the I.R.S. to examine the terms of the deal. - NYT

• Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said late Tuesday he is “drawing up plans” to end the processing of international flights in left-leaning cities, pointing to protests outside an immigration detention center in New Jersey as rationale. - Hill

Tues, May 26, 2026:

• Former US Capitol riot prosecutors, fired federal officials and journalists who say they were past targets of President Donald Trump’s retribution tell CNN they may seek compensation from the Justice Department’s $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund. - CNN

Mon, May 25, 2026:

• Where Trump’s $1.8 billion payout fund gets its money and how it could work

  Six things to know about the source of the funding and how it would be distributed. - WP

Fri, May 22, 2026:

• Four examples of people who have been thinking about the process of civic reconstruction. - James Fallows

• Trump immunity from IRS audit shocks experts, who warn it could undermine trust in tax system - AP

• President Trump on Friday defended the Justice Department's new $1.7 billion "anti-weaponization" fund and said he had "allowed" it to go forward, just days after the president asserted he was not involved in its creation. - CBS

• Blanche at center of Republican firestorm over $1.8B fund as he seeks to prove his loyalty to Trump - AP

• Fact Check: Trump and Top Officials Defend $1.8 Billion Fund With Inaccurate Claims - NYT

Thurs, May 21, 2026:

• Bipartisan House effort aims to kill ‘anti-weaponization’ fund. Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick and Tom Suozzi are drafting legislation as Senate Republicans consider curbs. - Politico

• Trump’s allies are already lining up to apply to his $1.8 billion fund. Jan. 6 rioters, George Santos, Mark McCloskey and Rod Blagojevich: A wide range of figures are eyeing the president’s new settlement fund. - WP

• Is Trump’s $1.7+ billion “anti-weaponization fund” legal? Experts weigh in. - CBS

• Trump’s $1.8B fund isn’t officially open yet. That hasn’t stopped applications.

  No commissioners have been chosen, a requirement before claims can be processed, an administration official told NBC News. The Justice Department says millions are eligible. - NBC

Wed, May 20, 2026:

• Two officers who fought rioters on Jan. 6 have sued to block Trump’s $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund. - NOTUS

• Jan. 6 rioters and election deniers celebrate Trump’s $1.8 billion compensation fund - CNN

• Trump’s $1.8 Billion Fund Tests Constitutional Limits. The deal the president reached with his own subordinates relies on a mechanism created by Congress that legal experts had warned was subject to manipulation. - NYT

• Judge Orders White House to Preserve Officials’ Text Messages. The judge overruled a government memo from April, which rejected a records law that mandates preservation of all official presidential documents. - NYT

Tues, May 19, 2026:

• Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche signed an agreement Tuesday declaring the federal government will not seek any sort of audit or payment from the president, his family members and companies on pending tax claims as part of Donald Trump’s settlement agreement with the IRS. In a sweeping one-page addendum to Monday’s settlement agreement establishing a nearly $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund, Blanche agreed that the U.S. is “FOREVER BARRED and PRECLUDED from prosecuting or pursuing, any and all claims,” including “monetary relief,” that “have been or could have been” asserted by the IRS against Trump, his family or his businesses.

  The addendum comes a day after the Justice Department announced that Trump and his co-plaintiffs would drop their $10 billion suit against the IRS and the Treasury Department over leaked tax returns, as well as claims involving the 2022 search of Mar-a-Lago, his Florida home, and the Russian collusion scandal “in exchange” for creating the fund, which the Justice Department said set up a “systematic process to hear and redress claims of others who suffered weaponization and lawfare.” - NBC

• Todd Blanche tells appropriators payouts for Jan. 6 rioters are possible

  The acting attorney general is facing bipartisan criticism about the DOJ’s so-called “Anti-Weaponization Fund.” - Politico

Mon, May 18, 2026:

• Trump administration creates $1.776 billion fund for allies of the president after he drops lawsuit against IRS - CNN

  • Trillions Weekly Comment: Once again, the Trump Administration has ignored the constitutional requirement that only Congress can appropriate funds from the Treasury.

Fri, May 15, 2026:

• Trump Admin Weighs $1.7 Billion Fund for Allies Investigated Under Biden. Critics denounced the highly unusual plan, which has yet to be finalized or approved, as a vast political slush fund financed by taxpayers. - NYT

Thurs, May 14, 2026:

• President Donald Trump is expected to drop his $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service in exchange for the creation of a $1.7 billion fund to compensate allies who claim they were wrongfully targeted by the Biden administration - ABC

Mon, May 11, 2026:

• Reuters documents U.S. President Donald Trump’s historic campaign of vengeance against his perceived enemies — and details how it is remaking American government. - Reuters

Mon, April 20, 2026:

• Nick Fuentes spreads hate online — and fans pay him hundreds of thousands of dollars - WP

Fri, April 17, 2026:

• Trump administration deepens quest to stamp out the events of Jan. 6. In his second term, the president has doubled down on efforts to reframe public perception of the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, in court and beyond. - WP

Mon, April 13, 2026:

• Orbán’s Defeat Shows What Trump’s Opponents Keep Doing Wrong

  The Hungarian election was a setback for MAGA. But the winner’s campaign should be a wake-up call for Trump’s opponents. - Politico

Fri, April 10, 2026:

• Trump Promises Mass Pardons to Staff Before Leaving Office. In a recent meeting, the president said he would pardon those within 200 feet of the Oval Office. - WSJ

• An unpardonable abuse of presidential power with only one solution. The “power to grant reprieves and pardons” has become another source of political brutishness. - WP

Tues, April 7, 2026:

• Global democracy is in better shape than you think. EIU’s annual index suggests an end to the democracy recession. - Economist

Fri, April 3, 2026:

• Trump’s DOJ tells Trump he can hold onto government docs when he leaves office, contrary to Watergate-era law - CNN

Sat, March 28, 2026:

• Everything With Trump’s Name, Likeness and Signature - NYT

Thurs, March 19, 2026:

• Trump’s hand-picked panel votes to put his face on a U.S. gold coin - WP

Wed, March 18, 2026:

• Article links new leader of the College Republicans with Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes.

Sun, March 15, 2026:

• How Minnesota Beat Trump: Minnesotans showed a basic human impulse to look out for their neighbors. - NYT / Friedman

Tues, March 10, 2026:

• House GOP leaders plan to advance an 18-month extension of expanded surveillance authorities under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, first proposed by the Bush-43 Administration. - Politico
  Section 702 allows the government to collect the data of noncitizens abroad without a warrant.

Sat, March 7, 2026:

• ‘We were ready’: Democratic attorneys general lead fight to stop Trump - Guardian

Fri, March 6, 2026:

• U.S. was only country in a worldwide survey to say most fellow citizens are bad people. Experts blame political polarization. - WP

Tues, March 3, 2026:

• Trump Administration, in Reversal, Tries to Continue Fight Against Law Firms. The administration told a court on Monday that it was abandoning its defense of executive orders targeting the firms. But on Tuesday, the Justice Department abruptly changed its position. - NYT

• DOJ says it will keep defending Trump’s attacks on law firms, 24 hours after saying it wouldn’t. In a reversal, the Justice Department said it would continue defending Trump’s executive orders targeting law firms. - Politico

Thurs, Feb 26, 2026:

• Judge: IRS broke law ‘approximately 42,695 times’ in giving DHS data - WP

Mon, Feb 23, 2026:

• Judges Grow Angry Over Trump Administration Violating Their Orders.

  At least 35 times since August, federal judges have ordered the administration to explain why it should not be punished for violating their orders in immigration cases. - NYT

Sat, Feb 21, 2026:

• Trump banner on Justice Dept. building draws authoritarian comparisons - WP

Fri, Feb 20, 2026:

• Want a federal museum grant? Adhere to Trump’s vision, applicants are told. - WP

• President Trump showed open contempt for the Supreme Court, calling the justices who voted against his tariffs “fools and lap dogs.” He quickly imposed new levies using legal powers still available to him. - NYT

• Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) “does not authorize the President to impose tariffs.” Chief Justice Roberts announced the judgment of the Court and was joined by Justices Gorsuch, Barrett, Sotomayor, Kagan, and Jackson. Key points:

  • The Trump Administration had claimed under IEEPA: (1) emergency authority to impose tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China to address the influx of illegal drugs; and (2) emergency authority to impose tariffs on imports from all trading partners to address trade deficits (nation’s imports exceeding exports) and their alleged impact on the economy.

  • The majority opinion recognizes that Article I of the Constitution gives Congress the “Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises” and “they did not vest any part of the taxing power in the Executive Branch.”

  • The Court rejected the Trump Administration’s claim that Congress, by enacting IEEPA, intended to delegate expansive tariff authority to the President—permitting the President to impose tariffs of unlimited amount, duration and scope on imports from any country.

  • “The Government points to no statute in which Congress used the word ‘regulate’ to authorize taxation. And until now no President has read IEEPA to confer such power.”

  • The Chief Justice, and Justices Gorsuch and Barrett, found a further basis for the ruling in the Court’s “major questions doctrine”—which requires a clear statutory basis when broad Executive powers are claimed. Chief Justice Roberts wrote that “Congress would not have delegated ‘highly consequential power’ through ambiguous language…where…the purported delegation involves the core congressional power of the purse… When Congress grants the power to impose tariffs, it does so clearly and with careful constraints. It did neither in IEEPA.”

    • TrillionsWeekly Comment: The highlighting of the “core congressional power of the purse” will be of particular importance when the Court eventually addresses Administration claims that it has unlimited authority to reduce appropriation levels set by Congress.

  • On IEEPA’s regulatory authority: “The Court is… skeptical that in IEEPA—and IEEPA alone—Congress hid a delegation of its birth-right power to tax within the.. power to ‘regulate…’ Tariffs operate directly on domestic importers to raise revenue for the Treasury and are ‘very clear[ly] . . . a branch of the taxing power.’”

  • On the President’s Foreign Affairs authority: The Court rejected the Administration’s claims that the President’s foreign affairs authority includes authority to set tariffs: “(T)he Framers gave ‘Congress alone’ the power to impose tariffs during peacetime.”

  • No ruling on refunds: As pointed out by Justice Kavanaugh’s dissenting opinion, the Court did not address the practical implications of its decision, i.e., whether, and if so how, the government should refund tariffs already collected.

    • TrillionsWeekly Comment: This complex question will be addressed in forthcoming decisions by the lower courts.

  • Concurrences: Justices Kagan, Sotomayor, and Jackson agreed that IEEPA does not authorize the President to impose tariffs, but concluded the Court could have reached its decision through ordinary statutory interpretation and examination of legislative history, and need not have invoked the “so-called” major questions doctrine. Justice Jackson, in her concurrence, suggests focusing, in particular, on the legislative history of IEEPA (committee reports and debates, etc.) would have been sufficient. However, Justice Gorsuch, in his concurrence, argues that the major questions doctrine is central to the Court’s ruling and offers a lengthy and spirited defense of the doctrine, while Justice Barrett, in her concurrence, offers a different perspective on the major questions doctrine.

  • Dissenting Opinions: Justices Kavanaugh, Thomas, and Alito argued that, “the sole legal question here is whether, under IEEPA, tariffs are a means to ‘regulate…importation.’ Statutory text, history, and precedent demonstrate that the answer is clearly yes: Like quotas and embargoes, tariffs are a traditional and common tool to regulate importation.”

    • The dissent finds that the major questions doctrine does not apply here, and should not apply in the “foreign affairs” context.

    • Kavanaugh’s dissent also notes—perhaps presciently—that numerous other federal statutes authorize the President to impose tariffs and might justify most (if not all) of the tariffs at issue in this case.”

    • Justice Thomas, in a separate dissenting opinion, suggests Congress can delegate most of its vested powers to the President except for “rules setting the conditions for deprivations of life, liberty, or property.”

    • TrillionsWeekly Comments:

      • Watch for the Trump Administration to invoke other federal statutes that explicitly delegate tariff authority to the President in order to reimpose tariffs.

      • Also notable is that Justice Kavanaugh’s dissent references the 1974 Budget and Impoundment Control Act as an example of a “major…statutory restriction” on Presidential power enacted in the 1970s…with lasting effects to the present day.” (fn 14) This may signal Kavanaugh’s willingness to uphold the Impoundment Act’s longstanding restrictions on the President’s rescission authority.

Thurs, Feb 19, 2026:
Giant banner of Donald Trump hung at Justice Department headquarters - CNN
Since Trump retook office last year, the Justice Department has faced repeated accusations of targeting the president’s perceived enemies on his behalf. Those prosecutions include that of former FBI Director James Comey, New York Attorney General and Letitia James, as well as investigations into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and several Democratic representatives who recorded a video urging service members to disobey any illegal orders.

Fri, Feb 13, 2026:
Trump tells soldiers to vote GOP in campaign-style rally at Fort Bragg. Army policy prohibits partisan displays, and most service members refrained from cheering. - WP

Thurs, Feb 12, 2026:
Judge halts Hegseth’s bid to punish Sen. Kelly for video message to troops. The Trump administration is expected to appeal the ruling, which says the retired Navy officer’s right to free speech is under attack. - WP
Guard Troops Fully Withdraw From Chicago, Portland and Los Angeles. President Trump initially deployed the troops in those cities to support law enforcement efforts to tamp down protests against immigration raids and protecting buildings. - NYT

Tues, Feb 10, 2026:
According to The Economist, “The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that it had requested a list of all investigations being conducted by the independent watchdog that monitors the department (presumably they are referring to the Inspector General’s Office) to assess whether they should be ended. Under the law the DHS secretary may close a probe when it endangers American interests, but this power has never been used.” - Economist

Fri, Jan 30, 2026:
Trump’s expansion of state power undermines the West’s core achievement: limits on authority. - WP / Zakaria
In Minnesota, America’s Federal System Is Coming Apart. The state is in a standoff with the federal government over who has the power to investigate the killing of protesters. It’s not a fair fight. - NYT

Thurs, Jan 29, 2026:
The powerful tools in ICE’s arsenal to track suspects — and protesters. Biometric trackers, cellphone location databases and drones are among the surveillance technologies that federal agents are tapping in their deportation campaign. - WP

Wed, Jan 28, 2026:
Estimating the costs of troop deployments to U.S. cities - CBO
Federal troop deployments to U.S. cities cost a total of $496 million in 2025, CBO estimates. Continuing current deployments will cost $93 million a month; 1,000 Guard personnel deployed to a city will cost at least $18 million a month.

Tues, Jan 27, 2026:
Trump aides declared 16 DHS shootings since July justified before probes completed. The Trump administration’s rush to defend the officers and accuse the victims of attacking them has sparked widespread outrage and demands for accountability. - WP

Mon, Jan 26, 2026:
The killing of Alex Pretti: Can Minnesota prosecute federal agents for using excessive force? The “supremacy clause” is at issue. Economist

Fri, Jan 23, 2026:
With executive power rampant, the right book has arrived. Decades ago, a Supreme Court justice explained how to think today about Trump’s power grabs. - George Will

Thurs, Jan 22, 2026:
Former Special Counsel Jack Smith defended his efforts to prosecute President Trump for the January 6th insurrection and mishandling of classified documents at a House hearing today. Background from: Politico, AP, CNN, Roll Call

Wed, Jan 21, 2026:
Immigration officers assert sweeping power to enter homes without a judge’s warrant, memo says - AP

Tues, Jan 20, 2026:
Massie rips Trump’s sale of Venezuelan oil ‘for his own piggy bank’… “Selling stolen oil and putting billions of dollars in a bank in Qatar to be spent without Congressional approval is not Constitutional,” the lawmaker wrote. ”Only Congress can appropriate money.” - Hill
The president’s second-term pardons have wiped clean dozens of financial crimes and significantly more fines and restitution than in past administrations. - NBC

Mon, Jan 19, 2026:
Judge refuses to block new DHS policy limiting Congress members’ access to ICE facilities - AP

Sun, Jan 18, 2026:
Soldiers with the Army’s 11th Airborne Division in Alaska have been placed at the ready following Trump’s Insurrection Act threat, according to defense officials. - WP
Army puts 1,500 soldiers on standby for possible Minnesota deployment - AP
Trump tests a cunning workaround on executive power. Does using force outside U.S. borders legitimize claiming emergency power within them under the Alien Enemies Act? - WP

Fri, Jan 16, 2026:
Trump officials extend National Guard’s D.C. mission through 2026. The domestic military mission, which is the subject of an ongoing court challenge, was due to expire at the end of February. - WP
Justice Department investigating whether Minnesota’s Walz and Frey impeded immigration enforcement - AP
President Trump issued more pardons this week, again rewarding allies and those who had funneled money to his associates or donated to his political operation. Among the recipients was a woman who was convicted of fraud in 2024, after he commuted her sentence in an unrelated fraud in 2021. - NYT
Trump plans to pardon GOP-aligned ex-Puerto Rico Gov. Vázquez on campaign finance violation charge - AP
House Republicans are investigating Jan. 6. NPR fact-checked the first hearing - NPR

Wed, Jan 14, 2026:
These prosecutors spent years on cases. Then Trump granted pardons. The president’s clemency acts have eroded faith among Justice Department employees that their work will result in accountability, some prosecutors say. - WP

Tues, Jan 13, 2026:
Trump’s Scheming to Sack Powell Paves the Road to Constitutional Ruin - NYT
In an extreme partisan move, House committee seeks contempt of Congress against Bill Clinton - Roll Call
Top prosecutors in D.C., Minneapolis leave amid turmoil over shooting probe. Prosecutors in the U.S. attorney’s office left after pressure to investigate the widow of a woman slain by an ICE officer. - WP

Sat, Jan 10. 2026:
Smithsonian removes Trump impeachment text as it swaps his portrait. Trump official previously complained about a caption beside his National Portrait Gallery photo mentioning his impeachments and the U.S. Capitol insurrection. - WP

Fri, Jan 9, 2026:
How Renee Good ended up in a fatal encounter with ICE in Minneapolis. Video made public Friday shows the 37-year-old and her wife exchanging words with ICE officers in the seconds before the shooting. - WP

Thurs, Jan 8, 2026:
Minnesota leaders escalate dispute over federal handling of ICE shooting. State officials criticized the Trump administration for taking sole command of the investigation, saying state investigators were being blocked from evidence. - WP
Trump Lays Out a Vision of Power Restrained Only by ‘My Own Morality’. On topic after topic, President Trump made clear that he would be the arbiter of any limits to his authorities, not international law or treaties. - NYT

Wed, Jan 7, 2026:
The White House’s pro-crime manifesto. The Jan. 6 website is an embarrassing waste of resources. - WP

Tues, Jan 6, 2026
On 5th anniversary of the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, Trump looks to recast history. Trump said that the media hadn’t accurately reported statements he made to a crowd that would later orchestrate the break-in on Jan. 6, 2021 - Politico
This Jan. 6 plaque was made to honor law enforcement. It’s nowhere to be found at the Capitol - AP
Jamie Raskin: Jan. 6 Never Ended - NYT
Disgust over Jan. 6 is No Longer Bipartisan - NYT Ed. Bd.
Snatching Maduro From Venezuela Was Illegal and Damaging - Bloomberg OpEd

Wed, Dec 31. 2025:
Trump says he’s dropping push for National Guard in Chicago, LA and Portland, Oregon, for now - AP
Kennedy Center changed board rules months before vote to add Trump’s name. The new rules say only trustees appointed by the president can vote, barring other members, including Democrats who hold seats, from decisions. The center said the change reflects “longstanding precedent.” - WP

Thurs, Dec 25, 2025:
Trump Administration Emphasizes Religion in Official Christmas Messages – NYT

Wed, Dec 24, 2025:
The Supreme Court raises the stakes on Trump’s troop deployments. The decision risks the president invoking the Insurrection Act to deploy the regular military. – WP

Tues, Dec 23, 2025:
Supreme Court Refuses to Allow Trump to Deploy National Guard in Chicago. President Trump ordered state-based troops to Portland, Ore.; Los Angeles; Washington; and Chicago over the objections of state and local officials. – NYT
Judge Blocks Conditions Imposed on States Seeking FEMA Grants. The Trump administration had sought to require states to account for population losses tied to deportations in order to receive emergency preparedness grants. – NYT

Mon, Dec 22, 2025:
A rift in MAGA has top Heritage Foundation officials leaving to join with Mike Pence – NPR

Sun, Dec 21, 2025:
Are Trump’s Actions Unprecedented? We Asked Historians (Again). – NYT
CBS shelves ‘60 Minutes’ story on Trump deportees at the last minute: ‘People are threatening to quit,’ staffers say
VIDEO: The 60 Minutes CECOT Segment the White House Doesn’t Want You to See – YouTube

Sat, Dec 20, 2025:
Trump’s power grab over the budget is breaking the constitutional design – The Atlantic

Thurs, Dec 18, 2025:
The board of trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts voted Thursday to rename the facility after both the former president and President Donald Trump. – CNN Politics
Trump, who was elected chair by a newly constituted board in February, has frequently joked about calling the performing arts center the “Trump Kennedy Center.” The president’s handpicked board approved his wishes at Thursday’s board meeting… Experts told CNN that while the board’s decision Thursday was likely unlawful, it’s unclear whether someone looking to challenge the move would have the legal right – known as “standing” – to even pursue such a case.
White South Africans coming to the U.S. as refugees could get a biography of President Donald Trump for children as part of a welcome packet proposed last week by an administration official…. The book – “Donald Trump Biography for Kids: An Inspirational Story of One of America’s Most Famous Presidents” – was suggested by Fred Cooper, a Trump appointee serving as deputy assistant secretary in a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. – Reuters
Judge blocks ICE from requiring members of Congress to provide prior notice before detention center visits – CBS

Wed Dec 17, 2025:
A federal judge said Wednesday that the Trump administration appears to have violated both her orders and Congress’ directives by proceeding with mass government layoffs. The law that ended the government shutdown included provisions to reverse the terminations of some 4,000 workers and halt any further layoffs… But the administration apparently broke…law… U.S. District Judge Susan Illston said during a Wednesday hearing. – Politico
After the shutdown deal, Trump has gone right back to withholding funds and dismantling appropriated entities. – Prospect
Appeals court hands Trump a win over D.C. National Guard deployment. Judges wrote in a preliminary order that the National Guard can stay for now and that the Trump administration is likely to succeed in its appeal of a lower-court ruling. – WP

Tues, Dec 16, 2025:
Trump has signed more executive orders in 2025 than in his entire first term. The threshold reflects Trump’s efforts to dramatically expand presidential authority with moves that have tested the bounds of the Constitution. – WP

Mon, Dec 15, 2025:
Trump’s Cuts to National Labor Relations Board Leave Festering Disputes and a Power Struggle – NYT

Sun, Dec 14, 2025:
Trump’s demolition of WH East Wing challenged by National Trust for Historic Preservation – Fortune

Thurs, Dec 11, 2025:
Riverstone Academy in Pueblo, Colorado is the latest school to test the legal limits of government funding for religious schools and the separation between church and state. – WP
Indiana Republicans defy Trump and reject his House redistricting push in the state – AP

Wed, Dec 10, 2025:
Judge orders Trump to end California National Guard troop deployment in Los Angeles – AP

Tues, Dec 9, 2025:
Supreme Court Grapples With Whether to Lift Campaign Finance Limits. The dispute before the court involved a Republican effort to lift limits on how much money political parties can spend in coordination with candidates. – NYT
The GOP has allowed Trump to expand his authority. Here’s where they’re pushing back. – NPR

Mon, Dec 8, 2025:
The Supreme Court seems likely to back Trump’s power to fire independent agency board members – AP
Supreme Court seems ready to let Trump fire independent commissioners – Axios
Democratic lawmakers warn of ‘cascading consequences’ of underfunding defense lawyers – Reuters

Sat, Dec 6, 2025:
Chief Justice John Roberts has led the Supreme Court’s conservative majority on a steady march of increasing the power of the presidency. – AP
Park Service drops free admission on MLK Day, Juneteenth while adding Trump’s birthday – AP

Fri, Dec 5, 2025:
When Federal Judges Fear For Their Families, The Entire Justice System Is Under Attack – FNN
Supreme Court Agrees to Review Trump Order Restricting Birthright Citizenship – NYT

Thurs, Dec 4, 2025:
A man pardoned by President Donald Trump for his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol returned to Washington in recent days and has been wandering the neighborhood of Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin — alarming police and prosecutors, who urged a judge to immediately jail him. – Politico

Wed, Dec 3, 2025:
President Trump’s name has been added to the exterior of the U.S. Institute of Peace Building in the nation’s capital… The Institute of Peace was among the organizations targeted by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and subsequently has been the subject of a legal battle.” – Hill

Tues, Dec 2, 2025:
Trump is going around the Senate to appoint federal prosecutors – WP
Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee are poised to square off at a hearing Wednesday on a long-running, but so far unsuccessful, Republican push to impeach judges who have ruled against President Donald Trump’s agenda. – Roll Call
Former Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernández freed after Trump pardon… sentenced last year to 45 years in prison for his role in a drug trafficking operation that moved hundreds of tons of cocaine to the United States. – AP
During Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting at the White House, Hegseth said that he did not see that there were survivors in the water when the second strike was ordered and launched, saying that “the thing was on fire” and citing the “fog of war” in defending the strike. – AP

Mon, Dec 1, 2025:
Trump Becomes the Wild Card in Razor-Thin Honduras Election. President Trump warned that if his favored candidate didn’t win, the United States would “not be throwing good money after bad” at the country. – NYT
Appeals Court Says Alina Habba Is Unlawful U.S. Attorney. The judges wrote that the Trump administration appeared to have become frustrated by legal and political barriers that have prevented its preferred U.S. attorneys from leading federal prosecutors’ offices. – NYT
White House says admiral approved second deadly boat strike. Karoline Leavitt defended the killings — and seemed to deflect any blame away from Pete Hegseth. – Politico
No wonder Trump is outraged by warnings about illegal orders. There’s a reason lawmakers worry about the military being told to ignore the law.– WP op-ed
Pete Hegseth’s Caribbean lawlessness. If boat strikes are needed to stop drugs, why is Trump pardoning the former president of Honduras? – WP Editorial Bd.
White House confirms Hegseth authorized second strike on drug boat – The Hill
Ex-Defense chief Panetta says he doesn’t ‘think there’s any question’ second strike was war crime – The Hill
Supreme Court to hear arguments in Trump v. Slaughter over the president’s power to remove the heads of independent federal agencies created by Congress. – ScotusBlog
Lawmakers voice support for congressional reviews of Trump’s military strikes on boats – AP
…attacking survivors of an initial missile strike poses serious legal concerns. “This rises to the level of a war crime if it’s true,” said Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va.
How China is using AI to extend censorship and surveillance of ethnic minorities – WP
Appeals court upholds disqualification of Alina Habba as New Jersey’s top federal prosecutor. The ruling further stymies the Trump administration’s use of unusual tactics meant to quickly put or keep largely unqualified U.S. attorneys in place without Senate confirmation. – Politico

Sun, Nov 30: 2025:
Trump says Hegseth denied issuing order to kill boat crew. The president also said he would not have wanted a second strike on a boat allegedly carrying drugs, which occurred after U.S. forces realized the initial attack left two survivors, as The Post reported. – WP
Lawmakers Suggest Follow-Up Boat Strike Could Be a War Crime. Top Republicans have joined Democrats in demanding answers about the escalating military campaign the Trump administration says is aimed at targeting drug traffickers. – NYT

Fri, Nov 28, 2025:
Political prosecutions are a downward spiral. Here’s an escape hatch – WP

Thurs, Nov 27, 2025:
Gallup, in its inaugural Democracy for All Project: Is Democracy Working? found that: half of Americans say democracy is performing poorly; fewer than one in three think core institutions are working; and economic insecurity magnifies dissatisfaction. – Gallup
The U.S. military has killed more than 80 people since the campaign began in early September. But it does not know who specifically is being killed. – NYT

Tues, Nov 25, 2025:
FBI seeks interviews with Democratic lawmakers who urged US troops to defy illegal orders – AP

Mon, Nov 24, 2025:
 Judge dismisses Comey, James indictments after finding that prosecutor was illegally appointed – AP
It might seem like Comey and James got off on a technicality, but ensuring prosecutors are lawfully appointed is essential. – WP

Fri, Nov 21, 2025:
Supreme Court blocks order that found Texas congressional map is likely racially biased – AP
Trump administration ordered to halt ‘unlawful’ Guard deployment in D.C. A judge granted an injunction in D.C.’s lawsuit against Trump’s National Guard deployment, but it won’t take effect for 21 days so that the government can appeal. – WP

Thurs, Nov 20, 2025:
“SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!” − President Trump, in a social media post Thursday morning, responding to a group of six Democratic intelligence and military veterans in Congress who posted a video on Tuesday reminding active service members that they can and must defy “illegal” orders.

Mon, Nov 17, 2025:
The Justice Department engaged in a “disturbing pattern of profound investigative missteps” when it secured an indictment against former FBI Director James Comey, a federal judge ruled Monday in directing prosecutors to produce to defense lawyers all grand jury materials from the case. – AP

Fri, Nov 14, 2025:
Dozens of politicians from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party will travel to Washington in December at the invitation of a group of House Republicans, said U.S. Rep. Paulina Luna. – Politico

Thurs, Nov 13, 2025:
These fired federal workers are starting new roles opposing the Trump administration – Axios
Justice Dept sues to block California US House map in clash that could tip control of Congress – AP
DOJ seeks to block new California congressional map. The Trump administration is arguing the new districts approved by voters last week violate the Constitution. – Politico
State Department erases 15 pages of nuclear history — with no warning – WP

Tues, Nov 11, 2025:
Federal Judge, Warning of ‘Existential Threat’ to Democracy, Resigns – The Atlantic

Mon, Nov 10, 2025:
Americans’ trust in govt nears five-decade low, poll finds – Semafor
Justice Department struggles as thousands exit — and few are replaced. The Justice Department has lost thousands of experienced attorneys and backfilled a fraction of the open jobs, in part because of a lack of qualified candidates. – WP

Fri, Nov 7, 2025:
A US judge permanently blocked President Donald Trump’s plan to deploy the National Guard to Portland, Oregon, to quell protests against his immigration crackdown. – Bloomberg

Wed, Oct 29, 2025:
Trump on possible third term: ‘I’m not allowed to run. It’s too bad’ – AP
White House fires arts commission expected to review Trump construction projects. The move comes as President Donald Trump pursues efforts to build a White House ballroom and a triumphal arch in Washington. – WP

Tues, Oct 28, 2025:
US military officials required to sign NDAs tied to Latin America mission, sources say – Reuters
The Trump administration has reinstalled a statue honoring a Confederate official near the Capitol grounds in Washington, notching another victory in President Trump’s effort to restore Confederate symbols in the military and in public spaces. – NYT
The Folly of Letting the Executive Control Spending – CATO

Mon, Oct 27, 2025:
Trump Says a Recent M.R.I. Scan Was ‘Perfect,’ and He’d ‘Love’ a Third Term. The Constitution limits presidents to two terms, but Mr. Trump has suggested he might try to circumvent it. – NYT

Fri, Oct 24, 2025:
Trump’s seizure of the power of the purse: Striking the core of the republic – Alturas

Thurs, Oct 23, 2025:
A Republic, but Can We Keep It? From the military and the Justice Department to the East Wing, there’s reason to wonder and worry. – WSJ/Noonan

Tues, Oct 21, 2025:
Arizona attorney general sues Mike Johnson for failing to seat Adelita Grijalva. “Constitutional rights cannot be used as a bargaining chip,” Kris Mayes wrote. – Politico
Man pardoned by President Trump after storming Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 is charged with threatening to kill House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. – AP

Sat, Oct 18, 2025:
No Kings protests against Trump draw huge crowds across the country. Gatherings had a street carnival atmosphere as demonstrators packed Times Square in New York and lined Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington on Saturday. – WP
‘No Kings’ protests draw large crowds in US cities to decry Trump – Reuters
Across the Nation, ‘No Kings’ Protesters Rally to Oppose Trump – WSJ
‘No Kings’ protests against Trump bring a street party vibe to cities nationwide – AP

Fri, Oct 17, 2025:
Trump says he has commuted sentence of former US Rep. George Santos in fraud case – AP

Thurs, Oct 16, 2025:
Leaked chats containing a series of racist and antisemitic messages from a Young Republicans group were shocking, offensive — and a sign of where politics could be going. – Politico

Wed, Oct 15, 2025:
Trump Team Plans IRS Overhaul to Enable Pursuit of Left-Leaning Groups. Effort would install Trump ally at agency’s criminal unit who has drawn up list of investigative targets. – WSJ
Republicans revel in Trump’s imperial presidency – Semafor
The GOP traditionally stood for rule of law, limited government and unity. It should again.–WSJ/Danforth
Dozens of reporters turned in access badges and exited the Pentagon on Wednesday rather than agree to government-imposed restrictions on their work, pushing journalists who cover the American military further from the seat of its power. – AP

Tues, Oct 14, 2025:
Thousands of messages reveal young GOP leaders joking about gas chambers, slavery and rape.-Politico
Congress Can Rein In Executive Power – WSJ

Mon, Oct 13, 2025:
A lot of attention has focused on the Supreme Court’s virtual reversal of Humphrey’s Executor on the shadow docket. But that is not the only case that the court is also effectively overruling…It is doing the same to Clinton v. City of New York, the 1998 case that struck down Line Item Veto Act.-ScotusBlog
Congress is losing its grip on the power to spend Americans’ money. “Congress doesn’t really have a say on anything,” said former Michigan congressman Fred Upton. “No one’s putting their hand up to say ‘stop.’” – WP

Sat, Oct 11, 2025:
Federal Judges, Warning of ‘Judicial Crisis,’ Fault Supreme Court’s Emergency Orders. Dozens of sitting judges shared with The Times their concerns about risks to the courts’ legitimacy as the Supreme Court releases opaque orders about Trump administration policies. – NYT
Appeals court bars Trump from deploying National Guard in Illinois. The appeals court weighed in after a federal judge, concluding that it was “likely to lead to civil unrest,” barred the president from deploying troops in and around Chicago. – WP

Tues, Sept 30, 2025:
Trump Tells Generals the Military Will Be Used to Fight ‘Enemy Within’. President says some U.S. cities he considers dangerous should become training grounds for American troops – WSJ
Trump targets ‘the enemy from within’ in speech to top military leaders – AP
Trump displays ‘Trump 2028′ hats during leaders meeting – AP

Mon, Sept 29, 2025:
Another Capitulation: YouTube to pay $24.5 million to settle Trump lawsuit over post-Jan. 6 suspension. The agreement says $22 million will go toward construction of a new White House ballroom. The settlement follows similar multimillion-dollar agreements with Meta and X. – WP

Fri, Sept 26 2025:
Trump Gets the Retribution He Sought, and Shatters Norms in the Process. A prosecutor’s drive to indict James Comey trampled over the Justice Department’s long tradition of keeping a distance from politics and the White House, and raised the prospect of more arbitrary charges. – NYT
The death of scandal. Watergate and Teapot Dome — in broad daylight. – If you can keep it

Wed, Sept 24, 2025:
The Trump administration is pushing courts to make more ‘new law’. Judges across the country are being forced to confront unprecedented claims of presidential power in ways they’ve never had to consider. – Politico
Judge finds Trump violated law in firing inspectors general, but allows dismissal to stand – The Hill

Mon, Sept 22, 2025:
Supreme Court allows Trump to fire FTC member while court mulls future of independent agencies. The Biden-appointed regulator will remain out of her post while the high court considers overturning a 90-year-old precedent. – Politico
The Supreme Court said Monday it will consider expanding President Donald Trump’s power to shape independent agencies by overturning a nearly century-old decision limiting when presidents can fire board members. In a 6-3 decision, the high court also allowed the Republican president to carry out the firing of Rebecca Slaughter, a Democratic member of the Federal Trade Commission, while the case plays out. – AP

Tues, Sept 16, 2025:
Pam Bondi Needs a Free Speech Tutorial – WSJ

Mon, Sept 8, 2025:
“The Supreme Court on Monday backed President Donald Trump’s push to allow immigration enforcement officials to continue what critics describe as “roving patrols” in Southern California that lower courts said likely violated the Fourth Amendment.… At issue were a series of incidents in which masked and heavily armed Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents pulled aside people who identify as Latino – including some US citizens – around Los Angeles to interrogate them about their immigration status. Lower courts found that ICE likely had not established the “reasonable suspicion” required to justify those stops.” – CNN

Tues, Sep 2, 2025:
Judge rules Trump administration broke law in deploying National Guard soldiers to LA this summer – AP

Mon, Sep 1, 2025:
Trump’s fawning cabinet and the threat to US democracy. Strongman authoritarianism thrives on sycophancy – FT

Wed, Aug 20, 2025:
Trump escalates attacks against Smithsonian museums, says there’s too much focus on ‘how bad slavery was’ – CNN
Seven months into the second Trump administration, the president has picked fights with colleges, law firms, trading partners and private businesses, threatening them with investigations, tariffs or other consequences as he seeks to enact his agenda. And he has also offered them a simple way out of their Trump-instigated troubles, one that would hardly seem out of place in the clubby, mob-connected Manhattan he came up in: Pay up. – NYT
It’s been a little more than a week since President Donald Trump took over D.C. police and sent federal law enforcement and National Guard members to patrol the city. He’s framed this as a crackdown on crime, but to those who study constitutional law, the militarization of the nation’s capital has similarities to countries with fewer freedoms. – WP

Tues, Aug 19, 2025:
Masks off, please. Federal officers intimidate D.C. citizens by refusing to identify their agency or show their face. – WP

Wed, Aug 13, 2025:
Trump Administration Can Withhold Billions in Aid, Appeals Court Rules. In a 2-to-1 vote, a federal appeals court panel ruled that foreign aid groups that sued to recover funds that President Trump froze lacked standing under the Impoundment Control Act. – NYT
Historians Alarmed by White House Plan to Oversee Smithsonian Exhibits. The Trump administration’s plan to, in effect, audit the content of Smithsonian museums drew criticism from groups that represent scholars and promote free speech. – NYT

Sat, Aug 9, 2025:
The nation’s capital waits for Trump’s next move as a federal takeover threat looms.
“Imposing a full federal takeover of Washington would require a congressional repeal of the Home Rule Act of 1973. It’s a step that Trump said lawyers are examining.”
Publisher’s Comment: this could be another move towards a full-on autocracy–taking control of the streets in the nation’s capital. Consider this dangerous scenario: how can Congress meet to count the electoral college votes in January of 2029, if federal officers do not permit Members of Congress to access the Capitol?

Wed, Aug 6, 2025:
The White House is tightening the screws on elected officials in its quest to pressure more red states to gerrymander ahead of the 2026 midterms. – Politico
How Trump builds power for himself with ‘no details’ trade deals. In second term, president has steamrolled over traditional limits on his authority. – Roll Call
Trump on EU deal: ““The details are $600 billion to invest in anything I want. Anything. I can do anything I want,” Trump said.”
DOJ moves to sanction lawyer who took pro bono deportation case. – Politico

Tues, Aug 5, 2025:
Trump says he will ‘probably not’ seek a third term. Trump is constitutionally ineligible from being elected again. – Politico

Sat, Aug 2, 2025:
Former Trump prosecutor Jack Smith faces investigation by Office of Special Counsel – WP

Fri, Aug 1, 2025:
Trump fires labor statistics chief after large revision to jobs report. Erika McEntarfer, the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, was ousted after revised data showed higher unemployment in May and June. – WP

Wed, July 30, 2025:
Once-routine US attorney nominations become embroiled in politics. Fights over U.S. attorney picks Habba and Sarcone reflect larger tumult over Trump nominees – Roll Call
Judge orders administration to explain why order to restore Voice of America wasn’t followed – AP

Mon, July 21, 2025:
Trump officials accused of defying 1 in 3 judges who ruled against him. A comprehensive analysis of hundreds of lawsuits against Trump policies shows dozens of examples of defiance, delay and dishonesty, which experts say pose an unprecedented threat to the U.S. legal system. – WP

Fri, July 18, 2025:
Canceling Stephen Colbert Isn’t Funny – NYT

Thurs, July 17, 2025:

In the Trump Administration, Watchdogs Are Watching Their Backs. The president has fired or demoted over 20 inspectors general since he took office. Employees say they are demoralized and reluctant to pursue investigations that could prompt political blowback. – NYT
Trump is ratcheting up his war on the media in his second term – WP

• As he pushes for funding cuts to public media, the Trump administration is trying to fire Democratic board members of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. His administration has opened investigations into ABC and NBC News. CBS News’s parent company settled a lawsuit Trump filed that media experts said was largely frivolous. So did ABC News. The president is controlling press access to him and blocked the Associated Press from certain White House events. He gutted the Voice of America and is having it instead air programs from the pro-Trump One America News.

• By the end of this week, Congress may have voted to cut $1 billion from public radio and TV broadcasting, potentially decimating how rural communities get their news — and expanding President Donald Trump’s war on the media. Trump has made clear that these cuts are in large part because he thinks the coverage isn’t friendly enough to him.

• “If you go after these shows and companies just because you don’t like their coverage, that’s incredibly concerning,” said Tom Jones, a senior media writer with the journalism nonprofit Poynter and the author of the Poynter Report. “You’re moving toward ‘Let’s eliminate all media we don’t like’ and eventually you get to ‘Let’s just have state media.’ I know that seems hyperbolic, but that seems to be the playbook.”

Sat, July 12, 2025:
Bondi fires 20 Justice Dept. employees involved in Trump prosecutions. Those fired from the department include two prosecutors who worked under former special counsel Jack Smith. – WP

Thurs, July 10, 2025:
The F.B.I. Is Using Polygraphs to Test Officials’ Loyalty. Some senior officials who have taken the test have been asked whether they said anything negative about the F.B.I. director, Kash Patel. –NYT
Trump’s Cuts Are Making Federal Data Disappear. Online tools that professionals use for everything from diagnosing diseases to calculating insurance payouts are going dark. – Bloomberg

Tues, July 1, 2025:
Supreme Court pushes right in term stocked with Trump cases. Three justices in the middle, all appointed by Republicans, set the path, experts say. – Roll Call

Sun, June 29, 2025:
How Trump’s emergencies and wins dominated the Supreme Court term. The justices’ regular caseload was overshadowed by requests from the president to allow some of his most controversial policies to go forward. – WP

Sat, June 28, 2025:
Trump says he will move aggressively to undo nationwide blocks on his agenda. Emboldened by Friday’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling, the administration will flex its authority on issues ranging from immigration to education. – WP

Fri, June 27, 2025:
In Birthright Citizenship Case, Supreme Court Limits Power of Judges to Block Trump Policies. The ruling clears a major hurdle to President Trump’s agenda and could reshape American citizenship, at least temporarily, as lower court challenges proceed. – NYT
Supreme Court limits nationwide orders that have blocked Trump’s birthright citizenship ban – WP
Supreme Court in birthright case limits judges’ power to block presidential policies. – Reuters

Wed, June 25, 2025:
Republican and Democratic Senators Denounce Trump’s Move to Silence Public-Broadcasting Stations Essential to Many Rural States – Free Press

Tues, June 24, 2025:
Emil Bove, now a nominee to the federal bench, proposed defying court orders, former DOJ colleague says – Politico

Tues, June 17, 2025:
Profiting from the Presidency: Trump Family Launches Branded Mobile Phone Service in US

Wed, June 11, 2025:
The secret police descending on Small Town, U.S.A. Masked immigration officials are storming towns and arresting people. – WP
Trump White House opens door to historic military deployment on U.S. soil. The administration’s message coincides with a rise in bellicose language from President Trump. – WP

Tues, June 10, 2025:
Hegseth faces sharp questions from Congress on deploying troops to LA and Pentagon spending – AP

Mon, June 9, 2025:
The Supreme Court Just Gave DOGE the Keys to the Kingdom. Allowing the department access to Social Security data means the White House can presumably share it with any federal agency it wants to leverage for political purposes. – Bloomberg/Feldman
California sued President Trump on Monday, saying that the president had unlawfully bypassed Gov. Gavin Newsom in an “unprecedented power grab” by deploying National Guard and Marines in Los Angeles. “The Governor of the State of California and the State of California bring this action to protect the State against the illegal actions of the President, Secretary of Defense, and Department of Defense to deploy members of the California National Guard, without lawful authority, and in violation of the Constitution…. Reflecting the Founders’ distrust of military rule, the U.S. Constitution and the laws of our Nation strictly limit the domestic use of the military, including the federalized National Guard. The Posse Comitatus Act codifies these strict rules, prohibiting the military from engaging in civil law enforcement unless explicitly authorized by law. The authority to use the military domestically for civil law enforcement is reserved for dire, narrow circumstances, none of which is present here. Defendants have overstepped the bounds of law and are intent on going as far as they can to use the military in unprecedented, unlawful ways. ”

Fri, May 30, 2025:
Power & Profit, Washington Week’s review of Donald Trump’s corruption – PBS/The Atlantic

Thurs, May 29, 2025:
Sharp spike in threats to judges prompts calls for more security. The U.S. Marshals Service investigated 373 threats to judges in the first five months of 2025, fueling calls for better protection for judges and courthouses. – WP
The budding bromance between authoritarianism and tech. Before he was killed, Jamal Khashoggi described the dark side of Saudi Arabia’s push to modernize. – WP
“It’s worth thinking of Saudi Arabia and MBS as distilled versions of a broader reality: The decline in democracy worldwide, and the attacks on press freedom, activists and basic human rights that have come with it, are also concurrent with tech acceleration….We are contending with a global oligarchy that is pushing a futuristic vision of humanity that has little use for humans, who regrettably need food, rest, shelter, community and decent working conditions.”

Fri, May 23, 2025:
Presidency for Sale: guest list and social media posts identifying who was invited to President Trump’s private event for customers of his cryptocurrency business on Thursday – NYT
Congress approved this cast bronze plaque honoring members of law enforcement for their efforts to protect the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. But the plaque sits in a storage room in the Capitol as Democrats say Republican leaders won’t install it because they are afraid it will anger President Donald Trump,” reports the Washington Post.

Wed, May 21, 2025: Pentagon takes possession of Qatari luxury jet sought by Trump for use as Air Force One — in blatant violation of Article I, Section 9 of the Constitution which provides that “No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States: and no person holding any office of profit or trust under them, shall, without the consent of the Congress, accept of any present, emolument, office, or title, of any kind whatever, from any king, prince, or foreign state.”

Mon, May 19, 2025:
The Trump administration will pay nearly $5 million to the family of Ashli Babbitt, the Trump supporter who was shot and killed while in the mob breaching the House Speaker’s Lobby on Jan. 6, 2021. – CBS
“Footage from Jan. 6 showed Babbitt trying to climb through a smashed window as the mob sought to breach the House Speaker’s Lobby, where the counting of the electoral votes had been interrupted.”

Wed, May 14, 2025:
Unpacking Trump’s many potential conflicts of interest – WP

Mon, May 12, 2025:
I was a GOP governor. I’m supporting a lawsuit against Trump’s tariffs. The tariffs are an unconstitutional seizure of taxation power that conservatives should oppose. – WP/Allen
“I recently joined a coalition of political leaders from across the ideological divide to file a friend of the court brief urging the U.S. Court of International Trade to enjoin Trump’s tariffs as an unconstitutional seizure of taxation power clearly vested in Congress.”
Auction to Dine With Trump Creates Foreign Influence Opportunity – NYT

Thurs, May 8, 2025:
These judges ruled against Trump. Then their families came under attack. – Reuters
Justice Dept. investigating N.Y. attorney general who has targeted Trump – WP
How Will We Know When We Have Lost Our Democracy? – NYT

Tues, May 6, 2025:
Canada’s Carney Tells Trump His Country Is ‘Not for Sale’ – FT
“As you know from real estate, there are some places that are never for sale,” Carney told Trump. “Having met with the owners of Canada over the course of the campaign, last several months, it’s not for sale. It won’t be for sale, ever. But the opportunity is in the partnership and what we can build together.” “Never say never,” Trump replied.

Tues, April 29, 2025:
No, thank you. I don’t want to appear on one of Trump’s ‘lists.’ – WP/Rampell

Mon, April 28, 2025:
Stopping the Unconstitutional Dismantling of the Federal Government – Protect Democracy

Fri, April 25, 2025:
FBI arrests Milwaukee judge, alleging she interfered in immigration operation; The arrest marks a significant escalation in the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration, as well as in its battles with judges across the country. – NBC
Inside Trump’s First 100 days – TIME

Thurs, April 24, 2025:
Selling presidential access: How Trump turned a dinner invite into a crypto boon worth millions – WP
Trump and GOP ramp up investigations on Democrats’ top fundraising platform; The president’s directive to investigate fundraising apparatuses like ActBlue shows an erosion of the traditional separation between the White House and Justice Department. – WP
Meet the top donors to Trump’s $239 million inauguration fund; The list includes more than a dozen nominees to the administration, a poultry giant and embattled crypto companies – WP

Wed, April 23, 2025:
Two major law firms urge judges to permanently block Trump’s executive orders – AP

Sat, April 19, 2025:
Three ex-presidents denounce the current one in a two-week stretch. – WP
‘Shame!’ Protesters Nationwide Rally Again to Condemn Trump Policies. Thousands of demonstrators rallied at hundreds of events on Saturday to speak out against the president’s handling of immigration, civil liberties, job cuts and many other issues. – NYT

Mon, April 14, 2025:
Trump shows his weakness and disdain for the Rule of Law: El Salvador’s President said during a meeting with Trump that he refuses to return a wrongly deported Maryland man. – WP

Fri, April 11, 2025:
Five more prominent law firms facing potential punitive action by President Trump reached deals on Friday with the White House to provide a total of $600 million in free legal services to causes supported by the president: Kirkland & Ellis, Latham & Watkins, A&O Shearman, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft – NYT
Trump orders the government to investigate his opponents – WP
“This week Trump’s retribution agenda took a big step forward after he signed two remarkable executive actions calling for investigations into two men who served in his first administration. These men either publicly spoke out against him or played a role in upholding the 2020 election results. Now they could be criminally investigated by Trump’s Justice Department for stoking “dissension,” as one Trump executive order puts it.”

Thurs, April 10, 2025:
Trump directs agencies to quietly repeal regulations — without public notice. The memo appears to rely on a misinterpretation of a recent Supreme Court ruling. – Politico

Wed, April 9, 2025:
Trump asks Supreme Court to let him fire independent regulators – WP

Tues, April 8, 2025:
Judge orders White House ban on AP lifted; U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden said the Associated Press is likely to win its lawsuit on First Amendment grounds. – WP

Sat, April 5, 2025:
The White House Frames the Past by Erasing Parts of It. As the Trump administration pulls government websites and data offline, it is selectively stripping away the public record, letting the president declare his own version of history, archivists and historians said. – NYT

Fri, April 4, 2025:
The economy. The Constitution. Is there anything Trump won’t destroy? The same day Trump said he would chop down Andrew Jackson’s magnolia, he swung an ax at the Constitution. – WP/Milbank

Wed, April 2, 2025:
Unmarked Vans. Secret Lists. Public Denunciations. Our Police State Has Arrived. – NYTimes/Gessen

Sat, March 29, 2025:
What to Know About Trump’s Order Taking Aim at the Smithsonian. The president’s order called for curbing the independence of the sprawling network of museums and urging it to promote “American greatness.” – NYT
Justice Sonia Sotomayor calls for ‘fearlessly independent’ judges; Sotomayor’s remarks appeared to be a rebuke of recent attacks on the judiciary by President Donald Trump and his allies. – WP

Fri, March 28, 2025:
Judges block Trump orders targeting two law firms as Skadden cuts deal – Reuters
If Trump Defies the Courts, It Will Backfire Badly. It’s not in his own self-interest. – Politico
Emboldened Trump Squeezes Traditional Media; News organizations grapple with threats from a more combative Trump 2.0 – WSJ
I am the Turkish President’s main challenger. I was arrested. – NYT (GovBudget publisher: Is this America’s future in 2028?)
Senator Chris Murphy: “This Is How Democracy Dies—Everybody Just Gets Scared” – New Yorker
Appeals court allows Trump’s removal of independent agency leaders for now; A lower court had blocked the president from firing leaders at the National Labor Relations Board and Merit Systems Protection Board, in a case that could land before the Supreme Court. – WP

Thurs, March 27, 2025:
Trump Administration disbands DOJ anti-kleptocracy unit which had ensnared a number of Trump supporters – WP
Today, FTC Commissioners Slaughter and Bedoya filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration after the president attempted to fire them without cause. This move directly violates a federal statute, as well as 90 years of binding Supreme Court precedent that protects the FTC — and other independent agencies like the Federal Reserve — from political interference. – ifyoucankeepit.org

Tues, March 25, 2025:
Republican lawmakers take aim at nationwide injunctions; Plans for hearings and a vote on legislation to limit the reach of district judge rulings – Roll Call
House Speaker Mike Johnson warns Congress has the power to stop funding federal courts amid high-stakes White House legal battles. – ABC

Sun, March 23, 2025:
Autocrats roll back rights and rule of law — and cite Trump’s example; Trump’s statements, policies and actions are providing cover for attacks on LGBTQ+ rights, freedom of expression and the rule of law around the world. – WP
A White House memo issued Saturday directs AG Pam Bondi “to seek sanctions against attorneys and law firms who engage in frivolous, unreasonable, and vexatious litigation” against the government, and also instructs Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem “to prioritize enforcement” of regulations governing attorney conduct in immigration courts. Trump is “doubling down on his threats against the American legal system,” writes POLITICO’s Ali Bianco, as he takes “an increasingly adversarial stance toward the legal system, including both judges who have ruled against his policies and lawyers and firms that he has viewed as wronging him.” – Politico

Thurs, March 20, 2025:
“Pam Bondi vowed at her confirmation hearing this year that ‘politics will not play a part’ in her time as attorney general. Now she’s leading a Justice Department more visibly aligned with the political agenda of the White House than any in recent history.” – WP
More than a dozen judges have said Trump probably broke the law, averaging one such finding every four days – WP
Trump’s move to fire Democrats puts FTC’s independence in doubt – WP
Why Washington and the business world are freaking out about Trump’s FTC firings – Politico

Wed, March 19, 2025:
Judges Fear for Their Safety Amid a Wave of Threats; Federal judges are worried that online threats against those who oversee high-profile cases challenging Trump administration policies may lead to real-world violence. NYTimes
Murkowski says her colleagues are afraid of Trump and Musk: “I’m not going to compromise my own integrity.” – Politico

Tues, March 18, 2025:
Chief Justice Roberts rebukes Trump call to impeach judges for rulings – Bloomberg
The Chief Justice said in an email: “For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose.” Roberts’ comments followed Trump’s call for the impeachment of US District Judge James Boasberg, who on Saturday tried to pause the deportation of hundreds of alleged Venezuelan gang members.
Administration nears open defiance of the courts; in its conflict with a federal judge, the Justice Dept. claims to be complying with orders while provoking a constitutional crisis. New Yorker/Marcus

Mon, March 17, 2025:
Trump escalates fight with federal courts over deportation authority; Several legal experts said the deportation episode marks a dramatic — and troubling — escalation in the Trump administration’s pushback against the courts. – WP
Trump’s border czar: “I don’t care what the judges think” – Axios
America’s voice, silenced; Trump is dismantling programs that push back against dictatorship and reach people in closed societies. – WP Editorial Board

Sat, March 15, 2025:
Trump Orders Gutting of 7 Agencies, Including Voice of America’s Parent
The order targeting the agencies, largely obscure entities that address issues like labor mediation and homelessness prevention, appeared to test the bounds of the president’s power. – NYT

Thurs, March 13, 2025:
Trump asks Supreme Court to curb judges’ power to block policies nationwide, arguing their reach should extend only to their district – Politico
Top IRS lawyer pushed aside as DOGE seeks records and 20 percent staff cuts. Elon Musk’s team has provoked concern among career staff over requests for tax records of undocumented immigrants. – WP

Wed, March 12, 2025:
Owner Jeff Bezos wants to transform the Opinions section of the paper, where I worked for forty years. After the publisher killed my column disagreeing with that move—it appears here in full—I decided to quit. – New Yorker/Ruth Marcus

Tues, March 11, 2025:
Judges warn against impeachments for rulings against Trump – Roll Call
How Trump is reshaping reality by hiding data. Curating reality is an old political game, but Trump’s sweeping statistical purges are part of a broader attempt to reinvent “truth.” – WP
A Great Unraveling is Underway – NYT/Friedman

Sat, March 9, 2025:
Musk and DOGE try to slash government by cutting out those who answer to voters – AP

Fri, March 7, 2025:
The one question that really matters: if Trump defies the courts, then what? – NYT

Thur, March 6, 2025:
Inside the White House’s new media strategy to promote Trump as “King” – WP
“After years of working to undermine mainstream outlets and neutralize critical reporting, Trump’s allies are now pushing a parallel information universe of social media feeds and right-wing firebrands to sell the country on his expansionist approach to presidential power.”
People are going silent: fearing retribution, Trump critics muzzle themselves – NYT

Wed, March 5, 2025:
Federal Appeals Court clears the way for administration to fire head of the office designed to protect federal whistleblowers – NYT
In just five days, Trump has set the country back nearly 100 years – WP

Tues, March 4, 2025:
Speaker Johnson tells GOP lawmakers to skip town halls after an onslaught of protests – AP

Sun, March 2, 2025:
Trump’s moves test the limits of presidential power and the resilience of US democracy – AP
Gilded Age is back–corporate dominance over politics brought power, wealth and backlash – Politico

Sat, March 1, 2025:
Trump cannot fire head of independent watchdog agency without cause, judge rules – WP

Fri, Feb 28, 2025:
Rapidly spreading authoritarianism from this administration threatens all our freedoms – WP/Milbank
Trump officials start dismantling civil rights offices, as part of DOGE’s secret plan; Legal experts say unwinding a civil-rights-era bulwark designed to safeguard employees’ rights removes a crucial check on institutional power – WP
Democratic Party sues claiming Trump’s executive order aimed at independent agencies will gut the Federal Election Commission – NYT
The MAGA war on speech – NYT

Thurs, Feb 27, 2025:
Warning to law firms: Stand up for the rule of law while you can; one by one, Trump is fencing in all his potential opponents. Now he’s sending a clear warning to lawyers to back off – WP/Marcus

Wed, Feb 26, 2025:
Trump nominees won’t say they’d always follow court rulings – Bloomberg Law
Bezos imposes limits on Washington Post opinion pages; says opinion pages will defend free market and “personal liberties” – AP
WH limits newswires in press pool takeover – Bloomberg
Justice Dept. nominees suggest some court orders can be ignored – NYT
The anti-Trump resistance begins to wake in earnest – WP

Tues, Feb 25, 2025:
DOGE’s grab of personal data stokes privacy and security fears – WP
James Carville op-ed

Sun, Feb 23, 2025:
“Dark MAGA” spreads as conservatives embrace Musk’s influence on Trump – AP

Sat, Feb 22, 2025:
Frustrated Dems urge leader to show more fight against Trump – NYT
As Trump pursues his policies, Democratic AGs block his path. Attorneys general have worked for months to craft legal opposition to the president’s agenda. Now they’re putting it into practice.-WP
With Pentagon purge, Trump thrusts military into uncharted territory; The abrupt removal of six top officers has deepened concern among the president’s critics, who fear he intends to impose his political will on the nonpartisan institution. – WP

Fri, Feb 21, 2025:
Trump wants to take over D.C. How would that work? – WP
Trump to Governor of Maine: “We are the federal law.”– USA today via Yahoo
SCOTUS declines for now to let Trump fire head of federal whistleblower office – Bloomberg
Staff at multiple agencies instructed not to speak to Congress – The Hill
In podcasts, DC US attorney discussed investigating Trump foes – WP
Trump this week quoted one of history’s most infamous dictators, Napoleon, while he mused that he should run for an unconstitutional third term – WP
Trump expected to take control of USPS, fire postal board, officials say – WP

Thurs, Feb 20, 2025:
How DOGE’s access to IRS data puts taxpayer information at risk – TPC
Trump is making it harder for SCOTUS to side with him – Politico
Trump comes close to the red line of openly defying judges, experts say – WP
When the guardrails holding back law enforcement fail – WP/Marcus
DOGE employee cuts fall heavily on NHTSA, which regulates TESLA – WP

Wed, Feb 19, 2025:
While Musk dismantles a pro-democracy group, America’s enemies cheer; DOGE targets National Endowment for Democracy – WP/Boot
Mexico has lessons for Democrats trying to oppose Trump – WP/Krauze
Congress has itself to blame for current constitutional crisis – Rollcall/Pearlstein

Tues, Feb 18, 2025:
Trump signs order to claim power over independent agencies – Politico
Judge refuses to block Musk, DOGE from 7 federal agencies – The Hill
Trump isn’t playacting when he invokes Napoleon; he is fawning over strongmen past and present because he want to emulate them – Bloomberg

Mon, Feb 17, 2025:
Trump suggests no laws violated if he “save” country – The Hill

Sun, Feb 16, 2025:
What’s behind Vance’s stunning decision to embrace Germany’s neo-Nazi AfD – WP
First test of Trump’s power to fire officials at independent agencies reaches SCOTUS – NYT
Washington Post backs out of “Fire Elon Musk” ad order – The Hill
Musk’s DOGE seeks access to personal taxpayer data, raising alarm at IRS – WP

Sat, Feb 15, 2025:
AP reporter barred from Air Force One over “Gulf of Mexico” terminology dispute – AP
Trump: “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law” – X Truth Social

Fri, Feb 14, 2025:
AP reporters barred from WH events. Next time it could be you. – WP
Many Trump Administration personnel actions are unlawful – David Super

Thurs, Feb 13, 2025:
The president summarily fired and replaced top officials at five watchdog offices in an apparent attempt to consolidate power over the sprawling federal bureaucracy. – WP
Is Trump going to defy the judiciary? – WP/Marcus

Wed, Feb 12, 2025:
While lawsuits challenging plans such as ending birthright citizenship and dismantling federal agencies raise weighty constitutional issues, they also claim Trump failed to follow the correct procedures as required under the 1946 Administrative Procedure Act (APA), which allows judges to throw out federal agency actions that are “arbitrary and capricious,” for example, failing to articulate why the agencies are changing policy. – NBC
Eight govt inspectors general have sued over their mass firing that removed oversight of Trump Administration – AP
Trump fires USAID IG one day after report about food spoiling in warehouses due to DOGE – WP
Reagan/Bush counsel explains why DOGE is unconstitutional – WP
Associated Press barred from WH briefing for not changing guide to reflect Trump’s “Gulf of America” order – The Economist
Trump firing lawsuits could lead to more presidential power – Roll Call

Tues, Feb 11, 2025:
Trump muses about a third term, over and over again – NYT
Trump’s clash with the courts escalates – Politico
There’s no need to guess. JD Vance is ready to ignore the courts – Politico

Mon, Feb 10, 2025:
Five former Treasury secretaries: our democracy is under siege – NYT
Trump’s actions have created a constitutional crisis, scholars say – NYT
Trump allies suggest defying court orders after stinging legal rebukes – WP

Sat, Feb 8, 2025:
A sample of the govt webpages Trump doesn’t want you to see – WP
Federal judge blocks Musk’s DOGE from access to Treasury Dept material – WP
Trump says he will fire Kennedy Center board members, appoint himself chair – WP
Trump dismisses archivist to the United States who became the target of Trump’s ire when the independent agency sought to retrieve documents from his Mar-a-Lago estate in 2022 – WP

Fri, Feb 7, 2025:
Trump-Bannon strategy: Flooding the zone – NPR
Kash Patel was paid by Russian filmmaker with Kremlin ties, docs show – WP
White House forces showdown over Congress’ power of the purse – NYT
Now will we believe what is happening right in front of us – NYT/K. Stewart
US ordered not to release list of FBI agents tied to Jan. 6 cases – Roll Call
Who will stand up to Trump’s un-American rule by decree – The Hill/Marshall
Trump’s power grab defies GOP orthodoxy on local control; NY city traffic, CA water, middle school sports…few policies are outside the reach of Trump’s power grab – NYT

Thurs, Feb 6, 2025:
Can the courts — can anyone — stop Trump? – WP/Marcus

Wed, Feb 5, 2025:
Trump’s early moves are terrifying Washington. A legal resistance is imminent. – Politico
Trump and Musk are moving to smother these three pieces of the government-CFPB, AID, DoEd–CNN
What is state capture? A warning for Americans – NYT
Trump brazenly defies laws in escalating executive power grab; President Trump has appeared to feel little constraint by any need to show respect for the rule of law – NYT
More than 8,000 web pages across more than a dozen agencies have been taken down – NYT
Musk Is a ‘Special Government Employee.’ What Does That Mean? – NYT
White House says Musk will police his own conflicts of interest – Bloomberg
“Musk, 53, is the CEO of SpaceX, which has significant government contracts with NASA and the US military. The company’s rocket launches are regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration. He is also the CEO of Tesla Inc., the electric car-maker that has been the subject of probes by several federal agencies ranging from The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“I don’t know of any other case, anywhere, in which an individual could determine for himself whether he had a conflict of interest,” said Donald Kettl… former dean at the University of Maryland School of Public Policy. “In fact, self-determination of a conflict of interest is itself a conflict of interest.”

Tues, Feb 4, 2025: A legal counteroffensive to beat back Trump’s government purges – NYT

Mon, Feb 3, 2025: Trump kicks aside Congress with sweeping claims of presidential power – WSJ

Wed, Jan 29, 2025: Trump’s retribution continues with removal of Gen. Milley’s security – NYTimes

Wed, Jan 29, 2025: Trump is dismantling system that guards against govt malfeasance – NYTimes

Wed, Jan 29, 2025: DOJ drops case against Trump’s former co-defendants in classified docs – CNN

Mon, Jan 27, 2025:
What America’s Tech Billionaires Really Bought When They Backed Donald Trump – Bloomberg
Why government needs independent inspectors general – WashPost
“Sen. Joni Ernst launched a new Inspector General Caucus on Jan. 15, with the laudable goal of empowering watchdogs across the executive branch as they identify waste, fraud and abuse. She said the inspectors general “supplied key details” in creating her road map for the “Department of Government Efficiency” and in gathering information on how few federal employees come into the office. “Their work has been invaluable,” she said. Her fellow Iowa Republican, Sen. Chuck Grassley, added: “I rely heavily on these independent watchdogs when carrying out my constitutional responsibility of oversight.” Nine days later, President Donald Trump fired at least 15 inspectors general in a Friday night purge….Trump is violating a 2022 law that passed with strong bipartisan support to protect the IGs’ independence. ”

Sun, Jan 26, 2025: WH warns of “consequences” for Republicans who don’t support all of Trump’s nominees – NBC

Sun, Jan 26, 2025: Trump pardoned the Jan 6 convicts; now his DOJ is wiping evidence of rioters’ crimes from the internet – CNN

Fri, Jan 24, 2025: Supreme Court to weigh constitutionality of religious charter school – CNN

Thurs, Jan 23, 2025: Experts blast Trump’s censorship order as “direct assault on reality” – CNN

Tues, Jan 21, 2025:
Trump finds a new way for foreign govt’s to pay him off, Crypto– WPost/Rampell
A look at false claims Trump made at inaugural events – AP

Mon, Jan 20, 2025:
Trump commutes sentences of far-right extremist leaders as he pardons nearly 1,500 Jan. 6th U.S. Capitol rioters convicted of assaulting police, damaging the U.S. Capitol, and seeking to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power; most Americans oppose the pardons – CNN
“Trump granted full pardons to nearly all defendants involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol and commuted the sentences of 14. Among the recipients of clemency from Trump were leaders of far-right groups who had been found guilty of seditious conspiracy and other offenses in connection with the Capitol attack.” – WSJ

Fri, Jan 17, 2025: Biden says Equal Rights Amendment is ratified, kicking off legal battle – CNN

Tues, Jan 14, 2025: Trump’s threat to U.S. liberal democracy – FT

Tues, Jan. 7, 2025: Four years after Capitol riot, Congress certifies Trump’s victory peacefully – NYT

Mon, Jan. 6, 2025: Congress overhauled the electoral count process after 2021 violence – NYT
The new law says the Vice President, ““shall have no power to solely determine, accept, reject, or otherwise adjudicate or resolve disputes over the proper certificate of ascertainment of appointment of electors, the validity of electors, or the votes of electors.” The Electoral Count Act “also raised the threshold for members of Congress to object to a state’s electoral count, from a single member to at least one-fifth of the members of both the House and Senate.”

Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025:
Joe Biden: What Americans should remember about Jan. 6 – WashPost
“A Day of Love”: How Trump Inverted the Violent History of Jan. 6 – NYTimes

Friday, Dec. 6, 2024:
Musk spent more than a quarter billion dollars to elect Trump – CNN
They gave millions to Trump. Now they’re named to top jobs – Bloomberg
Trump has assembled an uber-wealthy Cabinet, raising risks of ethics conflicts – WashPost

Wed, Dec. 4, 2024: Peter Navarro served prison time related to Jan. 6. Now Trump is bringing him back as an adviser – AP

Tues, Dec. 31, 2024: Lessons from a bumpy “super year” of global elections – AP

Sat, Dec 14, 2025: Trump’s executive order strategy: Go ahead, sue me – WashPost

Wed, Nov. 20, 2024: Trump’s recess appointment gambit is unconstitutional – Bloomberg

Tues, Nov. 19, 2024: Trump ignores transition rules. It’s a ‘hostile takeover,’ ally says – WashPost