On October 26, 2017, President Trump declared the opioid crisis a public health emergency—but the declaration provided no new funding and stopped short of the national emergency designation Trump had promised in August. The move was widely criticized as a hollow gesture that failed to match the …
Donald TrumpEric HarganDepartment of Health and Human Servicesopioid-crisishollow-gesturestrump-administrationpublic-healthunderfunding
George Papadopoulos, a foreign policy adviser to Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, secretly pleaded guilty on October 5, 2017, to making false statements to FBI agents about his contacts with individuals connected to the Russian government. The guilty plea, which became public on …
George PapadopoulosJoseph MifsudRobert MuellerDonald Trumpmueller investigationrussia contactsguilty pleacampaign officialstrump pardons+1 more
Whitefish Energy, a Montana company with only two full-time employees from Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s hometown, received a $300 million no-bid contract to restore Puerto Rico’s power grid after Hurricane Maria. The contract prohibited government auditing of costs while charging $462 …
Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price resigned after revelations he spent
over $1 million in taxpayer funds on private jets and military aircraft for travel
that included personal business. Price took at least 26 private charter flights
costing over $400,000, often to places where he had …
Tom PriceDonald TrumpDepartment of Health and Human Servicescorruptionresignationmisuse-of-fundshealthcareinsider-trading+5 more
Three days after a white supremacist murdered Heather Heyer at the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, President Trump held a press conference that shocked the nation by equating neo-Nazis with anti-racism protesters and defending Confederate statue defenders as “very fine …
Donald TrumpHeather HeyerJames Alex Fields Jr.white nationalismextremismdomestic terrorismalt-rightpresidential-misconduct
The “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia brought together neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and far-right extremists to protest the removal of a Confederate statue of Robert E. Lee. The rally descended into violence, culminating in a deadly terror attack when James Alex …
James Alex Fields Jr.Heather HeyerDonald Trumpwhite nationalismextremismdomestic terrorismalt-righthate-crimes
President Trump traveled to Long Island to deliver a speech linking MS-13 gang violence to immigration policy, using the gang to justify harsh deportation policies. In his 2018 State of the Union, Trump highlighted the murders of teenagers Kayla Cuevas and Nisa Mickens, stating ‘Six members of …
Donald TrumpMS-13racial-politicsdog-whistle-politicsimmigrationrepublican-partyxenophobia+2 more
On July 21, 2017, the Senate confirmed Mark Esper as Secretary of the Army, installing a former Raytheon weapons lobbyist in a senior Pentagon position overseeing billions of dollars in defense contracts. Esper had served as Raytheon’s vice president of government relations from July 2010 …
Mark EsperRaytheonDonald TrumpElizabeth Warrenrevolving-doorraytheondefense-contractorspentagonlobbying+1 more
Trump called White House Counsel Don McGahn at home and directed him to call Acting Attorney General and say Special Counsel had conflicts of interest and must be removed. McGahn refused, deciding he would resign rather than trigger what he viewed as potential “Saturday Night Massacre” …
Donald TrumpDon McGahnRod RosensteinRob Porterobstruction-of-justicemueller-investigationsaturday-night-massacrewitness-tamperingdocument-falsification+2 more
The U.S. Office of Special Counsel determined that White House Social Media Director Dan Scavino violated the Hatch Act when he used his position to call on Trump supporters to defeat Republican Congressman Justin Amash in a primary election. Although Scavino posted the tweet from his personal …
Dan ScavinoDonald TrumpJustin AmashOffice of Special Counsel (OSC)hatch actethics violationsdan scavinosocial mediatrump administration+1 more
President Trump announced U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, making America the only nation to reject the accord after Syria and Nicaragua joined. Trump falsely claimed the agreement would cost America $3 trillion and 6.5 million jobs while allowing China and India to increase …
Donald TrumpParis AgreementFossil Fuel IndustryUnited StatesScott Pruittclimate-changeparis-agreementenvironmental-destructioninternational-isolationfossil-fuels
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed former FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III as Special Counsel on May 17, 2017, to oversee the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and any links between the Trump campaign and Russia—just 8 days after Trump fired FBI Director …
Robert MuellerRod RosensteinDonald TrumpJames ComeyJeff Sessionsmueller-investigationobstruction-of-justicerussia-investigationspecial-counselrosenstein
President Trump signed an executive order creating the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, chaired by Vice President Mike Pence with Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach as vice chair and day-to-day administrator. The commission was established after Trump made unsubstantiated …
Donald TrumpKris KobachMike PenceMatthew Dunlapvoter suppressiondisinformationtrump administrationrepublican party
The day after firing FBI Director James Comey, President Trump met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Ambassador Sergey Kislyak in the Oval Office and revealed highly classified code-word intelligence provided by Israel about an ISIS laptop bomb plot, jeopardizing a critical …
Donald TrumpSergei LavrovSergey KislyakH.R. McMasterBenjamin Netanyahuclassified-intelligencerussiaisraelnational-security-risklavrov+1 more
Trump fired FBI Director James Comey while under FBI investigation for Russian connections. Day after firing, Trump told Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and Ambassador Kislyak in Oval Office that he had “faced great pressure because of Russia” which had been “taken off” by …
Donald TrumpJames ComeySergey LavrovSergey KislyakRod Rosensteinobstruction-of-justicereferee-neutralizationrussia-investigationfbiinstitutional-capture+1 more
Ed Feulner, who had retired as Heritage Foundation president in 2013 after 36 years of leadership, returned as interim president and CEO on May 2, 2017, after Heritage’s Board of Trustees unanimously forced out Jim DeMint due to “significant and worsening management issues” that …
Edwin FeulnerJim DeMintHeritage FoundationHeritage Foundation Board of TrusteesKay Coles James+1 moreheritage-foundationconservative-movementinstitutional-transitionleadership-crisistrump-administration+1 more
Fox News fired its top-rated host Bill O’Reilly on April 19, 2017, after The New York Times revealed O’Reilly and 21st Century Fox had paid approximately $13 million to settle sexual harassment claims from at least five women over more than a decade. The women, who either worked for …
Bill O'ReillyDonald TrumpRupert MurdochJames MurdochLachlan Murdoch+1 morefox-newssexual-harassmenttrump-defensebill-oreillymedia-corruption
In mid-April 2017, just weeks after quietly departing the Trump White House in March, Boris Epshteyn was hired by Sinclair Broadcast Group as “chief political analyst,” creating a direct propaganda pipeline from the Trump administration to 173 local television stations in 81 markets …
Boris EpshteynSinclair Broadcast GroupDonald TrumpWhite House Office of CommunicationsTrump Administrationsinclair-broadcastingpropagandamedia-consolidationtrump-coordinationrevolving-door+3 more
The Trump Justice Department initiated a systematic surveillance operation targeting Washington Post journalists Ellen Nakashima, Greg Miller, and Adam Entous between April 15 and July 31, 2017. The operation was part of an aggressive effort to identify sources and suppress national security …
Trump Model Management quietly closes operations after 18 years, amid ongoing investigations into visa fraud and labor violations. The shutdown comes as multiple former models speak publicly about being trafficked on fraudulent visas, forced to work illegally, and subjected to debt bondage through …
Trump Model ManagementDonald TrumpAlexia Palmerbusiness-dealingsexploitationinvestigationimmigration-fraud
On April 6, 2017, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell invoked the “nuclear option”—a parliamentary procedure to change Senate rules by simple majority vote—to eliminate the 60-vote filibuster requirement for Supreme Court nominations, lowering the threshold to a simple 51-vote …
On April 6, 2017, President Trump ordered the first direct U.S. military action against the Assad regime—launching 59 Tomahawk missiles at Shayrat air base in Syria—from his private Mar-a-Lago club while hosting Chinese President Xi Jinping for a state dinner. At approximately 8:40 PM, as Trump and …
Donald TrumpXi JinpingBashar al-AssadRex TillersonVladimir Putinmar-a-lagomilitary-actionsyriaconflicts-of-interestemoluments+1 more
President Trump removed chief strategist Steve Bannon from the National Security Council Principals Committee on April 5, 2017, ending an unprecedented three-month period during which a political operative with no national security experience—and a background running Breitbart News, the platform for …
Steve BannonDonald TrumpH.R. McMasterMichael FlynnDan Coats+1 moresteve-bannonnational-security-councilpoliticizationmichael-flynnmcmaster
U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel approved the $25 million Trump University settlement on March 31, 2017, clearing the way for approximately 3,730 victims to receive refunds of at least 90 percent of the money they spent on Trump University courses. The approval came four months after Trump agreed …
President Trump signed a sweeping executive order at the EPA that effectively dismantled Obama’s climate change policies, targeting the Clean Power Plan and lifting restrictions on carbon emissions. The order represented a significant regulatory rollback, prioritizing fossil fuel industry …
Donald TrumpScott PruittLee ZeldinMurray Energy Corporationepa-rollbackclimate-changeregulatory-capturefossil-fuel-industryenvironmental-policy
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes made a secret visit to the White House grounds on March 21, 2017—the night before he dramatically announced he had seen intelligence suggesting Trump associates were “incidentally collected” in surveillance. Nunes viewed classified …
Reuters investigation revealed at least 63 Russian nationals invested $98.4 million in
Trump-branded properties in South Florida, primarily in Sunny Isles Beach. The buyers
purchased units at Trump Grande, Trump Towers, and Trump Hollywood, with about one-third
of all units owned through LLCs that …
Donald TrumpTrump OrganizationRussian buyersReutersrussian-moneyreal-estatemoney-launderingsunny-isles-beachshell-companies
President Trump fired U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara on March 11, 2017, after Bharara refused to resign when ordered to do so—breaking Trump’s direct promise made just months earlier at Trump Tower to allow Bharara to keep his position. Bharara, the highly respected U.S. Attorney for the Southern …
Donald TrumpPreet BhararaMarc KasowitzJeff SessionsRoger Ailes+1 moreobstruction-of-justicecorruptionabuse-of-powerconflicts-of-interestfox-news
On March 7, 2017, Michael Flynn belatedly filed Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) paperwork with the Department of Justice, revealing his consulting firm received $530,000 from August through November 2016 for work that could be construed to have principally benefited the Republic of Turkey. …
Michael FlynnDonald TrumpRecep Tayyip ErdoganEkim AlptekinFethullah Gulenflynnforeign-agentconflicts-of-interestturkeycorruption+1 more
President Trump signed Executive Order 13780 on March 6, 2017—“Travel Ban 2.0”—revising his original Muslim ban after federal courts blocked Executive Order 13769. The new order placed a 90-day restriction on entry to the U.S. by nationals of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and …
Donald TrumpDerrick WatsonDoug ChinRudy Giulianimuslim-banreligious-discriminationauthoritarianismimmigrationrule-of-law
On March 4, 2017, President Trump tweeted a series of explosive and completely false accusations that former President Barack Obama had wiretapped his phones at Trump Tower “just before the victory.” Trump claimed he had “just found out” about the wiretapping but provided …
Donald TrumpBarack ObamaJames ClapperJames Comeydisinformationobama-attacksauthoritarianismfalse-accusationsabuse-of-power
Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced on March 2, 2017, that he would recuse himself from any investigations related to the 2016 presidential campaign, including Russian interference, following The Washington Post’s revelation that Sessions had lied under oath about his contacts with …
Jeff SessionsDonald TrumpSergey KislyakDana BoenteRod Rosensteinperjuryrussia-investigationrecusalobstruction-of-justicesessions
During his first address to Congress on February 28, 2017, President Trump orchestrated an emotional moment honoring Carryn Owens, widow of Navy SEAL William “Ryan” Owens who died in the botched Yemen raid Trump approved on January 29. The chamber gave a standing ovation lasting 1 minute …
Donald TrumpCarryn OwensWilliam OwensRyan OwensJames Mattismilitary-incompetencepolitical-theateryemenaccountabilitypropaganda
Private prison companies CoreCivic and GEO Group saw their stock prices surge 100% and 98% respectively after donating nearly $2.8 million to Trump’s campaign and inauguration. Attorney General Jeff Sessions immediately reversed Obama’s order to phase out private prisons, declaring …
CoreCivicGEO GroupJeff SessionsDonald TrumpImmigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)+1 moreprivate-prisonspay-to-playimmigration-detentioncampaign-financecorruption
Attorney General Jeff Sessions issues a one-paragraph memorandum rescinding the August 18, 2016 directive from Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates to phase out federal use of private prisons. Sessions claims the Obama policy “changed long-standing policy and practice, and impaired the …
Jeff SessionsDepartment of JusticeDonald TrumpCoreCivicGEO Group+1 moreprivate-prisontrump-administrationjeff-sessionsdojprison-industrial-complex+2 more
The day after National Security Advisor Michael Flynn resigned for lying about his contacts with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, President Trump cleared the Oval Office of other officials—including Attorney General Jeff Sessions and senior advisor Jared Kushner—and asked FBI Director James Comey …
Donald TrumpJames ComeyMichael FlynnJared KushnerJeff Sessionsobstruction of justicemueller investigationcomey firingflynn investigationpresidential abuse of power+1 more
National Security Advisor Michael Flynn resigned on February 13, 2017, after just 24 days in office—the shortest tenure in the 63-year history of the position. Flynn’s resignation came after revelations that he had lied to Vice President Mike Pence, other White House officials, and the FBI …
Michael FlynnDonald TrumpMike PenceSally YatesSergey Kislyak+1 morerussia-investigationobstruction-of-justiceflynnperjurynational-security-risk
When North Korea test-fired a ballistic missile on February 11, 2017, President Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe conducted national security deliberations in full view of Mar-a-Lago club members and guests at Trump’s private resort. As wealthy club members looked on from their …
Donald TrumpShinzo AbeSean Spiceremolumentsconflicts-of-interestmar-a-lagonational-security-riskcorruption
President Trump used his official presidential Twitter account on February 8, 2017, to attack Nordstrom department store for dropping daughter Ivanka Trump’s clothing and shoe line, writing: “My daughter Ivanka has been treated so unfairly by @Nordstrom. She is a great person — always …
Donald TrumpIvanka TrumpNordstromSean SpicerRichard Painteremoluments-violationsabuse-of-officeconflicts-of-interestivanka-trumpcorruption
Vice President Mike Pence cast a historic tie-breaking vote on February 7, 2017, to confirm Betsy DeVos as Education Secretary—the first time in American history that a vice president’s tie-breaking power was used to confirm a Cabinet nominee. The Senate vote split exactly 50-50, with two …
Just days after President Trump takes office in January 2017 and issues executive orders to shift ‘all legally available resources’ to border detention facilities and hire 10,000 new immigration officers, ICE quickly redirects McKinsey & Company - originally brought on under the …
McKinsey & CompanyImmigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)Donald TrumpDepartment of Homeland Securitymckinseyiceimmigration-detentiontrump-administrationcost-cutting+2 more
The Federalist Society, funded by $250 million in dark money from anonymous donors, orchestrated the most systematic judicial capture in U.S. history. Trump outsourced judicial selection to the Society, appointing 231 federal judges including 3 Supreme Court justices, all from their pre-approved …
President Trump fired Acting Attorney General Sally Yates within hours of her instructing Justice Department attorneys not to defend Executive Order 13769 (the Muslim ban). Yates had sent a letter to DOJ staff stating she was “not convinced that the defense of the Executive Order is consistent …
Donald TrumpSally YatesDana BoenteJeff SessionsRudy Giulianirule-of-lawdoj-politicizationobstruction-of-justiceauthoritarianismmuslim-ban+1 more
President Trump authorized his first military operation—a raid on the Yemeni village of Yakla targeting al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula—resulting in the death of Navy SEAL Chief William “Ryan” Owens, at least 23 civilians including nine children and six women, and an 8-year-old …
Donald TrumpWilliam OwensNawar al-AwlakiCarryn Owensmilitary-incompetencecivilian-casualtieswar-crimesaccountabilityyemen
President Trump signed Executive Order 13769, titled “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States,” banning citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries—Syria, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen—from entering the United States for 90 days. …
Donald TrumpRudy GiulianiJim MattisState Departmentmuslim-banauthoritarianismreligious-discriminationimmigrationrule-of-law+1 more
Just four days after taking office, President Donald Trump signed an executive memorandum on January 24, 2017, directing the Army Corps of Engineers to expedite approval and review of the Dakota Access Pipeline, reversing the Obama administration’s December 2016 decision to halt construction …
Donald TrumpEnergy Transfer PartnersKelcy WarrenArmy Corps of EngineersStanding Rock Sioux Tribeenvironmentalregulatory-capturecorporate-corruptionlobbyingenvironmental-justice+2 more
President Donald Trump designates Ajit Pai as Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, elevating the sitting Republican commissioner and former Verizon Communications associate general counsel to lead the agency responsible for regulating his former employer and the broader …
Donald TrumpAjit PaiVerizon CommunicationsFederal Communications Commission (FCC)Tom Wheelerrevolving-doorregulatory-capturefccnet-neutralityverizon+2 more
Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club doubled its membership fee from $200,000 to $400,000 immediately after his election, selling access to the president for profit. Members gained direct access to Trump during his 142 visits as president, with the club becoming known as the ‘Winter White …
Donald TrumpMar-a-LagoChris RuddyYujing ZhangSecret Servicepay-for-accessemoluments-clausecorruptionmar-a-lagoinfluence-peddling
Just days after Trump takes office in January 2017, he issues executive orders directing ‘all legally available resources’ to be shifted to border detention facilities and calls for hiring 10,000 new immigration officers. ICE quickly redirects McKinsey’s existing organizational …
McKinsey & CompanyImmigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)Donald TrumpEnforcement and Removal Operations (ERO)mckinseyimmigration-enforcementconsulting-scandalcorporate-captureice-contracts+4 more
Rex Tillerson, Trump’s nominee for Secretary of State, faced aggressive Senate questioning about massive conflicts of interest stemming from his 41-year career at ExxonMobil, particularly the company’s extensive Russia dealings and opposition to sanctions. Tillerson had served as …
Rex TillersonDonald TrumpIgor SechinVladimir PutinExxonMobil+1 moreconflicts-of-interestrussia-connectionssanctions-violationsstate-capturefossil-fuel-industry