Pope Leo XIV delivered a powerful critique of American political hypocrisy on October 1, 2025, declaring that support for harsh immigration enforcement is fundamentally incompatible with pro-life values. Speaking in the context of the controversy surrounding Senator Dick Durbin receiving an award …
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On October 1, 2025, the Department of Justice fired Michael Ben’Ary, the chief of the national security section in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, after pro-Trump activist and writer Julie Kelly posted on social media falsely linking him to internal …
Michael Ben'AryDepartment of JusticeJulie KellyU.S. Attorney's Office Eastern District of VirginiaTrump Administrationdojprosecutor-firingpolitical-prosecutioninstitutional-capturenational-security+1 more
The Department of Homeland Security and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services implemented a data-sharing agreement providing ICE with access to the personal information of all 79 million Medicaid enrollees nationwide. The shared database includes names, addresses, birth dates, ethnic and racial …
Department of Homeland SecurityCenters for Medicare and Medicaid ServicesICEState Attorneys General Coalitionsurveillance-expansioncivil-liberties-violationhealthcare-weaponizationinstitutional-capture
President Trump signed an executive order on September 30, 2025, titled ‘Unlocking Cures for Pediatric Cancer with Artificial Intelligence,’ committing an additional $50 million to explore AI applications in pediatric cancer research. The order directs the MAHA Commission to coordinate …
Donald TrumpWhite HouseDepartment of Health and Human ServicesMAHA Commissionexecutive-powerexecutive-ordershealthcaretech-policy
Just before the September 30, 2025 deadline for locking in orders with unrefundable deposits to qualify for Q4 EV tax credits, Elon Musk’s companies SpaceX and xAI ordered thousands of Tesla Cybertrucks, effectively bailing out Tesla’s struggling electric pickup sales. Through the first …
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In September 2025 alone, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) awarded $1.4 billion in new surveillance technology contracts, representing the highest monthly total in at least 18 years. These contracts provide ICE with extensive surveillance capabilities including facial recognition algorithms, …
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YouTube agreed to pay Trump $24.5 million to settle his lawsuit over account suspension following the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack, with Google dedicating $22 million to Trump’s White House ballroom construction. Free speech experts stated the lawsuit raised no credible legal claims since …
Donald TrumpYouTubeGoogleMetaXcorruptionpay-to-playconflicts-of-interestshakedowntech-regulation
President Trump signed an executive order titled ‘Assuring the Security of the State of Qatar’ on September 29, 2025, providing Qatar with an unprecedented security guarantee stating that ’the United States shall regard any armed attack on the territory, sovereignty, or critical …
Donald TrumpWhite HouseState of QatarBenjamin Netanyahuexecutive-powerexecutive-orderspresidential-authorityabuse-of-power
ProPublica exposed Russell Vought, Trump’s OMB director and Project 2025 architect, as operating as a ‘shadow president’ or ‘second commander-in-chief’ orchestrating the systematic dismantling of federal agencies and expansion of presidential power. Vought led Project …
Russell VoughtDonald TrumpOMBProject 2025institutional-captureauthoritarianismproject-2025executive-powergovernment-dismantling
The Department of Housing and Urban Development fired civil rights lawyers Palmer Heenan and Paul Osadebe on September 29 for speaking publicly about their whistleblower complaint documenting the Trump administration’s systematic dismantling of fair housing enforcement. The lawyers were among …
The Department of Health and Human Services referred Harvard University to federal suspension and debarment proceedings that would exclude the school from all government contracts and federal funding—including billions in research grants and student aid—across all agencies. The move came three weeks …
HHSHarvard UniversityDonald TrumpAllison D. Burroughsinstitutional-weaponizationacademic-freedomcivil-rights-abuseauthoritarianismretaliation
On September 26, 2025, the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) published a Notice of Request for Information in the Federal Register, soliciting public input on identifying existing federal statutes, regulations, and agency rules that ‘unnecessarily hinder the development, …
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The Supreme Court voted 6-3 along ideological lines to allow Trump to freeze $4 billion in congressionally-approved foreign aid targeting UN development assistance, international peacekeeping, and humanitarian programs. Trump used a ‘pocket rescission’—a Nixon-era tactic not deployed …
Supreme CourtDonald TrumpElena KaganMike JohnsonGAOconstitutional-crisissupreme-courtcongressional-oversightexecutive-overreachforeign-aid+1 more
ProPublica exposed that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem expedited over $11 million in federal disaster funds to rebuild Naples, Florida’s tourist pier within 24 hours after major donor Dr. Sinan Gursoy texted her on behalf of the city’s mayor. After Gursoy told the mayor ‘I …
On September 26, 2025, Grover Norquist’s Americans for Tax Reform led a coalition of 35 conservative organizations—including Club for Growth and Americans for Prosperity—in sending a letter to President Trump urging him to let enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits expire in December …
Grover NorquistAmericans for Tax ReformClub for GrowthAmericans for ProsperityDavid McIntosh+2 moreinstitutional-captureregulatory-capturetax-policyhealthcarekleptocracy+2 more
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard killed the forthcoming Global Trends 2025 report and dismantled the intelligence unit that produced it, ending a practice dating to 1997 of publishing quadrennial unclassified assessments of future threats to U.S. national security. Gabbard’s …
FBI Director Kash Patel fired approximately 15-20 agents photographed kneeling during 2020 George Floyd protests in Washington, D.C., reversing previous FBI leadership’s determination that the agents—using a de-escalation tactic borrowed from National Guard—committed no policy violations. The …
The New York Times revealed that Alex Witkoff pitched a $4 billion real estate fund to sovereign wealth funds of Qatar, UAE, and Kuwait while his father Steve Witkoff served as Trump’s special envoy negotiating Gaza ceasefire with those same nations. The proposed ‘Special Situations Real …
Steve WitkoffAlex WitkoffQatar Investment AuthorityUAEKuwaitcorruptionconflicts-of-interestforeign-influencepay-to-playnepotism
Former FBI Director James Comey was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of false statements and obstruction of a congressional proceeding, just days after President Trump publicly demanded his DOJ move ’now’ to prosecute enemies. The indictment—brought by Lindsey Halligan, …
James ComeyLindsey HalliganDonald TrumpPam BondiDepartment of Justicedoj-weaponizationpolitical-persecutionauthoritarianisminstitutional-captureprosecutorial-abuse+1 more
President Trump signed Executive Order 14352 titled ‘Saving TikTok While Protecting National Security’ on September 25, 2025, approving a deal that allows TikTok to continue operating in the United States under majority U.S. ownership. The order extended the enforcement deadline by 120 …
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Trump signed an executive order approving a TikTok deal that hands control to close allies Larry Ellison (Oracle), Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch (Fox Corp), and Michael Dell, with Oracle managing the algorithm and security infrastructure. The investor group—including Oracle, Silver Lake, Andreessen …
Donald TrumpLarry EllisonOracleRupert MurdochLachlan Murdoch+3 morecorruptionconflicts-of-interestcronyismtech-regulationsurveillance+1 more
On September 25, 2025, Elon Musk announced that Tesla’s Full Self-Driving Supervised (FSD) v14 would enter ’early wide release’ the following week, marking the first major update to the driver assistance system in a year. Musk made extraordinary claims that by version 14.2, the …
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A senior DOJ official in Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche’s office directed prosecutors to prepare investigations into George Soros’s Open Society Foundations, exploring potential charges including material support to terrorism, arson, wire fraud, and racketeering. The directive …
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Project On Government Oversight revealed that Ballard Partners—the lobbying firm that employed Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles—secured lucrative no-bid ICE contracts for clients providing controversial biometric surveillance technology. In August, …
Ballard PartnersPam BondiSusie WilesICEBI² Technologies+1 morecorruptionpay-to-playconflicts-of-interestsurveillancegovernment-contracts+1 more
The National Personnel Records Center released Rep. Mikie Sherrill’s nearly unredacted military records—including Social Security number, home addresses, life insurance information, performance evaluations, and classified information nondisclosure agreements—to Nicholas De Gregorio, who stated …
National ArchivesMikie SherrillNicholas De GregorioChris RussellHakeem Jeffriesinstitutional-weaponizationprivacy-violationelection-interferencepolitical-persecutionrecords-abuse
On September 25, 2025, a federal grand jury charged former FBI Director James Comey with serious crimes related to the disclosure of sensitive information. Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel announced the indictment, alleging that Comey obstructed a congressional investigation …
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The Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division filed federal lawsuits against California, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania demanding unredacted statewide voter registration lists including driver’s license numbers and partial Social Security numbers for …
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On September 25, 2025, Aakash Singh, a senior official in Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche’s office, sent a directive to U.S. attorney’s offices in at least seven states—including California, New York, Illinois, Michigan, and Maryland—ordering them to prepare investigations into the …
Department of JusticeGeorge SorosOpen Society FoundationsAakash SinghTodd Blanche+2 moredojpolitical-prosecutioninstitutional-capturenonprofit-targetingfirst-amendment+1 more
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a $20 billion rescue package for Argentina’s president Javier Milei, including currency swap agreements, direct peso purchases (only the fourth time since 1996 the U.S. bought another country’s currency), and Treasury bond purchases. The bailout …
Scott BessentDonald TrumpJavier MileiRob CitroneTreasury Departmentcorruptionconflicts-of-interestforeign-policycronyismfinancial-fraud
Kaiser Family Foundation analysis revealed that enhanced ACA premium tax credits helping over 20 million Americans afford health coverage are set to expire December 31, 2025, triggering an average 114% premium increase ($1,016 annually). Households at 150-200% of poverty level would see premiums …
Donald TrumpCongressKaiser Family Foundationhealthcareaca-sabotageeconomic-harmpublic-healthinstitutional-sabotage
The Trump administration demanded up to a 10 percent equity stake in Lithium Americas as it renegotiated terms of a $2.26 billion federal loan for the Thacker Pass mine project in Nevada—the western hemisphere’s largest planned lithium source. Two sources confirmed Trump officials sought to …
Donald TrumpLithium AmericasDepartment of EnergyGeneral Motorsconflicts-of-interestgovernment-ownershipcorruptionresource-extractioncronyism
Senator Ed Markey sent a letter to Trump alleging that Energy Secretary Chris Wright—former Oklo Inc. board member—is using his position to benefit the nuclear technology company through DOE plans to provide plutonium and approve a $1.7 billion reprocessing plant. Markey warned the moves pose …
Chris WrightOklo Inc.Ed MarkeyDepartment of Energyconflicts-of-interestinstitutional-captureregulatory-capturenuclear-industrycronyism
On September 23, 2025, Meta launched a new super PAC designed to combat what it perceives as onerous AI and tech policy bills across state legislatures. This move comes as the federal government embraces AI development with minimal regulation, making state houses Meta’s primary regulatory …
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Meta announced the launch of the American Technology Excellence Project, its second super PAC in a month, pledging tens of millions of dollars to elect ’tech-friendly politicians’ from both parties in the 2026 midterms. The PAC—run by Republican operative Brian Baker and Democratic …
MetaAmerican Technology Excellence ProjectBrian BakerHilltop Public Solutionsregulatory-capturecorruptiontech-regulationcampaign-financesuper-pacs
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth formally disestablished the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS), a 74-year-old panel established in 1951 following the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act. In a September 17 memo, Hegseth accused the committee of ‘advancing a …
Pete HegsethDACOWITSDepartment of Defenseinstitutional-purgemilitary-policygender-discriminationcivil-rightsinstitutional-capture
Trump appointed Lindsey Halligan, his former personal defense attorney with zero prosecutorial experience, as interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia—one of the nation’s most important federal prosecutor offices. The appointment came two days after Trump forced out Erik …
Lindsey HalliganDonald TrumpErik SiebertDepartment of Justiceinstitutional-capturedoj-weaponizationprosecutorial-abuseauthoritarianismloyalty-enforcement
The Supreme Court cleared the way for Trump to fire FTC Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter, overturning lower court rulings that had ordered her reinstatement after Trump fired her and fellow Democrat Alvaro Bedoya in March 2025. The Court agreed to hear arguments in December on whether to overturn …
Supreme CourtDonald TrumpRebecca SlaughterAlvaro BedoyaFTCinstitutional-captureregulatory-capturesupreme-courtindependence-erosionauthoritarianism+1 more
The Supreme Court agreed to hear a rush appeal deciding whether President Trump acted lawfully in firing board members leading independent federal agencies, setting up oral arguments for December 2025. The case will reconsider the landmark 1935 precedent Humphrey’s Executor v. United States, …
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The Trump Justice Department officially closed an FBI investigation into border czar Tom Homan after FBI recordings captured him accepting $50,000 in cash in a restaurant takeout bag on September 20, 2024, from undercover agents posing as business executives. In the recordings, Homan agreed to help …
Tom HomanEmil BoveKash PatelFBIDepartment of Justicecorruptionobstruction-of-justiceinstitutional-capturedoj-weaponizationimpunity
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) filed a complaint revealing that the Office of Management and Budget under Russell Vought is hiding conditions for billions in federal funds through undisclosed ‘A’ footnotes in apportionment documents. Between March 21 and …
Russell VoughtOMBCREWinstitutional-capturetransparency-violationcongressional-oversightbudget-manipulationimpoundment
On September 20, 2025, Erik Siebert resigned as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia after President Trump publicly stated he wanted Siebert “out” following a monthslong mortgage fraud investigation into New York Attorney General Letitia James that failed to produce …
Erik SiebertDonald TrumpDepartment of JusticeLetitia JamesMaya Song+1 moredojprosecutor-firingpolitical-prosecutioninstitutional-captureprosecutorial-independence+1 more
Trump announced construction of a $200-250 million White House ballroom funded entirely by private donors including Lockheed Martin, Google, Palantir, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, and Blackstone. Nearly 40 corporations with billions in federal contracts pledged $5-10 million each, with donors’ …
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President Trump signed Executive Order 14351 establishing the ‘Gold Card’ visa program, requiring foreign nationals to make ‘unrestricted gifts’ of $1 million to the Department of Commerce ($2 million if a corporation gives on behalf of an individual) to obtain residency. The …
Donald TrumpWhite HouseDepartment of Commerceexecutive-powerexecutive-ordersimmigrationcorruption
President Trump issued a Presidential Proclamation imposing severe restrictions on H-1B specialty occupation workers, requiring employers to pay a $100,000 fee per petition with limited national-interest exemptions. This dramatic escalation in visa costs represents a fundamental shift in skilled …
Donald TrumpWhite HouseDepartment of Homeland Securityexecutive-powerpresidential-authorityimmigrationsystematic-corruption
Commerce Department official George Cook was named acting Census Bureau director while simultaneously serving as Commerce Department’s acting undersecretary for economic affairs (which oversees the Census Bureau) and as chief of staff to that role—an unprecedented concentration of power …
George CookCensus BureauDepartment of CommerceDonald Trumpinstitutional-capturecensus-manipulationstatistical-integritypolitical-interferenceelectoral-manipulation
The Securities and Exchange Commission under Trump-appointed chairman Paul Atkins abandoned civil enforcement cases seeking tens of millions in restitution from Devon Archer, Trevor Milton, and Carlos Watson—all convicted fraudsters pardoned or given clemency by Trump. The SEC filed joint …
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Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) unit signs a $3 million contract with Magnet Forensics, the Canadian firm that acquired Grayshift in 2023 following its $1.35 billion acquisition by investment firm Thoma Bravo. The contract continues ICE’s …
The Education Department Inspector General launched an investigation into whether Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) illegally accessed sensitive student loan data including Social Security numbers, dates of birth, bank account information, and income data for millions of …
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr publicly threatened to revoke ABC affiliate licenses over Jimmy Kimmel’s comments about the Charlie Kirk shooting, stating ‘We can do this the easy way or the hard way’ and warning companies could ‘change conduct and take actions on Kimmel, or …
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On September 16, 2025, former Special Counsel Jack Smith delivered his first public remarks since leaving the Department of Justice in a speech at George Mason University, warning that “the rule of law is under attack like in no other period in our lifetimes.” NPR exclusively obtained a …
Jack SmithDepartment of JusticeGeorge Mason UniversityTrump Administrationdojrule-of-lawinstitutional-capturepolitical-prosecutionspecial-counsel+1 more