Every week, we struggle to choose which of Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy to highlight for each day. This week was no exception.

The U.S. president started the week off in Turkey, embarrassing himself (if you missed his litany of gaffes, check them out at the bottom of this piece) and making threats against everyone from Tehran to his NATO allies – while at the NATO summit (not to mention ordering more strikes on Iran). He ended the week firing the rest of the Democratic election commission members (thanks to his right-wing Supreme Court) and his administration gutting protections for endangered species.

A lot happened in between, as you can see below. Here’s just a taste of what Trump and his cronies did this week that harmed democracy, undermined the Constitution, and hurt societies worldwide:

Friday, July 3 – Trump Pardons 11, Including a Major GOP Donor

Trump pardoned 11 people, including Adam Kidan, a former business partner of Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff who pleaded guilty in 2005 to fraud and conspiracy charges. Kidan, who has donated nearly $4 million to Republican Party campaigns and committees since 2017, was reportedly among the hosts of a March fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago.

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Those who received pardons also included Jack Harvard, a ranch owner and former mayor of Plano, Texas, who was convicted of bank fraud, and nine people who faced charges related to violations of the Clean Air Act, including for helping people bypass vehicle emissions control systems.

Saturday, July 4 – White Supremacists Mark July 4 in DC

The white supremacist Patriot Front group descended on Washington, DC, wearing masks and carrying baseball bats and flags, on the morning of the country’s 250th birthday as they chanted “reclaim America.” DC police said they were tracking Patriot Front’s “First Amendment” activities.

Sunday, July 5 – Trump Asked FIFA to Review U.S. World Cup Red Card

After Trump called FIFA’s president and asked him to review the suspension of the U.S. soccer team’s top goal scorer in the World Cup, Folarin Balogun, FIFA reversed the suspension – the first time it has allowed a player to participate in a game they would have been suspended from in the World Cup since 1962.

Balogun, who was eligible to play for the U.S. because of birthright citizenship, was suspended after being given a red card. But the Trump administration worked with lawyers to help the U.S. Soccer Federation try to appeal, even though there is no way for teams to appeal.

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Monday, July 6 – ICE’s Watchdog Investigates U.S. Citizens

Wired reported that ICE’s internal watchdog, which is tasked with conducting internal probes, is now investigating U.S. citizens who have spoken out against the agency.

Between January 2025 and March 2026, the Office of Public Responsibility launched 131 investigations into “incidents of doxing and threats directed towards ICE employees nationwide,” according to an April court declaration by an ICE official.

Meanwhile, AP reported that the Trump administration is planning to open a new immigrant holding facility with a capacity for more than 500 beds on a former U.S. Air Force base in Alexandria, Louisiana. The facility, which would be next to an airport hub, is expected to help ICE speed up deportations.

Tuesday, July 7 – ICE Kills Father of Three in Houston

A federal agent shot and killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old Mexican man who had been in the U.S. for 35 years, while he was traveling to work in Houston. Officials later said Salgado Araujo, a father of three, wasn’t the intended target, but that he “resembled” the target of an operation (we all know what that means).

The three men in the van Salgado Araujo was driving disputed the Department of Homeland Security’s claim that Salgado Araujo was attempting to ram ICE officers, saying there were no agents in front of the van.

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Wednesday, July 8 – Trump Says He Wants Rehearing in Birthright Citizenship Case

A week after the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionally-protected right of birthright citizenship, Trump said he would “IMMEDIATELY” ask the Supreme Court to rehear the case, calling the ruling “wrong” and an “absolutely insane decision.”

The last time the Supreme Court reheard a case was more than half a century ago, and requires a majority of the court to approve a rehearing.

Thursday, July 9 – Election Commission Has No Members Left

Trump fired the two remaining Democratic members of the bipartisan U.S. Election Assistance Commission, which provides federal grants to states, maintains the national voter registration forms, and oversees voting systems testing, while the sole remaining Republican resigned from her post after the firings.

In a statement, the White House argued that Trump has the right to fire the commissioners, citing last week’s Supreme Court ruling that expanded the president’s power to remove individuals from independent commissions and agencies.

Friday, July 10 – Trump Shreds Protections for Endangered Species

The Trump administration drastically cut protections for endangered species by announcing a final rule that would open vulnerable animals’ habitats to farming, drilling, mining, and real estate development.

Environmentalists say the move marks the biggest erosion of wildlife protections in half a century.

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Did you miss Trump’s flubs at the NATO summit? Watch the lowlights Zeteo put together below:

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Did you miss previous weeks of ‘This Week in Democracy’? Catch up here. And check out more of Zeteo’s reporting from this week below:

This week, Donald Trump’s corruption was on full display, the Supreme Court granted him more king-like powers, and the U.S. president hosted an election-denying convict in the Oval Office. Happy 250th Birthday, America!

It’s hard to celebrate American democracy, when America is looking more and more like a dictatorship.

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As Americans reflect on 250 years since their independence, here’s just a taste of what Trump and his cronies did this week that harmed democracy, undermined the Constitution, and hurt societies worldwide:

Saturday, June 27 – So-called ‘Board of Peace’ Preps Immunity Resolution

The Guardian reported that Trump’s so-called “Board of Peace” is planning to grant itself sweeping immunity from “any arrest, detention, or legal proceedings in the courts or other entities in Gaza,” according to a draft of a resolution that also lets the organization take over public property in Gaza “free of charge.”

The resolution also states that Trump, the board’s chair, would have the right to waive someone’s legal immunity with the support of the majority of the board.

Sunday, June 28 – Trump Family Continues Cashing in on His Presidency

The New York Times reported that within weeks of the Trump administration securing a billion-dollar mining deal with the president of Kazakhstan, a firm partly owned by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump partnered with others to take a 20% stake in an entity connected to the project.

Meanwhile, the Times found that either the Trump family or Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s family has financial ties to at least 14 companies working with the federal government on mining deals – all of which have benefited directly from the administration.

The Trump Organization sent a letter to the Times demanding the outlet retract the story, calling it “deeply misleading.” But as the Times notes in its response to the letter, the Trump Organization “does not deny … that Eric and Donald Jr. have profited” from the mining deal.

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Monday, June 29 – Supreme Court Ruling ‘Reshapes Our Government’

The Supreme Court overturned a 90-year-old ruling that protected members of certain independent agencies from being fired by the president without cause, a move that Justice Sonia Sotomayor warned “reshapes our government.”

In her dissent, Sotomayor noted that dozens of independent commissions “are now likely to become purely executive agencies, shifting tremendous power over broad swaths of American life into the president’s hands.”

(In another pivotal ruling this week, the Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship, but not by a 9-0 margin, a shocking outcome considering birthright is clearly laid out in the Constitution.)

Tuesday, June 30 – Trump’s Presidency Profits Soar As He Hosts Election Denier in Oval Office

Trump made a staggering $2.2 billion in the first year of his second term as president, compared to the $622 million he pulled in during 2024, according to a new financial disclosure. Of the $2.2 billion, $1.4 billion came from his family’s cryptocurrency businesses – making Trump the highest crypto earner in the United States.

Meanwhile, on Truth Social, Trump revealed that he hosted election denier Tina Peters in the Oval Office. Peters, a former Colorado county clerk who was convicted of tampering with voting machines following the 2020 presidential election, was recently granted clemency by Governor Jared Polis and released from prison.

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Wednesday, July 1 – ICE Arrests 10,000 People in 5 Days

The New York Times reported that ICE is ramping up its arrests, detaining more than 10,000 people in the last five days – roughly doubling the 1,000 people who were arrested each day earlier this year.

The dramatic increase comes as the White House pushed for more arrests, which have taken place at immigration check-ins, during traffic stops, and on the street. ICE officials have been told the 2,000 arrest rate per day is to be considered the new normal.

Thursday, July 2 – FBI’s 2020 Georgia Election Probe Intensifies

MS NOW reported that Trump’s FBI has authorized hundreds of intelligence analysts to work overtime as part of a “priority” investigation related to the 2020 presidential election in Georgia, according to an unclassified memo issued Wednesday.

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Did you miss previous weeks of ‘This Week in Democracy’? Catch up here. And check out more of Zeteo’s reporting from this week below:

This week, Donald Trump kicked off America’s 250th celebrations with a campaign-style rally, declaring “America is back.”

You’ve got to hand it to the president, perhaps America is back: Back to a time when racism dictates policy; back to a time, when just a few ultra-rich (white) men – whose wealth was built at least in part on corruption – hold all the power; back to a time, when climate change wasn’t acknowledged, much less thought about. We could go on and on.

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This year should be about celebrating American democracy – the progress the U.S. has made, and recognizing the progress yet to come. But instead, it’s a reflection of the very worst of America.

Just this week, Trump and his cronies ramped up their efforts to interfere with elections, ended temporary protective status for hundreds of thousands of people, and held bipartisan legislation meant to lower housing costs because… the president isn’t getting his way on voter restrictions.

It was yet another week that exemplified the fascism that has defined Trump’s second term. Here’s more about how Trump and his allies harmed democracy, undermined the Constitution, and hurt societies worldwide this week:

Saturday, June 20 – FBI Tried to Turn Delaney Hall Protesters Into Informants

The Intercept reported that at least half of the roughly 90 people who have been arrested in recent weeks for protesting at the Delaney Hall ICE detention center in New Jersey have been contacted by FBI agents who tried to get them to become informants.

The move prompted a complaint by a deputy public defender representing multiple protesters, who argued it violated the constitutional rights of his clients.

Sunday, June 21 – Trump Admin Quashed Criminal Investigation of Clemency

The New York Times reported that the Trump administration shut down a criminal investigation into Trump’s December 2025 commutation of the sentence of David Gentile, a private equity executive who was convicted in 2024 of securities and wire fraud charges in a case prosecutors described as a $1.6 billion scheme that defrauded thousands of investors.

As part of the probe into Gentile, who served less than two weeks of his seven-year prison sentence, investigators learned about jailhouse communications where he discussed making payments of $2.5 million or more to people or companies to help secure his clemency.

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Monday, June 22 – Trump Ramps Up Efforts to Interfere in Elections

CNN reported that the Trump administration is threatening to withhold tens of millions of dollars in federal Homeland Security funds to states unless they make sweeping changes to their election laws, including submitting their voter rolls through the DHS’s citizenship verification database.

The changes, which would be required under new rules for several homeland security grant programs, would also force states to phase out certain electronic voting systems and instead use hand-marked paper ballots.

Tuesday, June 23 – Anti-ICE Protesters Get Up to 100 Years in Prison

Federal judges gave a group of anti-ICE protesters, who were convicted for their roles in a 2025 demonstration in Texas as alleged members of “antifa,” prison sentences that ranged between 30 and 100 years. The person who got 30 years wasn’t even at the protest. The person who received 100 years was convicted of attempted murder, along with other charges, after a police officer was shot and injured.

The landmark case marks the first to incorporate Trump’s presidential declaration that labeled “antifa” as a domestic terrorist organization (antifa, which simply means “antifascist,” is not an organization). The protesters’ sentences are notably longer than those given to Jan. 6 insurrectionists.

“The prosecution of the protesters is part of an increasingly disturbing pattern of the Trump administration criminalizing speech and assembly in the United States,” Zeteo contributor Kim Wehle wrote. “And it should alarm us all.”

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Wednesday, June 24 – Trump Holds Housing Bill Hostage

On Truth Social, Trump abruptly canceled the signing of a bipartisan bill designed to lower the cost of housing until the Republican-led House and Senate pass the SAVE America Act, which would disenfranchise millions of voters by requiring proof of citizenship and photo ID to cast a ballot in elections.

Trump doesn’t have much leverage to hold the bill hostage, as legislation can still become law 10 days after it’s presented to the president while Congress is in session. Additionally, the bill received enough support from Congress that lawmakers could override a veto by the president if he tries to do so.

Thursday, June 25 – Supreme Court Allows Trump to End TPS for Haitians, Syrians

The Supreme Court cleared the way for the Trump administration to remove the Temporary Protected Status of roughly 350,000 Haitians and 6,000 Syrians, in a move that will require them to leave the country or risk being arrested and deported once a termination date is set.

In the ruling, Justice Samuel Alito concluded that the TPS law authorizes Trump to end the program without intervention from the courts, a finding that threatens protections for people from the other 15 countries under the program.

Friday, June 26 – Hundreds of Thousands of Children Have No Lawyer for Deportation Hearings

Drop Site reported that more than half of the over 750,000 children facing deportation hearings have no legal representation, according to data from the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review.

The rate of children navigating immigration court proceedings without a lawyer (57%) is slightly higher than the 54% of adults who are unrepresented in their cases.

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Did you miss previous weeks of ‘This Week in Democracy’? Catch up here. And check out more of Zeteo’s reporting from this week below:

Thankfully, there’s a preliminary deal to end Donald Trump’s illegal, deadly, and costly war on Iran. Unfortunately, as Zeteo’s ‘First Draft’ pointed out this week, his war on Americans continues.

Just this week, reports revealed that Trump and his cronies were weighing suspending a Constitutional right, that the FBI director may have a “personal slush fund,” and that deaths in ICE custody have more than doubled since the MAGA leader retook the Oval Office.

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That’s why we continue ‘This Week in Democracy’ – to document Trump’s ongoing war on the U.S. Constitution, democracy, and his own citizens. Here’s just a taste of what that war looked like this week:

Saturday, June 13 – Trump to Appoint His Own Lawyer for US Attorney Position

On Truth Social, Trump announced that he will appoint one of his personal lawyers, James McDonald, to succeed his National Intelligence chief nominee Jay Clayton as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

McDonald is part of the legal team appealing the president’s convictions in New York that stemmed from his hush money payments to Stormy Daniels.

Sunday, June 14 – Trump’s Big Fight Night

Trump marked his 80th birthday by holding a UFC fight on the White House’s South Lawn – an event that cost at least $60 million (paid for by UFC’s parent company TKO), and required the help of more than seven federal agencies. Some of the fighters received bonuses paid in cryptocurrency from the Trump family’s World Liberty Financial.

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Monday, June 15 – Trump Weighed Suspending Constitution Right, Newsom Under DOJ Investigation

The New York Times reported that Trump actively considered suspending habeas corpus – the constitutional right for people to challenge their detention in court – in an effort to accelerate his mass deportation campaign early in his second term after the Supreme Court ruled that migrants expelled under the Alien Enemies Act were entitled to challenge their deportations in court before being removed.

Meanwhile, California Governor Gavin Newsom said in a video that Trump’s Justice Department is investigating him and his wife, noting that the couple have been placed on the president’s political “hit list” and posted on X that federal agents are on a “fishing expedition” to find a crime to indict him as he prepares a possible run for president in 2028.

Tuesday, June 16 – Patel’s ‘Personal Slush Fund’

FBI Director Kash Patel may be using part of the agency’s budget as a “personal slush fund” to provide more than $1 million in “unlawful ‘bonus’ payments” to special agents on his Director’s Advisory Team and his security detail, according to a letter from Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin that was obtained by MS NOW.

Raskin noted that by issuing the payments, Patel’s office “may be knowingly breaking federal law.” He also said the payments have been sent at “such a frenzied rate” that some of them have bounced from “exhausted accounts.”

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Wednesday, June 17 – ICE Deaths More Than Double Under Trump as Agency Buys Immigrants’ Tax Info

Reuters reported that the number of people who have died in ICE detention centers has more than doubled since Trump’s second term began last year, rising from one death per year for every 3,848 detainees between 2009 and 2024 to one death for every 1,630 people under Trump.

Meanwhile, 404 Media reported that ICE appears to be buying records of tax identifiers of immigrants from a data broker as part of a $10 million contract that could potentially be a workaround of a court order banning ICE from obtaining those records.

Thursday, June 18 – Record Number of Denaturalization Cases Planned by Trump Administration

CNN reported that the Trump administration is ramping up its efforts to revoke the citizenship of naturalized Americans, with plans to file at least 250 cases by October. Trump’s Justice Department has filed 29 denaturalization cases in less than two months.

Only 166 denaturalization cases were filed between 2008 and June 12 of this year.

Friday, June 19 – Trump’s Acting Intel Chief Weighs Firing Hundreds, CNN reports

CNN, citing two sources, reported that Trump’s acting director of national intelligence, Bill Pulte, showed up to work a day early and asked for a list of all employees in the office, with plans to potentially fire hundreds.

Pulte, who has no previous intelligence or national security experience, will likely remain in the acting role longer than lawmakers had hoped.

In an effort to pressure the Senate to pass a strict voter ID bill, Trump intervened earlier this week in what was expected to be a quick confirmation process for Jay Clayton, the president’s pick to lead the intel community permanently.

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Did you miss previous weeks of ‘This Week in Democracy’? Catch up here. And check out more of Zeteo’s reporting from this week below:

Donald Trump turns 80 this weekend. He’s preparing to celebrate with a bash that’s gobbled up resources from seven different agencies and adorned the White House lawn with a towering octagon arena and a “cage” where, as the New York Times put it, grown men will soon “beat one another to a pulp.”

If that doesn’t say ‘Happy Birthday’ to a U.S. president in the throes of trying to get a deal to end an unpopular (and illegal) war with Iran, contending with a near-record low approval rating, and raging over a soon-to-be-released book that’s already produced embarrassing details about his time back in office – most recently about the ‘White House freakout over the Epstein Files – we’re not sure what would.

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Happy Birthday, King Trump. Happy 250th, America.

But even his birthday bash prep hasn’t kept Trump and his cronies from continuing their efforts to destroy U.S. democracy, undermine the Constitution, and hurt societies worldwide. From new corruption revelations to fresh lashings of the media to a report that Trump and his allies may seek to expunge his first-term impeachments, here’s ‘This Week in Democracy – Week 73’:

Saturday, June 6 – Accepting Only White South African Refugees

Mother Jones reported that the only refugees admitted to the U.S. under the Trump administration this year, through the end of May, are white South Africans.

Since Oct. 1, 2025, all but three of the 6,668 refugees accepted by the U.S. are white South Africans. The three, who were admitted in November, were from Afghanistan.

Sunday, June 7 – Trump’s Big Walkout

Trump stormed off the set of an interview with NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’ after host Kristen Welker asked the president to provide evidence for his baseless claims that the 2020 presidential election and the recent California primary elections were “rigged.”

Trump accused Welker of being either “crooked” or “stupid,” and said she has “no credibility.” Trump also called ‘Meet the Press,’ ABC, CBS, and CNN “one-sided” and “crooked,” and told Welker she “oughta straighten out your press” as he took off his microphone and walked away.

Monday, June 8 – Trump Wants Senate Parliamentarian Fired

On Truth Social, Trump urged Senate Majority Leader John Thune to “immediately fire” and replace Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough in order to pass the party’s voter suppression bill, the SAVE America Act.

MacDonough, who Trump called a “nasty holdover from Mitch McConnell” and a “Radical Left Lunatic,” had previously ruled that the legislation didn’t comply with the Senate’s Byrd Rule and wouldn’t be eligible to be included in a budget reconciliation package, which can be passed with a simple-majority vote.

Tuesday, June 9 – Indian Billionaire Invests in Company Secretly Linked to Trump Jr.

ProPublica reported that an Indian billionaire, whose family’s energy empire was targeted by Trump, “secured major policy wins from the Trump administration” after pouring at least $100 million into a Texas start-up that Donald Trump Jr. had secretly acquired a stake in.

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Wednesday, June 10 – Mail-in Voting at Risk

CNN reported that newly proposed rules could result in the U.S. Postal Service refusing to deliver mail-in ballots in states that refuse to turn over lists of all voters who are set to receive mail ballots to the agency.

The proposed rules seek to comply with Trump’s March executive order targeting mail-in voting, which is currently being challenged in the courts.

Thursday, June 11 – Trump Seeks to ‘Expunge’ His Impeachments

The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump and his allies have talked about urging Republican lawmakers to pass a resolution “expunging” the president’s two impeachments from his first term.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said the move, which would only be symbolic and carry no legal weight, is a “priority,” though the Journal noted that a measure to void the impeachments likely wouldn’t be considered until after the midterm elections.

Friday, June 12 – Thousands of Parents Deported, Hundreds of Babies and Toddlers in ICE Custody

ABC News reported that just 3% of people detained by ICE during the first 14 months of Trump’s second term had been convicted of a violent felony, despite the president promising he would target the “worst of the worst.” During the same period, ICE apprehended the parents of about 14,450 children who were born in the U.S., roughly half of whom were later deported.

The reporting comes days after MS Now and the Marshall Project revealed that at least 500 babies and toddlers have been in ICE custody at some point during the second Trump administration, 10 times more than during the previous year under the Biden administration.

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Did you miss previous weeks of ‘This Week in Democracy’? Catch up here. And check out more of Zeteo’s reporting from this week below:

Today, Senate Republicans passed a $70 billion bill to fund Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for three years.

The latter is the same agency that just this week faced a number of troubling reports – from worms in the food fed to detained children to dozens of children re-separated from their parents. That’s not even mentioning that it’s the same agency that’s killed U.S. citizens and that half of Americans said earlier this year they want to see abolished.

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But, as we know, in Donald Trump’s America, the lives of citizens, polling, human/children’s rights don’t matter. (In a bit of good news today, a judge did rule that the Trump administration must restart processing of asylum and immigration applications it had halted last year.)

From the horrific reports about ICE to more illegal boat strikes to dangerous new hires by the Trump admin, here’s what the president and his cronies did this week that harmed democracy, undermined the Constitution, and hurt societies worldwide:

Saturday, May 30 – More Than 200 People Now Killed in Trump’s Boat Strikes

U.S. Southern Command announced that, at the direction of Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, the U.S. military conducted a strike on a boat in the Eastern Pacific, killing three people.

It followed a strike the day before that killed three others, bringing the total number of people killed by the Trump administration’s likely illegal strikes to more than 200.

Sunday, May 31 – Children Served Food With Worms in ICE Detention

Children are being served meals with live worms, bugs, and mold in ICE detention, CBS News reported in an explosive piece about the horrific conditions at the ICE facility in Dilley, Texas.

Nearly half of the more than 6,300 children detained by federal agents during Trump’s second term – 97% of whom have no criminal record – are being held at this detention center.

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Monday, June 1 – Tina Peters Claims Democrats Will ‘Cheat’ Hours After Prison Release

Tina Peters, a former Colorado county clerk who was convicted of tampering with voting machines following the 2020 presidential election, was released from prison early after serving less than a quarter of her nine-year sentence.

Hours later, Peters went on fellow election denier Steve Bannon’s podcast and picked up right where she left off, saying without evidence, “I know the Democrats are going to cheat” in the midterm elections this fall.

Tuesday, June 2 – Dangerous New Trump Admin Hires

Trump named Federal Housing Finance Agency Director and staunch MAGA ally Bill Pulte, who is being investigated for targeting the president’s perceived enemies, as the acting director of national intelligence.

Meanwhile, the Washington Post reported that the Trump administration has hired a convicted Jan. 6 rioter to work inside an office at the Pentagon responsible for managing highly classified military operations.

But that’s not all: Reuters reported that Trump’s Justice Department hired Kurt Olsen, a White House official who participated in efforts to overturn the 2020 election, as a senior attorney who will report to a prosecutor building a criminal case against Trump’s enemies.

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Wednesday, June 3 – Trump Attacks Kaitlan Collins … Again

While speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump once again attacked CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, calling her a “corrupt reporter” who “never smiles” and has “hatred in her eyes.”

Later, when she asked Trump whether the DOJ’s $1.776 billion weaponization fund was dead or on hold, Trump told Collins she “should be ashamed of yourself.”

Thursday, June 4 – Re-Separating Families and Canceling ICE Reporting Requirement

AP reported that despite a legal settlement meant to reunify migrant families separated during the first Trump administration, the government has re-separated dozens of children from their families, including deporting some people who were legally prohibited from being removed from the country.

Meanwhile, the Washington Post reported that ICE acting director David Venturella sent a memo to employees announcing the elimination of a guideline that required the agency to report deaths that take place less than 30 days after people are released from ICE custody – a policy meant to ensure the agency doesn’t release people in an effort to avoid deaths in custody.

Friday, June 5 – Trump Admin Tried to Classify 2.7 Million Living People as Dead, Whistleblower Says

The Washington Post reported that the Trump administration planned to mark 2.7 million living people as dead, according to a whistleblower who worked at the Social Security Administration for 25 years and refused to help reclassify the people after agency lawyers warned doing so could violate federal law.

The move, which the whistleblower says was possibly meant to intimidate immigrants and affect their finances, included some U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents.

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Did you miss previous weeks of ‘This Week in Democracy’? Catch up here. And check out more of Zeteo’s reporting from this week below:

Donald Trump wants his face on a $250 banknote. It would be laughable – depictions of living individuals on banknotes have been banned since 1866 – if it weren’t yet another example of King Trump’s obsession with autocrats and turning DC into his very own version of Pyongyang.

There were plenty of other examples this week of Trump harming what’s left of American democracy, undermining the constitution, and hurting societies worldwide.

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From Trump and his cronies gutting the crypto enforcement agency to his immigration authorities pepper-spraying a U.S. senator to his Justice Department subpoenaing Hasan Piker and Medea Benjamin, here’s ‘This Week in Democracy – Week 71’:

Saturday, May 23 – DOJ Scrubs Jan. 6 Releases, Subpoenas Hasan Piker and Medea Benjamin

AP reported that Trump’s Justice Department admitted it was scrubbing press releases from its government website about criminal cases associated with the Jan. 6 insurrection, including those involving multiple people who were sentenced to several years in prison for assaulting police officers. On Twitter, the DOJ Rapid Response account ridiculously called the move an effort to strip the department’s website of “partisan propaganda.”

Meanwhile, Fox reported that the Trump administration subpoenaed Hasan Piker and CODEPINK co-founder Medea Benjamin over their trips to Cuba.

Sunday, May 24 – Trump Admin Is Gutting Crypto Enforcement Agency

The New York Times reported that during the past 16 months of the Trump administration, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission has gutted its workforce, sidelined several senior officials, massively cut back on cryptocurrency enforcement, and consistently helped prediction markets.

The commission placed two top officials on leave after they expressed concerns about three companies with ties to the president’s family business and placed them under internal investigation. The same thing happened to three others, who enforced crypto laws.

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Monday, May 25 – U.S. Senator Pepper-Sprayed at ICE Detention Facility

Federal agents used pepper spray on anti-ICE protesters outside of an immigration detention center in Newark, New Jersey, where detainees have staged a hunger strike against poor conditions in the facility and the denial of medical care.

Those pepper-sprayed included Senator Andy Kim, who had been denied entry to the facility, despite saying he had ICE approval for a congressional oversight visit. In a Twitter thread, he noted that detainees have been “threatened with retaliation” for their hunger strike.

Tuesday, May 26 – Kash Patel Fires Another Top FBI Official

MS NOW reported that FBI Director Kash Patel fired a top intelligence analyst who worked on an assessment following the 2017 mass shooting at a House Republican baseball practice in Virginia.

The report, which looked at the motives of the gunman, was controversial among Republicans who complained that the incident wasn’t labeled as an act of domestic terrorism.

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Wednesday, May 27 – More People Are Dying By Suicide In ICE Custody Than Ever

AP reported that at least 10 men have died by suicide while in ICE custody since Trump’s second term began last year. Nine of the 10 men were Hispanic, and the other was a citizen of China. Seven of the men had no record of violent crimes in the U.S.

In this fiscal year alone (since October), ICE has recorded seven deaths by suicide – the highest number for any fiscal year in ICE’s history. ICE typically reports one or no deaths by suicide each year.

Thursday, May 28 – Corruption Abounds

ProPublica reported that a $620 million loan approved by the Pentagon last year to a company linked to Donald Trump Jr. was initiated by White House adviser Peter Navarro, with one unnamed Pentagon source being told, “The call came from the White House: We have to get this done.”

Meanwhile, the New York Times reported that the Pentagon’s announcement of a $9.7 billion contract with Dell is likely to bolster Trump’s investment portfolio, after the president bought more than $1 million worth of the computer company’s stock earlier this year.

Friday, May 29 – Trump’s Slush Fund Blocked … Temporarily

A federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from moving forward with the creation or operation of its planned $1.776 billion slush fund for people who claim they were wrongfully targeted by the government – potentially even those Trump pardoned over their involvement in the Jan. 6 insurrection.

The order prohibits the Trump administration from considering any claims that have been submitted or transferring or disbursing any funds from the so-called Anti-Weaponization Fund ahead of a June 12 hearing.

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Did you miss previous weeks of ‘This Week in Democracy’? Catch up here. And check out more of Zeteo’s reporting from this week below:

The sheer amount of news coming out of the Trump administration is hard to keep up with every week, but it was especially true this week: Tulsi Gabbard announced her resignation, a grand jury indicted 94-year-old former Cuban President Raúl Castro, and we witnessed what some have called the single “most brazen act of presidential corruption this century.”

On the last point, Donald Trump’s cronies at the Justice Department announced the so-called settlement of the president’s bogus lawsuit (effectively against himself), which includes the creation of a $1.776 billion slush fund to benefit his allies and immunity for Trump and his family for pending tax audits.

Trump doesn’t even rely on distraction anymore; he’s doing everything right out in the open.

From Trump’s slush fund to Republicans canceling a vote on the War Powers Resolution to shield the president from a likely humiliating result to a Democrat commuting an election denier’s prison sentence, here’s just a taste of how Trump and his allies hurt democracy, undermined the U.S. Constitution, and harmed societies worldwide:

Saturday, May 16 – Commuting Tina Peters’s Sentence Sets ‘Dangerous Precedent’

On MS NOW, Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold slammed Democratic Governor Jared Polis for commuting the prison sentence of Tina Peters, a former Colorado county clerk who was convicted of tampering with voting machines following the 2020 presidential election.

Griswold called the move, which Trump had repeatedly called for, a “gross injustice” and “demoralizing” to election officials, and warned that it sets a “dangerous precedent” for future elections. (Polis was later censured by Colorado Democrats for his decision.)

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Sunday, May 17 – Acting AG Says DOJ Is Hard At Work Investigating 2020 Election

On Fox, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche spoke about the Justice Department’s investigation into the 2020 presidential election, ridiculously claiming that “there’s a ton of evidence that the election was rigged,” and adding that the DOJ is “very focused on finding out whether the right people voted.”

He also claimed that the “incredibly troubling things” the DOJ is supposedly uncovering will be made public “at some point, at the right time.”

Monday, May 18 – DOJ Approves Trump’s Very Own Slush Fund

Trump’s Justice Department officially announced the $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” as part of the DOJ’s so-called “settlement” with Trump in his lawsuit against the Treasury Department and IRS over the leaking of his tax returns.

The fund will be overseen by a commission appointed by Blanche, whose members Trump can fire “without cause,” and will be made available, in secret, to those who claim they were wrongfully targeted by the government– potentially even those Trump pardoned over their involvement in the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Tuesday, May 19 – Trump Gets Immunity From Tax Probes

Acting AG Blanche signed off on a new provision as part of Trump’s “settlement” that “FOREVER” prohibits the IRS from investigating or prosecuting the president, his family, or his businesses for pending tax claims, including a current audit that could have reportedly cost Trump more than $100 million.

Meanwhile, CNN reported that longtime Trump ally and former administration official Michael Caputo filed the first known “Anti-Weaponization Fund” claim, seeking $2.7 million and claiming the “machinery of government was clearly politically weaponized against my family.”

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Wednesday, May 20 – Trump’s Pay-to-Play Extends to the Tobacco Industry

The New York Times reported that Trump’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued new guidance opening the door to the sale of flavored vapes after a tobacco company donated $5 million to the Trump-backed super PAC, MAGA Inc.

Two days after the donation, Trump had lunch with tobacco industry representatives, during which he interrupted the conversation to complain to his administration officials about the FDA’s e-cigarette regulations. The new guidance was issued just days later.

Thursday, May 21 – House GOP Leaders Cancel Vote To Limit Trump’s War Powers in Iran

House Republican leaders abruptly canceled a vote on an Iran War Powers Resolution, which was likely to be approved due to the absences of Republican members of Congress and others who signaled their support for the measure.

The cancellation comes after the Senate advanced a similar resolution earlier this week to limit Trump’s military action against Iran without congressional approval.

Friday, May 22 – Tulsi Gabbard Resigns as Director of National Intelligence

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard notified Trump that she’s resigning from her position, effective June 30, noting her husband was recently diagnosed with “an extremely rare form of bone cancer.”

During her time on Trump’s Cabinet, Gabbard, whose job is to oversee the country’s intelligence agencies and advise the president on national security matters, spent months investigating Trump’s long-debunked claims of the 2020 presidential election being stolen, and even appeared at an FBI raid of an election center in Fulton County, Georgia, back in January. You can read Zeteo’s Swin Suebsaeng’s take here.

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Did you miss previous weeks of ‘This Week in Democracy’? Catch up here. And check out more of Zeteo’s reporting from this week below:

Corruption.

Let’s be honest, that has been the theme of Donald Trump’s entire second presidency so far. But it was especially obvious this week.

From talks to settle Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS by shelling out billions in taxpayer funds to potentially dropping charges against a billionaire accused of an “elaborate bribery” scheme by accepting an apparent…bribe(!), here’s what the U.S. president and his cronies did this week that harmed democracy and undermined the Constitution:

Saturday, May 9 – Key DOJ Office Scrambling After Comey Indictment

The Washington Post reported that the push to prosecute former FBI Director James Comey has resulted in several prosecutors being demoted or pushed out of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, with others seeking new jobs.

The fallout has also impacted major cases, including one involving a deadly attack in Afghanistan.

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Sunday, May 10 – Trump Says He’s Sending ‘Election Integrity Army’ to Every State

On Truth Social, Trump said he will send an “Election Integrity Army” to every state in the upcoming midterm elections, and baselessly accused the Democratic Party of trying to suppress Republican voters “and interfere” in elections.

Later, the Republican National Committee announced it is deploying “poll watchers” and “election observers” to at least 17 unnamed states as part of an “election integrity” operation.

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Monday, May 11 – Supreme Court Ruling Could Eliminate Another Majority-Black District

The Supreme Court paved the way for Alabama to get rid of one of its two majority-Black congressional districts ahead of the midterm elections by overturning a lower court order that blocked the use of a 2023 map approved by the Republican-led legislature that had only one largely Black district.

Alabama lawmakers have already passed a law to void the results of some May 19 congressional primaries, and the state is now moving forward with a special primary election for more than half of its congressional districts.

Tuesday, May 12 – White House, DOJ in Talks to Settle Trump’s $10 Billion IRS Lawsuit

The New York Times reported that the White House and the Justice Department have been exploring a possible settlement in Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS for releasing his tax returns.

Later, ABC News reported that Trump is expected to settle the lawsuit in exchange for the launch of a $1.7 billion compensation fund for his allies who claim they were wrongfully targeted during the Biden administration, including those Trump pardoned over their involvement in the Jan. 6 insurrection – a move Mehdi called “the biggest Trump corruption scandal of all.”

The funds would be overseen by a commission that Trump would have the authority to remove members from without cause, while the identities of recipients could be kept private.

Wednesday, May 13 – Trump DOJ’s Revenge Tour Continues

Trump’s Justice Department sued the DC Bar Association for its efforts to discipline two key allies of the president, including former DOJ official Jeffrey Clark, who tried to help the president overturn the 2020 election results, and pardon attorney Ed Martin.

The lawsuit claims that the DC Bar is “weaponizing state bar discipline against Executive Branch attorneys,” which “chills them from giving candid legal advice.”

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Thursday, May 14 – DOJ To Drop Charges Against India’s Richest Man Thanks to Bribe

The New York Times reported that Trump’s Justice Department is expected to drop criminal fraud conspiracy charges against India’s richest man in connection with a bribery scheme after one of his new lawyers, who also serves as a personal attorney to the president, told DOJ officials that his client would invest $10 billion in the U.S. economy and create 15,000 jobs.

In other words, a bribe.

Friday, May 15 – Trump Calls New York Times Reporter ‘Treasonous’

Trump lashed out at New York Times reporter David Sanger after he rightly pointed out that the president’s war hasn’t resulted in political change in Iran.

“I actually think it’s sort of treasonous what you write,” Trump ridiculously said in his tirade.

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Did you miss previous weeks of ‘This Week in Democracy’? Catch up here. And check out more of Zeteo’s reporting from this week below:

In Donald Trump’s America, it’s sometimes hard to distinguish between distraction and incompetence. It’s likely always a little bit (or a lot) of both.

This week, Trump launched a new “operation” to help “guide” ships through the Strait of Hormuz, only to pause it less than 48 hours later. Is a the United States at “war,” or is it just a “mini war,” or an “excursion”? Trump can’t seem to make up his mind. And no, Iran and the US trading blows, including the US reportedly striking civilian areas, is definitely not a ceasefire violation. OK!!

Whether distraction or incompetence, it doesn’t really matter: What Donald Trump says, does, and doesn’t do has real consequences for American democracy and societies worldwide. And that’s why Zeteo continues to document how Trump and his allies are harming democracy and undermining the US Constitution.

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Outside of the whiplash of Iran news, the theme this week was Trump’s attacks on the election system and Republicans’ efforts to disenfranchise Black voters. Plus, the FBI made some worrying moves, and we got a clearer picture of the Trump administration’s attacks on immigrant children. Here’s ‘This Week in Democracy – Week 68’:

Saturday, May 2 – Trump Accuses Obama’s AG of ‘TREASONOUS’ Conduct

On Truth Social, Trump, without evidence, accused President Barack Obama’s former Attorney General Eric Holder, who is now chair of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, of committing “treasonous” conduct.

Trump’s comments came days after Holder was also named as a member of a new task force announced by Chuck Schumer to combat threats to democracy and fair elections by Republicans.

Sunday, May 3 – ‘If They Have to Vote Twice, So Be It’

On Truth Social, Trump urged states, including ones where voting has already begun, to redraw their congressional maps ahead of the midterm elections, following the Supreme Court’s ruling that gutted the Voting Rights Act.

“If they have to vote twice, so be it,” Trump wrote, adding that changing the maps is “more important than administrative convenience,” and noting that doing so would result in Republicans gaining “more than 20” House seats this fall.

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Monday, May 4, 2026 – Trump Renews Efforts to Investigate 2020 Election

The New York Times reported that, in April, Trump’s Department of Justice demanded via a grand jury subpoena the identity and personal information of workers and volunteers who staffed the 2020 election in Fulton County, Georgia.

County officials have submitted a motion to quash the request, with the chair of the Fulton County commission calling the subpoena “yet another act of outrageous federal overreach designed to intimidate and to chill participation in elections.”

Tuesday, May 5 – Trump Admin Sues the New York Times … Again

Trump’s Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) sued the New York Times, alleging the publication engaged in “unlawful employment practices” and discriminated against a white man after he was passed over for a promotion, a move the EEOC argues was influenced by the paper’s “stated race and sex-based representation goals.”

A spokesperson for the Times called the allegations “politically motivated,” and added the paper will “defend ourselves vigorously.” The litigation comes after Trump sued the Times and several of its reporters last fall for $15 billion, accusing them of damaging his reputation and undermining his 2024 candidacy.

Wednesday, May 6: Trump’s FBI Targets Dem Lawmaker, Atlantic Reporter

Trump’s FBI executed a search warrant at the office of Virginia state Senate President Pro Tempore L. Louise Lucas, who was at the center of the state’s redistricting efforts.

Meanwhile, MS Now reported that the FBI also launched a highly unusual criminal probe into leaks to a reporter from The Atlantic in relation to an article she wrote about Director Kash Patel’s drinking habits and unexplained absences, which he sued the outlet over last month. An FBI spokesperson denied the investigation exists and claimed the MS Now’s reporting was “completely false.”

Thursday, May 7 – Separating More Families, Pepper Spraying and Tear Gassing Children

ProPublica reported that at least 79 children, including an infant, have been harmed by tear gas and pepper spray deployed by Trump immigration officers.

Meanwhile, NOTUS reported that the number of children forced into foster care after their parents were detained or deported increased by nearly 50% in the 2025 fiscal year. The data from the Department of Health and Human Services is an undercount, as only 34 states reported foster care transfers related to immigration enforcement.

Friday, May 8 – Virginia’s New Congressional Maps Struck Down

The Virginia Supreme Court struck down the state’s new congressional maps, which had been narrowly approved by voters in an April referendum, ruling that the constitutional amendment was submitted by the legislature “in an unprecedented manner.” The new map would have paved the way for Democrats to win as many as four additional House seats in the midterm elections.

Meanwhile, Tennessee Democrats filed a lawsuit to block the new congressional map passed Thursday by state Republicans that got rid of the state’s only majority-Black district.

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Did you miss previous weeks of ‘This Week in Democracy’? Catch up here. And check out more of Zeteo’s reporting from this week below:

This week, we saw the Trump playbook rear its head once again after an alleged gunman breached a security checkpoint at Saturday’s White House Correspondents’ dinner: Attack the left in the most shameless of ways.

Not only did Donald Trump and his cronies immediately blame Democrats, comedians, and anyone else on the left, seemingly forgetting their King Donald is the most verbally abusive, name-calling, and violence-inciting politician in modern history, but they also used the alleged assassination attempt to market … Trump’s White House ballroom!

It was not a good week for American democracy – for free speech, for voting rights, for press freedom.

From moving to deny pro-Palestine immigrants green cards, to demanding the firing of Jimmy Kimmel, indicting James Comey, to gutting a key provision of the Voting Rights Act, here’s just a taste of what Trump and his allies did this week that hurt democracy, undermined the Constitution, and harmed societies worldwide:

Saturday, April 25 – You Might Not Get a Green Card If You’re Pro-Palestine

In new guidance issued by the Trump administration, criticizing Israel or participating in pro-Palestine campus protests could disqualify green card applicants, the New York Times reported.

The guidance also discourages approving green cards for applicants who have a history of “endorsing, promoting, or supporting anti-American views,” including “holding a sign advocating overthrow of the US government.”

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Sunday, April 26 – Trump Attacks CBS Journalist in Highly Edited Interview

During an interview on ‘60 Minutes,’ Trump lashed out at journalist Norah O’Donnell, calling her “a disgrace” and saying she “should be ashamed” of herself after she read an excerpt from a so-called manifesto written by the alleged gunman who tried to breach security at the White House correspondents’ dinner the previous evening.

The interview was also the subject of several significant edits, which is noteworthy considering CBS settled a lawsuit with Trump for editing a 2024 interview with Kamala Harris.

Monday, April 27 – Donald and Melania Call for Jimmy Kimmel to Be Fired

President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump called for Disney and ABC to fire late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel over a video where he jokingly called Melania an “expectant widow.” Trump ridiculously called the joke a “despicable call to violence.”

In response, FCC Chair Brendan Carr seemingly threatened ABC affiliates, saying, “We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” when it comes to “tak[ing action on Kimmel.” Later, the FCC launched a review of Disney’s broadcast licenses years ahead of schedule.

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Tuesday, April 28 – Trump’s DOJ Indicts Comey…Again

Trump’s Justice Department once again indicted former FBI Director James Comey, this time over a 2025 Instagram post of seashells depicting the numbers “86” and “47.” In the restaurant industry, “86” means an item isn’t available, and Trump is the 47th US president. But the DOJ ridiculously alleges the post was meant as a “threat to kill the president.”

In a video response, Comey said he is innocent of the charges, which some legal experts believe he could try to have dismissed on the grounds of “vindictive prosecution.”

Later, Bloomberg reported that the DOJ is pursuing more charges against Comey for allegedly leaking classified information.

Wednesday, April 29 – Supreme Court Guts Voting Rights Act

In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court effectively weakened a key provision of the Voting Rights Act that has prohibited racial discrimination in voting for six decades. The move will allow Republicans to redraw their congressional maps in the South, potentially netting the GOP 19 additional seats in the House compared to 2024 maps, and could lead to the largest drop in Black representation in Congress ever.

The three Democratic justices dissented, with Justice Elena Kagan writing that the decision renders the provision “all but a dead letter,” and warned that the consequences of the ruling will likely be “far-reaching and grave.”

Thursday, April 30 – Louisiana’s Congressional Primaries Suspended After Supreme Court Ruling

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry signed an executive order to suspend the state’s congressional primaries just two days before early voting was scheduled to begin, citing Wednesday’s Supreme Court ruling, which struck down a majority Black congressional district.

The order postponed the congressional primaries until either July 15 or a new date set by the legislature. State Republican leaders have said they are planning to pass new congressional maps.

Friday, May 1 – Trump Admin Diverted One-Quarter of FBI Personnel to Immigration

The Intercept reported that thousands of FBI employees were diverted from criminal investigations and public safety to civil immigration enforcement during the first nine months of the second Trump administration.

Nearly 9,200 FBI personnel – almost 25% of the agency’s entire workforce – worked on “immigration-related matters” during that time period, marking a staggering increase from the 279 employees assigned to immigration before Trump took office.

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Did you miss previous weeks of ‘This Week in Democracy’? Catch up here. And check out more of Zeteo’s reporting from this week below:

Donald Trump and his cronies reek of desperation. As the president’s favorability numbers continue to plummet, his administration has intensified its weaponization of the Justice Department to go after its critics and perceived enemies.

Just this week, the Justice Department appointed an election denier to lead a probe into officials who investigated Trump, demanded Michigan’s biggest county hand over 2024 election data, and indicted a civil rights group in a move critics called “nakedly political.”

And that’s just a taste of what Trump and his allies did this week that hurt democracy, undermined the Constitution, and harmed Americans – and the world.

From the Justice Department’s latest targets to reportedly preparing an effort to denaturalize hundreds of Americans, here’s ‘This Week in Democracy – Week 66’:

Saturday, April 18 – Trump Loyalist to Lead Ridiculous ‘Grand Conspiracy’ Probe

The Justice Department announced it tapped staunch Trump loyalist Joe diGenova to lead a Florida-based federal probe into intelligence and law enforcement officials who investigated Trump.

In 2020, diGenova didn’t just peddle conspiracy theories about the results of the presidential election; he was part of a legal team, which included Rudy Giuliani, tasked with challenging and trying to overturn the results. He also reportedly worked with Giuliani in 2019 to find potentially damaging information on then-presidential candidate Joe Biden from Ukrainian officials.

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Sunday, April 19 – Trump’s Military Hits Another Boat in the Caribbean

On Twitter, the US Southern Command announced that, at the direction of General Francis L. Donovan, the US military conducted a lethal strike on a boat it claimed was trafficking drugs in the Caribbean Sea, killing three people.

Since September 2025, the Trump administration has hit more than 50 boats, killing at least 181 people. The strikes have been widely condemned as violations of international law.

Monday, April 20 – Trump Admin Expands Election ‘Oversight’

Multiple outlets reported that Trump’s Justice Department sent a letter to the Wayne County Clerk’s Office in Detroit, Michigan – a city the president has long targeted by spreading debunked claims of massive fraud in the 2020 presidential election – demanding all ballots, envelopes, and receipts from the 2024 election, arguing they are needed to ensure “federal election laws were not violated.”

Governor Gretchen Whitmer called the DOJ’s demand a “poorly disguised attempt to justify more doubt and misinformation about our elections.” The letter gave a 14-day deadline to turn over the materials before the Trump administration could seek a court order against the clerk’s office.

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Tuesday, April 21 – DOJ’s Latest Target: The SPLC

Trump’s Justice Department indicted the Southern Poverty Law Center on federal fraud charges.

The indictment alleges the civil rights group defrauded donors by secretly paying informants more than $3 million to infiltrate white supremacist and other extremist groups, including the Ku Klux Klan – a tactic USA Today dutifully noted has been used by the FBI and other federal agencies for decades.

Wednesday, April 22 – Patel Had a NYT Reporter Investigated by the FBI

The New York Times reported that Trump’s FBI launched an investigation into one of its reporters, Elizabeth Williamson, last month after she published an article detailing Kash Patel’s use of an agency SWAT team to escort his girlfriend.

The Times’s executive editor, Joseph Kahn, called the probe “alarming” and “unconstitutional,” and added that it was both an attempt to “criminalize routine reporting” and to “prevent journalists from scrutinizing” the Trump administration.

Thursday, April 23 – Revoking Citizenship Still a Priority

On Truth Social, Trump reposted a transcript of a racist segment from right-wing Newsmax that referred to China and India as “hellhole[s],” and immigrants from those countries as “gangsters with laptops” who have “stepped on our flag.” The segment also called for a national referendum on banning birthright citizenship, rather than leaving it to the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, the New York Times reported that Trump’s Justice Department is set to assign civil litigators to file denaturalization cases against 384 people, as part of an effort a DOJ spokesperson said was to pursue “the highest volume of denaturalization referrals in history.”

Friday, April 24 – DOJ Drops Criminal Probe of Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell

US Attorney for DC Jeanine Pirro announced that the Justice Department dropped their criminal investigation into the Federal Reserve and its Chair Jerome Powell, over renovations to the central bank’s headquarters in Washington.

Pirro noted that the Inspector General has been asked to “scrutinize” the project, and added she wouldn’t hesitate to restart a criminal probe “should the facts warrant doing so.” The IG has already reviewed the project twice…and found no evidence of wrongdoing.

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Did you miss previous weeks of ‘This Week in Democracy’? Catch up here. And check out more of Zeteo’s reporting from this week below:

As we know far too well, when Donald Trump doesn’t get his way, he lashes out – and this week was no exception.

Trump and his cronies criticized judges, went after a whistleblower, and ridiculously lectured the… pope. Trump’s Truth Social tirades may seem like toddler-like tantrums, but they have real-world consequences, including hurting what’s left of the US’s standing in the world and harming what’s left of American democracy.

From firing judges for doing their jobs to removing the lead prosecutor from a probe investigating one of Trump’s political enemies to backing the far-right Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, here’s just a taste of what Trump and his allies did this week that undermines the Constitution, hurts democracy, and harms the world:

Saturday, April 11 – Judges Who Blocked High-Profile Deportations Fired

The New York Times reported that the Trump administration abruptly fired the immigration judges who blocked the deportations of Tufts University student Rümeysa Öztürk and Columbia University student Mohsen Mahdawi.

Both judges, who were appointed by the Biden administration in 2024, were approaching the end of their two-year probationary term and had granted asylum at higher rates than other judges.

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Sunday, April 12 – Trump Takes on…the Pope

Trump lashed out at his latest political target, the pope, who has been critical of the war in Iran. Trump called him “WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,” adding that he should “get his act together as Pope, use Common Sense, stop catering to the Radical Left, and focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician.”

In response, Pope Leo XIV said he won’t shy away from “looking for ways to avoid war any time that’s possible,” and later added he’s “not afraid of the Trump administration.”

Trump also shared an AI-generated photo depicting himself as Jesus, which drew significant backlash from his Christian supporters. He later deleted the post and ridiculously claimed he believed it depicted himself as a doctor, not Jesus.

Monday, April 13 – Election Deniers in Critical Government Positions

ProPublica reported that Trump has installed roughly two dozen people to key government positions that could affect elections, including 10 who actively worked to change the 2020 presidential election results. Some of the officials have been hired from activist organizations at the center of the election denial movement.

Meanwhile, at least 75 people across several agencies who helped work to prevent the results of the 2020 election from being overturned have either resigned, been fired, or reassigned by the Trump administration.

Tuesday, April 14 – DOJ Wants to Toss Oath Keepers Jan. 6 Convictions

Trump’s Justice Department asked a federal appeals court to dismiss the convictions of members of the far-right Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, who had been charged with seditious conspiracy for their roles in the Jan. 6 insurrection.

The members previously had their sentences commuted by Trump on his first day in office, but were not pardoned by the president alongside more than 1,200 others who were convicted or had pleaded guilty for crimes related to the insurrection.

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Wednesday, April 15 – Trump Admin Continues Retribution Campaign

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard issued criminal referrals to the Justice Department for a whistleblower who filed a complaint that helped lead to Trump’s first impeachment and former Inspector General Michael Atkinson, who handled the whistleblower complaint.

It’s unclear at this time what specific crimes Gabbard alleged in the referrals.

Thursday, April 16 – Trump Attacks Another Federal Judge

On Truth Social, Trump attacked a federal judge who again blocked his administration from moving forward with above-ground construction for the White House ballroom. Trump ridiculously called the judge “Trump Hating” and “highly political,” and baselessly accused him of using “illegal overreach.”

But the judge did authorize construction to continue on below-ground construction, citing the need to protect the White House’s “national security facilities.” Trump now claims the below-ground portion will include “Bomb Shelters” and a “State of the Art Hospital and Medical Facilities.”

Friday, April 17 – DOJ Removes Prosecutor From Brennan Probe

CNN reported that Trump’s Justice Department removed the lead prosecutor investigating former CIA Director John Brennan after she resisted pressure to quickly bring charges against him. The case relates to the 2017 intelligence assessment that found Russia meddled in the 2016 presidential election to boost Trump.

The news of the prosecutor’s removal comes after Reuters reported that the FBI is ramping up its investigation into Brennan, with plans to question multiple witnesses, including former intelligence officials involved in the assessment.

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Did you miss previous weeks of ‘This Week in Democracy’? Catch up here. And check out more of Zeteo’s reporting from this week below:

Welcome to ‘This Week in Democracy – Week 64’ – the week Donald Trump threatened to commit war crimes.

He, of course, pulled back on his threat. And while his announced ceasefire (if it holds) is incredibly welcomed, the leader of the supposed free world explicitly threatening to blow up a “whole civilization” in a country of 90 million people itself underscores Trump’s disregard for humanity and the rule of law. This week could be one of the darkest weeks since we began documenting the rise of authoritarianism in Trump’s America last year.

Of course, Trump’s threats of escalation in a war he had no mandate for from the start weren’t the only things he and his cronies were up to this week.

From genocidal threats to wanting to jail journalists to investigating another perceived enemy, here’s just a taste of what Trump and his allies did this week that undermines the Constitution, harms democracy, and makes the world less safe:

Saturday, April 4 – Rubio’s New Target

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that federal agents arrested those he claimed were the niece and great-niece of the late Qassem Soleimani, who was assassinated by the Trump administration in 2020. But in a statement, Soleimani’s daughter said the two “have no connection whatsoever” to her father “and the claims made by the US State Department are false.”

The pair, who were taken into ICE custody and awaiting deportation proceedings, were arrested after Rubio revoked their green cards.

Rubio later quietly deleted a tweet announcing the pair’s arrest.

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Sunday, April 5 – Trump Threatens War Crimes

On Truth Social, Trump marked the Easter holiday with an unhinged, expletive-laden post escalating his threats against Iran.

“Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!!” Trump wrote, adding, “Open the Fuckin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah.”

Trump’s post was slammed by several politicians, including former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who called Trump’s post “evil,” adding that the president “has gone insane” and everyone in his administration is “complicit” in his “madness.”

Monday, April 6 – Trump Escalates War on Journalists

During a White House press conference, Trump threatened to jail journalists of an unnamed media outlet if they don’t identify their source who revealed that a second US airman was missing after Iran shot down a US fighter jet last week.

“[Iran] didn’t know there was somebody missing until this leaker gave the information,” Trump said. “So whoever it was, we think we’ll be able to find it out because we’re going to go to the media company that released it, and we’re going to say, ‘national security, give it up or go to jail.’”

Tuesday, April 7 – A ‘Highly Unusual’ Investigation

The New York Times reported that the civil rights division of Trump’s Justice Department is investigating former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson, who implicated Trump in the Jan. 6 insurrection while testifying before Congress in 2022.

The Times described the decision to assign the probe, which is focused on whether Hutchinson lied to Congress, to the civil rights division as “highly unusual,” considering its focus is on enforcing federal statutes prohibiting discrimination.

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Wednesday, April 8 – Bondi Backs Out of Deposition

The Republican-led House Oversight and Reform Committee announced that former Attorney General Pam Bondi will no longer appear for a deposition next week to provide testimony about the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein files – testimony the White House wanted to avoid.

In a statement, Ranking Member Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) warned that if Bondi defies her subpoena to testify, the committee “will begin contempt charges in the Congress.”

Thursday, April 9 – Final Order of Removal for Mahmoud Khalil

The Board of Immigration Appeals, which Trump has cut in half and stacked with his own appointees, issued a final order of removal for Mahmoud Khalil, bringing him one step closer to being deported.

In a statement, Khalil called the ruling “biased and politically motivated.”

“The only thing I am guilty of is speaking out against the genocide in Palestine – and this administration has weaponized the immigration system to punish me for it,” he added.

Friday, April 10 – Everybody Gets a Pardon!

The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump has already promised mass presidential pardons to his staff before he leaves office, saying in a private meeting that he’d “pardon everyone who has come within 200 feet of the Oval.”

The White House didn’t deny Trump had made the promise, but claimed the president wasn’t being serious.

“The Wall Street Journal should learn to take a joke, however, the president’s pardon power is absolute,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

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Welcome to ‘This Week in Democracy – Week 63.’

First, the good: At least some levers of our democracy are still working, as shown by the millions who exercised their right to protest by marching against King Donald last weekend. Plus, the Supreme Court signaled it may rule against Donald Trump’s effort to end birthright citizenship (though we’re not giving too much credit to a court that has repeatedly given more power to the president).

Now, the bad, and as per usual, there was a lot of it: Trump’s incoherent address to the nation did little to clear up why the US is fighting a war that is costing us billions, killing thousands, and wreaking havoc on the global economy. The president continued his efforts to seize control of elections. And he reminded us, it’s ridiculous to think a nation at war (even if it’s a war the nation does not want) should pay for… day care.

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Here’s just a taste of what Trump and his cronies did this week that harmed democracy, undermined the Constitution, and hurt societies worldwide:

Saturday, March 28 – ‘No Kings’ Protests Break Record

More than 8 million people in all 50 states and across more than a dozen countries participated in the third series of “No Kings” protests, in opposition to the Trump administration’s executive overreach.

With more than 3,300 rallies across the country, the demonstrations marked the largest number of protests in a single day in US history, according to one of its organizers.

Sunday, March 29 – Suspicious Trading on Trump’s Policies

Reuters reported that unknown traders have netted millions of dollars in profits through well-timed trades anticipating some of Trump’s biggest policy shifts, a pattern that suggests investors may have been tipped off in advance and one that some legal experts believe should be investigated.

The lucrative policy shifts include options traders making millions just minutes before Trump announced he would pause his “Liberation Day tariffs” last April, which caused the stock market to spike. Six people generated a combined $1.2 million in profits from Polymarket bets hours before the US and Israel attacked Iran.

Monday, March 30 – DOJ Watchdog MIA During ‘Epidemic of Misconduct’

In a letter to the House and Senate Judiciary committee leaders, lawyers for a DOJ whistleblower accused the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General of failing to investigate “any of the serious allegations of misconduct” made by him and others, including complaints from members of Congress.

The letter warns that the inaction “comes at a time when the amount of governmental misconduct and violation of court orders by DOJ lawyers around the country have reached epic and unprecedented proportions.”

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Tuesday, March 31 – Trump (Who Votes By Mail) Targets Mail-In Voting

In his latest effort to take control of elections, Trump signed an executive order to restrict mail-in voting by creating a list of eligible US citizen voters in every state and prohibiting the US Postal Service from sending absentee ballots to any voter who isn’t on a state’s approved list.

The order, which is being challenged by states including Oregon and Arizona, who argue it violates the Constitution, also threatens to withhold federal funding from states that refuse to comply.

Wednesday, April 1 – Even Red States Aren’t Safe

Trump’s Justice Department sued Idaho for refusing to turn over sensitive data from its voter rolls.

The DOJ has now sued at least 30 states and DC to obtain unredacted voter rolls, including other red states such as Utah, Kentucky, and West Virginia.

Thursday, April 2 – Trump Fires Bondi

After trying (and failing) to prosecute Trump’s perceived political enemies and botching the release of the Epstein files, Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi.

CNN’s Kaitlan Collins reported that Bondi’s upcoming deposition about the Epstein files played a role in the timing of her firing “because the White House wanted to avoid it.” She’s the second woman in Trump’s Cabinet to be fired.

Trump appointed Deputy AG Todd Blanche, who was Trump’s former criminal defense attorney, to replace Bondi in an acting capacity.

Friday, April 3 – White House Wants Historic Military Budget. Sorry Healthcare!

The Trump administration asked Congress to approve roughly $1.5 trillion in defense spending, up nearly 40% from the current level and the highest in US history.

To pay for the additional warfare funds, the proposal calls for a 10% cut in non-defense spending, including cutting $73 billion from domestic programs involving healthcare, housing, and education.

The cuts could have devastating impacts on Americans nationwide. But hey, at least Trump asked for enough money – $152 million – to rebuild and reopen Alcatraz as an active prison. 🤬

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The US is at war, and possibly about to launch what will undoubtedly be a deadly ground invasion in Iran, and the president is busy, talking about… how “glad” he is that one of his perceived enemies is dead. Priorities!

Tomorrow, Americans in thousands of cities nationwide will take to the streets to protest Mad King Trump and his ongoing decimation of democracy. They will protest against the very things we highlight each week – the ways in which Trump and his cronies undermine the Constitution, harm Americans, and hurt societies worldwide.

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This week, of course, was no exception. From Trump sending ICE to airports to his administration admitting there was no evidence against Jerome Powell, here’s ‘This Week in Democracy – Week 62’:

Saturday, March 21 – ‘I’m Glad He’s Dead’

On Truth Social, Trump gloated about the death of former FBI Director and Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who investigated the president during his first term in relation to Russia’s efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election.

“Robert Mueller just died. Good, I’m glad he’s dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people!” Trump wrote.

Sunday, March 22 – ‘Test Run’ for ICE at the Polls

Trump confirmed that his administration would send ICE agents to major airports across the country on Monday to “help” TSA agents who have been working without pay for over a month due to the ongoing Department of Homeland Security shutdown. At least one person has been violently arrested by ICE in an airport since Trump’s announcement.

Later, former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon said on his podcast that the move can be used “as a test run…to really perfect ICE’s involvement in the 2026 midterms,” calling it “perfect training.”

Monday, March 23 – Judge Rules Against Trump

A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from enforcing a new policy authorizing the arrest and detention of refugees if they didn’t obtain a green card within one year of being in the US – a policy that could have put more than 100,000 refugees at risk of being arrested.

Meanwhile, ProPublica reported that Trump immigration authorities detained the parents of at least 11,000 US citizen children in the first seven months of his second term, leaving an average of 50 kids per day with a parent in detention.

Tuesday, March 24 – A Big Admission Contradicts Trump in Powell Case

The Washington Post reported that a top deputy to US Attorney Jeanine Pirro admitted during a closed-door hearing that Trump’s Justice Department didn’t have any evidence of misconduct in its investigation of the Federal Reserve and its chair, Jerome Powell.

The admission contradicted Trump’s claims that there was “criminality” in the $2.5 billion renovation of the Fed’s headquarters.

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Wednesday, March 25 – Trump Admin Goes After Letitia James Again

Federal Housing Finance Agency director Bill Pulte issued two new criminal referrals to the Justice Department against New York Attorney General Letitia James over “suspected homeowners insurance fraud,” in a renewed effort to target one of Trump’s perceived political enemies.

Meanwhile, the Justice Department reached a settlement with a pardoned former Trump official, handing over what AP reported as $1.2 million in taxpayer funds to former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his conversations with Russia’s ambassador to the US. He was later pardoned by Trump.

Thursday, March 26 – Trump Admin Nears Deal on Voter Rolls

CBS News reported that Trump’s Justice Department is close to securing a deal to turn over voter roll data it has collected from states to the Department of Homeland Security, which could then be used for immigration and criminal investigations.

The data-sharing arrangement could result in a system that would allow officials to match voter registration data with DHS databases to determine whether non-citizens are registered to vote or have voted in the past, which is already illegal and extremely rare.

Friday, March 27 – Hegseth Nixes Two Black Officers and Two Women from Promotion List

The New York Times reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has blocked four Army officers – two of whom are Black and the other two are women – from receiving promotions to one-star generals, a move that the outlet called “highly unusual” and has led senior military officials questioning if the decision was rooted in racial and gender bias.

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Threats. Tirades. And tantrums. King Trump’s America on repeat.

As thousands die and oil prices soar in the illegal US-Israeli war on Iran, Donald Trump and his cronies at home are busy berating and threatening the free press, going on racist rants, and joking about…Pearl Harbor?!

Needless to say, Trump and his allies are still undermining the Constitution, hurting democracy, and harming free societies in the US and worldwide. Here’s ‘This Week in Democracy – Week 61’:

Saturday, March 14 – Brendan Carr’s Newest Threat

After Trump complained about Iran war coverage, FCC chair Brendan Carr warned broadcasters that they could have their licenses revoked, baselessly accusing them of “running hoaxes and news distortions.”

Broadcasters “have a chance now to correct course before their license renewals come up,” he said in a tweet.

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In response, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) called Carr’s threat “straight out of the authoritarian playbook.”

Sunday, March 15 – Trump Tries to Shush Woman Reporter

Trump shushed ABC News’s Mariam Khan during a gaggle on Air Force One and called her a “very obnoxious person” after she asked why his administration was sending thousands of marines and sailors to the Middle East.

Earlier in the gaggle, he called ABC News “one of the worst, most fake, most corrupt … news organizations on the planet,” and said he wouldn’t take any more questions from the network after she asked about whether it was “appropriate” to include a photo of the president attending a dignified transfer in a recent fundraising email by his Never Surrender PAC.

Monday, March 16 – Another Racist Tirade Against Ilhan Omar

In the Oval Office, Trump went on his latest racist tirade against Somalia, calling the country “maybe a fourth-world nation” where they “shoot people all over the place” and accused Somalis of coming to the US to “steal” billions of dollars.

He also continued to peddle ridiculous claims about Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), a US citizen, being in the country illegally and encouraged his new White House anti-fraud task force to look into Omar, whom he baselessly called a “ringleader.”

Tuesday, March 17 – Bondi Subpoenaed Over Epstein Files

The Republican-led House Oversight Committee issued a subpoena for Attorney General Pam Bondi to testify about the Justice Department’s handling of the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and his associates, as well as the DOJ’s compliance (or lack thereof) with the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

Later, Democrats on the committee walked out of a private briefing with Bondi about the Epstein files after she refused to commit to a deposition in accordance with the subpoena.

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Wednesday, March 18 – The FBI Is Buying Your Location Data

During a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, FBI Director Kash Patel admitted under oath that his agency is buying Americans’ location data.

His comments drew ire from even Republican lawmakers, with Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) calling the practice “a clear violation of the Fourth Amendment” and pushing for the passage of the Government Surveillance Reform Act “to close the data broker loophole that allows intelligence agencies to buy Americans’ private data.”

Thursday, March 19 – DHS Wrongfully Deported Over 100 Asylum Seekers

During a court hearing, a US Citizenship and Immigration Services asylum officer revealed that the Trump administration has wrongfully deported more than 100 asylum seekers, violating a court-ordered settlement agreement prohibiting their removals.

Friday, March 20 – Prosectors Investigate Colombian President Gustavo Petro

The New York Times reported that two US attorney’s offices are conducting criminal investigations into Colombian President Gustavo Petro, led by prosecutors focused on international narcotics trafficking.

The investigations have been probing whether Petro and drug traffickers had any meetings, as well as whether his presidential campaign sought donations from traffickers. The Times says there is no indication that the White House was involved in launching either of the investigations. Trump has attacked Petro in the past, calling him a “sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States.”

Don’t forget, it was less than four months ago, that Trump pardoned former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández, who was convicted on drug trafficking charges.

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Welcome to ‘This Week in Democracy – Week 60.’ We wish we could tell you things were looking better than last week, but alas… Donald Trump and his cronies are still at it: bombing the hell out of Iran, lying to the American public, and destroying democracy.

From pushing a voter suppression bill in Congress to banning press photographers over “unflattering” photos, here’s just a taste of what Trump and his allies did this week that hurt free societies around the world, harm US democracy, and undermine the Constitution:

Saturday, March 7 – DOJ Pressures Federal Prosecutors

An investigation by the Wall Street Journal painted a frightening picture of the Trump administration’s targeting of US citizens as part of its mass immigration crackdown.

Federal prosecutors in cities where large immigration operations are taking place say they’ve faced pressure from top Justice Department officials to pursue charges against citizens for allegedly assaulting federal officers, pulling them away from cases related to public corruption, as well as drug and gun-related crimes. None of the 181 citizens accused of assault by government officials on Twitter have been convicted at trial.

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Sunday, March 8 – Trump Pushes for Voter Suppression

On Truth Social, Trump continued his push to get the Republican-controlled Congress to pass the Save America Act, which could disenfranchise tens of millions of voters.

He warned that he won’t sign any other bills until it passes, and supported using a “talking filibuster” to get the bill through the Senate – a move that’s drawn skepticism from Republican senators.

Monday, March 9 – Another Pointless 2020 Election Probe

The Trump administration expanded its pointless investigation of the 2020 presidential election, with the Republican leader of Arizona’s state Senate confirming he turned over records to the FBI related to an audit of Maricopa County – which concluded that Trump lost the state – as part of a “federal grand jury subpoena.”

Later, The Atlantic reported that the Department of Homeland Security’s investigative branch of ICE is conducting its own investigation into Arizona’s 2020 election results.

Tuesday, March 10 – Ed Martin Faces Disciplinary Proceedings

Multiple news outlets reported that the DC Bar filed an ethics complaint against DOJ Pardon Attorney Ed Martin over threats he made to the Georgetown University Law Center in February 2025, when he was Trump’s interim US attorney for DC.

According to the complaint, Martin “used coercion to punish or suppress… the teaching and promotion of DEI” by warning the dean that his office wouldn’t hire anyone associated with the school if it didn’t change its apparent policies.

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Wednesday, March 11 – Hegseth Bans Photographers Over ‘Unflattering’ Photos

The Washington Post reported that the Defense Department banned press photographers from attending briefings on the war in Iran after photos were published of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that his staff considered “unflattering.”

In a statement, the Pentagon’s press secretary suggested that if the move “hurts the business model for certain news outlets,” they should apply for the highly restrictive Pentagon press credential.

Thursday, March 12 – More Efforts to Suppress the Vote

CBS News reported that the Trump administration is considering cutting federal funding for a civil rights election program authorized under the Voting Rights Act to protect the right to vote and prevent discrimination at the polls.

Friday, March 13 – ’This Is What Authoritarianism Looks Like’

Attacking CNN for its Iran reporting, Hegseth said, “The sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better.” He was referring to the Paramount Skydance chairman and CEO, whose company is on track to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns CNN.

As Mehdi put it:

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We didn’t need Donald Trump to launch an illegal war to show that he’s wrecked American democracy – but if there was any doubt about just how much damage he’s done, this week certainly has cleared things up.

Americans didn’t vote for Trump’s illegal war with Iran – nor do they support it today. Their representatives in Congress didn’t authorize it. But that doesn’t matter to a man who cares about no one but himself, nor to the cronies who do his bidding.

Hey, at least there was one small piece of good news: Trump finally got rid of puppy-killer Kristi Noem… only to replace her with another crony: Senator Markwayne Mullin.

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From launching an illegal war with no clear strategy to obstructing a DHS inspector general, here’s what Trump and his allies did this week that harm democracy, undermine the Constitution, and hurt societies worldwide:

Saturday, Feb. 28 – Trump’s Illegal Regime Change War

Trump, with Israel, launched an illegal war with Iran, carrying out massive airstrikes across the country, killing hundreds, and assassinating Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

In a video posted to Truth Social, Trump attempted to justify the war by saying Iran posed an imminent threat – despite previously claiming that the US obliterated Iran’s nuclear program last year.

He also told the Iranian people to “take over your government” when the war is finished. “This will be probably your only chance for generations,” he added.

Sunday, March 1 – A Pentagon Admission

During closed-door briefings with Congress, the Pentagon admitted that it had no intelligence to suggest Iran was planning to attack US forces first.

Meanwhile, Trump told the New York Times that US involvement in the Iran war could last “four to five weeks,” and said in a video that there will “likely be more” deaths of US troops before the war ends.

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Monday, March 2 – Bovino Investigated

A Minnesota county attorney’s office launched an investigation into former top Border Patrol official Greg Bovino in relation to an incident during Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota when he tossed a canister of tear gas at protesters in a park.

Bovino’s incident is just one of 17 being investigated for criminal charges by the office as part of a project to probe “potentially unlawful behavior” by federal agents.

Tuesday, March 3 – Homeland Security’s ‘Egregious’ Obstruction

The Wall Street Journal reported that the inspector general for the Department of Homeland Security sent a letter to Congress detailing nearly a dozen instances of DHS “systematically obstruct[ing]” him from accessing records and information, including a “particularly egregious” refusal to cooperate in a federal criminal investigation with national security implications.

Wednesday, March 4 – Trump’s Autopen Obsession

The New York Times reported that, due to pressure from Trump, his Justice Department investigated former President Joe Biden’s use of an autopen – which Trump has admitted to using himself – to sign presidential documents.

While the Times said the DOJ ultimately failed to build a criminal case against Biden and his aides, US Attorney Jeanine Pirro suggested the case isn’t completely closed, tweeting, “We cannot comment on ongoing investigations.”

Thursday, March 5 – Trump Axes Puppy-Killer

Following a disastrous pair of congressional hearings, Trump fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, replacing her with Senator Markwayne Mullin.

Mullin, a staunch defender of Trump’s policies, has said the ICE officer who shot and killed Renee Good “had the right to defend” himself, called for “no amnesty for illegal aliens,” and argued that babies born in the US to undocumented parents should “go with” them if they are deported.

Friday, March 6 – Republicans Go After Key Witness in Jan. 6 Probe

CNN reported that Republican lawmakers are pushing the Justice Department to bring charges against former Trump aide Cassidy Hutchinson, who gave explosive testimony against her former boss over the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.) recently made a criminal referral of Hutchinson, accusing her of lying to Congress in 2022 when she testified about Trump’s role in the insurrection.

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One hour and 47 minutes of lies. Another seven days in fascist America. Welcome to ‘This Week in Democracy’ – or should we start calling it, ‘This Week in Fascism’?!

While Trump gave perhaps one of the most boring State of the Union addresses ever – it was certainly the longest(!), his allies and cronies were continuing to destroy American democracy, undermine the Constitution, and harm free societies worldwide.

From taxpayers paying for Kash Patel to party, to Trump’s fascist rally, to DHS making up a story about a missing child to detain a Columbia University student, here’s just a taste of the actions Trump and his cronies took this week that underscore the growth of authoritarianism in the country:

Saturday, Feb. 21 – Trump Threatens Netflix

On Truth Social, Trump warned Netflix that if it doesn’t fire board member and former Obama national security adviser Susan Rice, who had warned corporations, news organizations and law firms against “ben[d]ing the knee” to the current administration, the streaming service will “pay the consequences.” At the time, Netflix had been in talks to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery – a move that would have required approval by the FCC.

(Later in the week, Netflix walked away from the deal after refusing to match a last-minute higher offer from Paramount Skydance, saying it wouldn’t be “financially attractive.” Paramount is owned by Trump friend David Ellison.)

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Sunday, Feb. 22 – Kash Patel Parties on Taxpayers’ Dime

FBI Director Kash Patel celebrated the US men’s hockey team’s Olympic win in Milan – with taxpayers footing the bill. Videos on social media showed Patel in the team’s locker room, where he chugged and splashed a beer while the hockey players cheered around him, in a scene reminiscent of a frat party.

Monday, Feb. 23 – ICE Whistleblower Confirms What We Already Knew

While testifying before Congress, an ICE whistleblower sounded the alarm on the agency’s “deficient, defective, and broken” training program for new deportation officers.

Ryan Schwank, who previously worked as an ICE lawyer in the department’s training academy, noted the standard 584-hour training program had been cut by 240 hours, and he received “secretive orders” to teach new recruits “to violate the Constitution by entering homes without a judicial warrant.”

Tuesday, Feb. 24 – Dem Gets Thrown Out During Trump’s Fascist Speech

During his record-length State of the Union address, Trump lied about “rampant” cheating in American elections, falsely claimed that eliminating fraud in federal programs would balance the federal budget, and wrongly stated the man charged with killing a Ukrainian refugee last year in North Carolina “came in through open borders.” (The man was born in Charlotte.) That’s just a small handful of his many lies he told.

At the same time, Democratic Rep. Al Green was kicked out of the chamber for holding up a sign that read “BLACK PEOPLE AREN’T APES,” and Rep. Ilhan Omar’s guest, a disabled woman who went viral after video surfaced of her being dragged from her car by ICE agents last month, was forcibly removed and arrested by Capitol Police for “unlawful conduct” … for standing.

Wednesday, Feb. 25 – Trump’s Racism…on Repeat

On Truth Social, Trump launched his latest racist attack against Democratic Reps. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, over their remarks during his State of the Union address on Tuesday. Trump said the US should send Tlaib, who was born in Michigan, and Omar, who is a naturalized citizen, “back from where they came – as fast as possible.”

Later, as part of his new role combating the so-called “war on fraud,” Vice President JD Vance announced that the Trump administration will withhold $259 million in Medicaid payments for Minnesota – another move driven by anti-Somali racism.

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Thursday, Feb. 26 – DHS Lies to Abduct Student

DHS agents lied their way into a Columbia University off-campus residence building and arrested student Ellie Aghayeva, according to the school’s president, after “misrepresenting themselves” by claiming to be “police searching for a missing child.”

Hours later, Aghayeva was released from federal custody following an apparent intervention from Trump after he met with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Friday, Feb. 27 - Another Illegal Invasion?

Speaking to reporters, Trump suggested that the US “could very well end up having a friendly takeover of Cuba.” The country, which Trump says is “in a big deal of trouble,” is suffering a humanitarian crisis, according to the UN’s top official for Cuba, as the Trump administration continues a fuel blockade.

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