This Week in Democracy – Week 31: Donald Trump Sends Kash Patel After His Enemies
Zeteo's project to document the ongoing, pressing, week-by-week growth of authoritarianism in Donald Trump's second term.
Rewriting history and election laws. Waste. Increasing militarism. And retribution. Those are the themes of week 31 of Donald Trump’s second term.
Trump’s revenge campaign was targeted this week at one of the president’s most high-profile critics – his own former national security adviser and one-time GOP darling John Bolton. Meanwhile, National Guard troops in DC continued to make their presence felt, albeit by largely just standing around in the nation’s capital. And Trump wants to change election laws to, as he puts it openly, net House Republicans “100 more seats.”
From the FBI raid of Bolton’s home and office, to a review that could rewrite history at the Smithsonian, to new sanctions against officials at the International Criminal Court, here’s what Trump and his allies did this week that undermines the Constitution, harms democracy, and hurts people and free societies worldwide:
Saturday, August 16
NPR reported that government documents with potentially sensitive information from the State Department were left behind on a public printer at an Alaskan hotel near where Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin took place. The papers included details about the meetings, including precise locations and meeting times, along with the phone numbers of US government employees. In response, a White House spokesperson falsely claimed the documents were just a “multi-page lunch menu” and suggested that the incident wasn’t a security breach.
After conspiracy theorist, Islamophobe, and Trump ally Laura Loomer took to Twitter to falsely call children from Gaza receiving medical care in the US a “national security threat,” the State Department announced that it’s halting the issuing of visitor visas for anyone from Gaza while officials “conduct a full and thorough review of the process and procedures used to issue a small number of temporary medical-humanitarian visas in recent days.”
On Twitter, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt thanked far-right conspiracy theorist Jack Posobiec for joining the press pool in the “new media” seat for Trump’s trip to Alaska. Posobiec later took the “new media” seat for a second time during Tuesday’s press briefing.
The Guardian reported that Israeli cybersecurity official Tom Alexandrovich was released from US custody and allowed to return to Israel after being arrested and charged with luring a child with a computer for a sex act. Alexandrovich was arrested along with several others during a two-week sting operation in Las Vegas. The State Department later said that Alexandrovich “did not claim diplomatic immunity and was released by a state judge pending a court date,” but alleged that “any claims that the US government intervened are false.”
The New York Times reported that Trump told European leaders that he would support a plan for Ukraine to cede the Donbas region to Russia in order to end the war, rather than try to reach a ceasefire agreement.
Republican governors from West Virginia, South Carolina, and Ohio said they would send a combined total of approximately 700 National Guard troops to DC at Trump’s request, nearly doubling the total number of troops already on the ground in the district.
Sunday, August 17
On Truth Social, Trump reposted a meme of MSNBC anchor Nicole Wallace and called her a “loser, with bad ratings.” He also claimed without evidence that she “will be fired soon!”
Monday, August 18
A coalition of over 20 Democratic-led states and DC sued Trump’s Justice Department over efforts to block a new policy that would prevent states from accessing federal funds under the Victims of Crime Act if they don’t cooperate with the president’s immigration crackdown, calling the move “unprecedented.”
Democratic Senator Adam Schiff sent a letter to FCC chair Brendan Carr requesting details to determine whether Trump tried to get programming or media coverage commitments in exchange for his administration approving Paramount’s merger with Skydance. Schiff pointed to the former’s $16 million settlement with Trump and the cancellation of ‘The Late Night Show with Stephen Colbert’ as a sequence of events that raise “significant questions and alarm that the FCC — an independent regulatory agency — has become a vehicle for President Trump to exact personal retribution and undermine the freedom of the press.”
NOTUS reported that Eric Lendrum, a speechwriter for the Department of Homeland Security, has shared a wide range of hateful rhetoric on his blog and podcast, including endorsing the far-right “great replacement theory,” calling for the eradication of trans peoples’ “ideology,” and referring to Jan. 6 insurrectionist Ashli Babbitt as “an actual hero” who gave “her life for her country.”
Democratic state lawmakers in Texas returned to the state, ending their two-week walkout in opposition to Republican efforts to introduce a mid-decade redistricted Congressional map that could net the GOP an additional five House seats in the 2026 midterm elections. The lawmakers faced $500 daily fines for their absences, had civil arrest warrants issued against them, and overcame threats by Texas Governor Greg Abbott to have them removed from office.
In an unhinged rant on Truth Social, Trump said he plans to sign an executive order to ban mail-in voting and “Highly ‘Inaccurate’ voting machines, a move that would violate the Constitution, in an effort to “help bring HONESTY to the 2026 Midterm Elections.” Trump falsely claimed that the US is the only country in the world that has mail-in voting and called states, which hold authority over elections, “merely an ‘agent’ for the Federal Government in counting and tabulating the votes.” (Trump has voted by mail himself in the past.)
Trump said DC was “under serious investigation,” accusing the district of providing “Fake” statistics on crime “in order to create a false illusion of safety.” Reports later confirmed that the Trump DOJ is investigating whether DC police manipulated data to make crime rates appear lower. The investigation is being led by US Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office. Violent crime in DC is at a 30-year low, and even Trump’s former US attorney for DC, Ed Martin, admitted in an April press release that violent crime had dropped 25% year-to-date.
During an Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump raised the idea of canceling the 2028 elections if the US were at war, saying, “If we happen to be at war with somebody, no more elections. That’s good.” But of course he was only joking, right?
Trump also showed off his 2028 merch inside the White House to Presidents Zelensky and Macron, including a “Four More Years” hat, in a viral image proudly posted by one of his White House aides.
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey was named as co-deputy director of the FBI, the first time in history that the agency has had two people share the position. Bailey, a Republican, is known for launching an investigation into Media Matters for America, fighting to keep wrongfully convicted people in prison, and filing an unsuccessful lawsuit against the state of New York for “unconstitutional lawfare” election interference” and “wrongful prosecution” over the hush-money case that resulted in Trump being convicted of 34 felonies.
A federal judge dismissed part of a lawsuit involving the “Alligator Alcatraz” immigration detention facility in Florida, rendering moot claims that detainees’ Fifth Amendment rights are being violated by not having confidential access to hearings in immigration court after the Trump administration designated a processing center near Miami for cases to be heard. The judge also granted a change of venue motion by the state defendants, where the claims of First Amendment violations will be litigated.
Tuesday, August 19
In a statement to Fox, the State Department said that the Trump administration has revoked more than 6,000 international student visas, and claimed, without providing evidence, that approximately two-thirds of the revocations were based on crimes including assault, burglary, and driving under the influence, though it’s unclear whether those students were convicted of any crimes. The department also said that between 200 and 300 student visas were revoked over “support for terrorism,” but the spokesperson didn’t elaborate on their claim.
The Washington Post reported that US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a new policy memo last week calling for a more “rigorous, holistic and comprehensive” approach to evaluating individuals applying to become citizens, which includes judging “on a case-by-case basis” whether applicants have “good moral character” defined by their “behavior, adherence to societal norms, and positive contributions.” Legal experts say the move will allow immigration officers to make subjective judgments about who gets to become a citizen.
Additionally, USCIS announced an updated policy to screen immigration benefit applicants for “anti-American ideologies or activities.”
The Post also reported that in September 2020, US Attorney for DC Jeanine Pirro, who was then a weekend host on Fox, told then-Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel in a text message that she was determined to help Trump and the Republican Party, saying, “I work so hard for the President and party,” despite network rules preventing political involvement from on-air personalities. Additionally, in a text message to Sean Hannity after the post-election edition of her show didn’t air, she noted that “I’M TIRED OF THE CENSORSHIP AND I’M EMBARRASSED BY HOW THEY CALLED THIS ELECTION.”
The Post also reported that Pirro’s office issued a new policy instructing federal prosecutors in DC not to seek felony charges against people who violate a district law prohibiting most individuals from carrying shotguns or rifles, no matter how strong the evidence against them may be. Meanwhile, Pirro directed staff to seek the toughest possible criminal charges against anyone arrested as part of Trump’s federal takeover of the DC police force.
The New York Times reported that Ed Martin, Trump’s “weaponization czar” who was recently selected by the DOJ to investigate New York Attorney General Letitia James, sent a letter to her lawyer last week in which he said that her resignation would be considered an “act of good faith” and “best serve the good of the state and nation.” While James’ lawyer didn’t directly respond to calls for her client to resign, she wrote a letter to the DOJ calling Martin’s visit to James’ apartment last week a “truly bizarre, made-for-media stunt” that is “outside the bounds of DOJ and ethics rules.”
The Wall Street Journal reported that Elon Musk is “quietly pumping the brakes” on his plan to start a political party, telling allies he wants to focus on his companies and doesn’t want to damage his relationships with powerful Republicans like JD Vance with a third party that could take votes away from the GOP.
On Twitter, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced that, at Trump’s direction, the agency is revoking the security clearances of 37 current and former intelligence officials, several of whom were involved in an assessment ordered by then-President Barack Obama involving Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Gabbard accused the officials of “abus[ing] the public trust by politicizing and manipulating intelligence, leaking classified intelligence without authorization, and/or committing intentional egregious violations of tradecraft standards.”
On Truth Social, Trump claimed that the Smithsonian is “OUT OF CONTROL,” and complained that their museums focus too much on “how bad Slavery was,” along with “how horrible our Country is.” He noted that he’s directed his attorneys to “go through the Museums, and start the exact same process that has been done with Colleges and Universities where tremendous progress has been made.”
Texas state Rep. Nicole Collier filed a lawsuit claiming the state legislature’s Republican majority has illegally detained her in the state Capitol after she refused to consent to 24-hour police surveillance. Collier, who slept on the floor of the Capitol in protest on Monday night, was one of the more than 50 House Democrats who fled the state for two weeks to block a new gerrymandered Congressional map. Since returning, the lawmakers have been subjected to new rules preventing them from leaving the House floor without written permission and a law enforcement escort until the chamber reconvened on Wednesday.
On Twitter, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. accused the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) of engaging in a “pay-to-play scheme to promote commercial ambitions” of its “Big Pharma benefactors,” hours after the professional society for doctors who provide medical care to children issued COVID-19 immunization guidelines that continued to recommend the vaccine for kids. The move defied guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which dropped its recommendation back in May under Kennedy’s leadership. The AAP said it retained the guidance because children are still at risk of severe cases of COVID-19.
A federal judge dismissed a case brought by the Trump administration that sought to block the Illinois Right to Privacy in the Workplace Act, which it argued violated federal immigration law.
Lawyers for Kilmar Abrego Garcia accused federal prosecutors of “vindictive and selective prosecution” in a motion to dismiss the criminal charges against him. The lawyers also argued that Abrego Garcia was charged “because he refused to acquiesce in the government’s violation of his due process rights.”
Speaking to reporters, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that her department, at Trump’s request, will paint the entire southern border wall black in an effort to “make it even harder for people to climb” as it gets hotter in the sun. Trump tried to do the same thing in his first term, despite warnings from aides that it could drive up maintenance costs by $500 million and would be unlikely to make the steel hotter. In some areas where walls were painted black, the paint began peeling less than 18 months later.
Wednesday, August 20
The Texas House of Representatives passed the mid-decade congressional redistricting map, which could result in a net gain of as many as five House seats for Republicans in the 2026 midterm elections. The new map moved to the state Senate for approval. Trump lauded the move on Truth Social, saying that other states like Florida and Indiana are “looking” to pass similar gerrymandered maps. He also called for Republicans to end mail-in voting and “go to PAPER BALLOTS” before it is too late, claiming that the two moves could result in the party picking up 100 more seats in the House “and the CROOKED game of politics is over.”
Trump called for the resignation of Lisa Cook, the first Black woman to serve as a governor of the Federal Reserve , after Federal Housing Finance Agency director Bill Pulte tweeted a criminal referral letter he sent to the Justice Department last week, accusing Cook of committing mortgage fraud. In response, Cook said she has “no intention of being bullied to step down from my position because of some questions raised in a tweet,” and added that she is “gathering the accurate information to answer any legitimate questions and provide the facts.”
The New York Times reported that at least two prominent law firms that reached agreements with Trump to quash executive orders that targeted them have committed to doing pro bono legal work for the Commerce Department, including on trade deals.
The Washington Post reported that the Army’s Criminal Investigation Division has had to reassign agents from criminal investigations to work on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s “unusually large” personal security requirements, with one official telling the Post, “I’ve never seen this many security teams for one guy. Nobody has.”
The Post also reported that Trump’s Education Department rescinded an Obama-era guidance requiring schools to provide support for students who are learning English, a move that could impact approximately 5 million children in the US who aren’t fluent in the language.
NBC News reported that Noem is urging ICE to use some of its newly allocated funding from Trump’s tax and spending bill to buy, own, and operate its own fleet of airplanes to deport immigrants, with former officials saying ICE-owned planes could help the agency double the number of deportations every month.
NBC News also reported that 20 members of the Defense Department’s Judge Advocate General Corps are being reassigned to work as special assistant US attorneys to help prosecute individuals charged with civilian crimes as part of the Trump administration’s takeover of the DC police force.
AP reported that the State Department fired its top press officer who drafted Trump administration talking points on US policy on Israel and Gaza after complaints from the US Embassy in Jerusalem. The press officer, Shahed Ghoreishi, wrote a draft response to a media request that initially included a line noting that the US doesn’t support the forced relocations of Palestinians in Gaza, which was struck from the response by the US Embassy in Jerusalem. Ghoreishi also said he questioned a statement from the embassy that referred to the occupied West Bank as “Judea and Samaria,” the Biblical names for the region that is often used by Israelis, especially among the far right, to describe the West Bank.
The Trump administration imposed new sanctions against two ICC judges and two prosecutors, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio baselessly calling the court “a national security threat” and saying the officials were sanctioned in response to their efforts to “investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute nationals of the United States or Israel.”
A group of 17 Senate Democrats sent a letter to Rubio urging him to “press the Israeli government to protect journalists in Gaza and allow international media to access the territory.” They cited a recent Israeli targeted strike that killed six journalists, including Al Jazeera reporter Anas al-Sharif, writing, “Absent a compelling explanation of the military objective for this attack, it appears Israel is publicly admitting to targeting and killing journalists who have shown the world the scale of suffering in Gaza, which would be a violation of international law.”
A federal appeals court ruled that the Trump administration can temporarily move forward with ending Temporary Protected Status for more than 60,000 immigrants from Nicaragua, Honduras, and Nepal, as a challenge to the terminations continues in court.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced that she plans to cut her office’s staff in half, marking the largest reform to the ODNI since it was created after 9/11. She also plans to scale back the Foreign Malign Influence Center, which is responsible for collecting and analyzing data on foreign efforts to undermine US democracy, with ODI claiming the center was used by the Biden administration to “justify the suppression of free speech and to censor political opposition.”
More than 750 Department of Health and Human Services employees signed a letter to members of Congress and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., calling on him to stop spreading misinformation, which they say is endangering their lives, pointing to a deadly shooting at the Atlanta CDC headquarters earlier this month. The letter also said that Kennedy’s "dangerous and deceitful statements and actions” have resulted in CDC employees facing harassment and violence.
A third federal judge rejected a request by the Trump administration to unseal grand jury materials from an investigation into sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, saying the release could endanger victims. The judge also noted that the Justice Department’s effort to unseal the roughly 70 pages of materials “appears to be a ‘diversion’ from the breadth and scope of the Epstein files in the government’s possession.”
CBS News reported that the Trump administration has introduced a proposed rule at the Education Department that would prohibit people from signing up for the federal Public Student Loan Forgiveness program if their employers were found to be “undermining national security and American values through illegal means.” Among the examples of activities that would be considered illegal are aiding and abetting terrorism, violating immigration law, and providing gender-affirming care to children under what the rule describes as “chemical and surgical castration of mutilation of children.”
The Intercept reported that Trump’s federal takeover of the DC police force could cost more than $1 million per day, with the entire operation possibly ending up costing hundreds of millions of dollars.
A federal judge ordered Elon Musk to face a lawsuit accusing him of defrauding voters in seven battleground states by getting them to sign a petition during the 2024 presidential election campaign to support the US Constitution as part of a $1 million-a-day giveaway. The order came after Musk’s lawyer revealed last fall that the winners were not chosen at random.
Thursday, August 21
On Truth Social, Trump once again called for the release of Tina Peters, a former county clerk in Colorado who was convicted of several charges after using someone’s security badge to allow an associate of Trump ally and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell to access county election equipment following the 2020 presidential election. Trump claimed Peters “did nothing wrong, except catching the Democrats cheat in the Election,” claimed she has been “tortured by Crooked Colorado politicians,” and warned he would “take harsh measures!!!” if she isn’t released. (Trump doesn’t have the authority to pardon individuals convicted of state crimes.)
Trump threatened to cut federal funding from any California school district that “doesn’t adhere to our Transgender policies,” but didn’t provide any details.
A New York appeals court ruled that Trump wouldn’t have to pay nearly half a billion dollars in fines in the 2022 civil fraud case brought by state attorney general Letitia James. The ruling didn’t overturn the decision itself, leaving in place strict limitations on Trump and his two eldest sons doing business in New York for a few years. Trump claimed the ruling was a “TOTAL VICTORY,” and called James “a criminal who should be forced to resign.” In a statement, James indicated her office will appeal the ruling, and added, “It should not be lost to history: yet another court has ruled that the president violated the law, and that our case has merit.”
A federal judge ruled that the immigration detention facility known as “Alligator Alcatraz” must move out detainees within 60 days, dismantle significant portions of the facility, and halt further expansion, finding that the state and federal governments violated a federal law requiring an environmental review of the facility, which she wrote “creates irreparable harm in the form of habitat loss and increased mortality to endangered specials in the area.” The state subsequently filed a notice that it intended to appeal the decision, which is preliminary as the case continues to be litigated.
Trump delivered pizza and hamburgers to police and National Guard troops in DC and thanked them for their work after suggesting he would be going out on patrol with them during the evening hours.
Uganda said it reached a “temporary” deal with the Trump administration to accept people deported from the US as part of what officials are calling “third country” deportations.
A federal judge ruled that former Trump lawyer Alina Habba is “not lawfully” holding the office of US Attorney for New Jersey and has been in the position without legal authority since July 1. The ruling, which the judge put on hold pending a possible appeal by the Trump administration, could result in Habba’s actions being “declared void” and would disqualify her from participating in any of the office’s cases in her position.
A federal judge ruled that the State Department can’t deny visas based on Trump’s travel ban that limits entry to the US by citizens of 19 countries. The ruling only applies to 82 immigrant applicants and still allows immigration officials to deny their entry for reasons unrelated to the travel ban.
Trump’s “weaponization czar” and Justice Department special attorney for mortgage fraud Ed Martin sent a letter to Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell calling for him to fire Fed governor Lisa Cook, one day after Trump called for her to resign. Martin wrote, “Do it today before it is too late!” Powell has no authority to fire governors.
AP reported that the State Department is reviewing more than 55 million people who hold valid visas to enter the US, including tourists from many countries, for any violations that could lead to deportation or a denial of entry, noting they are subject to "continuous vetting” for violations including overstaying, criminal activity, public safety threats, and engaging in terrorist activity or supporting terrorist organizations.
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed two bills to conduct a mid-decade redistricting of the state’s House congressional maps, and declared a special election in November for voters to approve or reject the new maps, which could flip five Republican-held seats and bolster Democrats’ hold on three other competitive seats. The move seeks to neutralize the five Texas House seats at play in that state’s recent gerrymandered redistricting map.
Spanish-language journalist Mario Guevara sued Trump administration officials, including DHS Secretary Noem and Attorney General Bondi, for his immediate release. Guevara, who has lived in the US for over 20 years, was arrested while covering a “No Kings” protest in June in Georgia and placed in ICE custody, where he remains despite a judge ordering his release on bond last month.
The White House website published an article attacking several exhibitions and messaging at Smithsonian museums that cover race, slavery, trans identity, and immigration.
The Trump administration clawed back over $12 million in federal grants for the California Department of Public Health’s pregnancy and STI prevention program, accusing the state of using it to “promot[e] gender ideology.”
The Supreme Court narrowly ruled that the Trump administration can move forward with cutting $783 million worth of federal research funding from the National Institutes of Health as part of its crackdown on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. The Court, however, ruled that Trump cannot use his anti-DEI directive to block future funding from the NIH.
The FBI will make it easier for new recruits to join the bureau, reported the New York Times, and “start welcoming new classes… who will receive less training and no longer be required to have a college degree.” FBI agents will also deprioritize investigations into more “complicated” cases involving financial fraud and public corruption.
Friday, August 22
The FBI conducted raids at the home and office of former national security adviser John Bolton as part of an investigation to determine whether he shared or possessed classified documents. The raids come days after Bolton criticized Trump’s handling of negotiations with Russia over its war in Ukraine. Bolton was included in a list of enemies written by FBI Director Kash Patel, whom he baselessly called a member of the “Executive Branch Deep State.” Bolton also said last year that Patel “doesn’t belong at the FBI” and called for an investigation by the agency “to resolve questions over his integrity and fitness.” Speaking to reporters following the raids, Trump called Bolton “a sleazebag,” and also hinted “I could be the one starting it,” noting he’s “actually the chief law enforcement officer” of the country.
On Truth Social, Trump warned that DC Mayor Muriel Bowser “must immediately stop giving false and highly inaccurate crime figures, or bad things will happen, including a complete and total Federal takeover of the City!”
Trump said his next crime crackdown will take place in Chicago, followed by New York, adding that he plans to use the “regular military.”
The Washington Post reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, which oversaw the preliminary assessment of Trump’s illegal military strikes on Iran in June, resulting in backlash from the administration after it concluded that the operation only pushed back Iran’s nuclear program by a matter of months.
Hegseth also authorized National Guard troops in DC to carry weapons.
Trump said he would fire Fed governor Lisa Cook if she refuses to resign, saying, “What she did was bad.”
Trump’s Education Department’s investigation of George Mason University concluded that the school violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act with its diversity, equity, and inclusion practices in hiring and promotions. The department’s Office of Civil Rights asked the school’s president to issue an apology, change its policies, and take part in training to ensure race isn’t part of any university policy as part of a proposed resolution agreement.
The DOJ released the transcript and audio recording of Deputy AG Todd Blanche’s July interview with Ghislaine Maxwell, with Blanche saying the audio was “divided into segments to reflect breaks during the interview” and that, other than the names of victims, “every word is included. Nothing removed.” According to the transcript, Maxwell didn’t say anything incriminating about Trump or any other associate of Epstein.
Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man illegally deported to El Salvador where he says he was tortured, was released from criminal custody in Tennessee as he awaits trial on human smuggling charges, allegations he denies. CBS News reported that the Trump administration may try and deport Abrego Garcia to Uganda.
The Trump administration announced it has taken a 10% stake in US chipmaker Intel, expanding its control over the private sector, to quote CNBC. Trump himself praised the Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan for agreeing to the deal, only weeks after calling him “conflicted” and insisting he resign.
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Hi Mehdi: Thank you for keeping me apprised of the illegality, criminality, and fascism of the past week. Your newsletters are incredibly helpful to me. Take care, Donald Auguston