Trump Tyranny Tracker: Day 106
May 5, 2025
📆 Trump Tyranny Tracker: May 5
Welcome to today’s Trump Tyranny Tracker, where I’m breaking down the key news from the day alongside ongoing developments as Trump and his regime move swiftly to consolidate power, undermine democracy, and dismantle civil rights and freedoms.
🚨 Announcement
Starting this week, Zev Shalev and I are taking the Trump Tyranny Tracker to Substack LIVE — every Monday through Thursday at 2 PM ET.
We’ll break down the top stories the media isn’t paying attention to — power grabs, agency purges, surveillance overreach, and the tactics being used to dismantle democracy. Please tune in and spread the word!
🔥 In Corruption News
Trump Sons’ Deals on Three Continents Directly Benefit the President
What Happened: Eric and Donald Trump Jr. have launched a global spree of lucrative real estate, crypto, and membership club ventures—spanning the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Washington, D.C.—that directly funnel money back to Trump. These deals include a $1 billion Dubai tower, crypto partnerships tied to foreign governments, and a $500,000-per-member private club in D.C. Many of the ventures are coordinated with foreign officials, often in countries where Trump has substantial diplomatic influence.
Why It Matters: This is kleptocracy in action. Trump is openly profiting from the presidency through his sons’ deals while dismantling oversight and gutting regulatory enforcement. Foreign governments and business elites are paying Trump’s family for access and protection—undermining U.S. ethics rules and endangering national security.
Source: New York TimesWhat We Know About Trump’s $1.5 Million-a-Head Fund-Raising Dinner
What Happened: Trump headlined a $1.5 million-per-person “crypto and AI” dinner at his Virginia golf club to raise funds for MAGA Inc., his super PAC that backs loyalist candidates and threatens GOP dissenters. The event featured top crypto allies like David Sacks and was closed to the press.
Why It Matters: Trump is selling influence to the highest bidders—using AI and crypto hype to bankroll his movement, reward loyalists, and shape the GOP into a pay-to-play machine. This is what naked corruption looks like.
Source: New York TimesA Tiny Company Wants to Buy $20M TRUMP Token to Change U.S.-Mexico Trade Deals
What Happened: Freight Technologies, a struggling $4.8M logistics firm, announced plans to buy up to $20 million in a Trump token, claiming the move will promote “fair trade” with Mexico. The firm’s CEO openly tied the investment to influencing U.S. trade policy under Trump, who has promised private dinners to top token holders.
Why It Matters: More pay-to-play schemes. Trump has turned crypto into a tool for corporate influence and political access. Companies and countries are buying memecoins to sway U.S. policy and curry favor with Trump.
Source: CoinDeskTrump’s Meme Coin Business Racks Up Fees as Buyers Jump for Access to Trump
What Happened: Trump’s meme coin has generated over $320 million in fees, with the top holders offered exclusive access to a May 22 dinner and reception with Trump.
Why It Matters: The scheme exposes how Trump is blatantly merging the presidency with personal profit—using shady cryptocurrency to sell access to himself and funnel cash into his family business, with zero concern for ethics or accountability.
Source: ABC NewsReport Spotlights Lobbying by White House Chief’s Former Clients
What Happened: A new report from watchdog group Public Citizen reveals that several former lobbying clients of Trump Chief of Staff Susie Wiles have met with White House staff. Though Wiles denies participating in those meetings (except one call with General Motors), concerns have been raised over ethics and transparency.
Why It Matters: With Trump having revoked prior executive orders requiring appointees to recuse from decisions affecting recent clients, Wiles faces no formal restriction, highlighting conflicts of interest and influence peddling inside the White House.
Source: Washington Post🛡️ In Power Consolidation News
For Trump, the Constitution Is a Hindrance as He Pushes for Deportations
What Happened: Trump openly questioned whether he’s bound by the Constitution, casting doubt on due process rights while pushing mass deportations. His regime is invoking fringe and unlawful legal theories like the Alien Enemies Act, defying Supreme Court rulings, and demanding the impeachment of judges who block his policies—all to bulldoze the courts and subvert the rule of law.
Why It Matters: This is a textbook authoritarian move—manufacturing a national “emergency” to override constitutional rights and undermine judicial independence. Trump is not just targeting immigrants—he’s testing how far he can go in dismantling the rule of law.
Source: New York TimesHegseth Orders 20 Percent Cut in Four-Star Officers
What Happened: Hegseth has gutted top military leadership, firing many women and people of color, and now has ordered a 20% cut in four-star officers.
Why It Matters: This is a political purge of the military. Hegseth is eliminating experienced leadership under the pretext of fighting “wokeness,” undermining the chain of command, degrading readiness, and laying the groundwork for authoritarian control—where illegal orders could be issued and followed without question.
Source: New York TimesTrump Wades Into Confirmation Fight Over Controversial Pick for Top DC Prosecutor
What Happened: Trump is personally lobbying GOP senators to confirm Ed Martin as U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C., despite Martin’s praise of a Nazi-linked January 6 insurrectionist, repeated nondisclosures, inflammatory media appearances—and over 200 appearances on Russian state media parroting Kremlin propaganda.
Why It Matters: As interim U.S. Attorney, Martin has weaponized the office to serve Trump’s political agenda—purging January 6 prosecutors, referring to DOJ staff as “Trump’s lawyers,” and targeting perceived enemies. Confirming him would hand Trump full control over the most politically sensitive federal jurisdiction in the country.
Source: CNN⚖️ In Weaponization of Institutions News
Trump Directs DOJ to Intervene in Tina Peters Case, Calling Her a 'Political Prisoner'
What Happened: Trump publicly ordered the Department of Justice to intervene in the case of convicted ex-Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters, calling her imprisonment “cruel and unusual punishment” and demanding her release, despite her conviction on multiple felony charges for tampering with election systems.
Why It Matters: Trump is using presidential power to interfere in a state-level prosecution, escalating the politicization of the justice system to shield allies who spread election lies and tampered with election systems. This sets a dangerous precedent, undermining the rule of law and accelerating the collapse of judicial independence.
Source: Colorado Public RadioStates Are Tightening Rules for Getting Citizen-Led Proposals on the Ballot
What Happened: After a wave of successful abortion rights ballot measures, GOP-led states like Florida and Arkansas are imposing harsh new restrictions on the citizen initiative process—limiting signature collection, shortening deadlines, and threatening criminal penalties for unregistered petitioners.
Why It Matters: Republican lawmakers are rigging the rules to block citizens from bypassing them on abortion, health care, and voting rights. When voters win at the ballot box, they rewrite the rules.
Source: New York Times Trump Official Disqualifies Harvard From Future Research Grants
What Happened: Trump announced that Harvard is banned from receiving new federal research grants, citing “disastrous mismanagement,” lack of conservative faculty, and resistance to government oversight.
Why It Matters: More political retaliation. Trump is using federal funding as a weapon to punish elite institutions that defy him and to impose ideological conformity. It’s an authoritarian assault on academic freedom and the independence of scientific research.
Source: New York TimesTrump Threatens Schools With Student-Loan Restrictions
What Happened: Trump officials warned colleges that schools with high student-loan default rates could lose access to federal student aid.
Why It Matters: This punitive move will devastate schools and students, weaponizing loan defaults to force colleges into political compliance, while accelerating aggressive collections that can lead to wage garnishment, seized tax refunds, and even Social Security checks.
Source: Wall Street Journal📢 In Media Suppression and Authoritarian Tactics News
Former Official Targeted by Trump Says the President Is Trying to Silence Critics
What Happened: Miles Taylor, the former DHS official who anonymously warned of Trump’s behavior in office, says he’s now the subject of federal scrutiny after Trump accused him of “treason” and ordered a review of his actions. Taylor believes the probe is politically motivated and designed to punish dissent.
Why It Matters: Taylor’s case is just the beginning of Trump’s retribution. Trump is weaponizing executive power to punish critics and silence dissent, using the government against former officials who spoke out—an authoritarian tactic that threatens free speech and the rule of law.
Source: NBC NewsTrump Proposes Terms for Federal Oversight of Columbia University
What Happened: Trump offered Columbia University a consent decree that would place the school under judicial oversight, demanding it end "race-based admissions and enforce “viewpoint diversity” among faculty, as a condition for reinstating $400 million in revoked federal funding.
Why It Matters: This is a direct attempt to force ideological conformity at elite universities—using federal power to impose MAGA political goals and strip schools of their independence. This is how authoritarian regimes like Russia control education and suppress dissent.
Source: Wall Street JournalAirport Detentions Have Travelers ‘Freaked Out’
What Happened: Immigration lawyers, travel consultants, and foreign residents report an unprecedented level of fear around international travel due to escalating detentions, electronic device seizures, and secondary screenings under Trump’s immigration crackdown. Even U.S. citizens are taking precautions, like traveling with burner phones, as reports grow of travelers being detained over expunged records or social media content.
Why It Matters: Trump’s weaponization of border enforcement is creating an authoritarian climate where political expression, ethnicity, and digital footprints can be grounds for detention. This is undermining civil liberties, inflicting lasting damage on the tourism economy, and causing many countries to issue travel warnings to the U.S.
Source: The AtlanticTexas Republicans Advance Bill to Seize Control of State Universities
What Happened: Texas lawmakers are pushing S.B. 37, a sweeping bill that would give the state power to control faculty hiring, academic programs, and course content across public universities, claiming it's needed to eliminate “ideological bias” in higher education.
Why It Matters: This bill mirrors Trump’s authoritarian playbook—a political takeover of public universities that strips faculty of independence, undermines academic freedom, and hands control of curricula to politicians.
Source: Washington Post🛑 In Human and Civil Rights Abuses News
Spy Agencies Do Not Think Venezuela Directs Gang, Declassified Memo Shows
What Happened: A newly released intelligence memo confirms U.S. spy agencies do not believe Venezuela’s government controls the Tren de Aragua gang, directly contradicting Trump’s justification for invoking the Alien Enemies Act to disappear Venezuelans without due process to a gulag in El Salvador.
Why It Matters: Trump manufactured a “national security threat” to strip immigrants of due process and push mass deportations—using it as a test case to claim unchecked executive power and bypass the law and Constitution. It’s a classic authoritarian tactic to create an “emergency” to strip freedoms.
Source: New York Times“Designed to Scare People”: Lawyers Warn of Self-Deportation Notices Posted in Immigration Courts
What Happened: Trump officials have begun distributing “self-deportation” notices in immigration courts, even alongside asylum approvals, urging immigrants to leave voluntarily using a new CBP app or face fines, detention, and permanent bans. Lawyers say the flyers, now seen in courtrooms nationwide, are misleading, legally dangerous, and falsely suggest official judicial backing.
Why It Matters: The notices are part of a broader campaign to pressure immigrants into abandoning their legal rights, using fear and disinformation to drive up deportation numbers while sidestepping judicial oversight. Attorneys warn that the tactic is coercive, misleading, and could lead to unlawful removals.
Source: Mother JonesRwanda Confirms Early Talks to Host Deported US Migrants
What Happened: Rwanda’s foreign minister confirmed that preliminary discussions are underway with the U.S. to receive migrants, possibly including financial support for integration programs like housing and job assistance.
Why It Matters: Trump’s push to outsource deported migrants to third countries like Rwanda raises serious human rights concerns, given Rwanda’s record of repression and involvement in regional conflicts.
Source: Associated Press‘A Slippery Slope to Eugenics’: Advocates Reject RFK Jr’s National Autism Database
What Happened: Autism advocates and researchers condemn a new federal database spearheaded by RFK Jr., which will compile information on autistic individuals for a research study. Officials deny it is a registry, but critics argue the so-called “real-world data platform” raises serious ethical, privacy, and civil rights concerns.
Why It Matters: Critics warn the project could stigmatize autistic people, erode trust in medical research, and set a dangerous precedent for surveillance without consent—what some call a slippery slope toward eugenics. Public outrage has surged, with nearly 50,000 petitioners demanding that the plan be stopped.
Source: The Guardian📉 Government Services Disruption and Collapse Watch
Hegseth Used Multiple Signal Chats for Official Pentagon Business
What Happened: Hegseth used Signal for official Pentagon business more extensively than previously known, participating in at least a dozen chats. He instructed aides to use the app to notify foreign governments about U.S. military operations and discussed sensitive matters like travel, media, and scheduling, all outside official communication channels.
Why It Matters: Trump’s Pentagon chief is leaking military plans on unsecured apps, bypassing official protocols, and violating records laws—creating chaos at the highest levels of command and endangering national security. This is illegal, and anyone else would be fired and potentially prosecuted.
Source: Wall Street JournalSignal Clone Used by Waltz Suspends Service After ‘Security Incident’
What Happened: TeleMessage, an app used by Trump officials to clone and archive encrypted communications like Signal and WhatsApp, has suspended its services after hackers reportedly breached the system, stealing direct messages and group chats.
Why It Matters: This is a major security failure—compromising sensitive communications and exposing the dangers of using third-party surveillance tools to archive encrypted chats. It highlights the Trump regime’s dangerous handling of classified information.
Source: New York TimesNewark Air Traffic Controllers Couldn’t See or Talk to Planes, Leading to Last Week’s Airport Meltdown
What Happened: A major outage on April 28 at Newark Liberty International Airport caused air traffic controllers to lose radar and radio contact with planes, triggering chaos and widespread delays. Some FAA controllers took time off due to stress, and United Airlines slashed 35 daily flights as staffing and infrastructure issues mounted.
Why It Matters: The near-total communications failure at one of the nation’s busiest airports exposed dangerous vulnerabilities in the U.S. aviation system.
Source: CNBCIRS Has Lost Almost One-Third of Its Tax Auditors After 2 Months of DOGE Cuts, Report Says
What Happened: A Treasury watchdog report revealed the loss of 31% of IRS tax auditors—those responsible for scrutinizing wealthy individuals and corporations—in just the first three months of 2025, due to mass purges and resignations.
Why It Matters: The purge intentionally cripples the government’s ability to enforce tax laws on the rich, effectively encouraging tax evasion.
Source: CBS NewsEurope Drives to Attract Scientists After Trump Freezes U.S. Funding
What Happened: The European Union launched a sweeping initiative to recruit U.S. scientists after Trump canceled over 380 federal research grants. At an event in Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced expanded funding and legal safeguards to protect scientific freedom.
Why It Matters: The EU is capitalizing on Trump’s assault on academic research to attract top U.S. talent, threatening America’s global leadership in science. This brain drain is a direct consequence of politicizing research and abandoning core scientific values.
Source: NBC NewsThe Latest Trump and DOGE Casualty: Energy Data
What Happened: The U.S. Energy Information Administration, once the world’s premier source of nonpartisan energy data, has been hollowed out under Trump. Staff purges driven by Musk have led to over 100 departures, the gutting of the Annual Energy Outlook’s analysis section, and the total cancellation of the International Energy Outlook.
Why It Matters: This is a deliberate assault on scientific integrity. By crippling the EIA, Trump is silencing trusted energy data and surrendering U.S. leadership in global forecasting.
Source: ProPublicaPark Service Suspends Air-Quality Monitoring Across All National Parks
What Happened: Trump quietly halted a nationwide air-quality monitoring program across all 63 U.S. national parks, issuing stop-work orders to contractors tracking pollutants like ozone and particulate matter. After internal backlash and media exposure, the National Park Service said it would reverse the decision.
Why It Matters: The suspension undermines public health and environmental safeguards, especially since the data informs decisions on nearby industrial permits.
Source: Washington PostAmid Trump Cuts, Officials Resign From the National Endowment for the Arts
What Happened: Senior officials at the NEA resigned en masse after Trump began withdrawing arts grants nationwide and moved to eliminate the agency. Departures include directors overseeing theater, dance, museums, education, and more—crippling the agency's ability to function.
Why It Matters: Trump is gutting federal arts funding as part of his broader war on culture. With these resignations, the NEA is being hollowed out from within, clearing the way for its destruction.
Source: New York TimesAt Social Security, These Are the Days of the Living Dead
What Happened: Under Trump’s SSA attack, thousands of Americans—especially immigrants and vulnerable individuals—are being wrongly declared dead or purged from the system, cutting off Social Security benefits, disability payments, and banking access.
Why It Matters: The purge has led to delayed or missing payments, wrongful terminations of benefits, and growing evidence of a collapsing administrative infrastructure. This will have devastating effects for millions who depend on Social Security to survive.
Source: CBS NewsFEMA Is Ending Door-to-Door Canvassing in Disaster Areas
What Happened: FEMA will no longer send workers door-to-door in disaster zones to help survivors register for aid, opting instead for fixed assistance centers and “coordination” with local officials. The change aligns with Trump’s broader plan to dismantle FEMA.
Why It Matters: This move strips away one of FEMA’s most essential outreach tools, leaving the elderly, disabled, and isolated without help in moments of crisis. It’s part of a larger effort to gut federal disaster response and abandon vulnerable Americans when they need it most.
Source: WIREDNIH Lays Off Hundreds More Staff, Including at Cancer Research Institute
What Happened: The National Institutes of Health issued surprise purge notices to nearly 250 employees, including about 50 from the National Cancer Institute.
Why It Matters: The layoffs hit critical teams like the Cancer Information Service, cutting off public access to life-saving resources and research. Trump’s war on science—purging experts, dismantling agencies, and slashing health programs—is deadly. This is a deliberate move to make Americans sicker and less informed.
Source: CBS News🌐 Imperial and Geopolitical Watch
Starmer Prepares UK for Russian Attack
What Happened: The British government is quietly updating Cold War-era contingency plans amid growing fears of a direct military attack by Russia, including scenarios involving missile strikes, cyberwarfare, and nuclear threats. The classified plans—drafted by the Cabinet Office’s Resilience Directorate—outline how to transition the UK onto a wartime footing, secure critical infrastructure, and protect top government figures and the Royal Family in the event of a homeland strike.
Why It Matters: With Russian threats escalating across Europe and UK military readiness in question, officials are bracing for the unthinkable—a direct attack on British soil. The revival of Cold War-style “War Book” strategies signals a seismic shift in national security posture and public preparedness.
Source: The Telegraph🌍 Far-Right & Russian Influence Watch
Poland’s Duda Tells Trump to Force Putin ‘To Make Peace’
What Happened: Polish President Andrzej Duda publicly urged Trump to use harsh economic sanctions to force Putin into serious negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, declaring Trump the only leader with the power to compel Russia.
Why It Matters: Duda’s remarks reflect European worries over Trump’s sham plan—pressuring Ukraine while appeasing Moscow. European leaders have to resort to flattery, knowing Trump responds to ego-stroking, as they scramble to try and influence a narcissistic president.
Source: PoliticoMAGA Media Mob: Meet the New Rightwing Faces in the White House Briefing Room
What Happened: In a reshaping of press access, Trump has brought in a slate of fringe and far-right extremists—including a disgraced banjo player, conspiracy theorists, and election deniers—to participate in “new media” briefings led by Karoline Leavitt, sidelining mainstream journalists and amplifying extremist rhetoric.
Why It Matters: This is state propaganda in the making—Trump is sidelining the press corps in favor of fringe loyalists to control the narrative and spread disinformation. It’s a direct assault on press freedom and a hallmark of authoritarian rule. This is how the information space is controlled in Russia.
Source: The GuardianHow Billionaires Created the DEI Panic
What Happened: A new investigative report reveals how right-wing billionaires and foundations manufactured decades of outrage around DEI, evolving from 1990s “political correctness” to today’s attacks on DEI, critical race theory, and “wokeness.” Fueled by think tanks and conservative media funded by groups like the John M. Olin Foundation, the campaign framed racial and gender equity as threats to American identity.
Why It Matters: The war on DEI is not grassroots outrage—it’s a decades-long, well-financed effort to dismantle civil rights gains. Cloaked in slogans about “merit” and “fairness,” it aims to preserve racial hierarchies by weaponizing fear. Naming and shaming the funders and strategies behind it is the first step to breaking the cycle.
Source: Media Matters💵 In Trump Economic Downturn News
Fed Confronts Lose-Lose Scenario Amid Haphazard Tariff Rollout
What Happened: The Federal Reserve faces a dilemma: Trump’s tariffs are fueling inflation while risking recession, forcing the Fed to weigh holding rates versus cutting them amid mixed signals. Officials are expected to delay cuts until labor market data confirms a slowdown, despite growing pressure.
Why It Matters: Trump’s chaotic tariff war has pushed the Fed toward stagflation, complicating its mission and risking delayed or mistimed action. The result could deepen a recession or lock in inflation, hitting American families and small businesses hardest.
Source: Wall Street JournalTariffs Could Put Them Under, Some Small Business Owners Say
What Happened: Trump’s chaotic tariffs have triggered soaring costs for small business owners, forcing them to raise prices or cut staff. Some now say their survival is at risk.
Why It Matters: Small businesses are being crushed by Trump’s chaotic trade policies, facing layoffs, surging costs, and potential closures. Unlike large corporations, they can’t buy access to Trump’s White House.
Source: CBS NewsMattel Plans Price Increases on American Toys
What Happened: Mattel is raising U.S. toy prices, shifting production out of China, and scrapping its annual financial forecast due to uncertainty from Trump’s escalating trade war.
Why It Matters: The toy industry is being hit hard by new tariffs, and families will soon feel the impact with fewer, more expensive toys as Trump’s policies drive up costs and disrupt supply chains.
Source: Wall Street JournalFord’s First-Quarter Profit Drops 64%; Suspends Outlook
What Happened: Ford’s Q1 profit fell 64% due to tariff-related costs, EV losses, and slowed production, forcing the automaker to withdraw its annual forecast.
Why It Matters: Trump’s trade war is battering U.S. automakers, with Ford warning tariffs could wipe out $1.5 billion in earnings, just as prices rise and sales begin to slow.
Source: Wall Street JournalHow an Expected Decline in Shipping from China Will Ripple Through the Economy
What Happened: As tariffs hit Chinese imports, U.S. ports like Tacoma and Seattle, where over half of imports come from China, are bracing for plummeting shipments, cancelled cargo sailings, and significant job losses in logistics, trucking, and warehousing.
Why It Matters: The drop in trade will trigger cascading effects: fewer goods on store shelves, higher prices, lost export markets for U.S. farmers, and delayed shipments of U.S. machinery abroad. Small businesses and working-class port communities are especially vulnerable.
Source: NPR/WBURThe Flagging Economy Is Hurting the Housing Market
What Happened: High interest rates, economic contraction, and Trump’s global trade war are weighing heavily on the housing market, driving up construction costs and pushing many potential buyers out.
Why It Matters: As mortgage rates remain high and tariffs add nearly $11,000 to the cost of new homes, builder confidence is slipping and housing starts are down 11%. With existing-home sales plunging nearly 6% in March, the housing sector is flashing red.
Source: Washington Post👊🏼 In Resistance News
5/8- Next National Day of Action
Source: 50501
States Sue Over Trump Cutbacks at H.H.S.
What Happened: 19 states and D.C. are suing Trump over mass layoffs, gutted public health programs, and the radical restructuring of HHS, calling it an illegal dismantling of the agency. The suit highlights how key programs—from Medicaid to Head Start—have been gutted while vaccine rules and scientific oversight are being replaced with fringe policies.
Source: New York TimesFormer Judges Condemn Trump Administration’s Arrest of Wisconsin Judge
What Happened: Over 150 former judges denounced Trump for arresting Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan, accusing him of intimidation after she allegedly helped an undocumented immigrant avoid ICE agents. The retaliatory arrest was followed by FBI Director Kash Patel posting a photo of her in handcuffs.
Source: New York TimesWhistleblower Attorney Sues Trump Administration to Restore Revoked Security Clearance
What Happened: National security lawyer Mark Zaid, known for representing whistleblowers, has filed a lawsuit against Trump after his security clearance was revoked under a presidential memo targeting political opponents. Zaid argues the move is unconstitutional retaliation and has already interfered with his ability to represent clients with classified cases.
Source: ABC NewsGOP Congressman Is Shelled With Questions About Trump During Raucous Town Hall
What Happened: Voters in Rep. Mike Lawler’s New York swing district overwhelmed him with criticism over Trump’s extremist agenda during a chaotic town hall, leading to chants, groans, and multiple attendees being forcibly removed by law enforcement. The participants responded with “Shame! Shame! Shame!.”
Source: ABC NewsU.S. Appeals Court Rejects Trump Bid to Revoke 400,000 Migrants’ Legal Status
What Happened: A federal appeals court blocked Trump’s attempt to end humanitarian parole for 400,000 migrants from countries including Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, ruling that the blanket termination lacked required case-by-case review.
Source: NBC NewsFormer Palantir Workers Condemn Company's Work with Trump
What Happened: 13 former employees of Palantir Technologies released a public letter condemning the company’s $30 million deal with ICE to provide real-time surveillance of migrants, and denouncing its broader collaboration with Trump’s extremist policies.
Source: NPR📊 By the Numbers
$1.5 million — Price per person to attend Trump’s crypto-AI fundraising dinner
$320 million+ — Fees generated from Trump’s meme coin, offering access to Trump
$20M — Planned Trump token purchase by Freight Technologies to influence Mexico trade policy
$1 billion — Value of Trump-branded tower project in Dubai
$500,000 — Cost of membership at Trump’s new D.C. private club
20% — Reduction ordered in four-star military officers by Hegseth
200+ — Appearances by interim D.C. U.S. Attorney Ed Martin on Russian state media parroting Kremlin propaganda
31% — IRS tax auditors purged in the first three months of 2025
380+ — Federal research grants canceled under Trump’s anti-DEI purge
250 — NIH staff purged, including 50 from the National Cancer Institute
63 — National parks affected by Trump’s suspended air-quality monitoring
$11,000 — Average cost increase per new home due to Trump’s tariffs
6% — Drop in existing-home sales in March 2025
11% — Decline in new housing starts in March due to high costs and uncertainty
400,000 — Migrants protected from mass deportation after federal court ruling
19 — States (plus D.C.) suing Trump over dismantling of Health and Human Services
150+ — Former judges condemning Trump’s arrest of Wisconsin judge
13 — Former Palantir employees speaking out against Trump surveillance contracts
5/8 — Next National Day of Action against Trump’s authoritarian agenda
🔎 What to Watch Next
Trump is laying the groundwork to go after Social Security and Medicare — How soon before seniors and disabled Americans feel the full impact?
The Pentagon is in chaos under Hegseth — Will Republicans in Congress step in before Trump’s loyalist purge cripples military readiness and results in a disaster for the U.S.?
Trump is purging national security agencies — How long before intelligence failures put lives at risk?
Trump’s surveillance state is targeting students and immigrants — How long before it’s used against the broader public?
Martin’s confirmation would give Trump control over the DOJ’s most sensitive office— Will Trump succeed in installing Ed Martin as permanent U.S. Attorney for D.C.?
Republicans are rewriting ballot access rules — Will citizen-led initiatives on abortion and voting rights be blocked in 2026?
Can universities survive Trump’s funding threats and loyalty tests? — Will elite schools cave to ideological conformity to preserve federal support?
💡 Key Takeaways
Trump’s Economic Warfare — His erratic tariff policies are pushing the U.S. into a recession or worse and destabilizing global markets. Prices are already spiking, and manufacturers warn of supply chain disruptions. This is economic destruction.
Judicial Independence Under Attack — From targeting judges to ignoring court rulings, Trump is testing how far he can go in dismantling the rule of law.
Kleptocracy on Display — Trump and his family are profiting off foreign influence and crypto schemes, while federal agencies that oversee ethics and transparency are being hollowed out.
Public Health in Peril — NIH layoffs, grant freezes, and a collapsing CDC leave Americans more vulnerable to disease, disinformation, and delayed medical care.
Academic Freedom Under Siege — Trump is weaponizing funding to purge universities of dissent and enforce ideological loyalty.
The Border Crackdown Is a Constitutional Crisis — Mass disappearances, fabricated “national emergencies,” and unlawful separations are testing the limits of unlimited executive power.
Energy and Climate Data Are Being Silenced — With EIA gutted and park monitoring suspended, science is being erased, endangering public health.
The Press Corps Is Being Replaced by Propagandists — Extremists and disinformation agents are being elevated to deliver official White House propaganda, while legitimate journalists are pushed out and sidelined.
🚨 Call to Action
Call Your Republican Senators: Demand They VOTE NO on Ed Martin
Trump is trying to install Ed Martin—an extremist with over 200 appearances on Russian state media, praise for a Nazi-linked insurrectionist, and a purge of January 6 prosecutors—as the permanent U.S. Attorney for D.C.
Senate switchboard (202) 224-3121
Document Everything: Document purges, corruption, and power grabs. Share credible information with journalists, watchdogs, and legal experts. Silence enables authoritarianism—see something, say something.
Defend Press Freedom: Support independent journalism by subscribing to and sharing reporting that challenges Trump’s power grab.
Contact Lawmakers: Demand accountability for Trump and Musk’s unchecked power and Trump’s war on oversight.
Protest: Join local and national demonstrations against Trump’s authoritarian overreach, purges, and attacks on civil rights.
Attend Town Halls: Confront lawmakers and demand answers about government purges, deregulation, and threats to constitutional rights.
Stay Vigilant: Watch for court rulings, executive overreach, and attempts to rewrite the Constitution. Document everything.
Mobilize for Action: Organize or join legal efforts and resistance movements to protect democracy and human and civil rights.
Support Whistleblowers: Encourage legal defense funds for government workers facing retaliation for exposing corruption.
Thanks for reading the Trump Tyranny Tracker. Stay tuned for more updates.
I always appreciate your knowledge and insight Olga. I guess my overriding question I’m just not sure of is does Trump actually have what it takes to be a dictator? A wanna be one yea but he has no calculation, no cunning, no ability to think clearly. He also has a non compliant people because we know nothing but democracy. Russia and Eastern Europe has mostly only known autocracy. Of course I’m no expert in this but I think it would be more difficult for him to pull off dictator here no matter how much he or Project 25 might want it,
Thank you for you vital reporting and continuing endurance, you’re making a huge contribution to the greater good! Thank you!