đ Trump Tyranny Tracker: June 26
Welcome to todayâs Trump Tyranny Tracker, where Iâm 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.
Authoritarianism 101: How It Happens â And How We Fight Back with Zev and Olga Session 5
Google Meet: July 1, 2025 @8:00 PM EST
Join Zev Shalev and me for a relaxed, interactive session breaking down the basics of authoritarian ruleâhow it works, how it spreads, and what we can do to fight back. This is the 2nd in a summer series of Google Meet conversations for our paid subscribers. Bring your questions and insights.
Paid subscribers to either Zevâs or my newsletter are invited.
Registration Link:
Donât forget to tune into Trump Tyranny Tracker LIVE with Zev ShalevâMonday through Friday at 2:00 PM EDT.
Note: We will not be Live on Monday, 6/30.
đĽ In Corruption News
SEC, Ripple wants to settle crypto lawsuit, but US judge rebuffs them
What Happened: A federal judge rejected a joint effort by Ripple Labs and the SEC to settle their long-running crypto lawsuit with a reduced $50 million fine. Judge Analisa Torres rebuked both parties for attempting to bypass a permanent injunction she had issued after finding Ripple sold $728 million in XRP tokens as unregistered securities to institutional investors.
Why It Matters: The ruling blocks a rare mutual resolution and reaffirms the courtâs authority. Itâs a blow to Ripple, a major Trump donor, which had hoped political influence would end the case. The judge saw through itâsending a clear message against favoritism and corruption.
Source: ReutersTrumps drop âMade in the USAâ label for new phone and a debate ensues: How to define âmadeâ?
What Happened: The Trump family quietly swapped âMade in the USAâ labels on its new T-1 phone with vague phrases like âProudly Americanâ after concerns it violated FTC origin rules. Experts say a truly U.S.-made phone is nearly impossible due to global supply chains.
Why It Matters: The move exposes another Trump family conâclaiming it's American-made for their MAGA base while itâs made in China, just like their hats, Bibles, and more. It also reveals a glaring conflict of interest: Trump is regulating rivals while cashing in on his tech venture.
Source: Associated PressFCC chief had no discussions with White House on Trump Mobile phone
What Happened: FCC Chair Brendan Carr said he had no discussions with the White House about the launch of Trump Mobile, the new MAGA-branded phone and mobile service. Carr claimed he learned of the project through press reports and âpromisedâ standard regulatory handling.
Why It Matters: Carrâs denial raises alarms as Trump uses federal agencies to boost his business. With Trump overseeing the FCC while targeting tech rivals, watchdogs warn that the line between governance and profiteering is vanishing. Carr has already shown his subservience by going after media organizations at Trumpâs command.
Source: ReutersElizabeth Warren presses oil companies on tax break lobbying for Senate bill
What Happened: Elizabeth Warren and Senate Democrats are demanding answers from ConocoPhillips and Ovintiv over lobbying for a fossil fuel tax loophole buried in Trumpâs new âreconciliationâ bill. The provision would slash or eliminate federal taxes for major oil firms by exempting drilling costs from the corporate minimum tax.
Why It Matters: As Republicans gut clean energy programs, this backroom deal would reward Big Oil with billions in giveaways while raising utility bills and killing green jobs. Itâs a windfall for fossil fuel giants, paid for by working Americans.
Source: The GuardianđĄď¸ In Power Consolidation News
Trumpâs latest rejection of intelligence assessments reflects a long distrust of spy agencies
What Happened: Trump is rejecting intelligence assessments that Iranâs nuclear program was only modestly disrupted by recent U.S. airstrikes, insisting it was âcompletely obliterated.â Trumpâs actions mirror his first term, when he openly sided with Putin over U.S. intelligence.
Why It Matters: Trump continues weaponizing intelligence for political gainâdiscarding facts, silencing analysts, and demanding loyalty over truth. This is a dangerous shift that puts propaganda above national security amid rising global threats.
Source: Associated Pressâď¸ In Weaponization of Institutions News
ICE Is Using a New Facial Recognition App to Identify People, Leaked Emails Show
What Happened: ICE is using a new facial recognition app called Mobile Fortify to identify people on the street using facial images or fingerprints captured by agents' smartphones. The app taps into biometric systems originally meant for U.S. border entry and exit, repurposing them for domestic field operationsâwithout Congressional authorization or oversight.
Why It Matters: This marks another escalation in Trumpâs surveillance regime. It paves the way for mass misidentification, wrongful arrests, and unchecked government spyingâfirst targeting immigrants, then expanding to all Americans.
Source: 404 MediaAirline-Owned Data Broker Selling Your Flight Info to DHS Finally Registers as a Data Broker
What Happened: ARC, a data broker owned by major airlines like Delta and United, has been selling travelers' flight records to U.S. government agenciesâincluding ICE and CBPâwithout registering as required by California law. After being contacted by Senator Ron Wydenâs office, ARC quietly registered with the state.
Why It Matters: ARC has secretly sold over a billion sensitive travel records to the government while hiding its role. This revelation exposes how deeply airline data is embedded in surveillance networksâand how little oversight exists. Without state action, Americansâ travel privacy would remain entirely unprotected.
Source: 404 MediaState Department gears up for imminent layoffs, despite federal judgeâs order
What Happened: The State Department is set to send nearly 1,900 layoff notices, despite a court injunction blocking Trumpâs order to purge the federal workforce. Most targets are domestic staff and Foreign Service officers stuck stateside due to a personnel freeze.
Why It Matters: This would defy a federal court and gut U.S. diplomacy. Trump is purging career diplomats, crippling global operations, and politicizing the Foreign Serviceâundermining national security for decades to come.
Source: Federal News NetworkJustice Dept. Opens Inquiry Into University of California Hiring Practices
What Happened: The DOJ opened a civil rights investigation into the University of Californiaâs 2030 diversity hiring plan, alleging it may involve âillegalâ racial quotas. This comes one day after the Trump officials attacked Californiaâs transgender sports policy.
Why It Matters: Itâs part of Trumpâs escalating war on diversity and universities. By targeting public education systems like UC, the regime aims to force universities to adopt its anti-inclusion ideology.
Source: New York TimesDOJ Coordinated with Texas AG to Kill Texas Dream Act, Trump Official Says
What Happened: A top Trump DOJ official admitted that the DOJ coordinated with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to kill the stateâs 24-year-old Dream Act in just six hours. The DOJ filed a lawsuit, Paxtonâs office didnât defend the law, and a judge issued a consent judgment the same day.
Why It Matters: This is a textbook abuse of power. DOJ is weaponizing the courts to dismantle immigrant protections through fake lawsuits and one-party settlementsâerasing laws without debate, defense, or accountability.
Source: NBC NewsHouse Panel Subpoenas Harvard in Tuition-Pricing Inquiry
What Happened: Rep. Jim Jordanâs House Judiciary Committee subpoenaed Harvard over its tuition and financial aid policies, claiming the university is stonewalling an antitrust probe into Ivy League price coordination. Harvard called the subpoena âunwarranted,â noting it has already handed over thousands of pages.
Why It Matters: More political retribution. Trump is weaponizing Congress to punish Harvard for defying his anti-academic crusade, escalating a broader assault on elite institutions seen as ideological threats.
Source: New York TimesTrump Justice Dept. Pressuring University of Virginia President to Resign
What Happened: DOJ is pressuring the University of Virginia to oust President James E. Ryan as part of a civil rights probe into its diversity programs. Officials accuse Ryan of failing to dismantle DEI efforts and misrepresenting compliance, threatening to withhold federal funds unless he steps down.
Why It Matters: This is ideological cleansing disguised as enforcement. Trump is using the DOJ to purge public universities of diversity-supporting leaders, demanding political obedience in exchange for funding.
Source: New York Timesđ˘ In Media Suppression and Authoritarian Tactics News
Mediator Proposes $20 Million Settlement in Trumpâs CBS Suit
What Happened: A mediator suggested Paramount settle Trumpâs $20 billion lawsuit over a â60 Minutesâ interview with Kamala Harris for $20 millionâmost of which would go to Trumpâs foundation and legal fees. Trump claims CBS deceptively edited the segment to sway the election. Negotiations are ongoing.
Why It Matters: Trump is monetizing lawsuits against the press, using legal threats to extract payouts that benefit his political machine. This blurs the line between justice and extortion, chilling press freedom and normalizing financial settlements as tools of political coercion.
Source: Wall Street JournalFormer Supreme Court Justice Kennedy Says âDemocracy Is at Riskâ
What Happened: Retired Justice Anthony Kennedy warned that political extremism and attacks on judges are threatening U.S. democracy. Without naming Trump, he criticized divisive rhetoric and identity-based politics as harmful to civil discourse and the judiciaryâs integrity.
Why It Matters: A Reagan-appointed justice sounding the alarm shows how dire things are. Trumpâs attacks on the courts are eroding the rule of law, turning judges into targets, and undermining a key pillar of democracy just as authoritarianism gains ground.
Source: PoliticoTrump Threatens to Sue The Times and CNN Over Iran Reporting
What Happened: Trump threatened to sue The New York Times and CNN for reporting that contradicted his claims about destroying Iranâs nuclear program. His lawyer demanded retractions, calling the stories âdefamatory,â but both outlets stood by their reporting.
Why It Matters: This is a classic authoritarian move to silence the press. Trump is using legal threats to suppress truth and enforce loyaltyârewriting facts to fit his narrative and punishing those who refuse to comply.
Source: New York TimesRepublicans Call for Zohran Mamdaniâs Deportation After NYC Mayoral Win
What Happened: After Zohran Mamdani beat Andrew Cuomo in the NYC mayoral primary, some Republicans called for his citizenship to be revoked and demanded his deportation. Trump allies labeled him a âcommunistâ and used extremist rhetoric to justify the attack.
Why It Matters: The fact that Republicans are targeting naturalized citizens for their beliefs is chilling. Threats of denaturalization are being weaponized to silence dissent, while conditioning Americans to accept the idea that the government can strip citizenship from those who disagree.
Source: The Independentđ In Human and Civil Rights Abuses News
White House wants deep cut in US funding for war crimes investigations, sources say
What Happened: The White House has moved to terminate U.S. funding for nearly two dozen war crimes and justice programs worldwide, including efforts documenting Russian atrocities in Ukraine. The Office of Management and Budgetâs recommendation targets initiatives in Ukraine, Myanmar, Syria, Sudan, and elsewhere.
Why It Matters: This is a sharp departure from decades of bipartisan support for global justice. Gutting these programs will derail prosecutions of Russian war crimes and genocide, and reiterates Trumpâs retreat from human rights as a U.S. foreign policy priority.
Source: ReutersPurple Heart Army Veteran Self-Deports After 50 Years in U.S.
What Happened: Sae Joon Park, a 55-year-old South Korean-born Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient, left the U.S. under threat of deportation by ICE. Despite decades of legal residency, service in Panama, and raising a family in Hawaii, past drug convictions barred him from citizenship and made him a Trump target.
Why It Matters: A combat-wounded veteran who served honorably was forced out of the country he defended, underscoring the cruelty and reach of Trumpâs immigration crackdown, even against Americaâs military members.
Source: The GuardianUS Citizen Detained in ICE Raid, Family Calls It a âKidnappingâ
What Happened: Andrea Velez, a 32-year-old US citizen, was violently detained by ICE agents during an immigration raid in Los Angeles. Witnesses say she was never asked for ID, and her family described the arrest as racially motivated. She was held incommunicado for over a day before attorneys located her.
Why It Matters: The Trump regime is blurring the line between citizen and non-citizen, disappearing people based on skin color, and enabling unlawful detentions by federal agents with no accountability. Constitutional protections are being shredded in broad daylight.
Source: The GuardianSupreme Court sides with South Carolina in effort to cut Planned Parenthood funding
What Happened: In a 6â3 ruling, the Supreme Court sided with South Carolinaâs effort to block Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid funds, arguing that Medicaid recipients cannot sue to enforce their right to choose their provider. The decision overturns a lower court ruling and will embolden other GOP-led states to cut off funding for the reproductive health provider.
Why It Matters: This ruling guts a key legal safeguard for low-income patients and opens the door to nationwide defunding of Planned Parenthood. With over 200 clinics at risk, access to cancer screenings, birth control, and STI treatment for millions is now under threat.
Source: USA Todayđ Government Services Disruption and Collapse Watch
US State Department told to end nearly all its overseas pro-democracy programs
What Happened: Nearly all U.S. State Department democracy and human rights programsâtotaling $1.3 billionâare being eliminated under a Trump directive. Only two grants will survive as the DRL bureau faces a mass purge. A senior adviser also tried funneling funds to white nationalist causes like Afrikaner resettlement and to support the legal defense of pro-Kremlin French politician Le Pen.
Why It Matters: This is a full-scale attack on U.S. human rights leadership. Trump is gutting pro-democracy aid, empowering dictators, abandoning dissidents, and redirecting foreign policy to boost global far-right movements.
Source: The GuardianAs Political Violence Surges, Trump Shuts Down a Top Prevention Program
What Happened: Trump has shut down DHSâs Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships (CP3), purging staff and halting grants that supported states in stopping terrorism and targeted violence. This comes amid a surge in political violence, including an ISIS-inspired massacre and antisemitic killings.
Why It Matters: CP3 was a vital tool to prevent mass violence through mental health and community support. Dismantling it cripples proven, nonpartisan prevention effortsâjust as MAGA extremism and foreign threats growâreplacing smart policy with dangerous indifference.
Source: Mother JonesSenators Demand Investigation Into Canceled VA Contracts, Citing âDamning Reporting From ProPublicaâ
What Happened: Senators Blumenthal and King are calling for a federal probe after nearly 600 VA contracts were abruptly canceled by Trump officials. A ProPublica report revealed the cuts were based on a flawed AI tool from unauthorized DOGE that labeled contracts âmunchable.â Terminated services include cancer treatment and blood analysis.
Why It Matters: Veterans are paying the price for Trumpâs data-driven purge. Life-saving care was cut by untested algorithms pushed by unqualified and unvetted staff from an unauthorized agency, and will have deadly consequences for those who served.
Source: ProPublicaCancer experts alarmed over âgut-wrenchingâ Trump plan to cut research spending by billions
What Happened: Trump is slashing the National Cancer Instituteâs budget by 37%, cutting $2.7 billion and canceling over $180 million in grants. Hundreds have already been purged, and key programs for prevention, trials, and community research are being dismantled.
Why It Matters: These cuts will cost lives. Scientists warn that the damage will stall breakthroughs, drive talent away, and deny patients critical treatments. Itâs another attack on science, medicine, and every family fighting cancer.
Source: The Guardianđ Imperial and Geopolitical Watch
Why Iranâs Unaccounted for Uranium Worries Nuclear Experts
What Happened: Iran moved 409 kilograms of near-weapons-grade uranium to a secret site just before inspections halted. The IAEA has lost visibility on the stockpile, and new Iranian laws have suspended cooperation with nuclear monitors.
Why It Matters: Iran could now fast-track a nuclear weapon without detection. With oversight frozen and key sites bombed, the missing uranium raises fears of a secret breakoutârisking a regional war with no deal to stop it. Meanwhile, Trump falsely claims he âobliteratedâ Iranâs program and is politicizing intelligence to hide the failure.
Source: Bloombergđ Far-Right & Russian Influence Watch
Why Ukraine Fell Down the Agenda at the NATO Summit
What Happened: At this yearâs NATO summit in The Hague, Ukraine was sidelined as leaders focused on appeasing Trump. The official declaration omitted any reference to Ukraineâs NATO membership, and Trump offered no new aid or clear plan. Meanwhile, Russia continues escalating attacks against civilians, while U.S. military support has stalled since Trumpâs return to office.
Why It Matters: Ukraineâs fight for survival is being sacrificed to placate Trumpâs agenda and ego. The summitâs silence signals a dangerous shift away from defending democracy and toward enabling authoritarianism. With no new aid and no path to NATO, Ukraine is being abandoned in its darkest hour while Trump continues to provide cover for Russia.
Source: New York TimesTired of military aid delays, Ukraine has designed its own ballistic missile â and itâs already in mass-production
What Happened: Ukraine has launched mass production of its Sapsan ballistic missile after successful tests, marking a major leap toward military self-reliance. With a 480+ kg warhead and 300+ km range, Sapsan fills the gap left by dwindling Western supplies and blocked U.S. aid.
Why It Matters: Ukraine is no longer waiting for help. As Trump stalls aid and provides cover to Russia while it escalates, Kyiv is trying to arm itself, becoming the first European country since the Cold War to produce conventional ballistic missiles.
Source: Kyiv Independentđľ In Trump Economic Downturn News
Labor Market Softens as Unemployment Rolls Grow
What Happened: Weekly jobless claims dipped to 236,000, but continuing claims hit a 3.5-year high at 1.97 millionâsignaling weaker hiring. Trumpâs sweeping tariffs are fueling business uncertainty, stalling workforce growth.
Why It Matters: With more workers stuck on unemployment and trade disruptions weighing on spending, the economy is losing steam.
Source: ReutersChina Is Still Choking Exports of Rare Earths Despite Pact With U.S.
What Happened: Weeks after pledging to ease restrictions, China is still blocking rare-earth magnet exports critical to U.S. industry. Companies face delays, denials, and demands for sensitive dataâdespite Trumpâs claim China would âfully supplyâ the materials. Exports have plunged, forcing shutdowns at factories like Fordâs.
Why It Matters: China is choking off vital supplies while pretending to negotiate. The move shows how easily Beijing can weaponize tradeâand how hollow Trumpâs so-called deals really are. U.S. supply chains remain dangerously exposed.
Source: Wall Street JournalUS goods trade deficit widens in May as exports fall
What Happened: The U.S. goods trade deficit jumped 11.1% in May to $96.6 billion as exports dropped sharply by $9.7 billion. Imports remained mostly flat. The earlier import surgeâdriven by companies racing to beat Trumpâs new tariffsâhad already pushed the Q1 trade gap to record levels.
Why It Matters: The widening deficit reflects weakening global demand for U.S. goods and lingering trade distortions from Trumpâs erratic tariff policy. While trade may temporarily boost GDP in Q2, economists warn itâs not a sign of lasting economic strength.
Source: Reutersđđź In Resistance News
7/17- Next National Day of Action
Check out the link for other local eventsâŚ
Source: 50501Federal judge orders US Labor Department to keep Job Corps running during lawsuit
What Happened: A federal judge issued an injunction preventing the Department of Labor from halting the Job Corps program, a long-standing training initiative for low-income youth, until a lawsuit is resolved. The court ruled that Trumpâs attempt to âpauseâ operations is effectively a shutdown, violating congressional authority.
Source: Associated Pressđ By the Numbers
7/17 â Next nationwide National Day of Action
1,900 â Layoff notices prepared by the State Department despite court block
$1.3 billion â Democracy and human rights funding slashed by Trumpâs directive
$20 million â Proposed settlement to Trump from CBS in â60 Minutesâ lawsuit
$2.7 billion â Budget cut from the National Cancer Institute
409 kg â Near-weapons-grade uranium moved by Iran before inspections halted
$96.6 billion â U.S. goods trade deficit in May, up 11.1% from April
2 â Remaining DRL grants after global democracy programs were cut
200+ â Planned Parenthood clinics at risk of closure following Supreme Court Medicaid ruling
$180 million â In cancer research grants already canceled
1 billion+ â Travel records secretly sold to DHS by airline-owned data broker ARC
đ What to Watch Next
Trump is laying the groundwork to go after Social Security and Medicare â How soon before seniors and disabled Americans feel the full impact?
Trumpâs ICE is disappearing American citizens â How far will the regime be allowed to go in bypassing due process and constitutional protections?
Trump is shutting down U.S. war crimes programs worldwide â Will Congress act before prosecutions of Russian atrocities and global human rights abuses collapse?
Trump is purging diversity from public universities â How far will the DOJ be allowed to go in demanding ideological loyalty for funding?
Trump is using AI and DOGE to gut veteran care â Whoâs accountable for canceled cancer treatment contracts at the VA?
đĄ Key Takeaways
Trumpâs Economic Warfare â 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.
The Surveillance State Continues Expanding â From ICE facial recognition apps to airline data brokers, Americans are being tracked without oversight. First, it targets immigrantsânext, it comes for everyone.
Democracy Funding Is Dead â Trumpâs purge of pro-democracy programs abandons dissidents and empowers autocrats. U.S. foreign policy is now an instrument of far-right ideology.
Public Health Is Being Gutted â Cancer research, reproductive health, and youth job training are all under attack. These cuts will have deadly, long-term consequences.
Trumpâs War on Universities Is Escalating â With DOJ probes, subpoenas, and forced resignations, public education is being reshaped to serve MAGA doctrine.
đ¨ Call to Action
Document Everything: Document purges, corruption, and power grabs. Share credible information with journalists, watchdogs, and legal experts. Silence enables authoritarianismâsee something, say something.
Defend Press Freedom: Support independent journalism by subscribing to and sharing reporting that challenges Trumpâs power grab.
Contact Lawmakers: Demand accountability for Trump and Muskâs unchecked power and Trumpâs war on oversight.
Protest: Join local and national demonstrations against Trumpâs 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.
âRetired Justice Anthony Kennedy warned that political extremism and attacks on judges are threatening U.S. democracy.â
Well Justice Kennedy, you helped make this happen. You saw what we saw back in 2018 and you retired so Trump could choose your successor and consolidate power. Too little too late.
Trump has opened a new chapter in international thuggery. Given his proclamation that he not only rules the country but he also rules the world, he is now exporting his wielding of extortion and blackmail and deploying it into not only the local politics of Israel but into their criminal justice system.
One hand washes the other. Netanyahu handed Trump on a silver platter not merely the opportunity to bask in glory by having our military perform the coup de grace on Iranâs nuclear program but to extricate himself, in doing so, from his blatantly humiliating stunt to hold a military parade for his birthday.
So this is now payback time for Trump to return the favor - which is precisely what Trump is doing by threatening Israel with the consequences of his wrath unless they drop the corruption charges against Netanyahu.
The world will now have the opportunity to witness to what extent Israel may shine as heroes in their struggle against Iran and Hamas but display themselves as cowardly victims in submitting to the will of Donald J. Trump.