Trump Tyranny Tracker: Day 165
July 3, 2025
📆 Trump Tyranny Tracker: July 3
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.
Authoritarianism 101: How It Happens — And How We Fight Back with Zev and Olga Session 6
Google Meet: July 8, 2025 @8:00 PM EST
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🔥 In Corruption News
Trump’s FCC Scraps Ban on Prison Phone Price Gouging, Rewarding Major Donors
What Happened: The FCC scrapped Obama and Biden-era rules that capped prison phone rates and banned kickbacks to prison operators, gutting protections from the Martha Wright-Reed Act. The rollback reopens the door to exploitative fees that once cost families nearly $1 billion a year. It directly benefits Trump mega-donors like GEO Group and CoreCivic, who profit from these predatory practices and maintain deep financial ties and contracts with the regime.
Why It Matters: This is naked corruption. Trump is letting prison companies involved in his mass detention/deportation agenda gouge families to reward his donors.
Source: Mother JonesRepublican Votes for Budget After Dumping Medicaid-Related Stock
What Happened: GOP Rep. Robert Bresnahan sold shares in Centene—a Medicaid provider—just before voting for a Trump budget bill that slashed healthcare funding. After the vote, Centene’s stock plunged 43%. Bresnahan's trade shielded him from personal financial losses directly tied to the legislation.
Why It Matters: More insider trading. Bresnahan cashed in while gutting healthcare for millions. It’s blatant self-dealing—lawmakers profiting off policies that hurt the very people they’re elected to serve.
Source: The New Republic🛡️ In Power Consolidation News
Trump Claims Sweeping Power to Nullify Laws, Letters on TikTok Ban Show
What Happened: Newly uncovered Justice Department letters reveal that Trump claimed sweeping constitutional powers to override a bipartisan law banning TikTok. AG Pam Bondi told tech firms they could ignore the law without penalty, asserting Trump’s national security authority supersedes the statute.
Why It Matters: Trump is asserting the power to unilaterally nullify laws—echoing a monarch’s dispensing power. Legal scholars warn this defies the Constitution, which requires presidents to enforce laws, not erase them.
Source: New York Times⚖️ In Weaponization of Institutions News
Pilots Who Conducted Iran Strikes Invited to White House on July 4, Raising Security Concerns
What Happened: B-2 bomber crews from the Iran strikes were invited to Trump’s July 4 White House event. Despite the mission’s classified nature, their attendance was confirmed, along with a military flyover.
Why It Matters: Experts warn the exposure could endanger the pilots and their families, as adversaries may exploit their identities. The White House has not disclosed any security measures.
Source: Military.comCBP Seeks New Tools to Deep-Scan Phones at U.S. Border
What Happened: U.S. Customs and Border Protection is seeking advanced tech to extract encrypted chats, find hidden data, and analyze massive datasets from seized phones and laptops. Device searches topped 47,000 in 2024, and CBP already uses tools like Cellebrite but wants even deeper forensic reach.
Why It Matters: This is a sweeping expansion of border surveillance. With no warrant required and data stored for up to 15 years, the tools will target travelers for their political views and scan sensitive content, turning routine crossings into constitution-free zones.
Source: WIRED200 Marines among those being sent to Florida to help ICE
What Happened: Trump is deploying 200 active-duty Marines to Florida to support ICE near the “Alligator Alcatraz” detention site. The Marines, from New River base in North Carolina, will operate under ICE command in what officials call a logistical support role.
Why It Matters: Trump continues to blur the line between military and civilian authority. Deploying active-duty troops for domestic immigration enforcement is a dangerous abuse of power—and a form of conditioning Americans to accept military force as a tool of internal control.
Source: ABC NewsSome education grants in limbo were used for ‘leftwing agenda,’ Trump administration says
What Happened: Trump froze over $6 billion in federal education grants, claiming the funds were used to support undocumented immigrants and LGBTQ+ programs. The freeze affects services like English instruction and after-school care.
Why It Matters: Millions of low-income and immigrant children will lose vital education support. It’s part of a broader crackdown designed to punish the vulnerable and enforce ideological conformity—turning public education into a tool of political control.
Source: Associated Press📢 In Media Suppression and Authoritarian Tactics News
Former CBS anchor slams Paramount settlement with Trump: ‘It was a sellout’
What Happened: Dan Rather condemned Paramount’s $16 million settlement with Trump over a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris, calling it “a sad day for journalism.” Trump had sued CBS for alleged “election interference,” a case widely seen as baseless. The funds will reportedly go to Trump’s future presidential library.
Why It Matters: The settlement sets a dangerous precedent—rewarding legal intimidation and pressuring news outlets to capitulate to political power. Rather warned it was a corporate cave-in that undermines journalistic independence and emboldens control over the press.
Source: The GuardianEPA puts on leave 139 employees who spoke out against policies under Trump
What Happened: The EPA placed 139 staffers on administrative leave after they signed a “declaration of dissent” accusing the agency of abandoning its mission to protect health and the environment. The EPA called the move “unlawful sabotage” and launched an investigation. Over 270 employees signed the letter, including many anonymously.
Why It Matters: Trump is purging career scientists for prioritizing facts over subservience—silencing those who oppose policies that harm public health and the environment. Expertise is being replaced with obedience, turning science into a political weapon.
Source: Associated PressConservative Group Files Civil Rights Complaint Against Dodgers Over DEI Hiring
What Happened: America First Legal, founded by Trump ally Stephen Miller, filed a federal civil rights complaint accusing the L.A. Dodgers and Guggenheim Partners of discriminatory hiring practices under their DEI policies. The complaint alleges white men are being unfairly excluded and calls for a federal investigation.
Why It Matters: This is part of a broader right-wing assault on corporate diversity programs—and clear retaliation after the Dodgers blocked ICE agents from their stadium and pledged a donation to an immigrant support fund.
Source: KTLAColumbia Cyberattack Appears Politically Motivated, University Says
What Happened: A cyberattack crippled Columbia University’s systems and exposed data from millions of student applications. A pro-Trump “hacktivist” hijacked campus monitors with a smiling image of Trump, claiming the attack aimed to expose affirmative action practices. The hacker says they stole 460GB of sensitive data, including Social Security numbers, financial aid records, university ID numbers, and citizenship status.
Why It Matters: This was a targeted political attack by sophisticated hackers aiming to punish Columbia. With Trump freezing research funds and escalating pressure on universities, this breach is part of a broader war on higher education, driven by ideology and intimidation.
Source: New York Times🛑 In Human and Civil Rights Abuses News
After 47 years in the US, Ice took this Iranian mother from her yard. Her family just wants her home
What Happened: Mandonna “Donna” Kashanian, a 64-year-old Iranian mother and New Orleans community volunteer, was arrested by ICE agents in plainclothes from her front yard. In the U.S. since 1978, she has no criminal record and a long history of compliance with immigration rules. Her detention came shortly after Trump ordered strikes on Iran, amid a wave of ICE crackdowns targeting Iranians.
Why It Matters: Trump continues his war on immigrant communities, detaining elderly, long-settled residents with no criminal record. The use of masked agents and unmarked cars without warning is straight out of the authoritarian playbook and should concern everyone.
Source: The GuardianICE shut down this Latino market — without even showing up
What Happened: The Broadacres Marketplace in North Las Vegas abruptly shut down amid fear of an ICE raid, despite no agents appearing. The panic followed a similar operation at another California market, leaving hundreds of Latino vendors suddenly without income.
Why It Matters: Communities are being economically crippled not just by raids—but by the looming threat of them. Legal residents are hiding, businesses are shuttering, and entire neighborhoods are falling silent from fear.
Source: NBC NewsUS supreme court clears way for deportations of eight men to South Sudan
What Happened: The Supreme Court gave Trump the green light to deport eight men to war-torn South Sudan—even though most aren’t from there—overturning a lower court that demanded proof they wouldn’t be tortured or killed. The men, held at a U.S. base in Djibouti, include immigrants from Cuba, Myanmar, and Vietnam.
Why It Matters: This ruling guts asylum protections and sets a dangerous precedent: migrants can now be deported to countries they’re not from—even if they face torture or death. It’s an assault on basic human rights, sanctioned by the highest court.
Source: The Guardian📉 Government Services Disruption and Collapse Watch
‘It’s Harsh, Mean, Brutal’: Trump’s Budget Bill Deals Crushing Blow to America’s Poorest
What Happened: Trump’s budget slashes $1.4 trillion from Medicaid, SNAP, and ACA subsidies while extending $3 trillion in tax cuts for the wealthy. The poorest Americans lose up to $1,600 per household, while the top 0.1% gain over $100,000. The CBO says it will add $3.3 trillion to the debt.
Why It Matters: Millions lose healthcare and food aid so billionaires can pocket more. Trump’s promise that “no one will be hurt” is a lie—this bill punishes the poor to reward the wealthy.
Source: The Guardian'A slap in the face': Georgia and Arkansas' Medicaid work rules may preview the road ahead
What Happened: Trump’s bill imposes nationwide Medicaid work requirements, echoing failed programs in Georgia and Arkansas. Thousands lost coverage there—including caregivers, gig workers, and students—due to confusing rules and red tape, often without knowing until they needed care.
Why It Matters: This is about ripping healthcare from the vulnerable. Under the guise of fighting “fraud,” Trump is punishing the working poor and chronically ill, leading to more debt, untreated illness, and needless suffering.
Source: NBC NewsRFK Jr.'s FDA officials overrode career staff to limit COVID shots
What Happened: Top FDA officials appointed under RFK Jr. overruled career scientists to restrict full approval of COVID-19 vaccines from Novavax and Moderna. The agency narrowed Novavax’s use to only seniors and high-risk individuals, despite internal staff recommending broader approval for ages 12 and up.
Why It Matters: The override reflects a growing politicization of vaccine policy under RFK Jr. and Trump. Experts warn it will undermine public health trust and access to vaccines as a fall COVID wave looms.
Source: CBS NewsFears in Massachusetts that Trump’s bill could unravel health safety net
What Happened: Trump’s newly passed bill could strip insurance from up to 100,000 residents enrolled in Massachusetts’ Health Connector, undermining a system once considered the model for Obamacare. The bill imposes tighter documentation rules and slashes ACA tax credits and Medicaid funding.
Why It Matters: Advocates warn the changes will devastate low-income and marginalized communities. They say it unravels decades of progress and risks lives while destabilizing the state’s health care safety net.
Source: Associated PressScientists warn US will lose a generation of talent because of Trump cuts
What Happened: Unauthorized DOGE operatives have taken over the National Science Foundation’s peer-review process, vetoing grants and terminating over 1,600 projects—especially those related to climate, public health, and diversity. Expert panels are being overridden, and research is being abruptly canceled, with blue states and top universities like Harvard hit hardest.
Why It Matters: This is a MAGA purge of science. By politicizing research funding, Trump’s regime is gutting climate and health innovation, driving scientists abroad, and handing long-term leadership in tech and science to rivals like China.
Source: The GuardianWhy staffing cuts to national parks could pose safety concerns for summer visitors
What Happened: Lifeguard towers at Maryland’s Assateague Island are shuttered as staffing shortages hit national parks nationwide. Trump’s hiring freeze and a 24% cut to permanent Park Service staff have left beaches unguarded and seasonal roles unfilled, prompting safety concerns from local leaders.
Why It Matters: Millions visit parks like Assateague every summer. Without lifeguards or emergency personnel, drownings and injuries are more likely. A proposed $1 billion budget cut to the Park Service next year will deepen the crisis.
Source: CBS News🌐 Imperial and Geopolitical Watch
Multiple Countries Issue Travel Warnings for the U.S.
What Happened: Allies like Australia, Canada, the U.K., and several European nations have issued travel warnings for the U.S., citing gun violence, mass shootings, civil unrest, immigration enforcement, and discriminatory entry practices—especially toward nonbinary travelers.
Why It Matters: The U.S. is no longer seen as a universally safe destination. With rising domestic instability, tourism is taking a hit—costing an estimated $12.5 billion in lost revenue in 2025 alone. The warnings show a global reputational decline under Trump’s leadership.
Source: Yahoo NewsTrump Signs Order to Raise National Park Fees for Foreign Visitors
What Happened: Trump signed an executive order mandating higher entry fees at U.S. national parks for foreign tourists, while simultaneously pushing to slash the National Park Service budget by over $1 billion—more than a third of its funding. The order also prioritizes U.S. residents for permits and reservations.
Why It Matters: The move burdens foreign visitors while understaffing, service cuts, and closures already strain parks nationwide. It’s a political stunt that won’t fix Trump’s degradation of park safety and access.
Source: Reuters🌍 Far-Right & Russian Influence Watch
Kremlin Gloats Over U.S. Weapons Pause to Ukraine
What Happened: The U.S. paused key weapons deliveries to Ukraine, including 30 Patriot missiles, sparking Kremlin celebration. Russian officials seized on the decision to mock U.S. priorities and claim Ukraine’s defense is faltering.
Why It Matters: Trump’s aid pause hands Putin another victory and cripples Ukraine’s defenses against Russia’s escalating missile onslaught. It proves Moscow’s gamble was right—they wanted Trump back because he’d abandon Ukraine. Now, the U.S. is doing just that, effectively aiding Russia’s genocide.
Source: Defense OneSenate Democrats Launch Investigation into Trump’s Russia Sanctions Freeze
What Happened: Senate Democrats announced an investigation into Trump’s five-month halt on new sanctions against Russia, calling it a failure to pressure Putin’s genocidal war machine. Despite Trump’s claims of wanting to “end” the war in Ukraine, his regime has blocked sanctions updates and paused key weapons shipments.
Why It Matters: The freeze undermines U.S. leverage and enables global sanction evaders to keep arming Russia. Lawmakers warn this signals a dangerous appeasement of Putin and jeopardizes both Ukraine’s survival and U.S. national security.
Source: The Hill💵 In Trump Economic Downturn News
Layoffs reach highest level since 2020, new data shows. Here's why companies are cutting jobs.
What Happened: U.S. layoffs surged to 744,000 in the first half of 2025—the worst since the early COVID crisis. The driving force is Musk’s unauthorized DOGE, which purged nearly 287,000 federal jobs. Tech, retail, media, nonprofits, and government agencies have all been hit hard.
Why It Matters: Trump is dismantling public institutions and forcing mass purges across sectors. At the same time, his erratic tariffs are destabilizing the private sector—fueling economic insecurity.
Source: CBS NewsAnalysis shows Trump’s tariffs would cost US employers $82.3 billion
What Happened: A new JPMorgan Chase Institute report shows Trump’s tariff plans would cost mid-sized U.S. businesses $82.3 billion. Retailers and wholesalers, especially those importing from China, India, and Thailand, would bear the brunt— triggering price hikes or layoffs.
Why It Matters: These tariffs will hit American businesses and workers, raising prices and slashing jobs—especially in vulnerable sectors. With only one trade deal in place, the pain is just beginning.
Source: Associated PressWall Street Worries as Crisis-Level Deficits Become the Government’s Default Mode
What Happened: Trump’s tax-and-spending law adds $3.4 trillion to the deficit, locking in permanent tax cuts while gutting safety net programs. With no economic emergency to justify it, the U.S. debt is projected to hit 130% of GDP by 2034.
Why It Matters: Wall Street is worried, bond yields are surging, and the dollar is sliding. Trump’s policies risk crippling America’s ability to respond to real crises—and could trigger inflation, recession, or a market crash.
Source: Wall Street Journal👊🏼 In Resistance News
7/17- Next National Day of Action
Check out the link for other local events…
Source: 50501Hakeem Jeffries Breaks Record for Longest House Speech in Protest of Trump’s Bill
What Happened: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries spoke for 8 hours and 44 minutes overnight, setting a new record for the longest House speech in U.S. history. His marathon protest aimed to delay a vote on Trump’s tax and spending bill, which includes brutal Medicaid cuts and $170 billion for immigration enforcement.
Source: TIME175+ Democrats Back NAACP Lawsuit to Block Trump’s Dismantling of Education Dept
What Happened: Over 175 Democratic lawmakers, led by Elizabeth Warren and Jamie Raskin, filed a legal brief supporting the NAACP’s lawsuit against Trump’s attempt to abolish the Department of Education. The suit challenges mass purges, funding freezes, and program terminations as unconstitutional power grabs.
Source: ABC NewsDC Archbishop Slams Trump Megabill, Immigration Crackdown
What Happened: Washington’s Cardinal Robert McElroy condemned Trump’s immigration raids and “inhumane” deportation agenda, accusing him of ripping families apart. He also blasted the GOP’s “big, beautiful bill” for cutting Medicaid and enriching the wealthy at the expense of the poor.
Source: The Hill📊 By the Numbers
744,000 — U.S. layoffs in the first half of 2025, the highest since early COVID
$3.4 trillion — Projected increase in deficit from Trump’s new tax-and-spending law
$1.4 trillion — Cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and ACA subsidies under Trump’s budget
$100,000+ — Average tax cut for the wealthiest 0.1% of Americans
287,000 — Federal jobs eliminated by Musk’s DOGE task force
$82.3 billion — Projected cost to mid-sized U.S. businesses from Trump’s tariffs
$1 billion — Potential return of exploitative prison phone fees after FCC rollback
$12.5 billion — Lost U.S. tourism revenue in 2025 due to global travel warnings
1,600+ — Research projects canceled by Musk operatives at the National Science Foundation
7/17 — Next nationwide National Day of Action
🔎 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?
Marines are helping ICE detain immigrants on American soil — Will Congress or courts stop Trump from using military force inside the U.S.?
Hundreds of EPA experts and NSF researchers are being forced out — How far will the Trump regime go to purge scientists and silence dissent?
CBP’s deep-scan tech and mass data retention raise serious constitutional alarms — Will Trump succeed in building a centralized surveillance system?
With lawsuits and budget cuts targeting equity programs, the legal battle is escalating — Can Democrats block the dismantling of DEI and civil rights enforcement?
With $3.4 trillion in new debt and ballooning bond yields, a crash may be coming — Will Wall Street revolt as Trump fuels crisis-level deficits and instability?
💡 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.
Corruption Is the Business Model — From insider stock trades to billion-dollar kickbacks for prison telecoms and military contractors, Trump’s regime is designed to reward donors, punish the poor, and enrich insiders at every level.
Science Is Under Siege — Musk’s unauthorized DOGE has hijacked the National Science Foundation and Trump is purging hundreds of career scientists at the EPA. Expertise is being replaced by ideology—jeopardizing health, climate, and U.S. competitiveness.
Civil Rights Are Being Dismantled — From Medicaid work rules and DEI crackdowns to forced deportations and education freezes, Trump is methodically dismantling protections for the vulnerable.
Authoritarian Tactics Are Now Normalized — Military deployments for immigration raids, masked ICE arrests, surveillance overreach, and press intimidation are now policy.
Putin Is Winning Without Firing a Shot — Trump’s aid pause to Ukraine and frozen Russia sanctions prove the Kremlin’s bet paid off. U.S. policy is now advancing Russian goals.
The U.S. Is Becoming Unsafe for Its Own People — With national parks understaffed, health systems gutted, and global travel warnings issued, America is descending into dysfunction by design.
🚨 Call to Action
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.
