
📆 Trump Tyranny Tracker: July 7
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.
Please keep Texas in your thoughts—especially for the families mourning loved ones and those still waiting for news of the missing.
What a devastating and heartbreaking tragedy…
Some links to help those impacted: New York Times
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
Join Zev Shalev and me for a relaxed, interactive session breaking down the basics of authoritarian rule—how 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 Zev’s or my newsletter are invited.
Registration Link:
🔥 In Corruption News
'Indefensible': Trump Budget Law Subsidizes Private Jet Owners While Taking Healthcare From Millions
What Happened: Trump’s newly signed budget law lets private jet buyers write off the full cost in year one, reinstating “bonus depreciation” for luxury assets. At the same time, the law slashes Medicaid and food aid, stripping healthcare and nutrition support from millions of low-income Americans.
Why It Matters: This is a massive tax break for billionaires at the expense of the poor. Trump is subsidizing private jets while slashing healthcare and food aid.
Source: Common Dreams
Trump Claims ‘60 Minutes’ Settlement Worth $35M Including Ads; Paramount Denies Deal Includes PSAs
What Happened: Trump is inflating the value of his $16 million lawsuit settlement with Paramount over “60 Minutes,” claiming it includes $15–$20 million in free advertising supporting his causes. Paramount flatly denies any such PSA deal, calling the claim false and asserting the settlement includes no such media provisions.
Why It Matters: The settlement serves as leverage over the Paramount-Skydance merger. Sen. Warren is demanding a bribery investigation, warning it could be a backdoor deal for regulatory favors.
Source: Variety
🛡️ In Power Consolidation News
Plan to slash DHS intel office faces multi-front pushback
What Happened: Trump plans to purge 75% of the DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis, shrinking its staff from 1,000 to 275. The office, key to tracking domestic threats, is being gutted despite objections from lawmakers, police, and Jewish groups.
Why It Matters: With antisemitism, extremism, and cyber threats rising, critics say the cuts are reckless. The move cripples threat coordination and weakens homeland security at a dangerous time.
Source: Defense One
⚖️ In Weaponization of Institutions News
What to know about the troops and federal agents in LA’s MacArthur Park Show of Force at LA’s MacArthur Park Sparks Outrage
What Happened: Nearly 90 National Guard troops and federal immigration agents swarmed MacArthur Park, a landmark in LA’s immigrant community, in an hour-long operation with Humvees, tactical vehicles, and armed soldiers. No arrests were confirmed, and officials gave few details, prompting accusations of political theater and intimidation.
Why It Matters: This is outrageous. Trump continues to condition Americans to accept military force on U.S. streets—this time in a public park. The operation marks an unprecedented use of armed troops in a domestic immigration raid, pushing legal boundaries and terrorizing communities. This is a deliberate show of force to suppress dissent and defy state leadership.
Source: Associated Press
US troops on the ground in LA immigration enforcement operation, DOD says
What Happened: 90 armed troops and federal agents swarmed LA’s MacArthur Park in a dramatic immigration raid, displacing a children’s day camp. Officials say no arrests were made. Mayor Karen Bass and Gov. Gavin Newsom condemned the military-style show of force as political theater meant to instill fear in immigrants.
Why It Matters: Using troops to target communities on U.S. soil signals a dangerous normalization of domestic military operations, raising alarms about civil liberties and authoritarian overreach.
Source: ABC News
Document Casts Doubt on White House’s Claims About Deported Venezuelans
What Happened: A Salvadoran memo to the UN reveals El Salvador is holding nearly 140 disappeared Venezuelans solely at the request of the U.S., contradicting Trump officials’ claims that El Salvador has full custody. The men were disappeared under the Alien Enemies Act without due process.
Why It Matters: The memo exposes a Trump cover-up and shreds Trump officials legal defense. It raises even more grave constitutional and humanitarian concerns over secret, extrajudicial transfers of migrants to foreign prisons.
Source: New York Times
I.R.S. Says Churches Can Endorse Candidates From the Pulpit
What Happened: In a court filing, the IRS stated that churches can now endorse political candidates to their congregations without violating the Johnson Amendment, which bans campaigning by tax-exempt nonprofits. The move settles a lawsuit from two Texas churches and religious broadcasters, carving out a narrow exemption for houses of worship.
Why It Matters: The decision will unleash a wave of political activity, blurring the line between faith and politics. Legal experts warn this opens the door for candidates to directly court churches as campaign platforms.
Source: New York Times
Trump Immigration Enforcer Says ICE Will Boost Raids in New York
What Happened: Tom Homan announced a surge in ICE arrests across New York City, targeting sanctuary policies that limit cooperation with federal agents. Backed by a $30 billion ICE budget increase, the crackdown will shift toward aggressive community operations, echoing recent militarized raids in Los Angeles.
Why It Matters: Trump is intentionally targeting blue states to test federal power—and lay the groundwork for nationwide, military-style immigration enforcement. It threatens immigrant communities, defies due process, and pushes the U.S. closer to a police state.
Source: Bloomberg
📢 In Media Suppression and Authoritarian Tactics News
Trump Admin Asks Staff to Report DEI-Linked Bias Claims
What Happened: Trump is urging federal employees to report discrimination they say resulted from past DEI policies, including cases where staff quit or were disciplined. An HHS email circulated a whistleblower questionnaire as part of Trump’s executive order to dismantle DEI programs.
Why It Matters: Trump is now targeting not just policies but the people who upheld them. It paves the way for political retribution and retroactive purges of civil servants.
Source: Politico
Student loan cancellation program could become Trump retribution tool, some advocates fear
What Happened: The Education Department is overhauling the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program to exclude organizations tied to immigrants, transgender youth, or “illegal activities,” with vague criteria and sweeping powers granted to the education secretary.
Why It Matters: The plan would strip loan relief from thousands of public workers, forcing them to leave their jobs or lose forgiveness. Advocates say it weaponizes debt relief to punish political opponents and reshape civil society.
Source: Associated Press
Trump Wanted ‘More Action Against Universities.’ His Staff Scrambled to Punish Penn.
What Happened: Internal emails reveal Trump ordered aides to yank federal funds from UPenn and San Jose State over trans athlete participation. The cuts were rushed to please Trump and Stephen Miller, even before investigations concluded. Penn later agreed to ban trans athletes and issue apologies to regain $175 million in funding.
Why It Matters: This is another example of Trump weaponizing federal funds to punish universities that defy his culture war agenda. He’s using trans rights and antisemitism as test cases to see how far he can expand his power to enforce ideological conformity across all campuses.
Source: NOTUS
🛑 In Human and Civil Rights Abuses News
Trump Ends Deportation Protections for Hondurans and Nicaraguans
What Happened: DHS is terminating Temporary Protected Status for 72,000 Hondurans and 4,000 Nicaraguans, effective September 6. The move follows earlier efforts to revoke protections from Venezuelans, Haitians, Afghans, and others, part of a broader campaign to dismantle legal avenues for migrants.
Why It Matters: Thousands of long-settled immigrants now face deportation to countries the U.S. itself warns are unsafe. Advocates say the decision is politically driven and cruel, tearing apart families and destabilizing communities that rely on these workers.
Source: Reuters
Ice ‘politically targeted’ farm worker activist Juarez Zeferino, colleagues say
What Happened: ICE arrested 25-year-old farmworker activist Alfredo “Lelo” Juarez Zeferino in March, citing a 2018 deportation order tied to a traffic stop. His supporters say the detention is part of Trump’s broader political crackdown on immigrant and labor leaders. Juarez Zeferino, who helped secure key labor protections in Washington, is now fighting deportation from ICE custody in Tacoma.
Why It Matters: Advocates warn that Trump is using ICE to silence dissent and intimidate labor and immigrant rights organizers. Juarez Zeferino’s arrest fits a broader pattern of politically motivated detentions disguised as “routine” immigration enforcement.
Source: The Guardian
Trump’s ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ reveals the ongoing cruelty towards migrants in US
What Happened: Trump and DeSantis opened “Alligator Alcatraz,” a flood-prone migrant detention camp in the Everglades. Built in just 10 days, it holds detainees in harsh conditions, while supporters profit off merch mocking those imprisoned. The site will hold up to 5,000 people.
Why It Matters: This is state-sanctioned cruelty. The camp endangers lives, tramples environmental protections, and serves as a hate-driven political stunt. Republicans are perpetrating blatant human rights violations.
Source: The Guardian
📉 Government Services Disruption and Collapse Watch
Floods are swallowing their village. Trump’s EPA cut a major lifeline for them and others
What Happened: Trump canceled over $2.7 billion in environmental justice and climate grants, including $20 million for Alaska’s flood-threatened Kipnuk village. Hundreds of projects in underserved areas lost funding, and 200 EPA staff who protested the cuts were put on leave.
Why It Matters: The move undermines climate resilience efforts for the nation’s most vulnerable communities, forcing some to collapse. It halts urgently needed adaptation projects in frontline areas, especially Indigenous and low-income communities already hit hardest by climate change.
Source: The Guardian
Texas lawmakers failed to pass a bill to improve local disaster warning systems this year
What Happened: A bill to upgrade Texas' emergency alert systems and communication infrastructure failed in the state Senate earlier this year. The legislation, spurred by past wildfires, would’ve created a $500 million grant program to help rural counties prepare for disasters. Now, after catastrophic floods in Kerr County killed over 100 people, some lawmakers, including GOP Rep. Wes Virdell, who voted against it, say they regret their decision.
Why It Matters: The Hill Country floods exposed fatal gaps in Texas’s disaster preparedness. Critics say lawmakers’ failure to fund emergency systems left rural communities defenseless. The tragedy underscores the deadly cost of political inaction.
Source: The Texas Tribune
FDA Layoffs Could Compromise Safety of Medications Made at Foreign Factories, Inspectors Say
What Happened: The FDA purged over 3,500 employees, including key support staff for foreign drug inspections. Though inspectors remain, they say the loss of experienced personnel and logistical support is slowing operations and compromising the oversight of overseas factories that produce most of America’s generic drugs.
Why It Matters: Inspectors say vital safety checks are being delayed or missed, putting millions at risk. With fewer watchdogs on the ground and chaos behind the scenes, dangerous medications could slip through the cracks—turning drug safety into a deadly gamble.
Source: ProPublica
US posts highest annual measles case tally in 33 years amid Texas outbreak
What Happened: The U.S. has reported 1,277 measles cases so far in 2025—the most since 1992—driven largely by a major outbreak in Texas. RFK Jr., a longtime anti-vaxxer, has fired CDC vaccine experts and brought in anti-vaccine allies to rewrite immunization policy.
Why It Matters: Measles was once eliminated in the U.S.—its return shows what happens when an anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist runs public health. Experts say this entirely preventable epidemic stems from political interference and disinformation, and more children will suffer as a result.
Source: The Guardian
🌐 Imperial and Geopolitical Watch
Exclusive: Proposal outlines large-scale 'Humanitarian Transit Areas' for Palestinians in Gaza
What Happened: A proposal linked to the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation outlines a $2 billion plan to build “Humanitarian Transit Areas” in and around Gaza to house, “deradicalize,” and possibly relocate Palestinians. Although the group denies submitting the plan, sources indicate that it was circulated within the Trump regime and discussed at the White House.
Why It Matters: Human rights groups warn such camps could amount to coerced relocation under military occupation—fueling fears of ethnic cleansing and undermining international humanitarian norms.
Source: Reuters
Russia striking NATO while China invades Taiwan 'plausible' scenario, experts say
What Happened: NATO officials are warning that a two-front war—with China invading Taiwan and Russia striking NATO—is now “plausible.” A statement from Secretary General Mark Rutte reveals concern that Beijing may coordinate with Moscow to divide and distract Western forces.
Why It Matters: This raises the risk of a global war at a time when the U.S. is increasingly seen as unreliable. Trump has repeatedly questioned America’s NATO commitments and plans to pull U.S. troops from Europe, alarming allies and weakening deterrence. As the Russia-China-North Korea axis gains strength, the West appears fractured and underprepared.
Source: Kyiv Independent
🌍 Far-Right & Russian Influence Watch
German Far Right Adopts Trump-Inspired Strategy to Seize Power
What Happened: Germany’s far-right AfD is trying to break the country’s firewall against extremism by adopting a U.S.-style polarization strategy. An internal strategy paper calls for creating a “duel” between the far left and the AfD to normalize itself as a mainstream conservative force—echoing Trump’s playbook.
Why It Matters: The AfD is deliberately eroding a cornerstone of postwar German democracy. With rising power in parliament, backing from MAGA allies like Steve Bannon and Russia, it’s testing whether Germany’s defenses against extremism can withstand a new wave of anti-democratic populist disruption.
Source: Politico
MAGA media eat their own after Trump administration denies their Epstein conspiracy theories
What Happened: Trump’s DOJ and FBI, led by loyalists Dan Bongino and Kash Patel, released findings debunking MAGA-fueled Epstein conspiracies—saying there’s no client list, blackmail ring, or evidence of murder. MAGA influencers are now turning on AG Pam Bondi, Kash Patel, Dan Bongino, and even Trump himself.
Why It Matters: After years of feeding conspiracy theories, Trump’s team is now facing blowback from its own base. The MAGA media machine is imploding under the weight of its false promises and failed narratives.
Source: Media Matters
💵 In Trump Economic Downturn News
Japan, South Korea face 25% tariffs as Trump ramps up trade war in letters to leaders
What Happened: Trump notified Japan, South Korea, and 12 other countries that steep new U.S. tariffs, 25% or higher, will take effect August 1. The move follows months of stalled trade talks, with Trump threatening even higher tariffs on BRICS nations adopting “anti-American” policies.
Why It Matters: Markets plunged as businesses brace for more price spikes, supply chain chaos, and retaliatory tariffs, raising fears of wider economic fallout.
Source: Reuters
The declining dollar faces more headwinds after posting worst first-half return in 52 years
What Happened: The U.S. dollar fell 10.7% in the first half of 2025—its steepest decline in 52 years—amid Trump trade volatility, fiscal deficits nearing $2 trillion, and expectations of Fed rate cuts. Global investors are fleeing to gold, and some firms are betting further decline is likely.
Why It Matters: The slump threatens U.S. global financial dominance and may fuel inflation, weaken the Fed’s influence, and destabilize markets. Trump allies’ calls for a weaker dollar are amplifying investor anxiety.
Source: CNBC
Deals made by Trump since pausing his ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs remain sparse
What Happened: Three months after Trump paused sweeping tariffs to pursue 90 trade deals in 90 days, only the U.K. and Vietnam have signed agreements. The deadline has now been extended, with new tariff threats issued to 14 countries.
Why It Matters: Businesses face mounting uncertainty as Trump’s erratic trade agenda lurches from threat to delay with no strategic payoff.
Source: Associated Press
👊🏼 In Resistance News
7/17- Next National Day of Action
Check out the link for other local events…
Source: 50501
Doctors and public health organizations sue Kennedy over vaccine policy change
What Happened: Major medical groups, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, are suing the U.S. government after RFK Jr. removed COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for healthy children and pregnant women. The lawsuit accuses Kennedy of bypassing scientific review and misleading the public.
Source: Associated Press
Judge blocks Trump from cutting off Planned Parenthood funding
What Happened: A federal judge temporarily halted part of Trump’s spending law that aimed to cut Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood. The 14-day order ensures continued funding while litigation proceeds after the organization sued to block the targeted provision.
Source: CBS News
Trump Fired Them. Now They’re Plotting to Stop Him
What Happened: Former USAID and State Department officials ousted by Trump are organizing resistance networks inside and outside government. Under the banner “DemocracyAID,” they’re training civil servants in “noncooperation,” holding invite-only workshops, and sharing tactics once used against autocrats abroad.
Source: NOTUS
📊 By the Numbers
7/17 — Next nationwide National Day of Action
$2.7 billion — Environmental justice and climate grants canceled by Trump, gutting resilience programs in frontline communities
$20 million — Grant cut for Alaska’s Kipnuk village facing climate-driven flooding
1,277 — Measles cases in the U.S. so far in 2025—the highest since 1992
3,500+ — FDA employees purged, jeopardizing oversight of foreign-made drugs
72,000 — Hondurans and 4,000 Nicaraguans losing deportation protections under Trump’s TPS rollback
$175 million — Federal funds unfrozen after UPenn agreed to Trump’s demands to ban trans athletes
$16 million — Payout in Trump’s Paramount settlement
25%+ — Tariffs Trump plans to impose on Japan, South Korea, and 12 other countries
$30 billion — Trump’s new ICE budget, fueling militarized raids
$500 million — Disaster-prep grant program that Texas lawmakers rejected before deadly floods
10.7% — Dollar’s decline in the first half of 2025, worst drop in 52 years
90 — Armed troops deployed to LA’s MacArthur Park in immigration raid
🔎 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?
Trump is militarizing immigration enforcement in blue states — How long until military raids become normalized across the entire country?
Trump is purging civil servants tied to DEI and public health — How far will political loyalty tests go inside the federal government and will anyone stop it?
The IRS has cleared churches to back candidates — Will the religious right become the next super PAC in MAGA’s campaign machine?
Trump’s purge of DHS intelligence staff — Will dismantling domestic threat tracking leave the U.S. blind to real dangers?
FDA watchdogs are being slashed — Will dangerous drugs flood the market as inspections collapse under Trump’s workforce purge?
💡 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.
Trump’s Weaponization of Federal Funds — He’s using budget power to coerce universities, silence dissent, and enforce far-right ideology. Federal dollars are tools of political punishment.
Trump’s Police State Is Expanding — Armed immigration raids in public parks and plans to deploy to other blue states show how military force is being used to terrorize communities.
Civil Service Loyalty Purges Are Underway — DEI whistleblower hotlines and student loan retribution programs are turning governance into ideological warfare.
Trump’s Climate Cuts Are Devastating the Poor — Slashing billions in resilience grants has left frontline communities exposed to climate disaster.
The MAGA Media Machine Is Imploding — As Epstein conspiracies unravel, pro-Trump influencers are turning on each other—and on Trump himself.
MAGA Tactics Are Going Global — From Germany’s AfD to U.S. university crackdowns, far-right movements are copying Trump and Russia’s playbook to seize power.
🚨 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, 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.
We are being played for fools, the only country in the world where heathcare is not a human right. You are scammed day-in and day-out by insurance companies and big pharma. Insurance premiums paid monthly only for you to see Claim Denied. Drug costs that are 2-3 times the cost for the same drug in the next country. It is carnage on the American stage. You accept all that. ??????
https://hotbuttons.substack.com/p/claim-denied?r=3m1bs