Trump Tyranny Tracker: Day 24
February 12, 2025
📆 Trump Tyranny Tracker: Feb 12
Welcome to today’s Trump Tyranny Tracker, where I’m breaking down the key news from this weekend alongside ongoing developments as Trump and his regime move swiftly to consolidate power, undermine democracy, and dismantle civil rights and freedoms.
🔥 In Corruption News
Modi set to meet Musk for possible Starlink talks during US trip
What Happened: Modi will meet with Musk, to discuss Starlink, during his official U.S. visit to engage in trade talks with Trump.
Why It Matters: This is insane and cannot be normalized—a blatant fusion of corporate power and state diplomacy. This meeting exposes deep favoritism, regulatory manipulation, and the erosion of government independence in favor of billionaires’ interests.
Source: Reuters
Musk and Palantir Allies Take Over Government IT Leadership
What Happened: Trump has appointed tech leaders tied to Elon Musk and Palantir as chief information officers at key agencies, including the Office of Management and Budget, Office of Personnel Management, and Department of Energy. These positions oversee IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, and access to classified government data. A new order allows Trump to replace CIOs at will.
Why It Matters: This takeover gives Musk deeper access to federal IT systems, raising concerns over security, privatization, and unchecked influence. With control over sensitive databases, these appointments blur the line between corporate and government power and compromise national security.
Source: WIRED
Musk-Linked GSA Plans to Sell 500+ Federal Buildings
What Happened: The General Services Administration, now staffed with Musk associates, is set to sell 500+ federal buildings, including properties housing government agencies and U.S. Senate offices. The agency aims to cut the federal real estate footprint by 50%, transitioning agencies into leased private spaces.
Why It Matters: Rapid sell-offs of fully occupied government buildings could destabilize city centers and disrupt federal operations. With GSA leadership prioritizing deregulation and workforce reductions, this move will weaken federal agencies while enriching private real estate investors.
Source: WIRED
Trump’s Crypto Firm Launches ‘Token Reserve’
What Happened: Trump-backed World Liberty Financial unveiled a strategic token reserve to stabilize crypto markets and form financial partnerships. WLF has already seen $500M in token sales, with Trump and affiliates owning 60% and controlling 75% of revenues.
Why It Matters: Trump is expanding into crypto finance, raising conflict of interest concerns as his policies will directly benefit his holdings. His push for crypto-friendly regulations blurs public office with personal profit.
Source: Reuters
Trump’s Sons Boost Penny Stock, Triggering 84% Surge
What Happened: Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump invested in Dominari Holdings, a struggling biotech firm-turned-investment bank based in Trump Tower. They also joined its advisory board, fueling an 84% stock jump, following a 91% rise the previous day.
Why It Matters: The Trump family’s financial ties raise concerns about insider influence and stock manipulation, as their endorsements rapidly inflate share prices of companies within their orbit.
Source: Bloomberg
State Dept. Plans $400M Order for Musk’s Tesla Cybertrucks
What Happened: The State Department is set to purchase $400 million worth of armored Tesla Cybertrucks, a deal that benefits Elon Musk, who has been gutting federal agencies. The contract raises conflict of interest concerns, as Musk shuts down agencies while securing lucrative federal deals.
Why It Matters: With Tesla struggling to sell Cybertrucks, this government order provides a financial boost. Musk’s $280 million donation to Trump’s campaign and his growing control over federal agencies heighten ethical concerns over favoritism and government contracting practices.
Source: The New York Times
Plans to Buy ‘Armored Teslas’ Quietly Disappear from US Procurement List
What Happened: The State Department has removed Tesla’s name from its $400 million armored EV procurement forecast, following reports exposing Elon Musk’s potential conflict of interest in the deal. The contract, originally set to begin in 2025 and span five years, was revised after scrutiny from Drop Site News and The New York Times.
Why It Matters: The removal of Tesla’s name from the procurement list raises serious concerns about authoritarian control and lack of transparency in federal contracting. With Musk wielding massive influence over government agencies, this move suggests an effort to conceal conflicts of interest and evade oversight. The quiet scrubbing of records is a hallmark of authoritarian
Source: Bloomberg
🛡️ In Power Consolidation News
Trump’s Cabinet Stacked with Project 2025 Architects
What Happened: Despite disavowing Project 2025 during his campaign, Trump has appointed at least 18 officials tied to the Heritage Foundation’s blueprint for executive power expansion. Key figures include OMB Director Russ Vought, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, Immigration Czar Tom Homan, and CIA nominee John Ratcliffe—each directly involved in crafting Project 2025 policies.
Why It Matters: Trump is turning Project 2025 into his governing agenda, empowering far-right loyalists to dismantle federal oversight, gut regulatory agencies, and consolidate presidential power. With Stephen Miller back in the White House, the regime is executing a long-term authoritarian strategy without legislative approval.
Source: Axios
Trump Orders Overhaul of U.S. Diplomatic Corps to Enforce Loyalty
What Happened: Trump issued an executive order directing Secretary of State Marco Rubio to revamp the U.S. diplomatic corps, ensuring diplomats strictly follow his foreign policy agenda. The order allows disciplinary action, including termination, for those deemed insufficiently loyal.
Why It Matters: The move centralizes Trump’s control over U.S. foreign policy, effectively politicizing diplomatic service roles. It follows a freeze on most U.S. foreign aid and a purge at USAID, where staff were placed on leave, signs were removed, and the agency's website went offline. This is an attempt to silence dissent within diplomatic ranks.
Source: Reuters
Musk Purges Federal Tech Agency, Pushes AI Overhaul
What Happened: Musk oversaw mass firings at the Technology Transformation Services, cutting at least 70 staff, including Presidential Innovation Fellows and US Digital Corps members. This follows similar cuts at the CFPB. New leadership, linked to Musk, aims to transform TTS into a “startup-style” agency focused on AI while selling off 500+ federal buildings.
Why It Matters: The purge guts a key tech agency that modernized government services, replacing experts with Musk operatives. With Musk controlling key agencies, his unchecked influence over federal technology and data grows, accelerating privatization and weakening oversight.
Source: WIRED
Musk’s Team Begins Mass Federal Layoffs as White House Plans Deep Cuts
What Happened: Trump, led by Elon Musk, has begun mass federal layoffs and hiring freezes as part of plans to gut the civilian workforce by 30-40%. The Office of Personnel Management is overwhelmed and terminations at CFPB and SBA were sent in error, revoked, and reinstated.
Why It Matters: The cuts are stalling essential hires, including doctors and nurses at VA hospitals, creating chaos and weakening federal agencies. This will cripple government services while consolidating power under Trump and Musk.
Source: Washington Post
Education Department Fires Civil Servants Amid Federal Workforce Cuts
What Happened: The Education Department terminated a number of civil servants on Wednesday, targeting probationary employees and some non-probationary staff in the offices for civil rights, federal student aid, communications, and legal affairs. This follows Trump’s executive order to purge the federal workforce.
Why It Matters: The firings come as Trump pushes for greater control over agencies, making it easier to fire career officials who resist political directives. The move also raises concerns over the elimination of civil rights oversight and federal student aid programs. Trump called the Department of Education a ‘con job’ and demanded it be closed ‘immediately.’
Source: Politico
Musk Order Finalizes SBA Firings After Friday’s Mistake
What Happened: The Small Business Administration officially terminated hundreds of probationary employees on Tuesday, just hours after Trump signed an executive order empowering Elon Musk to cut federal jobs. The same employees mistakenly received termination notices last Friday, which were retracted—only to be reinstated on Tuesday, effective immediately.
Why It Matters: The abrupt layoffs highlight the chaotic execution of Musk’s gutting of agencies and raise concerns about rushed job cuts. The move sparked a backlash from federal employee unions, warning it will cripple public services for veterans, seniors, and small businesses.
Source: Politico
⚖️ In Weaponization of Institutions News
DOJ Sues New York Over Immigration Enforcement
What Happened: Attorney General Pam Bondi announced a DOJ lawsuit against New York, Governor Kathy Hochul, and Attorney General Letitia James, alleging state policies obstruct federal immigration enforcement. The lawsuit follows a similar case against Illinois. Bondi demands an end to sanctuary city policies.
Why It Matters: The lawsuit is part of Trump's broader crackdown on immigration, seeking to override state laws that protect undocumented immigrants. The regime is using federal power to coerce states into compliance, undermining state sovereignty and due process.
Source: CBS News
DOJ to Stop Defending Independence of FTC, NLRB in Major Legal Shift
What Happened: The Justice Department announced it will no longer defend the independence of three key federal agencies—the National Labor Relations Board, Federal Trade Commission, and Consumer Product Safety Commission—arguing their protections are unconstitutional.
Why It Matters: The move strengthens Trump’s power to fire regulators at will, weakens consumer and worker protections, and aligns with corporate lawsuits from Amazon, SpaceX, Meta, and Walmart challenging these agencies’ authority. The DOJ will urge the Supreme Court to overturn a 90-year-old precedent that limits presidential control over independent agencies.
Source: Reuters
FEMA Revokes $80M in NYC Migrant Housing Funds
What Happened: FEMA clawed back $80M from NYC’s migrant housing program, claiming ‘concerns’ over illegal activity. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem alleged the funds supported criminal networks, while NYC officials vowed legal action, calling the move illegal.
Why It Matters: This is part of Trump’s broader crackdown and retribution against blue cities, with Musk enforcing federal funding freezes. Legal battles over executive power to block congressional funds are escalating.
Source: The Hill
Education Department Opens Title IX Probes Into Trans Athlete Policies
What Happened: The Department of Education launched Title IX investigations into Minnesota and California’s high school athletic associations for allowing transgender girls in women’s sports, defying the Trump regime’s ban.
Why It Matters: The move intensifies conflicts between federal and state authorities regarding transgender rights and Title IX enforcement, highlighting Trump’s encroachment on state governance.
Source: The Hill
📢 In Media Suppression and Authoritarian Tactics News
The White House says it’s a ‘fact’ that the Gulf of Mexico has been renamed. Is that right?
What Happened: The White House insists the Gulf of Mexico is now officially the "Gulf of America," citing Trump’s executive order. While the U.S. government has adopted the name, international bodies, Mexico, and most global organizations continue to recognize the traditional name. Google Maps has adjusted for U.S. users, while AP and other media follow the global standard.
Why It Matters: This follows AP being banned from White House press briefings for refusing to use "Gulf of America," signaling a dangerous escalation in state-mandated terminology. Trump's push to rename the Gulf mirrors broader nationalist rebranding efforts, escalating tensions with Mexico while pressuring media and tech companies to conform. This is a classic authoritarian tactic to control language.
Source: Associated Press
FCC Targets NBCUniversal in Trump’s Authoritarian Crackdown on DEI
What Happened: FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has launched an investigation into NBCUniversal and Comcast, claiming their DEI policies violate FCC regulations and civil rights laws. The move follows Trump’s broader purge of DEI initiatives, with Carr leveraging federal regulatory power to pressure private companies into compliance with the regime’s ideological agenda.
Why It Matters: This is a clear authoritarian escalation, using government agencies to dictate corporate policies and dismantle private-sector diversity programs. By weaponizing federal oversight, Trump’s regime is expanding its control over media, corporations, and speech, ensuring that even private institutions must align with his regime’s hardline nationalist vision. This chilling use of regulatory power mirrors the tactics of autocrats who weaponize institutions to enforce ideological conformity.
Source: ABC News
Federal Grant Freeze Leaves Communities in Limbo
What Happened: Despite court orders lifting Trump’s grant freeze, many nonprofits, states, and businesses are still unable to access promised federal aid. The regime claims it is now targeting only "non-compliant" grants, but recipients—including schools, emergency shelters, and conservation projects—remain in the dark. Critical initiatives, such as electric school buses in Missouri and disaster relief in Mississippi, are stalled.
Why It Matters: The selective enforcement of the grant freeze allows the regime to continue obstructing funding for projects tied to climate, infrastructure, and social services. By withholding grants Congress already approved, Trump is asserting executive control over spending, undermining both the rule of law and local economies that depend on federal support.
Source: The New York Times
Trump Takes Over Kennedy Center, Fires President, and Installs Loyalists
What Happened: Trump appointed himself chairman of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts after purging Biden appointees from the board. The center’s longtime president, Deborah F. Rutter, was fired, and Trump loyalist Richard Grenell was named interim president.
Why It Matters: Trump’s takeover politicizes a historically bipartisan cultural institution, turning it into a tool for his regime. By replacing leadership with loyalists, he extends his control into the arts, silencing opposition and reshaping public institutions to serve his agenda.
Source: The New York Times
🛑 In Human and Civil Rights Abuses News
Trump Expands Guantanamo Detention to Nonviolent Migrants
What Happened: Trump is sending low-risk, nonviolent migrants to Guantanamo, contradicting claims it would hold only the "worst" offenders. New tent facilities are being built to detain up to 30,000 migrants, with no clear deportation timeline as Venezuela has not agreed to repatriation flights.
Why It Matters: Turning Guantanamo into a mass migrant detention center sets a dangerous authoritarian precedent, using indefinite detention to instill fear and suppress asylum seekers' rights. Migrants held offshore lack legal protections, mirroring extrajudicial tactics used by authoritarian regimes.
Source: CBS News
Trump's immigration crackdown ripples across the US
What Happened: Mass ICE raids, deportations, and detentions escalate under Trump, with migrants being flown to Guantanamo Bay. Door-to-door enforcement in cities like Denver spreads fear, while legal battles target sanctuary cities like Chicago and New York. Economic disruptions loom in agriculture and border trade zones.
Why It Matters: Militarized sweeps and legal attacks mirror authoritarian tactics—instilling fear, silencing communities, and consolidating power. Using Guantanamo for migrants sets a dangerous precedent, weaponizing immigration to justify expanded executive authority.
Source: ABC News
House GOP Budget Plan Pushes Deep Cuts to SNAP
What Happened: The House Republican budget plan calls for $230 billion in cuts to agriculture programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which helps feed 40 million low-income Americans. The proposal also expands work requirements, but lawmakers acknowledge that alone won’t meet the deep spending cut targets.
Why It Matters: The plan risks reducing food aid benefits for vulnerable families, while enriching billionaires and corporations. The cuts will escalate food insecurity and fuel political backlash.
Source: Politico
👊🏼 In Resistance News
Judge Temporarily Reinstates Fired Whistleblower Office Chief
What Happened: A federal judge blocked Trump's attempt to fire Hampton Dellinger, head of the Office of the Special Counsel, citing a lack of cause. The ruling keeps Dellinger, a key protector of whistleblowers, in place while legal battles continue.
Source: The Hill
Unions Sue Trump Over Mass Layoff Order
What Happened: Federal employee unions filed a lawsuit against Trump’s executive order enabling mass government layoffs, calling it an unconstitutional power grab. The order, backed by Elon Musk’s fake DOGE, directs agencies to prepare for large-scale workforce cuts and overhaul hiring.
Source: The Hill
Fired Government Watchdogs Sue Trump for Reinstatement
What Happened: Eight fired inspectors general are suing to get their jobs back, claiming Trump illegally removed them without notifying Congress. The lawsuit argues that Trump violated federal law protecting IG independence and undermined critical government oversight. The IGs, including those from Defense, State, and Veterans Affairs, say their work saved taxpayers millions and protected national security.
Source: CNN
📊 By the Numbers
500+ — Federal buildings set for sale under Musk-controlled GSA, gutting public assets.
30-40% — Planned budget cuts across federal agencies, with mass layoffs already underway.
$400 million — Value of Tesla’s State Department armored vehicle contract.
$500 million — Trump’s crypto company token sales.
84% — Stock price surge after Don Jr and Eric Trump’s investment announcement.
8 — Government watchdogs fired by Trump now suing for reinstatement.
70+ — Lawsuits have been filed against Trump's policies since his return to power.
30,000 — Migrants expected to be detained at Guantanamo under new Trump policy.
40 million — Americans at risk of losing food assistance under House GOP budget cuts.
🔎 What to Watch Next
Courts vs Trump — With Musk and Trump allies attacking judges and defying court rulings, will the regime refuse to abide by legal decisions?
Trade War — The White House is reportedly preparing new tariffs on Chinese goods, escalating tensions amid a volatile global economy. Will Musk get exceptions for Tesla’s China supply chain?
Big Tech in Trump’s Pocket — Will Musk’s control over government IT and AI policies lead to direct data access for his companies?
Federal Grant Freeze Fallout — How will cities and states respond to Trump’s selective grant cancellations targeting climate, social services, and sanctuary cities?
💡 Key Takeaways
Putin Gets What He Wants — Trump’s moves on Ukraine and NATO align with Russia’s strategic interests.
Trump Targets Watchdogs: The continued purge of ethics officials, inspectors general, and whistleblower protection leaders removes key safeguards against corruption and consolidation of power.
Attacks on Press Freedom: Trump banning an AP reporter for refusing to use "Gulf of America" shows an escalation in state-mandated terminology and media suppression.
Authoritarian Moves: Trump halts enforcement of anti-bribery laws, revokes security clearances of opponents, and fires labor board officials to crush unions.
🚨 Call to Action
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.
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.
Who is buying these Federal buildings? Is Trump going to acquire them cheaply and turn them into hotels? I know that Chicago has too many skyscrapers after Covid, and also, I have heard that federal workers called back to the office have no office to go to.
Secondly, releasing Musk's Trucks on other countries when they have a bad track record is the Bully Boys of the US going and bullying other countries too, as these dangerous vehicles careen around under the protection of the USA.
I am really alarmed today at Hegseth, Trump and Putin's deal on Ukraine which I do not see any of the larger European countries standing up to. weak Scholz in his dying days as chancellor is insisting on US troops in peacekeeping force. How can he get Trump to agree to that? Trump says no US troops. If Merz wins the chancellorship he is ready to jump in bed with Trump and take Germany back to the fascist past it has put a lot of effort to leave behind.
Your continuing journal of what is going on before our eyes will someday, somehow be taught to other generations of how it all went down. I am 80 and I weep at the atrocities that are happening to a country that really had been a shining light in the world. Even with its flaws the core of humanity still existed. Now our “heart” is being ripped out and chopped up.