Trump Tyranny Tracker: Day 38
February 26, 2025
📆 Trump Tyranny Tracker: Feb 26
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.
🔥 In Corruption News
GOP Pushes to Funnel Billions From Biden’s Internet Plan to Musk’s Starlink
What Happened: Republican lawmakers are demanding that Elon Musk’s Starlink be eligible for a cut of the $42 billion Broadband Equity and Access Deployment Program, originally designed to expand fiber-optic internet across the U.S. GOP leaders claim the program is too slow and biased against satellite technology, calling for a rewrite that would shift billions to Starlink.
Why It Matters: Republicans are actively working to redirect taxpayer money to Musk’s empire, rewarding him for backing Trump’s return to power. This push would undermine fiber infrastructure—superior in speed and durability—while using disaster relief and rural broadband expansion as cover to enrich Musk, who already profits massively from government contracts.
Source: Bloomberg
Musk’s Fortune Built on $38B in Government Money While He Guts Agencies
What Happened: Elon Musk has received $38 billion from government contracts, subsidies, and tax credits—propping up Tesla, SpaceX, and his empire. Now he’s slashing federal jobs and cutting funding to the same agencies that made him rich.
Why It Matters: Musk is running the government like his personal ATM—siphoning billions while killing off oversight, gutting regulators, and handing out contracts to his businesses. With 52 ongoing contracts worth $11.8 billion and more in contracts incoming, he’s profiting off a system he’s actively dismantling.
Source: The Washington Post
Ex-Chemical Lobbyist Now Approving Toxic Substances at EPA
What Happened: Lynn Dekleva, a former DuPont exec and chemical lobbyist, now oversees the EPA’s chemical approval office. She previously led industry efforts to block formaldehyde regulations, despite its known cancer risks, and her former employer is now pushing to dismantle federal chemical safety programs.
Why It Matters: Trump’s EPA is run by industry insiders dismantling protections, letting corporations “regulate” themselves while toxic chemicals remain in everyday products.
Source: New York Times
Musk’s Operatives at HUD Have Deep Real Estate Ties, Access to Sensitive Data
What Happened: Elon Musk’s operatives embedded at HUD come from AI real estate firm Kukun and mobile home operator TCC Management, highlighting more conflicts of interest. These operatives have access to vast amounts of personal, financial, and real estate data, including public housing records, mortgage details, and homelessness statistics.
Why It Matters: Musk’s operatives controls who gets access to HUD systems, putting billion-dollar housing data in the hands of private sector operatives. This is a blatant data grab and abuse of power allowing real estate insiders to profit while the government is gutted.
Source: WIRED
Musk Guts CFPB While Expanding His Own Payment Empire
What Happened: As Trump moves to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Elon Musk is simultaneously expanding X into digital payments. Musk’s recent Visa deal to launch a digital wallet raises glaring conflicts of interest as the CFPB is the main regulator for payment platforms.
Why It Matters: This is blatant corruption. Musk is using his unelected power to kneecap the agency that would regulate his business while securing lucrative government deals. Trump and Musk are openly rigging the system in his favor.
Source: The Hill
🛡️ In Power Consolidation News
Trump DOJ Nominee Refuses to Rule Out Political Purges
What Happened: Harmeet Dhillon, Trump’s nominee for Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, refused to commit to not firing or reassigning Justice Department attorneys based on their political views. She also dodged questions on whether she would refuse illegal or unconstitutional orders from Trump.
Why It Matters: This reiterates that they will purge DOJ officials who don’t show loyalty to Trump, turning the Civil Rights Division into a political weapon. Dhillon’s refusal to reject unconstitutional directives raises alarms about the department's future role in enforcing Trump’s authoritarian agenda.
Source: Associated Press Live
Trump Orders Federal Agencies to Assist Musk’s DOGE in Mass Firings
What Happened: A memo from the Office of Personnel Management and the Office of Management and Budget directs federal agencies to coordinate with Elon Musk to identify targets for mass layoffs. Agencies must submit restructuring plans by March 13, focusing on automation, office closures, and eliminating “non-critical” roles.
Why It Matters: An unelected billionaire with no formal authority is carrying out a government purge, deciding who stays and who goes. This hijacking of federal agencies consolidates power under Musk and Trump while dismantling career civil service protections. The mass layoffs will cripple essential government functions, leaving only Trump’s loyalists in place.
Source: Reuters
Trump to Cabinet: You’re ‘Out’ if You’re Unhappy With Musk
What Happened: Trump warned his cabinet secretaries that anyone unhappy with Elon Musk’s control over government purge is out. During his first cabinet meeting, Trump also suggested that 1 million federal employees who didn’t respond to Musk’s email demanding a list of their accomplishments could be fired.
Why It Matters: Musk, an unelected billionaire who bought his White House seat for $280 million, is carrying out a hostile takeover of the government. Trump is fully backing his authoritarian-style purge, silencing dissent within his cabinet while consolidating power over all agencies.
Source: Wall Street Journal
EPA Chief Plans 65% Workforce Reduction, Trump Says
What Happened: Trump announced that EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin plans to cut 65% of the agency's workforce, blindsiding staff and union leaders. The EPA will also slash grants, shrink office space, and restructure personnel.
Why It Matters: A drastic reduction in staff will cripple the EPA’s ability to regulate pollution, enforce environmental laws, and respond to climate disasters.
Source: Reuters
Trump Expands Musk’s DOGE Agency With Executive Order
What Happened: Trump signed an executive order expanding Elon Musk’s powers, giving him oversight of federal spending on contracts, grants, and loans. The order mandates centralized tracking of payments and justifications, excluding law enforcement, military, and national security agencies.
Why It Matters: The order cements Musk’s control over federal finances, accelerating mass layoffs and government downsizing. FAKE unauthorized DOGE’s rapid cuts have already caused critical disruptions, including halting Ebola-prevention funding, despite Musk’s lies.
Source: Guardian
Project 2025 Architect Implements Mass Federal Layoffs
What Happened: Russell Vought, a key author of Project 2025 and now Trump’s budget chief, has ordered federal agencies to submit radical downsizing plans by mid-March, accelerating mass layoffs. The plan aligns with Vought’s long-standing push to dismantle the “administrative state” and consolidate executive power.
Why It Matters: Vought is carrying out the extreme vision he laid out in Project 2025, using Trump’s second term to purge the federal government. His religious and ideological crusade frames mass firings as necessary for “self-governance.”
Source: Associated Press
⚖️ In Weaponization of Institutions News
Justice Dept. Nominees Suggest Some Court Orders Can Be Ignored
What Happened: Trump’s Justice Department nominees, including two former Trump lawyers, Harmeet Dhillon and D. John Sauer, refused to commit to enforcing all court orders. Aaron Reitz suggested officials are not always bound by rulings, echoing Trump’s push for expanded executive power.
Why It Matters: This reiterates their intention to erode judicial authority, highlighting that Trump’s DOJ will ignore court rulings that challenge his policies, setting the stage for unchecked presidential power and a constitutional crisis.
Source: The New York Times
Supreme Court Chief Justice Freezes Payments for Past Aid Work
What Happened: Chief Justice John Roberts ruled in favor of Trump, temporarily blocking the release of over $1.5 billion in payments for completed foreign aid projects.
Why It Matters: The decision allows Trump to withhold legally obligated funds, undermining U.S. commitments abroad and jeopardizing aid-dependent programs. It also highlights the Supreme Court’s alignment with Trump’s agenda.
Source: The New York Times
📢 In Media Suppression and Authoritarian Tactics News
Trump Seizes Control of White House Press Pool
What Happened: The White House Correspondents’ Association announced it will no longer coordinate press coverage of Trump after the regime took control of the system, breaking decades of precedent. The White House is now handpicking which journalists gain access while banning outlets like the Associated Press.
Why It Matters: Trump is openly dismantling press freedom, deciding which reporters can cover him while purging critical media. This is authoritarian media control—straight out of Russia’s playbook. The WHCA’s withdrawal leaves the press pool entirely under government control.
Source: Politico
Cabinet Meeting Opens with Prayer Thanking God for Trump
What Happened: At Trump’s first cabinet meeting, Housing Secretary Scott Turner led a prayer thanking God for Trump’s leadership, calling his presidency a divine appointment. He prayed for wisdom and humility for Trump, the Vice President, and cabinet members, emphasizing their role in restoring faith in the nation.
Why It Matters: The prayer reinforced the regime’s expectation of personal loyalty and religious devotion to Trump, blurring the lines between governance and worshipful fealty. It set the tone for an regime driven by unquestioning allegiance and extremist “faith-based” justification for policy decisions.
Source: White House
Trump Airport, Trump Day: GOP Moves to Cement Trump’s Legacy in Law
What Happened: Trump loyalists in Congress are pushing bills to rename Washington Dulles as Donald J. Trump International Airport, carve his face onto Mount Rushmore, and make his birthday a federal holiday. Other proposals include renaming Greenland as "Red, White and Blueland" and the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America." One bill would even amend the Constitution to allow Trump a third term by changing presidential term limits to benefit only those who have served nonconsecutive terms—ensuring that Trump, but not Obama or Clinton, would qualify.
Why It Matters: This isn’t just pathetic worship—it’s a full-scale attempt to rewrite history and cement Trump’s rule. By renaming landmarks, erasing historical records, and pushing for Trump’s indefinite presidency, the GOP is proving its total submission to authoritarianism.
Source: Wall Street Journal
Trump Threatens Lawsuits Over Anonymous Sources in Books
What Happened: Trump vowed to sue authors and publishers using anonymous sources, calling them fake and defamatory. He also suggested creating a law to ban anonymous sourcing in books. His remarks follow his attacks on Michael Wolff’s new book about his regime.
Why It Matters: This is a direct attack on press freedom, aiming to intimidate journalists and suppress investigative reporting. This is a classic authoritarian tactic.
Source: The Hill
White House Blocks AP, Reuters from Covering Trump Cabinet Meeting
What Happened: The White House barred AP, Reuters, and other major outlets from Trump’s first cabinet meeting, granting access to far-right media like Newsmax and The Blaze. This follows Trump’s new policy of handpicking which reporters can cover him, sidelining independent journalism.
Why It Matters: Another classic authoritarian move—Trump is curating press access to control narratives and spread regime propaganda — mirroring Putin’s Russia. Expect escalating media suppression, intimidation, and state propaganda.
Source: Reuters
Greene Threatens Criminal Referrals at House DOGE Hearing
What Happened: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) warned of potential criminal referrals during a hearing on foreign aid. “Witnesses” accused USAID of funding terrorism and lacking oversight, with one suggesting its actions may be "potentially criminal." Greene attacked USAID as a "Democrat-run" agency and implied its funding may have influenced elections.
Why It Matters: Greene is hijacking the oversight committee to spread lies and launch partisan attacks on USAID. This is part of a broader Republican strategy to weaponize congressional investigations, dismantle federal agencies, and target political opposition.
Source: The Hill
Bezos Orders Washington Post Opinion Section to Push "Personal Liberties and Free Markets"
What Happened: Jeff Bezos ordered The Washington Post’s opinion section to exclusively promote "personal liberties and free markets," barring opposing views. Opinion editor David Shipley resigned after failing to convince Bezos to reconsider. Staff members reacted with shock, with some calling it a blatant suppression of dissent.
Why It Matters: This is a clear example of how authoritarian regimes consolidate media control—purging independent voices, enforcing ideological conformity, and stifling dissent.
Source: The New York Times
🛑 In Human and Civil Rights Abuses News
Pentagon Orders Separation of Transgender Service Members
What Happened: A Pentagon memo confirmed that all transgender U.S. service members will be forcibly separated from the military unless they receive an exemption. This follows Trump’s executive order, which mandates the military to identify and remove transgender personnel within 60 days.
Why It Matters: This is a targeted purge of transgender troops, forcing them out solely based on identity, not performance. It undermines military readiness, morale, and recruitment, while codifying state-sponsored discrimination against those who have served honorably.
Source: Reuters
Experts warn the proposed SAVE Act could make it harder for some married women to vote. Here's who could be affected.
What Happened: The proposed Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act would require strict proof of citizenship—such as a passport, birth certificate, or naturalization papers—to register to vote, eliminating commonly used IDs like driver's licenses. Experts warn this could disenfranchise millions of married women who changed their last name but lack updated documents that match their birth certificate.
Why It Matters: By mandating strict citizenship requirements, the bill could block millions—especially married women who changed their last name—from registering to vote. This is part of a broader GOP effort to suppress voter turnout under the guise of election security.
Source: CBS News
Trump Plans to Invoke 1798 ‘Alien Enemies’ Law for Mass Deportations
What Happened: Trump is preparing to use the rarely invoked Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to bypass immigration courts and accelerate mass deportations.
Why It Matters: By invoking a wartime law meant for foreign invasions, Trump is laying the groundwork to strip immigrants of legal protections and bypass due process. As I’ve warned, his use of obscure laws and emergency powers won’t stop at deportations—this is a blueprint for targeting opposition and crushing dissent.
Source: CNN
DHS rolls out registry, fingerprinting for migrants in US illegally
What Happened: The Department of Homeland Security announced a new registry requiring undocumented migrants over 14 to register with the federal government and provide fingerprints. The rule, based on a little-used provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act, would force migrants to disclose their presence or risk fines and potential jail time.
Why It Matters: This policy forces undocumented migrants to choose between self-reporting for likely deportation or risking criminal charges. Immigration advocates warn it will create fear, push people further into the shadows, and escalate mass detentions.
Source: The Hill
📉 Government Services Disruption and Collapse Watch
F.D.A. Cancels Vaccine Advisory Panel Meeting
What Happened: The F.D.A. abruptly canceled a key meeting of its Vaccine Advisory Panel, which was set to determine next year’s flu vaccine strains. The move follows Health Secretary RFK Jr.'s attacks on vaccine regulators and coincides with a postponed CDC vaccine meeting last week.
Why It Matters: With 86 children and 19,000 adults dead from flu this season, delaying flu strain selection will disrupt vaccine production. Scientists fear Kennedy is using his position to sabotage vaccine policy and sow doubt.
Source: New York Times
🌐 Imperial Watch
Trump Posts Grotesque Video Imagining Glitzy ‘Trump Gaza’
What Happened: Trump posted an AI-generated video depicting Gaza’s ruins transformed into a luxury Trump-branded paradise—complete with golden statues, yachts, and a grotesque real estate empire built on Palestinian graves. The video echoes his recent calls to “clean out” Gaza, forcibly relocate its people, and turn it into the “Riviera of the Middle East.”
Why It Matters: This is imperialism—Trump openly calling for the annexation and rebuilding Gaza in his image while ethnically cleansing Palestinians. His rhetoric mirrors authoritarian land grabs, turning war crimes into business opportunities.
Source: Rolling Stone
🌍 Far-Right & Russian Influence Watch
Musk’s X Becomes Direct Pipeline for Extremist Right-Wing Policy Demands
What Happened: Extremist propagandists Chaya Raichik (Libs of TikTok) and Christopher Rufo have gained direct influence over federal policy through Elon Musk. Their viral complaints on X have led to real-time government changes, including erasing nonbinary options from FAFSA forms and terminating $226M in education grants after Rufo called them “taxpayer-funded witchcraft.”
Why It Matters: Trump and Musk are crowdsourcing governance to right-wing extremist influencers, bypassing Congress, oversight, and democratic processes.
Source: New York Times
📰 In Other News
Trump’s Spending Cuts Cripple Small Businesses
What Happened: Trump’s mass federal funding cuts have devastated small businesses reliant on government contracts. A Maryland tech firm lost nearly half its revenue, a Colorado advisory company saw an 80% drop, and an Alaska logistics firm erased DEI language to save millions.
Why It Matters: While Trump claims to support small businesses, his cuts prioritize gutting federal programs over economic stability, forcing mass layoffs and bankruptcies. Small businesses are the backbone of the economy—yet Trump’s actions are leaving them to collapse.
Source: ABC News
👊🏼 In Resistance News
Consumers Plan Nationwide Economic Blackout on Feb. 28
What Happened: Consumers and activist groups are calling for a 24-hour economic blackout on Feb. 28 to protest corporate greed, the rollback of DEI initiatives, and Trump’s elimination of federal DEI programs. The boycott urges people to avoid all spending, at major corporations like Amazon, Walmart, and Target, for the day and support local businesses if necessary.
Source: USA Today
VA Reverses Course, Pauses Contract Cancellations After Congressional Pressure
What Happened: The Department of Veterans Affairs halted plans to cancel hundreds of contracts following pushback from Democratic lawmakers. The reversal came just a day after VA Secretary Doug Collins announced the termination of up to 875 contracts as part of Trump’s broader federal downsizing initiative.
Source: The Hill
Fired USAID Workers, HIV Activists Stage ‘Die-In’ Over Trump’s Foreign Aid Cuts
What Happened: Dozens of former USAID employees and HIV activists protested inside a Capitol office building, decrying Trump’s dismantling of the foreign aid agency. Demonstrators lay on the ground wearing shirts reading “AIDS funding cuts kill,” calling on Congress to unfreeze aid. Capitol police arrested about 20 protesters.
Source: Guardian
📊 By the Numbers
$42 billion — Federal broadband funding Republicans want to redirect to Musk’s Starlink.
$38 billion — Total government funding Musk has received through contracts, subsidies, and tax credits.
1.5 billion — Foreign aid payments frozen by Supreme Court ruling in Trump’s favor.
$226 million — Education grants terminated after right-wing extremist influencers pushed Musk to cut them.
$350 million — CFPB funding eliminated, killing consumer financial protections.
1,200 — Federal prosecutors at risk of being purged from the DOJ.
1 million — Federal employees Trump suggested could be fired for not responding to Musk’s email.
$280 million — Musk’s financial contributions to buy the White House and the U.S.
65% — Workforce reduction planned at the Environmental Protection Agency.
3 — Trump’s DOJ nominees who refused to commit to enforcing all court orders.
100% — Press pool coverage now controlled by the White House.
28 — Feb. 28 planned national economic blackout.
🔎 What to Watch Next
Musk’s HUD Takeover — How will Musk’s operatives at HUD use their access to sensitive real estate data?
DOJ Purge Warning — How many federal prosecutors and career officials will be forced out?
SCOTUS Intervention — Will the Supreme Court continue enabling Trump’s executive overreach, particularly on immigration and foreign aid freezes?
Boycott Impact — Will the Feb. 28 economic blackout gain traction for future initiatives?
Data Lockdown — Will courts extend protections against Musk’s access to sensitive federal, personal, and student data?
💡 Key Takeaways
Musk’s Power Grab — Securing lucrative federal contracts while gutting agency budgets exposes deep corruption and unchecked influence.
Trump’s DOJ Takeover — Stacking the Justice Department with loyalists who refuse to commit to enforcing court orders paves the way for authoritarian rule.
Press Crackdown — Seizing control of the White House press pool is a blatant attack on press freedom, mirroring autocratic regimes.
Federal Purge — Mass layoffs across agencies are meant to cripple government functions and consolidate power under Trump and Musk.
Deportation by Decree — Using the Alien Enemies Act to bypass immigration courts is a dangerous escalation of executive overreach.
Environmental Collapse — Gutting the EPA’s workforce by 65% effectively eliminates environmental protections and enforcement.
Bezos’ Media Control — Forcing The Washington Post to push a pro-corporate, libertarian agenda showcases how billionaires are reshaping the media landscape.
🚨 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.
Thank you Olga, your thorough work can not be less than heartbreaking xxx it is really appreciated xx and brings to mind the words of wisdom: man is cutting off the same brach that he himself is sitting on xxx destruction and stupid ideas do not a future build xxx there's always that xxx stay safe all xxx try not to burn out xxx they will pass xxx they always do xxx thxxxx
I call for testimony under oath and certified cost and pricing data to underpin Republican’s promised budget cuts in the $ trillions. This is a reasonable request to a convicted felon. We either get that, or all rural hospitals will soon be gone, lost due to $833 billion in Medicaid cuts. Farmers are going to lose $230 billion. Rural America dozes. Democrat leaders are not asking for testimony or certified data. They must subpoena dodging Musk and DOGE. That is as we all watch the lies day after day.
https://bit.ly/4hUbbWU