Trump pardons entertainment executive Tim Leiweke five months after his own Justice Department charged him with rigging bids for Texas arena contract.
Trump renames US Institute of Peace after himself months after gutting the agency, firing its board, and taking over its building in what a federal judge called an illegal seizure.
Billionaire Michael Dell pledges $6 billion to seed “Trump accounts” for 25 million children as Dell Technologies holds multiple federal contracts.
Treasury Secretary Bessent orders investigation into Minnesota welfare fraud claims despite “scant evidence” funds reached terrorists, targeting state where Walz is governor.
Trump frees private equity executive 12 days into seven-year sentence for $1.6 billion fraud that prosecutors said victimized 10,000 investors including farmers, veterans, teachers, and nurses.
Trump bars South Africa from 2026 G20 summit over disputed “white genocide” claims; meeting to be held at Trump-owned resort.
White House denies Trump considering removing Patel after scrutiny of SWAT team guarding girlfriend at NRA event, government jet for personal travel.
Interior Department adds $100 per person fee for international visitors at 11 top national parks, designates Trump’s birthday as one of six “patriotic fee-free days” for Americans.
DOJ sues Sen. Jim Justice for $5 million in unpaid 2009 taxes day before statute of limitations expires, Justice immediately agrees to consent judgment.
Interior Department owes 100 Park Service workers up to $200,000 in legally required back pay, meets Tuesday to discuss whether to pay.
Judge dismisses Trump’s prosecutions of Comey and Letitia James, ruling interim prosecutor’s appointment invalid after career prosecutors refused to bring charges.
FBI Director Kash Patel assigns Nashville SWAT team members to protect his country singer girlfriend who lives in a different city, drawing criticism for abuse of resources.
Trump pardons nursing home magnate three months into sentence for $38 million fraud after convict paid $960,000 to lobbyists previously convicted of voter suppression.
Trump enlists Jack Nicklaus to redesign Joint Base Andrews golf courses without disclosing financing despite business ties to Nicklaus-designed courses Trump owns and rarely using the military facility.
CFPB to furlough workforce on December 31 and transfer cases to Justice Department after Trump cuts Federal Reserve funding, latest attempt to close consumer protection bureau.
House votes 426-0 to repeal Senate-inserted provision allowing only senators to sue DOJ for up to $500,000 over seized phone records, with Johnson saying he learned of it after Senate passage.
House Ethics Committee opens investigation into Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL) as Rep. Nancy Mace introduces censure resolution, with Mace calling the probe a “naked attempt” to kill her measure.
Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) indicted for stealing $5 million FEMA COVID vaccination overpayment, laundering it through multiple accounts to fund her 2021 congressional campaign.
Trump designates Saudi Arabia as major non-NATO ally during dinner for Mohammed bin Salman, opening door to further military cooperation while Trump family has business interests in the kingdom.
White House liaison Paul Ingrassia, who previously represented Andrew Tate, intervened to get devices returned after Customs seized them from the accused sex trafficker, alarming DHS officials who saw it as federal investigation interference.
Trump says Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman “knew nothing” about Khashoggi murder despite 2021 U.S. intelligence assessment finding he approved the operation, announces F-35 sales.
Senate passes Epstein files release bill by unanimous consent after Trump reverses monthslong opposition following rebellion by his own supporters.
Firm run by DHS spokesperson’s husband secretly receives money from $220 million ad contracts that bypassed competitive bidding by invoking border emergency.
Trump pardons at least a dozen people prosecuted by his own first-term appointees, erasing over $1 billion in court-ordered restitution to victims.
Trump buys bonds from policy-affected companies and municipalities, including Intel after his administration took a 10% government stake in the chipmaker.
Ethics report finds former Fed Governor Adriana Kugler violated trading rules by purchasing stocks during interest rate meeting blackout periods.
DC Preservation League sues Trump over plan to paint 137-year-old Eisenhower building white, alleging violations of historic preservation laws and risk of permanent moisture damage to National Historic Landmark.
Trump housing chief Bill Pulte sends fourth mortgage fraud referral targeting Democratic Trump critic Eric Swalwell, who has surviving lawsuit against president and appeared on FBI Director Kash Patel’s government gangster list.
South Dakota committee advances bills to strip governor’s sole control over economic development fund after Noem spent $9 million on ads starring herself and funded shooting range legislature denied three times.
Trump convinces FIFA to use federally-funded Kennedy Center for free for three weeks, displacing National Symphony Orchestra performances as venue already faces ticket sales decline under his leadership.
Trump housing chief fires Fannie Mae executives who warned sharing confidential pricing data with rival Freddie Mac risked collusion claims, while ally who shared data at his direction keeps job.
Former Newsom chief of staff charged with stealing $225,000 from Becerra campaign funds for private jets and designer handbags while claiming $1 million in false tax deductions.
Johnson vows next week repeal of Senate provision allowing senators $500,000 lawsuits over phone records searched during Jack Smith’s January 6 investigation.
Trial begins for former NY governors’ aide accused of acting as Chinese agent who blocked Taiwan officials and accepted millions in COVID vendor kickbacks.
Atlanta Fed President Bostic announces February retirement as Powell’s chair term also nears expiration, three years after trading scandal involving 154 blackout-period transactions.
House Democrats release Epstein emails claiming Trump knew about underage girls hours before shutdown vote, prompting GOP to release 20,000 more pages.
Trump pardons Rep. Diana Harshbarger’s husband for 2013 medical fraud conviction three days after endorsing her 2026 reelection though he already served 48-month prison sentence and paying $848,504 restitution.
FCC rolls back rate caps for prison phone and video calls despite research showing family contact reduces recidivism, allowing charges up to $0.41 per minute.
FDA names Richard Pazdur to head drug regulation after predecessor resigned over conduct concerns and drugmaker lawsuit alleging personal vendetta.
Trump administration paid $7.5 million to Equatorial Guinea for deportation agreement using humanitarian aid fund intended for crises, exceeding eight years of combined foreign assistance to country where 70% live in poverty.
PM Viktor Orban announces that Trump promised “financial shield” protecting Hungary from currency speculation attacks after $600 million U.S. LNG purchase commitment.
Trump pardons 77 people involved in 2020 election overturn efforts, including four who pleaded guilty, releasing pardons after midnight Sunday following Senate shutdown vote.
Trump wants new Commanders stadium on federal land to bear his name as White House says naming decision will “probably happen” despite team owning naming rights.
Trump bans all US officials from G20 summit in South Africa over false white farmer genocide claims, will host 2026 summit at his Doral resort.
Cornell pays $30 million settlement and invests $30 million in agricultural research to restore $250 million in frozen federal funding and close investigations.
Trump pardons former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada after conviction on 14 counts including conspiracy, fraud and money laundering in scheme to defraud state.
IRS notifies 25 states that Direct File free tax service will end after Trump administration directs agency to replace it with public-private partnerships benefiting TurboTax and competitors.
Trump endorses former Democratic governor Andrew Cuomo over Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa in New York mayoral race after Cuomo said he would reject Trump endorsement.
Trump pardons Binance founder Changpeng Zhao while claiming “no idea who he is” despite Binance involvement with crypto platform sending 75% of token revenue to Trump family company.
Fourteen of 24 White House ballroom donors face federal enforcement actions while collectively holding $279 billion in government contracts.
