April 30 and May 1
– Trump tells the International Trade Court that judges have no authority to challenge his use of emergency powers to impose tariffs.
– Trump signs an executive order cutting federal funding to NPR and PBS, saying they are not reporting impartially and objectively. He directs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to cut both direct and indirect funding to these outlets.
– Trump signs an executive order announcing the creation of the Commission on Religious Freedom. The order emphasizes the need to strengthen and ensure protections for religious freedom in the United States, and the commission will advise on policies aimed at preserving these fundamental rights for all Americans.
– The Trump administration asks the Supreme Court to revoke legal protections for 350,000 Venezuelan migrants.
– Trump announces that all purchases of Iranian oil or petrochemicals must cease. He threatens secondary sanctions against countries that continue to buy these products.
– The Department of Health and Human Services is encouraging therapy for transgender youth instead of broader gender-affirming care.
– The Justice Department is suing Hawaii and Michigan over planned lawsuits against fossil fuel companies, saying the states’ climate change claims violate federal jurisdiction.
– Trump says he can “bring back” Kilmar Abrego Garcia from El Salvador, but won’t.
– Trump revokes The Washington Post’s press credentials for “inaccurate reporting on Orlando shooting.”
– There’s a deal with Ukraine. America gets access to minerals, oil and gas in Ukraine, and Ukraine gets US help rebuilding the country. No security guarantees are given.
– The State Department is investigating employees who speak negatively about Trump, Musk, Alex Jones, Joe Rogan and Robert Kennedy Jr., and use terms like Black Lives Matter, January 6, Q-Anon, immigration and anti-vaccination.
– Trump nominates Mike Waltz, who has been under fire for SignalGate, for ambassador to the United Nations. Marco Rubio temporarily takes over his role as national security adviser.
– The Trump administration cuts $1 billion in mental health grants for schools.
Fallout
– The US economy will shrink 0.3% in the first quarter of 2025 due to a rise in imports caused by Trump’s tariffs, which will slow growth. Trump blames Biden for this.
– A federal judge orders the release of Columbia student Mohsen Mahdawi, who was detained by ICE during his naturalization interview.
– The number of immigrants held in federal prisons has increased significantly since February, The Guardian reports.
– A Trump-appointed federal judge in Texas rules that Trump’s Alien Enemies Act proclamation is “unlawful” because there is no “declared war,” “invasion” or “predatory incursion” under the law.
– Next school year, thousands of Oklahoma high school students will be taught Trump’s debunked claims that the 2020 election was rigged as part of the new social studies curriculum.
– Microsoft drops the law firm that made a deal with Trump in a case and instead hires Jenner & Block, a firm that is challenging the president’s executive orders.
– The Senate fails to pass a resolution that had support from both Republicans and Democrats to roll back Trump’s tariffs.
– RFK Jr. says of measles: “The MMR vaccine contains a lot of aborted fetal remains.”
– One of the men Trump wanted to send to El Salvador is accused of being a member of TdA. He had tattoos of Pikachu, Toad, and Patrick from SpongeBob.
– As of April 26, 2025, the United States has officially been placed on the global human rights watch list due to declining civil liberties under Donald Trump.
– The full panel of the 4th Court of Appeals votes 9-6 to uphold the block on DOGE’s access to sensitive Social Security records.
– A federal judge bars the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from transferring migrants to other agencies (such as the Department of Defense) in order to circumvent due process safeguards for deportation.
