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Trump Tyranny Tracker | Day 624-626: Oct. 9-11, 2026
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A banner featuring an image of President Trump is displayed on the facade of the Department of Justice headquarters in Washington, D.C. The Justice Department has been trying to force states to hand over sensitive voter data that it plans to share with the Department of Homeland Security. Drew Angerer/AFP via Getty ImagesWelcome to today’s Trump Tyranny Tracker…
DOJ investigating major television networks, the Pentagon awarding hundreds of millions in contracts to a firm tied to a senior defense official, and Trump easing sanctions on Russian fuel while threatening Ukraine are among this weekend’s top stories.
This Weekend at a Glance
The Justice Department investigates major television networks after White House press restrictions.
Pentagon awards $350 million in contracts to a firm tied to a senior defense official.
Trump eases sanctions on Russian fuel and threatens Ukraine to stop attacking Russian oil refineries.
What We Need to Pay Attention To
Trump’s DOJ probes major TV networks over response to White House ban of CNN
What Happened: The Justice Department opened an antitrust investigation into ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News, and NBC after the networks refused to replace CNN in the White House press pool. Trump had banned CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the pool. The DOJ is demanding records about how the networks coordinate their coverage.
Why It Matters: Trump is using the Justice Department to punish news networks that refused to comply with his White House press restrictions. Using federal agencies to intimidate and silence the press is a classic authoritarian tactic.
Source: CNN
Corruption
The Pentagon Gave $350 Million in Contracts to a Firm Closely Tied to a Senior Defense Department Official
What Happened: The Pentagon awarded nearly $350 million in contracts to Alvarez & Marsal Federal, a consulting firm with business ties to a private equity company where senior Pentagon official George Kollitides continued working as an adviser. The contracts include a $281 million no-bid deal involving offices Kollitides oversees. His financial disclosures are not public.
Why It Matters: Hundreds of millions in taxpayer money went to a firm with business ties to a senior Pentagon official, including a contract awarded without competitive bidding. With Kollitides’ financial disclosures kept confidential, Americans have no way of knowing whether he benefits from the contracts.
Source: ProPublica
A Mysterious Nonprofit Run by SpaceXAI’s Top Lawyer Is Paying the Salaries of Government Workers
What Happened: At least two people working with the White House’s National Design Studio, which succeeded DOGE, are paid by the America by Design Foundation, a nonprofit allegedly run by SpaceXAI general counsel James Burnham. The nonprofit’s funding sources are undisclosed, and the workers entered government through a program that allows outside organizations to provide personnel to federal agencies.
Source: WIRED
Trump bought over $1 million in SpaceX debt days before unveiling space policy
What Happened: Trump purchased between $1 million and $5 million in SpaceX debt two days before signing a memorandum promoting commercial space launches that affect Elon Musk’s company. His financial disclosures also revealed more than 500 other transactions involving companies affected by federal policies.
Source: The Washington Post
Power Consolidation
Trump appoints committee to investigate statements by the Fed’s Lisa Cook
What Happened: Trump appointed a three-member committee made up entirely of his own appointees to investigate mortgage-related allegations against Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Trump previously tried to fire Cook, but the Supreme Court blocked her removal. The committee will hold a hearing on November 5, two days after the midterms.
Why It Matters: Trump is again using his presidential powers to target a Federal Reserve governor he previously tried to remove. With no independent members on the committee, the investigation puts further pressure on the Fed’s independence from the White House.
Source: CNBC
How Trump’s Revenge Campaign Descended Into Turmoil
What Happened: The Justice Department investigation into officials who previously investigated Trump has been plagued by internal disputes, resignations, and a lack of evidence supporting allegations of a “criminal conspiracy.” Two senior figures, Joseph DiGenova and Kurt Olsen, have resigned, and around a dozen prosecutors are still pursuing the investigation.
Source: New York Times
Weaponization of Institutions
As Blanche hits the campaign trail, new DOJ memo relaxes rules around political conduct for Senate-approved appointees
What Happened: The Justice Department changed its ethics rules to allow Attorney General Todd Blanche and other Senate-confirmed officials to endorse political candidates and attend campaign events. The change ends decades-old restrictions as Blanche attends Republican campaign events ahead of the midterms.
Why It Matters: Trump is stripping away the rules that separate federal law enforcement from partisan politics, allowing senior DOJ officials to campaign for candidates while controlling federal investigations and prosecutions.
Source: PBS News
FBI post featuring El-Sayed runs afoul of Hatch Act, experts say
What Happened: The FBI released a video attacking Democrats, including Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, while promoting Kash Patel’s record as FBI director. Ethics experts say the video violates the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from using their official positions for partisan political activity.
Source: The Hill
Trump adviser Stephen Miller spoke to agents at recent FBI training on domestic terrorism, sources say
What Happened: White House adviser Stephen Miller spoke at an FBI counterterrorism training conference, urging agents to pursue more aggressive investigations of threats and harassment under Trump’s domestic terrorism initiative. His involvement broke with longstanding practices separating White House political officials from federal criminal investigations.
Why It Matters: White House officials are directing FBI agents on how to pursue domestic terrorism investigations, further eroding the separation between political power and federal law enforcement.
Source: CBS News
US judge rules Justice Department use of voter rolls unlawful
What Happened: A federal judge ruled that the Justice Department unlawfully sought state voter rolls to check against immigration records and pressure states to remove voters. The judge found that the effort threatened eligible Americans’ voting rights and interfered with states’ authority over elections. This DOJ has now lost 26 voter-roll lawsuits.
Source: Reuters
Media Suppression & Authoritarian Tactics
US judge orders halt to taxpayer-funded ads featuring Trump
What Happened: Federal Judge Jennifer Rochon temporarily blocked taxpayer funding for television ads promoting Trump ahead of the November election. The ruling came after a lawsuit accused Trump officials of using public money to produce political ads benefiting Republican candidates.
Source: Reuters
All the Things You’re Not Allowed to Say In Texas
What Happened: Texas public universities are removing courses and degree programs covering race, gender, and sexuality under new state policies. Texas Tech is using AI to flag course materials, including works by prominent authors and historians, while the University of Texas at Austin is eliminating several ethnic and gender studies majors.
Why It Matters: State officials are deciding what professors can teach and what students are allowed to study, taking control away from universities and restricting academic freedom and free speech.
Source: The Atlantic
Human & Civil Rights Abuses
‘Chaos and cruelty’: the kids trapped in Trump’s immigration enforcement campaign
What Happened: ICE has detained more than 8,750 children since Trump returned to office. Arrests have more than doubled in the first seven months of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025. Children have been held in detention centers, hotels, and temporary holding rooms, sometimes without their families or lawyers knowing where they are.
Why It Matters: Trump’s immigration crackdown is separating children from their families, denying them access to legal help, and exposing them to psychological trauma. Detaining children, especially when their families cannot find them, is cruel and causes lasting damage.
Source: The Guardian
For Ukrainians in the US, a last-ditch effort to forestall deportation
What Happened: Temporary Protected Status for more than 100,000 Ukrainians who fled Russia’s invasion expires on October 19. Trump officials have not announced whether protections will be extended or terminated, despite bipartisan calls not to deport Ukrainians back to a country under Russian invasion.
Why It Matters: Without renewed protections, Ukrainians who escaped Russia’s genocidal war face uncertainty over their legal status, employment, and whether they can remain in the U.S.
Source: Politico
ICE has quietly used this warehouse as a detention facility all summer, neighbors say
What Happened: ICE has reportedly been detaining immigrants in a Roxbury, New Jersey warehouse despite a court order blocking its conversion into a detention facility pending environmental reviews. A government contractor also alleged that DHS rejected more humane alternatives because Stephen Miller wanted detention conditions to be deliberately harsh.
Source: NPR
The GOP’s Message to Immigrants
What Happened: DHS celebrated declining immigration and naturalization numbers, while Republican officials praised a drop in immigration from Muslim-majority countries. Trump has prioritized refugee admissions for white South African Afrikaners while suspending admissions for refugees from other countries.
Source: The Atlantic
Government Disruption
Pentagon Again Increases Number of U.S. Casualties in Iran War
What Happened: The Pentagon revised its casualty figures for Trump’s Iran war to 21 U.S. service members killed and 865 wounded, adding three deaths and 98 injuries to its previous count. Hegseth has faced criticism for withholding casualty figures and attacking journalists who reported on the cover-up.
Why It Matters: Americans and Congress deserve an accurate count of the troops killed and wounded in Trump’s war. The Pentagon is using tactics long employed by Russia to hide military casualties and conceal the human cost of war.
Source: New York Times
Justice Department won’t enforce registration rules on silencers and certain guns after court ruling
What Happened: The Justice Department announced it will stop enforcing federal registration requirements for firearm silencers, short-barreled rifles, and certain other weapons. The decision follows a Texas judge’s ruling that applied only to the parties in that case, but the DOJ decided to extend the policy nationwide.
Source: Associated Press
America’s next breakthrough is already at risk
What Happened: Federal agencies are delaying or canceling approved research funding, while the National Science Foundation is on track to award its fewest new research grants in more than 40 years. The cuts affect research in medicine, technology, agriculture, and national security.
Source: USA Today
Millions Lose Private Medicare Plans and Face Rising Costs
What Happened: An estimated five million Americans will have to switch Medicare Advantage plans for 2027 as major insurers, including UnitedHealth and Centene, withdraw coverage from numerous markets. Older Americans face fewer plan options, higher medical and prescription costs, and reduced access to doctors.
Source: New York Times
New Trump rules will make it harder for farmers to access US funds for energy projects
What Happened: Trump is changing USDA rules to require farmers to complete energy projects and show a year of savings before applying for federal funding. Previously, farmers could receive grants covering up to half the cost before construction. The new rules take effect October 16.
Source: Reuters
Imperial & Geopolitical Watch
Trump Says U.S. May Join Saudi Strikes on Houthis After Riyadh Airport Attacks
What Happened: Trump said the U.S. may join Saudi Arabia’s strikes against the Iran-backed Houthis after attacks on Saudi airports killed at least 18 people and injured hundreds. The attacks have disrupted air travel as fighting continues around Red Sea shipping routes.
Source: TIME
US hits International Criminal Court with sweeping sanctions as part of drive to dismantle tribunal
What Happened: Trump imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court, cutting off its access to U.S. financial services, technology companies, and dollar transactions. U.S. companies have six months to end their business with the court.
Why It Matters: Trump is targeting an international court responsible for investigating war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. The sanctions also threaten the court’s work pursuing Russian officials, including Putin, over the countless crimes in Ukraine and the kidnapping of tens of thousands of Ukrainian children.
Source: Associated Press
Iran scales up Hormuz attacks, raising pressure on Trump as midterms near
What Happened: Iran attacked at least nine vessels in the Strait of Hormuz last week, cutting oil shipments through the waterway by half despite expanded U.S. military operations. Brent crude rose roughly 5% to $105 a barrel Thursday, while Trump claimed oil was flowing at record levels and said he would not attack Iran before the midterms.
Source: The Washington Post
How a U.S. Diplomat Suppressed and Altered Reports Critical of Israel
What Happened: David Milstein, a senior aide to U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee, reportedly blocked or rewrote embassy reports to portray Israel’s government more favorably. The suppressed reports covered West Bank settlement expansion, settler violence, and the killings of Palestinian Americans, including information requested by Congress.
Source: New York Times
Far-Right & Russian Influence Watch
Trump says Ukraine should ‘get a new president’ after U.S.-Russia diesel deal
What Happened: Trump called for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to be replaced, blamed him for prolonging Russia’s war, and demanded that Ukraine stop attacking Russian oil refineries. His comments came one day after announcing a diesel deal with Putin and easing sanctions on Russian fuel exports.
Why It Matters: This is what a Russian puppet looks like. Trump is threatening Ukraine to stop attacking Russian oil infrastructure while easing sanctions on Russian fuel exports that help finance Moscow’s genocidal invasion. This is such a betrayal of Ukraine.
Source: Washington Post
Tillis says Trump’s Russian diesel deal may be illegal
What Happened: Republican Sen. Thom Tillis warned that Trump’s deal to import Russian diesel may violate a 2022 law banning Russian oil imports unless certain conditions are met, including Russia’s withdrawal from Ukraine. Tillis also criticized Trump for blaming Ukraine instead of Putin for rising energy prices.
Source: Politico
Why Is Kash Patel Planning to Visit Russia?
What Happened: Kash Patel is reportedly planning to visit Moscow and St. Petersburg next week, with possible meetings with Russia’s FSB. Seventeen current and former U.S. intelligence and law enforcement officials expressed concerns about the trip, and Democratic lawmakers Jamie Raskin and Jim Himes urged Patel to cancel it. The FBI has not confirmed the visit.
Source: The Atlantic
Unmasking RussiaIs Russia Preparing a Chemical Weapons Attack in Ukraine?While checking Russian media this morning, I came across something extremely disturbing…Read morea day ago · 249 likes · 34 comments · Olga LautmanEconomic News
Americans’ debt problems are flashing a warning not seen since the Great Recession
What Happened: A Federal Reserve survey found that nearly 20% of American families were behind on loan payments at the end of 2025, up from 12% in 2022 and the highest level since 2010. More than 8% were at least two months behind, while the wealthiest households saw their median net worth rise 31%.
Source: CNBC
US farm debt is at a record. Official data might be undercounting it
What Happened: U.S. farm debt has reached a record $605 billion, according to USDA estimates. The actual amount could be higher because federal data does not fully account for loans from nontraditional lenders. Farmers are also facing rising fuel and fertilizer costs and disruptions to export markets.
Source: Reuters
Resistance
Check out 50501 for local and nationwide events…
Source: 50501
By the Numbers
$350 million — Pentagon contracts awarded to a consulting firm with business ties to a senior defense official.
$1 million–$5 million — SpaceX debt purchased by Trump two days before announcing new space policy.
500+ — Additional financial transactions involving companies affected by federal policies.
8,750+ — Children detained by ICE since Trump returned to office.
21 — U.S. service members killed in Trump’s Iran war.
865 — U.S. service members wounded in Trump’s Iran war.
5 million — Americans expected to switch Medicare Advantage plans in 2027 as insurers withdraw coverage.
$605 billion — Record U.S. farm debt, with the actual amount potentially higher.
~ 20% — American families behind on loan payments at the end of 2025, the highest since 2010.
What to Watch Next
Trump’s Russian diesel deal faces legal questions — Will Congress investigate whether the agreement violates the 2022 ban on Russian oil imports?
Kash Patel is reportedly planning to visit Russia this week — Who is Patel planning to meet with, and what is the reason for his visit weeks before the midterms?
DOJ is investigating major TV networks for possible antitrust violations — Will the investigation continue as the networks refuse to comply with White House press restrictions?
Iranian attacks have disrupted oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz — Will Trump order more military strikes if the attacks continue?
Key Takeaways
Political Weaponization — The DOJ is targeting news networks and political opponents while loosening restrictions on partisan activity.
Mass Corruption — Pentagon contracts, Musk-linked funding of government workers, and Trump’s SpaceX investments show the mass corruption.
Russian Puppets — Trump is easing Russian energy sanctions and attacking Ukraine, while Kash Patel reportedly plans a visit to Moscow.
Human Rights — ICE has detained thousands of children, reportedly defied a court order, and left Ukrainian refugees facing possible deportation.
Economic Pressure — American families are falling behind on debt, farm borrowing has reached record levels, and millions face Medicare plan changes.
Government Accountability — The Pentagon keeps revising Iran war casualties, Trump is sanctioning the International Criminal Court, and scientific research funding is being cut.
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.
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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.
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