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Trump Tyranny Tracker | Day 607: Sept. 22, 2026
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The J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building is seen on Sept. 26, 2025, in Washington, D.C. Samuel Corum/Getty ImagesWelcome to today’s Trump Tyranny Tracker…
Trump’s purge of government watchdogs killed a corruption investigation, his financial conflicts continue to grow, and the White House launch of a government-run propaganda operation are among today’s top stories.
Today at a Glance
Trump’s purge of FBI and DOJ anti-corruption teams killed an active investigation into Congress members.
White House launches government-run “Trump TV” after banning major news organizations.
ICE detainee dies after repeatedly complaining he was not receiving insulin.
What We Need to Pay Attention To
The FBI Anti-Corruption Squad Was Circling Susan Collins — Until Trump Got in the Way
What Happened: FBI agents investigating illegal campaign contributions from defense contractor Navatek were cleared in late 2024 to expand the probe into possible bribery involving members of Congress, including Sen. Susan Collins. The investigation ended after Trump returned to office and his appointees dismantled the FBI and DOJ public corruption teams.
Why It Matters: Trump dismantled the teams investigating government corruption, ending an active bribery investigation involving members of Congress. Without independent investigators, government corruption will go unchecked and unpunished.
Source: ProPublica
Corruption
Trump and sons invest heavily in AI economy as he resists calls for slowdown
What Happened: Trump and his sons have money invested in companies involved in AI, data centers, chips, and energy while Trump sets federal AI policy and pushes faster development. Trump has not placed his assets in a blind trust and has reported thousands of securities transactions since returning to office.
Why It Matters: Trump is setting policies that affect industries where he and his family have money invested. Trump is making decisions on AI, energy, and data centers that are increasing the wealth of him, his family, and his cronies.
Source: The Washington Post
Trump bought and sold shares in Musk’s SpaceX in July, financial disclosure shows
What Happened: Trump bought between $15,001 and $50,000 in SpaceX shares on July 10 and sold between $1,001 and $15,000 a week later, according to his financial disclosure. SpaceX is a major federal contractor, and Trump also purchased shares in the company in June.
Source: Reuters
Trump World Eyes Towers, Tungsten, Trade in Ex-Soviet States
What Happened: Trump’s family and associates are expanding business across Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Armenia as his government deepens U.S. economic and diplomatic ties in the region. Projects include a $2 billion Trump-branded development in Georgia, critical mineral investments in Kazakhstan and Armenia, and investments connected to the new Armenia-Azerbaijan trade corridor with Trump’s name.
Source: Bloomberg
Power Consolidation
How Trump Has Cracked Down on Dissent Since the Killing of Charlie Kirk
What Happened: Since Charlie Kirk’s killing last year, Trump has directed federal agencies to investigate organizations and individuals the government associates with left-wing “political violence.” The effort has included scrutiny of nonprofits and unions and federal surveillance of protest groups and other activists.
Why It Matters: Trump is using federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies to target political groups, protesters, and activists. Treating dissent as a terrorism threat is the same tactic Russia uses to criminalize political opposition.
Source: New York Times
Weaponization of Institutions
Democrat says ICE restricted her oversight visit to country’s largest detention camp
What Happened: Rep. Veronica Escobar said ICE prevented her from speaking with detainees during an oversight visit to Camp East Montana, the country’s largest immigration detention facility. ICE has also refused to provide surveillance footage she requested after two disturbances at the camp.
Why It Matters: ICE is blocking congressional oversight of the country’s largest immigration detention facility. Keeping lawmakers away from detainees and withholding footage allows abuse inside the facility to remain hidden.
Source: The Guardian
Trump’s Compensation Fund Is Dead. Could He Find Other Ways to Pay Allies?
What Happened: The Justice Department dropped its proposed $1.776 billion slush fund, but a federal judge is concerned Trump could use other ways to pay allies, including Jan. 6 insurrectionists. The court has already barred the government from recreating the fund under another name.
Source: New York Times
Media Suppression & Authoritarian Tactics
White House Launches ‘Trump TV’ Amid Feud With Press
What Happened: The White House launched “Trump TV,” a 24/7 government-run stream featuring Trump speeches, announcements, and selected highlights. It launched days after Trump barred CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House, and major television networks suspended shared pool coverage in response.
Why It Matters: Trump is shutting out independent journalists while building a government-run channel for his own propaganda. The White House decides what people see, avoids questions, and presents its own version of events. This is what state propaganda looks like.
Source: TIME
Human & Civil Rights Abuses
Costa Rican man complained of lack of care for diabetes before his death in ICE custody, family says
What Happened: Carlos Josue Marchena, a 36-year-old Costa Rican man with type 1 diabetes, died after less than a week at an ICE detention facility in Louisiana. His family and a fellow detainee said he repeatedly complained of missed insulin doses, inadequate food and water, and worsening symptoms before his death. ICE says he received proper medical care; his official cause of death is still pending.
Why It Matters: Marchena is at least the 58th person to die in ICE custody since January 2025 and the third at this facility in less than six months. The growing death toll and repeated failures in medical care are part of the mass human rights abuses taking place across Trump’s detention system.
Source: Associated Press
The ICE Officer in Austin Wasn’t Wearing a Body Cam
What Happened: The ICE officer who shot Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez in the back was not wearing his assigned body camera, despite ICE rules requiring officers to carry and activate them during enforcement operations. The officer was hired last year during ICE’s rapid expansion; his partner was wearing a camera and recorded parts of the encounter.
Source: The Atlantic
Trump ally Stephen Miller leads sweeping push to accelerate removal of migrant children
What Happened: Stephen Miller is directing an effort across at least five federal departments to accelerate the removal of migrant children. Nearly 200,000 children have received removal orders since Trump returned to office, roughly doubling the number since January 2025.
Why It Matters: Trump officials are using multiple federal agencies to deport children faster while stripping away access to lawyers and other protections. Nearly 200,000 children have already been ordered removed.
Source: The Guardian
Trump administration asks US Supreme Court to allow detention of pro-Palestinian scholar
What Happened: The Justice Department asked the Supreme Court to overturn a ruling that allowed Georgetown scholar Badar Khan Suri to remain free. Immigration authorities detained Suri in 2025 after his pro-Palestinian advocacy, but a federal judge ordered his release after finding he was likely to prove that his detention violated his First Amendment and due process rights.
Source: Reuters
Government Disruption
‘We Hacked the FBI:’ Hackers Say They Have Data on All FBI Employees
What Happened: The hacking group ShinyHunters says it breached the FBI and stole information on employees and applicants, including names, home addresses, phone numbers, and details about spouses. 404 Media checked 5,000 of the alleged records and matched some of the information to DOJ personnel. The FBI says it is investigating activity connected to FBIjobs.gov.
Why It Matters: Personal information on FBI employees and their families in the hands of hackers is a major security and counterintelligence risk. Foreign intelligence services and criminals could use the data to identify, track or target federal agents.
Source: 404 Media
Trump Officials Eject 750,000 From Obamacare Markets, Claiming Fraud
What Happened: Trump officials canceled Affordable Care Act coverage for more than 750,000 people as part of a “fraud” crackdown led by JD Vance, with another 440,000 people reportedly under review.
Why It Matters: More than 750,000 Americans have already lost their health insurance and another 440,000 could be next. Anyone wrongly caught in the crackdown will suddenly be left without health coverage.
Source: New York Times
Pennsylvania measles cases near 800 as outbreak grows
What Happened: Pennsylvania has confirmed 792 measles cases across 39 counties, including 155 hospitalizations and four measles-associated deaths. Only four of the confirmed cases were among vaccinated people.
Source: Reuters
Imperial & Geopolitical Watch
Trump Meets Middle East Leaders as Regional Wars Widen
What Happened: Trump met with Middle Eastern leaders as the Iran war and fighting between the Houthis and Saudi-backed forces in Yemen continue to spread across the region. Trump said he would maintain pressure on Iran and warned there would come a point when the U.S. would not allow Iran to “survive as a nation.”
Source: New York Times
Machado Fails to Slip Into Venezuela While Rodríguez Is Away
What Happened: Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado made three attempts to return to Venezuela but failed. Meanwhile, acting President Delcy Rodríguez traveled to New York to meet with Trump as the U.S. builds closer economic ties with her government.
Why It Matters: Trump removed Maduro and promised Venezuela a political transition. Now he is working with Maduro’s former deputy while Machado and the opposition are being shut out.
Source: Bloomberg
Far-Right & Russian Influence Watch
Unmasking RussiaGermany’s AfD, Gazprom, and Moscow’s Long GameIt has been four years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine forced Germany to begin unwinding its decades-long dependence on Russian energy. Now a senior official from a right-wing party loyal to Moscow is trying to reverse that…Read more11 days ago · 118 likes · 12 comments · Olga LautmanEconomic News
Americans Are About to Lose Access to Cheap Gray-Market Prescriptions From Canada
What Happened: Beginning October 22, prescription drugs mailed from Canada and other countries will face new customs requirements that could shut down many personal mail order imports. Millions of Americans use foreign pharmacies to buy medications at much lower prices.
Why It Matters: Americans who cannot afford U.S. drug prices could lose access to cheaper medications. One patient profiled said she pays around $10 a week for her medication through Canada, and the same drug will now cost her $1,100 a week in the U.S.
Source: Wall Street Journal
Resistance
Check out 50501 for local and nationwide events…
Source: 50501
By the Numbers
$2 billion — Planned Trump-branded development in Georgia as his family expands business interests across Georgia, Kazakhstan and Armenia
750,000+ — People who lost Affordable Care Act coverage in Trump’s “fraud” crackdown
200,000 — Migrant children who have received removal orders since Trump returned to office
58 — People who have died in ICE custody since January 2025
792 — Confirmed measles cases in Pennsylvania
What to Watch Next
Trump has gutted the government’s anti-corruption investigators — What other investigations will disappear as oversight continues to be dismantled?
Trump is turning federal agencies against political dissent — How far will surveillance and investigations of protesters, activists and political organizations expand?
The White House is restricting independent press access while building its own government-run media operation — How much further will Trump go to control what Americans see and hear?
Nearly 200,000 migrant children have received removal orders — How many more children will be rounded up via Trump’s deportation system?
Key Takeaways
Corruption Without Oversight — Trump gutted federal anti-corruption teams, killing an active bribery investigation involving members of Congress.
Personal Profiteering — Trump and his family are investing in industries affected by his policies while expanding business interests across countries where his government is making major economic and diplomatic decisions.
Criminalizing Dissent — Federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies are being used to investigate protesters, activists and political organizations.
State Propaganda — Trump is restricting independent press access while the White House launches its own 24/7 government-run propaganda media channel.
Human Rights Abuses — ICE deaths continue to rise as Trump officials accelerate efforts to deport migrant children and restrict access to legal protections.
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’s unchecked power and war on oversight.
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.
Follow my work on YouTube → Subscribe to Unmasking Russia
https://youtube.com/@unmaskingrussia
Thanks for reading the Trump Tyranny Tracker. Stay tuned for more updates.
