Active
TERM 1
January 20, 2025 · 540 days ago
🗳️ Democracy
On January 20, 2025, the Trump administration signed Memorandum 2025-02042 directing the Office of Personnel Management to restore Schedule F classification, which removes civil service protections from certain senior career federal employees. The memorandum eliminates job protections and due process requirements for affected employees, allowing them to be removed more easily. This directly impacts thousands of career federal workers in senior positions who lose employment protections previously guaranteed under civil service law.
Active
TERM 1
January 20, 2025 · 540 days ago
🗳️ Democracy
Executive Order 14171 was signed on January 20, 2025. The order modifies the civil service protections and classification of certain federal positions designated as policy-influencing roles. The confirmed direct impact includes changes to job protections and removal procedures for affected federal employees in positions designated under the order's criteria.
Active
TERM 2
January 16 2025 · 544 days ago
🗳️ Democracy
The Pentagon terminated the U.S. military newspaper Stars and Stripes's ombudsman, Jacqueline Smith, who was responsible for monitoring the outlet's editorial independence and reporting concerns to Congress. The firing removes an independent watchdog designed to protect press freedom within the military. This action directly impacts transparency and editorial independence at a major military publication.
Active
TERM 2
January 2025 · 546 days ago
🗳️ Democracy
The Supreme Court's conservative majority issued an emergency ruling signaling a dramatically reduced federal judicial role in congressional redistricting challenges. The decision weakens enforcement mechanisms under the Voting Rights Act and restricts courts' ability to address partisan gerrymandering and voting rights violations in district boundary disputes.
Active
TERM 2
January 13 2025 · 547 days ago
🗳️ Democracy
An appeals court ruled that the Defense Department can require journalists to be escorted while on Pentagon grounds during the Trump administration's appeal of a decision restoring press access. This restriction limits journalists' ability to freely report on Pentagon activities and government operations, potentially reducing transparency and public access to information about defense policy.
Active
TERM 2
January 7 2025 · 553 days ago
🗳️ Democracy
Trump issued a proclamation granting pardons for certain offenses related to the 2020 presidential election. The action provides clemency to individuals convicted or charged in connection with January 6th Capitol events and related election disputes. This directly impacts hundreds of individuals facing federal charges and their families.
Active
TERM 2
January 2025 · 559 days ago
🗳️ Democracy
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth exercised his authority to block promotions for nine Navy and Air Force officers, with a disproportionate number of the stalled promotions involving women and minority service members. The targeted blocks represent an unprecedented use of promotion veto power that former military leaders characterize as corrosive abuse of executive authority. The action raises concerns about politicization of military personnel decisions and potential discrimination in advancement opportunities.
Active
TERM 2
January 2025 · 559 days ago
🗳️ Democracy
President Trump signed an executive order moving approximately 8,000 career federal workers in policy roles into a new Schedule P/C (Policy/Career) classification, effectively converting them to at-will employees who can be fired without cause. The action resurrects the Schedule F initiative from Trump's first term and removes civil service protections that have governed federal employment for over a century. Critics warn this politicizes the civil service and exposes workers to arbitrary termination based on political loyalty rather than performance.
Active
TERM 2
June 2024 · 746 days ago
🗳️ Democracy
The Supreme Court ruled that President Trump can freely fire officials from the Federal Trade Commission and most independent agencies, overturning nearly a century of precedent protecting agency independence from presidential removal. The decision vastly expands presidential power over regulatory bodies that have long been shielded from direct political control. The ruling enables the administration to reshape independent agencies and their enforcement priorities without congressional constraints.
Active
TERM 2
June 2024 · 746 days ago
🗳️ Democracy
The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that President Trump can fire commissioners at independent agencies like the Federal Trade Commission without cause, overturning 91 years of congressional protections. The decision eliminates firing restrictions that previously insulated executive officials from direct presidential removal. The ruling immediately strengthens Trump's control over regulatory agencies and weakens congressional oversight of the executive branch.