Every terrible thing the Trump administration did in February 2026

Every terrible thing the Trump administration did in February 2026

Over the last month, the Trump administration has unconstitutionally started a war in the Middle East without the consent of Congress while building a network of concentration camps across the U.S., seizing voting machines from Puerto Rico, raiding Fulton County elections offices, and consolidating regime-oriented media.

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND ACTS OF WAR

Feb. 1: “Cuba on the brink as Trump turns up the pressure: ‘There is going to be a real blockade’,” Guardian; “A New U.S. Blockade Is Strangling Cuba,” NYT; “Trump suggests US could carry out ‘friendly takeover’ of Cuba,” Guardian

Feb. 2: “US contractor sent Gaza plan to White House that would secure 300% profits,” Guardian

Feb. 5: “Religious freedom group says US military members were 'pressured' by commanders to see 'Melania',” Business Insider

Feb. 5: “U.S. forces strike alleged drug boat in Pacific, second since Maduro's capture,” CBS

Feb. 12: “CBP shot down party balloons with anti-drone tech before FAA closed El Paso airspace,” NBC;

Feb. 12: “Judge temporarily blocks Pentagon from punishing Sen. Kelly for call to resist unlawful orders,” PBS; “Pentagon appeals order blocking punishment for Kelly,” The Hill

Feb. 13: “Trump tells soldiers to vote GOP in campaign-style rally at Fort Bragg,” WaPo

Feb. 17: “US says 11 people killed in latest strikes on alleged drug boats,” Guardian

Feb. 17: “Hegseth forces ouster of senior Army spokesman in latest internal clash,” WaPo

Feb. 17: “U.S. Sent a Rescue Plane for Boat Strike Survivors. It Took 45 Hours to Arrive,” Intercept

Feb. 18: “US military's ban on enlistment by people with HIV upheld by appeals court,” Reuters

Feb. 20: “U.S. military says it struck another alleged drug boat in eastern Pacific, killing 3,” NBC

Feb. 20: “Hegseth invited pastor who calls for Christian theocracy to lead Pentagon prayer service,” CNN

Feb. 23: “US military strike on boat allegedly smuggling drugs kills three men,” Guardian

Feb. 24: “Anthropic doesn’t want its AI killing people unsupervised. The Pentagon isn’t happy,” Verge; “Trump orders federal agencies to stop using Anthropic's AI technology,” CBS; “OpenAI announces Pentagon deal after Trump bans Anthropic,” NPR

Feb. 27: “Pentagon to cut ties with Columbia, Yale, Brown and others Hegseth accuses of ‘wokeness’,” AP

Feb. 27: “U.S. military used a laser to shoot down a Border Protection drone,” WaPo

Feb. 28: “Pentagon Watchdog Stalls Proposal to Review Targeting in Trump’s Boat Strikes,” NYT

Feb. 28: “US begins ‘major combat operations’ in Iran; Trump urges regime change,” The Hill

  • “White House officials believe ‘the politics are a lot better’ if Israel strikes Iran first,” Politico
  • “Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been killed,” NPR
  • “At least 153 dead after reported strike on school, Iran says,” BBC; “Nearly 900 People Have Been Killed in Fighting in the Middle East,” NYT; “Pentagon identifies 4 of 6 U.S. soldiers killed in Iran war by drone strike in Kuwait,” PBS
  • “Pentagon tells Congress no sign that Iran was going to attack US first, sources say,” Reuters; “Iran strikes were launched without approval from Congress,” NPR; “Congress gears up for vote on Trump's war powers in Iran — after the battle began,” NPR
  • “How Anonymous Bettors Cashed In on the Iran Strike, Just Hours Before It Happened,” NYT; “Prediction market trader 'Magamyman' made $553,000 on death of Iran's supreme leader,” NPR

ICE AND CBP

Surveillance and data

Feb. 2: “Trump Calls His Enemies Terrorists. Does That Mean He Can Just Kill Them?: DHS’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis does admit that it ‘nominated over 4,600 people to the terrorist watchlist’ in the last year,” Intercept

Feb. 3: “Homeland Security is targeting Americans with this secretive legal weapon: In October, a retiree emailed a DHS attorney to urge mercy for an asylum seeker. Then DHS subpoenaed his Google account and sent investigators to his home,” WaPo

Feb. 5: “ICE and CBP’s Face-Recognition App Can’t Actually Verify Who People Are,” Wired

Feb. 10: “ICE has been tracking the names of protesters in an internal database for several months…The government database contains names, photos, actions that provoked suspicion, locations and license plates, the officials said, adding that the effort was intended to spot patterns that could lead to charges,” Reuters

Feb. 10: “Local police [in Texas] aid ICE by tapping school cameras amid Trump’s immigration crackdown,” Guardian

Feb. 10: “Google Fulfilled ICE Subpoena Demanding Student Journalist’s Bank and Credit Card Numbers,” Intercept

Feb. 11: “IRS improperly disclosed confidential immigrant tax data to DHS,” WaPo; “Judge: IRS broke law ‘approximately 42,695 times’ in giving DHS data,” WaPo

Feb. 11: “CBP Signs Clearview AI Deal to Use Face Recognition for ‘Tactical Targeting’,” Wired

Feb. 13: “Social Security Workers Are Being Told to Hand Over Appointment Details to ICE,” Wired

Feb. 13: “Homeland Security Wants Social Media Sites to Expose Anti-ICE Accounts: The department has sent Google, Meta and other companies hundreds of subpoenas for information on accounts that track or comment on Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” NYT

Feb. 17: “ICE reliance on Microsoft technology surged amid immigration crackdown, documents show,” Guardian

Feb. 19: “The Department of Homeland Security struck a $1 billion purchasing agreement with Palantir,” Wired

Feb. 23: “How ICE and CBP Use Free Walkie-Talkie App ‘Zello’ to Power Their Operations,” 404 Media

Feb. 26: “The Government Just Made it Harder to See What Spy Tech it Buys,” 404 Media

Immigration policy

Feb. 1: “How the Pentagon is Quietly Building Trump’s Concentration Camps: A repurposed Navy contract to funnel tens of billions to ICE for a nationwide "ghost network” of concentration camps—just got a lot bigger,” Migrant Insider

Feb. 3: “Small Business Administration shuts out non-U.S. citizens from its main lending program,” CBS

Feb. 3: “Judge blocks Trump administration from ending protections for Haitians,” NPR; “Trump administration files official appeal notice in Haitian TPS suit,” Columbus Dispatch

Feb. 5: “Private jet owned by Trump friend used by ICE to deport Palestinians to West Bank,” Guardian

Feb. 6: “Fifth Circuit upholds Trump administration’s mandatory detention policy,” Courthouse News

Feb. 7: “ICE Is Treating Trans Immigrants With A New Level Of Cruelty,” HuffPost

Feb. 9: “ICE Moved Detainees to Previously Undisclosed Floor of 26 Federal Plaza: A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to reduce overcrowding and squalid conditions at a Manhattan holding room. Months later, he finds ICE merely shifted floors,” The City

Feb. 9: “Immigration courts fast-track hearings for Somali asylum claims,” NPR

Feb. 10: “In southwest Idaho FBI raid, officials zip-tied teens and used aggressive force, lawsuit alleges,” Idaho Capitol Sun

Feb. 11: “Government Loses Hard Drives It Was Supposed to Put ICE Detention Center Footage On,” 404 Media

Feb. 12: “Trump administration working to expand effort to strip citizenship from foreign-born Americans,” NBC

Feb. 13: “ICE to spend $38bn turning warehouses into detention centers, documents show,” Guardian

Feb. 13: “DOJ Moves to End Administrative Immigration Appeals to Speed Up Mass Deportations,” AIC

Feb. 13: “Trump administration ends temporary protected status for Yemeni nationals,” Guardian

Feb. 14: “Parents Are Getting Deported Without Having Any Idea Where Their Kids Are: A new method of detaining and deporting immigrants seems ‘engineered to lead to family separation,’” HuffPost

**Feb. 18: “White House directing DHS to hunt for voter fraud by naturalized citizens,” MS Now

Feb. 18: “Journalists Arrested in Cameroon While Reporting on Trump’s Secretive Deportation Program,” NYT

Feb. 19: “New DHS memo outlines plan to detain refugees for further vetting,” WaPo

Feb. 19: “HUD rule could push families with undocumented immigrants out of their homes,” NPR

Feb. 19: “Judge [Sykes] Condemns ‘Terror Against Noncitizens’ and Orders Hearings for Detainees,” NYT

Feb. 20: “Judge [Provinzino] threatens government lawyer with fines after ICE violates court order,” MPR

Feb. 23: “Ex-ICE instructor testifies that agency slashed officer training, lied to Congress,” WaPo

Feb. 24: “Trump Administration Considers Requiring Banks to Collect Citizenship Information,” WSJ

Feb. 24: “Trump’s Justice Department Sues New Jersey Governor Over ICE Enforcement,” NYT

Feb. 24: “Advocates seek to halt CBP policy pressuring unaccompanied children to self-deport,” ABC

Feb. 25: “ICE arrested 261 DACA recipients over 10 months last year, document shows,” CBS

Feb. 26: “Trump asks Supreme Court to remove immigration protections for thousands of Syrians,” CNN

Feb. 26: “ICE struggles to vet recruits amid US immigration enforcement push, internal email shows,” Reuters

Feb. 26: “US aims to bring in 4,500 white South Africans per month as refugees, document says,” Reuters

Feb. 26: “Judge [Quraishi] Says U.S. Is Intentionally Violating the Law on Immigration,” NYT

Feb. 26: “Judge [Schiltz] Vows to End Trump Administration’s Noncompliance ‘One Way or Another’: The federal judge identified 210 orders issued in 143 cases in Minnesota in which he said Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials had not complied with court orders,” NYT

Feb. 26: “Federal judge [Bryan] in Minnesota threatens Trump officials with contempt over violated orders,” Minnesota Reformer

Feb. 27: “Attorney general announces indictments against 30 more people who protested at a Minnesota church,” CNN

Other important articles:

  • “DHS’s account of two Venezuelans shot by border patrol falls apart in court: ‘a smear campaign’,” Guardian
  • “ICE agent in Portland threatened to use deadly force during call with 911 dispatch,” KGW
  • “The Real Story Behind the Midnight Immigration Raid on a Chicago Apartment Building,” ProPublica
  • “Border Patrol official praised agent’s ‘excellent service’ hours after he shot Chicago woman, new evidence shows,” CNN; “Evidence Shows Feds Lied To Justify Shooting Marimar Martinez, Lawyer Says,” Book Club Chicago
  • “Feds open a perjury probe into ICE officers’ testimony about the shooting of a Venezuelan man in Minnesota
  • “Texas grand jury declines to charge Homeland Security officer in fatal shooting,” WaPo
  • “Nearly blind refugee abandoned by US border patrol found dead in Buffalo,” Guardian
  • “Columbia says ICE agents used false pretenses to enter a university residence and detain a student,” CNN
  • “ICE demanded Maine sheriff’s employment records following his criticism of arrest,” Bangor Daily News
  • “Four Haitian Women Were Deported From Puerto Rico; They Have Now Been Found Decapitated,” Latin Times
  • “After El Paso’s ME ruled migrant’s death a homicide, ICE sent the next body to an Army hospital,” Texas Tribune
  • “He Fled Torture in Uganda. ICE Is Trying to Send Him Back,” Mother Jones
  • “The U.S. deported a gay asylum-seeker to a third country where homosexuality is illegal,” CTV

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND NATIONAL SECURITY

Feb. 2: “DNI Gabbard put Trump on the phone with FBI agents who searched Fulton County elections office, sources say,” CNN

Feb. 3: “Epstein files reveal close ties to Trump's influential inner circle,” PBS; “Under fire for Epstein ties, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick defends visiting his private island ,”NBC; “Navy secretary John Phelan listed as passenger on Jeffrey Epstein’s private plane in 2006,” CNN

Feb. 3: “Justice Department review found Trump ally Ed Martin improperly leaked grand jury material in probe of president’s foes,” CNN

Feb. 5: “Intelligence director Tulsi Gabbard’s office obtained and tested voting machines in Puerto Rico,” CNN

Feb. 7: “NSA detected foreign intelligence phone call about a person close to Trump,” Guardian; “Conversation about Jared Kushner served as basis for Gabbard whistleblower complaint,” MS Now; “Spy Agency Blocks Congress From Seeing Gabbard Whistleblower Intelligence,” WSJ

Feb. 9: “Trump justice department moves to dismiss Steve Bannon criminal case,” Guardian

Feb. 10: “Trump instructs spy agencies to provide intelligence to his 'Stop the Steal' lawyer,” NBC; “Former Trump campaign lawyer sparked FBI probe of Fulton County ballots: Affidavit,” CNBC

Feb. 12: “FBI Counterterrorism Agents Spent Weeks Seeking a Climate Activist — Then Showed Up at His Door,” Intercept

Feb. 19: “Large banner of Trump unfurled at Justice Department headquarters,” NBC

Feb. 20: “Judge who allowed FBI to search Washington Post reporter’s home rips into Justice Department,” CNN; “Judge blocks Trump DOJ from reviewing Washington Post reporter's seized data,” NBC

Feb. 20: “FBI Director Kash Patel takes agency jet to Italy, plans to attend Olympic hockey games,” CBS; “Kash Patel’s use of jet delayed FBI team’s mass shooting response, whistleblower tells top senator,” MS Now

Feb. 25: “Trump Administration Moves to Allow Intelligence Agencies Easier Access to Law Enforcement Files,” ProPublica

Feb. 25: “Kash Patel fires at least six FBI agents tied to 2022 Mar-a-Lago search,” NBC


CULTURAL CONTROL

Feb, 2: “Trump threatens to sue Trevor Noah over joke about Jeffrey Epstein's island,” NBC

Feb. 3: “Trump demands $1 billion from Harvard as a prolonged standoff appears to deepen,” AP

Feb. 4: “Washington Post cuts a third of its staff in a blow to a legendary news brand,” AP

Feb. 7: “Trump backs Nexstar-Tegna merger, says big TV networks need more competition,” Reuters; “How Trump’s F.C.C. Is Reshaping TV,” New Yorker

Feb. 12: “FTC warns Apple over alleged lack of conservative news,” BBC

Feb. 18: “Colbert says CBS scrapped his James Talarico interview after Trump FCC’s threats,” CNN

Feb. 19: “FCC is investigating ABC's 'The View' over 'equal time' rule, chairman says,” PBS

Feb. 21: “FCC calls for more 'patriotic, pro-America' programming in run-up to 250th anniversary,” NPR

Feb. 24: “Justice Department sues UCLA, alleging school failed to protect Jewish employees from hostility,” PBS

Feb. 27: “Warner Bros. Discovery signs merger agreement with Paramount Skydance,” NBC; “With Trump’s apparent blessing, the Ellisons are amassing a media empire,” CNN


ENVIRONMENT

Feb. 2: “The Trump administration exempts new nuclear reactors from environmental review,” NPR

Feb. 2: “DOE scientists blasted climate report ordered up by boss,” E&E News

Feb. 4: “A Trump ‘Blockade’ Is Stalling Hundreds of Wind and Solar Projects Nationwide,” NYT

Feb. 9: “Trump opens massive Atlantic marine monument to commercial fishing,” E&E News

Feb. 11: “Trump orders Pentagon to buy power from coal plants,” CNBC

Feb. 13: “Trump revokes landmark ruling that greenhouse gases endanger public health,” BBC

Feb. 13: “Trump admin is pulling supercomputers out of key weather and climate research center,” CNN

Feb. 26: “EPA firing 22 environmental justice staffers, union says,” The Hill

Feb. 27: “Trump officials move to kill system that protects US from chemical disasters,” Guardian


GENDER AND REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

Feb. 2: “FDA Targets Gender-Affirming Garments, Warning Companies that Serve Trans Customers,” Rewire

Feb. 6: “The FDA Quietly Slapped More Restrictions on the Birth Control Implant,” Autonomy News

Feb. 10: “FTC Targets Medical Nonprofits in Trans Kids’ Health Probe,” Bloomberg

Feb. 10: “Trump administration removes LGBTQ+ Pride flag from Stonewall national monument,” Guardian

Feb. 19: “Federal Prisons Bar Gender-Affirming Care for Trans People,” Marshall Project

Feb. 25: “Trans inmate's lawyers claim "egregious retaliation" in violation of court order,” LawDork

Feb. 25: “Surgeon general nominee Means questioned about vaccines, birth control and financial conflicts,” NPR; “Means has written that hormonal birth control has "horrifying health risks" and speculated about a link to increased breast cancer rates in young people,” Axios


CORRUPTION, OLIGARCHS, AND PARDONS

Feb. 2: “Trump says Kennedy Center will close in July for two-year renovation,” CNN

Feb. 2: “FAA Warns Airlines About Safety Risks From [SpaceX] Rocket Launches, Urges “Extreme Caution”,” ProPublica

Feb. 5: “Trump wanted Dulles Airport, Penn Station named after him — in exchange for releasing federal funds,” NBC

Feb. 6: “[Palmer Luckey’s] Hobbit-Inspired Startup Becomes First New Bank Greenlighted by Trump 2.0,” WSJ

Feb. 8: “For $1 Million, Donors to U.S.A. Birthday Group Offered Access to Trump,” NYT

Feb. 10: “Trump’s nutrition website directs users to Elon Musk’s Grok,” NextGov

Feb. 10: “Bridge Owner Lobbied Administration Before Trump Blasted Competing Span to Canada,” NYT

Feb. 11: “US decides SpaceX is like an airline, exempting it from Labor Relations Act,” Ars Technica

Feb. 13: “Trump pardons 5 ex-NFL players for crimes including drug trafficking,” CBS

Feb. 17: “Trump picks his White House assistant for panel reviewing ballroom,” WaPo

Feb. 17: “Eric Trump Invests in ‘Low Cost Per Kill’ Drone Company,” WSJ

Feb. 17: “Palantir Pays Zero Federal Income Tax Despite Explosive Growth, Largely Due to Trump Tax Law,” ITEP; “Palantir Just Received DISA Authorization,” Yahoo

Feb. 17: “Seeking Pardon, Foreign [Venezuelan] Billionaire Allegedly Funneled Millions to Trump Super PAC,” CLC

Feb. 18: “Amid Mass ICE Arrests, Trump Pardon Recipient Juan Orlando Hernández Given Special Treatment,” ProPublica

Feb. 19: “Labor Secretary’s Husband Barred From the Department After Sexual Assault Reports,” NYT

Feb. 21: “Georgia says Elon Musk’s America PAC violated election law,” Verge

Feb. 23: “Binance Employees Find $1.7 Billion in Crypto Was Sent to Iranian Entities,” NYT

Feb. 23: “‘Just a couple of guys’: How a little-known company could score big from a Trump trade deal,” Politico