Every terrible thing the Trump administration did in October 2026

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ELECTION INTERFERENCE

Oct. 1: “Democrats sue over Pentagon’s changes to voter forms for Americans overseas,” WaPo

Oct 1.: “Georgia board asks Trump administration to investigate voting machines,” AJC; “Georgia election board director sent Trump administration demands 2 board members say they never approved,” VoteBeat

Oct. 6: “Trump administration refuses international election monitors for first time in over 2 decades,” MS Now

Oct. 6: “In run-up to election, ICE is asking detainees if they voted illegally,” WaPo

Oct. 7: “Trump administration sued over plans to send election monitors to voting sites,” Guardian

Oct. 7: “ICE reviewed tens of millions of voter records looking for noncitizen voters, records show,” CNN

Oct. 15: “DOJ sues California over alleged non-citizens on voter rolls,” ABC

Oct. 19: “Trump Appointees Asked a Federal Cybersecurity Agency to Secretly Acquire a Voting Machine — and Hack It,” ProPublica

Oct. 22: “Federal agents knock on doors to track down possible noncitizen voters ahead of midterms,” CBS

Oct. 23: “Trump administration sues to block Alaska’s US Senate election result if Peltola wins,” Alaska Beacon

Oct. 24: “DOJ to send monitors to 6 Georgia counties with Democratic majorities,” AJC

Oct. 26: “DOJ asks Washington state to set aside 400 ballots from voters it says may be noncitizens,” NBC

Oct. 27: “Before midterms, Trump offers $1 million bounty in voter fraud campaign,” Le Monde

Oct. 28: “Trump Vows to Send Election “Monitors” to Maine After Far-Right Conspiracies Spread,” Intercept

Oct. 30: “Justice Department issues subpoenas to California election workers,” NPR

Oct. 30: “DOJ dangles legal threats over state election officials days before the midterms,” Politico

Oct. 31: "Days before consequential midterm elections, the head of the Social Security Administration blasted out an email to the public praising President Donald Trump," WaPo

Oct. 31: "Democrats File Suit Over Closed Polling Places in Rural Alaska: Voting sites in 18 far-flung communities failed to open, the suit claims," NYT

IMMIGRATION

Oct. 1: “New Facility at Louisiana Airport to Hold Immigrant Children and Families,” NYT

Oct. 5: “ICE is now separating children from their parents in the nation’s interior and deeming them ‘unaccompanied’,” Mother Jones

Oct. 6: “More than 500 U.S. citizens have been detained, including handcuffed or held at gunpoint, in Trump’s immigration crackdown,” ProPublica

Oct. 6: “Emails show how ICE trimmed training for deputized officers,” WaPo

Oct. 7: “Feds Charged Activists Just Before Major Anti-ICE Protest in a Tiny Vermont Town,” Intercept

Oct. 7: “Trump Administration Plans to Have Its Own Lawyers Represent Migrant Kids,” Mother Jones

Oct. 7: “Detained immigrants at Georgia ICE facility launch mass hunger strike,” Guardian

Oct. 8: “Trump Administration Considers Using Ships to Deport Immigrants,” NYT

The Trump administration is considering using ships, including a 500-foot training vessel and ferries, to deport migrants to Central and South America on journeys that could take days and cost millions of dollars, according to two U.S. officials. [...] “What ICE is functionally contemplating is prison ships,” said Claire Trickler-McNulty, a former top official at Immigration and Customs Enforcement during the Biden administration.

Oct. 9: “Judge orders U.S. government to return Arizona man deported to Equatorial Guinea,” CBC

Oct. 9: “Maryland man who offered to self-deport dies in ICE custody in Louisiana,” CBS

Oct. 9: “ICE officer shoots a man while making an arrest in New York, officials say,” AP

• “Man shot during ICE encounter on New York City street still has bullet lodged in neck, attorneys say,” ABC

Oct. 10: “As Trump’s Wall Closes in, DHS Intimidates a Border Tribe With Surveillance, Masked Agents and Drones,” ProPublica

Oct. 11: “ICE agent strikes man with car during pursuit in Texas, authorities say,” ABC

• “ICE agent who crashed into man in Texas was targeting suspect who died years ago, family says,” Guardian
• “ICE officer is indicted after striking, injuring immigrant with his vehicle in Houston,” NBC

Oct. 12: “Feds Got Warrants to Use Fake Cell Towers to Hunt Down Don Lemon’s Producer,” Wired

Oct. 13: “ICE has quietly used this warehouse as a detention facility all summer, neighbors say,” NPR

Oct. 13: “ICE Wants to Use AI to Monitor Detainee Calls and Movements,” Washington Sun

Oct. 14: “These Women Were Trying to Escape Domestic Abuse. ICE Detained Them Instead.” ProPublica

Oct. 16: “Chicago-Area Cops Helped HSI Spy on Minnesota Anti-ICE Activists,” Wired

Oct. 18: “Migrant found dead at Laredo ICE facility,” Texas Tribune; “Dallas man who died in Laredo ICE facility was lawful permanent resident,” Texas Tribune

Oct. 19: “$100 Million ICE “Intelligence” Program is a Domestic Secret Police Agency in the Making,” ACLU

Oct. 19: “ICE agents broke US citizen’s arm as they detained him in California, officials say,” Guardian

Oct. 20: “ICE Is Running One of the Largest Anti-Left Surveillance Operations in US History,” Wired

Oct. 21: “Pentagon grants DHS permission to test heat ray weapon for potential use at border,” CNN

Oct. 21: “Top Justice Department official asks Minnesota judges to step aside from immigration cases,” CBS

Oct. 22: “Trump’s ‘Smart Wall’ of A.I. Cameras Is Watching the Border, and More Than a Million People,” NYT

Oct. 24: “Man detained at Georgia immigration detention center dies as hunger strike continues,” Guardian

Oct. 25: “Trump’s DOJ told a judge how to rule. Then it pulled her from court.” WaPo

Oct. 27: “Documents support claim ICE has detained a mentally ill US citizen since January,” AP

Oct. 27: “Immigrant detainee dies at Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego,” LA Times

Oct. 29: “Detained woman on life support, after apparent act of self-harm at AZ ICE facility,” Tuscon

Oct. 30: “U.S. to Send Dozens Back to Afghanistan, Despite Risk of Persecution,” NYT

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, WAR, AND FOREIGN POLICY

Oct. 6: “Elon Musk and Palmer Luckey's new Pentagon roles raise ethics worries,” NPR

Oct. 6: “Amid Midterm Crunch, Trump Advisers Took Time to Help Russia-Aligned Government,” NYT

Oct. 8: “Pentagon says the firing squad execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan will be livestreamed,” AP; “Trump calls off livestream of Fort Hood attacker's execution by firing squad,” BBC

Oct. 9: “Trump strikes deal with Putin to get diesel in sharp reversal of US policy weeks before midterms,” AP

Oct. 9: “US hits International Criminal Court with sweeping sanctions as part of drive to dismantle tribunal,” AP

Oct. 10: “Pentagon raises official toll of troops who died during war with Iran to 21,” WaPo

Oct. 11: “US threatens to block arms for Ukraine over attacks on Russian refineries,” FT

Oct. 12: “Air Force Major Who Called for Trump’s Impeachment is in Solitary Confinement 24 Hours a Day,” Military.com

Oct. 14: “Ukrainian military’s access to Starlink satellite internet suddenly restricted,” Guardian; “Musk chose to restrict Ukraine's access to SpaceX satellite network, sources say,” CBS

• “Pentagon IG refuses to investigate Starlink/Starshield slowdown in Ukraine,” ArsTechnica

Oct. 16: “Trump issues order to bypass Russian sanctions in bill named for late Lindsey Graham,” Politico

Oct. 19: “Trump administration holds up Patriot missiles for Ukraine,” WaPo

Oct. 22: “Hegseth wanted Eisenhower’s globe for his office. His staff broke it.” WaPo

Oct. 27: “U.S. military says 5 were killed by a strike on an alleged drug smuggling boat in the eastern Pacific,” PBS

Oct. 27: “U.S. granting visas to Flávio Bolsonaro and family,” Axios

Oct. 29: “Hegseth reportedly fires high-ranking army strategist over alleged leaks,” Guardian; “General ousted by Hegseth referred for possible criminal prosecution, officials say,” WaPo

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Oct. 1: “Decades After Watergate, Justice Department Reviews Whether Nixon Got a Raw Deal,” WSJ

Oct. 6: “FBI whistleblower says White House pushed unconstitutional probe of protesters,” NBC

Oct. 8: “Justice Department seeks criminal charge for former Trump aide Cassidy Hutchinson,” NBC; “Justice Department fails to indict former White House aide over her testimony about Trump and Jan. 6,” CNN

Oct. 10: “FBI awarding UFC exclusive agreement to train agents,” Reuters

Oct. 12: “Agents search Rep. Omar’s Washington home in criminal probe as she vows she won’t ‘be silenced’,” AP; “Ilhan Omar Investigation Aims to Build Case for Stripping Her Citizenship,” WSJ

Oct. 21: “Justice Department IG refuses to investigate botched Reflecting Pool case after Trump’s false vandalism claims,” NBC

Oct. 22: “Powerful Democratic Virginia state Sen. Lucas is accused of leading a marijuana criminal conspiracy,” AP

Oct. 23: “DOJ charges two former top FBI officials who were frequent targets of Trump allies,” NBC

Oct. 26: “James Comey charged for a third time by the Trump administration,” NBC

CULTURAL CONTROL: EDUCATION AND MEDIA

Oct. 2: “Agency Diverted $1.4 Billion in Science Funds Mandated by Congress,” NYT

Oct. 5: “White House removes Politico from press pool for Trump’s trip to Nebraska,” NBC

Oct. 6: “Trump Does Not Plan to Reimburse Taxpayers for Promotional Ads,” NYT

Oct. 8: “US proposes $100,000 charge for international students to do postgraduate work,” Nature

Oct. 10: “Justice Dept. Is Investigating TV Networks Over Trump Pool Coverage,” NYT

Oct. 13: “Pentagon Names One of Its Own Public Affairs Officials to Run Stars and Stripes,” Military.com

Oct. 19: “Education Department Is About To Seize Student Loan Borrowers’ Wages And Benefits,” Forbes

Oct. 19: “UNC-CH Signs ‘Agreement’ With Federal Government Over Alleged Discrimination,” The Assembly NC

Oct. 19: “Christiane Amanpour to leave CNN after four decades as Ellison era begins,” Reuters

• Related: “Elon Musk makes $1 billion investment in Ellison’s Skydance,” Semafor

Oct. 22: “Sexual Assaults on Campus No Longer Scrutinized as Closely Under Trump’s Education Department,” ProPublica

More than 200 new complaints were filed with the office related to schools’ handling of sexual violence — rape, assault and abuse. But the Trump administration launched investigations in only 29 of them, finding fault with a school district only once, according to the newly obtained data. It’s typical for there to be at least 60 sexual violence investigations opened each year.

Oct. 27: “US Justice Department sues Maryland school district over transgender policies,” Reuters

Oct. 26: “Black Enrollment Falls for Third Straight Year, Asian Enrollment Rises in Harvard’s Class of 2030,” Harvard Crimson

Oct. 30: “Education Dept. Is Accused in Lawsuit of Throttling Student Debt Cancellation,” NYT

CORRUPTION, LEGACY PROJECTS, AND GENERAL SHADINESS

Oct. 1: “Trump to host another gala with investors in his meme coin,” ABC; “Trump meme coin buyers vie for dinner with the president. Many appear to be overseas,” CBS

"Foreign actors used to need a back door to try to influence a president," said Zach Everson, a researcher for the progressive consumer rights advocacy group Public Citizen. "Trump is holding the front door open and inviting them in for a steak dinner."

Oct. 1: “How Jared Kushner’s firm’s investment in an Israeli company could be a major conflict of interest,” CNN

Oct. 4: Kristi Noem’s Agency Gave Her Donor a Lucrative Contract Just Before She Left,” NYT

Oct. 6: “Anduril lands $2.9 billion Navy submarine shipyard contract days after Luckey joins Pentagon weapons group,” CNBC

Oct. 7: “‘Honey Please’: Kimberly Guilfoyle Pushed Donor to Wire $100,000 to Her Amex Account,” WSJ

Oct. 7: “Trump wants to turn his West Palm Beach golf club into the new Camp David,” WaPo

Oct. 7: “White House Social Media Guru Earned at Least $1 Million From a Trump Media Investment,” Washington Sun

Oct. 9: “Trump Raised Big Bucks for Freedom 250 — But Most Events Appear to be Funded by Taxpayers,” Washington Sun

Oct. 9: “The Pentagon gave $350 million in contracts to a firm closely tied to a senior Defense Department official,” ProPublica

Oct. 12: “More than 500 trees cut down at D.C. golf course as legal fight over Trump renovation intensifies,” Golfweek; “Trump administration to spend $1.2M to remove D.C. golf course trees, records show,” WaPo

• “A judge halted D.C. golf course renovations. Trump says they'll still start next month,” NPR; “Judge appoints special master to determine if Trump officials lied in golf course suit,” NYT

Oct. 13: “CFTC Staff Were Told to Retract Analysis of Suspicious Oil Trades,” Bloomberg

Oct. 14: “Reflecting Pool liner failed in 85 places after flawed renovation, inspection found,” WaPo

Oct. 14: “Trump pardons 2 auto workers on stage during rally in Alaska,” CBS

Oct. 15: “Trump invokes executive privilege in Kennedy Center court fight,” NBC

Oct. 15: “Secret documents reveal donors behind $330 million for Trump’s ballroom,” WaPo

Oct. 16: “Trump administration admits painting Eisenhower building would harm landmark,” WaPo

Oct. 20: “Trump Pushes to Evict the Press From the White House: President Trump has talked about replacing the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room with an indoor swimming pool,” NYT

Oct. 20: “How Trump’s FBI Purge Saved Lindsey Graham and James Clyburn From a Bribery Investigation,” ProPublica

Oct. 22: “Jared Kushner’s Hacked Phone Revealed His Secret Negotiations—Including More Than $700 Million in Transfers,” Vanity Fair

Oct. 24: “White House Is Weighing Mass Pardons for Junior Staff,” Washington Sun

Oct. 26: “House Judiciary Democrats release 50-page report on Trump’s alleged involvement in Epstein files,” MS Now

Oct. 30: “Trump’s Kennedy Center stays mum on why it hired unlikely architecture firm for overhaul,” WaPo

Oct. 31: “Kennedy Center leaders threatened payroll to push Trump naming, lawmaker alleges,” WaPo

HEALTHCARE

Oct. 2: “NYC turns down $1.3 million for homeless shelter due to dispute over transgender veterans,” CBS

Oct. 6: “Nearly $13 Million in Family Planning Grants Go to Anti-Abortion Doctors,” Autonomy News

Oct. 7: “CDC Is Moving Forward With a Previously Shelved Controversial Hepatitis B Vaccine Study,” Rolling Stone; “Controversial US-backed vaccine trial in African newborns halted,” Guardian

Oct. 8: “RFK Jr. tasks researchers with studying vaccine injuries,” CNN

Oct. 27: “C.D.C. Deputy Director Resigns After Four Months in the Job,” NYT

Oct. 28: “RFK Jr. takes shortcut to make some unapproved peptides available for use,” NBC

Oct. 28: “Trump Administration Backs Down on an Opioid Ban After Kratom Industry Lobbying,” NYT

ENVIRONMENT

Oct. 5: “Supreme Court hears Boulder climate case as Trump administration urges court to kill it,” CPR

Oct. 6: “Utah environmentalists sue feds over plan to pave canyon known for Native art,” Courthouse News

Oct. 8: “Armed Border Agents Arrest Protesters, Bulldoze 200-Year-Old Tree to Build Border Wall,” Intercept

• More: “They sat atop a ‘grandmother’ tree for months. Border agents knocked it down.” WaPo

Oct. 8: “Trump Exempts Winter Arctic Oil Drilling from Environment Review,” Bloomberg

Oct. 21: “Trump administration asks Supreme Court to lift halt on Big Bend border wall,” AP

Oct. 21: “United Nations report highlights significant increase in U.S. climate pollution,” NPR

Oct. 27: “Trump Administration Threatens California’s Coastal Protections,” Streetsblog Cal

Oct. 28: “Trump says he's ending restrictions on climate-warming methane from oil drilling,” NPR

Oct. 31: “Trump boosted half of US coal plants with taxpayer dollars and ‘free passes to pollute’, report says,” Guardian