On Jan. 20, 2025, Donald Trump became the 47th president of the United States. After taking the oath of office, President Trump began signing executive orders pardoning Jan. 6 defendants, implementing Schedule F to reclassify civil servants as political appointees, dismantling executive agencies like USAID, freezing federal funding and more. Many of his executive actions have faced legal challenges.
On this page you will find real-time updates of the litigation, Lawfare's weekly livestream series, documents related to the actions, Lawfare's four trackers which follow the legal challenges to administration actions, and analysis of President Trump's executive actions and the litigation challenging them. Use the buttons below to navigate the page.
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Find real time updates of Lawfare’s coverage of the Trump administration’s legal challenges, on Bluesky or below:
Every week, Lawfare Editor in Chief Benjamin Wittes sits down with Lawfare contributors for "The Trials of the Trump Administration," a live discussion on the legal challenges to President Trump's executive actions.
Lawfare Analysis
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Lawfare Live: The Trials of the Trump Administration, May 29
Join the Lawfare team at 4 pm ET for a discussion of the litigation surrounding the Trump administration. -
Lawfare Live: The Trials of the Trump Administration, May 22
Join the Lawfare team at 4 pm ET for a discussion of the litigation surrounding the Trump administration. -
The President Who Sued Himself
The Trump administration settles Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS with $1.776 billion for his allies and blanket immunity from government suits for the Trumps. -
Lawfare Daily: The Trials of the Trump Administration, May 15
Listen to the May 15 livestream as a podcast. -
Lawfare Live: The Trials of the Trump Administration, May 15
Join the Lawfare team at 4 pm ET for a discussion of the litigation surrounding the Trump administration. -
Law and the Iran War, After the First 60 Days
The War Powers Resolution hasn’t been rendered irrelevant. Its relevance is just beginning. -
Lawfare Daily: An Insider’s Account of the Trump Administration’s Dismantling of USAID
Nicholas Enrich discusses his experience within USAID as DOGE dismantled it from the inside. -
Lawfare Live: The Trials of the Trump Administration, May 1
Join the Lawfare team at 4 pm ET for a discussion of the litigation surrounding the Trump administration. -
What Does the Correspondents Dinner Have to Do With Trump’s Ballroom Project?
The case may test just how far national security deference by the courts to the executive can stretch.
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Documents
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Trump Signs Executive Order to Reshape the U.S. Foreign Service
The order directs the secretary of state to reform recruiting, performance, evaluation, retention, and other diplomatic service standards. -
Trump Signs Order on DOGE ‘Workforce Optimization Initiative’
The order directs agencies to prepare for workforce reductions and hire one worker for every four that depart. -
Justice Dept. Releases Slate of Memos from Attorney General Bondi
Bondi signed 14 memos on topics ranging from internal personnel matters to potential investigations into current and former civil servants. -
Federal Employee Unions Sue DOGE and the Department of Labor
A coalition of unions seek to block DOGE from gaining access to the Labor Department. -
Trump Issues Memorandum to Detain Migrants at Guantanamo
The president directs the secretaries of defense and homeland security to expand the migrant operations center to “full capacity.” -
Trump Executive Order Targets Transgender Service Members
The order reverses a 2021 Biden administration directive allowing transgender troops to serve openly—which itself had overturned an earlier ban from the first Trump administration.
