Rollbacks
Week of April 18-24, 2025
Welcome to TRACKING THE CRISIS, a weekly round-up from The Democracy Collaborative tracking the administrative, legislative, and other actions of the new Trump Administration as well as the many forms of legal and movement response from across a broad range of social, political, and economic actors. TDC is providing this service for collective informational purposes, as a tool for understanding the times during a period of disorientingly rapid flux and change in the U.S. political economy. TDC should not be understood as endorsing or otherwise any of the specific content of the information round-up.
TRUMP TRACKER: Administration actions
This year’s Earth Day comes as Trump Administration rolls back climate change data, environmental justice programs, disaster relief. As Earth Day approached, a number of climate-related government websites went dark this week as NOAA climate centers suffered a ‘lapse’ in funding, depriving farmers, meteorologists and policymakers of crucial information on climate and weather. Although the Trump Administration restored funding a few days later, concerns still remain as to the Administration’s intent to eliminate critical scientific data and inquiry into environmental issues. The BBC reports on the scramble to save decades of U.S. scientific data ahead of Trump Administration cuts. The release of NOAA researchers’ findings into record growth of CO2 emissions last week was minimized by the Administration, as the agency only released their findings on X instead of publishing a comprehensive report as had been done in the past; while on Wednesday, European scientists released a study warning that humanity is on the verge of at least 16 climate ‘tipping points’ that could devastate the planet. On Earth Day, April 22, the EPA announced the firing or reassignment of hundreds of workers that had been addressing environmental justice issues. Also this week, the EPA began cancelling tens of millions in grants aimed at protecting children from toxic chemicals, and deleted several pollution tracking tools while offering exemptions to polluters. Public Domain reports this week on a leaked document outlining the Department of Interior’s plan to open more federal lands to oil and gas drilling, mining and other extractive industries, as well as removing federal protections for millions of acres in at least six national monuments. On Thursday, April 24, Trump signed an executive order to explore sea-floor mining in international waters, circumventing standing international treaties and pitting the U.S. against other coastal nations. Also on Thursday, NASA cancelled the lease for its climate science unit at Columbia University which had been established at the campus since the 1960s. CNN reports that FEMA is on track to lose 20% of its staff ahead of hurricane season due to DOGE cuts; and the Trump Administration denied relief for disaster survivors in West Virginia and Arkansas, where a recent tornado storm left 40 people dead and leveled several communities. CNN also reported on the Trump Administration’s uneven and arbitrary disbursement of FEMA funding, expediting funding to some GOP states while denying others.
Trump signs executive orders aimed at controlling educational institutions through accreditation, reinterpretation of civil rights guidance. On Thursday, April 24, Trump signed seven new executive orders targeting U.S. education systems. In higher education, Trump took aim at the college accreditation process, targeting ‘discrimination’ and ‘ideological overreach’ which many critics believe to be related to his effort to stamp out DEI in schools. Trump has previously referred to accreditation as his ‘secret weapon’ against higher education institutions. Two of the orders aim to reverse Obama and Biden-era civil rights guidance based on statistical evidence of racial disparities in tracking and student discipline. Many institutions see these orders as another assault in Trump’s war on DEI in schools, where the courts have ruled against Trump in recent days. Another order targeting foreign gifts to universities appears to be directly tied to the Trump Administration’s current confrontation with Harvard University. Another order boosting the use of AI in K-12 schools was touted by Trump, who commented that “we have literally invested trillions of dollars in AI…AI is where it’s at.” Critics of the orders see them as an authoritarian attempt to reshape education and society. AFT president Randi Weingarten slammed the orders as allowing the Administration to “pick and choose who it helps and who it hurts”; and the American Association of University Professors referred to the order targeting accreditation as “removing educational decision-making from educators and reshaping higher education to fit an authoritarian political agenda.”
Department of Education resumes involuntary collection of student loans after pandemic-era pause. This week, the Department of Education announced it will resume collecting involuntary payments for student loans in default starting May 5, after a nearly five-year pause in collections due to the pandemic. The Hill explains how the federal government can pursue involuntary collection, including withholding of Social Security benefits and eventually garnishing wages, pensions and tax refunds. Business Insider outlines what borrowers can expect going forward, as well as options for borrowers to avoid getting their wages and benefits garnished. The news sent many student loan holders into a panic as inflation and economic uncertainty have undermined the stability and personal finances of many Americans even without student loan obligations; many experts say that resuming collection will slow the U.S. economy even more as it teeters on the brink of recession.
National Science Foundation director resigns amid Trump Administration’s cancellation of research grants, imperiling future of U.S. science. On Thursday, April 24, NSF director Sethuraman Panchanathan announced his resignation 16 months shy of the end of his 6-year term. The resignation of the 2020 Trump appointee comes amid Trump Administration orders to cut up to 55% of the agency’s budget and halve its staff, as well as the cancellation of hundreds of research grants at NSF and other agencies. Among the grants cancelled at NSF include all research related to diversity efforts in science, as well as research into the pervasiveness and effects of disinformation on society. Other grants such as research into birds have been flagged for the word ‘diversity’ and cancelled as part of the Trump Administration’s sweeping crackdown on DEI and ‘woke’ subjects. All new research grants at the NSF have been frozen as part of DOGE’s investigation into federal government spending. Also this week, the Department of Justice sent letters to prominent medical journals as part of an inquiry into alleged ‘partisan’ bias in scientific debates, sparking concerns around free speech and academic freedom from the scientific community and First Amendment observers. These grant cancellations come amid a wider termination of research across federal agencies, including scientific research advancing knowledge into cancer and Alzeheimer’s disease as well as social science research into an array of subjects including drug use, maternal mortality, climate change impacts and more. As funding for science is increasingly frozen, U.S. scientists have begun seeking opportunities abroad, spurring what the Nature journal has characterized as the beginnings of a ‘U.S. science brain drain’.
Democratic lawmakers visit detained student activists in ICE facility as climate of fear surrounds international students. Five Democratic members of Congress visited detained student activists Mahmoud Khalil and Rumeysa Ozturk in a Louisiana ICE facility this week as they decried the “national disgrace” of the Trump Administration’s treatment of international students. Over 1,000 international student visas have been revoked across the country, nearly all of them nonwhite, on the premise of pro-Palestine activism and other causes, spreading widespread fear of ICE arrests and detention as the agency has already done in several high-profile cases. Campus newspapers report that international students have been appealing to the publications to have their names scrubbed from past articles, fearing crackdowns from the Administration; the New York Times reports this week on the story of a Minnesota student whose life has been “shattered” by the revocation of his visa. Colleagues of Kseniia Petrova, a Russian cancer researcher detained by ICE over her opposition to the Russia-Ukraine war, warn that foreign scientists are scared to come to the U.S. to pursue or collaborate on research. Amnesty International urged DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to stop the revocation of student visas, while detained student Mohsen Mahdawi spoke about his detention in an ICE ‘ambush’ and warned of the broader consequences to human rights and free speech in an interview with Senator Peter Welch. The Trump Administration conceded on Thursday that ICE agents detained Mahmoud Khalil without a warrant; Khalil was denied leave this week to witness the birth of his son. Several court decisions have temporarily stayed the deportation of international students pending review of due process.
Supreme Court blocks Alien Enemies Act deportations as courts order return of second migrant from El Salvador. In a rare midnight ruling issued on Saturday, April 19, the Supreme Court ordered the Trump Administration to halt deportations of migrants to El Salvador’s CECOT prison. The order comes as the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man wrongfully deported to El Salvador without due process, was paused for a week as judge Paula Xinis reviews sealed filings submitted by the Trump Administration. The Washington Post reports on how Garcia’s detention was based on a defunct gang registry that faced controversy over racial profiling. Garcia’s wife and children were forced to move to a safe house this week after the DHS posted information on X revealing the family’s home address. Federal courts this week also ordered the return to the U.S. of a second migrant deported to El Salvador due to his inclusion in a previous class action settlement granting protections to certain Venezuelan migrants. Friends and family of another deported Venezuelan migrant, Ricardo Prada Vazquez, report that he has not been seen or heard from since his arrest on March 15, fearing he has been ‘disappeared’ as no one can confirm his whereabouts or current status. The Venezuelan government lashed out at Salvadoran president Nayib Bukele, accusing him of ‘forced disappearances’ and ‘human trafficking’ and demanding the release of migrants after Bukele offered to send detained migrants to Venezuela in a ‘prisoner swap’.
Chaos at the Pentagon as Secretary of Defense Pete Hesgeth under fire for second Signal controversy, lashes out at fired ‘leakers’. Rumors of rampant dysfunction at the Pentagon amped up this week as news emerged that Secretary of Defense Pete Hesgeth shared details of another military operation in Yemen over Signal with his wife, brother and personal lawyer. The news came just after several longtime aides were fired over supposed ‘leaks’ to the media that angered Trump Administration officials. Trump downplayed the incident, calling concern over Hesgeth a “waste of time,” although an unnamed official reported to the media on Tuesday that the White House had begun seeking to replace Hesgeth. Hesgeth himself did not deny the reports of the Signal chat but downplayed security concerns, choosing to focus instead on the problem of ‘leaks.’ Politico reports on the feud between Hesgeth’s staffers at the Pentagon that has now broken into the open as a result of the allegations and firings, as Hesgeth loses critical support among Republicans and the role of his wife at the Pentagon draws scrutiny. On Wednesday, April 23, Hesgeth delivered an ‘expletive-laden’ address at the Army War College, ripping into his critics as Democrats question his national security judgment and call for his resignation; he also ordered a makeup studio to be installed at the Pentagon to prepare for television appearances. A MAGA-aligned group of Hesgeth’s biggest media supporters went silent late this week as more news emerged that Hesgeth had an unsecured line installed in his office to bypass Pentagon security protocols and Hesgeth’s new aide, Ricky Buria, requested to install Signal on a secretary’s computer at the Pentagon.
IMF warns of dip in global economic growth as Trump backs off on China tariffs, threats against Fed chair to soothe markets; prioritizes deal with India as Japan talks fall through. The Trump Administration softened its tone on China tariffs as markets continued their roller-coaster ride and the global tariff war cast a pall over meetings of the IMF and World Bank this week. The IMF cut growth forecasts for most countries on Tuesday, April 22, warning that trade tensions would continue to slow the global economy and hit prospects for U.S. economic performance especially hard. Markets eased higher on Wednesday after Trump also backed off on his threats to fire Fed chair Jerome Powell. Trump and Treasury Secretary Bessent hit back at the IMF and World Bank for their gloomy forecasts, calling for reform to the global financial institutions to better align them with the United States’s economic mission. The Washington Post Editorial Board questioned the sustainability of Trump policies in the wake of the IMF’s warning as U.S. economic numbers turn ‘dismal’ and talk of recession draws comparisons to the Great Depression. The Wall Street Journal speculates that Trump may have ‘met his match’ with the markets this week as one of Trump’s billionaire donors took the president to task over his trade war. Bessent tried to soothe worried investors with promises of de-escalation of China tariffs and Trump claims that Beijing is ‘eager to make a deal’; China for its part has indicated it ‘will not budge’ on the standoff with the United States, saying the nation is ‘prepared’ for a protracted trade war as it cuts off critical shipments of rare earth minerals to the U.S., dealing a blow to the U.S. defense industry. As the United States scrambles to make dozens of trade deals with other countries ahead of the 90-day reciprocal tariff deadline, trade negotiations with Japan fell through this week, leaving analysts to doubt much success. JD Vance traveled to India to foster communication between the two countries as ‘secretive’ trade talks commenced; Vance and Indian president Narendra Modi praised making ‘progress’ on a deal as Trump tipped off Wall Street executives on a positive outcome coming soon.
Tracking the Money: conflicts of interest and privatization in the Trump administration. ProPublica reports that amid Trump’s tariff war, certain exemptions are being made quietly behind the scenes that appear to benefit firms politically connected to Trump. A new report from Public Citizen shows that the Trump Administration dropped at least 17 investigations against firms that contributed a total of $50 million towards Trump’s inauguration, which was characterized as “good old-fashioned corporate bribery.” ProPublica also reported this week that the tech startup Ramp, backed by Peter Thiel and connected to Trump, Vance and Musk, is the frontrunner to manage over $700 billion in government payments through the General Services Administration. Ed Martin, Trump’s nominee for U.S. Attorney, came under fire this week as news emerged of emails between Martin and a political ally urging online criticism of a judge involved in one of his cases, which analysts decry as an ethical violation; Martin also was made to apologize this week for praising an antisemitic January 6th rioter who was an open ‘follower of Hitler’ and wore a Hitler mustache. The Intercept reports on a shadowy AI firm connected to the January 6th riots who made a six-figure donation to Trump’s inauguration. As economic uncertainty prompts some GOP lawmakers to consider higher taxes on millionaires, Trump pushed back on the idea, saying a millionaire’s tax would prompt the wealthy to leave the United States. As Elon Musk reportedly backs off on DOGE work amid Tesla financial woes, he is pushing for a vote in Texas this week to allow plans for his corporate city, Starbase, to move forward. At a total of over $270 million in contributions to Trump and connected causes, Musk is one of the largest political donors on record.
MOVEMENT TRACKER
Another round of nationwide protests sparks conversation on where mass resistance can go from here. Thousands took to the streets nationwide again on Saturday, April 19th to condemn Trump’s agenda in protests organized by the 50501 Movement. As popular appetite for resistance shows no signs of slowing down, movements are considering how to channel the energy into sustained action on the ground. Various forms of sustained resistance to the Trump agenda are finding success in some areas. The nationwide Target boycott is now in its eleventh week, causing a precipitous drop in the retailers’ foot traffic; Latinx and interfaith communities have galvanized widespread support for community defense of immigrants targeted by ICE; the Tesla Takedown movement has focused public anger on Elon Musk, leading Tesla to consider the movement an ‘official risk’ to its business and prompting Musk to step back from his work at DOGE; and online ‘Spam in the Gears’ actions organized by fired federal workers are sabotaging DOGE-mandated agency reporting and ICE tip lines. As competing factions within the Democratic Party focus on channeling resistance energy toward the 2026 midterm elections, other movement strategists call for grand coalition building as well as cultivating mutual aid and political education efforts within communities. Early calls for a general strike gained hundreds of thousands of pledges within the first few weeks of the Trump Administration, but waned somewhat as momentum for more immediate mass actions took hold; the idea, however, may be gaining some ground as labor leader Sara Nelson floated the concept of a general strike in front of a packed audience at the University of Montana as part of Bernie Sanders’ ‘Fighting Oligarchy’ tour.
Climate, activist nonprofits band together for defense against Trump Administration threats to tax status. Green groups that mobilized for Earth Day protests on Tuesday, April 22 vowed to continue fighting the Trump Administration’s agenda to destroy decades of progress on climate and environmental protections and advance further privatization of public lands, in the face of long-anticipated threats to activist nonprofits’ tax-exempt status. While the Trump Administration has claimed it does not intend to target environmental organizations’ tax status, nonprofits are preparing for the worst. Philanthropic leaders have called for nonprofits to stand together against any potential assaults on activist and community organizations; over 500 charitable organizations have signed on to a letter supporting efforts to protect the ‘freedom to give’, while a coalition of 75 civil rights groups have formed a ‘Unity Pact’ to defend against any threats from the Trump Administration or GOP-controlled Congress.
As Harvard steps up resistance against Trump Administration, hundreds of university leaders mobilize, speak out; Big Ten organizes for mutual defense. Harvard University moved to sue the Trump Administration this week, alleging the government is ‘trying to gain control of academic decision-making’ as the institution faces off against Trump over $2.2 billion in frozen federal funding. While Harvard’s deep financial resources may allow the university to withstand sustained financial attacks from the Administration for some time, other institutions are banding together to speak out and prepare to resist Trump’s efforts to remake higher education. Over 220 higher education leaders signed a letter denouncing the Trump Administration’s “interference and overreach” that is “endangering higher education in America.” Following Rutgers’ call, faculty and university senates at several Big Ten schools have passed resolutions to push their administrations to form a mutual defense pact that would pool resources toward resisting pressure from the federal government. The Chronicle of Higher Education reports on how cross-campus associations have led the fight to defend higher education against Trump.
Polls show cratering support for Trump, Republicans on core campaign issues and the economy. New polling released this week showed Trump’s approval rating as low as 37%, his lowest rating ever across both terms so far. Trump showed poor marks on his handling of the economy in a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on April 23. An RMG Research poll found that voters’ approval of Republicans has dipped significantly since February. Trump’s rating among young men, one of his strongest constituencies in the 2024 election, has also significantly declined, with 40% of young men saying that they are “worse off” under Trump; and only 15% of young people see the country as being on the right track. Polls also show dropping support for Trump’s handling of immigration, one of Trump’s most popular campaign issues; a Marquette Law School poll shows that 83% of Americans think Trump should abide by court decisions, and 70% oppose impeaching judges for ruling unfavorably against the Administration. Trump lashed out at Fox News after the conservative outlet released a poll showing his approval ratings at a record low. As Americans across the political spectrum sour on Administration abuses of power, Trump has been forced to roll back executive actions on several fronts. Pew Research has published a guide to the movement of Trump’s ratings on key policies over his first 100 days.
Upcoming protests and events.
Thursday, April 24: Amazon labor leader Chris Smalls and podcaster Abby Martin held an online “Townhall for a General Strike.” More information can be found on this page.
Saturday, April 26: Two combined marches against Tesla & ICE will be taking place in Portland, OR. The marches will start separately then converge into one rally. More information can be found at this link.
Saturday, April 26: Essex College in Newark, NJ will be hosting the Martin Luther King People’s Convention for Justice and Resistance, sponsored by many organizations and unions. More information can be found at this link.
Thursday, May 1: May Day protests are being held nationwide, many organized by groups in the May Day Strong coalition. A map and schedule of events can be found at this link.
Friday, June 6: Veterans march in Washington DC to protest cuts to the VA and call for the protection of veterans’ benefits and jobs. More information can be found here.
Lawsuit Updates. The Washington Post reports that an increasing number of Republican-appointed judges have rebuked Trump Administration actions as “illegal, lawless and even dangerous to U.S. democracy.” The many high-profile actions by the judiciary challenging the Trump agenda this week include:
Saturday, April 19: A federal judge ordered the Trump Administration to transfer detained student Rumeysa Ozturk to Vermont to be closer to her family and legal team, after Ozturk raised ‘significant constitutional concerns’ regarding her arrest and rendition to an ICE facility in Louisiana.
Tuesday, April 22: A federal judge blocked Trump Administration efforts to dismantle Voice of America, and ordered the reinstatement of terminated staff at the U.S. Agency for Global Media.
Tuesday, April 22: Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration over his executive order withholding federal funding to states that allow transgender athletes to compete in sports. Ellison claims that complying with the Trump Administration order would violate the Minnesota Human Rights Act, and that federal retribution would violate states’ rights.
Wednesday, April 23: Two federal judges heard arguments from Perkins Coie and WilmerHale in their bid to permanently stop the Trump Administration from targeting law firms using executive orders. Judge Beryl Howell rebuked Trump Administration officials for their combative response to her orders, at one point comparing them to “toddlers.” She directed AG Pam Bondi and OMB director Russell Vought to deliver guidance about court orders regarding law firms to federal agencies.
Thursday, April 24: A federal judge blocked federal agencies from carrying out key parts of a Trump executive order seeking to gain federal control over elections, calling it an “unprecedented assault on states’ constitutional authority” and warning it could “disenfranchise large numbers of voters.”
Thursday, April 24: A federal judge blocked the Trump Administration from freezing federal funding to K-12 schools who continue diversity efforts in defiance of Trump’s anti-DEI mandates. The National Education Association and the ACLU have sued the Trump Administration for violating teachers’ First Amendment rights.
Thursday, April 24: U.S. District Judge William H. Orrick blocked the Trump Administration from withholding federal funding from sanctuary cities, saying that the executive order violates the Constitution’s separation of powers principles and spending clause, citing precedent in his ruling that such spending decisions are constitutionally vested in Congress.
May 7: A federal judge will hold its first hearing in a lawsuit brought by West Virginia coal miners against Robert Kennedy Jr. and the HHS over federal cuts affecting the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The local NIOSH facility in Morgantown, WV served a critical role for coal miners, providing early detection of black lung through the Coal Workers Health Surveillance Program.
