We spent 2025 fighting for transparency to ensure the public has the information it needs to hold the government accountable. Here’s a look at some of our biggest wins this year. americanoversight.org/newsletter/o...

A lot happened this year: DOGE, mass detention, a sweeping trade war, and so much more. That’s why we spent 2025 fighting for transparency — to ensure the public has the info it needs to hold the government accountable. Here’s a look at some of our biggest wins this year.

1/ After sitting on our case for nearly a year, Judge Cannon refused to lift the gag order on Jack Smith’s report on Trump’s handling of classified documents. americanoversight.org/judge-cannon...

The Trump admin has been using mortgage info from the FHFA to target Trump's enemies. Acting FHFA Inspector General Joe Allen was reportedly ousted as he was preparing a letter to Congress. We requested a copy of the letter and the justification for Allen’s dismissal.

Earlier this month, we sued DOD and DOJ for records related to Sec. of Defense Pete Hegseth’s order to “kill everybody” during strikes on Venezuelan boats. Legal and military experts have warned the Trump administration’s strikes may be war crimes. americanoversight.org/american-ove...

A U.S. citizen lost his voter registration after the Trump administration’s national data system wrongly flagged him as a noncitizen. This is exactly why we’re suing for more info about how this database is being used, and what protections are in place. www.npr.org/2025/12/13/n...

The Trump administration is trying to remove basic facts from our lawsuits about the Epstein files. Our brief includes information drawn from public statements and reporting. The administration wants it all deleted. We’re pushing back. americanoversight.org/american-ove...

Interviews with Trump’s Chief of Staff Susie Wiles show us that even the highest officials in the Trump administration know there are problems with the president’s actions. The more we know about them, the easier it will be to hold the administration accountable.

Trump is seeking up to $230 million from the DOJ and FBI for past probes into him. The New York Times reports that Trump has personal ties to the DOJ officials who would be responsible for approving these payments. We filed FOIA requests to find out more. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/21/u...

NEW: TheTrump administration is trying to delete damning facts from our lawsuit for records about the DOJ and FBI’s politicized review of the Epstein files. americanoversight.org/american-ove...

The Coast Guard is going back and forth on whether nooses and swastikas are “potentially divisive" or hate symbols. Our investigations showed that the Coast Guard has been downplaying extremism for years. www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...

ICE agents are detaining university students and the State Department has terminated activists’ student visas. The University of California is responsible for more than half a million students and staff—so we submitted FOIA requests to find out if they’re coordinating with ICE.

Jack Smith told House Judiciary lawmakers that he had “powerful evidence that showed President Trump willfully retained highly classified documents” after he left office. You deserve to see his full report. Our legal action could help bring it to light. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/17/u...

Ohio is joining a new network called EleXa, which compares states’ voter rolls to identify people who are wrongly or dual-registered. The state left the Electronic Registration Information Center, a nonpartisan voter-list maintenance system, in 2023. www.cleveland.com/news/2025/12...

NEW: A federal court ruled the Trump administration cannot stop members of Congress from unannounced visits to ICE facilities. We represent the Congress members who filed the lawsuit, along with @democracyforward.org. americanoversight.org/court-rules-...

The FDA is delaying a review of an abortion drug until after the midterm elections. Americans deserve to know if their medications are being reviewed because of politics. We’ve sent FOIA requests to the FDA and HHS for communications and records related to the review. www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...

A U.S. citizen lost his voter registration after the Trump administration’s national data system wrongly flagged him as a noncitizen. This is exactly why we’re suing for more info about how this database is being used, and what protections are in place. www.npr.org/2025/12/13/n...

Two former Trump aides, Jim Troupis and Mike Roman, appeared in a Wisconsin court on Monday for a hearing over their roles to undermine the 2020 presidential election results in support of Donald Trump. apnews.com/article/trum...

During the shutdown, the Trump administration withheld funding to CICGIE, a key agency for offices of inspector generals. Congress had to act to restore funding. We filed FOIA requests to understand how withholding funds Congress allocated may have impacted accountability.

Susie Wiles’ Vanity Fair interview admits that Trump is using the power of the federal government to attack people he doesn’t like. You deserve to know exactly how agencies are carrying out his orders. Here’s how we’re fighting to get that information: www.vanityfair.com/news/story/t...

ICE’s Operation “Freaky Friday” offers unaccompanied children cash to self-deport. If the kids refuse, ICE reportedly threatens to arrest their family members. We need to know how ICE is implementing this program and many children have been targeted so we filed FOIA requests.

In our most recent newsletter: New details on the Trump administration’s deadly boat bombings, pro bono agreements with big law firms, and the new conspiracy-promoting FEMA leader. americanoversight.org/newsletter/w...

House Oversight Committee members recently released photos of Jeffrey Epstein with prominent figures including Donald Trump. You deserve the full story. We’ve sued for records of interviews with Trump related to the Epstein investigation. americanoversight.org/american-ove...

Trump said he will pardon Tina Peters, the former Colorado clerk who is serving a sentence for leading a plot to breach election equipment in 2021. Records we obtained shed light on Peters’ coordination with prominent election deniers around the 2020 election. americanoversight.org/co-defendant...

Detainees at Florida’s Everglades Detention Center face “harrowing human right violations,” according to a new Amnesty International report. Yet FEMA has a grant program to fund similar state-built temporary detention centers. We’re investigating. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

On Oct 17, the U.S. killed three people in a boat strike. Navy personnel were reportedly told to delete videos and photos of two survivors brought aboard a U.S. ship. We’re demanding action to recover any destroyed records and stop further deletions. americanoversight.org/american-ove...

DOD will only give access to journalists who sign a press policy that bars them from publishing info that isn’t pre-approved by DOD. So far, only far-right news outlets have signed. We filed FOIA requests for DOD’s communications about the policy and with news orgs that signed it.

Nine big law firms pledged $1 billion in free legal services to the Trump administration, after it targeted employees it perceived as critics. We’re suing DOJ and Commerce for records to uncover what work these law firms are doing. americanoversight.org/american-ove...

The FBI can’t answer basic questions about how antifa can be designated as a domestic terror group. But it's supposed to be investigating those with ties to it. We’re suing for records about who the FBI is investigating and what proof it has to justify its investigations. thehill.com/policy/natio...

Nine big law firms pledged $1 billion in free legal services to the Trump administration, after it targeted employees it perceived as critics. We’re suing DOJ and Commerce for records to uncover what work these law firms are doing. americanoversight.org/american-ove...

Gregg Phillips is a leading election denier and voting conspiracy theorist. He’s now one of the top officials at FEMA. Here’s an email we uncovered that shows Phillips detailing his efforts to “prove” the 2020 election was stolen.

On Oct 17, the U.S. killed three people in a boat strike. Navy personnel were reportedly told to delete videos and photos of two survivors brought aboard a U.S. ship. We’re demanding action to recover any destroyed records and stop further deletions. americanoversight.org/american-ove...

Jack Smith wrote a report on Trump’s mishandling of classified documents. Judge Cannon imposed a gag order blocking its release. Thanks to our court filing, an appeals court gave Cannon 60 days to rule. Last week, Trump urged Cannon to bury the report. abcnews.go.com/US/trump-ask...

We demanded the Trump administration take immediate action to recover any destroyed records — and stop further deletions — after the Navy reportedly deleted video and photos of detained boat strike survivors. americanoversight.org/american-ove...

ICYMI: We’re suing DOJ to force it to act quickly on FOIA requests related to Ed Martin, Trump’s “chief enforcer” at DOJ. Martin reportedly has concealed or destroyed government records. americanoversight.org/american-ove...

The Pentagon ordered thousands of National Guard members to complete civil unrest training, suggesting that Trump could expand the occupation of American cities. How are troops being told to interact with civilians? We filed FOIA requests to find out. www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...

FBI Director Kash Patel has used the FBI jet to go on dates, a golf trip in Scotland, and various sports events. Each trip cost taxpayers thousands of dollars. The FBI must release the flight logs. Americans deserve to know how their money is spent. thehill.com/homenews/adm...

The Trump administration is giving local police the power to act as immigration agents through the 287(g) program. But we don’t know how they’re trained, or who they’re targeting. We filed FOIA requests for records related to immigration arrests, interrogations, and detention.

We’re representing @protectdemocracy.org in a lawsuit about the Trump admin’s efforts to target nonprofit groups it labels as “Antifa.” The government didn’t respond to FOIAs about who it is investigating, or what proof it has to justify its investigations. americanoversight.org/protect-demo...

To track and deport undocumented immigrants, ICE contracted to use software developed by data firm Palantir. We filed FOIA requests to uncover how Palantir accesses and uses sensitive government data. www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...

We sent HHS a letter warning that RFK Jr.’s overhaul of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices violated the law. ACIP’s recommendations shape national vaccine policies, and its takeover by vaccine skeptics could hinder access and coverage. americanoversight.org/as-vaccine-p...

ICYMI: Ed Martin is the “chief enforcer” of Trump’s political agenda within the DOJ. He’s reportedly concealed or destroyed official communications to cover his tracks. We sued the DOJ this week, seeking urgent action to obtain documents involving Martin. americanoversight.org/american-ove...

Last week, we submitted a public comment on DHS’s proposal to expand its immigration status database into a system that contains personal info for all Americans. The plan risks data security and threatens to remove lawfully registered voters from the rolls. americanoversight.org/american-ove...

Farm Service Agency offices that handle agriculture loans and disaster relief were shuttered during the government shutdown. We filed FOIA requests to investigate whether the Trump administration followed through on its promises to support farmers hurting from tariffs.

A new Pentagon inspector general report — prompted by our litigation — finds that Pete Hegseth put troops’ lives in danger when he used Signal to discuss military plans. Hegseth has betrayed the public’s trust and he must resign immediately. americanoversight.org/hegseth-must...

RFK Jr. purged the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of respected medical experts and filled their positions with vaccine skeptics. We sent HHS a letter warning that overhauling the committee was unlawful and could endanger public health. americanoversight.org/as-vaccine-p...

The DOD IG finds that Pete Hegseth’s use of Signal for military discussions put troops in danger. Video shows Hegseth joking about Signalgate last month, after he knew the watchdog found he put people at risk. Risking lives isn’t a joke. He must resign. www.reddit.com/r/navy/comme...

An inspector general report found Pete Hegseth’s Signal use put our nation’s security and servicemembers’ safety at risk. He must immediately resign. Here’s this week’s newsletter: americanoversight.org/newsletter/h...

We’re suing for records on the strikes that Pete Hegseth ordered on Venezuelan boats. The attacks may be war crimes. Hegseth has a pattern of recklessness: An IG report just found that he mishandled military intelligence, putting troops in danger. americanoversight.org/american-ove...

RFK Jr. replaced the respected medical experts that used to staff the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices with vaccine skeptics. We warned HHS that the newly-reformed committee could issue recommendations harmful to public health. americanoversight.org/as-vaccine-p...