Day 13

Hegseth begins systematic dismantlement of civilian harm mitigation infrastructure

Following his confirmation as Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth begins eliminating civilian harm mitigation positions across combatant commands. Staff is cut by over 90%. The Army's casualty-tracking database funding is eliminated.

From: Pentagon IG: Hegseth Dismantled Civilian Harm Safeguards During Active War (May 2026)

Texas measles outbreak begins

A measles outbreak begins in West Texas, concentrated in communities with low vaccination rates. It will eventually become the epicenter of the worst US measles year in over three decades.

From: HHS Dismantlement Under RFK Jr. Fuels Worst Measles Outbreak in 30 Years

Trump fires CFPB Director Rohit Chopra

President Trump fires the Senate-confirmed director of the CFPB, Rohit Chopra, clearing the way for an acting director aligned with dismantlement goals.

From: DOGE Shuts Down Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: 'CFPB RIP'

FDA Food Safety Collapse: 3,500+ Staff Cut and Outbreak Investigation Capacity Gutted

DOGE-driven layoffs eliminated over 3,500 FDA employees in 2025, gutting food safety oversight. Foreign facility inspections fell by nearly half, outbreak investigation resolution rates plummeted, and the agency suspended its quality control program for food testing labs — leaving the American food supply with the weakest federal oversight in modern history.

Surge in Solitary Confinement in Immigration Detention

Over 10,500 people were placed in solitary confinement in immigration detention centers in a 14-month span (April 2024 to May 2025), with the rate of use doubling under the second Trump administration. Nearly three-quarters of placements exceeded 15 days -- the threshold the UN considers torture. Vulnerable populations including those with mental illness were confined for an average of 38 days, while DHS oversight offices were gutted from 150 staff to 22.

Asylum seekers returned to Mexican border cities

Asylum seekers began being returned to Mexican border cities including Matamoros, Reynosa, and Nuevo Laredo in Tamaulipas state, designated Level 4 'Do Not Travel' by the State Department.

From: Reimposition of 'Remain in Mexico' Migrant Protection Protocols

Additional courts issue injunctions

Federal judges in Maryland and Massachusetts also issued preliminary injunctions blocking the order.

From: Executive Order Attempting to Restrict Fourteenth Amendment Birthright Citizenship

DEI employees placed on administrative leave en masse

Across federal agencies, employees in DEI-related roles — and many who had previously held such roles but moved to other positions — are placed on administrative leave pending termination. The Department of Education places at least 100 employees on leave, only two of whom actually worked in DEI.

From: DOGE-Directed Elimination of Federal DEI Programs and Mass Firings of DEI Workers

Weaponization Working Group established

Trump appointee Ed Martin, a former Missouri party chair who promoted election fraud claims, is appointed to lead a DOJ 'Weaponization Working Group' tasked with scrutinizing officials who investigated Trump.

From: Weaponization of the Department of Justice: Retaliatory Investigations and Prosecutions

Pentagon directed to develop Panama Canal military options

Trump directed the Pentagon to prepare military plans to 'take back' the Panama Canal, with US Southern Command drawing up options ranging from closer cooperation to outright invasion.

From: Military and Economic Threats Against Greenland and Panama Canal Sovereignty

Partial waiver issued but implementation chaotic

The State Department issues a partial waiver for 'life-saving' programs, but implementers report confusion about which activities qualify, inability to restart supply chains on short notice, and clinics that have already closed unable to reopen quickly. Staff paid from PEPFAR funds remain unpaid.

From: PEPFAR Freeze: HIV/AIDS Treatment Cut for 20 Million People Across Africa

DoD abortion travel funding prohibited

The DoD is directed to cease funding travel for service members seeking abortion care, affecting personnel stationed in states with abortion bans.

From: Restrictions on Reproductive Rights and Comstock Act Revival

ICE detentions of U.S. citizens and green card holders documented

Immigration legal organizations begin documenting cases of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents detained by ICE during enforcement operations. Some are held for days before status is confirmed.

From: Second-Term Mass Deportations: Largest Enforcement Operation in U.S. History

Probationary employee mass terminations begin

Agencies begin mass termination of probationary employees — those with fewer civil service protections — across the federal government. Courts issue injunctions in multiple circuits. Administration continues terminations while challenging rulings.

From: Schedule F and Federal Worker Purge: Dismantling Civil Service Protections

Federal courts issue preliminary injunctions

Multiple federal courts issue preliminary injunctions blocking implementation of various aspects of the executive order while legal challenges proceed. The legal landscape is actively contested.

From: Second-Term Transgender Military Ban: Day-One Executive Order

Office of Special Counsel and OGE heads removed

The heads of the Office of Special Counsel (which protects whistleblowers) and the Office of Government Ethics (which oversees ethics compliance) are fired, dismantling the core whistleblower protection infrastructure.

From: Dismantlement of Whistleblower Protections and Government Oversight Infrastructure