The Drift Watch

Watch Signals

Early signs that something is shifting — tracked and categorized.

Published: April 18, 2025 Rule Change Strong

ICE detains U.S. citizen in Florida under Trump-era immigration directive

Lopez Gomez, a U.S. citizen, was jailed overnight in Florida after ICE issued a 48-hour detainer during a routine traffic stop — despite Gomez presenting valid U.S. identification. His detention occur...

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Published: April 17, 2025 Legal Challenge Strong

Appeals court panel hears arguments on AP's access to White House

The Trump administration first revoked the Associated Press’s White House access on February 11, 2025, after the AP refused to use the administration’s preferred term “Gulf of America” in place of “Gu...

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Published: April 17, 2025 Leaked Document Strong

Trump Administration Plans Closure of Dozens of U.S. Embassies and Consulates

Leaked documents reveal that the Trump administration plans to shut down at least 27 U.S. diplomatic missions, including 17 consulates and 10 embassies, as part of a proposed 48% budget cut to the Sta...

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Published: April 16, 2025 Court Argument Strong

DOJ Reportedly Exploring Criminal Charges Against Journalists and Humanitarian Lawyers

Senior officials within the Trump administration’s Department of Justice are reportedly preparing legal strategies to investigate and potentially prosecute journalists, immigration lawyers, and NGO wo...

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Published: April 14, 2025 Bill Introduced Strong

Trump's new favorite authoritarian is helping him sidestep court orders

In a public meeting with Salvadoran President Bukele, Donald Trump openly proposed deporting violent U.S. citizens to El Salvador’s ultra-max prison CECOT — suggesting Bukele may need to “build five m...

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Published: April 11, 2025 Other Moderate

White House plan guts NOAA climate research, redirects focus to industry support

A leaked White House OMB memo outlines plans to eliminate NOAA’s climate research division, reduce its budget by over $1.5B, and redirect resources to support fossil fuel interests. The memo describes...

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Published: April 10, 2025 Legal Challenge Strong

Trump targets civil society: lawyers, nonprofits, and academia under coordinated pressure

While previously focused on universities, the administration is now expanding legal and financial pressure to lawyers and nonprofits — threatening tax status, funding, and public legitimacy. This conf...

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Published: April 10, 2025 Other Moderate

Trump imposes sweeping tariffs on Chinese goods as trade war escalates

President Trump unilaterally imposed a universal 10% tariff on all Chinese imports, with additional duties targeting steel, aluminum, and semiconductors. China responded with retaliatory tariffs as hi...

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Published: April 9, 2025 Other Strong

Trump’s federal job cuts: workers laid off en masse as court battles rage

Over 60,000 federal workers have already been terminated through accelerated RIF (Reduction in Force) orders, bypassing traditional review processes. An additional 25,000 workers are tied up in ongoin...

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Published: April 9, 2025 Other Strong

House Passes Bill Mandating Proof of Citizenship to Vote in Federal Elections

Closely mirrors EO issued March 2025. Represents an effort to codify a key authoritarian policy shift under the guise of election integrity. Reinforces voter suppression trajectory.

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