Timeline
Published stories ordered by the date of the event they describe. Where only a month or year is known, the entry says so; dates are never invented.
2026
- · Estimate
JEC Democratic staff estimate Trump's oil stocks gained $4.6 million to $15.5 million in 2026; Reuters traced about $7 billion in oil bets placed before his Iran announcements; the CFTC confirmed an open probe on October 22, 2026.
- · Primary record
The Pentagon reported $45.1 billion in Iran war costs through early September 2026 (CBO: $38 billion through August 1); an $87.6 billion supplemental is pending and the 2027 request seeks $1.5 trillion for defense.
- · Primary record
Trump sued the IRS in January 2026 and settled in May for an apology, a since-rescinded $1.776 billion fund and audit protection; a judge found the suit collusive in July, and the 11th Circuit refused to pause her order on September 29.
2025
- · Reporting
Since sanctioning Rosneft and Lukoil in October 2025, the administration waived them three times during the Iran war, gave Hungary a one-year exemption now up for renewal, and Lukoil's $22 billion foreign portfolio is still unsold.
- · Primary record
Treasury's final fiscal 2026 statement shows a $1,992 billion deficit, about $160 billion above fiscal 2024 as first reported; CBO estimates the 2025 tax law adds $4.1 trillion to deficits over ten years with interest.
- · Reporting
Forbes puts Donald Trump at $7 billion (September 2026 list) and $6.6 billion in its live tracker on October 26, 2026; Eric at $400 million and Don Jr. at $300 million (December 2025); Barron at $150 million (September 2025).
- · Primary record
USDA data show SNAP participation fell from 41.6 million in July 2025 to 36.1 million in July 2026, a 13 percent drop that CBPP estimates includes about 2 million children; state cost-sharing phases in from October 2026.
- · Reporting
The Pentagon accepted a Qatari Boeing 747 in May 2025; Trump began flying on it July 1, 2026. The Air Force says conversion costs under $400 million (estimate); the library plan is now uncertain.
- · Primary record
In 2025-2026 Musk's companies won a $5.92 billion anticipated-value launch contract and a $200 million AI ceiling alongside competitors, DOJ dropped a SpaceX hiring case, and Musk joined a Pentagon warfare study.
- · Primary record
DOGE's savings claims carried documented errors ($8 billion listed for an $8 million contract), a 2026 GAO audit found most savings unverifiable, and a January 2026 court filing described unauthorized SSA data handling.
- · Primary record
USAID's inspector general warned in February 2025 that $489 million in food aid was at risk and was fired the next day; most warehoused food later shipped, $2.9 million spoiled in Djibouti, 500 tons destroyed in Dubai.
- · Reporting
A Washington Post analysis found companies backed by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump won at least $3.2 billion in direct federal business and $3.1 billion in options after they invested; officials and firms deny favoritism.
- · Reporting
Trump's crypto money: $1.4 billion reported income, a UAE stake, and a lawsuit that is only a filing
Trump's 2025 disclosure reported over $1.4 billion in crypto income; Reuters estimates about $2.3 billion in family gains; a $500 million UAE-linked stake drew a CFIUS request and, in October 2026, an unproven lawsuit.
2024
- · Reporting
FEC-based tallies put Musk's 2024 election spending at $259 million (Reuters, Dec 2024) and at least $288 million (Washington Post, Jan 2025); separate 2026 midterm tallies range from $366 million to more than $445 million.
- · Reporting
Musk and America PAC agreed on October 15, 2026 to settle two class actions over the 2024 $1 million voter giveaways on undisclosed terms; in 2024 Grok spread false ballot-deadline information for about ten days.
2023
- · Primary record
A judge dismissed X's suit against a hate-speech research group in March 2024 as a case about punishing speech; the Ninth Circuit heard X's appeal on September 30, 2026 and has not ruled.
2022
- · Reporting
Reuters reported Musk ordered Starlink cut over parts of Ukraine in 2022 (SpaceX disputes it); in October 2026 Ukraine's Starlink and Starshield links were throttled for over a week until service returned October 24.
2018
- · Primary record
Musk and Tesla each paid $20 million to settle the 2018 'funding secured' case; in 2026 a Musk trust paid $1.5 million to settle the SEC's Twitter-disclosure suit, approved despite the judge's 'significant misgivings'.