2019 Day 823: Trump sued to block a subpoena seeking information about his finances; Rudy Giuliani defended the 2016 Trump Tower meeting with Russians, saying "there's nothing wrong with taking information from Russians"; the House Judiciary Committee subpoenaed former White House counsel Don McGahn as part of its investigation into obstruction of justice; Trump claimed that "nobody disobeys my orders" and that Democrats "can't impeach" him. Apr 22, 2019
2020 Day 1189: The director of the federal agency responsible for developing a coronavirus vaccine was removed after pressing for rigorous vetting of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine to treat the coronavirus, which Trump has repeatedly embraced; the WHO warned that coronavirus remains "extremely dangerous" and "will be with us for a long time"; state and local governments are warning of layoffs and pay cuts after getting left out of the latest federal coronavirus relief package; The first U.S. death from the coronavirus happened in early February – nearly three weeks earlier than U.S. health authorities had previously known; and the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services tapped a former dog breeder with minimal public health experience to lead the agency’s day-to-day response to COVID-19 in the pandemic’s early days. Apr 22, 2020
2021 Day 93: Biden pledged to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% by 2030; the Senate passed legislation denouncing discrimination against Asian communities in the U.S.; the House voted along party lines to grant statehood to Washington, D.C.; Biden is expected to propose almost doubling the capital gains tax rate for people earning more than $1 million; and Senate Republicans released an outline for their own $568 billion infrastructure plan, which Democrats rejected as "totally anemic." Apr 22, 2021
2024 Day 1189: On the fifth day of Trump’s election interference case involving falsified business records to conceal a hush money payment during the 2016 campaign, the prosecution and defense both delivered opening statements; the House passed the $95 billion foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan; Biden signed legislation extending a federal warrantless surveillance program for another two years; the Supreme Court’s conservative majority seemed inclined to uphold a series of local ordinances that allowed an Oregon city to ban homeless people from sleeping or camping in public spaces; and 64% of voters say they’re very interested in November’s election. Apr 22, 2024
2025 Day 1554: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared real-time strike details from a secure military channel in two private Signal chats less than 10 minutes after receiving them; Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a major reorganization of the State Department that will cut 700 jobs, shut down 132 offices, and eliminate several human rights and democracy programs; the EPA will lay off 280 employees and reassign 175 others from its environmental justice and civil rights offices; lawmakers in both parties are moving to protect the Federal Reserve’s independence as Trump escalates attacks on Fed Chair Jerome Powell and positions him as the scapegoat for slowing economic growth due his trade war; Trump claimed he has “no intention” of firing Powell; the International Monetary Fund slashed its 2025 U.S. growth forecast to 1.8%, down from 2.7%; Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Trump’s trade war with China is unsustainable and suggested that “there will be a de-escalation” soon; more than 500 political scientists warn that the U.S. is rapidly shifting toward authoritarianism under Trump’s second term; and Al Gore compared Trump’s use of executive power to early Nazi Germany. Apr 22, 2025
2026 Day 1919: Virginia voters approved a temporary plan to redraw the state’s congressional map, which could give Democrats as many as four more House seats this; the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively shut despite Trump extending the ceasefire, with Iran firing on three commercial ships and seizing two of them; Democrats on the House Judiciary demanded that FBI Director Kash Patel complete a World Health Organization alcohol-use screening test; the Trump administration agreed to pay former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page $1.25 million to settle his claims over FBI surveillance during the Russia investigation; the Justice Department charged the Southern Poverty Law Center with defrauding donors by secretly using more than $3 million in contributions to pay informants inside the Ku Klux Klan and other extremist groups; 52% of Americans prefer congressional candidates who don't support Trump's deportation policy; and 55% of Americans say the House should impeach Trump. Apr 22, 2026