May 28

Vance appears at the Bitcoin 2025 conference and an RNC fundraiser in Las Vegas

Vice President JD Vance appeared at the Bitcoin 2025 Conference in Las Vegas on May 28, 2025, and attended an RNC fundraiser, signaling the administration's support for the cryptocurrency industry. Trump had pledged during the 2024 campaign to make the U.S. the global hub for cryptocurrency; Vance's conference appearance followed the administration's early executive actions relaxing SEC oversight of digital assets and establishing a U.S. Bitcoin strategic reserve.

Trump signs executive order on press freedom

Trump signs executive order on press freedom..

Trump Signs 16 Pardons and 6 Commutations Including Larry Hoover, NBA YoungBoy, and John Rowland

Trump signed 16 pardons and 6 commutations on May 28, 2025, covering gang leaders, celebrity rappers, former politicians, and drug offenders. The most significant was Larry Hoover, a Chicago gang leader serving a life sentence whom hip-hop artists had sought to free for decades, alongside rapper NBA YoungBoy (23 months, firearm possession) and former Connecticut Governor John Rowland (two separate corruption convictions). Commutations went to Imaad Zuberi for campaign finance violations and several long-sentenced drug offenders.

Trump pardons reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley for $30 million bank fraud

President Trump granted full pardons to Todd and Julie Chrisley, the reality television stars convicted of $30 million in bank fraud and tax evasion. The couple had been serving lengthy federal prison sentences. Critics called the pardon an abuse of clemency power that rewarded celebrity connections, while supporters argued the sentences were disproportionate.

Court of International Trade strikes down IEEPA tariffs 3-0

A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of International Trade ruled unanimously on May 28, 2025, that President Trump exceeded his authority under IEEPA by imposing reciprocal tariffs on nearly all imported goods. The court held that IEEPA does not give the president authority to impose tariffs as a tool for addressing trade deficits, finding the statute was designed for sanctions and asset freezes rather than across-the-board import duties. The government appealed the same day; the Federal Circuit issued an administrative stay on May 29 and scheduled expedited briefing. The case reached the Supreme Court after the Federal Circuit upheld the CIT ruling in August 2025.

Trump signs executive order targeting social media platforms

President Donald Trump signed an executive order targeting social media platforms after Twitter fact-checked his tweets. The order sought to limit legal protections for platforms that moderate content, framing content moderation as censorship rather than legitimate editorial judgment.

Jennings v. Rodriguez litigation begins in the Ninth Circuit

Jennings v. Rodriguez litigation: Case was filed in district court in May 2007, not Ninth Circuit in 2012. Ninth Circuit appeal (Rodriguez v. Robbins) began later. Exact date of Ninth Circuit appeal initiation needs verification.

PLO founded

The Palestine Liberation Organization was founded to represent Palestinian interests and pursue Palestinian statehood. The PLO became the central political body for Palestinians and conducted armed struggle against Israel.

Palestine Liberation Organization is founded

The Palestine Liberation Organization was founded with Arab League backing to represent Palestinian national claims. The PLO later became the primary international representative of Palestinians and a central party to diplomacy, armed struggle, and the Oslo process.

Congress creates the US Border Patrol as a federal border enforcement agency

Congress passed the Labor Appropriation Act of 1924, establishing the US Border Patrol as a federal law enforcement agency within the Bureau of Immigration. President Calvin Coolidge signed the legislation, creating an initial force of 450 patrol inspectors charged with securing borders between official ports of entry. The first stations opened in Detroit and El Paso, reflecting early focus on both the northern and southern borders.

Jackson signs Indian Removal Act authorizing forced Native displacement

President Andrew Jackson signs the Indian Removal Act on May 28, 1830. The law authorizes the president to negotiate removal treaties that force Native nations east of the Mississippi River to give up their homelands for territory farther west.\n\nSupporters describe removal as a way to open land for white settlement and avoid conflict between states and Native nations. In practice, the policy leads to mass dispossession, coerced treaties, and deadly forced migrations including the Trail of Tears.\n\nThe event belongs in the racism timeline because federal law uses race, sovereignty, and land policy to remove Native peoples and expand a white settler republic.