Former top DOJ immigration official says she was removed with no explanation

(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump’s rapid reshaping of the federal government continues with executive orders and action from his acting agency heads.

Federal departments face a 5 p.m. deadline Tuesday to cease spending on any financial assistance programs, according to a memo from the White House’s Office of Management and Budget. More firings of career officials at the Justice Department unfolded on Monday and Trump signed four military executive orders, one targeting transgender service members.

Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem joined immigration enforcement operations in New York. More Trump Cabinet nominees, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard, will face highly-anticipated confirmation hearings later this week.

Trump to sign executive orders on education

President Donald Trump is expected to sign two executive orders Wednesday on education.

One of the orders seeks to cut federal funding to K-12 schools that teach “radical gender ideology and critical race theory,” according to a fact sheet obtained by ABC News.

The order also directs the attorney general to pursue actions against school officials and teachers who “sexually exploit minors or practice medicine without a license through ‘social transition’ practices,” it states.

“American education should focus on cultivating patriotic citizens ready for the workforce, not political activists,” the fact sheet states.

In the second order, Trump is seeking to expand “educational freedom” and allow for more school choice options.

The order directs the secretary of defense to submit a plan for how military families can use defense funds to send their children to the school of their choice, and requires HHS to provide guidance on “how states receiving block grants for children and families can use those funds to support educational alternatives, including private and faith-based options.”

Trump to sign executive order on combating antisemitism

President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order Wednesday aimed at combating “the explosion of anti-Semitism on our campuses and in our streets since October 7, 2023,” according to a fact sheet obtained by ABC News.

The order would seek to “protect law and order, quell pro-Hamas vandalism and intimidation, and investigate and punish anti-Jewish racism in leftist, anti-American colleges and universities,” it states.

Colombian official claims there were no criminals among 2 planes of migrants that left US this week

In a video posted to X, a Colombian government official claimed there were no criminals among the two planes of migrants that arrived in Colombia this week.

“They are not criminals,” Luis Gilberto Murillo, Colombia’s foreign minister, said on Tuesday. “Being a migrant is not a crime.”

The statement from Murillo comes after White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Tuesday that all undocumented immigrants are “criminals.”

– ABC News’ Laura Romero

Noem says Gitmo, other assets for migrant detention are being evaluated

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced the cancellation of TPS for Venezuelans on Fox and Friends Wednesday morning, claiming the Biden administration’s move to extend protections for Venezuelans meant “they were going to be able to stay here and violate our laws.”

However, TPS holders are in the country legally, have work permits, have been fingerprinted and have been vetted by the federal government.

“Today, we signed an executive order within the Department of Homeland Security and a direction that we are not going to follow through on what he did to tie our hands, that we are going to follow the process evaluate all of these individuals that are in our country, including the Venezuelans that are here and members of TDA,” she said.

Noem claimed that during the New York City enforcement operation that people thanked her for getting the “dirtbags” off the street.

She also said they’re not ruling out using Gitmo for Venezuelans, Cubans, and other migrants whose countries refuse to take them back.

– ABC News’ Armando Garcia

Trump to sign the Laken Riley Act, his 1st act of legislation

President Donald Trump will sign the Laken Riley Act into law Wednesday at 2 pm in the East Room, according to the White House.

This will be the first measure Trump signs into law of his second administration.

The House of Representatives passed the Laken Riley Act earlier this month as the first bill of the new Republican-controlled Congress. Read more about the Laken Riley Act here.

– ABC News’ Hannah Demissie

Federal worker buyout not a way to purge those who disagree with Trump’s agenda: WH press secretary

When asked by ABC News’ Mary Bruce for her response to those who say the federal worker buyout is a way to purge individuals who disagree with the president’s agenda, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said this is “false” and asserted that this is a way to bring people back to the office.

Though the White House has described the federal worker buyout as an effort to bring people in the federal government back to the office, the union that represents federal workers doesn’t see it that way. It said this is not a voluntary buyout.

“We’re all here at work, at the office. There are law enforcement officers and teachers and nurses across the country who showed up to the office today. People in this city need to do the same. It’s an overwhelmingly popular policy with people outside of Washington, D.C. The President campaigned on this, and his administration’s keeping the promise.”

When asked how much it would cost to bring all those workers back and provide them with the office space they need, Leavitt claimed he would “save tens of millions of dollars.”

“I would also add that the order simply directs federal agencies to come up with a return to work plan. And so this isn’t a purge, and this isn’t forcing every single individual in Washington, DC to return to work only if they are able, and of course, within the law,” Leavitt said.

– ABC News’ Hannah Demissie

Dept of Education says Trump admin ‘committed to reorienting our education system’

The Department of Education said the Nation’s Report Card reveals a “heartbreaking reality” and that “students who were the most behind and needed the most support have fallen ever further behind.”

It said the Trump administration is “committed to reorienting our education system” and will emphasize the need for change.

According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, dubbed the Nation’s Report Card, America’s fourth and eighth grade students’ sliding reading scores worsened in 2024.

“The nation’s report card is out and the news is not good,” National Center for Education Statistics Commissioner Peggy G. Carr said on a call with reporters.

– ABC News’ Elizabeth Schulze and Arthur Jones II

Trump admin cancels TPS for Venezuelans

The Trump Administration has canceled the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) extension for Venezuelans under the status, according to a document obtained by ABC News.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem signed off on a memo Tuesday night that ends the extension signed by former Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas just days before he left the job earlier this month.

Those Venezuelans who gained TPS in 2021 will have their protections through September, and those who gained TPS in 2023 will have them through April.

Noem has until Saturday to decide on whether to extend Venezuelans who received status in 2023 can have their protections extended – if she chooses not to, those TPS statuses will automatically extend by six months.

The designation is expected to impact about 600,000 people, according to immigration advocates.

— ABC News’ Luke Barr

Retired US Gen. Mark Milley has security detail removed, clearance suspended

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has removed retired U.S. Gen. Mark Milley’s personal security detail, suspended his security clearance and directed the Pentagon’s acting inspector general to carry out an inquiry into Milley’s conduct to determine if his military rank should be reduced.

“The Secretary informed General Milley today that he is revoking the authorization for his security detail and suspending his security clearance as well,” Pentagon spokesman John Ullyot said in a statement provided to ABC News. “The Secretary has also directed the DoD IG to conduct an inquiry into the facts and circumstances surrounding Gen Milley’s conduct so that the Secretary may determine whether it is appropriate to reopen his military grade review determination.”

A senior defense official also said that a portrait of Milley was being removed from the Pentagon, this one from his time as Army chief of staff. On Inauguration Day, Milley’s official portrait from when he was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was taken down at the direction of the White House, according to two U.S. officials.

In a statement on Tuesday, DOD Chief of Staff Joe Kasper said: “Undermining the chain of command is corrosive to our national security, and restoring accountability is a priority for the Defense Department under President Trump’s leadership.”

Fox News first reported the steps Hegseth planned to take.

A spokesperson for the DOD inspector general earlier confirmed to ABC News that the office had received the request from the defense secretary and was reviewing it.

Milley’s security detail had been in place since his retirement in 2023 out of concerns that Iran might retaliate against him and other senior officials following the 2020 killing of Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani.

Trump has sharply criticized Milley over the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and previously accused the retired general of treason.

After the 2020 election, Milley reportedly took secret precautions to try to prevent Trump from taking military action or launching a nuclear weapon after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

In the run-up to the 2024 election, Milley called Trump “fascist to the core” in comments to journalist Bob Woodward.

In the final days of his term former President Joe Biden pre-emptively pardoned Milley, a move that would prevent him from facing civilian criminal prosecution and a military court martial.

-ABC News’ Luis Martinez

New DOT secretary signs deal to reduce ‘restrictive’ fuel standards

The Department of Transportation said in a release Tuesday night that its newly confirmed secretary, Sean Duffy, signed a memorandum as his first act of business that will make fuel standards less “restrictive” and in turn bring down the price of a new car.

“Secretary Duffy’s first act was signing a memorandum directing staff to start the process of resetting Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, which will ultimately lower the price of a car for American consumers and eliminate the electric vehicle mandate,” the DOT release said.

“The memorandum signed today specifically reduces the burdensome and overly restrictive fuel standards that have needlessly driven up the cost of a car in order to push a radical Green New Deal agenda,” it continued. “The American people should not be forced to sacrifice choice and affordability when purchasing a new car.”

Duffy was confirmed as the secretary of the DOT earlier in the day on Tuesday.

-ABC News’ Sam Sweeney

Trump says he is sending Musk, SpaceX to get American astronauts stuck at ISS

President Donald Trump said that he has asked Elon Musk and SpaceX to “‘go get'” two astronauts whose departure from the International Space Station has been repeatedly delayed.

The two astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams, flew to the ISS on Boeing’s Starliner last June. After experiencing issues, Starliner returned to Earth in September, leaving behind the two astronauts. They were expected to return back on a SpaceX Crew-9 Dragon spacecraft in February.

Trump added that “Elon will soon be on his way,” and wished the billionaire businessman good luck.

-ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart

Federal employees who accept buyout offers should be put on admin leave, OPM says

Federal employees who accept a buyout offer should “promptly” have their duties reassigned or eliminated and be placed on administrative leave until Sept. 30, according to a follow-up memo from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

OPM said each agency should report updates on the number of employees who have accepted buyouts to OPM every Friday, beginning this week.

The buyout offer sent to government employees earlier Tuesday offers them pay and benefits until Sept. 30 if they resign by Feb. 6. Employees who stay on are asked to commit to in-person work and updated performance standards, according to an earlier memo, that also emphasized loyalty.

-ABC News’ Ben Siegel

DOD OKs use of Colorado base for processing detained migrants

The Department of Defense approved a request to use Buckley Space Force Base in Aurora, Colorado, for processing detained migrants, according to U.S. Northern Command.

The Department of Homeland Security had put in the request.

“ICE requirements for the facility include a temporary operations center, staging area, and a temporary holding location for the receiving, holding, and processing of criminal aliens,” a U.S. Northern Command spokesperson said. “This facility will be manned by ICE senior leaders, special agents, and analysts, as well as members of DHS Components and other federal law enforcement agencies.”

The use of military bases to help out DHS was a possibility mentioned by border czar Tom Homan before the Trump administration came into office.

-ABC News’ Luis Martinez

OPM memo emphasizes loyalty

Among the four “pillars” addressed in the Office of Personnel Management memo offering buyouts to government employees, one emphasizes loyalty.

Under “Enhanced standards of conduct,” the memo states: “The federal workforce should be comprised of employees who are reliable, loyal, trustworthy, and who strive for excellence in their daily work. Employees will be subject to enhanced standards of suitability and conduct as we move forward. Employees who engage in unlawful behavior or other misconduct will be prioritized for appropriate investigation and discipline, including termination.”

The other pillars highlight a return to in-office work, updated performance standards and a “more streamlined workforce” with anticipated downsizing in a “majority of federal agencies,” per the memo.

Speaker Johnson says he ‘fully’ supports temporary funding freeze

House Speaker Mike Johnson said he “fully” supports President Donald Trump’s funding freeze, downplaying the impacts, and noted it’ll be temporary and not a “major interruption.”

“It is a temporary pause for some programs — it could be an hourslong pause. It is not a big thing. Some of the programs have already been approved. But what this is a, I believe, a common application of common sense,” the speaker said during a fireside chat at the GOP retreat on Tuesday. “We want to make sure that the executive orders of the new president are being fully complied with regard to these programs. I think these would be quick reviews.”

“I think it’s going to be harmless,” he added.

Asked by the reporter if Trump is stretching his executive authorities, Johnson said the president has been “using his executive authority, I think, in an appropriate manner.”

Within minutes of the White House freezing billions in federal grants and loans, a federal judge blocked the funding pause from taking effect until next week.

-ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa, Jay O’Brien and Lauren Peller

White House addresses buyout offer

The White House has addressed the buyout plan offered to federal workers on Tuesday, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt calling the payout “very generous.”

“American taxpayers pay for the salaries of federal government employees, and therefore deserve employees working on their behalf who actually show up to work in our wonderful federal buildings, also paid for by taxpayers,” Leavitt said in a statement. “If they don’t want to work in the office and contribute to making America great again, then they are free to choose a different line of work, and the Trump Administration will provide a very generous payout of 8 months.”

22 states and DC sue Trump administration over funding freeze

Twenty-two states and Washington, D.C., are suing the Trump administration over its plan to pause billions in federal grants and loans.

The federal lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island around the same time that a judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia temporarily delayed the freeze, argued that Trump exceeded his authority as president by denying funds appropriated by Congress.

“The OMB Directive constitutes a refusal to spend money appropriated by Congress, in violation of the executive’s constitutional authority to administer the law,” the lawsuit said.

The state attorneys general argued the funding is necessary to support health systems, Medicaid, law enforcement, disaster relief, critical infrastructure, education systems and other key services.

“Without this funding, Plaintiff States will be unable to provide certain essential benefits for residents, pay public employees, satisfy obligations, and carry on the important business of government,” the filing said.

-ABC News’ Peter Charalambous

OPM memo tells employees to respond ‘Resign’ if they want to take buyout

ABC News has obtained the Office of Personnel Management memo sent to government employees Tuesday informing them of their offer for “deferred resignation,” which begins effective immediately and offers pay and benefits until Sept. 30 for those who accept.

The memo, titled “Fork in the Road,” instructs employees simply to reply “Resign” in the message body if they plan to accept the buyout.

The memo states that any government employee can qualify “except for military personnel of the armed forces, employees of the U.S. Postal Service, those in positions related to immigration enforcement and national security, and those in any other positions specifically excluded by your employing agency.”

The last day to accept the offer is Feb. 6, per the memo.

-ABC News’ Benjamin Siegel, Luke Barr and Cheyenne Haslett

Fed workers union responds to buyout plan

The American Federation of Government Employees, which represents more than 800,000 federal and Washington, D.C., employees, responded to the reports that Trump is planning to offer federal workers buyouts.

“This offer should not be viewed as voluntary,” AFGE National President Everett Kelley said in a statement.

Kelley claimed the Trump administration’s goal “is to turn the federal government into a toxic environment where workers cannot stay even if they want to.”

“The number of civil servants hasn’t meaningfully changed since 1970, but there are more Americans than ever who rely on government services. Purging the federal government of dedicated career federal employees will have vast, unintended consequences that will cause chaos for the Americans who depend on a functioning federal government,” he said.

-ABC News’ Sarah Kolinovsky

Trump signs EO restricting transgender care access for people under 19

Trump signed an executive order that would restrict gender-affirming care for people under the age of 19.

The action would restrict medical institutions that receive federal funding from providing such care — including puberty blockers, hormone therapies, and surgeries — and calls on the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to “take all appropriate actions to end the chemical and surgical mutilation of children.”

Stephen Miller claims freeze won’t affect ‘any federal benefits’ programs

White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller took questions from the press to talk about the federal funding freeze, which was temporarily blocked by a judge.

Miller claimed the freeze “doesn’t affect any federal programs that Americans rely on, full stop.”

When asked by ABC News if Americans who rely on indirect benefits might see impacts, Miller said the OMB document “is clearing up how to implement the original executive order, which doesn’t cover any entitlement or public benefit spending at all.”

-ABC News’ Mary Bruce and Michelle Stoddart

Nevada governor says his office in touch with White House over funding freeze

In a post on X, Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo said his office is in touch with the White House and will be part of a larger meeting with the Office of Management and Budget to discuss the impact of the federal fund freeze on his state’s agencies.

“While these discussions are ongoing, it’s important to reiterate that programs that provide direct benefits to Nevadans — like Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP, and Head Start — are continuing without interruption. Despite the shameless political theater on this issue, the Office of the Governor will continue to provide state agencies and Nevadans with timely, accurate, and correct information,” he said.

-ABC News’ Brittany Shepherd

Trump expected to offer buyouts to federal employees: Sources

Trump is expected to offer buyouts to all federal workers in a memo that is expected to be sent by the White House as soon as Tuesday, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.

The offer of a one-time severance payment to leave the federal government is the latest attempt to further shrink the federal government. It’s not clear how many federal workers would be eligible for this offer or who would pay for it.

The expected White House memo will say that workers who want to continue working from home will be paid through the end of September, but they must resign by next week, Feb. 6, sources said.

In order to be eligible for a severance payment, federal workers must have completed at least 12 months of continuous service, according to OPM’s website.

-ABC News’ Katherine Faulders

Federal judge temporarily blocks Trump’s funding pause from taking effect

Within minutes of the White House freezing billions in federal grants and loans, a federal judge temporarily blocked the funding pause from taking effect.

U.S. District Judge Loren L. AliKhan issued a brief administrative stay of the policy during a virtual hearing on Tuesday afternoon. The stay blocks the policy from taking effect until 5 p.m. on Feb. 3.

Pressed by Judge AliKhan, Justice Department lawyer Daniel Schwei struggled to articulate the full extent of the administration’s guidance.

“It seems like the federal government currently doesn’t actually know the full scope of the programs that are going to be subject to the pause. Is that correct?” she asked.

-ABC News’ Peter Charalambous

Trump invites Israel’s Netanyahu to White House

President Donald Trump has invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to a meeting at the White House on Tuesday, Feb. 4, according to the prime minister’s office.

Netanyahu is the first foreign leader to be invited to the White House in Trump’s second term.

White House confirms outage of Medicaid portal

The White House is now confirming the Medicaid portal is experiencing outages, as states reported issues accessing the site in the wake of the federal government’s abrupt freeze

“The White House is aware of the Medicaid website portal outage,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in an X post.

“We have confirmed no payments have been affected — they are still being processed and sent. We expect the portal will be back online shortly,” she added.

Leavitt defended the freeze during her first press briefing earlier Tuesday. Leavitt said it was a temporary pause and would not impact direct individual assistance Americans rely on.

But questions remain on its impact, as the government funds thousands of loan and grant programs on everything from water and air quality to housing subsidies.

Nonprofits, health groups and more sue to block memo freezing financial aid

A group of nonprofit groups, public health organizations, small businesses and LGBTQ advocates have asked the federal district court in Washington for an emergency injunction and temporary restraining order to block implementation of the White House Office of Management and Budget memo freezing all federal grant and loan distributions.

The lawsuit invokes the Administrative Procedures Act, which says that federal agencies must undertake changes in policy by providing justification for the action, adequately consider the real-world impacts, and accept public input.

The groups allege the Office of Management and Budget has done none of these things and has exceeded its authority.

-ABC News’ Devin Dwyer and MaryAlice Parks

State officials report trouble accessing health, emergency funds

The White House memo on ceasing spending for federal financial aid programs is sparking alarm for some across the country.

Multiple state agencies are reporting they are encountering error messages as they try to access online portals that they typically use to draw down funds for emergency aid, community health centers, Head Start and even Medicaid — despite the memo’s explicit carve out for Medicare and Social Security.

“This is sowing chaos and confusion everywhere,” one state official told ABC News.

-ABC News’ Steven Portnoy

EPA temporarily pauses disbursement of federal financial aid

The Environmental Protection Agency is “temporarily pausing” its disbursement of federal financial aid in response to the order from the White House Office of Management and Budget, the agency confirmed in a statement to ABC News.

The EPA grants fund a wide array of national, state and tribal programs, including some to assist with air and water quality. A list of its grant programs can be found here.

The agency said it is “continuing to work with OMB as they review processes, policies, and programs, as required by the memorandum.”

-ABC News’ Kelly Livingston

Karoline Leavitt, youngest WH press secretary, to hold 1st briefing

Karoline Leavitt will make her first appearance behind the podium in the James S. Brady briefing room on Tuesday.

Leavitt, 27, is the youngest White House press secretary in history. She served as the spokesperson for Trump’s 2024 campaign and transition team.

On Monday, she held her first gaggle with reporters aboard Air Force One. There, she fielded questions on Trump’s upcoming moves on FEMA and his attempts to end birthright citizenship. She’ll face more questions, likely about Trump’s recent actions regarding the military and federal aid programs, at 1 p.m.
 

Trump weighs in on possible deal for Microsoft to buy TikTok

President Donald Trump discussed a possible deal for Microsoft to buy TikTok while speaking with reporters by phone from Air Force One on Monday evening.

Trump was asked whether Microsoft was in discussions to acquire the embattled social media app amid its looming U.S. ban deadline.

“I would say yes,” Trump said, before adding, “A lot of interest in TikTok, there’s great interest there.”

When asked whether he liked the idea of a bidding war for the app, Trump said he likes bidding wars.

“I like bidding wars because you make your best deal,” he said.

“It’s very clear, if I sign, then somebody’s going to buy it, pay a lot of money, have a lot of jobs, keep a platform open and have it be very secure. If I don’t sign, then it closes,” Trump added of TikTok’s future in America.

He was asked about what other companies were looking to buy the app, and he declined to respond but said that they are all “top of the line.”

White House budget office suspends federal financial aid programs for internal review

The White House budget office is ordering federal agencies to cease any financial assistance spending if they suspect the program might conflict with President Donald Trump’s executive orders.

In a memo obtained by ABC News, Matthew Vaeth, acting director of the Office and Management and Budget, told agency chiefs that they must report back by Feb. 10 on all programs that apply.

“The memo requires federal agencies to identify and review all federal financial assistance programs and supporting activities consistent with the President’s policies and requirements,” according to the document.

The memo says it is directed at programs providing “financial assistance for foreign aid, non-governmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology and the Green New Deal.”

The order does not specify which financial aid programs would have to be suspended, although it could have sweeping implications. The federal government funds thousands of programs, including research programs, housing subsidies and educational grants.

Quakers sue to keep ICE out of houses of worship

Five Quaker congregations sued the Department of Homeland Security on Monday over last week’s policy reversal that allows immigration agents to conduct searches and arrests in so-called “sensitive areas” like churches and schools.

The Quaker groups, known as the Religious Society of Friends, alleged that the policy change harms their congregations by deterring immigrants from worshipping in person, violating their First Amendment rights to freely associate and exercise religion.

“Allowing armed government agents wearing ICE-emblazoned jackets to park outside a religious service and monitor who enters or to interrupt the service and drag a congregant out during the middle of worship is anathema to Quaker religious exercise,” the federal lawsuit filed in Maryland said.

Quaker worship generally involves multiple congregants sitting together in silence to await a message from God, which can be received and shared by anyone in attendance, according to the lawsuit.

“Being able to receive those messages is fundamental to Quaker religious exercise,” the lawsuit said.

“Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest,” Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman said in a statement announcing the policy change on Jan. 24. “The Trump Administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense.”

-ABC News’ Peter Charalambous, James Hill and Laura Romero

Trump says he wants to deport ‘repeat offenders’ in US legally

Trump said Monday he wants to deport repeat criminal offenders who are in the U.S. legally, offering that they be held in foreign jails.

“I don’t want these violent repeat offenders in our country any more than I want illegal aliens from other countries who misbehave,” Trump said during his remarks at the House GOP retreat.

“This is subject to getting it approved, but if they’ve been arrested many, many times, they’re repeat offenders by many numbers, I want them out of our country,” he added. “We’ll be seeking permission to do so. We’re going to get approval hopefully to get them the hell out of our country along with others.”

Trump suggested that they could be maintained in a foreign country “for a very small fee.”

-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow

ICE arrests 1,179 undocumented immigrants on Monday

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said it arrested 1,179 undocumented immigrants on Monday.

That marks an increase from Sunday, when the agency said it made 956 such arrests.

ICE is operating at an increased tempo since the new administration took office.

-ABC News’ Luke Barr

Trump says DeepSeek is a ‘wake-up call’ for American companies

During his remarks at the House GOP retreat, Trump discussed the emergence of Chinese AI technology DeepSeek, saying it should be a “wake-up call” for American companies.

“The release of DeepSeek AI from a Chinese company should be a wake-up call for our industries that we need to be laser-focused on competing to win, because we have the greatest scientists in the world, even Chinese leadership told me that,” Trump said.

He also cast the technology as an “asset” for how it could revolutionize technology due to its less-expensive method.

Trump said that he hoped American companies could come up with the “same solutions” without investing billions of dollars and repeated his promise to “unleash” American tech companies to “dominate the future.”

-ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart

CDC officials told to cease communications with the WHO

Public health officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been told to cease communications with the World Health Organization, an official with the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed to ABC News.

This comes after Trump signed an executive order on his first day of office ordering the withdrawal of the U.S. from the WHO. The U.S. is the biggest financial contributor to the global public health organization and public health experts immediately denounced the move as a risk to national security and pandemic outbreak prevention.

Any country’s withdrawal from the WHO is supposed to be preceded by a one year advance notice, which experts interpreted Trump’s executive order to serve as. But the recent order for CDC public health officials to immediately stop communicating with their WHO counterparts suggests that Trump is not adhering to those governing rules.

-ABC News’ Cheyenne Haslett

Trump addresses new executive orders on the military

Trump said “in a little while” he will be signing four new executive orders addressing the military, during his remarks at a retreat of House Republicans at his Doral golf resort in Miami on Monday.

One will direct Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to “immediately begin” the construction of an “Iron Dome” missile defense shield, a nod to the Israeli missile defense system.

“We protect other countries, but we don’t protect ourselves,” he said.

Trump said his administration will also “get transgender ideology the hell out of military” and “stop our service members from being indoctrinated with radical left ideologies such as critical race theory.”

Trump didn’t go into detail, though the White House earlier Monday said that Trump is expected to sign an order directing the Department of Defense to update its guidance “regarding trans-identifying medical standards for military service and to rescind guidance inconsistent with military readiness.”

The order will also end the use of pronouns in the Department of Defense and will also prohibit males from “sharing sleeping, changing, or bathing in facilities designated for females.”

Another order that Trump is expected to sign takes aim at diversity, equity and inclusion programs at the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security. The order will ban the use of “discriminatory race- or sex-based preferences,” according to a fact sheet about the move.

Trump also addressed another order that will offer a “full reinstatement” to service members who were expelled from the armed forces due to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

Scott Bessent confirmed as treasury secretary

The Senate on Monday evening confirmed Scott Bessent to serve as secretary of treasury by a vote of 68-29.

Bessent becomes the fifth member of Trump’s team to be confirmed by the Senate, following Marco Rubio, John Ratcliffe, Pete Hegseth and Kristi Noem.

The Senate is now taking a test vote on Sean Duffy’s nomination to lead the Department of Transportation. He’s expected to easily clear this procedural hurdle to tee up a final vote likely on Wednesday.

-ABC News’ Allison Pecorin

Trump: ‘Am I allowed to run again?’

During his remarks at a retreat of House Republicans at his Doral golf resort in Miami on Monday, Trump raised the questiion whether he could run for a third term.

“I’ve raised a lot of money for the next race that I assume I can’t use for myself, but I’m not 100% sure, because I don’t know,” he said to some laughs in the crowd. “I think I’m not allowed to run again. I’m not sure, am I allowed to run again?”

Last week, Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn. introduced a House joint resolution to allow a president to be elected for no more than three terms, instead of two.

Air Force chief of staff releases statement on Tuskegee Airmen videos

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin wrote a statement Monday regarding curricula on the Tuskegee Airmen and women pilots, saying no such material has been removed from basic military training.

“Allow me to clearly dispel a rumor — while we are currently reviewing all training courses to ensure compliance with the Executive Orders, no curriculum or content highlighting the honor and valor of the Tuskegee Airmen or Women Air Force Service Pilots has been removed from Basic Military Training,” Allvin wrote. “The historic legacy and decorated valor these Airmen embodied during World War II and beyond will continue to guide our newest recruits and all who serve in our ranks.”

The statement comes after an Air Force spokesperson confirmed to the Associated Press that training courses with such videos were removed last week after Trump’s executive order to eliminate DEI initiatives in the federal government. The Air Force later clarified to the AP that the courses were edited but that the Tuskegee Airmen and WASP content would still be shown.

Allvin also said in his own statement on Monday that the Air Force is “faithfully executing” all of Trump’s executive orders, including on DEI.

JD Vance surveys hurricane damage in Virginia

Vice President JD Vance’s first official trip since taking office was to Damascus, Virginia, to survey damage from last year’s devastating Hurricane Helene.

In remarks alongside Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, Vance said he was heartened by the stories he’s heard on the ground of “good people helping their neighbors rebuild.”

Without providing evidence, he also criticized the federal response to the flooding, claiming federal agencies had acted as “a barrier, as opposed to a facilitator” of getting resources into the communities who needed it.

This comes on President Donald Trump’s assessment of storm damage in North Carolina last Friday. During that visit, he floated getting rid of FEMA. He also signed two executive orders Friday that focused on emergency response, one of which creates a task force to conduct a “a full-scale review” of FEMA.

Vance was asked about what changes he would like to see made to FEMA, including possibly eliminating the agency. Vance did not mention the agency being terminated, which Trump could not do unilaterally, but once again reinforced the idea that bureaucrats were getting in the way of rebuilding.

-ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart

Trump spoke with India’s Modi

President Donald Trump spoke with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, continuing his calls with foreign leaders since taking office. Trump’s first call was to Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Trump and Modi discussed “expanding and deepening cooperation” between their countries along with “a range of regional issues, including security in the Indo-Pacific, the Middle East, and Europe,” the White House said.

“The President emphasized the importance of India increasing its procurement of American-made security equipment and moving toward a fair bilateral trading relationship,” according to a readout of the call.

The two leaders also talked about plans for Modi to visit the White House. The prime minister visited the White House as well as former President Joe Biden’s home in Wilmington during the previous administration and made visits to the White House during the first Trump administration.

-ABC News’ Molly Nagle

Mexico’s received 4,094 migrants deported from US, president says

Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum said her country has received 4,094 migrants, most of whom are Mexican nationals, deported from the U.S. since Jan. 20.

“Mexico has a very important history of repatriation with the United States. First with the Trump administration and then with the Biden administration. There are coordination mechanisms,” Sheinbaum said. “We ask for respect for human rights.”

Sheinbaum said four planes with deportees arrived this past weekend. But she noted it has happened in the past and that there has not been “a sustained increase” of deportations.

-ABC News’ William Gretsky

VA says 60 employees placed on leave after DEI order implementation

The Department of Veterans Affairs announced it has completed its initial implementation of ending its DEI program, which has included placing nearly 60 employees on paid administrative leave. The release said the employees in question had been solely focused on DEI initiatives.

According to the release, the combined annual salary of those employees totals more than $8 million, an average of more than $136,000/year per employee. One such employee is making more than $220,000 per year.”

Additionally, the VA has identified other DEI-related expenses totaling more than $6.1 million, which the department said it is working to cancel.

This comes after President Donald Trump signed an order last week to eliminate DEI initiatives in the federal government. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth earlier Monday indicated Trump would take more executive action toward “fully removing DEI inside the Pentagon.”

-ABC News’ Nathan Luna

Trump to sign executive order reinstating service members removed for refusing COVID vaccine

President Donald Trump will sign two executive orders relating to the military, a White House official confirmed to ABC News.

The first executive order Trump is expected to sign will reinstate service members removed from the military for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine, restore their rank, and provide back pay.

The second executive order directs the Department of Defense to determine a policy regarding transgender service members based on readiness. It does not put an immediate ban on trans service members. It simply directs the DOD to come up with a policy.

Last week, Trump revoked a Biden administration order allowing transgender people to serve in the military.

– ABC News’ Hannah Demissie

Trump cabinet confirmation hearings this week

All eyes will be on the Senate this week as confirmation hearings continue for Trump’s cabinet choices.

Health and Human Services pick Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will be facing the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday morning.

On Thursday, FBI nominee Kash Patel’s hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee will take place, in addition to Director of National Intelligence nominee Tulsi Gabbard’s hearing before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

Army Secretary nominee Daniel Driscoll’s confirmation will also be voted on Thursday before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Texas Gov. Abbott to send 400 troops, military resources to Rio Grande Valley

Texas Gov. Abbott is sending an additional 400 soldiers from military bases in Forth Worth and Houston to assist Border Patrol and the Trump administration’s mission to “secure the border.”

The 400 soldiers join the thousands of troops Abbott has already deployed under his border mission, Operation Lone Star.

In addition to troops, he’ll also be sending C-130s and Chinook helicopters.

“Texas has a partner in the White House we can work with to secure the Texas-Mexico border,” Abbott said in a statement, thanking Trump for his “decisive leadership on the southern border.”

– ABC News’ Armando Garcia

Hegseth responds after uproar over removal of Tuskegee Airmen video

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Sunday had to respond to criticism after videos of Tuskegee Airmen and Women Air Force Service Pilots were removed from basic training courses, according to a report from Reuters.

An official told Reuters the videos were removed pending a review to comply with Trump’s order to eliminate DEI efforts in the federal government. Hegseth, too, has made eliminating DEI from the military a top priority.

But uproar quickly grew over the removal of the videos, including from Alabama Republican Sen. Katie Britt. Britt called the removal of the videos “malicious compliance” that had to be corrected.

“We’re all over it Senator. This will not stand,” Hegseth said in response. Hours later, he posted, “This has been immediately reversed.”

Reuters reported on Sunday that the Air Force said the videos will be taught.

Trump signs executive orders for ‘full-scale review’ of FEMA, seeks control over California water system

President Donald Trump signed two executive orders Friday focused on emergency response, one which creates a task force to conduct a “a full-scale review” of FEMA to “recommend to the President improvements or structural changes to promote the national interest and enable national resilience.”

The task force — which is intended to be no larger than 20 people — is expected to “meet regularly” for a year. Among the directives in the order is to evaluate “whether FEMA can serve its functions as a support agency, providing supplemental Federal assistance, to the States rather than supplanting State control of disaster relief.”

They could recommend that FEMA be dismantled, but Congress would need to act in order to do away with the agency.

The second executive order, called “Emergency Measures To Provide Water Resources In California And Improve Disaster Response In Certain Areas,” calls for a plan for the federal government to assert power over California’s water system.

One section outlines actions for the government to go around state and federal law to more directly assert control of California’s water management — though it’s not clear how much of an impact this order will have.

– ABC News’ Molly Nagle

Pete Hegseth arrives for 1st full day at Pentagon as defense secretary

Arriving for his first full day at the Pentagon as defense secretary, Pete Hegseth stopped to talk to reporters to lay out some of his priorities.

“It’s an honor to be here,” Hegseth said after being greeted by Gen. CQ Brown Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Hegseth said that would include removing DEI efforts inside the Pentagon, reinstating service members discharged because of COVID-19 vaccine mandates and building an Iron Dome — though experts have said the latter may not be realistic for the U.S.

He also said the Pentagon would provide “whatever’s needed” at the southern border as Trump carries out his immigration crackdown.

Hegseth previously suggested the firing of Brown as well as other senior officers who were involved either in the chaotic withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan or “woke” DEI initiatives.

Asked on Monday if he wants to fire Brown, Hegseth said: “I’m standing with him right now. Look forward to working with him.”
 

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(WASHINGTON) — Lawmakers from both political parties invoked China as a potential winner in international development as the U.S. reviews its foreign assistance programs and non-governmental organizations funded largely by American grants await answers on the fate of funds critical to their missions abroad.

An official for the demining authority in Cambodia on Thursday said he received a notification to “demobilize staff members and operational teams under the support of the U.S.” starting on March 1, calling the loss of the partnership a “critical situation.”

Grantees in Cambodia were ordered to stop work via an email on Jan. 26 from the State Department office which has since 1993 dispersed grants globally to remove landmines and unexploded ordnance.

A State Department spokesperson told ABC News that “each program is undergoing a review with the goal of restructuring assistance to serve U.S. interests,” including the demining grants from the Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement.

In its 2024 annual report, the office said the U.S. was the world’s “top supporter” of weapons destruction projects, including landmine clearance.

‘Clearing unexploded ordnance here for 100 years’

U.S. grants fund 30% of demining work in Cambodia, a vital nationwide effort in the southeast Asian country to remove landmines from its brutal civil war and unexploded bombs dropped by the U.S. in the Vietnam War, said Bill Morse, chairman of Cambodian Self-Help Demining.

“We’ll be clearing unexploded ordnance here for 100 years,” he said to ABC News via video call from Cambodia.

In a statement, Heng Ratana, the director of the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC), which oversees demining operations in the country, pointed to other countries in Asia — such as China and Japan — and western nations like Germany and Canada who continue to fund the Cambodian authority on demining.

CMAC estimates the country is laden with as many as 4 to 6 million landmines and other unexploded ordnance. Nearly 20,000 people have been killed — and 10,000 more have had amputations because of their injuries — in explosions, according to HALO Trust, a leading NGO.

Non-governmental organizations that work in coordination with CMAC are looking for new funding sources amid uncertainty during the freeze, said Morse, whose NGO has received grants from the State Department since 2009.

“We’ll take money from anyone if they help us clear landmines. I’m not going to be picky about it,” Morse said.

Demining is viewed as a key link between the U.S. and Cambodia, a developing nation that has increasingly relied on China for infrastructure investments and is an ally of Beijing.

Flying the American flag in the field

Demining “is a highly visible demonstration of American support for a country,” Morse said. “We fly the American flag in the field. Our uniforms carry the American flag on it. The helmets that we wear have the American flag on it.”

“Most people in the country, in the countryside, what they know of the United States is what we’re doing in the field … They’ve never seen an ambassador in their life. I may be the only American they ever meet.”

China, which has been a partner on demining efforts in Cambodia, dispersed $4.4 million to the demining authority last week, CMAC announced.

Democrats and Republicans on the House Foreign Affairs Committee sparred over U.S. foreign assistance in a Thursday hearing focused on USAID programs, which Chairman Brian Mast, R-Fla., said are “indefensible” and “literally betray America.”

“Your money would’ve been better off if it had simply been thrown into a fireplace,” Mast said to open the hearing.

Yet members from both parties pointed to the rising influence of China, alarmed that China could open a spigot of cash for international aid in areas where U.S. programs cease.
“It counters China,” former Republican Rep. Ted Yoho testified, describing development work. “If we’re not there, China will be there.”

Strategic competition with China

The top Republican and Democrat on the panel’s East Asia subcommittee framed the assistance issue in terms of strategic competition with China.

“I worry about what’s happening in the Pacific Islands … we’re ceding our influence there,” said Rep. Ami Bera, D-Calif. “We’re already seeing China step in and take things over.”

Rep. Young Kim, R-Calif., like Bera invoked demining work, citing “reports of CCP officials signaling their willingness to replace USAID in Nepal and demining activities in Cambodia.”

“Even critics of USAID acknowledge the critical soft power value of targeted and efficient programming,” she said.

A House Democratic staffer told ABC News that recipient countries, including allies, of U.S. assistance will be left with little choice but to turn to China.

The U.S. has engaged in Ghana “in part” to limit China’s gains, the staffer said, calling it “a really good U.S. partner” that now has a $156 million gap for which to compensate.

“They don’t want to work with China more. But when you have a country that has such a liquidity crisis — they have a new president, and now they have this huge funding gap — what do you expect them to do?” the staffer asked.

All three expert witnesses at Thursday’s committee hearing agreed that China represents a counterweight to the U.S. in international development.

“The U.S. has owned the space,” the Democratic staffer said, noting Russia’s recent work on mpox and ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, low-visibility assistance that could become more apparent if the U.S. pulls back permanently.

Yoho said good programs run by USAID and the State Department should be “back online as soon as possible” and “mission-driven” projects should be prioritized.

In a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio last week, 17 former ambassadors to Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos called for Rubio “to end the 90 day stop work order for U.S. foreign assistance programming that suspends U.S.-funded mine clearance programs” via “a waiver or quick and affirmative review.”

The diplomats said in their letter that U.S.-funded demining work advances national security by ensuring bad actors do not weaponize explosive materials and by fostering important connections in defense and economics.

“As former Ambassadors, we can attest that these programs helped us advance US interests by generating goodwill and providing access to senior government officials,” they wrote.

In its statement to ABC News, the State Department said it was standing up a coordination team to ensure the review of foreign assistance was “accountable” and “transparen[t].”

“Programs that serve our nation’s interests will continue,” the spokesperson said. “However, programs that aren’t aligned with our national interest will not.”

The stakes are life-and-death, Morse said.

“What’s going to happen is, [there’s a] very good chance people are going to die. Next month, they’re going to walk into an area that should have been cleared this month.”

“They’re going to step on a landmine, blow their leg off and bleed out,” he said.

About 81% of cleared land is used for farming, 15% for schools and hospitals and housing, and 4% for energy infrastructure, according to Morse, creating a key second-order effect of development.

“Clearing landmines doesn’t simply save lives,” he said.

 

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(WASHINGTON) — Thousands of federal workers nationwide have been forced out of their jobs by the Trump administration as Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency’s says it aims to improve the government and cut down waste.

From park rangers and Department of Veterans Affairs social workers to scientists and foreign relations experts, the workers have decades of experience and knowledge that are crucial to their fields.

With that wealth of knowledge and experience, labor and security experts told ABC News that those fired federal workers are being recruited by private firms and foreign governments, which they said raises the risk of security threats against the United States.

“From an intelligence and law enforcement perspective, the potential for foreign intelligence forces to recruit government workers is hot,” said John Cohen, an ABC News contributor and former acting undersecretary for intelligence at the Department of Homeland Security.

At the same time, state and local governments could step up to fill in their offices with that talent as President Donald Trump seeks to shift many roles and responsibilities out of the federal government.

“It would be an easy transition for them and, in the end, benefit the public, which needs their experience now,” Victor Narro, a professor of labor studies at the Labor Center at the University of California, Los Angeles, told ABC News.

Workers ripe for the picking by private sector

Narro, who has worked in Los Angeles city public boards and commissions and on a U.S. Agency for International Development project, said one of the biggest things being overlooked in DOGE’s mass firings is the fact that many of these employees had strong training from top colleges and chose to have a career in public office instead of the private sector.

“A lot of public sector employees give up jobs in the private sector because they care about being a public worker,” he said. “They all know they could have made a lot more money and had more benefits.”
What federal workers may lack in salary, they can make up in connections with policymakers and organizations, as well as access to government data and knowledge. It is common for federal workers who leave the public sector to take that knowledge to private sector jobs, such as consulting firms that specialize in the environment, national security and healthcare, Cohen said.

The unprecedented mass firing of federal workers may lead to the creation of new private sector organizations made up of those workers, Cohen said.

“It would be hard to think that those employees wouldn’t be in demand,” he said.

In fact, billionaire Mark Cuban pitched an idea in a post on March 1 that those fired workers band together and start their own consulting company.

“It’s just a matter of time before DOGE needs you to fix the mess they inevitably created. They will have to hire your company as a contractor to fix it. But on your terms. I’m happy to invest and/or help,” the Shark Tank host wrote.

There have been no public updates about Cuban’s proposal since the post as of March 18.

Foreign national threat increased

Cohen said Cuban’s proposal has some merit, but he warned that not everyone offering a helping hand will have altruistic intentions.

In fact, he warned offers could very well be ruses designed by foreign adversaries.

Cohen said counterintelligence operations throughout history have targeted disgruntled federal employees who are left in despair and with no way to pay off their expenses and debts.

Each fired worker, from those at the Social Security Administration, who have knowledge about the U.S. benefits system, to nuclear engineers, could be a perfect asset to intelligence agencies in Russia, China and other nations, Cohen said.

Additionally, general knowledge about the inner workings of federal offices, personalities of top officials and other information could be appealing to adversaries, he said.

“It’s not just classified information that is valuable,” he said.

Cohen said Trump and Musk’s belittling of the federal workers as lazy, inefficient and not useful for the government will help make it easier for foreign recruiters to make their case.

“It’s a standard recruitment tool. You find that sense of grievance, you fan the flames and you get them to cooperate because they are angry at what was done to them,” he said.

Those same operations have also found success through more shady tactics, Cohen said.

He noted that there have been cases where federal employees have unknowingly worked for foreign governments posing as private U.S. companies or have been closely working with legitimate companies already operating in the U.S., clouding evidence of foreign intervention.

“It could be something as simple as offering someone to write a research paper and pay a lot for it or give a speech at a conference,” Cohen said. “From there, it could lead to something long term.”

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey told reporters at news conferences this week that this is playing out in her state, saying on Wednesday, “What has happened is you have other governments, from China, from the Middle East, from around the world, coming into this country, coming into campuses in Massachusetts and basically saying, ‘Hey the federal government is going to take away your funding and take away your research come to our country. We’ll give you a lab. We’ll set you up. We’ll give you a staff. And you can pioneer the new technologies on our shores.'”

“That’s not putting America first,” she added.

Typically, the federal government prompts workers to do their due diligence and refrain from working with anyone appearing to have foreign government ties, but Cohen said it is going to be difficult to self-police this on such a massive scale.

“The government has to rely on someone’s patriotism and their sense of ethics to willingly not support a foreign intelligence service. But very often, a person may not know they are being recruited,” he said.

State, local governments to the rescue?

The recruitment efforts, however, aren’t limited to foreign entities and private companies. State and local governments are now seeking to fill their offices with the displaced talent.

Earlier this month, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the “You’re Hired” campaign, which encourages fired federal workers to go to New York and apply for jobs in various state agencies. The state placed ads in Union Station that redirected them to a website with state job offerings.

“We’re looking for qualified, experienced candidates across a wide variety of fields. I need technologists, I need engineers, I need attorneys, healthcare workers, educators, public policy experts and so many more,” Hochul told reporters at a news conference on March 3.

“I’m in competition for the top attorneys, the top engineers [and] people to work at the Department of Financial Services,” she added. “In a place like New York City, there’s a lot of higher-paying jobs. So these are special people who walk away from those jobs and those opportunities and come here, and I want to let them know that we will take care of them.”

As of March 18, over 200 people have signed up for webinars hosted by the New York State Department of Labor, according to the governor’s office.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, have started similar campaigns.

Narro said it is not surprising that local governments would take the opportunity to fill their offices, given that many are now bracing for extra responsibilities following the DOGE cuts.

At the same time, there is no guarantee that those local governments can take in all of those workers, he said.

“A lot of it depends on the state. You have a better chance of getting a public job in New York versus Iowa because of the number of offices, departments and ultimately the budget,” Narro said.

Cohen and Narro added that Trump’s pledge to give more power to the states, particularly education, but no details on how they would get the funding to do so has also left many states in limbo when it comes to recruitment.

“It’s great that the states are coming up with these programs, but if they can’t commit, you’re going to have more frustrated federal workers,” Cohen said.

Can the damage be undone?
Narro noted that the situation with fired federal workers is still fluid as court cases play out and some of the firings have been stopped or reversed.

However, the uncertainty alone could be devastating to the future of the federal workforce.

“People’s families depend on stability, and if they can not keep up with the changing decisions, they may just quit altogether,” Narro said. “I suspect this is what Trump and Musk are seeking to do in their strategy.”

Narro said that even if Trump’s and Musk’s policies are reversed by a future administration, there could be long-term damage.

“In the end of the day, the public loses out the most,” he said. “It’s going to be harder for anyone to consider giving up a private job and dedicating their talents to serving the public if this is how they will be treated.”

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