Trump 2nd term updates: Trump says USAID is run by 'radical lunatics'

The comments came amid turmoil as DOGE took over USAID offices last week.

President Donald Trump made good on his threats to impose tariffs on some of the U.S.'s trading partners, announcing Saturday that he will levy 25% tariffs on some goods from Canada and Mexico and 10% on Chinese goods.

Experts have warned that tariffs of this magnitude will likely increase prices paid by U.S. and Trump appeared to acknowledge that “some pain” might be possible in the U.S.

Meanwhile, the Senate Finance Committee announced it will meet Tuesday, when it is expected to vote on the controversial nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for secretary of Health and Human Services.

Jan 27, 2025, 6:54 PM EST

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

Jan 27, 2025, 6:54 PM EST

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.

PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks at the 2025 House Republican Members Conference Dinner at Trump National Doral Miami in Doral, Fla.,  Jan. 27, 2025.
President Donald Trump speaks at the 2025 House Republican Members Conference Dinner at Trump National Doral Miami in Doral, Fla., Jan. 27, 2025.
Mark Schiefelbein/AP

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.

Jan 27, 2025, 6:29 PM EST

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.

Scott Bessent, President-elect Donald Trump's choice to be secretary of the Treasury, appears before the Senate Finance Committee for his confirmation hearing, at the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 16, 2025.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP

-ABC News' Allison Pecorin

Jan 27, 2025, 6:26 PM EST

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.

President Donald Trump attends a House Republican members conference meeting in Trump National Doral resort, in Miami, Florida, U.S. Jan. 27, 2025.
Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters

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