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

The Treasury Department has given Elon Musk and representatives of his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team access to the vast federal payment system responsible for handling trillions of dollars in government expenditures, multiple sources familiar with the matter said.

The payment system -- which is essentially a checkbook for the entire federal government -- is a closely held operation run by career officials, with a limited number of people authorized to access the information given it, contains sensitive information about hundreds of millions of Americans.

If Musk or his team were to attempt to block these payments, it would likely face legal challenges given the money is approved by Congress.

Sources tell ABC News that if Musk or his representatives were to request that changes be made to the system, such requests would be subject to an internal review process by Treasury Department officials.

Sen. Ron Wyden, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, said in a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that any "politically-motivated meddling" in the payment systems "risks severe damage to our country and the economy."

President Donald Trump spoke to reporters on Sunday night and, among a roster of topics, mentioned that he believes his head of the new Department of Government Efficiency, Elon Musk, is doing a "good job."

At the same time, he implied that there were some things that he and Musk did not always agree on.

“I do, I think Elon is doing a good job. He's a big cost-cutter. Sometimes we won't agree with it. It will not go where he wants to go, but I think he's doing a great job. He's a smart guy, very smart, and he's very much into cutting our the budget of our federal government,” Trump said in a conversation that took place during a stopover at Joint Base Andrews.

When asked specifically about the ongoing turmoil at the U.S. Agency for International Development, where DOGE officials were reportedly taking offices as existing personnel were placed on leave, Trump said the organization has been run by “radical lunatics,” and they’re getting them out -- and that’s when he’ll make a decision about the organization.

-ABC News' Hannah Demissie

President Donald Trump told reporters on Sunday that he’s not concerned about the impact tariffs might have, saying the American people will understand.

The president's remarks come after White House officials announced Saturday that Trump has imposed 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada as well as 10% tariffs on goods from China.

"I'm not concerned. We may have short-term -- a little pain, and people understand that, but long-term, the United States has been ripped off by virtually every country in the world," he claimed, adding, "That's why we owe $36 trillion -- we have deficits with everybody."

Trump alleged that Canada has been taking advantage of the US, calling the relationship with our northern neighbor a "one-way street."

“Canada has been very abusive of the United States for many years," Trump said, claiming the country has been "tough on oil" and should accept American banks and farm products.

"Essentially, they don't allow a lot of things in, and we allow everything to come in. It's been a one-way street," he said.

President Donald Trump said he will be stopping "all future funding" to South Africa in a post on Truth Social that also claimed that the country is confiscating land and treating certain classes of people unfairly. It is not clear what Trump is referring to.

Trump wrote that the United States will not tolerate what's happening and, without elaborating, called for a "full investigation" of the situation.

"South Africa is confiscating land, and treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY. It is a bad situation that the Radical Left Media doesn’t want to so much as mention. A massive Human Rights VIOLATION, at a minimum, is happening for all to see," he alleged.

Trump continued, "The United States won’t stand for it, we will act. Also, I will be cutting off all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation of this situation has been completed!"

ABC News has reached out to the White House for comment.

-ABC News' Hannah Demissie