Trump 2nd term live updates: Dan Bongino named as deputy FBI director

President Donald Trump's administration said that approximately 2,000 USAID personnel in the U.S. will be terminated and others around the world will be placed on administrative leave just before midnight on Sunday.

"As of 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, February 23, 2025, all USAID direct hire personnel, with the exception of designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership and/or specially designated programs, will be placed on administrative leave globally," a notice on the government's website reads.

USAID indicates that there will be an exception for employees who handle mission-critical functions.

According to the USAID government website, employees will receive individual notices on Sunday as well as instructions within the next week to retrieve their belongings from the USAID workplace in Washington, D.C.

The notice also suggests that overseas personnel will retain access to agency systems and to diplomatic resources until they return from overseas safely.

-ABC News' Kelsey Walsh

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, offered a stark response to Elon Musk for demanding federal workers justify their jobs before midnight on Monday, writing on social media that Musk should learn about each department and agency before making cuts.

"If Elon Musk truly wants to understand what federal workers accomplished over the past week, he should get to know each department and agency, and learn about the jobs he's trying to cut," Murkowski wrote.

"Our public servants work hard to ensure that our national security is protected; that planes land safely; that forest fires do not spread to our homes; that Social Security checks arrive on time; that research for the breakthroughs needed to cure diseases like cancer and ALS continues; and much more," she continued. "Our public workforce deserves to be treated with dignity and respect for the unheralded jobs they perform.

Murkowski's comments echo other Republicans who have asked Musk to have humanity in cutting federal workers’ jobs.

-ABC News’ Kelsey Walsh

In a letter to the Office of Personnel Management, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), called an email demanding that employees list accomplishments over the previous week is “unlawful.”

The largest federal union wrote that the email is “nothing more than an irresponsible and sophomoric attempt to create confusion and bully the hard-working federal employees that serve our country.”

The letter continues to say that the email fails to give enough guidance on what information employees should avoid disclosing.

“Federal employees have a duty to ensure that sensitive information, data, and records are only used and disclosed for authorized purposes,” the letter says. “We believe that employees have no obligation to respond to this plainly unlawful email.”

“By allowing the unelected and unhinged Elon Musk to dictate OPM’s actions, you have demonstrated a lack of regard for the integrity of federal employees and their critical work,” the letter added.

-ABC News’ Selina Wang

Ed Martin, the interim U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., was one of the few senior officials in government to encourage employees to respond to the Office of Personnel Management email from Elon Musk on Saturday that asked them what they had gotten done in the last week.

“DOGE and Elon are doing great work! Historic. We are happy to be participate [sic]," wrote Martin, who Trump nominated to fill the U.S. attorney position after picking him in an acting role.

Martin sent a follow up email on Sunday, which seemed to only add to the confusion about what employees should do in response to the OPM email.

Martin wrote:

"Yesterday, I responded to the HR email from OPM first — before anyone else in government. I did so to help you be encouraged. ...

“Let me clarify: we all will comply with this OPM request whether by replying or deciding not to reply.

“Again, should you reply, please do so carefully with respect to confidentiality and our duties. Please make a good faith effort to reply and list your activities (or not, as you prefer) and I will, as I mentioned, have your back regarding any confusion. We can do this.

“Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. This is a good opportunity for us all to continue to recognize and promote the importance of our work."

-ABC News’ Mike Levine