Trump 2nd term updates: Trump excludes low-value shipments from looming tariffs

Gen. Charles "CQ" Brown, the outgoing chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, posted a farewell message saying it had been his "distinct honor" to serve as a member of the military body that advises the president.

"As Chairman, I focused on Warfighting, Modernization, and Trust," Brown said in a post on LinkedIn. "The Joint Force's commitment to our security has never been more critical. I'm confident you will continue to stand resolute in defense of our Nation."

President Donald Trump fired on Friday Brown and Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the Navy's top admiral, marking the first time that two members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff had been dismissed from their senior military roles.

-ABC News' Luis Martinez

President Donald Trump named Dan Bongino as deputy FBI director on Sunday to serve under newly confirmed director Kash Patel.

Bongino, who left Fox News in 2023, hosts the popular right-wing and pro-Trump podcast called "The Dan Bongino Show," which ranks among Apple’s top 10 news podcasts.

Bongino is a former Secret Service agent who Trump eyed during the transition as a potential candidate for the director of the Secret Service before announcing his lead agent, Sean Curran, for the job.

The FBI's deputy director has always been someone from the bureau's own ranks, not a political appointment. It's the highest-ranking FBI job that does not need to be appointed by the president and does not require Senate confirmation.

Bongino has stoked conspiracy theories surrounding the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol and has been one of the FBI's harshest critics over what he has characterized as its targeting of Trump and Republicans.

He was banned from YouTube in 2022 after posting misinformation about COVID-19.

ABC News' Katherine Faulders and Will Steakin

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