White House says some employees were fired by mistake

After taking the recent buyout offer, some employees were fired, a source said.

Last Updated: February 16, 2025, 11:07 PM EST

President Donald Trump's administration, including Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, is continuing its sweeping effort to cut much of the federal government -- but it's being met with legal challenges.

Trump is also making his second administration's first forays on the diplomatic front with calls to Russia's Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy on ending the 3-year-old war that began in February 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine.

And a day after Hamas released more hostages taken when it attacked Israel in October 2023, Secretary of State Marco Rubio agreed with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the militant organization needs to be "eliminated."

Feb 12, 2025, 6:24 PM EST

Trump says he'll outline federal government's 'widespread fraud and abuse'

During his spray in the Oval Office on Wednesday, President Donald Trump announced he will outline evidence during a press conference on Thursday of "widespread fraud and abuse" that the Department of Government Efficiency is focused on eliminating.

President Donald Trump speaks after Tulsi Gabbard was sworn in as Director of National Intelligence (DNI) in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Feb. 12, 2025.
Andrew Caballero-reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

"What we're going to do is tomorrow, I'm having a news conference. I'm going to read to you some of the names that hundreds of millions and even billions of dollars have been given to," Trump said.

Trump applauded Elon Musk for his efforts and thanked the DOGE team. "I just want to thank Elon for going through it. I want to thank all the people that are working with them," he said.

-ABC News' Kelsey Walsh

Feb 12, 2025, 6:04 PM EST

WHO director-general says despite waivers, many aid clinics have closed

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Wednesday that despite the waivers issued by the State Department to keep some foreign aid operational, there are still numerous clinics that have been forced to close.

"The suspension of funding to PEPFAR, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, caused an immediate stop to HIV treatment, testing and prevention services in the 50 countries," he said.

In this April 6, 2023, file photo, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), speaks to journalists during a press conference at the World Health Organization (WHO) headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
Martial Trezzini/AP, FILE

He noted that despite a waiver for lifesaving services, prevention programs for at-risk groups remain excluded, clinics have closed and health workers have been put on leave.

He urged the U.S. government to reconsider its funding approach, at least until alternative solutions can be found to maintain essential health services.

-ABC News' Will Gretsky

Feb 12, 2025, 5:58 PM EST

Judge denies request for injunction blocking federal buyout offer

A federal judge in Boston has denied a request to issue a preliminary injunction blocking President Donald Trump's plan to offer a buyout to federal employees.

President Donald Trump speaks after Tulsi Gabbard was sworn in as Director of National Intelligence (DNI) in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Feb. 12, 2025.
Alex Brandon/AP

U.S. District Judge George A. O'Toole Jr. also dissolved his temporary restraining order, allowing the policy to move forward.

The judge said he denied the request to block the buyout offer because the federal unions that brought the case lack standing to sue and because the district court lacks jurisdiction to review the case.

According to O'Toole, the federal unions that challenged the policy are not directly affected by the buyout offer. Rather, they are subject to collateral impacts, such a reduction in union membership and needing to answer their members' questions about the policy.

The judge did not include any interpretation about how the buyout deadline is affected in his order.

-ABC News' Peter Charalambous

Feb 12, 2025, 5:57 PM EST

'This is a new DOJ,' Attorney General Pam Bondi says

As Attorney General Pam Bondi delivered heated remarks announcing a new lawsuit against New York and its top officials, claiming they were resisting federal efforts to enforce the nation's immigration laws, she said, "This is a new DOJ."

Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks as she announces an immigration enforcement action during her first press conference at the Justice Department in Washington, D.C., Feb. 12, 2025.
Craig Hudson/Reuters

"We sued Illinois," she added. "New York did not listen. Now you're next."

-ABC News' Pierre Thomas and Alexander Mallin

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