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Trump admin live updates: Dems react to Hegseth discussing Yemen strike in 2nd chat

The Signal chat included Hegseth's wife, brother and lawyer, sources said.

Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 10:28 PM EDT

President Donald Trump continues to take sweeping executive actions in his second term, including an order this week targeting a senior official from his first administration who became one of his critics.

Focus continues on the legal battle regarding Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a migrant who was living in Maryland when he was wrongfully deported by the administration.

Apr 16, 2025, 9:20 AM EDT

Trump again insults Harvard, says it should lose federal funds

President Donald Trump again insulted Harvard University, saying in a social media post on Wednesday that the university has "lost its way."

His daily jabs continue as the university said it would not comply with his administration's series of demands, including relating to actions on antisemitism and the use of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives on campus. In turn, the administration froze over $2.2 billion in federal funding to the university on Monday.

Trump echoed that Harvard should lose its federal funds, writing: "Harvard can no longer be considered even a decent place of learning, and should not be considered on any list of the World’s Great Universities or Colleges. Harvard is a JOKE, teaches Hate and Stupidity, and should no longer receive Federal Funds."

President Donald Trump arrives at a ceremony to present the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy to the US Naval Academy football team, the Navy Midshipmen, in the East Room of the White House, April 15, 2025 in Washington.
Win McNamee/Getty Images

-ABC News' Kelsey Walsh

Apr 16, 2025, 9:19 AM EDT

Pam Bondi announces DOJ is filing civil lawsuit against Maine over policy on transgender athletes

Attorney General Pam Bondi on Wednesday announced the Department of Justice is filing a civil suit against Maine, challenging the state's policy regarding transgender athletes competing in girls' and women's sports.

"Maine is discriminating against women by failing to protect women in women's sports," Bondi said at a press conference alongside Education Secretary Linda McMahon, former University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines and others.

Attorney General Pam Bondi attends a press conference, as she unveils actions against the state of Maine, which is locked in a dispute with the Trump administration over transgender policy, at the Justice Department in Washington, April 16, 2025.
Leah Millis/Reuters

The move follows repeated warnings from the Trump administration and an announcement last week from Maine's attorney general that the state would not enter into an agreement with the U.S. government that would have required schools to prohibit transgender students from participating in girls sports.

Apr 15, 2025, 11:09 PM EDT

Another Hegseth adviser put on administrative leave as part of leak investigation

A United States official confirmed that Darin Selnick, who had been serving as the Defense Department’s deputy chief of staff, was placed on administrative leave as part of an ongoing investigation into what the DOD chief of staff described in March as “recent unauthorized disclosures of national security information involving sensitive communications with principals within the Office of the Secretary of Defense."

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth waits for a presentation of the Commander-in-Chief trophy to the U.S. Navy Midshipmen football team of the United States Naval Academy at the White House in Washington, April 15, 2025.
Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters

Prior to becoming the deputy chief of staff, Selnick performed the duties of undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, where he oversaw some of the big changes in DOD personnel policy. Among other things, that included rolling out the ban and removal of transgender service members and the dismissal of probationary employees.

Prior to working at the Pentagon, Selnick was a senior adviser at Concerned Veterans for America, the advocacy group that used to be headed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

-ABC News' Luis Martinez

Apr 15, 2025, 9:32 PM EDT

Hunter Biden whistleblower expected to be tapped as acting IRS chief: Sources

President Donald Trump is expected to name the Internal Revenue Service agent who investigated Hunter Biden as the acting head of the IRS, sources familiar with the matter said.

Gary Shapley, the IRS whistleblower who accused the Justice Department under President Joe Biden of granting his son, Hunter Biden, special treatment during a yearslong probe into his tax affairs, is expected to lead the agency -- at least in the short term, sources said.

"Gary is a long-tenured civil servant who has dedicated the last 15 years of his professional life to the IRS. Gary has proven his honesty and devotion to enforcing the law without fear or favor, even at great cost to his own career. He’ll be a great asset to the IRS as we rethink and reform this crucial organization," a spokesperson for the Treasury Department told ABC News.

In March, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent promoted Shapley as a senior adviser, where he was focused on IRS criminal investigations.

-ABC News' Rachel Scott, Will Steakin and Katherine Faulders

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