Trump admin updates: White House officials hold prayer vigil for Charlie Kirk

The mass firing of thousands of government employees earlier this year was unlawful, a federal judge ruled this weekend, but it’s too late to do much about it.

In a ruling that showcases the challenge the judiciary faces in reining in the fast-moving Trump administration, U.S. District Judge William Alsup stopped short of ordering a reinstatement of employees because “too much water has now passed under the bridge” since their termination.

“The terminated probationary employees have moved on with their lives and found new jobs. Many would no longer be willing or able to return to their posts. The agencies in question have also transformed in the intervening months by new executive priorities and sweeping reorganization,” he wrote in a decision that sharply criticized the growing use of the Supreme Court’s shadow docket.

Instead of requiring the employees be reinstated, Alsup ordered the federal government to update its personnel files to reflect that the firing of 25,406 employees was unrelated to performance and to send letters to each of the affected employees saying, “You were not terminated on the basis of your personal performance.”

Alsup in March ordered the employees to be reinstated because the firings were arbitrary, but the Supreme Court quickly overruled the decision because the groups that brought the lawsuit lacked legal standing. By the time the issue came back to Judge Alsup with the Supreme Court’s issues addressed, it was too late, he said.

“But the Supreme Court has made clear enough by way of its emergency docket that it will overrule judicially granted relief respecting hirings and firings within the executive, not just in this case but in others. And, too much water has now passed under the bridge since the Supreme Court stayed this Court’s preliminary injunction reinstating probationary employees,” he wrote.

-ABC News' Peter Charalambous

Hundreds of people gathered at the Kennedy Center to pay respects to Charlie Kirk on Sunday, listening to leaders of the conservative movement praise Kirk for his organizing powers and commitment to public debates and free speech.

“Charlie lived by the principle that no matter how horrible another person's speech may be, their ideas must be defeated by better ideas, not by resorting to violence,” Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said.

Multiple members from Trump’s administration spoke at the vigil, including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, who said it was Kirk who brokered a partnership between President Donald Trump and Kennedy during the 2024 campaign.

It was at a Turning Point USA rally in Arizona in August of 2024, where RFK Jr. officially endorsed Trump.

“I think we approached each other with a lot of trepidation at that time, but by the end of the podcast, we were soulmates, we were spiritual brothers, and we were we were friends, and over the next couple of years, our friendship blossomed,” RFK Jr. said of his relationship with Kirk.

Others thanked Kirk and his Turning Point organization for being part of the reason why they hold the position they do.

“I launched my campaign for Congress at just 23 years old during the 2022 midterm elections. Most people in this town, pretty much all of the people in this town of Washington, did not take me seriously. Charlie Kirk, however, did,” White House press secretary. Karoline Leavitt said.

“Charlie looked for the outsiders, the up-and-coming, truth tellers with new ideas, who weren't afraid to challenge the status quo, just like President Trump, whom he loved so much. And I speak on behalf of the president when I say President Trump loved you, Charlie, so much too," she added.

“I often joke that Charlie is probably the only reason why I have friends, some of the many people that I'm closest to today, I met through his organization and this movement. Charlie was more than a commentator or a show host or an online personality. He was a patriot in every sense of the word,” Rep. Anna Paulina Luna said.

-ABC News' Laura Minore and Lalee Ibssa

President Donald Trump continues to put pressure on Europe to act first against Russia while propping himself up as a mediator between Putin and Zelenskyy despite his own acknowledgements about the difficulties he’s experienced helping negotiate an end to the war.

Asked what responses he’s received from NATO leaders after his latest demand, Trump said, “They know it's true. They don't want to deny it. They said, ‘Well, I'd rather not talk.’ I said– ‘What do you mean? You'd rather not. That means you're guilty, right?’ Yeah, no, they agree.”

Trump again claimed that he was ready to impose secondary sanctions on Russia despite bypassing his own self-imposed deadline to implement them, but needed Europe to contribute equally.

“Well, I'm ready to move ahead, but they have to do it. I think they will. But right now they're talking and they're not doing,” said Trump.

“I'm willing to do sanctions, but they're going to have to toughen up their sanctions, commensurate with what I'm doing.”

The president also sounded less confident that a trilateral meeting between him, Putin and Zelenskyy is on the horizon. Arguing that Putin and Zelenskyy hate each other so much, they’re “incapable of talking.”

“Whether you call it a summit or just a get-together, it doesn't matter, but I'll probably have to get involved. They hate each other so much they almost can't talk. They're incapable of talking to each other.”

During his press gaggle Sunday evening, President Donald Trump was asked if he would consider strikes against mainland Venezuela. He didn’t rule out the possibility of striking parts of the country.

“We’ll see what happens. Look, Venezuela is sending us their gang members, their drug dealers and drugs. It's not acceptable,” Trump said.

Asked if he’ll order more strikes on Venezuela’s vessels, Trump said he’ll see what happens.

“There's certainly not a lot of boats out there, I'll tell you, since the first strike, and then, to a lesser extent, the second, we don't see any. I mean, we almost see no boats out there, which is fine. As far as I'm concerned, there's been very little boat traffic.”

Trump told reporters he’s been briefed about Venezuela, accusing the United States Navy of boarding a fishing vessel in their own waters. While answering the question, Trump touted his efforts to stop drugs from coming into the U.S. from Venezuela.

-ABC News' Lalee Ibssa and Hannah Demissie