Trump 2nd term updates: Trump says USAID is run by 'radical lunatics'
The comments came amid turmoil as DOGE took over USAID offices last week.
President Donald Trump made good on his threats to impose tariffs on some of the U.S.'s trading partners, announcing Saturday that he will levy 25% tariffs on some goods from Canada and Mexico and 10% on Chinese goods.
Experts have warned that tariffs of this magnitude will likely increase prices paid by U.S. and Trump appeared to acknowledge that “some pain” might be possible in the U.S.
Meanwhile, the Senate Finance Committee announced it will meet Tuesday, when it is expected to vote on the controversial nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for secretary of Health and Human Services.
Key Headlines
- Trump says USAID is run by 'radical lunatics' amid agency's uncertainty
- Trump says he will cut 'all future funding' to South Africa
- 500 Marines arrive at Guantanamo to set up migrant facilities: DOD
- FBI employees asked to explain their role in Jan. 6 cases: Sources
- Trump acknowledges ‘some pain’ possible from tariffs
Federal judge temporarily blocks Trump’s funding pause from taking effect
Within minutes of the White House freezing billions in federal grants and loans, a federal judge temporarily blocked the funding pause from taking effect.
U.S. District Judge Loren L. AliKhan issued a brief administrative stay of the policy during a virtual hearing on Tuesday afternoon. The stay blocks the policy from taking effect until 5 p.m. on Feb. 3.
Pressed by Judge AliKhan, Justice Department lawyer Daniel Schwei struggled to articulate the full extent of the administration's guidance.
“It seems like the federal government currently doesn't actually know the full scope of the programs that are going to be subject to the pause. Is that correct?” she asked.
-ABC News' Peter Charalambous
Trump invites Israel's Netanyahu to White House
President Donald Trump has invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to a meeting at the White House on Tuesday, Feb. 4, according to the prime minister's office.
Netanyahu is the first foreign leader to be invited to the White House in Trump's second term.
White House confirms outage of Medicaid portal
The White House is now confirming the Medicaid portal is experiencing outages, as states reported issues accessing the site in the wake of the federal government's abrupt freeze
"The White House is aware of the Medicaid website portal outage," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in an X post.
"We have confirmed no payments have been affected -- they are still being processed and sent. We expect the portal will be back online shortly," she added.
Leavitt defended the freeze during her first press briefing earlier Tuesday. Leavitt said it was a temporary pause and would not impact direct individual assistance Americans rely on.
But questions remain on its impact, as the government funds thousands of loan and grant programs on everything from water and air quality to housing subsidies.
Nonprofits, health groups and more sue to block memo freezing financial aid
A group of nonprofit groups, public health organizations, small businesses and LGBTQ advocates have asked the federal district court in Washington for an emergency injunction and temporary restraining order to block implementation of the White House Office of Management and Budget memo freezing all federal grant and loan distributions.
The lawsuit invokes the Administrative Procedures Act, which says that federal agencies must undertake changes in policy by providing justification for the action, adequately consider the real-world impacts, and accept public input.
The groups allege the Office of Management and Budget has done none of these things and has exceeded its authority.
-ABC News' Devin Dwyer and MaryAlice Parks