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
Trump signs EO aimed at expanding school choice
Trump signed an executive order aimed at expanding school choice on Wednesday.
The order mandates that the Department of Education "shall issue guidance regarding how States can use Federal formula funds to support K-12 educational choice initiatives." It also mandates a review of how they can make school choice a priority for discretionary grant programs.
Expanding school choice was one of Trump's campaign promises.
-ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart
Federal judge signals he will block Trump administration from freezing funding despite OMB rescission
A federal judge signaled he will issue a temporary restraining order barring the Trump administration from freezing federal loans and grants, raising concerns that the White House will try to enact the same policy described in the now-rescinded Office of Management and Budget.
District Judge John McConnell, Jr. has not entered the temporary restraining order given the rapidly changing circumstances, but he signaled he would sign an order proposed by the 22 state attorneys general who brought the case.
McConnell had harsh words for the Trump administration and justified his future order -- despite the OMB’s change of policy -- based on a social post by press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
“I think the breadth of the relief that plaintiffs are seeking is extraordinary,” argued DOJ attorney Daniel Schwei before McConnell cut him off.
“Respectfully, so was the breadth of the OMB directive,” Judge McConnell said.
– ABC News’ Peter Charalambous, Alex Mallin, and Katherine Faulders
Dem leaders celebrate WH decision to rescind OMB memo
Senate Democratic leaders took an early victory lap on Wednesday afternoon following the White House's decision to rescind the OMB memo freezing federal funding, claiming Trump's turnaround was a result of their urging Americans to "make their voices heard" against the initial order.
At the same time, these Democrats insisted they weren't under any "illusion" that the Trump administration would still try to implement these aid freezes and would try again if the president didn't withdraw the nomination of Russell Vought to lead the OMB.
"The proposal was best described with the three C's: chaotic, careless, cruel," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said. He added it is a "long war" and that they need to "continue to fight it."
– ABC News' Isabella Murray
Trump to sign executive order to use Guantanamo Bay as migrant facility
President Trump said Wednesday he plans to sign an executive order to permit the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security to use Guantanamo Bay as a migrant facility.
"We have 30,000 beds in Guantanamo to detain the worst criminal illegal aliens threatening the American people," he said.
"Some of them are so bad we don't even trust the countries to hold them because we don't want them coming back," he continued. "So we're going to send them out to Guantanamo. This will double our capacity immediately."