White House says some employees were fired by mistake
After taking the recent buyout offer, some employees were fired, a source said.
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."
Latest headlines:
- Some employees who accepted buyout offer were fired by mistake: White House
- Trump asks SCOTUS for permission to fire ethics watchdog
- DOE official warns all schools to end 'discriminatory' DEI policies
- 13 soon to be immigration judges, 2 current judges fired by Trump admin, union says
- US floats proposal to own 50% of revenue of Ukraine's rare earth minerals
White House defends 'right' to choose who has access to Oval Office following alleged barring of reporter
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the White House's "right" to deny Oval Office entry to reporters, saying, "If we feel that there are lies being pushed by outlets in this room, we are going to hold those lies accountable."
"We reserve the right to decide who gets to go into the Oval Office. And you all have credentials to be here, including the Associated Press, who is in this briefing room today," Leavitt said.
When pressed on whether this was retaliatory for the journalist continuing to use the name "Gulf of Mexico" rather than "Gulf of America," Leavitt doubled down on the president's executive order.
"It is a fact that the body of water off the coast of Louisiana is called the Gulf of America," she said. "And I'm not sure why news outlets don't want to call it that, but that is what it is."
'Real constitutional crisis is taking place within our judicial branch,' White House press secretary says
During a briefing on Wednesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed what she called an "extremely dishonest narrative" that there is a "constitutional crisis taking place here at the White House."
Instead, she said, "the real constitutional crisis is taking place within our judicial branch, where district court judges in liberal districts across the country are abusing their power to unilaterally block President Trump's basic executive authority."
"As the President clearly stated in the Oval Office yesterday, we will comply with the law in the courts, but we will also continue to seek every legal remedy to ultimately overturn these radical injunctions and ensure President Trump's policies can be enacted," she added.
Zelenskyy says he and Trump talked about 'opportunities to achieve peace'
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he talked with Trump about "opportunities to achieve peace" during a phone call between the two leaders on Wednesday.
The two spoke "about opportunities to achieve peace, discussed our readiness to work together at the team level, and Ukraine’s technological capabilities -- including drones and other advanced industries," Zelenskyy said.
Zelenskyy added that he and Trump also discussed "the preparation of a new document on security, economic cooperation and resource partnerships," the readout said.
"President Trump shared details of his conversation with Putin," Zelenskyy said in the readout.
During a press briefing Wednesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump's conversation with Putin went "very well."
-ABC News' Nataliia Popova
Japan requests exemption from Trump steel and aluminum tariffs
Japan has requested an exemption from President Donald Trump's 25% tariffs on aluminum and steel, according to Japan's top spokesperson.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba barely had time to unpack from his trip to Washington before having to deal with the shock of Trump's new steel and aluminum tariffs. Japan is an export-driven nation. Tariffs send a shock through industries, markets and the people whose jobs depend on global trade.
Japan, for now, is in Trump’s crosshairs once again. The tariffs could impact sectors where this country is a dominant player such as automobiles, tech and steel. During Trump’s first term, businesses spent years adapting to his unpredictable policies. Now, they may have to do it all over again. Wash, rinse, repeat, Trump style.
-ABC News' Anthony Trotter