APPLENEWS - STORY ADD

Trump admin live updates: Trump, Schumer trade barbs over Senate nominations

The Senate voted on some of Trump's nominations before the August recess.

The Senate on Saturday considered some of President Donald Trump's nominations before the August recess.

Earlier this week, Trump issued an executive order slapping tariffs on many of America's trading partners but the new duties are set to go into effect in seven days.

Trump also continues to face questions over his administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files and his relationship with the accused sex trafficker.


0

Trump urges Republicans to push back against Dems over nominee negotiations

President Donald Trump threw cold water on a potential deal between Democrats and Republicans that would have moved a block of president's nominees across the floor in exchange for the White House unfreezing some of the funds it's been withholding.

Trump said on social media Saturday the potential agreement would be "embarrassing to the Republican Party."

"Tell Schumer, who is under tremendous political pressure from within his own party, the Radical Left Lunatics, to GO TO HELL! Do not accept the offer, go home and explain to your constituents what bad people the Democrats are, and what a great job the Republicans are doing, and have done, for our Country." Trump wrote.

It is not clear what the specifics of that deal would've been despite Trump's claims about the demands from Democrats.

As the Senate prepared to break for its August recess, Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer blamed Trump for scuttling a deal on nominations.

"The two sides disagree on a whole lot of things, but we were serious about trying to make some progress, but ultimately, Trump wouldn't agree," Schumer told reporters. "He took his ball. He went home, leaving Democrats and Republicans alike wondering what the hell happened."

Referring to Trump's social media post, Schumer said that Trump "didn't get his way," and that "he bullied us, he cajoled us, he called us names, and he went home with nothing."

"One of these days, Trump is going to have to learn that he needs to work with Democrats to help the American people," Schumer said.

-ABC News' Lalee Ibssa, Allison Pecorin and Lauren Minore


Office of Special Counsel says it's opened probe into Jack Smith

The U.S. Office of Special Counsel confirmed Saturday that it has opened an investigation into former Special Counsel Jack Smith and whether he violated the Hatch Act through his criminal investigations into President Donald Trump.

The investigation follows a referral from Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas earlier this week that asked the OSC to investigate Smith for his investigative and prosecutorial activities prior to the 2024 election which Cotton argued were intended to harm Trump's political prospects.

Both Smith and former Attorney General Merrick Garland repeatedly maintained prior to departing office that none of the actions taken in either the classified documents investigation or the probe of Trump's efforts to subvert his 2020 election loss were driven by politics.

Read more .

-ABC News' Alexander Mallin


Former BLS commissioner nominated by Trump slams firing of his successor

William Beach, the former commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics who was nominated by President Donald Trump and led the agency during his first term, has condemned the firing of his successor, calling it "totally groundless" and warning that it "sets a dangerous precedent."

"The totally groundless firing of Dr. Erika McEntarfer, my successor as Commissioner of Labor Statistics at BLS, sets a dangerous precedent and undermines the statistical mission of the Bureau," he posted on X.

In a longer statement he co-signed, he called on Congress to investigate the matter and "strongly urged" that McEntarfer continue to serve, warning that her firing "undermines the credibility of federal economic statistics" that are "the gold standard globally."

"When leaders of other nations have politicized economic data, it has destroyed public trust in all official statistics and in government science," Beach wrote alongside colleagues from the "Friends of the Bureau of Labor Statistics" group.

-ABC News' Ben Siegel


Trump says he is putting up money for $200M White House ballroom, dodges question about foreign donations

Trump was asked about the $200 million ballroom construction for the White House and if any of the unnamed donors joining him in paying for the expansion represent donors from foreign countries.

"I never even thought of it. But it doesn't matter. I'm putting up my money," he responded.