In a statement to ABC News, an Environmental Protection Agency spokesperson confirmed 168 environmental justice staffers were placed on immediate, paid administrative leave on Thursday.

That spokesperson said the decision was made by "career staff" who determined the functions of the 168 staffers "did not relate to the agency's statutory duties or grant work."

The agency added that it is "in the process of evaluating new structure and organization to ensure we are meeting our mission of protecting human health and the environment for all Americans."

This statement comes as the EPA works to respond to Trump's executive order on DEI programs. Sources told ABC News that around 1,000 other EPA employees on probationary status have been told they may lose their jobs.

-ABC News' Kelly Livingston

Elon Musk is using his social platform, X, to poll his hundreds of millions of followers on whether former DOGE representative Marko Elez -- who resigned amid reports linking him to an account that allegedly posted racist comments -- should be reinstated.

Elez's resignation came after the Wall Street Journal reported that he had links to a now-deleted social media account that allegedly advocated for racism and eugenics. ABC News has not independently verified the social media posts. A DOGE representative did not respond to a request for comment. ABC reached out to Elez, who did not immediately respond.

-ABC News' Will Steakin

President Donald Trump is set to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba Friday morning.

Trump will greet him at 11:30 a.m. and is scheduled to host a bilateral meeting at 11:35. They will hold another bilateral meeting and lunch at 11:50 a.m before holding a joint press conference at 1:10 p.m. The White House also said Trump will make "a Faith Office announcement" later in the afternoon.

Trump will then make his way from the White House to Joint Base Andrews for a flight to Mar-a-Lago this evening.

A White House official said Thursday that Marko Elez, an individual associated with Elon Musk and employed by the Department of Government Efficiency, has resigned from his position. The official declined to provide further details about the incident.

Elez's resignation came after the Wall Street Journal reported that he had links to a now-deleted social media account that allegedly advocated for racism and eugenics.

ABC News has not independently verified the social media posts. A DOGE representative did not respond to a request for comment. ABC reached out to Elez, who did not immediately respond.

Elez had been employed by the Treasury Department as a “special government employee,” according to the Department of Justice. Under the terms of a consent order signed Thursday, Elez was one of the two individuals associated with DOGE who were given “read only” access to sensitive taxpayer information.

Prior to joining the federal government last month, Elez worked for two of Musk’s private companies – SpaceX and X.

-ABC News' Katherine Faulders, Will Steakin, Peter Charalambous, Hannah Demissie, John Parkinson