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.

ByAlexandra Hutzler, Ivan Pereira, Emily Chang, Andrea Pineda-Salgado, Meredith Deliso, and Julia Reinstein
Last Updated: February 2, 2025, 11:11 PM EST

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

Here's how the news is developing:
Jan 22, 2025, 2:39 PM EST

Senate panel advances nomination for Trump's transportation pick

The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation voted to advance the nomination of Sean Duffy to be Trump's transportation secretary.

Duffy’s nomination was unanimously approved by the committee by a vote of 28-0.

Sean Duffy, testifies before the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 15, 2025, for his nomination to be Transportation Secretary.
Susan Walsh/AP

His nomination will now advance to the Senate floor for a confirmation vote. The date and timing of the vote has not yet been determined.

Duffy is a former congressman and co-hosted "The Bottom Line" on Fox Business. When Trump tapped Duffy for the post, he said he would prioritize rebuilding the nation's infrastructure and on eliminating DEI in certain fields.

-ABC News' Ayesha Ali

Jan 22, 2025, 2:15 PM EST

Trumps celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary

Trump and first lady Melania Trump are celebrating a major milestone Wednesday -- their 20th wedding anniversary.

Trump took to his social media platform to wish his wife a happy anniversary.

The couple was married 20 years ago in a star-studded wedding in Palm Beach, Florida. The ceremony was held at Bethesda-By-the-Sea Episcopal Church and the reception was held at Mar-a-Lago.

The guest list included Bill and Hillary Clinton, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Simon Cowell, Usher, Billy Joel and others.

-- ABC News’ Hannah Demissie

Jan 22, 2025, 2:20 PM EST

House Republicans launching select committee to investigate Jan. 6

Despite Trump’s pardons of Jan. 6 rioters, House Republicans are announcing that they’re creating a new select subcommittee to continue Rep. Barry Loudermilk’s efforts to investigate the investigators, as some pundits have put it -- to “bring all the facts to the American people.”

The work will fall under the jurisdiction of the House Judiciary Committee, with Loudermilk overseeing the select subcommittee.

Lawmakers who received a preemptive pardon from President Joe Biden -- Sen. Adam Schiff, Reps. Jamie Raskin, Bennie Thompson and Zoe Lofgren, former Rep. Liz Cheney and other members of the Jan. 6 select committee -- are sure to become a central focus of the GOP’s effort to probe “all events leading up to and after January 6.”

Earlier Wednesday, Speaker Mike Johnson strongly criticized Biden’s pardons, calling them “breathtaking” and “shocking.”

“It is disgusting to us. It probably proves the point, the suspicion that, you know, they call it the Biden crime family, if they weren't the crime family, why do they need pardons?” Johnson said, adding that they will be “looking at it as well.”

– ABC News’ Arthur Jones II, Jay O’Brien, John Parkinson, and Lauren Peller

Jan 22, 2025, 12:59 PM EST

DOD preparing to send at least 1,000 more troops to border

According to U.S. officials, 1,000 to 1,500 additional troops are expected to be sent to the southern border, in addition to the roughly 1,500 currently there.

These additional forces will be operating under the U.S. Northern Command.

A member of the Texas Military Department opens a fence along the US-Mexico border in El Paso, Texas, Jan. 22, 2025.
Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images

Troops have been on the border for years, and though there are only about 1,500 National Guard and reservists there now, that mission had been authorized to have up to 2,500 personnel. They serve in a support role to Homeland Security and Customs and Border Patrol along the border and do not carry out law enforcement duties.

-ABC News’ Matt Seyler

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