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 23, 2025, 5:48 PM EST

DHS could request up to 10K troops on the border: Memo

An internal Border Patrol memo obtained by ABC News indicates that the Department of Homeland Security could request up to 10,000 troops to help with efforts along the United States and Mexico border.

Defense officials, however, said they have not heard of this figure but did note they expected there could be additional requests for troops along the border.

"This is just the start. This is an initial step, and we are anticipating many further missions," a senior defense official told reporters.

-ABC News' Luke Barr and Luis Martinez

Jan 23, 2025, 5:40 PM EST

Department of Education puts people on leave over DEI-related jobs

The Department of Education has put employees who led DEI initiatives on paid administrative leave following recent directives across the government to stamp it out of the federal workforce.

"These actions are in line with President Trump’s ongoing commitment to end illegal discrimination and wasteful spending across the federal government. They are the first step in reorienting the agency toward prioritizing meaningful learning ahead of divisive ideology in our schools," the department said in a statement.

The department did not provide the exact numbers of employees who were affected.

At least two councils within the department were dissolved: the Diversity & Inclusion Council, which has been in place since the Obama administration, and a council within the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights.

-ABC News' Cheyenne Haslett

Jan 23, 2025, 5:23 PM EST

Hegseth settled 2017 sexual assault allegation for $50K

Pete Hegseth, President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Pentagon, told Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren that he paid the woman who accused him of sexual assault in 2017 $50,000 in a settlement.

The information of a subsequent settlement agreement has already been reported and made public by Hegseth's lawyer, but the dollar amount has not been previously disclosed.

Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's choice to be Defense secretary, appears before the Senate Armed Services Committee for his confirmation hearing, at the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 14, 2025.
Alex Brandon/AP

The information provided to Warren was in response to the senator's request that sought more information about Hegseth as part of the vetting process, two sources with knowledge of the vetting told ABC News.

Hegseth's attorney Tim Parlatore declined to comment to ABC News on the dollar figure.

-ABC News' Katherine Faulders

Jan 23, 2025, 5:17 PM EST

Trump brushes off concerns over revoking Pompeo security protections

Trump was asked about his decision to revoke security protections for his former secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, and Iran special envoy, Brian Hook.

He brushed aside the concerns about the threats issued against the men.

"I mean there are risks to everything," Trump said, suggesting Pompeo and Hook cannot have protection for the rest of their lives.

-ABC News' Hannah Demissie, Kelsey Walsh and Molly Nagle

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