The White House has asked a federal circuit court to stay a district court's temporary restraining orderthat blocked President Donald Trump from using the Alien Enemies act to deport noncitizens, including alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.
Meanwhile, the fallout over Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other Democrats voting with Republicans to avert a government shutdown continued, with some in Schumer's party calling for new leadership while others defended him, but said the party needed to use new tactics and new messaging.
And Trump signed an executive order on Saturday that rescinded 19 executive actions issued by former President Joe Biden's administration on gender, labor policies and industry regulations, bringing the number of Biden's actions reversed by Trump to nearly 100.
Treasury secretary brushes off market volatility, defends tariffs
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent briefly spoke with reporters outside the White House on Thursday as stocks continued to slide in early trading.
"I'm less concerned about the short term," Bessent said. "I think we've had a big unwind. And the tariffs, we've got strategic industries we've got to have. We want to protect the American worker. A lot of these trade deals haven't been fair."
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks to reporters outside the West Wing of the White House, Mar. 12, 2025 in Washington.
Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images
"What's not good for the economy is this government shutdown," Bessent added. "I don't know what Democrats are thinking here, because they're going to own it."
Mar 13, 2025, 10:23 AM EDT
21 state attorneys general sue to block Dept of Education dismantling
A group of 21 Democratic attorneys general are suing the Trump administration to block the dismantling of the Department of Education, alleging the firing of 50% of its employees "incapacitates" the Department's ability to compete its legally required functions.
The lawsuit, filed in Massachusetts federal court, asks a judge to immediately pause the Trump administration's mass firings and declare the dismantling of the Department of Education unlawful.
The headquarters of the U.S. Department of Eduction, which were ordered closed for the day for what officials described as security reasons amid large-scale layoffs, is seen Mar. 12, 2025, in Washington.
Mark Schiefelbein/AP
"This massive reduction in force is equivalent to incapacitating key, statutorily mandated functions of the Department, causing immense damage to Plaintiff States and their educational systems," the lawsuit said. "Far from being just a 'first step,' the layoffs are an effective dismantling of the Department."
The attorneys general allege that the 20 states and District of Columbia who brought the case would suffer irreparable harm from the dismantling of the department, arguing the federal government is "deeply intertwined" with their education systems through funding for low-income children, support for students with disabilities, federal student aid, and laws that prevent discrimination in education.
According to the lawsuit, the reduction in force would prevent the department from completing its legally mandated functions, and that neither Trump nor Education Secretary Linda McMahon have the authority to break down a department created by Congress.
-ABC News' Laura Romero, Aaron Katersky and Peter Charalambous
Mar 13, 2025, 9:38 AM EDT
White House withdraws David Weldon's nomination to lead CDC: Sources
The White House on Thursday pulled President Donald Trump's nomination of Dr. David Weldon to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, multiple sources told ABC News.
The move came moments before Weldon was set to testify before the Senate HELP Committee. The hearing was canceled.
Mar 13, 2025, 8:54 AM EDT
Trump's pick for CDC director to face confirmation hearing
David Weldon, a former Republican congressman tapped to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will face questions from lawmakers at his confirmation hearing at 10 a.m. ET before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
Former Congressman Dr. David Weldon speaks in The Villages, Fla., on May 31, 2012.
Brendan Farrington/AP
Weldon, if confirmed, will work closely with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Like Kennedy, Weldon has a history of questioning vaccine safety.
A focus of Thursday's hearing is likely to be the rising number of measles cases across the U.S.
