Trump 2nd term live updates: Trump defends tariffs, declines to comment on Ukraine aid

Senate Democrats blasted President Donald Trump's first month in office ahead of his address to a joint session of Congress, gathering for a news conference on Tuesday while holding up photos of the guests they're bringing to the speech, including fired bureaucrats and others who have been negatively affected by the White House's moves to slash the federal workforce.

"We think one of the best ways to let the American people know how horrible Donald Trump's first 30 days have been is to bring those who have been affected, the victims of his malevolence, of his desire, the tax breaks for the billionaires and make Americans pay for it," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said on the Senate steps.

"Americans who voted for the president didn't sign up for this. They wanted lower costs. ... What is the State of the Union, we ask? Chaos is up, corruption is up, and costs are up for regular people," Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., added.

-ABC News' Isabella Murray

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., is wearing his Ukraine pin and a navy blue suit with yellow tie ahead of President Donald Trump's address to the joint session of Congress.

Tillis is a staunch ally of Ukraine who has become increasingly outspoken about his support for the country as the riff between Ukraine and the Trump administration has widened.

"I'm trying to figure out what it would feel like to have been the head of state for a country that has experienced systematic murder rape, kidnapping and torture of tens of thousands of people, and I actually think somebody under that pressure should be given a little bit of leeway when it comes to addressing frustration," Tillis said.

-ABC News' Allison Pecorin

The Office of Personnel Management has revised its Jan. 20 memo to federal agencies about probationary employees -- now writing that "OPM is not directing agencies to take any specific performance-based actions regarding probationary employees."

"Agencies have ultimate decisionmaking authority over, and responsibility for, such personnel actions," read the memo, which came after a federal judge ruled last week that the OPM's initial directive to terminate temporary employees was illegal.

An OPM spokesperson did not respond to questions about how this change affects workers who have already been fired -- or if this is meant to bring the government's directives in line with the new ruling.

-ABC News' Katherine Faulders and Benjamin Siegel

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Tuesday that he views tariff policy through a "different lens" than President Donald Trump because of the economic impact that tariffs have on his home state of South Dakota.

"I think the president is looking at this as a means to an end. I don't think it is the end itself. I certainly hope it isn't," Thune said during an appearance on CNN.

He predicted the markets will stabilize but conceded the potential for rising costs for consumers is an "issue."

-ABC News' Allison Pecorin