Trump admin updates: EU will buy $750 billion worth of U.S. energy under deal

The Supreme Court allowed Trump to fire three Democratic-appointed members of the Consumer Product Safety Commission without cause, lifting a lower court order that the commissioners be reinstated during the litigation.

Wednesday's decision is the latest in a string of rulings affirming Trump's broad power to determine staffing of the executive branch, even where Congress may have tried to insulate agencies from political interference.

In a short, unsigned order, the court invoked an earlier decision -- also in Trump's favor -- allowing termination of members of the NLRB and MSPB, saying the equities were in the administration's favor.

In that case, the court concluded "our judgment that the Government faces greater risk of harm from an order allowing a removed officer to continue exercising the executive power than a wrongfully removed officer faces from being unable to perform her statutory duty."

On Wednesday, the court said: "The same is true on the facts presented here, where the Consumer Product Safety Commission exercises executive power in a similar manner as the National Labor
Relations Board."

In a dissent for the liberal justices, Justice Elena Kagan accused the conservative majority of again "destroying the independence of an independent agency, established by Congress."

-ABC News' Devin Dwyer

The State Department is opening an investigation into Harvard's eligibility as a sponsor for its Exchange Visitor Program, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Wednesday morning.

"To maintain their privilege to sponsor exchange visitors, sponsors must comply with all regulations, including conducting their programs in a manner that does not undermine the foreign policy objectives or compromise the national security interests of the United States," the statement read. "The American people have the right to expect their universities to uphold national security, comply with the law, and provide safe environments for all students. The investigation will ensure that State Department programs do not run contrary to our nation’s interests."

The Exchange Visitor Program offers visas for a range of educational or cultural programs, including for students, researchers, interns and au pairs.

-ABC News' Shannon Kingston

The head of FEMA's Urban Search and Rescue branch, Ken Pagurek, resigned on Monday, multiple sources told ABC News.

Pagurek told colleagues he was frustrated by the Department of Homeland Security's efforts to dismantle FEMA and by new hurdles that slowed the agency's response to the catastrophic flooding in central Texas, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Sources said he pointed to a new DHS policy requiring all spending over $100,000 to be personally approved by Secretary Kristi Noem as a key factor behind the delays and ultimately his decision to step down.

Pagurek, who did not respond for a request for comment, had worked with FEMA's search and rescue operations for more than a decade and had served as chief for the past year.

CNN first reported his departure.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security dismissed the allegations made by Pagurek.

"The attempt to spin a personal career decision into some big scandal is ridiculous. It is laughable that a career public employee, who claims to serve the American people, would choose to resign over our refusal to hastily approve a six-figure deployment contract without basic financial oversight," Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. "If anyone is upset by the end of unchecked, blank-check spending under President Trump's administration, that says more about them than it does about us."

-ABC News' Will Steakin

During an interview on "Morning Joe" Tuesday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent discussed the trade framework agreed upon with Japan.

He said the administration's negotiations lasted 75 minutes in the Oval Office with the president.

When asked if Trump realizes the consumer pays the tariffs, Bessent disagreed.

"Who pays the tariffs is the choice. And what we've seen thus far is that the manufacturers are eating a substantial portion of the tariff and taking it into their profit margins. So you might see, for instance, Toyota hasn't raised prices and they may choose to go for market share rather than raising prices," Bessent claimed.

When asked whether Americans will feel any impact from tariffs, particularly holiday goods, Bessent reaffirmed that manufacturers have largely absorbed the costs.

“I think what we've seen so far is that the manufacturers have been eating it a lot, or the exporters have been taking a lot of the price or the tariff adjustment. I think we're also seeing a lot of the retailers do it,” he said.

-ABC News' Kelsey Walsh