Government shutdown updates: Leavitt says Trump exploring cutting aid to Portland

Pope Leo responded to a question on Wednesday regarding the controversy over his plans to honor U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin, who supports legalized abortion, with a lifetime achievement award.

The Pope said that the Democratic senator's record should be considered in its totality and that Americans should search together for the truth on ethical issues.

"Someone who says I'm against abortion but is in favor of the death penalty is not really pro-life," the pope said. "Someone who says I'm against abortion but I'm in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants in the United States, I don't know if that's pro-life…So they are very complex issues and I don't know if anyone has all the truth on them."

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked about the pope's comments concerning immigration.

"I would reject there is inhumane treatment of illegal immigrants in the United States under this administration," she said before pivoting to immigration policy failures of the last administration.

Vice President JD Vance said that he is speaking to a "number" of Democratic and Republican colleagues to help end the government shutdown.

He added that if House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries "helps" them reopen the government, "the sombrero memes will stop."

Vance referred to a deepfake video generated by artificial intelligence, shared by Trump on Monday night, that disparaged Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

A reporter asked Vance about Trump's comments that the federal government would be laying off many workers and implying those affected workers would be Democrats.

"We're not targeting federal agencies based on politics," the vice president said. "We're not targeting federal agencies based on politics. We're targeting the people's government so that it as much if possible of the essential services get to continue to function."

Vice President JD Vance was asked about the federal government's freezing of New York's transit infrastructure and if the move was done to "squeeze Chuck Schumer's home state until he blinks."

The vice president didn't answer the question, remarking that White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought was "heartbroken about the fact that he's unable to give certain things to certain constituencies."

"We want to do everything that we can to help the American people. But when the Democrats shut down the government, we have to actually do a little triage to make sure the most critical and most essential services are provided," Vance said.