Trump admin live updates: Trump strikes deals with law firms totaling $600M

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer appeared inside the Oval Office during President Donald Trump's session of executive order signing on Wednesday, where Trump called her a "very good person" and emphasized her efforts regarding the Great Lakes ecosystem.

Trump gave Whitmer a shoutout during the signing, saying, "We're honored to have Gretchen Whitmer from Michigan, great state of Michigan. And she's been -- she's really done an excellent job and a very good person."

Following the appearance, Whitmer's spokesperson told ABC News that the governor was "surprised that she was brought into the Oval Office" during Trump's executive order signing event.

"Her presence is not an endorsement of the actions or statements made at the event," the spokesperson said.

-ABC News' Oren Oppenheim and Hannah Demissie

Several members of the House Freedom Caucus were seen entering Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s office for a last-minute meeting ahead of a planned vote on the budget resolution Wednesday night in the House, ABC News confirmed.

Senate GOP Whip John Barrasso was also seen joining for the meeting.

Those in the meeting are hardliners who have expressed opposition to the resolution: Reps. Chip Roy, Scott Perry, Tim Burchett, Andy Biggs, Andrew Clyde and HFC Chair Andy Harris.

-ABC News' John Parkinson and Allison Pecorin

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche sent a memo on Wednesday to the Department of Justice workforce directing that the DOJ cease official engagement with the American Bar Association.

The memo said that while the ABA has previously taken positions on issues that don't align with DOJ positions, the department has traditionally "chosen to engage in an exchange of ideas with ABA officials and members" by, among other things, participating in ABA events.

But, the memo said, the ABA recently filed suit against the DOJ, even as "the Department continues to expend taxpayer dollars on ABA events" and uses DOJ personnel's participation "to attract attendance."

"The Department of Justice will no longer use taxpayer funds to pay for any travel to or engagement with ABA events. Additionally, Department employees may not, when acting in their official capacities, speak at, attend, or otherwise participate in events hosted by the ABA. … Department personnel may not participate in ABA-sponsored events on official time," the two-page memo noted.

The memo added that in limited circumstances, DOJ personnel may engage with the ABA if appropriate approvals from senior officials are granted.

-ABC News' Mike Levine, Katherine Faulders and Alexander Mallin

The Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll has replaced FBI Director Kash Patel as the acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, multiple U.S. officials told ABC News.

Driscoll was informed of the role while traveling on an ongoing trip to Europe, the officials said.

Driscoll will remain Army Secretary while serving as acting ATF Director. Patel was sworn in as the acting head of ATF in February, just a few days after he was sworn in as FBI Director.

It was not immediately clear why Patel was removed from the post.

The change comes as the Justice Department is considering a major reorganization effort that would include merging the Drug Enforcement Agency and ATF.

-ABC News' Alexander Mallin, Luis Martinez and Katherine Faulders