Trump 2nd term updates: Trump says USAID is run by 'radical lunatics'
The comments came amid turmoil as DOGE took over USAID offices last week.
President Donald Trump made good on his threats to impose tariffs on some of the U.S.'s trading partners, announcing Saturday that he will levy 25% tariffs on some goods from Canada and Mexico and 10% on Chinese goods.
Experts have warned that tariffs of this magnitude will likely increase prices paid by U.S. and Trump appeared to acknowledge that “some pain” might be possible in the U.S.
Meanwhile, the Senate Finance Committee announced it will meet Tuesday, when it is expected to vote on the controversial nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for secretary of Health and Human Services.
Key Headlines
- Trump says USAID is run by 'radical lunatics' amid agency's uncertainty
- Trump says he will cut 'all future funding' to South Africa
- 500 Marines arrive at Guantanamo to set up migrant facilities: DOD
- FBI employees asked to explain their role in Jan. 6 cases: Sources
- Trump acknowledges ‘some pain’ possible from tariffs
Trump looking at whether to 'turn off the tap' on weapons to Ukraine
When asked whether he will "turn off the tap" when it comes to sending weapons to Ukraine, Trump told reporters Tuesday that he is "looking at that."
"We're talking to Zelenskyy. We're going to be talking with President Putin very soon, and we'll see what, how it all happens," Trump said during a briefing in the Roosevelt Room.
Trump added that the European Union should be supporting Ukraine more, saying the war affects them more than the United States.
-ABC News' Hannah Demissie
Kash Patel hearing tentatively scheduled for Jan. 29
The Senate Judiciary Committee has tentatively scheduled a confirmation hearing for Kash Patel, Trump's nominee to be the FBI director, on Jan. 29, committee ranking member Dick Durbin, D-Ill., told reporters Tuesday.
Durbin stressed he will not be voting to advance Patel's nomination following an in-person meeting with the nominee and a reading of his book, "Government Gangsters."
"After meeting with him and doing this study, I've come to the conclusion that Kash Patel has neither the experience, the judgment or the temperament to serve as head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, to take on this awesome responsibility to keep America safe," Durbin said.
Durbin said he was also concerned with Patel's recounting of Jan. 6 during their meeting.
"His description of what happened in this Capitol building on Jan. 6 defies reality. I tried to pin him down on some of the things he said," Durbin said, noting that after Trump's pardons of the rioters on Monday, he didn’t know if the FBI would continue to track and monitor them -- particularly the ones who were recently released.
"He calls it a haphazard riot. What the hell is a haphazard riot? That's how he describes Jan. 6," Durbin said. "I said I was here. … Unfortunately for the law enforcement, there were a lot of injuries and some death."
-ABC News' Isabella Murray
Trump says he'll impose tariffs on the European Union
During his AI infrastructure announcement, Trump threatened to impose tariffs on the European Union, as he has done with Canada, China and Mexico.
"It's not just China. China is an abuser, but the European Union is very, very bad to us," Trump told reporters after the announcement. "They treat us very, very badly. They don't take our cars. They don't take our cars at all. They don't take our farm products. Essentially, they don't take very much. We have a $350 billion deficit with the European Union."
"They treat us very, very badly, so they're going to be in for tariffs."
Trump says looking at Feb. 1 date for tariffs
Trump said he is eyeing Feb. 1 as the date to start implementing his tariffs on China and Mexico.