APPLENEWS - STORY ADD
Trump 2nd term live updates: Dan Bongino named as deputy FBI director
He hosts the popular right-wing and pro-Trump podcast "The Dan Bongino Show."
President Donald Trump's administration is continuing its radical effort to cut much of the federal government and crackdown on immigration -- and is being met with dozens of legal challenges.
On the foreign policy front, Trump's press secretary said the White House believes it can reach a deal to end the war in Ukraine this week even as Trump attacks Ukraine's president and blames it for starting the war, which even some in his own party are calling him out over.
Meanwhile, heads of federal government agencies were telling employees not to reply to an email from Elon Musk, Trump's ally who he picked to cut government waste, which asked for them to list their accomplishments for the week or face termination.
Latest headlines:
- Murkowski to Musk: Treat federal workers with ‘dignity and respect’
- Largest federal worker union calls OPM email ‘unlawful’
- US attorney for DC encourages workers to reply to OPM email
- Air traffic controllers also got ‘What did you get done’ emails
- Witkoff heads to Mideast to negotiate next phase of ceasefire
DOGE checks timeline still being worked out, Miller says
White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller was asked to elaborate on Trump's idea to give money to Americans based on DOGE savings, specifically a timeline on when Americans might see checks.
Trump said on Wednesday night he "loved" the idea of 20% of savings through DOGE going back to taxpayers.
"This is all going to be worked on through the reconciliation process with Congress that's going underway right now," Miller said. "As you've seen, the Senate is moving a bill. The House is moving a bill. The president has great confidence in both chambers to deliver on his priorities."
GOP's Susan Collins will vote against Kash Patel
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, announced she will vote against Kash Patel's nomination to serve as FBI director.
"There is a compelling need for an FBI Director who is decidedly apolitical. While Mr. Patel has had 16 years of dedicated public service, his time over the past four years has been characterized by high profile and aggressive political activity," she said in a statement.
The announcement came as the Senate actively took a test vote on Patel's nomination. He will need a simple majority of votes to advance to final confirmation later Thursday afternoon.
Even with Collins' objection, Patel is expected to get the necessary votes to be confirmed.
-ABC News' Allison Pecorin
Senate committee advances Linda McMahon's nomination to be education secretary
The Senate Committee on Health Education and Pension on Thursday voted to advance Linda McMahon's nomination to lead the Department of Education.
The vote along party lines, 12-11.
McMahon's nomination now advances to consideration on the Senate floor. Senate Majority Leader John Thune will likely begin processing McMahon's full vote on the floor next week. She will ultimately need a simple majority of votes to be confirmed by the Senate.
The vote comes as President Donald Trump is attempting to dismantle the federal Department of Education. If McMahon is confirmed by the full Senate, Trump is expected to sign an executive order directing McMahon to submit a proposal for diminishing the department and then the president said she should "put herself out of a job."
Though during her confirmation hearing last week, McMahon confirmed only Congress could shut down the department.
-ABC News' Arthur Jones II
Vance asked about status of Russia-Ukraine negotiations
As President Donald Trump continues to attack Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Vance was asked at CPAC on Thursday about the status of negotiations.
"It's early," Vance said. He praised Trump, saying the president doesn't take anything off the table in negotiations.
Experts, however, have criticized Trump for seemingly ruling out NATO membership for Ukraine and Ukraine returning to its pre-war borders.
"I'll tell you the goals that animate Trump's policy. It's really simple: he wants the killing to stop, he wants to bring lasting peace to Europe -- he doesn't just want to stop it now and have the war restart a month from now -- he wants to bring lasting peace to Europe because the president believes this, and he's absolutely right, peace is in the interest of Russia, it's in the interest of Ukraine, it's in the interest of Europe but most importantly peace is in the interest of the American people."