Trump announces new impeachment legal team

White House domestic policy adviser Susan Rice appeared at Tuesday afternoon's White House briefing to preview the racial equity-focused executive actions the president plans to sign in the afternoon.

"Advancing equity is a critical part of healing and of restoring unity in our nation," Rice said during lengthy opening remarks.

Rice confirmed to ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Cecilia Vega that Tuesday's order to phase out use of private prisons will apply only to DOJ-run private prisons and not those run by other agencies, including detention facilities run by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). She did not answer Vega's question asking why the administration isn’t also addressing ICE detention centers, instead pivoting to talking points on why the administration wanted to end reliance on the DOJ-run facilities.

Tuesday's executive order, Rice said, is “silent on what may or may not transpire with ICE facilities. There was a Department of Justice Inspector General report in 2016 that underscored that private prisons funded by DOJ were less safe, less secure and arguably less humane," she said. "The Obama-Biden administration took steps to end renewing of contracts for private prisons. The Trump administration reversed that, and we’re reestablishing it."

While the administration is highlighting the racial equity theme of Tuesday's various executive orders, Vega pushed Rice on what the administration is doing to combat what has become the most visible and perhaps one of the most concerning forms of racism: white nationalists, particularly those willing to engage in violence and extremism as seen at the Capitol 20 days ago.

“What are you doing to address this issue of white nationalism and how concerned are you about the threat from some of these groups leading into this impeachment trial in two weeks?”Vega asked.

Rice replied the problem posed by white nationalists has “been plain for all Americans on their television sets" and said “that is why the president has ordered the intelligence community to compile a comprehensive assessment of the nature of this threat and challenge, and its origins and roots.”

-ABC News' Ben Gittleson and Sarah Kolinovsky

Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul will force a vote in the Senate on the question of whether holding an impeachment trial for former President Donald Trump after he has left office is constitutional, he announced on the Senate floor Tuesday.

The afternoon vote forces Republicans to go on the record regarding how they might vote in Trump's trial.

Paul called the impeachment effort a "travesty," a "kangaroo court" and a "partisan exercise designed to further divide the country" during a floor speech announcing his intention to call the point of order -- in which a senator can argue that the chamber is not operating according to its rules.

"Hyper-partisan Democrats are about to drag our great country down into the gutter of rancor and vitriol the likes of which has never been seen in our nation's history," Paul said.

He took issue with Democrats impeaching Trump, in large part, over his speech prior to the riot on Jan. 6. He cited examples of Democrats using similar language in floor speeches supporting bail funds for Minnesota protestors during George Floyd demonstrations over the summer. 

"A shame this is -- a travesty -- a dark blot in the history of our country," Paul said, urging colleagues to "move forward to debate the great issues of our day."

Wisconsin Republican Ron Johnson also rose to support Paul's effort -- and by default, the former president.

He said he wanted his collegaues to consider "not the constitutionality or unconstitutionality of that -- I want them to consider is it wise."

"Will the trial of a former president, of a private citizen, will it heal? Will it unify? I think the answer is clearly it will not," Johnson said.

-ABC News' Allison Pecorin

The Senate has voted to confirm Antony Blinken as secretary of state by a 78-22 vote.

Blinken has advised Biden on foreign policy for almost two decades. Previously, he served as deputy secretary of state in the Obama-Biden administration. When serving in his capacity as national security adviser to Biden, he was present in the Situation Room during the Osama bin Laden raid, as captured by a famous photograph. Blinken was also a top staffer on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee when then-senator Biden was its chair.

As the country's top diplomat, Blinken is expected to play a pivotal role in the Biden administration's efforts to rebuild alliances and reenter international agreements like the Iran nuclear deal and the Paris Climate Agreement.

He is Biden's fourth Cabinet confirmation following Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines.

-ABC News' Conor Finnegan

Vice President Kamala Harris -- the nation's first woman vice president -- has ceremonially sworn-in Janet Yellen -- the first woman to lead the Treasury Department in its more than 230-year history.

Yellen was sworn in outside the East side of the White House facing the Department of Treasury. She is now the first person have the distinction of serving as treasury secretary, chair of the Council of Economic Advisers and chair of the Federal Reserve.

She was confirmed by the Senate in a vote of 84 to 15 on Monday evening.

Yellen was joined by her husband, George Akerlof, and son, Robert, for Tuesday's ceremony.

-ABC News' Beatrice Peterson