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Trump admin live updates: WH continues to attack judges blocking Trump's agenda

"The judges in this country are acting erroneously," Karoline Leavitt said.

Last Updated: March 19, 2025, 6:01 PM EDT

A federal judge on Tuesday blocked the Trump administration from enforcing a ban on transgender service members that was to go into effect on Friday.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump said his high-stakes call with Russian President Vladimir Putin was "very good and productive" as the U.S. president seeks to find common ground for a potential ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.

And as the White House faces a legal battle over its use of the Alien Enemies Act, an 18th-century law, under which it began deporting Venezuelans allegedly linked to organized crime, Trump joined calls for the judge's impeachment, which drew a rebuke from Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.

Mar 18, 2025, 1:00 PM EDT

Call between Trump and Putin has ended

President Donald Trump's call with Russia's Vladimir Putin has ended. The two leaders were set to discuss the U.S. proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, though no details were immediately provided following their discussion.

The conversation lasted two and a half hours, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, according to TASS, Russian state media.

Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Mar. 18, 2025 and President Donald Trump in Washington, Mar. 13, 2025.
Reuters

-ABC News' Rachel Scott and Tanya Stuaklova

Mar 18, 2025, 12:48 PM EDT

Treasury secretary says White House prepared to increase sanctions on Russia if needed

Ahead of the president's phone conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the White House is willing to put a pressure campaign in terms of sanctions on Russia.

"President Trump has instructed me that, if we need to, we will go to a ten with sanctions to bring President Putin to the table. But I'm optimistic that he will be able to get him to the table without increasing the sanctions," Bessent said during an interview with Fox Business.

U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent speaks to reporters before walking into the White House in Washington, U.S., March 13, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters

Bessent also brushed off concerns of a recession, telling Fox while he "can't guarantee anything" there was "no reason we need to have a recession."

-ABC News' Kelsey Walsh

Mar 18, 2025, 12:30 PM EDT

Supreme Court's John Roberts pushes back on Trump's attacks on judges: 'Not an appropriate response'

In response to ABC News and other inquiries with the Supreme Court, Chief Justice John Roberts provided a statement calling President Donald Trump's calls to impeach judges whose rulings he disagrees with "not an appropriate response."

"For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose," Roberts said.

Trump earlier Tuesday called for the judge in the legal battle over his administration's deportation flights to be impeached.

U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts attends inauguration ceremonies in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

-ABC News' Devin Dwyer

Mar 18, 2025, 11:10 AM EDT

Trump speaking with Russia's Vladimir Putin

President Donald Trump began the highly anticipated phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin at 10 a.m. ET. and it was still ongoing as of 10:54 a.m.

The White House has provided a brief glimpse into the phone conversation, saying it is "going well," according to deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino.

Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Mar. 18, 2025 and President Donald Trump in Washington, Mar. 13, 2025.
Reuters

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