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.

Jan 28, 2025, 10:37 PM GMT

Trump expected to offer buyouts to federal employees: Sources

Trump is expected to offer buyouts to all federal workers in a memo that is expected to be sent by the White House as soon as Tuesday, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.

The offer of a one-time severance payment to leave the federal government is the latest attempt to further shrink the federal government. It's not clear how many federal workers would be eligible for this offer or who would pay for it.

The expected White House memo will say that workers who want to continue working from home will be paid through the end of September, but they must resign by next week, Feb. 6, sources said.

In order to be eligible for a severance payment, federal workers must have completed at least 12 months of continuous service, according to OPM's website.

-ABC News' Katherine Faulders

Jan 28, 2025, 10:09 PM GMT

Federal judge temporarily blocks Trump’s funding pause from taking effect

Within minutes of the White House freezing billions in federal grants and loans, a federal judge temporarily blocked the funding pause from taking effect.

U.S. District Judge Loren L. AliKhan issued a brief administrative stay of the policy during a virtual hearing on Tuesday afternoon. The stay blocks the policy from taking effect until 5 p.m. on Feb. 3.

Pressed by Judge AliKhan, Justice Department lawyer Daniel Schwei struggled to articulate the full extent of the administration's guidance.

“It seems like the federal government currently doesn't actually know the full scope of the programs that are going to be subject to the pause. Is that correct?” she asked.

-ABC News' Peter Charalambous

Jan 28, 2025, 8:29 PM GMT

Trump invites Israel's Netanyahu to White House

President Donald Trump has invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to a meeting at the White House on Tuesday, Feb. 4, according to the prime minister's office.

Netanyahu is the first foreign leader to be invited to the White House in Trump's second term.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stands with President Donald Trump after signing the Abraham Accords on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Sept. 15, 2020.
Tom Brenner/Reuters,FILES

Jan 28, 2025, 8:19 PM GMT

White House confirms outage of Medicaid portal

The White House is now confirming the Medicaid portal is experiencing outages, as states reported issues accessing the site in the wake of the federal government's abrupt freeze

"The White House is aware of the Medicaid website portal outage," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in an X post.

"We have confirmed no payments have been affected -- they are still being processed and sent. We expect the portal will be back online shortly," she added.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt delivers remarks during her first daily briefing at the White House, in Washington, Jan. 28, 2025.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Leavitt defended the freeze during her first press briefing earlier Tuesday. Leavitt said it was a temporary pause and would not impact direct individual assistance Americans rely on.

But questions remain on its impact, as the government funds thousands of loan and grant programs on everything from water and air quality to housing subsidies.