Trump 2nd term updates: Trump says USAID is run by 'radical lunatics'

Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski said Trump's blanket pardons for violent Jan. 6 rioters sends a "horrible, horrible message to our law enforcement officers."

"I think it sends a very discouraging message to the fine men and women who stand guard and are here to protect all of us, help protect the public, and so when you have blanket pardons for everyone including those who engaged in violent violent acts of destruction and harm to people and then you just blanket pardon all of them without consequence," Murkowski said.

Murkowski issued a statement on X earlier Wednesday similarly denouncing the pardons, calling the Capitol Police officers the “backbone of Congress.”

She was one of seven Republicans who voted to convict Trump during his second impeachment trial over the riot.

-ABC News’ Allison Pecorin

Several GOP lawmakers are standing behind Defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth in light of new accusations of abusive behavior. The allegations came in a sworn affidavit by Hegseth's former sister-in-law obtained by Democrats.

“My understanding is that both his wife and his -- he himself said it's not accurate. That's what I go by,” Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, told reporters.

“His wife said it was not true. This is just the Democrats doing what they're doing. They're obstructing Trump putting together a team,” said Republican Sen. Rick Scott.

Meanwhile, Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia stressed the validity of the affidavit and urged his GOP colleagues to consider the severity of the allegations as they vote on what he called “probably the single most important position that the Senate has to consider in any president's cabinet.”

-ABC News' Isabella Murray

Elon Musk is continuing to publicly criticize the artificial intelligence "Stargate" deal that Trump touted at the White House.

Musk just reshared a long post on X from a user who sharply called the venture into question. The user called the $500 billion price tag for the project "ridiculous" and said "no one should take it seriously."

Trump rolled out the AI investment on Tuesday alongside tech CEOs who heaped praise upon him.

But overnight, Musk poured cold water on it.

"They don't actually have the money," Musk said, seemingly questioning the financial footing of OpenAI, one of the companies involved in the deal.

-ABC News' Will Steakin

The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation voted to advance the nomination of Sean Duffy to be Trump's transportation secretary.

Duffy’s nomination was unanimously approved by the committee by a vote of 28-0.

His nomination will now advance to the Senate floor for a confirmation vote. The date and timing of the vote has not yet been determined.

Duffy is a former congressman and co-hosted "The Bottom Line" on Fox Business. When Trump tapped Duffy for the post, he said he would prioritize rebuilding the nation's infrastructure and on eliminating DEI in certain fields.

-ABC News' Ayesha Ali