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.
President Donald Trump signed Wednesday the "GITMO Presidential Memorandum" along with four other executive orders, according to the White House.
He also signed an order titled "Ending Racial Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling, as well as American 250 which establishes a commission to celebrate 250th birthday and create a heroes' garden.
– ABC News' Michelle Stoddart
Jan 29, 2025, 4:59 PM EST
Senate votes to confirm Zeldin as new EPA Administrator
Lee Zeldin's nomination to head the Environmental Protection Agency as its new administrator was confirmed by the Senate in a 56-42 vote Wednesday afternoon.
Zeldin comes to the agency in the midst of a major environmental policy shift -- with the Trump administration magnifying the impacts Trump claims environmental regulations have on the economy while de-emphasizing the need for emissions reductions and other climate goals.
Lee Zeldin speaks during his Senate Environment and Public Works confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill, Jan. 16, 2025 in Washington.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
In his confirmation hearing earlier this month, Zeldin said, "The EPA must be better stewards of tax dollars, honor cooperative federalism and be transparent and accountable to Congress and the public."
Jan 29, 2025, 4:55 PM EST
Noem, Homan affirm expanding Guantanamo Migrant Operations Center
Asked specifically when operations to use Guantanamo Bay as a migrant facility would begin, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem remained vague and suggested that the White House is working on it.
“You know, that is something that the White House is working on to use resources that we currently have there in Guantanamo Bay. So we'll go through the process. The worst of the worst is where that could be utilized. So that potential is there. We know we need the infrastructure. We're going after these guys,” Noem said.
White House Border Czar Tom Homan indicated that ICE would run the facility and they'd fly migrants down.
“ICE has the highest detention standards in the industry. You can't find another state, federal, local, and city that has higher detention standards than ICE. So every facility including Gitmo will be run by ICE,” Homan said.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and White House border czar Tom Homan speak with reporters at the White House, Jan. 29, 2025, in Washington.
Alex Brandon/AP
“It's been there for decades. So, we're just going to expand upon the existing migrant center,” Homan said. The base has been used in the past to house Cuban and Haitian migrants and there is a small facility on the Naval base at Guantanamo known as the Migrant Operations Center.
– ABC News’ Kelsey Walsh
Jan 29, 2025, 4:53 PM EST
Trump signs EO aimed at expanding school choice
Trump signed an executive order aimed at expanding school choice on Wednesday.
The order mandates that the Department of Education "shall issue guidance regarding how States can use Federal formula funds to support K-12 educational choice initiatives." It also mandates a review of how they can make school choice a priority for discretionary grant programs.
Expanding school choice was one of Trump's campaign promises.