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 29, 2025, 5:25 PM EST

Trump orders a commission to celebrate America's 250th birthday

Trump signed an executive order Wednesday to establish a White House task force to celebrate the nation's 250th birthday on July 4, 2026.

It also assigned the assistant to the president for domestic policy to recommend figures for the "National Garden of American Heroes" -- a Trump push from his first term to display statues of influential Americans.

According to the new order, he wants to bring the total number of people included in the garden to 250.

Jan 29, 2025, 5:21 PM EST

Trump orders effort to defund schools that teach critical race theory

Trump signed an executive order Wednesday aimed at creating legislation to cut federal funding to schools that teach “radical gender ideology and critical race theory.”

The order calls for the secretary of education, as well as the defense secretary for DOD-run schools, to “provide a strategy to the President for how to end indoctrination in K-12 education” within 90 days of the order being signed.

Critical race theory is a study in academia based on the concepts of systemic and institutional racism. Systemic racism refers to how the government has discriminated against Black, indigenous and other people of color through unjust policies concerning housing, employment, criminal justice, education and more.

Academic experts say critical race theory is not what is being taught in K-12 education curriculums.

-ABC News' Kelsey Walsh

Jan 29, 2025, 5:00 PM EST

Trump signs GITMO memorandum

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."