White House says some employees were fired by mistake

After taking the recent buyout offer, some employees were fired, a source said.

ByAlexandra Hutzler, Emily Chang, Kevin Shalvey, Meredith Deliso, Julia Reinstein, Ivan Pereira, and Jon Haworth
Last Updated: February 16, 2025, 11:07 PM EST

President Donald Trump's administration, including Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, is continuing its sweeping effort to cut much of the federal government -- but it's being met with legal challenges.

Trump is also making his second administration's first forays on the diplomatic front with calls to Russia's Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy on ending the 3-year-old war that began in February 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine.

And a day after Hamas released more hostages taken when it attacked Israel in October 2023, Secretary of State Marco Rubio agreed with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the militant organization needs to be "eliminated."

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing.
Feb 09, 2025, 7:17 PM EST

Trump attends the Super Bowl

Following his arrival to the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, and a brief tour of the field roughly one hour prior to kickoff, President Donald Trump went to a suite where he was joined by some members of his family and elected officials — including House Speaker Mike Johnson and Sens. Eric Schmitt and Tim Scott.

Trump was accompanied to the Super Bowl by his daughter Ivanka, his son Eric and his daughter-in-law Lara.

President Donald Trump salutes during the national anthem with Ivanka Trump and New Orleans Saints owner Gayle Benson before the start of Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, Feb. 9, 2025.
Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

He stood for "America the Beautiful" and saluted during "The Star-Spangled Banner."

Trump is the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl.

-ABC News' Hannah Demissie

Feb 09, 2025, 6:11 PM EST

Trump to announce tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports

Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on his way to the Super Bowl that he will announce 25% tariffs on all imports of steel and aluminum on Monday.

Trump said this would apply to all countries but did not make clear when the tariffs would take effect.

PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks to reporters before signing a proclamation renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, while flying over the gulf aboard Air Force One en route to New Orleans to attend the Super Bowl, Feb. 9, 2025.
President Donald Trump speaks to reporters before signing a proclamation renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, while flying over the gulf aboard Air Force One en route to New Orleans to attend the Super Bowl, Feb. 9, 2025.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

The president said he would later in the week announce reciprocal tariffs on any country that has imposed tariffs on the U.S. Trump had previewed this during his press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba last week -- that means matching duties that other countries impose on American products.

“I'll be announcing, probably Tuesday or Wednesday at a news conference, reciprocal tariffs, and very simply, as if they charge us, we charge them,” Trump told reporters.

The moves are the latest in a string of tariffs Trump has threatened. The 25% tariffs that he threatened to impose on Mexico and Canada were paused for 30 days, but Trump went ahead with 10% tariffs on goods from China.

-ABC News’ Selina Wang and Hannah Demissie

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