Trump 2nd term updates: Trump attends the Super Bowl

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

Last Updated: February 9, 2025, 7:18 PM EST

President Donald Trump's second administration continued its swift recasting of the federal government, prompting pushback from Democrats and legal challenges.

The president said Sunday that he will announce tariffs on all imported steel and aluminum on Monday but didn't say when they'll take effect.

Trump, meanwhile, is at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Sunday night to take in the Super Bowl. Trump picked the Kansas City Chiefs to beat the Philadelphia Eagles in an interview aired before the game on Fox.

Key headlines:

Here's how the news is developing:
Feb 04, 2025, 10:55 PM EST

Federal unions sue over buyout offer, saying it "threatens employees" with layoffs

Three unions representing a combined 800,000 federal civil servants are suing the Trump administration over its plan to offer buyouts to federal employees, arguing that it "threatens employees" to take the "arbitrary" offer.

The three unions – the American Federation of Government Employees, the National Association of Government Employees and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees – argue that the Office of Personnel Management failed to provide a legal basis for the buyout offer, leaving open the possibility that the government might not follow through with the buyout once federal employees agree to resign.

People gather to protest outside the headquarters of the Office of Personnel Management after the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency was charged with oversight of OPM, in Washington, Feb. 2, 2025.
Kent Nishimura/Reuters

The lawsuit also argues the buyout’s promise of payments through September violates the law, because the current appropriation for federal agencies expires in March. Moreover, the buyout is unfair, the lawsuit argues, because it was made alongside a threat of future layoffs.

“To leverage employees into accepting the offer and resigning, the Fork Directive threatens employees with eventual job loss in the event that they refuse to resign,” the lawsuit said.

Overall, the lawsuit alleged that OPM rushed the offer with a questionable legal basis, largely mimicking Elon Musk’s management style following his takeover of Twitter.

The lawsuit comes as at least 20,000 federal workers -- roughly 1% of the civilian federal workforce -- have accepted the deferred resignation offer since last week, ABC News reported.

-ABC News' Peter Charalambous

Feb 04, 2025, 10:39 PM EST

Senate Democrats call Trump's plan to 'take over' Gaza 'horrifying'

Senate Democrats are beginning to weigh in on President Donald Trump's assertion on Tuesday that the United States should "take over" Gaza.

The earliest reactions are those of outrage, with Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota calling the suggestion "horrifying" during a CNN interview on Tuesday night.

"He seems to be completely ignoring the sovereignty and the self-determination of the Palestinian people who have lived in this place for generations, and he's got his eye on some real estate deal because he thinks the coastline of Gaza is going to be great for some new hotel," Smith said. "I mean it's just ridiculous right? It's just ridiculous."

PHOTO: U.S. Senators Hold Press Conference On Foreign Security Assistance
Democratic Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota spoke to reporters at the U.S. Capitol to celebrate a new policy that demands recipients of foreign military aid adhere to international humanitarian law on Feb. 9, 2024.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Some, including Smith, asserted that Trump's comments regarding Gaza were meant to distract from Elon Musk being given access to the Treasury's federal payment system.

"I have news for you - we aren’t taking over Gaza. But the media and the chattering class will focus on it for a few days and Trump will have succeeded in distracting everyone from the real story - the billionaires seizing government to steal from regular people," Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut wrote in a post on X.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut called the idea "crazy—but catastrophic" on X, while also noting that it was "deeply destructive" to even suggest it.

Arizona's Sen. Ruben Gallego went so far as to call the president a "warmonger" and asked in a social media post, "What happed to the 'anti war' President?"

No Republican senators have yet publicly issued comments on Trump's remarks concerning Gaza.

-ABC News' Allie Pecorin

Feb 04, 2025, 9:47 PM EST

Saudi Arabia says it will not normalize ties with Israel without Palestinian state

Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry released a statement Tuesday after President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's press conference discussing the future of Gaza.

The statement said Saudi Arabia would not normalize ties with Israel without a Palestinian state -- this after Trump sought normalization between the two countries.

PHOTO: G20 Summit in Argentina
30 November 2018, Argentina, Buenos Aires: Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince, is waiting for the family photo of all participants at the G20 Summit Conference Centre in Buenos Aires. From 30.11.-1.12.2018 the G20 summit will take place in Buenos Aires. The "Group of 20" unites the strongest industrial nations and emerging economies. Photo: Ralf Hirschberger/dpa (Photo by Ralf Hirschberger/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Picture Alliance/picture alliance via Getty Image

"The Foreign Ministry affirms that Saudi Arabia’s position on the establishment of a Palestinian state is firm and unwavering," the statement read.

The statement added that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has "clearly and unequivocally reaffirmed this stance."

Feb 04, 2025, 9:47 PM EST

USPS temporarily suspends acceptance of inbound parcels from China, Hong Kong

The United States Postal Service announced a temporary suspension of "international package acceptance of inbound parcels from China and Hong Kong" until further notice.

USPS mailboxes
Adobe

According to the notice, the suspension does not include letters or flats from China or Hong Kong; those items will continue to be accepted.

-ABC News' Davone Morales