Trump 2nd term live updates: Dan Bongino named as deputy FBI director

The Internal Revenue Service is expected to begin laying off more than 6,000 probationary employees from offices across the country starting Thursday, sources familiar with the situation told ABC News.

IRS employees across the country received emails on Wednesday instructing them to return to the office tomorrow and to bring their government-issued equipment with them, sources familiar with the notifications told ABC News.

"We are directing you to come into the office tomorrow and Friday. Any previously approved leave is canceled," one IRS manager said in an email to a probationary employee reviewed by ABC News. "Under an executive order, IRS has been directed to terminate probationary employees who were not deemed as critical to filing season. We don't have many details that we are permitted to share, but this is all tied to compliance with the executive order."

While some of these employees may not be directly working on the upcoming filing season, some suggested to ABC News that their dismissal could have an impact on individual business and personal filings, if active audits are left open and not resolved by the time of their dismissal.

"Termination of probationary employees could prolong audits," one IRS worker expecting to be fired told ABC News.

"I’ve gone through the stages of coming to terms with it," the IRS worker told ABC News about going to work tomorrow. "I feel better knowing I did a good job. It’s not my fault that I’m being released. Somebody at the top decided this is what’s going to happen."

The worker was informed by their manager that their removal was not related to any workplace performance issues.

An IRS spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

-ABC News' Olivia Rubin, Will Steakin, and Ben Siegel

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is considering firing or removing generals and senior officers as early as this week, according to multiple U.S. and congressional officials.

According to the officials, a list has been provided to the Hill that contains names of generals and senior officers who could be fired or removed as soon as this week.

-ABC News' Luis Martinez, Rachel Scott and Katherine Faulders

While President Donald Trump's current vice president is echoing his stance on Ukraine, Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence is speaking out against him on the issue.

"Mr. President, Ukraine did not "start" this war. Russia launched an unprovoked and brutal invasion claiming hundreds of thousands of lives. The Road to Peace must be built on the Truth," Pence posted on X, along with a Fox News article from 2022 with the headline "Russia Invades Ukraine in Largest European Attack Since WWII"

Pence has been critical of Trump following Jan. 6 and declined to endorse Trump during the 2024 election.

-- ABC News' Molly Nagle

Vice President JD Vance is echoing Trump's attacks on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an interview with the Daily Mail today at the White House, saying the Ukrainian president "badmouthing" Trump is "an atrocious way to deal with this administration."

“The idea that Zelensky is going to change the president's mind by badmouthing him in public media, everyone who knows the president will tell you that is an atrocious way to deal with this administration,” said Vance during the interview in his West Wing office.

According to the Daily Mail, Vance said Zelensky has been getting "bad advice" on how to deal with the Trump administration, and argued that Trump's stance was all his own, not based on Russia.

— ABC News’ Molly Nagle