Trump admin live updates: Trump strikes deals with law firms totaling $600M

A federal appeals court froze a lower court’s ruling on Wednesday that prevented the mass firing of federal workers, clearing the way for the Trump administration to fire more than 20,000 probationary workers.

The Fourth Circuit of Appeals, in a 2-1 decision, found that a Maryland federal judge lacked the jurisdiction to order the Trump administration to reinstate approximately 20,000 government employees across 18 agencies who had been terminated.

The decision comes one day after the Supreme Court stayed a decision from a California judge who blocked the firings of 16,000 probationary federal workers across six agencies.

Despite the Supreme Court ruling, most of the federal employees were still protected by the Maryland order issued U.S. District Judge James Bredar, who last month stopped a larger block of probationary employees from being fired.

Since the decision, the Trump administration reinstated more than 24,000 government employees by placing them on paid administrative leave, according to court filings.

With the Fourth Circuit lifting James Bredar’s decision, the Trump administration effectively has the green light to re-fire thousands of employees.

-ABC News' Peter Charalambous

President Donald Trump is expected to host a Cabinet meeting at the White House Thursday -- his first since announcing, and now pausing, his sweeping tariffs.

The meeting comes as Trump's top advisers have butted heads both privately and publicly over Trump's tariff policy. Thursday's meeting is expected to include Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

Members of the Cabinet have also been informed that Elon Musk is expected to attend.

The meeting was scheduled prior to his latest tariff announcement and was not convened because of the 90-day pause.

--ABC News' Katherine Faulders

President Donald Trump repeatedly called on Republicans in Truth Social posts to pass his legislative agenda.

The president claimed it is "more important now, than ever, that we pass THE ONE, BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL" and called on the House to pass his tax cut bill "NOW!"

Trump said that he spoke to Johnson Tuesday night and some other Republicans, asking them to pass his agenda.

-ABC News' Michelle Stoddart

The acting commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service is planning to resign following the agency's data-sharing agreement with the Department of Homeland Security to support the Trump administration's efforts to deport undocumented immigrants, three sources familiar with her plans told ABC News.

Melanie Krause is the third leader of the agency to resign this year. Senate-confirmed Commissioner Danny Werfel resigned from his role on Inauguration Day, less than two years into his five-year term.

One month later, acting Commissioner Doug O'Donnell, who spent nearly four decades at the IRS, retired amid concerns about the Trump administration's management of the agency.

A Treasury Department spokesperson confirmed Krause's plans to leave the agency in a statement to ABC News.

“Melanie Krause has been leading the IRS through a time of extraordinary change. As we focus on IT modernization and re-organize the agency to better serve the taxpayer, we are also in the midst of breaking down data silos that for too long have stood in the way of identifying waste, fraud, and abuse and bringing criminals to justice. We believe these goals are critical to a more efficient government and safer country. We wish Melanie well on her next endeavor," the spokesperson said.

Krause did not respond to a request to comment from ABC News.

Other senior agency officials are considering leaving the agency following the new data sharing agreement and are concerned about its legality.

Some officials found out about its finalization, after weeks of negotiations, only after it was reported by Fox News Tuesday morning, sources told ABC News.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent signed the agreement with DHS on behalf of the IRS, according to the redacted copy of the deal included in a court filing.

-ABC News' Ben Siegel