Hours after the Senate approved a spending framework, President Donald Trump said in a Fox News interview that he’s open to approving the spending plan in multiple bills “as long as we get to the same point.”
Here’s the latest:
Maine governor says funding fight is about ‘whether a President can force compliance with his will’
Maine Gov. Janet Mills says Trump does not have the right to withhold funding appropriated by Congress and paid for by taxpayers “in an attempt to coerce someone into compliance with his will.”
The Democratic governor made the statement Friday after the U.S. Department of Education told Maine’s Department of Education that it had been instructed to begin an investigation into the state for allowing transgender athletes to compete.
Trump has threatened to cut the state’s federal funding unless it backs down.
Mills says she thinks “the outcome of this politically directed investigation is all but predetermined” but said she would work with the attorney general to fight for Maine in court.
“But do not be misled: this is not just about who can compete on the athletic field, this is about whether a President can force compliance with his will, without regard for the rule of law that governs our nation,” she said. “I believe he cannot.”
The Supreme Court won’t allow Trump to immediately fire head of whistleblower office
The Supreme Court on Friday temporarily kept on the job at the head of the federal agency that protects government whistleblowers, in its first word on the many legal fights over Trump’s second-term agenda.
The justices said in an unsigned order that Hampton Dellinger, head of the Office of Special Counsel, could remain in his job at least until Feb. 26. That’s when a lower-court order temporarily protecting him expires.
The high court neither granted nor rejected the administration’s plea to immediately remove him. Instead, the court held the request in abeyance, noting that the order expires in just a few days.
▶ Read more about the Supreme Court’s order
Park service restores jobs and adds more seasonal workers
The Trump administration is restoring jobs for dozens of National Park Service employees fired amid government-wide reductions and hiring nearly 3,000 additional seasonal workers, following an uproar over an aggressive plan to downsize the agency.
At least 50 jobs are being restored to help maintain and clean parks, educate visitors and collect admission fees, according to two people familiar with the agency’s plans who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
The moves come as the park service said in a new memo that it will hire up to 7,700 seasonal positions this year, up from about 5,000 promised earlier this week and higher than the three-year average of 6,350 seasonal workers. The park service has about 20,000 employees.
Lawmakers and advocacy groups have criticized the widespread layoffs as unnecessary and a threat to public safety and the parks themselves.
▶ Read more about park service jobs being restored
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Associated Press reporter Matthew Daly contributed reporting.
US Department of Education announces investigation of Maine agency over transgender athletes
The U.S. Department of Education says it is initiating an investigation into the Maine Department of Education over the inclusion of transgender athletes.
The announcement Friday came the same day that Trump and Maine Gov. Janet Mills sparred at the White House over the issue after Trump singled her out at a governor’s event.
Trump has threatened Maine’s federal funding if the state continues to allow transgender athletes to play in women’s and girls sports. Mills, a Democrat, told the Republican president, “We’ll see you in court.”
State officials had no immediate comment on the planned investigation.
▶ Read more about the threats of funding cuts
Justice Department files complaint against judge weighing challenge to Trump’s transgender troop ban
The complaint accuses U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes of inappropriately questioning a government lawyer about his religious beliefs and trying to “embarrass” the attorney with a rhetorical exercise during an exchange about discrimination.
During the rhetorical exercise, Reyes told the attorney that she changed the rules in her courtroom to bar graduates of the University of Virginia law school from appearing before her because they are all “liars and lack integrity.” She instructed the government attorney, a graduate of the school, to sit down.
In another exchange cited in the complaint, the judge asked the attorney what “Jesus would say to telling a group of people that they are so worthless, so worthless that we’re— we’re not going to allow them into homeless shelters?”
The complaint calls for an investigation, saying “appropriate action” should be taken to ensure that future hearings are conducted with the “dignity and impartiality the public has a right to expect.”
▶ Read more about the complaint against the judge
Trump plans to retaliate against taxes on digital services
Trump says he plans to sign an action as soon as Friday to put tariffs on countries that tax digital services.
“What they’re doing to us and other countries is terrible with digital,” Trump told reporters.
The U.S. president didn’t flesh out the details of the action or how the tariffs would necessarily apply.
About half of European countries have announced, proposed or implemented taxes on digital services, which largely hit U.S. tech companies, according to the Tax Foundation, a center-right think tank.
Pentagon is cutting 5,400 probationary jobs
The Pentagon says it’s laying off 5,400 probationary workers starting next week and will put a hiring freeze in place.
It comes as Trump’s administration is firing thousands of federal workers who have less civil service protections.
At the Defense Department, “we anticipate reducing the Department’s civilian workforce by 5-8% to produce efficiencies and refocus the Department on the President’s priorities and restoring readiness in the force,” said Darin Selnick, who is acting undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also has directed the military services to identify $50 billion in programs that could be cut next year to redirect those savings to fund Trump’s priorities.
Trump says he’s not going to visit Moscow
The president dismissed reports that he might be going to Moscow, saying, “No, no I’m not.”
Trump made the comment as he spoke to reporters while swearing in new Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
Ex-Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio arrested near Capitol on assault charge
Former Proud Boys national leader Enrique Tarrio was arrested Friday near the U.S. Capitol on a charge that he assaulted a woman protesting a gathering attended by Tarrio and others who received presidential pardons for crimes stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, riot in the nation’s capital.
Capitol police said officers saw Tarrio strike the protester’s cellphone and arm after the woman placed the phone close to his face as they walked near the Capitol. Tarrio had just left a news conference that had ended “without incident,” police said.
“The woman told our officers that she wanted to be a complainant, and the man was arrested for the simple assault,” police said in a statement.
Tarrio, of Miami, was serving a 22-year sentence — the longest among hundreds of Capitol riot cases — when President Donald Trump granted clemency last month to all 1,500-plus people charged in the attack.
▶ Read more about Tarrio’s arrest
AP sues 3 Trump administration officials, citing freedom of speech
The Associated Press sued three Trump administration officials Friday over access to presidential events, citing freedom of speech in asking a federal judge to stop the 10-day blocking of its journalists.
The lawsuit was filed Friday afternoon in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.
The AP says its case is about an unconstitutional effort by the White House to control speech — in this case refusing to change its style from the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America,” as President Donald Trump did last month with an executive order.
“The press and all people in the United States have the right to choose their own words and not be retaliated against by the government,” the AP said in its lawsuit, which names White House Chief of Staff Susan Wiles, Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
“This targeted attack on the AP’s editorial independence and ability to gather and report the news strikes at the very core of the First Amendment,” the news agency said. “This court should remedy it immediately.”
▶ Read more about the AP’s lawsuit against the Trump administration and read the court filing
Lutnick takes oath to be commerce secretary
Howard Lutnick has been officially sworn in as commerce secretary, a cabinet post that the Wall Street investor plans to use to impose Trump’s planned tariffs.
“We are going to balance the budget of the United States of America, because Donald Trump understands global business,” Lutnick said while in the Oval Office with the president.
Lutnick is a supporter of cryptocurrency and led the financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald.
US stocks tumble as businesses and consumers worry about tariffs and Washington
U.S. stocks fell sharply after reports showed worries about how Trump’s policies may be hitting the economy.
The S&P 500 sank 1.7% Friday for its worst day in two months. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1.7%, and the Nasdaq composite tumbled 2.2%.
The losses accelerated through the day following several weaker-than-expected reports on the economy.
One report suggested U.S. business activity is close to stalling, with optimism slumping because of worries about tariffs and other potential policies from Washington. Reports on consumer sentiment and home sales also came in weaker than expected.
Akamai Technologies weighed on the market after giving financial forecasts that fell short of expectations. Treasury yields fell in the bond market.
▶ Read more about dropping U.S. stocks
ICE’s acting director has been reassigned
The top official in charge of carrying out Trump’s mass deportations agenda has been reassigned after the administration voiced concerns that the deportation effort isn’t moving fast enough.
Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement that Caleb Vitello, acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was “no longer in an administrative role, but is instead overseeing all field and enforcement operations.”
The statement didn’t give a reason for the move. Vitello is a career ICE official with more than two decades on the job. But White House officials have expressed frustration with the pace of deportations of people in the country illegally.
Judge clears way for Trump administration remove thousands of USAID staffers
A federal judge has cleared the way for the Trump administration to pull thousands of U.S. Agency for International Development staffers off the job.
U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols removed his temporary block on the effort to pull all but a small fraction of USAID staffers from their posts and give those abroad a 30-day deadline to move back to the U.S. at government expense.
His ruling comes in a lawsuit filed by unions on behalf of workers. They say the rush to dismantle the agency had cut off some staffers overseas from emergency communications systems, including some in danger of political violence in Congo.
The Trump administration and the cost-cutting Department of Government Efficiency tied to billionaire Elon Musk have moved swiftly to shutter USAID, asserting that its work is wasteful and out of line with the president’s agenda.
▶ Read more about the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle USAID
Lawmakers ask about list of possible military firings
A group of lawmakers, all of whom served in the U.S. military, have asked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to provide the criteria he is using to evaluate military officers for possible dismissal.
In the last two days, a list of seven three- and four-star military officers identified to be fired, including Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. CQ Brown, has circulated among some lawmakers.
It was not clear who sent the list to Capitol Hill, and the office of the secretary for defense did not immediately respond to questions about it.
A U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, described the list as potentially just socializing those names to gauge how much pushback there would be in firing them.
Notably, neither Republican leaders of the House or Senate armed services committees said they have been notified or provided an official list from the Pentagon.
“Most if not all of the three and four star General and Flag officers were general officers under the first Trump administration and have served honorably under many administrations of both parties,” said the seven lawmakers — six Democrats and one Republican.
Three-and four-star officers’ ranks are all tied to their position, and the president has the authority to relieve them at will.
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Associated Press reporter Tara Copp contributed reporting.
Trump promotes mail voting fraud falsehoods despite past inconsistencies
Trump several times parroted conspiracy theories about mail voting fraud at a White House meeting Friday with a bipartisan group of governors, falsely declaring, “Any time you have mail-in ballots, you’re going to have fraud — without question.”
Leading up to the 2024 election, however, Trump and other Republican officials encouraged voters to cast their ballots by mail in a presidential race projected to be decided by razor-thin margins. The Republican National Committee also embraced early and mail voting in 2024, and Trump has promoted these voting methods on recordings played during the convention and at rallies.
This is despite false narratives about mail voting forming much of the bedrock of Trump’s unfounded claims of a stolen 2020 election.
Trump also leaned heavily into the election misinformation playbook in the days before the 2024 election, laying the groundwork to claim voter fraud if he lost. As the election tipped in his favor, Trump’s complaints went silent.
Trump repeats plan to shift FEMA responsibilities to the states
Trump told governors that he wants states to have “skin in the game” when it comes to disaster response, but that the federal government should continue picking up most of the cost.
He repeated his desire to shift responsibility for responding to hurricanes, tornadoes, fires and other disasters from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to states.
“I’d rather have you do it,” Trump said, predicting it would it would save money to put the onus on states. He suggested splitting the costs, with the federal government picking up 75%.
Trump has been critical of FEMA, with some of his criticisms rooted in misinformation.
▶ For more on the Federal Emergency Management Agency
Trump invites governors to tour Fort Knox with him
Trump brought up his plan to have Elon Musk’s DOGE team verify that the U.S. gold reserves are indeed locked away at the ultra-secure Fort Knox — and he invited the nation’s governors to come along.
“We’re going to go in there pretty soon,” Trump told the governors during a meeting at the White House. “They’re going to open the doors to Fort Knox. And if any governor would like to go with us, we’ll go.”
Reflecting on the lore surrounding the gold reserves and the intense security measures that protect them, Trump joked that it would be terrible to discover the precious metal was missing. But he predicted it would all be there.
It was the third straight day that Trump brought up the check-in at Fort Knox.
Trump has tense exchange with Maine Gov. Janet Mills
Trump had a tense exchange with the Maine Gov. Janet Mills over the state’s policies toward transgender youth.
While speaking to governors who were meeting at the White House, Trump asked Mills whether Maine would comply with his executive order barring transgender girls from playing on girls sports teams.
“I’m complying with state and federal laws,” Mills responded.
Trump shot back: “We are the federal law.”
“You better do it because you’re not going to get any federal funding at all if you don’t,” he said, adding that Maine may be a Democratic state, but its residents largely agree with him on the issue.
“I’ll see you in court,” Mills responded.
“Good. I’ll see you in court,” he said. “I look forward to that. That should be a real easy one. And enjoy your life after, governor, because I don’t think you’ll be in elected politics.”
Ric Grenell says he would run for California governor if Harris enters race
Ric Grenell, who is Trump’s envoy for special missions, said he “may not be able to resist” running for governor of California if he gets to race against former Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.
Grenell announced he may be interested in the Republican gubernatorial nomination in an interview with Politico’s Dasha Burns on stage at the Conservative Political Action Conference outside Washington.
Harris was defeated by Trump in last year’s presidential election, and had previously been a U.S. senator from California and the state’s attorney general.
“We spent hundreds of millions of dollars to define who Kamala Harris is. If she thinks that she’s going to run for governor of California, a Republican is going to win, and I may not be able to resist trying to run against her.”
▶ For more on Harris and Grenell
Judge adjourns trial for New York City Mayor Eric Adams but appoints counsel to advise on next steps
A federal judge has adjourned the corruption trial for New York City Mayor Eric Adams and appointed counsel to advise him on how to handle the Justice Department’s request to drop charges against the Democrat.
The ruling Friday by Judge Dale E. Ho will delay by at least a couple weeks when he will decide whether to grant the request to drop charges against the embattled mayor of the country’s largest city.
A government lawyer cited an executive order by President Donald Trump as he defended the request to drop charges during a hearing Wednesday.
Adams confirmed at the hearing that he accepted that charges could later be reinstated.
▶ For more on Eric Adams
Mayor sidesteps Trump’s talk of a Washington, DC, federal ‘takeover’
Mayor Muriel Bowser is keeping things diplomatic regarding President Donald Trump’s call for a federal “takeover” of the District of Columbia.
Earlier this week, Trump repeated his longstanding call for a federal takeover — citing crime rates, homelessness and graffiti among the city’s failings.
In an extended Q&A at the National Press Club Friday, Bowser sidestepped chances to push back and focused on common ground.
“The president is very focused on making our nation’s capital the most beautiful capital in the world,” she said. “It turns out that’s our focus as well.”
When asked about threats to the 1973 Home Rule Act, Bowser focused on “some people in the Congress” as the most imminent danger.
▶ For more on Trump’s takeover talk
There are currently no migrants being held at Guantanamo Bay, US official says
There were no immigrants being held at Guantanamo Bay Naval Station as of Friday morning, U.S. military authorities said a day after 177 Venezuelan migrants were flown from the U.S. military base to their home country.
The naval base on the eastern end of Cuba has served as a way station for Venezuelan immigrants with final orders of deportation from the U.S. since military transport flights began arriving with migrants on a near-daily basis from Texas on Feb. 4.
“At the moment, there are no illegal migrants being held at Guantanamo Bay,” the U.S. Southern Command of the Department of Defense said Friday in an email.
Juan Agudelo, an emergency removal operations supervisor in Miami for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said Guantanamo Bay is being used as a temporary staging facility for immigrants as they are repatriated abroad.
Immigrants rights groups are suing U.S. authorities to establish direct access to immigrant detainees at Guantanamo.
▶Read more about migrants being sent back to Venezuela
Trump tells governors he’s had ‘very good talks with Putin’ and praises North Carolina’s Stein
Trump continued speaking about Russia and Ukraine as he addressed Republican and Democratic governors gathered at the White House for a meeting Friday morning.
The president told the governors that he has “had very good talks with Putin” and “not such good talks with Ukraine.”
He also had some rare praise for a Democrat, telling the room that he’s been working well with North Carolina’s new Democratic Gov. Josh Stein, whose state is still recovering from Hurricane Helene.
Trump signals he’s open to multiple budget bills, backing away from preference for ‘one big beautiful bill’
Hours after the Senate approved a spending framework, the president said in a Fox News interview that he’s open to approving the spending plan in multiple bills “as long as we get to the same point.”
Trump temporarily derailed the Senate’s spending push this week when he publicly bashed the approach from the Senate Budget Committee chairman, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. Trump said he favored the “big beautiful bill” from House Republicans, a more politically fraught package that includes $4.5 trillion in tax cuts but slashes government programs and services.
Senators want to address those priorities later, in a second package.
“Now, what they approved yesterday is one part of it and then they approve another part of it,” Trump said Friday.
“I guess you could make the case you could do three. You could do 10,” he added. “As long as we get along, you know as long as we get them all added up and it’s the same thing.”
He said it’s “a very good signal” that senators got the first bill passed and that Republicans have “fantastic” unity.
Maine Democrats vow to fight Trump on pulling funding over trans athletes
High-ranking Democrats in Maine said Friday they will fight back against Trump’s vow to deny the state federal funding due to the participation of transgender athletes in girls’ sports.
Trump addressed a group of governors on Thursday and said he “heard men are still playing in Maine” and that he would pull funding because of it under the terms of an executive order he signed this month.
“So we’re not going to give them any federal funding. None, whatsoever, until they clean that up,” Trump said.
Maine’s Attorney General Aaron Frey said he will “defend Maine’s laws and block efforts by the president to bully and threaten us.”
Gov. Janet Mills also said the state “will not be intimidated” by Trump’s threats.
“If the president attempts to unilaterally deprive Maine school children of the benefit of federal funding, my administration and the attorney general will take all appropriate and necessary legal action to restore that funding and the academic opportunity it provides,” Mills said.
Trump adviser says he expects Ukraine to agree to deal allowing US access to the country’s rare earth minerals
Trump’s national security adviser says he believes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will accept a deal letting the U.S. access his country’s rare earth minerals.
Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Mike Waltz said, “Here’s the bottom line. President Zelenskyy is going to sign that deal,” though it wasn’t clear on what timeline he meant.
Trump said this week that he believed the U.S. had a deal on accessing Ukraine’s critical minerals when Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent traveled to Kyiv last week.
Zelenskyy said previously that he’d directed his ministers not to sign off on a proposed agreement.
Vice President JD Vance also discussed the deal with Zelenskyy in Munich days after the Bessent meeting.
Trump said Bessent’s visit to Ukraine was ‘a wasted trip,’ continues criticism of Zelenskyy
Trump continued his criticism of Zelenskyy on Friday and said that U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s trip to Kyiv last week to try to secure a deal to access Ukraine’s minerals was “a wasted trip.”
“Frankly I wish he didn’t go there, waste all of his time like that,” Trump said on an interview on “The Brian Kilmeade Show” on Fox Radio.
He started to criticize Zelenskyy for his leadership as his country was destroyed by war. Host Brian Kilmeade said, “That’s Putin’s fault,” and Trump said. “I get tired of listening to it, I’ll tell you what.”
Trump continued complaining about Zelenskyy and said he “doesn’t think he’s very important to be at meetings” and that he’s been negotiating “with no cards, and you get sick of it.”
He said Putin wants to make a deal and added, “He doesn’t have to make a deal. Because if he wanted, he would get the whole country.”
Social Security Administration ends cooperative agreements with researchers focused on equity in benefits
The Social Security Administration terminated its cooperative agreements with its Retirement and Disability Research Consortium – which includes research relationships with the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Brandeis University, University of Baltimore, and Westat.
The agency cites President Trump’s executive order titled “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing.”
“Terminating our RDRC cooperative agreements aligns with President Trump’s priorities to end fraudulent and wasteful initiatives and contracts,” said Social Security’s Acting Commissioner Lee Dudek.
The center’s website states that its research agenda focuses on equity in access to Social Security retirement for under-recognized and underserved segments of society, the intersection of health and access to healthcare and equitable disability program participation and disparities in disability program access and participation.
Social Security says ending the cooperative agreements will bring about $15 million dollars in cost savings.
US envoy praises Zelenskyy after Trump’s censure of the Ukrainian leader
President Donald Trump’s envoy to Ukraine and Russia said on Friday that he held “extensive and positive discussions” with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about the three-year war with Russia and praised the Ukrainian leader as an “embattled and courageous leader of a nation at war.”
Retired U.S. Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg — who traveled to Kyiv on Wednesday and whose planned news conference with Zelenskyy on Thursday was changed at the last minute to a simple photo opportunity — struck a positive tone after what he said on the social platform X was “a long and intense day” of talks with Ukraine’s senior leadership.
His comments marked a departure from recent rebukes of Zelenskyy by Trump and other senior U.S. officials that appeared to indicate an abrupt deterioration of relations.
Economic vibes not looking so great for Trump
Consumer confidence fell nearly 10% on a monthly basis in February, a sharp plunge that suggests President Donald Trump’s tariff plans have given his administration a potentially short honeymoon with voters.
The University of Michigan Index of Consumer Sentiment came in Friday at a reading of 64.7, down 9.8% on a monthly basis and 15.9% on a yearly basis. The Trump administration has touted other measures of confidence such as the National Federation of Independent Business’ index to suggest there is newfound optimism because of Trump’s return to the White House.
But during President Joe Biden’s tenure, the Michigan numbers often tracked with his loss of public approval. The latest Michigan figures have people expecting on average that inflation will increase 4.3% over the next year, a sharp increase from the January reading. Tariffs are taxes on imports that can raise prices for consumers.
Confidence among Republicans has held steady in the index, but it has fallen sharply among Democrats and political independents.
White House defends DOGE cuts amid complaints about ‘chainsaw’ approach
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the Trump administration’s sweeping measures when asked about complaints Friday that DOGE is using a “chainsaw” approach to cutting the government’s size and spending, Leavitt told reporters at the White House that there is public support for the administration, and it is “committed to cutting waste, fraud and abuse.”
“The president campaigned on that promise. Americans elected him on that promise, and he’s actually delivering on it. And this is something that Democrats promised they would do for decades. President Trump is just the first president to get it done,” she said.
Treasury raises concerns with China’s Vice Premier over fentanyl
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expressed concerns about China’s counternarcotics efforts, according to a Treasury readout of his first call Friday with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng.
President Donald Trump, who signed an order imposing 10% tariffs against China earlier this month, is aiming at combating the illicit flow of fentanyl into the U.S., where the opioid is blamed for some 70,000 overdose deaths annually.
China is a major supplier of precursor chemicals used for the manufacturing of fentanyl.
The Treasury said the finance ministers also spoke about “economic imbalances, and unfair policies, and stressed the Administration’s commitment to pursue trade and economic policies that protect the American economy, the American worker, and our national security.”
The pair agreed to remain in communication.
▶Read more about the tariffs
Sinn Féin leaders won’t attend St. Patrick’s event at White House to protest US stance on Gaza
Sinn Féin’s President Mary Lou McDonald addresses the media in Dublin, as Sinn Féin’s David Cullinane looks on, in Dublin, Ireland, Monday, Feb. 10, 2020. Ireland braced for weeks of political uncertainty Monday after an earth-shaking election that saw the Irish Republican Army-linked party Sinn Fein — long shunned by its bigger rivals — take the largest share of votes. (Niall Carson/PA via AP)
The Irish party’s leader Mary Lou McDonald said the Trump’s administration’s position was “catastrophically” wrong and she was taking “a principled stance against the threat of mass expulsion of the Palestinian people from Gaza.”
Trump has proposed removing about 2 million Palestinians from Gaza so the U.S. can own and rebuild what he called the “Riviera of the Middle East.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has welcomed the idea, but it’s been universally rejected by Palestinians and Arab countries, caused concern from other world leaders and thrown a ceasefire into doubt.
She was joined in the boycott by Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill, the party’s vice president, who said she was standing “on the side of humanity.”
▶ Read more about the Irish party’s boycott
Chinese Vice Premier expresses ‘solemn concern’ over tariffs in video call with US Treasury Secretary
Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng has expressed “solemn concerns” to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent about the Trump administration’s imposition of an additional 10% tariff on imports from China.
The comments came in a video call that was Bessent’s first contact with a senior Chinese official since assuming his post. Trump said he imposed the tariff because China needs to do more to control the fentanyl trade. China responded with tariffs on select American products and other targeted measures.
Ahead of the call, Bessent told Bloomberg that the first thing he wanted to talk about was curbing fentanyl precursor chemicals coming from China
Federal judge will consider further blocking Trump administration from freezing funds
The judge will consider a request to further block the Trump administration from freezing trillions of dollars of grants and loans that fund everything from clean energy programs to bridge repairs to emergency shelters.
U.S. District Court Judge John McConnell in Rhode Island, who already approved a temporary restraining order on the funding freeze, is hearing a request for a permanent injunction from nearly two dozen Democrat states. If approved, it would be the first order since the Trump administration announced a sweeping pause on federal aid, stirring up a wave of confusion and anxiety across the United States.
A second lawsuit over the funding freeze by groups representing thousands of nonprofits and small businesses is being heard by U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan in Washington, D.C. AliKhan is also considering a request to issue a preliminary injunction.
▶ Read more about the lawsuits over funding freezes
Macron says he plans to tell Trump not to “be weak” in the face of Putin amid negotiation talks
Macron is to travel to Washington to meet with Trump on Monday, the White House said.
In a one-hour question and answer session on his social media Thursday, Macron said he’ll tell Trump: “You can’t be weak in the face of President Putin. It’s not you, it’s not your trademark, it’s not in your interest. How can you then be credible in the face of China if you’re weak in the face of Putin?”
Trump’s recent statements that echo Putin’s narrative and plans to have direct negotiations with Moscow have left European allies and Ukrainian officials worried. But Macron suggested Trump’s strategy to create “uncertainty” in talks with Russia could actually make Western allies stronger in these talks.
Macron added he would seek to persuade Trump that U.S. interests and Europeans’ interests are the same, telling him: “If you let Russia take over Ukraine, it would be unstoppable.”
That means any peace deal must be negotiated with Ukrainians and Europeans around the table, Macron reaffirmed.
▶ Read more about Macron’s comments
Trump holds Black History Month event as some agencies skip recognition after anti-DEI order
President Donald Trump speaks as golfer Tiger Woods listens during a reception for Black History Month in the East Room of the White House, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Washington. (Pool via AP)
Trump marked Black History Month at the White House on Thursday by making an appearance at a celebratory reception with a surprise guest, golf legend Tiger Woods, while calling out other athletes in attendance and marveling at the size of the crowd.
Trump also announced he planned to bring Alice Johnson, a prison reform advocate whom he pardoned in 2020, into his administration to work on clemency issues.
The White House’s Black History Month reception preserved a tradition, but it comes in the wake of Trump issuing a wide-ranging executive order ending the federal government’s diversity, equity and inclusion programs has disrupted its observance elsewhere.
Trump didn’t mention his anti-DEI crusade as he addressed hundreds of guests in a reception in the East Room, though he did make a brief reference to the The New York Times’ “1619 Project,” which highlights the lasting consequences of slavery in America.
▶ Read more about the Black History Month reception at the White House
How Trump’s mass layoffs raise the risk of wildfires in the US West, according to fired workers
The Forest Service firings — on the heels of deadly blazes that ripped through Los Angeles last month — are part of a wave of federal worker layoffs, as Trump’s cost-cutting measures reverberate nationwide.
Workers who maintained trails, removed combustible debris from forests, supported firefighters and secured funds for wildfire mitigation say staffing cuts threaten public safety, especially in the West, where drier and hotter conditions linked to climate change have increased the intensity of wildfires.
“This is 100% a safety thing,” said Tanya Torst, who was fired from her position as a U.S. Forest Service partnership coordinator in Chico, California. She recalled the deadly Paradise blaze that killed 85 people east of Chico in 2018. “That’s why I’m speaking out.”
▶ Read more about how the mass firings of federal workers will increase risk of wildfires
