Hours after the Senate approved a spending framework, President Donald Trump said in a Fox News interview that he鈥檚 open to approving the spending plan in multiple bills 鈥渁s long as we get to the same point.鈥
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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鈥檚 agenda.
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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.
鈥淢ost 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,鈥 said the seven lawmakers 鈥 six Democrats and one Republican.
Three-and four-star officers鈥 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, 鈥淎ny time you have mail-in ballots, you鈥檙e going to have fraud 鈥 without question.鈥
Leading up to the 2024 election, however, Trump and other Republican officials 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 complaints .
Trump repeats plan to shift FEMA responsibilities to the states
Trump told governors that he wants states to have 鈥渟kin in the game鈥 when it comes to disaster response, but that the federal government should continue picking up most of the cost.
He repeated his desire to for responding to hurricanes, tornadoes, fires and other disasters from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to states.
鈥淚鈥檇 rather have you do it,鈥 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 , with some of his criticisms rooted in .
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Trump invites governors to tour Fort Knox with him
Trump brought up his plan to have Elon Musk鈥檚 DOGE team verify that the U.S. gold reserves are indeed locked away at the 鈥 and he invited the nation鈥檚 governors to come along.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to go in there pretty soon,鈥 Trump told the governors during a meeting at the White House. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e going to open the doors to Fort Knox. And if any governor would like to go with us, we鈥檒l go.鈥
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 .
Trump has tense exchange with Maine Gov. Janet Mills
Trump had a tense exchange with the Maine Gov. Janet Mills over the state鈥檚 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.
鈥淚鈥檓 complying with state and federal laws,鈥 Mills responded.
Trump shot back: 鈥淲e are the federal law.鈥
鈥淵ou better do it because you鈥檙e not going to get any federal funding at all if you don鈥檛,鈥 he said, adding that Maine may be a Democratic state, but its residents largely agree with him on the issue.
鈥淚鈥檒l see you in court,鈥 Mills responded.
鈥淕ood. I鈥檒l see you in court,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 look forward to that. That should be a real easy one. And enjoy your life after, governor, because I don鈥檛 think you鈥檒l be in elected politics.鈥
Ric Grenell says he would run for California governor if Harris enters race
Ric Grenell, who is Trump鈥檚 envoy for special missions, said he 鈥渕ay not be able to resist鈥 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鈥檚 Dasha Burns on stage at the Conservative Political Action Conference outside Washington.
Harris was in last year鈥檚 presidential election, and had previously been a U.S. senator from California and the state鈥檚 attorney general.
鈥淲e spent hundreds of millions of dollars to define who Kamala Harris is. If she thinks that she鈥檚 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.鈥
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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鈥檚 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鈥檚 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.
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Mayor sidesteps Trump鈥檚 talk of a Washington, DC, federal 鈥榯akeover鈥
Mayor Muriel Bowser is keeping things diplomatic regarding President Donald Trump鈥檚 call for a federal 鈥渢akeover鈥 of the District of Columbia.
Earlier this week, Trump repeated his longstanding call for a federal takeover 鈥 citing crime rates, homelessness and graffiti among the city鈥檚 failings.
In an extended Q&A at the National Press Club Friday, Bowser sidestepped chances to push back and focused on common ground.
鈥淭he president is very focused on making our nation鈥檚 capital the most beautiful capital in the world,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t turns out that鈥檚 our focus as well.鈥
When asked about threats to the , Bowser focused on 鈥渟ome people in the Congress鈥 as the most imminent danger.
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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.
鈥淎t the moment, there are no illegal migrants being held at Guantanamo Bay,鈥 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.
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Trump tells governors he鈥檚 had 鈥榲ery good talks with Putin鈥 and praises North Carolina鈥檚 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 鈥渉ad very good talks with Putin鈥 and 鈥渘ot such good talks with Ukraine.鈥
He also had some rare praise for a Democrat, telling the room that he鈥檚 been working well with North Carolina鈥檚 new Democratic Gov. Josh Stein, whose state is still recovering from Hurricane Helene.
Trump signals he鈥檚 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鈥檚 open to approving the spending plan in multiple bills 鈥渁s long as we get to the same point.鈥
Trump temporarily derailed the Senate鈥檚 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 鈥渂ig beautiful bill鈥 from 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.
鈥淣ow, what they approved yesterday is one part of it and then they approve another part of it,鈥 Trump said Friday.
鈥淚 guess you could make the case you could do three. You could do 10,鈥 he added. 鈥淎s long as we get along, you know as long as we get them all added up and it鈥檚 the same thing.鈥
He said it鈥檚 鈥渁 very good signal鈥 that senators got the first bill passed and that Republicans have 鈥渇antastic鈥 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鈥檚 vow to deny the state federal funding due to the participation of transgender athletes in girls鈥 sports.
Trump addressed a group of governors on Thursday and said he 鈥渉eard men are still playing in Maine鈥 and that he would pull funding because of it under the terms of an executive order he signed this month.
鈥淪o we鈥檙e not going to give them any federal funding. None, whatsoever, until they clean that up,鈥 Trump said.
Maine鈥檚 Attorney General Aaron Frey said he will 鈥渄efend Maine鈥檚 laws and block efforts by the president to bully and threaten us.鈥
Gov. Janet Mills also said the state 鈥渨ill not be intimidated鈥 by Trump鈥檚 threats.
鈥淚f 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,鈥 Mills said.
Trump adviser says he expects Ukraine to agree to deal allowing US access to the country鈥檚 rare earth minerals
Trump鈥檚 national security adviser says he believes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will accept a deal letting the U.S. access his country鈥檚 rare earth minerals.
Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Mike Waltz said, 鈥淗ere鈥檚 the bottom line. President Zelenskyy is going to sign that deal,鈥 though it wasn鈥檛 clear on what timeline he meant.
Trump said this week that he believed the U.S. had a deal on accessing Ukraine鈥檚 critical minerals when Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent traveled to Kyiv last week.
Zelenskyy said previously that he鈥檇 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鈥檚 visit to Ukraine was 鈥榓 wasted trip,鈥 continues criticism of Zelenskyy
Trump continued his criticism of Zelenskyy on Friday and said that U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent鈥檚 trip to Kyiv last week to try to secure a deal to access Ukraine鈥檚 minerals was 鈥渁 wasted trip.鈥
鈥淔rankly I wish he didn鈥檛 go there, waste all of his time like that,鈥 Trump said on an interview on 鈥淭he Brian Kilmeade Show鈥 on Fox Radio.
He started to criticize Zelenskyy for his leadership as his country was destroyed by war. Host Brian Kilmeade said, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 Putin鈥檚 fault,鈥 and Trump said. 鈥淚 get tired of listening to it, I鈥檒l tell you what.鈥
Trump continued complaining about Zelenskyy and said he 鈥渄oesn鈥檛 think he鈥檚 very important to be at meetings鈥 and that he鈥檚 been negotiating 鈥渨ith no cards, and you get sick of it.鈥
He said Putin wants to make a deal and added, 鈥淗e doesn鈥檛 have to make a deal. Because if he wanted, he would get the whole country.鈥
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 鈥 which includes research relationships with the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Brandeis University, University of Baltimore, and Westat.
The agency cites President Trump鈥檚 executive order titled 鈥淓nding Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing.鈥
鈥淭erminating our RDRC cooperative agreements aligns with President Trump鈥檚 priorities to end fraudulent and wasteful initiatives and contracts,鈥 said Social Security鈥檚 Acting Commissioner Lee Dudek.
The center鈥檚 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鈥檚 censure of the Ukrainian leader
President Donald Trump鈥檚 envoy to Ukraine and Russia said on Friday that he held 鈥渆xtensive and positive discussions鈥 with Ukraine鈥檚 President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about the and praised the Ukrainian leader as an 鈥渆mbattled and courageous leader of a nation at war.鈥
Retired U.S. Lt. Gen. 鈥 who traveled to Kyiv on Wednesday and whose planned at the last minute to a simple photo opportunity 鈥 struck a positive tone after what he said on the social platform X was 鈥渁 long and intense day鈥 of talks with Ukraine鈥檚 senior leadership.
His comments marked a departure from 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鈥檚 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鈥 index to suggest there is newfound optimism because of Trump鈥檚 return to the White House.
But during President Joe Biden鈥檚 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 鈥榗hainsaw鈥 approach
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the Trump administration鈥檚 sweeping measures when asked about complaints Friday that DOGE is using a 鈥渃hainsaw鈥 approach to cutting the government鈥檚 size and spending, Leavitt told reporters at the White House that there is public support for the administration, and it is 鈥渃ommitted to cutting waste, fraud and abuse.鈥
鈥淭he president campaigned on that promise. Americans elected him on that promise, and he鈥檚 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,鈥 she said.
Treasury raises concerns with China鈥檚 Vice Premier over fentanyl
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expressed concerns about China鈥檚 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 鈥渆conomic imbalances, and unfair policies, and stressed the Administration鈥檚 commitment to pursue trade and economic policies that protect the American economy, the American worker, and our national security.鈥
The pair agreed to remain in communication.
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Sinn F茅in leaders won鈥檛 attend St. Patrick鈥檚 event at White House to protest US stance on Gaza
Sinn F茅in鈥檚 President Mary Lou McDonald addresses the media in Dublin, as Sinn F茅in鈥檚 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 鈥 long shunned by its bigger rivals 鈥 take the largest share of votes. (Niall Carson/PA via AP)
The Irish party鈥檚 leader Mary Lou McDonald said the Trump鈥檚 administration鈥檚 position was 鈥渃atastrophically鈥 wrong and she was taking 鈥渁 principled stance against the threat of mass expulsion of the Palestinian people from Gaza.鈥
removing about 2 million Palestinians from Gaza so the U.S. can own and rebuild what he called the 鈥淩iviera of the Middle East.鈥 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has welcomed the idea, but it鈥檚 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鈥橬eill, the party鈥檚 vice president, who said she was standing 鈥渙n the side of humanity.鈥
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Chinese Vice Premier expresses 鈥榮olemn concern鈥 over tariffs in video call with US Treasury Secretary
Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng has expressed 鈥渟olemn concerns鈥 to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent about the Trump administration鈥檚 imposition of on imports from China.
The comments came in a video call that was Bessent鈥檚 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 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 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 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.
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Macron says he plans to tell Trump not to 鈥渂e weak鈥 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鈥檒l tell Trump: 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 be weak in the face of President Putin. It鈥檚 not you, it鈥檚 not your trademark, it鈥檚 not in your interest. How can you then be credible in the face of China if you鈥檙e weak in the face of Putin?鈥
Trump鈥檚 recent statements that and plans to have with Moscow have left . But Macron suggested Trump鈥檚 strategy to create 鈥渦ncertainty鈥 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鈥 interests are the same, telling him: 鈥淚f you let Russia take over Ukraine, it would be unstoppable.鈥
That means any peace deal must be negotiated with Ukrainians and Europeans around the table, Macron reaffirmed.
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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鈥檚 Black History Month reception preserved a tradition, but it comes in the wake of Trump issuing a wide-ranging ending the federal government鈥檚 diversity, equity and inclusion programs has disrupted its observance elsewhere.
Trump didn鈥檛 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鈥 鈥1619 Project,鈥 which highlights the lasting consequences of slavery in America.
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How Trump鈥檚 mass layoffs raise the risk of wildfires in the US West, according to fired workers
The Forest Service firings 鈥 on the heels of deadly last month 鈥 are part of a wave of federal worker layoffs, as Trump鈥檚 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 have increased the intensity of wildfires.
鈥淭his is 100% a safety thing,鈥 said Tanya Torst, who was fired from her position as a U.S. Forest Service partnership coordinator in Chico, California. She recalled the that killed 85 people east of Chico in 2018. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why I鈥檓 speaking out.鈥
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