Trump 2nd term live updates: Trump signs executive order to use Guantanamo Bay as migrant facility

3 minutes ago
Trump signs GITMO memorandum
President Donald Trump signed Wednesday the "GITMO Presidential Memorandum" along with four other executive orders, according to the White House.
He also signed an order titled "Ending Racial Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling, as well as American 250 which establishes a commission to celebrate 250th birthday and create a heroes' garden.
– ABC News' Michelle Stoddart
4 minutes ago
Senate votes to confirm Zeldin as new EPA Administrator
Lee Zeldin's nomination to head the Environmental Protection Agency as its new administrator was confirmed by the Senate in a 56-42 vote Wednesday afternoon.
Zeldin comes to the agency in the midst of a major environmental policy shift -- with the Trump administration magnifying the impacts Trump claims environmental regulations have on the economy while de-emphasizing the need for emissions reductions and other climate goals.
In his confirmation hearing earlier this month, Zeldin said, "The EPA must be better stewards of tax dollars, honor cooperative federalism and be transparent and accountable to Congress and the public."
7 minutes ago
Noem, Homan affirm expanding Guantanamo Migrant Operations Center
Asked specifically when operations to use Guantanamo Bay as a migrant facility would begin, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem remained vague and suggested that the White House is working on it.
“You know, that is something that the White House is working on to use resources that we currently have there in Guantanamo Bay. So we'll go through the process. The worst of the worst is where that could be utilized. So that potential is there. We know we need the infrastructure. We're going after these guys,” Noem said.
White House Border Czar Tom Homan indicated that ICE would run the facility and they'd fly migrants down.
“ICE has the highest detention standards in the industry. You can't find another state, federal, local, and city that has higher detention standards than ICE. So every facility including Gitmo will be run by ICE,” Homan said.

“It's been there for decades. So, we're just going to expand upon the existing migrant center,” Homan said. The base has been used in the past to house Cuban and Haitian migrants and there is a small facility on the Naval base at Guantanamo known as the Migrant Operations Center.
– ABC News’ Kelsey WalshShow Less
9 minutes ago
Trump signs EO aimed at expanding school choice
President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at expanding school choice on Wednesday.
The order mandates that the Department of Education "shall issue guidance regarding how States can use Federal formula funds to support K-12 educational choice initiatives." It also mandates a review of how they can make school choice a priority for discretionary grant programs.
Expanding school choice was one of Trump's campaign promises.
– ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart
26 minutes ago
Trump to sign executive order to use Guantanamo Bay as migrant facility
President Trump said Wednesday he plans to sign an executive order to permit the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security to use Guantanamo Bay as a migrant facility.
"We have 30,000 beds in Guantanamo to detain the worst criminal illegal aliens threatening the American people," he said.
"Some of them are so bad we don't even trust the countries to hold them because we don't want them coming back," he continued. "So we're going to send them out to Guantanamo. This will double our capacity immediately."
44 minutes ago
Trump signs Laken Riley Act
President Donald Trump signed the Laken Riley Act Wednesday afternoon, his first piece of legislation since assuming his second presidency.
"It's going to save countless innocent American lives," he said, calling it a "landmark law."
"I want to thank every House Republican, every Senate Republican, as well as the 12 Senate Democrats and the 48 House Democrats who voted to pass this vitally important bill," he added.
"Laken was a brilliant and beautiful 22-year-old nursing student from Georgia, the best in her class," Trump said. He also addressed her parents who were present for the signing.
The president said that under this law, the "Department of Homeland Security will be required to detain all illegal aliens who have been arrested for theft, burglary, larceny, shoplifting, assaulting a police officer, murder, or any crime that results in death or serious injury."
1 hour and 13 minutes ago
Trump says funding freeze reversal was intended to address ‘abuse,’ blames media for confusion
“There was a short-term pause or funding freeze on certain discretionary spending payments, such as government grants, only for us to quickly look at the scams, dishonesty, waste and abuse that's taken place in our government for too long,” Trump said while delivering remarks prior to signing the Laken Riley Act.
“And, restating right now to correct any confusion that the media has purposely and somehow, for whatever reason, created Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid have not been affected by any action we're taking in any way, shape or form,” he said.
“We are merely looking at parts of the big bureaucracy where there has been tremendous waste and fraud and abuse,” he added, before divulging into an argument about money sent to Gaza.
Trump said that “these were the payments and types of payments affected by the temporary freeze,” emphasizing that “the American people strongly support these efforts.”
1 hour and 48 minutes ago
OMB reversal ‘not a rescission of the federal funding freeze,' WH press secretary says
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the policy on social media, saying Trump still plans to implement a funding freeze without specifying what mechanism the president plans to use.
"This is NOT a rescission of the federal funding freeze," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on X defending the administration's announcement to reverse the directive. "It is simply a rescission of the OMB memo."
"Why? To end any confusion created by the court's injunction," she said. "The President's EO's on federal funding remain in full force and effect, and will be rigorously implemented."
Reversal of OMB order contradicts White House defense of it this morning
The Trump administration's decision to rescind its Office of Management and Budget directive pausing federal funding comes just hours after White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt touted the directive and told ABC News' Mary Bruce that there was no confusion regarding the pause.
"It's very clear this is a temporary pause on federal funding to ensure that tax dollars are not funding things that this president has signed out of law," she said.
"I would like to double down on the fact that Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, which I'd like to be clear on that today, welfare benefits, individual assistance, food stamps, etc., will not be impacted. So the American people should not be confused about this," she added.
When asked by "Good Morning America’s" Michael Strahan if the disruption in the Medicaid system was a sign of a chaotic rollout, she said, "No, absolutely not."
During Leavitt's first press briefing Tuesday afternoon, the White House implied the media were to blame for the confusion.
"Well, I think there's only uncertainty in this room amongst the media. There's no uncertainty in this building," she said.
State Dept. claims foreign aid fereeze prevented $1B in unnecessary spending
In a new release, the State Department said the freeze on U.S. foreign aid is “already paying dividends to our country and our people,” claiming that over a billion dollars “in spending not aligned with an America First agenda has been prevented” already.
The department defended the pause, saying it was necessary to stop programs because “the participants -- both inside and outside of government -- have little to no incentive to share programmatic-level details so long as the dollars continue to flow.”
Additionally, the release defends the waiver program in place -- saying the process “was used successfully dozens of times in the first several days alone” and blaming rejections of “many requests” on the applicant’s failure to provide “the level of detail necessary to allow a thorough evaluation.”
The release also claims that setting aside support for Ukraine, the U.S. is “spending roughly $70 billion in foreign aid annually.” This appears to be taken from the requested international affairs budget for FY2024, as the enacted budget was $60 billion, not including money set aside for emergency funding for Ukraine and other crises.
-ABC News’ Shannon KingstonShow Less
2 hours and 30 minutes ago
Trump admin to rescind funding freeze directive, according to OMB memo
Trump’s administration has rescinded its sweeping directive that Would have paused potentially trillions in loans, grants, and financial assistance, according to a memo obtained by ABC News.
"OMB memorandum M-25-13 is rescinded. If you have questions about implementing the President's Executive Orders, please contact your agency General Counsel," the short memo from Matthew Vaeth, acting director of OMB reads.
The policy reversal follows a tumultuous 48 hours for the White House, as states and local governments raised concerns that funding for health care, law enforcement, disaster aid and infrastructure spending could be paused or delayed during the expansive rollout of the policy.
In a lawsuit challenging the policy on Tuesday, 22 state attorneys general said, “Without this funding, Plaintiff States will be unable to provide certain essential benefits for residents, pay public employees, satisfy obligations, and carry on the important business of government.”
– ABC News’ Katherine Faulders, Peter, Charalambous, Alex Mallin, Ben SiegelShow Less
3 hours and 17 minutes ago
Trump admin replaces acting DNI ahead of Gabbard hearing
The Trump administration has replaced acting Director of National Intelligence Stacey Dixon with Lora Shiao, who previously served as acting director for one day, from Jan. 20 to 21, 2021, before former DNI Director Avril Haines was sworn in. The change occurred Friday, a source told ABC News.
Dixon, a longtime government official, served under the Trump administration but was appointed by former President Joe Biden. She was the highest-ranking Black woman in the intelligence community and previously served as the principal deputy director of National Intelligence. She had been chosen by the Trump transition team to serve as acting director.
Shiao will remain in the position until a new DNI director is confirmed, and is expected to stay in the role until then. Trump’s pick for DNI director, former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, will have her confirmation hearing for the position on Thursday.
-ABC News' Beatrice Peterson
White House rescinds federal aid freeze
Originally Published: 29 JAN 25 13:07 ET
By Kaitlan Collins and Alayna Treene, CNN
(CNN) — The White House Office of Management and Budget has rescinded the federal aid freeze, according to a memo from a Trump administration official obtained by CNN.
This is a breaking story and will be updated.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2025 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
26 minutes ago
EPA scientific advisory committee members who help monitor air quality standards ousted via email
Members of the EPA's Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee and Science Advisory Board were abruptly let go Tuesday night after receiving a notice from Acting EPA Administrator James Payne saying the groups would be "reset."
In an emailed announcement obtained by ABC News, Payne said, "A decision has been made to reset the Science Advisory Board (SAB) and Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) and reestablish its current membership."
The CASAC and SAB are charged with providing independent, scientific advice to the EPA on the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, as well as other programs and regulations implemented by the agency.
In a written statement to ABC News, one of the ousted members of the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee, Dr. Mary B. Rice, expressed her concern over who the EPA may bring in to replace the removed members and whether they would ensure the "margin of safety" national air quality standards are meant to provide under the Clean Air Act.
– ABC News' Kelly Livingston
36 minutes ago
Trump will be represented by new lawyers
Top white shoe law firm Sullivan and Cromwell will represent President Donald Trump when he appeals his criminal conviction in New York, according to new court filings Wednesday.
Among Trump’s new lawyers is firm co-chair Robert J. Giuffra.
“President Donald J. Trump’s appeal is important for the rule of law, New York’s reputation as a global business, financial and legal center, as well as for the presidency and all public officials. The misuse of the criminal law by the Manhattan DA to target President Trump sets a dangerous precedent, and we look forward to the case being dismissed on appeal,” Giuffra said in a statement.
The change in attorneys followed Trump’s naming of his lead attorneys, Todd Blanche, Emil Bove and John Sauer, to top roles in the Justice Department.
Blanche has been nominated for deputy attorney general, Sauer as solicitor general and Bove principal associate deputy attorney general.
– ABC News’ Katherine Faulders, Peter Charalambous, and Aaron Katersky
48 minutes ago
Trump to sign executive orders on education
President Donald Trump is expected to sign two executive orders Wednesday on education.
One of the orders seeks to cut federal funding to K-12 schools that teach "radical gender ideology and critical race theory," according to a fact sheet obtained by ABC News.
The order also directs the attorney general to pursue actions against school officials and teachers who "sexually exploit minors or practice medicine without a license through 'social transition' practices," it states.
"American education should focus on cultivating patriotic citizens ready for the workforce, not political activists," the fact sheet states.
In the second order, Trump is seeking to expand "educational freedom" and allow for more school choice options.
The order directs the secretary of defense to submit a plan for how military families can use defense funds to send their children to the school of their choice, and requires HHS to provide guidance on "how states receiving block grants for children and families can use those funds to support educational alternatives, including private and faith-based options."
1 hour and 4 minutes ago
Trump to sign executive order on combating antisemitism
President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order Wednesday aimed at combating "the explosion of anti-Semitism on our campuses and in our streets since October 7, 2023," according to a fact sheet obtained by ABC News.
The order would seek to "protect law and order, quell pro-Hamas vandalism and intimidation, and investigate and punish anti-Jewish racism in leftist, anti-American colleges and universities," it states.
1 hour and 28 minutes ago
Colombian official claims there were no criminals among 2 planes of migrants that left US this week
In a video posted to X, a Colombian government official claimed there were no criminals among the two planes of migrants that arrived in Colombia this week.
"They are not criminals," Luis Gilberto Murillo, Colombia's foreign minister, said on Tuesday. "Being a migrant is not a crime."
The statement from Murillo comes after White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Tuesday that all undocumented immigrants are "criminals."
– ABC News' Laura Romero
1 hour and 30 minutes ago
Noem says Gitmo, other assets for migrant detention are being evaluated
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced the cancellation of TPS for Venezuelans on Fox and Friends Wednesday morning, claiming the Biden administration’s move to extend protections for Venezuelans meant “they were going to be able to stay here and violate our laws.”
However, TPS holders are in the country legally, have work permits, have been fingerprinted and have been vetted by the federal government.
“Today, we signed an executive order within the Department of Homeland Security and a direction that we are not going to follow through on what he did to tie our hands, that we are going to follow the process evaluate all of these individuals that are in our country, including the Venezuelans that are here and members of TDA,” she said.
Noem claimed that during the New York City enforcement operation that people thanked her for getting the “dirtbags” off the street.
She also said they’re not ruling out using Gitmo for Venezuelans, Cubans, and other migrants whose countries refuse to take them back.
– ABC News’ Armando Garcia
1 hour and 48 minutes ago
Trump to sign the Laken Riley Act, his 1st act of legislation
President Donald Trump will sign the Laken Riley Act into law Wednesday at 2 pm in the East Room, according to the White House.
This will be the first measure Trump signs into law of his second administration.
The House of Representatives passed the Laken Riley Act earlier this month as the first bill of the new Republican-controlled Congress. Read more about the Laken Riley Act here.
– ABC News’ Hannah Demissie
2 hours and 13 minutes ago
Federal worker buyout not a way to purge those who disagree with Trump's agenda: WH press secretary
When asked by ABC News’ Mary Bruce for her response to those who say the federal worker buyout is a way to purge individuals who disagree with the president’s agenda, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said this is “false” and asserted that this is a way to bring people back to the office.
Though the White House has described the federal worker buyout as an effort to bring people in the federal government back to the office, the union that represents federal workers doesn’t see it that way. It said this is not a voluntary buyout.
“We're all here at work, at the office. There are law enforcement officers and teachers and nurses across the country who showed up to the office today. People in this city need to do the same. It's an overwhelmingly popular policy with people outside of Washington, D.C. The president campaigned on this, and his administration's keeping the promise.”
When asked how much it would cost to bring all those workers back and provide them with the office space they need, Leavitt claimed he would “save tens of millions of dollars.”
“I would also add that the order simply directs federal agencies to come up with a return to work plan. And so this isn't a purge, and this isn't forcing every single individual in Washington, DC to return to work only if they are able, and of course, within the law," Leavitt said.
– ABC News’ Hannah Demissie and Ariane Nalty
2 hours and 47 minutes ago
Dept of Education says Trump admin 'committed to reorienting our education system'
The Department of Education said the Nation's Report Card reveals a "heartbreaking reality" and that "students who were the most behind and needed the most support have fallen ever further behind."
It said the Trump administration is "committed to reorienting our education system" and will emphasize the need for change.

According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, dubbed the Nation's Report Card, America's fourth and eighth grade students' sliding reading scores worsened in 2024.
"The nation's report card is out and the news is not good," National Center for Education Statistics Commissioner Peggy G. Carr said on a call with reporters.
– ABC News' Elizabeth Schulze and Arthur Jones II
2 hours and 41 minutes ago
Trump admin cancels TPS for Venezuelans
The Trump Administration has canceled the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) extension for Venezuelans under the status, according to a document obtained by ABC News.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem signed off on a memo Tuesday night that ends the extension signed by former Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas just days before he left the job earlier this month.

Those Venezuelans who gained TPS in 2021 will have their protections through September, and those who gained TPS in 2023 will have them through April.
Noem has until Saturday to decide on whether to extend Venezuelans who received status in 2023 can have their protections extended – if she chooses not to, those TPS statuses will automatically extend by six months.
The designation is expected to impact about 600,000 people, according to immigration advocates.
— ABC News’ Luke Barr
Jan 28, 2025, 9:16 PM MST
Retired US Gen. Mark Milley has security detail removed, clearance suspended
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has removed retired U.S. Gen. Mark Milley's personal security detail, suspended his security clearance and directed the Pentagon's acting inspector general to carry out an inquiry into Milley's conduct to determine if his military rank should be reduced.
“The Secretary informed General Milley today that he is revoking the authorization for his security detail and suspending his security clearance as well," Pentagon spokesman John Ullyot said in a statement provided to ABC News. "The Secretary has also directed the DoD IG to conduct an inquiry into the facts and circumstances surrounding Gen Milley’s conduct so that the Secretary may determine whether it is appropriate to reopen his military grade review determination."

A senior defense official also said that a portrait of Milley was being removed from the Pentagon, this one from his time as Army chief of staff. On Inauguration Day, Milley's official portrait from when he was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was taken down at the direction of the White House, according to two U.S. officials.
In a statement on Tuesday, DOD Chief of Staff Joe Kasper said: "Undermining the chain of command is corrosive to our national security, and restoring accountability is a priority for the Defense Department under President Trump’s leadership."
Fox News first reported the steps Hegseth planned to take.
A spokesperson for the DOD inspector general earlier confirmed to ABC News that the office had received the request from the defense secretary and was reviewing it.
Milley's security detail had been in place since his retirement in 2023 out of concerns that Iran might retaliate against him and other senior officials following the 2020 killing of Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani.
Trump has sharply criticized Milley over the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and previously accused the retired general of treason.
After the 2020 election, Milley reportedly took secret precautions to try to prevent Trump from taking military action or launching a nuclear weapon after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
In the run-up to the 2024 election, Milley called Trump "fascist to the core" in comments to journalist Bob Woodward.
In the final days of his term former President Joe Biden pre-emptively pardoned Milley, a move that would prevent him from facing civilian criminal prosecution and a military court martial.
-ABC News' Luis Martinez
Jan 28, 2025, 8:30 PM MST
New DOT secretary signs deal to reduce 'restrictive' fuel standards
The Department of Transportation said in a release Tuesday night that its newly confirmed secretary, Sean Duffy, signed a memorandum as his first act of business that will make fuel standards less "restrictive" and in turn bring down the price of a new car.
“Secretary Duffy’s first act was signing a memorandum directing staff to start the process of resetting Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, which will ultimately lower the price of a car for American consumers and eliminate the electric vehicle mandate," the DOT release said.
“The memorandum signed today specifically reduces the burdensome and overly restrictive fuel standards that have needlessly driven up the cost of a car in order to push a radical Green New Deal agenda," it continued. "The American people should not be forced to sacrifice choice and affordability when purchasing a new car.”
Duffy was confirmed as the secretary of the DOT earlier in the day on Tuesday.
-ABC News' Sam Sweeney
Jan 28, 2025, 8:05 PM MST
Trump says he is sending Musk, SpaceX to get American astronauts stuck at ISS
President Donald Trump said that he has asked Elon Musk and SpaceX to "'go get'" two astronauts whose departure from the International Space Station has been repeatedly delayed.
The two astronauts Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Sunita "Suni" Williams, flew to the ISS on Boeing's Starliner last June. After experiencing issues, Starliner returned to Earth in September, leaving behind the two astronauts. They were expected to return back on a SpaceX Crew-9 Dragon spacecraft in February.
Trump added that "Elon will soon be on his way," and wished the billionaire businessman good luck.
-ABC News' Michelle Stoddart
Jan 28, 2025, 7:25 PM MST
Federal employees who accept buyout offers should be put on admin leave, OPM says
Federal employees who accept a buyout offer should "promptly" have their duties reassigned or eliminated and be placed on administrative leave until Sept. 30, according to a follow-up memo from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).
OPM said each agency should report updates on the number of employees who have accepted buyouts to OPM every Friday, beginning this week.
The buyout offer sent to government employees earlier Tuesday offers them pay and benefits until Sept. 30 if they resign by Feb. 6. Employees who stay on are asked to commit to in-person work and updated performance standards, according to an earlier memo, that also emphasized loyalty.
-ABC News' Ben Siegel
Jan 28, 2025, 5:34 PM MST
DOD OKs use of Colorado base for processing detained migrants
The Department of Defense approved a request to use Buckley Space Force Base in Aurora, Colorado, for processing detained migrants, according to U.S. Northern Command.
The Department of Homeland Security had put in the request.
"ICE requirements for the facility include a temporary operations center, staging area, and a temporary holding location for the receiving, holding, and processing of criminal aliens," a U.S. Northern Command spokesperson said. "This facility will be manned by ICE senior leaders, special agents, and analysts, as well as members of DHS Components and other federal law enforcement agencies."
The use of military bases to help out DHS was a possibility mentioned by border czar Tom Homan before the Trump administration came into office.
-ABC News' Luis Martinez
Speaker Johnson says he 'fully' supports temporary funding freeze
House Speaker Mike Johnson said he "fully" supports President Donald Trump's funding freeze, downplaying the impacts, and noted it'll be temporary and not a "major interruption."
"It is a temporary pause for some programs -- it could be an hourslong pause. It is not a big thing. Some of the programs have already been approved. But what this is a, I believe, a common application of common sense," the speaker said during a fireside chat at the GOP retreat on Tuesday. "We want to make sure that the executive orders of the new president are being fully complied with regard to these programs. I think these would be quick reviews."
"I think it's going to be harmless," he added.
Asked by the reporter if Trump is stretching his executive authorities, Johnson said the president has been "using his executive authority, I think, in an appropriate manner."
Within minutes of the White House freezing billions in federal grants and loans, a federal judge blocked the funding pause from taking effect until next week.
-ABC News' Lalee Ibssa, Jay O'Brien and Lauren Peller
17 minutes ago
White House addresses buyout offer
The White House has addressed the buyout plan offered to federal workers on Tuesday, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt calling the payout "very generous."
"American taxpayers pay for the salaries of federal government employees, and therefore deserve employees working on their behalf who actually show up to work in our wonderful federal buildings, also paid for by taxpayers," Leavitt said in a statement. "If they don’t want to work in the office and contribute to making America great again, then they are free to choose a different line of work, and the Trump Administration will provide a very generous payout of 8 months."
28 minutes ago
22 states and DC sue Trump administration over funding freeze
Twenty-two states and Washington, D.C., are suing the Trump administration over its plan to pause billions in federal grants and loans.
The federal lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island around the same time that a judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia temporarily delayed the freeze, argued that Trump exceeded his authority as president by denying funds appropriated by Congress.
"The OMB Directive constitutes a refusal to spend money appropriated by Congress, in violation of the executive’s constitutional authority to administer the law," the lawsuit said.
The state attorneys general argued the funding is necessary to support health systems, Medicaid, law enforcement, disaster relief, critical infrastructure, education systems and other key services.
"Without this funding, Plaintiff States will be unable to provide certain essential benefits for residents, pay public employees, satisfy obligations, and carry on the important business of government," the filing said.
-ABC News' Peter Charalambous
33 minutes ago
OPM memo tells employees to respond 'Resign' if they want to take buyout
ABC News has obtained the Office of Personnel Management memo sent to government employees Tuesday informing them of their offer for "deferred resignation," which begins effective immediately and offers pay and benefits until Sept. 30 for those who accept.
The memo, titled "Fork in the Road," instructs employees simply to reply "Resign" in the message body if they plan to accept the buyout.
The memo states that any government employee can qualify "except for military personnel of the armed forces, employees of the U.S. Postal Service, those in positions related to immigration enforcement and national security, and those in any other positions specifically excluded by your employing agency."
The last day to accept the offer is Feb. 6, per the memo.
-ABC News' Benjamin Siegel, Luke Barr and Cheyenne Haslett
46 minutes ago
Fed workers union responds to buyout plan
The American Federation of Government Employees, which represents more than 800,000 federal and Washington, D.C., employees, responded to the reports that Trump is planning to offer federal workers buyouts.
"This offer should not be viewed as voluntary," AFGE National President Everett Kelley said in a statement.
Kelley claimed the Trump administration's goal "is to turn the federal government into a toxic environment where workers cannot stay even if they want to."
"The number of civil servants hasn't meaningfully changed since 1970, but there are more Americans than ever who rely on government services. Purging the federal government of dedicated career federal employees will have vast, unintended consequences that will cause chaos for the Americans who depend on a functioning federal government," he said.
-ABC News' Sarah Kolinovsky
53 minutes ago
Trump signs EO restricting transgender care access for people under 19
Trump signed an executive order that would restrict gender-affirming care for people under the age of 19.
The action would restrict medical institutions that receive federal funding from providing such care -- including puberty blockers, hormone therapies, and surgeries -- and calls on the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to "take all appropriate actions to end the chemical and surgical mutilation of children."
Read more here.
-ABC News' Kiara Alfonseca
57 minutes ago
Stephen Miller claims freeze won't affect 'any federal benefits' programs
White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller took questions from the press to talk about the federal funding freeze, which was temporarily blocked by a judge.
Miller claimed the freeze "doesn't affect any federal programs that Americans rely on, full stop."

When asked by ABC News if Americans who rely on indirect benefits might see impacts, Miller said the OMB document "is clearing up how to implement the original executive order, which doesn't cover any entitlement or public benefit spending at all."
-ABC News' Mary Bruce and Michelle Stoddart
1 hour and 8 minutes ago
Nevada governor says his office in touch with White House over funding freeze
In a post on X, Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo said his office is in touch with the White House and will be part of a larger meeting with the Office of Management and Budget to discuss the impact of the federal fund freeze on his state’s agencies.
"While these discussions are ongoing, it's important to reiterate that programs that provide direct benefits to Nevadans -- like Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP, and Head Start -- are continuing without interruption. Despite the shameless political theater on this issue, the Office of the Governor will continue to provide state agencies and Nevadans with timely, accurate, and correct information," he said.
-ABC News' Brittany Shepherd
1 hour and 27 minutes ago
Trump expected to offer buyouts to federal employees: Sources
Trump is expected to offer buyouts to all federal workers in a memo that is expected to be sent by the White House as soon as Tuesday, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
The offer of a one-time severance payment to leave the federal government is the latest attempt to further shrink the federal government. It's not clear how many federal workers would be eligible for this offer or who would pay for it.
The expected White House memo will say that workers who want to continue working from home will be paid through the end of September, but they must resign by next week, Feb. 6, sources said.
In order to be eligible for a severance payment, federal workers must have completed at least 12 months of continuous service, according to OPM's website.
-ABC News' Katherine Faulders
Federal judge temporarily blocks Trump’s funding pause from taking effect
(3:10 PM): Within minutes of the White House freezing billions in federal grants and loans, a federal judge temporarily blocked the funding pause from taking effect.
U.S. District Judge Loren L. AliKhan issued a brief administrative stay of the policy during a virtual hearing on Tuesday afternoon. The stay blocks the policy from taking effect until 5 p.m. on Feb. 3.
Pressed by Judge AliKhan, Justice Department lawyer Daniel Schwei struggled to articulate the full extent of the administration's guidance.
“It seems like the federal government currently doesn't actually know the full scope of the programs that are going to be subject to the pause. Is that correct?” she asked.
-ABC News' Peter Charalambous
(2:56 PM): President Trump just banned sex change operations or procedures for Americans younger than 19.
Read the complete order released just minutes ago below:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:
Section 1. Policy and Purpose. Across the country today, medical professionals are maiming and sterilizing a growing number of impressionable children under the radical and false claim that adults can change a child's sex through a series of irreversible medical interventions. This dangerous trend will be a stain on our Nation's history, and it must end.
Countless children soon regret that they have been mutilated and begin to grasp the horrifying tragedy that they will never be able to conceive children of their own or nurture their children through breastfeeding. Moreover, these vulnerable youths' medical bills may rise throughout their lifetimes, as they are often trapped with lifelong medical complications, a losing war with their own bodies, and, tragically, sterilization.
Accordingly, it is the policy of the United States that it will not fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support the so-called "transition" of a child from one sex to another, and it will rigorously enforce all laws that prohibit or limit these destructive and life-altering procedures.
Sec. 2. Definitions. For the purposes of this order:
(a) The term "child" or "children" means an individual or individuals under 19 years of age.
(b) The term "pediatric" means relating to the medical care of a child.
(c) The phrase "chemical and surgical mutilation" means the use of puberty blockers, including GnRH agonists and other interventions, to delay the onset or progression of normally timed puberty in an individual who does not identify as his or her sex; the use of sex hormones, such as androgen blockers, estrogen, progesterone, or testosterone, to align an individual's physical appearance with an identity that differs from his or her sex; and surgical procedures that attempt to transform an individual's physical appearance to align with an identity that differs from his or her sex or that attempt to alter or remove an individual's sexual organs to minimize or destroy their natural biological functions. This phrase sometimes is referred to as "gender affirming care."Sec. 3. Ending Reliance on Junk Science. (a) The blatant harm done to children by chemical and surgical mutilation cloaks itself in medical necessity, spurred by guidance from the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), which lacks scientific integrity. In light of the scientific concerns with the WPATH guidance:
(i) agencies shall rescind or amend all policies that rely on WPATH guidance, including WPATH's "Standards of Care Version 8"; and
(ii) within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) shall publish a review of the existing literature on best practices for promoting the health of children who assert gender dysphoria, rapid-onset gender dysphoria, or other identity-based confusion.
(b) The Secretary of HHS, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, shall use all available methods to increase the quality of data to guide practices for improving the health of minors with gender dysphoria, rapid-onset gender dysphoria, or other identity-based confusion, or who otherwise seek chemical or surgical mutilation.Sec. 4. Defunding Chemical and Surgical Mutilation. The head of each executive department or agency (agency) that provides research or education grants to medical institutions, including medical schools and hospitals, shall, consistent with applicable law and in coordination with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, immediately take appropriate steps to ensure that institutions receiving Federal research or education grants end the chemical and surgical mutilation of children.
Sec. 5. Additional Directives to the Secretary of HHS. (a) The Secretary of HHS shall, consistent with applicable law, take all appropriate actions to end the chemical and surgical mutilation of children, including regulatory and sub-regulatory actions, which may involve the following laws, programs, issues, or documents:
(i) Medicare or Medicaid conditions of participation or conditions for coverage;
(ii) clinical-abuse or inappropriate-use assessments relevant to State Medicaid programs;
(iii) mandatory drug use reviews;
(iv) section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act;
(v) quality, safety, and oversight memoranda;
(vi) essential health benefits requirements; and
(vii) the Eleventh Revision of the International Classification of Diseases and other federally funded manuals, including the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition.
(b) The Secretary of HHS shall promptly withdraw HHS's March 2, 2022, guidance document titled "HHS Notice and Guidance on Gender Affirming Care, Civil Rights and Patient Privacy" and, in consultation with the Attorney General, issue new guidance protecting whistleblowers who take action related to ensuring compliance with this order.Sec. 6. TRICARE. The Department of Defense provides health insurance, through TRICARE, to nearly 2 million individuals under the age of 18. As appropriate and consistent with applicable law, the Secretary of Defense shall commence a rulemaking or sub-regulatory action to exclude chemical and surgical mutilation of children from TRICARE coverage and amend the TRICARE provider handbook to exclude chemical and surgical mutilation of children.
Sec. 7. Requirements for Insurance Carriers. The Director of the Office of Personnel Management, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, shall:
(a) include provisions in the Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) and Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) programs call letter for the 2026 Plan Year specifying that eligible carriers, including the Foreign Service Benefit Plan, will exclude coverage for pediatric transgender surgeries or hormone treatments; and
(b) negotiate to obtain appropriate corresponding reductions in FEHB and PSHB premiums.Sec. 8. Directives to the Department of Justice. The Attorney General shall:
(a) review Department of Justice enforcement of section 116 of title 18, United States Code, and prioritize enforcement of protections against female genital mutilation;
(b) convene States' Attorneys General and other law enforcement officers to coordinate the enforcement of laws against female genital mutilation across all American States and Territories;
(c) prioritize investigations and take appropriate action to end deception of consumers, fraud, and violations of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act by any entity that may be misleading the public about long-term side effects of chemical and surgical mutilation;
(d) in consultation with the Congress, work to draft, propose, and promote legislation to enact a private right of action for children and the parents of children whose healthy body parts have been damaged by medical professionals practicing chemical and surgical mutilation, which should include a lengthy statute of limitations; and
(e) prioritize investigations and take appropriate action to end child-abusive practices by so-called sanctuary States that facilitate stripping custody from parents who support the healthy development of their own children, including by considering the application of the Parental Kidnaping Prevention Act and recognized constitutional rights.Sec. 9. Enforcing Adequate Progress. Within 60 days of the date of this order, the heads of agencies with responsibilities under this order shall submit a single, combined report to the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, detailing progress in implementing this order and a timeline for future action. The Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy shall regularly convene the heads of agencies with responsibilities under this order (or their designees) to coordinate and prepare for this submission.
Sec. 10. Severability. If any provision of this order, or the application of any provision to any person or circumstances, is held to be invalid, the remainder of this order and the application of any of its other provisions to any other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby.
Sec. 11. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
Trump invites Israel's Netanyahu to White House
(1:48 PM): President Donald Trump has invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to a meeting at the White House on Tuesday, Feb. 4, according to the prime minister's office.
Netanyahu is the first foreign leader to be invited to the White House in Trump's second term.

White House confirms outage of Medicaid portal
(1:20 PM): The White House is now confirming the Medicaid portal is experiencing outages, as states reported issues accessing the site in the wake of the federal government's abrupt freeze
"The White House is aware of the Medicaid website portal outage," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in an X post.
"We have confirmed no payments have been affected -- they are still being processed and sent. We expect the portal will be back online shortly," she added.

Leavitt defended the freeze during her first press briefing earlier Tuesday. Leavitt said it was a temporary pause and would not impact direct individual assistance Americans rely on.
But questions remain on its impact, as the government funds thousands of loan and grant programs on everything from water and air quality to housing subsidies.
Nonprofits, health groups and more sue to block memo freezing financial aid
(11:04 AM): A group of nonprofit groups, public health organizations, small businesses and LGBTQ advocates have asked the federal district court in Washington for an emergency injunction and temporary restraining order to block implementation of the White House Office of Management and Budget memo freezing all federal grant and loan distributions.
The lawsuit invokes the Administrative Procedures Act, which says that federal agencies must undertake changes in policy by providing justification for the action, adequately consider the real-world impacts, and accept public input.
The groups allege the Office of Management and Budget has done none of these things and has exceeded its authority.
-ABC News' Devin Dwyer and MaryAlice Parks
State officials report trouble accessing health, emergency funds
The White House memo on ceasing spending for federal financial aid programs is sparking alarm for some across the country.
Multiple state agencies are reporting they are encountering error messages as they try to access online portals that they typically use to draw down funds for emergency aid, community health centers, Head Start and even Medicaid -- despite the memo’s explicit carve out for Medicare and Social Security.
“This is sowing chaos and confusion everywhere,” one state official told ABC News.
-ABC News' Steven Portnoy
EPA temporarily pauses disbursement of federal financial aid
The Environmental Protection Agency is "temporarily pausing" its disbursement of federal financial aid in response to the order from the White House Office of Management and Budget, the agency confirmed in a statement to ABC News.
The EPA grants fund a wide array of national, state and tribal programs, including some to assist with air and water quality. A list of its grant programs can be found here.
The agency said it is "continuing to work with OMB as they review processes, policies, and programs, as required by the memorandum."
-ABC News' Kelly Livingston
Karoline Leavitt, youngest WH press secretary, to hold 1st briefing
Karoline Leavitt will make her first appearance behind the podium in the James S. Brady briefing room on Tuesday.

Leavitt, 27, is the youngest White House press secretary in history. She served as the spokesperson for Trump's 2024 campaign and transition team.
On Monday, she held her first gaggle with reporters aboard Air Force One. There, she fielded questions on Trump's upcoming moves on FEMA and his attempts to end birthright citizenship. She'll face more questions, likely about Trump's recent actions regarding the military and federal aid programs, at 1 p.m.
Jan 27, 2025, 9:52 PM MST
Trump weighs in on possible deal for Microsoft to buy TikTok
President Donald Trump discussed a possible deal for Microsoft to buy TikTok while speaking with reporters by phone from Air Force One on Monday evening.
Trump was asked whether Microsoft was in discussions to acquire the embattled social media app amid its looming U.S. ban deadline.
"I would say yes," Trump said, before adding, "A lot of interest in TikTok, there's great interest there."
When asked whether he liked the idea of a bidding war for the app, Trump said he likes bidding wars.
"I like bidding wars because you make your best deal," he said.
"It's very clear, if I sign, then somebody's going to buy it, pay a lot of money, have a lot of jobs, keep a platform open and have it be very secure. If I don't sign, then it closes," Trump added of TikTok's future in America.
He was asked about what other companies were looking to buy the app, and he declined to respond but said that they are all "top of the line."
Jan 27, 2025, 8:04 PM MST
White House budget office suspends federal financial aid programs for internal review
The White House budget office is ordering federal agencies to cease any financial assistance spending if they suspect the program might conflict with President Donald Trump's executive orders.
In a memo obtained by ABC News, Matthew Vaeth, acting director of the Office and Management and Budget, told agency chiefs that they must report back by Feb. 10 on all programs that apply.
"The memo requires federal agencies to identify and review all federal financial assistance programs and supporting activities consistent with the President's policies and requirements," according to the document.
The memo says it is directed at programs providing "financial assistance for foreign aid, non-governmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology and the Green New Deal."
The order does not specify which financial aid programs would have to be suspended, although it could have sweeping implications. The federal government funds thousands of programs, including research programs, housing subsidies and educational grants.
Quakers sue to keep ICE out of houses of worship
(6:43 PM): Five Quaker congregations sued the Department of Homeland Security on Monday over last week's policy reversal that allows immigration agents to conduct searches and arrests in so-called “sensitive areas” like churches and schools.
The Quaker groups, known as the Religious Society of Friends, alleged that the policy change harms their congregations by deterring immigrants from worshipping in person, violating their First Amendment rights to freely associate and exercise religion.
“Allowing armed government agents wearing ICE-emblazoned jackets to park outside a religious service and monitor who enters or to interrupt the service and drag a congregant out during the middle of worship is anathema to Quaker religious exercise,” the federal lawsuit filed in Maryland said.
Quaker worship generally involves multiple congregants sitting together in silence to await a message from God, which can be received and shared by anyone in attendance, according to the lawsuit.
“Being able to receive those messages is fundamental to Quaker religious exercise,” the lawsuit said.
“Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest,” Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman said in a statement announcing the policy change on Jan. 24. “The Trump Administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense.”
-ABC News' Peter Charalambous, James Hill and Laura Romero
Trump says he wants to deport 'repeat offenders' in US legally
(6:05 PM): Trump said Monday he wants to deport repeat criminal offenders who are in the U.S. legally, offering that they be held in foreign jails.
"I don't want these violent repeat offenders in our country any more than I want illegal aliens from other countries who misbehave,” Trump said during his remarks at the House GOP retreat.

"This is subject to getting it approved, but if they've been arrested many, many times, they're repeat offenders by many numbers, I want them out of our country,” he added. "We'll be seeking permission to do so. We're going to get approval hopefully to get them the hell out of our country along with others."
Trump suggested that they could be maintained in a foreign country "for a very small fee."
-ABC News' Fritz Farrow
ICE arrests 1,749 undocumented immigrants on Monday

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said it arrested 1,749 undocumented immigrants on Monday.
That marks an increase from Sunday, when the agency said it made 956 such arrests.
ICE is operating at an increased tempo since the new administration took office.
-ABC News' Luke Barr
Trump says DeepSeek is a 'wake-up call' for American companies
(5:23 PM): During his remarks at the House GOP retreat, Trump discussed the emergence of Chinese AI technology DeepSeek, saying it should be a "wake-up call" for American companies.
"The release of DeepSeek AI from a Chinese company should be a wake-up call for our industries that we need to be laser-focused on competing to win, because we have the greatest scientists in the world, even Chinese leadership told me that," Trump said.
He also cast the technology as an "asset" for how it could revolutionize technology due to its less-expensive method.
Trump said that he hoped American companies could come up with the "same solutions" without investing billions of dollars and repeated his promise to "unleash" American tech companies to "dominate the future."
-ABC News' Michelle Stoddart
CDC officials told to cease communications with the WHO
(5:03 PM): Public health officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been told to cease communications with the World Health Organization, an official with the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed to ABC News.
This comes after Trump signed an executive order on his first day of office ordering the withdrawal of the U.S. from the WHO. The U.S. is the biggest financial contributor to the global public health organization and public health experts immediately denounced the move as a risk to national security and pandemic outbreak prevention.
Any country's withdrawal from the WHO is supposed to be preceded by a one year advance notice, which experts interpreted Trump's executive order to serve as. But the recent order for CDC public health officials to immediately stop communicating with their WHO counterparts suggests that Trump is not adhering to those governing rules.
-ABC News' Cheyenne Haslett
Trump addresses new executive orders on the military
Trump said "in a little while" he will be signing four new executive orders addressing the military, during his remarks at a retreat of House Republicans at his Doral golf resort in Miami on Monday.
One will direct Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to "immediately begin" the construction of an "Iron Dome" missile defense shield, a nod to the Israeli missile defense system.
"We protect other countries, but we don't protect ourselves," he said.

Trump said his administration will also "get transgender ideology the hell out of military" and "stop our service members from being indoctrinated with radical left ideologies such as critical race theory."
Trump didn't go into detail, though the White House earlier Monday said that Trump is expected to sign an order directing the Department of Defense to update its guidance "regarding trans-identifying medical standards for military service and to rescind guidance inconsistent with military readiness."
The order will also end the use of pronouns in the Department of Defense and will also prohibit males from "sharing sleeping, changing, or bathing in facilities designated for females."
Another order that Trump is expected to sign takes aim at diversity, equity and inclusion programs at the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security. The order will ban the use of "discriminatory race- or sex-based preferences," according to a fact sheet about the move.
Trump also addressed another order that will offer a "full reinstatement" to service members who were expelled from the armed forces due to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
Scott Bessent confirmed as treasury secretary
The Senate on Monday evening confirmed Scott Bessent to serve as secretary of treasury by a vote of 68-29.
Bessent becomes the fifth member of Trump's team to be confirmed by the Senate, following Marco Rubio, John Ratcliffe, Pete Hegseth and Kristi Noem.
The Senate is now taking a test vote on Sean Duffy's nomination to lead the Department of Transportation. He's expected to easily clear this procedural hurdle to tee up a final vote likely on Wednesday.

-ABC News' Allison Pecorin
Trump: 'Am I allowed to run again?'
During his remarks at a retreat of House Republicans at his Doral golf resort in Miami on Monday, Trump raised the questiion whether he could run for a third term.
"I've raised a lot of money for the next race that I assume I can't use for myself, but I'm not 100% sure, because I don't know," he said to some laughs in the crowd. "I think I'm not allowed to run again. I'm not sure, am I allowed to run again?"
Last week, Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn. introduced a House joint resolution to allow a president to be elected for no more than three terms, instead of two.

Trump seeks presidential immunity from any civil lawsuit filed against him in state court
(4:10 PM): In a case that sits squarely at the intersection of his business and political interests, President Donald Trump is trying to stop a civil lawsuit against his multibillion-dollar social media company by arguing that he should be immune from civil litigation filed in state court while he serves as president.
Trump and his co-defendants -- including FBI director nominee Kash Patel and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino -- asked a Delaware judge to either issue a four-year delay of the case or dismiss a lawsuit filed by Trump Media & Technology Group co-founders Andy Litinsky and Wes Moss, who alleged that Trump and company executives orchestrated a scheme to prevent them from getting their full stake in the company after it went public.
Facing an "unprecedented" number of civil lawsuits, Trump argued that having to fend off the litigation would be a "distraction" from his presidential duties and "interfere substantially" with the function of the executive branch.
"Without the protections of temporary Presidential immunity, the President will be forced to defend against these cases -- and the many more that are sure to arise during his second term -- all to the detriment of his office and the American people he serves," attorneys John Reed and Theodore Kittila wrote in a filing on Friday in Delaware Chancery Court.
In December, Delaware Chancery Court Judge Morgan Zurn agreed to temporarily pause the claim so Trump could make his immunity argument, though she noted that Trump "is not presently deemed to be immune" from the civil case. Lawyers for Trump Media and the president asked the court to establish a "brightline deferral rule" to delay any civil litigation Trump faces in state court by four years.
"State courts across the country are being called upon to sit in judgment of the sitting President, to tax his time, and to second-guess his priorities. That state of affairs -- President Jefferson's nightmare -- dishonors the Presidency and debases the state courts that purport to control his actions," the filing said.
During his first term in office, Trump was sued at least 10 times, and he returned to the presidency with at least 14 lawsuits pending, including multiple suits related to his social media company. Trump placed his stake in the company -- 14,750,000 shares worth more than $3 billion -- into a trust controlled by his sons before entering office this month.

If successful, Trump's claim of "temporary presidential immunity" could provide the president an additional layer of legal protection, having already entered office with newly broadened presidential power and protection from criminal liability following the Supreme Court's ruling last year on presidential immunity.
Defense lawyers, in Friday's filing, claimed without evidence that Trump's "billionaire adversaries" are funding a wave of litigation "to destroy the president."
"The President has already been sued more than all his predecessors combined, yet his rivals promise that there is still more to come," the lawsuit said. "That swell of litigation will pose an even greater threat to the operations of the Executive Branch and the standing of state courts that purport to sit in judgment of his conduct."
While the Supreme Court established in Clinton v. Jones that a president does not have immunity from civil lawsuits related to personal conduct, lawyers for Trump Media argued that the decision only applies to cases in federal court. Though the Trump Media lawsuit does not center on official acts, Trump argued that the burden of defending himself would intrude on his official duties, citing an example of how President Bill Clinton consulted his personal attorney three times on the same day he was deliberating whether to go to war with Iraq.
"With the benefits of hindsight and lived experience, it now is clear that state civil litigation against the President causes real 'diversion' and 'harassment' of the Presidency, sufficient to interfere substantially with the operations of the Executive Branch," the filing said.
The defense lawyers claimed that the lawsuit would occupy Trump's limited "energies and attention," which is already strained by the demands of the presidency.
"During his first term, President Trump ... slept just four to five hours per night -- because the burdens of the Presidency dwarfed even his responsibilities as a global business leader," the filing said.
In a separate filing on Friday, Trump's personal lawyers told the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia that the president should be immune from any civil claims related to the Jan. 6 Capitol attack because he was acting in his official capacity as president when he sought to challenge the results of the 2020 election.
When reached for comment, regarding the Trump Media lawsuit, Richie Jones, an attorney for Moss and Litinsky, provided a quote by former President Theodore Roosevelt, saying it was "the best we can do in terms of comment."
"No man is above the law, and no man is below it. Nor do we ask any man's permission when we require him to obey it," Jones wrote.
President Donald Trump is carrying out his immigration crackdown nationwide, with nearly 1,000 arrests reported by ICE on Sunday alone.
The actions prompted a tense standoff between the U.S. and Colombia after Colombia's president turned away deportation flights from the U.S. Trump then threatened tariffs as high as 25% against the South American nation, causing its leader to reverse course and accept deported migrants.
Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth arrived for his first full day at the Pentagon after being narrowly confirmed by the Senate. Trump's other Cabinet picks, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard, will face confirmation hearings later this week.
Air Force chief of staff releases statement on Tuskegee Airmen videos
(2:55 PM): Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin wrote a statement Monday regarding curricula on the Tuskegee Airmen and women pilots, saying no such material has been removed from basic military training.
"Allow me to clearly dispel a rumor -- while we are currently reviewing all training courses to ensure compliance with the Executive Orders, no curriculum or content highlighting the honor and valor of the Tuskegee Airmen or Women Air Force Service Pilots has been removed from Basic Military Training," Allvin wrote. "The historic legacy and decorated valor these Airmen embodied during World War II and beyond will continue to guide our newest recruits and all who serve in our ranks."
The statement comes after an Air Force spokesperson confirmed to the Associated Press that training courses with such videos were removed last week after Trump's executive order to eliminate DEI initiatives in the federal government. The Air Force later clarified to the AP that the courses were edited but that the Tuskegee Airmen and WASP content would still be shown.
Allvin also said in his own statement on Monday that the Air Force is "faithfully executing" all of Trump's executive orders, including on DEI.