(WASHINGTON) — In a scathing letter Tuesday, Caroline Kennedy warned senators about her cousin, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., calling him a “predator.”
The letter was sent to lawmakers ahead of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Senate confirmation hearing for the role of secretary of the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), which is scheduled for Wednesday.
Caroline Kennedy – a former U.S. ambassador to both Australia and Japan and the last living child of former President John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s uncle – called the role “an enormous responsibility, and one that Bobby is unqualified to fill.”
Caroline Kennedy wrote that she feels “an obligation to speak out” now that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been nominated for “a position that would put him in charge of the health of the American people.”
“I have known Bobby my whole life; we grew up together,” she wrote in the letter, in part. “It’s no surprise that he keeps birds of prey as pets because he himself is a predator.”
Caroline Kennedy said she watched family members follow her cousin “down the path of drug addiction,” and shared disturbing details of his alleged behavior with animals.
“His basement, his garage, and his dorm room were the centers of the action where drugs were available, and he enjoyed showing off how he put baby chickens and mice in the blender to feed his hawks. It was often a perverse scene of despair and violence,” she wrote.
She also accused Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of being “addicted to attention and power,” and said he “preys on the desperation of parents of sick children – vaccinating his own children while building a following by hypocritically discouraging other parents from vaccinating theirs.”
Caroline Kennedy further accused her cousin of “[continuing] to grandstand off my father’s assassination, and that of his own father,” saying former President Kennedy “would be disgusted” by his actions.
“The American health care system, for all its flaws, is the envy of the world,” Caroline Kennedy wrote. “Its doctors and nurses, researchers, scientists, and caregivers are the most dedicated people I know. Every day, they give their lives to heal and save others.”
“They deserve better than Bobby Kennedy – and so do the rest of us. I urge the Senate to reject his nomination,” she concluded.
(WASHINGTON) — A person arrested outside of the Capitol with a knife and two potential incendiary devices told officers they wanted to kill Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and also leveled threats against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and House Speaker Mike Johnson, according to newly unsealed charging documents.
Ryan English allegedly approached officers outside the Capitol on Monday and said, “I’d like to turn myself in,” and then told the officers they were in possession of knifes and two Molotov cocktails, according to charging documents. Officers searched English’s clothes and found a folding knife, a lighter and two 50 milliliter bottles of vodka with a cloth on top.
English told officers they were there to “Kill Scott Bessent,” who was confirmed by the Senate on Monday as the new treasury secretary. English also had a note stating, “This is terrible but I cant do nothing while nazis kill my sisters,” according to charging documents.
After English was taken into custody, English told officers they traveled to Washington, D.C., from Massachusetts on Sunday with the intention of killing Johnson and/or Hegseth, whom English called a “Nazi,” documents said. They also expressed a desire to burn down the conservative Heritage Foundation, documents said.
On the way to D.C., English stopped at a library in Chevy Chase, Maryland, and saw Reddit posts mentioning Bessent’s confirmation hearing, which “altered” their plans, according to the charging documents.
English then bought the bottles of vodka, which they said they intended to ignite and throw “at Bessent’s feet,” the documents said. English said if they were able to get close enough to Bessent, they would’ve stabbed him with a knife, the documents said.
English told officers that when they traveled to the Capitol to conduct surveillance, English surmised they “would have to kill, at least, three U.S. Capitol Police Officers to get to Bessent and kill him,” according to the charging documents. English “expressed acceptance and content with the possibility of suicide by cop,” the affidavit said.
English faces charges of carrying a firearm, dangerous weapon, explosive or incendiary device on Capitol grounds and unlawful receipt, possession and/or transfer of a firearm.
(WASHINGTON) — White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the mystery drones flown across New Jersey in late 2024 were “authorized to be flown by the FAA” in the first press briefing of President Donald Trump’s second administration.
“I do have news directly from the president of the United States that was just shared with me in the Oval Office, from President Trump directly, an update on the New Jersey drones,” Leavitt said.
“After research and study, the drones that were flying over New Jersey in large numbers were authorized to be flown by the FAA for research and various other reasons. Many of these drones were also hobbyists, recreational and private individuals that enjoy flying drones,” she added. “In time, it got worse due to curiosity. This was not the enemy.”
In December, Trump suggested the Biden administration knew more than it was revealing to the public about the drones, which were spotted throughout the East Coast, though Leavitt did not say whether the drones spotted outside New Jersey were all lawful.
“They know where it came from and where it went,” Trump said. “And for some reason, they don’t want to comment. And I think they’d be better off saying what it is. Our military knows and our president knows. And for some reason, they want to keep people in suspense.”
Ahead of his inauguration, Trump vowed to give a report on drones “about one day” into his administration while speaking with Republican governors at Mar-a-Lago on Jan. 9 “because I think it’s ridiculous that they are not telling you about what’s going on with the drones.”
However, the Biden administration had on Dec. 16 said in a multiagency statement from the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, the FAA and the Department of Defense that though there were indeed drones flying over New Jersey, they constituted a “combination” of lawful aerial activity.
“Having closely examined the technical data and tips from concerned citizens, we assess that the sightings to date include a combination of lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones, and law enforcement drones, as well as manned fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and stars mistakenly reported as drones,” the joint statement said.
The drone activity, which was first reported on Nov. 19 by the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, caused temporary flight restrictions in New Jersey throughout November and December, notably in Bedminster, New Jersey, where the president has a golf club, and over the Picatinny Arsenal military base.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
(WASHINGTON) — White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, during her first press briefing on Tuesday, faced a barrage of questions on the administration’s freeze on federal financial assistance programs that congressional Democrats called flatly illegal.
Agencies face a 5 p.m. ET deadline to comply with a memo from the White House Office of Management and Budget to cease spending on any grant or loan programs if they suspect it might conflict with President Donald Trump’s recent executive orders on DEI, foreign aid, climate spending more.
The memo prompted widespread confusion among advocacy organizations and state officials, some of whom reported error messages when trying to access portals to draw down funds for Medicaid, community health centers and more.
A legal challenge has been filed by nonprofits and health groups who argue the Office of Management and Budget is exceeding its authority.
“There’s no uncertainty in this building,” Leavitt said when asked to clarify about exactly what programs will be impacted.
“Social Security benefits, Medicare benefits, food stamps, welfare benefits, assistance that is going directly to individuals will not be impacted by this pause,” she said.
Leavitt later added, “However, it is the responsibility of this president and this administration to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars. That is something that President Trump campaigned on.”
Leavitt said the freeze was temporary, but did not expand on a specific timeline on when it would end.
When asked if Medicaid was impacted by the pause, Leavitt couldn’t immediately say. She also did not directly respond to a question on the impact on organizations like Meals on Wheels, which provides meals to 2.2 million seniors, or Head Start, a program for preschool education, that receive federal funding.
Leavitt said Office of Management and Budget sent a memo to Capitol Hill to “clarify some of the questions and the answers that all of you are asking me right now.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
(VALLEJO, Calif.) — A California school was forced to cancel classes until further notice after its copper wiring was stolen, knocking out power to the property.
Repairs at the Solano Widenmann Leadership Academy are expected to take about a week, but if the school needs to be closed for longer, the district will arrange alternate student placements, according to the school.
“Students have been set up with alternative learning hubs or can complete work at home for the time being,” the school told ABC News in a statement.
The school will open alternative learning hubs on Wednesday to continue learning,
“Alternative learning hubs will open at six school sites: Cooper, Dan Mini, Federal Terrace, Highland, and Patterson Elementary Schools, as well as Loma Vista Environmental Science Academy. These hubs will provide academic instruction and resources, with educators from elementary and middle schools supporting students as they complete independent study work prepared by their teachers,” the school announced.
Parents and guardians were sent an online form that they can use to sign up for the alternative learning hubs.
“We are committed to ensuring that our students’ education remains as uninterrupted as possible,” Vallejo City Unified School District Superintendent Rubén Aurelio said. “The dedicated staff at Solano Widenmann Leadership Academy has worked rapidly to prepare learning materials and establish a system that keeps our students engaged during this temporary closure.”
Free breakfast and lunch will be provided at all the hubs.
For families not attending a hub, staff will be available at Solano Widenmann on Tuesday, Jan. 28, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. to distribute independent study materials.
Vallejo Police did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for a comment on the investigation.
(NEW YORK) — South Carolina schools are facing a lawsuit over restrictions on what can be taught about racial inequality in K-12 public schools.
The state’s Budget Proviso 1.79 states that no state funding should go toward certain “concepts” touching on race or sex — including unconscious racism, sexism or other form of oppression.
Among the restrictions, the budget prohibits anything that causes “an individual should feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress on account of his race or sex” or that “fault, blame, or bias should be assigned to a race or sex, or to members of a race or sex because of their race or sex.”
It also restricts “teaching certain literary or historical concepts” of “historical or past discriminatory policies.”
The language mirrors other “divisive concept” or anti-“critical race theory” legislation seen in more than a dozen states nationwide, which have impacted the lessons, discussions, books, and programs schools and students can engage in.
The Legal Defense Fund and Tyler Bailey of Bailey Law Firm, LLC, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit on behalf of South Carolina educators, students, the local NAACP conference and author Dr. Ibram X. Kendi to challenge these restrictions.
Plaintiffs argue that the restrictions are a form of “censorship” in a state with a deep-rooted racial history including the 1739 Stono slave rebellion, the racially motivated Mother Emanuel AME Church shooting in 2015, and the state’s role in the Confederacy.
Plaintiffs say the vague guidelines violate the free speech of teachers and students, infringing on “accurate, comprehensive education on race-related issues” for South Carolina students.
“We must provide an education that prepares them as citizens to read widely, think critically, and understand that complex issues have multiple, varied perspectives,” said plaintiff Ayanna Mayes, a high school librarian, in a written statement.
She claimed, “The State of South Carolina is muzzling and tying the hands of the brilliant, highly trained educators it has certified and dis-serving its bright, talented students.”
In a statement to the South Carolina Daily Gazette, a spokesperson for the state’s education department defended the restrictions and argued that the state is dedicated to teaching the good and bad of history.
“This meritless lawsuit does not diminish our dedication, nor does it identify any shortcomings or legal defects,” a spokesperson told the outlet in a statement. “The South Carolina Department of Education will continue to seek meaningful opportunities to build bridges across divisions, honor the richness of our shared history, and teach it with integrity, all while ensuring full compliance with state law.”
The state Department of Education, Gov. Henry McMaster, and the Lexington County School District Three, all named in the lawsuit, have not yet responded to ABC News’ requests for comment.
School District Five of Lexington & Richland Counties told ABC News it cannot comment on pending litigation.
A student plaintiff in the case said in a written statement that South Carolina’s decision to eliminate Advanced Placement credit for its African American Studies course among the other restrictions has impacted her educational trajectory.
“Understanding this history is crucial for my future medical career, as it will help me better diagnose, treat, and care for patients of color,” said the student plaintiff in a written statement. “Without this knowledge, healthcare disparities can worsen, leading to inadequate treatment and even death.”
Plaintiff Mary Wood, an AP English teacher, said the budget proviso prevents “citizens armed with truth and empathy, who think critically and challenge oppressive systems which benefit few and harm many.”
In full, the budget proviso states: “(1) one race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex; “(2) an individual, by virtue of his race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously; “(3) an individual should be discriminated against or receive adverse treatment solely or partly because of his race or sex; “(4) an individual’s moral standing or worth is necessarily determined by his race or sex; “(5) an individual, by virtue of his race or sex, bears responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex; “(6) an individual should feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress on account of his race or sex; “(7) meritocracy or traits such as a hard work ethic are racist or sexist, or were created by members of a particular race to oppress members of another race; and “(8) fault, blame, or bias should be assigned to a race or sex, or to members of a race or sex because of their race or sex. “Nothing contained herein shall be construed as prohibiting any professional development training for teachers related to issues of addressing unconscious bias within the context of teaching certain literary or historical concepts or issues related to the impacts of historical or past discriminatory policies.”
(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump’s rapid reshaping of the federal government continues with executive orders and action from his acting agency heads.
Federal departments face a 5 p.m. deadline Tuesday to cease spending on any financial assistance programs, according to a memo from the White House’s Office of Management and Budget. More firings of career officials at the Justice Department unfolded on Monday and Trump signed four military executive orders, one targeting transgender service members.
Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem joined immigration enforcement operations in New York. More Trump Cabinet nominees, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard, will face highly-anticipated confirmation hearings later this week.
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.
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.”
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
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
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 1,179 undocumented immigrants on Monday
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said it arrested 1,179 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
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
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.
Air Force chief of staff releases statement on Tuskegee Airmen videos
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.
JD Vance surveys hurricane damage in Virginia
Vice President JD Vance’s first official trip since taking office was to Damascus, Virginia, to survey damage from last year’s devastating Hurricane Helene.
In remarks alongside Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, Vance said he was heartened by the stories he’s heard on the ground of “good people helping their neighbors rebuild.”
Without providing evidence, he also criticized the federal response to the flooding, claiming federal agencies had acted as “a barrier, as opposed to a facilitator” of getting resources into the communities who needed it.
This comes on President Donald Trump’s assessment of storm damage in North Carolina last Friday. During that visit, he floated getting rid of FEMA. He also signed two executive orders Friday that focused on emergency response, one of which creates a task force to conduct a “a full-scale review” of FEMA.
Vance was asked about what changes he would like to see made to FEMA, including possibly eliminating the agency. Vance did not mention the agency being terminated, which Trump could not do unilaterally, but once again reinforced the idea that bureaucrats were getting in the way of rebuilding.
-ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart
Trump spoke with India’s Modi
President Donald Trump spoke with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, continuing his calls with foreign leaders since taking office. Trump’s first call was to Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Trump and Modi discussed “expanding and deepening cooperation” between their countries along with “a range of regional issues, including security in the Indo-Pacific, the Middle East, and Europe,” the White House said.
“The President emphasized the importance of India increasing its procurement of American-made security equipment and moving toward a fair bilateral trading relationship,” according to a readout of the call.
The two leaders also talked about plans for Modi to visit the White House. The prime minister visited the White House as well as former President Joe Biden’s home in Wilmington during the previous administration and made visits to the White House during the first Trump administration.
-ABC News’ Molly Nagle
Mexico’s received 4,094 migrants deported from US, president says
Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum said her country has received 4,094 migrants, most of whom are Mexican nationals, deported from the U.S. since Jan. 20.
“Mexico has a very important history of repatriation with the United States. First with the Trump administration and then with the Biden administration. There are coordination mechanisms,” Sheinbaum said. “We ask for respect for human rights.”
Sheinbaum said four planes with deportees arrived this past weekend. But she noted it has happened in the past and that there has not been “a sustained increase” of deportations.
-ABC News’ William Gretsky
VA says 60 employees placed on leave after DEI order implementation
The Department of Veterans Affairs announced it has completed its initial implementation of ending its DEI program, which has included placing nearly 60 employees on paid administrative leave. The release said the employees in question had been solely focused on DEI initiatives.
According to the release, the combined annual salary of those employees totals more than $8 million, an average of more than $136,000/year per employee. One such employee is making more than $220,000 per year.”
Additionally, the VA has identified other DEI-related expenses totaling more than $6.1 million, which the department said it is working to cancel.
This comes after President Donald Trump signed an order last week to eliminate DEI initiatives in the federal government. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth earlier Monday indicated Trump would take more executive action toward “fully removing DEI inside the Pentagon.”
-ABC News’ Nathan Luna
Trump to sign executive order reinstating service members removed for refusing COVID vaccine
President Donald Trump will sign two executive orders relating to the military, a White House official confirmed to ABC News.
The first executive order Trump is expected to sign will reinstate service members removed from the military for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine, restore their rank, and provide back pay.
The second executive order directs the Department of Defense to determine a policy regarding transgender service members based on readiness. It does not put an immediate ban on trans service members. It simply directs the DOD to come up with a policy.
Last week, Trump revoked a Biden administration order allowing transgender people to serve in the military.
– ABC News’ Hannah Demissie
Trump cabinet confirmation hearings this week
All eyes will be on the Senate this week as confirmation hearings continue for Trump’s cabinet choices.
Health and Human Services pick Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will be facing the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday morning.
On Thursday, FBI nominee Kash Patel’s hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee will take place, in addition to Director of National Intelligence nominee Tulsi Gabbard’s hearing before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
Army Secretary nominee Daniel Driscoll’s confirmation will also be voted on Thursday before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Texas Gov. Abbott to send 400 troops, military resources to Rio Grande Valley
Texas Gov. Abbott is sending an additional 400 soldiers from military bases in Forth Worth and Houston to assist Border Patrol and the Trump administration’s mission to “secure the border.”
The 400 soldiers join the thousands of troops Abbott has already deployed under his border mission, Operation Lone Star.
In addition to troops, he’ll also be sending C-130s and Chinook helicopters.
“Texas has a partner in the White House we can work with to secure the Texas-Mexico border,” Abbott said in a statement, thanking Trump for his “decisive leadership on the southern border.”
– ABC News’ Armando Garcia
Hegseth responds after uproar over removal of Tuskegee Airmen video
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Sunday had to respond to criticism after videos of Tuskegee Airmen and Women Air Force Service Pilots were removed from basic training courses, according to a report from Reuters.
An official told Reuters the videos were removed pending a review to comply with Trump’s order to eliminate DEI efforts in the federal government. Hegseth, too, has made eliminating DEI from the military a top priority.
But uproar quickly grew over the removal of the videos, including from Alabama Republican Sen. Katie Britt. Britt called the removal of the videos “malicious compliance” that had to be corrected.
“We’re all over it Senator. This will not stand,” Hegseth said in response. Hours later, he posted, “This has been immediately reversed.”
Reuters reported on Sunday that the Air Force said the videos will be taught.
Trump signs executive orders for ‘full-scale review’ of FEMA, seeks control over California water system
President Donald Trump signed two executive orders Friday focused on emergency response, one which creates a task force to conduct a “a full-scale review” of FEMA to “recommend to the President improvements or structural changes to promote the national interest and enable national resilience.”
The task force — which is intended to be no larger than 20 people — is expected to “meet regularly” for a year. Among the directives in the order is to evaluate “whether FEMA can serve its functions as a support agency, providing supplemental Federal assistance, to the States rather than supplanting State control of disaster relief.”
They could recommend that FEMA be dismantled, but Congress would need to act in order to do away with the agency.
The second executive order, called “Emergency Measures To Provide Water Resources In California And Improve Disaster Response In Certain Areas,” calls for a plan for the federal government to assert power over California’s water system.
One section outlines actions for the government to go around state and federal law to more directly assert control of California’s water management — though it’s not clear how much of an impact this order will have.
– ABC News’ Molly Nagle
Pete Hegseth arrives for 1st full day at Pentagon as defense secretary
Arriving for his first full day at the Pentagon as defense secretary, Pete Hegseth stopped to talk to reporters to lay out some of his priorities.
“It’s an honor to be here,” Hegseth said after being greeted by Gen. CQ Brown Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Hegseth said that would include removing DEI efforts inside the Pentagon, reinstating service members discharged because of COVID-19 vaccine mandates and building an Iron Dome — though experts have said the latter may not be realistic for the U.S.
He also said the Pentagon would provide “whatever’s needed” at the southern border as Trump carries out his immigration crackdown.
Hegseth previously suggested the firing of Brown as well as other senior officers who were involved either in the chaotic withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan or “woke” DEI initiatives.
Asked on Monday if he wants to fire Brown, Hegseth said: “I’m standing with him right now. Look forward to working with him.”
(NEW YORK) — Presidential immunity does not protect Donald Trump from having to pay tens of millions of dollars in damages after being held liable for defaming magazine columnist E. Jean Carroll, a lawyer for Carroll told a federal appeals court in a filing Monday.
After being awarded an $83.3 million defamation judgment from a jury last year, Carroll on Monday urged the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit to uphold the judgment against Trump, after Trump asked the court to toss out the verdict because he had immunity as president.
“Dissatisfied with the outcome of the judicial process, Trump now asks this Court to set aside that jury verdict on the theory that he was actually immune from judicial review all along,” Carroll’s attorney Roberta Kaplan wrote in the filing.
In 2023, a jury held Trump liable for sexually abusing Carroll in a dressing room of a Manhattan department store in the 1990s, awarding Carroll $5 million in damages. A year later, a different jury in a separate trial ordered Trump to pay Carroll $83 million in damages for defaming her in a 2022 social media post in which he called her allegations “a Hoax and a lie” and said “This woman is not my type!”
A federal appeals court upheld the $5 million judgment in December, and Trump’s appeal of the $83 million judgement is ongoing.
In September, Trump attorney D. John Sauer — who Trump nominated in November to serve as the new solicitor general — told a federal appeals court that the $83 million judgment should be thrown out based on a flawed jury instruction, a series of “highly prejudicial errors” during the trial, and because presidential immunity protects Trump from liability for public statements made as president.
“Presidential immunity forecloses any liability here and requires the complete dismissal of all claims,” Sauer wrote.
In her reply brief filed Monday, Kaplan pushed back against Trump’s assertion of immunity, arguing that statements Trump made about Carroll as president would clearly fall outside of his official responsibilities.
“If there were ever a case where immunity does not shield a President’s speech, this one is it,” Kaplan wrote. “Donald Trump was not speaking here about a governmental policy or a function of his responsibilities as President. He was defaming Carroll because of her revelation that many years before he assumed office, he sexually assaulted her.”
Carroll’s attorney argued that the $83 million judgement was justified to deter Trump from further defamatory statements, a risk that Kaplan said the jury saw firsthand. Trump attended most days of the 2024 trial, criticizing Carroll as a liar from his seat in the courtroom and sparring with the judge who oversaw the case.
“Throughout the trial, the jury had a front-row seat to Trump’s relentless campaign of malice, including his repeated defamation of Carroll at press conferences he held and in statements he posted on social media while the trial was ongoing,” Kaplan wrote.
(WASHINGTON) — As President Donald Trump makes a very public effort to acquire Greenland, one former Danish official said Trump’s attempts are nothing new — but he shouldn’t expect it to be easy. Interest in buying Greenland has “popped up from time to time in American politics,” Tom Høyem, Denmark’s minister to Greenland from 1982 to 1987, told ABC News in an interview.
Høyem, 83, discussed Greenland’s political importance over the years, as well as his reaction to Trump’s recent desire to buy the island territory.
“Trump is living in a narrative where this has been an issue for the last 150 years,” Høyem said.
The purchase of Greenland has been a topic of conversation since before World War II, when Denmark sold the Danish West Indies — now known as the U.S. Virgin Islands — to the United States in 1917 for $25 million, Høyem said. Many American policymakers argued the U.S. should also acquire Greenland as well, according to Høyem.
“[President] Woodrow Wilson at first said, ‘No, it’s not worth anything at all. It’s just ice. I don’t want it.’ But there was such a big debate in the U.S. that he was forced to do something,” Høyem said.
When Wilson asked for ownership of Greenland, the Danish minister at the time replied, “No,” according to Høyem. Wilson signed an agreement in 1917 stating the United States recognizes Greenland as Danish, Høyem said.
In the document discussing the transfer of the Danish West Indies, then-Secretary of State Robert Lansing wrote, “In preceding this day to the signature of the Convention respecting the cessation of the Danish West-Indian Island to the United States of America, the undersigned Secretary of State of the United States of America, duly authorized by his Government, has the honor to declare that the Government of the United States of America will not object to the Danish Government extending their political and economic interests to the whole of Greenland.”
If Denmark was to ever sell Greenland to any country, Høyem said the United Kingdom would receive the first right to buy it, since the U.K. held dominion over Canada at the time of the treaty.
“Canada is only 20 kilometers away. That’s why the British said, ‘If Denmark ever sells Greenland, we should be the first to decide whether to take it or not,'” Høyem told ABC News.
Now, with Trump saying he wants to purchase Greenland, Høyem said history is repeating itself.
“Trump grew up hearing these stories,” Høyem said. “His generation and his parents’ generation often heard about U.S. attempts to buy Greenland.”
Trump has repeatedly expressed his interest in acquiring the island territory, beginning during his first administration when he tried to buy Greenland, but instead gave $12 million for economic development. Trump has since restated his interest in buying the territory shortly before his second inauguration.
“For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity,” Trump said in a December 2024 statement.
Trump said the purchase was needed for security purposes, adding he is “protecting the free world.” The U.S. also operates Putiffik Space Base, the Defense Department’s northern-most base, which sits on the coast of Greenland.
“You have approximately 45,000 people there. People really don’t even know if Denmark has any legal right to it,” Trump said, without explanation, during a Jan. 7 press conference at Mar-a-Lago. “But if they do, they should give it up because we need it for national security. That’s for the free world.”
Greenland is also rich in valuable minerals, including rare earth metals, precious metals, precious stones, and uranium, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Association. While that may sound appealing to a potential buyer, Høyem said mining there is extremely expensive.
Trump’s son, Donald Trump, Jr., visited Greenland on Jan. 7, but stated the visit was for personal reasons. During this trip, his father said on social media, “Don. Jr. and my Reps landing in Greenland. The reception has been great. They, and the Free World, need safety, security, strength and PEACE! This is a deal that must happen.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio also reiterated an interest in the U.S. securing Greenland during his Senate confirmation hearings.
“Putting aside all the things that are going on in the media, I think we need to understand that Greenland’s been strategically important to the United States and to the West for a very long time,” Rubio said. “I think we now have the opportunity to see it for what it is, and that is one, if not the most important, one of the most critical parts of the world over the next 50 to 100 years will be whether there’s going to be freedom of navigation in the Arctic and what that will mean for global trade and commerce.”
Høyem said he does not know Trump, but thinks “he needs to be briefed a bit more by his civil servants.”
“His new minister of foreign affairs spoke to the Danish foreign minister — my party leader and friend — and they both agreed: ‘Let’s not discuss Greenland for now,'” Høyem said.
The prime minister of Greenland, Múte Egsede, has rejected the idea of selling Greenland to Trump, saying, “Greenland is ours.”
“We are not for sale and will never be for sale,” Egsede said in a statement. “We must not lose our long struggle for freedom.”
Officials from Denmark also have not supported Trump’s Greenmark proposal, including Danish politician Anders Vistisen, who explicitly urged the newly elected president to “f— off.”
“Greenland has been part of the Danish kingdom for 800 years,” Vistisen said during a European Parliament meeting on Jan. 21 in Strasbourg, France. “It’s an integrated part of our country. It is not for sale.”
Høyem said if Greenland decided to become independent, “they would immediately be targeted by major global powers.” Until then, Høyem said the territory needs more U.S. military investment to help defend it.
“I personally can’t imagine Greenland becoming fully independent,” Høyem said. “Running a country that large with so few people is nearly impossible.”
Regardless of the future of Trump’s Greenland proposal, Høyem said the land holds significant power.
“Trump might have looked at Greenland as a real estate deal, but for Denmark and Greenland, it’s a matter of geopolitical survival,” Høyem said. “The Arctic is extremely important, and I agree with Trump on that.”
(WASHINGTON) — As President Donald Trump makes a very public effort to acquire Greenland, one former Danish official said Trump’s attempts are nothing new — but he shouldn’t expect it to be easy. Interest in buying Greenland has “popped up from time to time in American politics,” Tom Høyem, Denmark’s minister to Greenland from 1982 to 1987, told ABC News in an interview.
Høyem, 83, discussed Greenland’s political importance over the years, as well as his reaction to Trump’s recent desire to buy the island territory.
“Trump is living in a narrative where this has been an issue for the last 150 years,” Høyem said.
The purchase of Greenland has been a topic of conversation since before World War II, when Denmark sold the Danish West Indies — now known as the U.S. Virgin Islands — to the United States in 1917 for $25 million, Høyem said. Many American policymakers argued the U.S. should also acquire Greenland as well, according to Høyem.
“[President] Woodrow Wilson at first said, ‘No, it’s not worth anything at all. It’s just ice. I don’t want it.’ But there was such a big debate in the U.S. that he was forced to do something,” Høyem said.
When Wilson asked for ownership of Greenland, the Danish minister at the time replied, “No,” according to Høyem. Wilson signed an agreement in 1917 stating the United States recognizes Greenland as Danish, Høyem said.
In the document discussing the transfer of the Danish West Indies, then-Secretary of State Robert Lansing wrote, “In preceding this day to the signature of the Convention respecting the cessation of the Danish West-Indian Island to the United States of America, the undersigned Secretary of State of the United States of America, duly authorized by his Government, has the honor to declare that the Government of the United States of America will not object to the Danish Government extending their political and economic interests to the whole of Greenland.”
If Denmark was to ever sell Greenland to any country, Høyem said the United Kingdom would receive the first right to buy it, since the U.K. held dominion over Canada at the time of the treaty.
“Canada is only 20 kilometers away. That’s why the British said, ‘If Denmark ever sells Greenland, we should be the first to decide whether to take it or not,'” Høyem told ABC News.
Now, with Trump saying he wants to purchase Greenland, Høyem said history is repeating itself.
“Trump grew up hearing these stories,” Høyem said. “His generation and his parents’ generation often heard about U.S. attempts to buy Greenland.”
Trump has repeatedly expressed his interest in acquiring the island territory, beginning during his first administration when he tried to buy Greenland, but instead gave $12 million for economic development. Trump has since restated his interest in buying the territory shortly before his second inauguration.
“For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity,” Trump said in a December 2024 statement.
Trump said the purchase was needed for security purposes, adding he is “protecting the free world.” The U.S. also operates Putiffik Space Base, the Defense Department’s northern-most base, which sits on the coast of Greenland.
“You have approximately 45,000 people there. People really don’t even know if Denmark has any legal right to it,” Trump said, without explanation, during a Jan. 7 press conference at Mar-a-Lago. “But if they do, they should give it up because we need it for national security. That’s for the free world.”
Greenland is also rich in valuable minerals, including rare earth metals, precious metals, precious stones, and uranium, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Association. While that may sound appealing to a potential buyer, Høyem said mining there is extremely expensive.
Trump’s son, Donald Trump, Jr., visited Greenland on Jan. 7, but stated the visit was for personal reasons. During this trip, his father said on social media, “Don. Jr. and my Reps landing in Greenland. The reception has been great. They, and the Free World, need safety, security, strength and PEACE! This is a deal that must happen.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio also reiterated an interest in the U.S. securing Greenland during his Senate confirmation hearings.
“Putting aside all the things that are going on in the media, I think we need to understand that Greenland’s been strategically important to the United States and to the West for a very long time,” Rubio said. “I think we now have the opportunity to see it for what it is, and that is one, if not the most important, one of the most critical parts of the world over the next 50 to 100 years will be whether there’s going to be freedom of navigation in the Arctic and what that will mean for global trade and commerce.”
Høyem said he does not know Trump, but thinks “he needs to be briefed a bit more by his civil servants.”
“His new minister of foreign affairs spoke to the Danish foreign minister — my party leader and friend — and they both agreed: ‘Let’s not discuss Greenland for now,'” Høyem said.
The prime minister of Greenland, Múte Egsede, has rejected the idea of selling Greenland to Trump, saying, “Greenland is ours.”
“We are not for sale and will never be for sale,” Egsede said in a statement. “We must not lose our long struggle for freedom.”
Officials from Denmark also have not supported Trump’s Greenmark proposal, including Danish politician Anders Vistisen, who explicitly urged the newly elected president to “f— off.”
“Greenland has been part of the Danish kingdom for 800 years,” Vistisen said during a European Parliament meeting on Jan. 21 in Strasbourg, France. “It’s an integrated part of our country. It is not for sale.”
Høyem said if Greenland decided to become independent, “they would immediately be targeted by major global powers.” Until then, Høyem said the territory needs more U.S. military investment to help defend it.
“I personally can’t imagine Greenland becoming fully independent,” Høyem said. “Running a country that large with so few people is nearly impossible.”
Regardless of the future of Trump’s Greenland proposal, Høyem said the land holds significant power.
“Trump might have looked at Greenland as a real estate deal, but for Denmark and Greenland, it’s a matter of geopolitical survival,” Høyem said. “The Arctic is extremely important, and I agree with Trump on that.”
