Trump 2nd term updates: Trump says USAID is run by 'radical lunatics'

The comments came amid turmoil as DOGE took over USAID offices last week.

President Donald Trump made good on his threats to impose tariffs on some of the U.S.'s trading partners, announcing Saturday that he will levy 25% tariffs on some goods from Canada and Mexico and 10% on Chinese goods.

Experts have warned that tariffs of this magnitude will likely increase prices paid by U.S. and Trump appeared to acknowledge that “some pain” might be possible in the U.S.

Meanwhile, the Senate Finance Committee announced it will meet Tuesday, when it is expected to vote on the controversial nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for secretary of Health and Human Services.

Feb 02, 2025, 3:54 PM EST

Rubio meets with Panamanian president as canal drama looms

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday told Panamanian officials that “President Trump has made a preliminary determination that the current position of influence and control of the Chinese Communist Party over the Panama Canal area is a threat to the canal and represents a violation of the Treaty Concerning the Permanent Neutrality and Operation of the Panama Canal,” according to State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce.

“Secretary Rubio made clear that this status quo is unacceptable and that absent immediate changes, it would require the United States to take measures necessary to protect its rights under the Treaty,” Bruce said in a statement.

Handout picture released by Panama's Presidency press office showing Panama's President Jose Raul Mulino (L) greeting US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on arrival at the presidential palace in Panama City on Feb. 2, 2025.
Panama's Presidency Press Office via Getty

Panamanian officials had a different takeaway after the meeting. President José Raúl Mulino said he was sympathetic to some of the Trump administration’s concerns like immigration and Chinese influence, but he appeared unmoved on the issue of the canal. He maintained that the neutrality of the waterway was not in question and also asserted that Panama was also not under threat from the U.S. military.

Describing the meeting, Mulino said he felt respected, that the discussion was not confrontational. He also said that under his leadership, Panama would not renew contracts with Beijing under its Belt and Road initiative and said he encouraged the U.S. to ramp up its own investments in the country.

-ABC News’ Shannon Kingston

Feb 02, 2025, 2:38 PM EST

FBI employees asked to explain their role in Jan. 6 cases: Sources

Several sources told ABC News that potentially thousands of FBI employees who were identified as having participated in investigations or prosecutions related to Jan. 6 were sent a questionnaire on Sunday to fill out, seeking to determine exactly what their roles were in those cases. The questionnaire has raised all sorts of questions and concerns within FBI ranks, sources said.

The employees have until 3 p.m. ET Monday to fill out the questionnaires, ABC News was told.

This is a direct result of acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove's recent request from the FBI for the names of employees who worked on Jan. 6-related cases. Bove said his office will be conducting a review to determine if any "personnel actions" are warranted.

As sources told ABC News, the FBI's Counterterrorism Division was tasked with coordinating the FBI's entire response, and last night CTD sent all 55 FBI field offices and all divisions within FBI headquarters lists of their employees identified as having participated in Jan. 6-related cases.

On Sunday morning, emails were sent to those identified employees with the questionnaire, which, among other things, asks about their current position, their title and role when working on Jan. 6-related cases, and when they last did any work related to Jan. 6, sources said.

In an email to employees on Sunday, one division head said he recognized that the questionnaire has raised "a lot of questions and concerns."

-ABC News’ Mile Levine, Pierre Thomas, Luke Barr, Jack Date and Katherine Faulders

Feb 02, 2025, 2:19 PM EST

Canadian liquor distributors pulling US products

The premier of Ontario, Canada's most populous province, said Sunday it will join British Columbia and Nova Scotia in pulling American liquor from store shelves and not restocking those products after Trump’s tariff announcement. Later Sunday, Quebec announced it, too, would pull American-made products from stores in the province.

Most Canadian provinces control liquor sales through a government-owned distributor, the sole distributors of alcohol to restaurants, bars, and groceries/convenience stores in their provinces.

Premier Doug Ford noted that Ontario purchases nearly $1 billion worth of American beer, wine, spirits and seltzers each year.

A LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) location in Toronto, Canada, on July 12, 2024.
Creative Touch Imaging Ltd./NurPhoto via Getty Images

“There’s never been a better time to choose an amazing Ontario-made or Canadian-made product,” Ford said. “As always, please drink responsibly.”

-ABC News’ Aleem Agha

Feb 02, 2025, 1:10 PM EST

Trump acknowledges ‘some pain’ possible from tariffs

Trump acknowledged there could be “some pain” in implementing tariffs against Canada, China and Mexico in a post on his Truth Social media platform on Sunday, but said they were necessary to stop a “decades long RIPOFF OF AMERICA.”

“The USA has major deficits with Canada, Mexico, and China (and almost all countries!), owes 36 Trillion Dollars, and we’re not going to be the ‘Stupid Country’ any longer," Trump wrote in his post.

President Donald Trump talks to reporters after signing an executive order in the Oval Office, Jan. 31, 2025, in Washington.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

“THIS WILL BE THE GOLDEN AGE OF AMERICA! WILL THERE BE SOME PAIN? YES, MAYBE (AND MAYBE NOT!). BUT WE WILL MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, AND IT WILL ALL BE WORTH THE PRICE THAT MUST BE PAID,” he continued.

-ABC News’ Hannah Demissie

Sponsored Content by Taboola