Trump 2nd term updates: Trump excludes low-value shipments from looming tariffs

The amendment exempts imports valued at less than $800 from Canada and Mexico.

President Donald Trump’s efforts to reshape the federal government to his liking suffered a loss in court when a federal judge blocked his administration from firing the head of a federal watchdog agency without cause, likely triggering a lengthy appeal that could end at the Supreme Court.

U.S. District Justice Amy Berman Jackson determined the move was unlawful and issued a permanent injunction that reinstated special counsel Hampton Dellinger to his position.

Meanwhile, the Social Security Administration said it will cut 7,000 jobs and six of its 10 regional centers as part of the president’s downsizing of the federal workforce.

And Trump’s physician announced the president will have his annual physical next month, days after reporters raised questions about a bruise they saw on the back of his hand.

Feb 25, 2025, 11:33 AM EST

Republicans who faced tough crowds at town halls ask DOGE to show compassion

After facing angry questions from constituents at a town hall last week, Georgia Republican Rep. Rich McCormick was back on Capitol Hill with a new message for Elon Musk and DOGE: show a little compassion.

McCormick faced "boos" as he fielded questions from furious constituents.

"People are concerned about what DOGE is, what it can do, what its powers are, if they're overstepping the law. They're concerned about the rapidity of the moves and people losing their benefits," McCormick told ABC News.

The congressman said he was heading to the White House Tuesday afternoon for a previously scheduled meeting with Trump, and, if given the chance, he plans to convey some of his concerns about DOGE to the president directly.

"I think some of their actions have been too rapid to adapt to — for real people. I mean, you're talking about Republicans too. We're not just talking about Democrats," he said.

Republican Rep. Cliff Bentz of Oregon also got an earful from constituents at a town hall last week and urged Musk not to leave Congress in the dark.

"I would tell him (Musk) he needs to reach out to Congress and let us know what they have in mind before they do it. So we at least have some sort of heads up," he said.

-ABC News' Rachel Scott and James Parkinson

Feb 25, 2025, 10:59 AM EST

OPM says White House staff exempt from complying with email

One of the things noted by OPM in its letter to employees over the "What did you do last week?" email was the fact that White House employees are exempt from replying to the email.


A view shows the logo of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), after probationary staff at the OPM were fired in a conference call and given less than an hour to leave the building, outside OPM in Washington, D.C., Feb. 13, 2025.
Tierney L. Cross/Reuters

"At Counsel's direction, in order to comport with the Presidential Records Act, the Executive Office of the President is exempted from this exercise," the letter said.

-ABC News' Katherine Faulders

Feb 25, 2025, 10:14 AM EST

DOGE updates site after major discrepancies pointed out

Overnight, Elon Musk's DOGE provided another update to its official government website, increasing its total claimed estimated savings from $55 billion to $65 billion and adding an "Agency Efficiency Leaderboard."

The new total claimed savings of $65 billion cannot be fully verified, as the group has yet to post all the claimed canceled contracts and savings on the website—though DOGE maintains it will eventually do so.

The update came after the previous total was called out for being erroneous given the data that was shared on the site. The website now includes a new line after last week's news that DOGE's largest claimed savings contract was revised down from $8 billion to $8 million:

"There may be discrepencies [SIC] between FPDS and the posted numbers, the latter of which originate directly from the agency contracting officials. If you would like to report a potential discrepancy, please DM the @DOGE X account." the site said.

-ABC News' Will Steakin

Feb 25, 2025, 9:56 AM EST

Acting IRS commissioner to retire this week

The acting commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service is expected to announce his retirement as early as Tuesday, two sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.

Doug O’Donnell, a veteran who has spent decades at the agency, plans to leave the agency on Friday. His retirement was in the works for a while, but he agreed to stay on following the resignation of Commissioner Danny Werfel, who was nominated by President Joe Biden and confirmed by the Senate.

Still, the timing of his retirement, amid tax filing season, is another blow to an agency that has already lost thousands of workers to layoffs and become a target of GOP criticism since President Donald Trump took office.

A flag waves outside the International Revenue Service Building after it was reported the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is preparing to fire thousands of workers in the coming days, in Washington, Feb. 18, 2025.
Kent Nishimura/Reuters

The New York Times first reported the news.

--ABC News' Katherine Faulders and Benjamin Siegel

Related Topics

Sponsored Content by Taboola