White House says some employees were fired by mistake

After taking the recent buyout offer, some employees were fired, a source said.

Last Updated: February 16, 2025, 11:07 PM EST

President Donald Trump's administration, including Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, is continuing its sweeping effort to cut much of the federal government -- but it's being met with legal challenges.

Trump is also making his second administration's first forays on the diplomatic front with calls to Russia's Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy on ending the 3-year-old war that began in February 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine.

And a day after Hamas released more hostages taken when it attacked Israel in October 2023, Secretary of State Marco Rubio agreed with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the militant organization needs to be "eliminated."

Feb 13, 2025, 3:42 PM EST

4th judge blocks Trump birthright citizenship EO

A fourth federal judge on Thursday blocked President Donald Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship.

The ruling from U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin in Massachusetts comes after three similar rulings by judges in New Hampshire, Seattle and Maryland.

"The plaintiffs are likely to succeed on the merits of their claims under the Citizenship Clause," Sorokin, an Obama appointee, said in his ruling. "They are likely to suffer irreparable harm in the absence of relief, the balance of harms tips overwhelmingly in their favor, and the public interest favors an injunction."

In this June 22, 2012, file photo, Judge Leo T. Sorokin passes out diplomas at a ceremony in Boston.
Ted Fitzgerald/Boston Herald via MediaNews Group via Getty Images, FILE

The two Massachusetts-based immigrant advocacy groups that filed the lawsuit last month argued that the principle of birthright citizenship is "enshrined in the Constitution" and that Trump does not have the authority to issue the order.

-ABC News' Peter Charalambous and Laura Romero

Feb 13, 2025, 3:18 PM EST

Trump defends calling Putin first about negotiating end to war in Ukraine

President Trump is continuing to discuss his conversations with Russia's Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Trump spoke with Putin first, which Zelenskyy said on Thursday was "not pleasant."

Trump defended the move as he took reporters' questions in the Oval Office.

President Donald Trump speaks to reporters before he signs an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House, Feb. 13, 2025, in Washington.
Ben Curtis/AP

"We had a good talk with President Putin. I had a good talk with President Zelenskyy. Very good talk. And somebody said, oh, I should have called Zelenskyy first. I don't think so," Trump said. "I mean, we have to find out whether or not Russia wants to make a deal. I know that Zelenskyy wants to make a deal because he told me that. But I now know that Russia wants to make a deal."

Feb 13, 2025, 3:11 PM EST

Trump admits tariffs could drive prices up in the short term

President Trump, who vowed on the campaign trail to immediately bring down prices for American families, acknowledged that there could be some financial pain associated with tariffs as he signed a memo initiating the process for potential reciprocal tariffs on some U.S. trading partners.

"Prices could go up somewhat short term, but prices will also go down," Trump said as he took questions in the Oval Office.

President Donald Trump delivers remarks after signing an executive order on reciprocal tariffs in the Oval Office at the White House on Feb. 13, 2025 in Washington.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Trump repeated multiple times that the tariffs will result in job growth, telling reporters "the jobs will go up tremendously." He also argued that they will help American farmers and manufacturers.

"There could be some short-term disturbance, but long term, it's going to it's going to make our country a fortune," Trump said.

Feb 13, 2025, 2:36 PM EST

Alexander Vinnik on a flight back to Moscow

Cybercrime kingpin Alexander Vinnik is on a flight back to Moscow, his lawyer confirmed to ABC News.

Vinnik is being released into Russian custody as part of an exchange for American Marc Fogel.

Alexander Vinnik, a 38 year old Russian man suspected of running a money laundering operation using bitcoin, is escorted by police officers to a court in Athens, Greece Dec. 13, 2017.
Costas Baltas/Reuters

Vinnik was sent to Turkey and is now on a flight to Moscow. His attorney said he didn't know the exact airport of arrival but noted that the arrival would be "in a few hours."

-ABC News' William Gretsky

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