White House says some employees were fired by mistake

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

ByAlexandra Hutzler, Emily Chang, Kevin Shalvey, Meredith Deliso, Julia Reinstein, Ivan Pereira, and Jon Haworth
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."

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing.
Feb 13, 2025, 5:09 PM EST

Trump speaks with Indian PM Narendra Modi in Oval Office

Trump is hosting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Oval Office.

Trump said they'd be talking about trade, including the possibility of India buying more American oil and gas.

President Donald Trump shakes hands with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 13, 2025.
Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

"We've had a wonderful relationship, and we kept the relationship during the four year period," Trump said.

Modi has been prime minister of India since 2014. Reflecting on Trump's first term, Modi said, "We will continue to advance the India-U.S. strategic partnership with the same aplomb, with the same trust and with the same excitement."

PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks with the press as he meets with Indian Prime Minister Modi, alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio (2nd R) and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum (R), in the Oval Office in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 13, 2025.
President Donald Trump speaks with the press as he meets with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alongside US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (2nd R) and US Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum (R), in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 13, 2025.
Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks as he meets with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House, Feb. 13, 2025, in Washington.
Alex Brandon/AP

Feb 13, 2025, 4:47 PM EST

Trump EO banning transgender care for youth blocked by judge: ACLU

A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order blocking enforcement of President Donald Trump's executive order restricting gender-affirming care for transgender people under the age of 19, according to the civil liberties groups behind the legal challenge to the order.

Read more here.

-ABC News' Kiara Alfonseca

Feb 13, 2025, 4:35 PM EST

Alexander Vinnik back in Moscow

Alexander Vinnik is now back in Moscow as part of an exchange for American teacher Marc Fogel.

Fogel arrived back in the U.S. on Tuesday after being held in Russia for three-and-a-half years on drug charges.

Russian Alexander Vinnik is escorted by police officers as he arrives at a courthouse in Thessaloniki, Oct. 4, 2017.
Sakis Mitrolidis/AFP via Getty Images

Vinnik was the owner and operator of one of the world's largest currency exchanges, and was allegedly instrumental in facilitating the transfer of billions of dollars for criminals across the globe, supporting drug trafficking rings, ransomware attacks and the corruption of public officials.

-ABC News' William Gretsky

Feb 13, 2025, 4:26 PM EST

DOGE at IRS today, per sources

As DOGE continues to work its way through Washington, D.C., a young member of the team is at the IRS headquarters today, according to multiple sources familiar with the visit.

The aide arrived at the headquarters today and has initiated multiple meetings with IRS employees, the sources said. In part, they have been asking about the agency’s technology, including how audits and compliance are done.

In this March 27, 2018, file photo, the Internal Revenue Service building is pictured in Washington, D.C.
Bill Clark/Getty Images, FILE

Elon Musk has previously taken to X regarding the IRS, asking in a post earlier this month: "Would you like @DOGE to audit the IRS?"

The IRS is within the Department of Treasury, where DOGE staffers have been on site for weeks, as ABC News has previously reported. The visit also comes amid tax season.

The IRS did not immediately respond to ABC's request for comment.

-ABC News' Olivia Rubin, Will Steakin and Katherine Faulders

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