Trump admin updates: Trump teases 'big day' at White House

President Donald Trump also said Zelenskyy can end the war "almost immediately."

Last Updated: August 18, 2025, 12:09 AM EDT

President Donald Trump returned from Alaska after his high-stakes meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the president's crime-reduction push in Washington, D.C. continues.

National Guard are in Washington as part of Trump's plan to reduce violent crime in the city.

On Friday, an order by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi designating the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration Terry Cole as the District's "Emergency Police Commissioner" was retooled after a legal challenge by local officials.

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Aug 12, 2025, 1:37 PM EDT

Trump considering a lawsuit against the Fed's Powell

President Donald Trump is weighing a possible lawsuit against Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at her briefing on Tuesday.

"He's considering a lawsuit and I won't speak or on it any further. I will allow the president to do that himself," Leavitt said.

President Donald Trump and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell tour the Federal Reserve's $2.5 billion headquarters renovation project, July 24, 2025 in Washington.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Earlier Tuesday, Trump threatened legal action against Powell on his conservative social media platform.

"The damage he has done by always being Too Late is incalculable," Trump wrote. "Fortunately, the economy is sooo good that we've blown through Powell and the complacent Board. I am, though, considering allowing a major lawsuit against Powell to proceed because of the horrible, and grossly incompetent, job he has done in managing the construction of the Fed Buildings. Three Billion Dollars for a job that should have been a $50 Million Dollar fix up. Not good!"

Aug 12, 2025, 1:34 PM EDT

30-day timeline on DC takeover to be reevaluated, Leavitt says

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Trump administration will "reevaluate and reassess and make further decisions" on its federalization of the D.C. police force once the 30-day period is up.

"Within these 30 days, our entire focus is making sure that this is the most efficient operation possible and that we are removing as many criminals from the streets, and we are cleaning up D.C. as best as we can, and working with the Metropolitan Police Department to do that," she said during Tuesday's briefing.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during a press briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, August 12, 2025.
Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

Aug 12, 2025, 1:31 PM EDT

Trump 'honored' to host Putin on American soil

Finer details on President Donald Trump's upcoming sit-down with Russian President Vladimir Putin have still not been released, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt telling reporters on Tuesday that scheduling is "still being ironed out."

But on the selection of Alaska as the location, Leavitt said: "The president is very honored and looks forward to hosting, President Putin on American soil."

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Aug. 12, 2025, in Washington.
Alex Brandon/AP

Aug 12, 2025, 1:26 PM EDT

White House: Trump-Putin meeting a 'listening exercise'

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked on Tuesday why Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wasn't invited to Friday's summit in Alaska. Leavitt said this meeting came at Russian President Vladimir Putin's request, relayed to Trump by special envoy Steve Witkoff after Witkoff met with Putin in Moscow last week.

"The goal of this meeting for the president is to walk away with a better understanding of how we can end this war," Leavitt told reporters.

ABC News Senior Political Correspondent Rachel Scott asked Leavitt if Zelenskyy has given Trump any red lines or nonstarters ahead of his conversation with Putin.

"Look, I don't want to reveal the private conversations between the president and President Zelenskyy, but what I can tell you is that the president has deep respect for all parties that are involved in this conflict and are trying to bring this conflict to an end," Leavitt responded.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during a press briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, August 12, 2025.
Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

Leavitt added, "I think this is a listening exercise for the president. Look, only one party that's involved in this war is going to be present. And so this is for the president to go and to get, again, a more firm and better understanding of how we can hopefully bring this war to an end."

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