Trump 2nd term updates: Trump attends the Super Bowl

Longtime Democratic Federal Election Commissioner and Chair Ellen Weintraub on Thursday said President Donald Trump sent a letter removing her from the commission -- a move that election experts say is unlawful.

In a social media post accompanied by a copy of the short letter signed by Trump, Weintraub wrote: "Received a letter from POTUS today purporting to remove me as Commissioner & Chair of @FEC. There’s a legal way to replace FEC commissioners-this isn’t it."

"I’ve been lucky to serve the American people & stir up some good trouble along the way. That’s not changing anytime soon," she continued.

The letter from Trump reads: "Dear Commissioner Weintraub, You are hereby removed as a Member of the Federal Election Commission effective immediately. Thank you for your service on the Commission."

Several election experts have already echoed Weintraub's claim that Trump's unprecedented move is potentially unlawful.

“In claiming to fire a commissioner of the Federal Election Commission, the president violates the law, the separation of powers, and generations of Supreme Court precedent," wrote Trevor Potter, Republican former chair of the FEC and president of Campaign Legal Center, stressing the importance of maintaining the independent nature of the FEC.

Trump’s dismissal of Weintraub comes as other former government officials begin to challenge the president’s single-handed effort to reshape the leadership within the federal government.

-ABC News' Soo Rin Kim, Peter Charalambous, Olivia Rubin

Less than 12 hours after a federal judge in Seattle issued a nationwide injunction blocking President Donald Trump’s executive order on birthright citizenship, the Department of Justice filed paperwork signaling its intent to appeal the order to a higher court.

Lawyers with the DOJ filed a notice of appeal in the Western District of Washington, fulfilling Trump’s vow to challenge the order.

"Obviously, we will appeal it," Trump said in the Oval Office last month. "There's no surprises with that judge."

The filing puts the Trump administration on track to bring the case to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the country’s largest federal appellate court spanning from Arizona to Washington.

The Ninth Circuit has a reputation as a bastion of liberal jurisprudence – frequently blocking the policies of Republican presidents – that Trump attempted to reshape during his first term by adding 10 conservative judges to the San Francisco-based court.

-ABC News' Laura Romero and Peter Charalambous

The Senate confirmed Russell Vought to be the director of the Office of Management and Budget on Thursday on a party-line vote of 53-47.

All Republicans supported the nomination, while every Democrat opposed it, packing out the Senate chamber for the vote.

-ABC News' Allison Pecorin and Isabella Murray

President Donald Trump signed an executive order to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court, claiming the court has "engaged in illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel."

"The United States will impose tangible and significant consequences on those responsible for the ICC's transgressions, some of which may include the blocking of property and assets, as well as the suspension of entry into the United States of ICC officials, employees, and agents, as well as their immediate family members, as their entry into our Nation would be detrimental to the interests of the United States," the order said.

-ABC News' Hannah Demissie