Highlights from April 24, 2025
- President Donald Trump issued a rare rebuke of Russian President Vladimir Putin after Russia launched a major attack on Ukraine overnight. He later said he believed Putin would listen to his plea to halt Russian strikes on Ukraine and expressed optimism about a potential peace deal.
- Trump said at an Oval Office meeting with the prime minister of Norway that members of his administration met with Chinese officials today to discuss tariffs, a day after China said the two sides “have not engaged in any consultations or negotiations regarding tariffs.”
- Trump signed an executive memorandum aimed at investigating ActBlue, the leading Democratic fundraising platform.
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Wisconsin residents hold town hall without lawmaker
There was a town hall tonight in Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District but no lawmaker to field questions.
Rep. Bryan Steil, a Republican, was not expected to attend the event, whose organizers included a former Democratic candidate for the State Assembly. Still, many showed up at the Franklin Public Library to speak out.
“I wanted to share my anger over Rep. Steil,” said Jane Willard, of Rochester. “He’s working for me and for the rest of the Wisconsin citizens in District 1, and I keep reminding him that if he doesn’t do his job, he’s going to lose his job.”
Steil said in a statement that he looks forward to hearing from constituents during his “frequent stops” throughout the state and added he plans to hold a telephone town hall later this month.
“My priority is to be available and accessible to my constituents,” he said. “I will continue to hold town halls of all types, as I have done throughout my time in office.”
Republican lawmakers have largely avoided town halls during the current congressional recess. The head of the National Republican Congressional Committee advised members this year to avoid the in-person events after backlash from voters led to several viral encounters.
Judge extends order blocking Trump from deporting migrants under the Alien Enemies Act
U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez extended a temporary restraining order blocking the Trump administration from transferring, relocating or deporting any person in his South Texas district under the Alien Enemies Act.
The judge first barred the administration from deporting Venezuelans in his district affected by Trump's Alien Enemies Act proclamation this month, but that order expired last night.
Rodriguez is now extending his block on the administration to May 2 to prevent the removal of the immigrants, citing due process concerns, as "no Immigration Court has issued a final order of removal" against some of the immigrants named in the suit.
"The Court finds that the removal of any individual by the United States based on the Proclamation and the Alien Enemies Act would cause immediate and irreparable injury to the removed individuals, as they would be unable to seek habeas relief," the judge wrote.
In addition, the judge noted in his ruling that if he allowed the United States to remove people under the Alien Enemies Act amid the litigation, "a substantial likelihood exists that the individual could not be returned to the United States," specifically referring to the forced removal of Kilmar Abrego Garcia.
Florida Democrat suggests Laken Riley Act has led to an increase of migrants at ICE facility
Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., said staff members are struggling to keep up with an increased flow of detainees at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center she visited today because of the recently enacted Laken Riley Act.
Wilson said she spoke to detainees at the detention center in Krome, Florida, who described conditions at the "crowded" facility.
"Every time this facility gets crowded, in order to stay in compliance, they’re going to have to build another one," Wilson said. "What they said to us is as new detainees come in, they try to ship people out, but they can’t keep up with the pace because of the Riley Act. The Laken Riley Act has caused an increase in detainees."
The Laken Riley Act, which Trump signed in January, requires ICE to detain undocumented immigrants who are arrested on suspicion of, charged with or convicted of burglary, theft, larceny or shoplifting. The Republican-authored bill gained the support of 46 Democrats in the House and a dozen in the Senate.
Wilson said today that slow processing times at the ICE facility could lead to extended periods of detention.
"These are people who have — you could’ve been here forever, and just for some crazy little thing: walking across the street, jaywalking, shoplifting. And they will detain you and bring you right here," she said.
She called on Congress to pass immigration reform legislation and urged voters to call lawmakers and demand that they support the effort.
"I’ve been giving out the phone numbers to the House of Representatives and to the Senate. It’s one number, that number you call, and you threaten them and you say: ‘This is wrong. This is not America. This is not what we stand for. We need a change.’"
"We need the people. We need an uprising," Wilson said, adding that people are protesting in the streets, making phone calls and writing letters. "That's what we need."
Florida state Sen. Jason Pizzo says he's leaving Democratic Party, steps down as minority leader
Florida state Senate Minority Leader Jason Pizzo said he is leaving the Democratic Party in remarks on the Senate floor today.
"The political party system here in Florida is nearly dead, like the infighting, power struggles, corruption and decline of civic virtue that pervaded and eventually ushered in the fall of Rome. So, too, are we players, or perhaps props, in the mess that is bottom partisanship," he said.
Pizzo, who is considered a potential candidate for governor next year, said he had mailed a voter registration form to change his party affiliation to "no party affiliation."
State Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried said in a statement that the state party was "more united without him.”
“Jason Pizzo is one of the most ineffective and unpopular Democratic leaders in recent memory, and his resignation is one of the best things to happen to the party in years,” Fried said. “His legacy as leader includes continually disparaging the party base, starting fights with other members, and chasing his own personal ambitions at the expense of Democratic values."
Fried also wrote on X that the caucus had elected Sen. Lori Berman as their new leader.
Berman did not immediately respond to a request for comment this evening.
Trump signs order designed to make it easier to fire federal probationary workers
Trump signed an executive order today aimed at empowering federal agency heads to more easily fire probationary employees as the administration remains embroiled in litigation over efforts to dismiss government workers.
Trump has moved in recent months to fire tens of thousands of probationary employees, who are not afforded many of the job protections as permanent civil servants, as he seeks to drastically cut the federal workforce.
Probationary employees are government workers who are employed for predetermined trial periods before they are hired on as tenured federal employees. Recently promoted workers can also be classified as probationary.
Several lawsuits accuse the administration of not following proper procedure in firing the workers, particularly by failing to provide written notice stating the legitimate reason for the terminations and the effective dates.
Last month, federal judges in California and Maryland ordered the administration to rehire thousands of probationary workers, citing its failure to follow proper protocol. An appeals court and the Supreme Court later struck down those rulings, clearing the way for firings to resume.
Trump's order seeks to change the steps involved in firing probationary workers by requiring agency approval before the probationary employees become tenured federal employees. If workers don't receive agency approval, they will automatically be fired at the end of their probationary periods.
Trump signs executive order to boost American development of critical minerals and resources
Trump signed an executive order today aimed at increasing U.S. production of critical and rare-earth minerals, describing the effort as "a core national security and economic interest."
"The United States faces unprecedented economic and national security challenges in securing reliable supplies of critical minerals independent of foreign adversary control. Vast offshore seabed areas hold critical minerals and energy resources," the order read.
The order aims to spur domestic exploration, collection and processing of seabed minerals through streamlined permitting, additional investment in deep sea science and technology and the creation of a "robust domestic supply chain for critical minerals."
Trump explicitly calls the directive an effort to counter China's growing influence over mineral resources.
Trump throughout his second term has routinely discussed his aim to increase American access to critical and rare-earth minerals. He has sought an agreement with Ukraine that would condition U.S. support for the country in its war with Russia on ownership of its ample rare-earth minerals.
Director of National Economic Council says there will be ‘positive news’ from tariff talks with China
National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said there will be “positive news” soon about tariff talks with China.
“The bottom line is that everybody wants this to move forward in a positive way, and I expect that there’ll be lots of positive news to break on that soon,” Hassett said on Fox Business.
China has denied that such talks are taking place even though Trump said yesterday the two countries are in direct conversation. Asked about the discrepancy between the countries’ accounts, Hassett said, “The president was correct in what he said, of course.”
The United States has placed a 145% tariff on Chinese goods, and China has responded with a 125% tariff in kind.
Trump pardons former Las Vegas City Council member Michele Fiore
Trump has pardoned former Las Vegas City Council member Michele Fiore, who was due to be sentenced on wire fraud charges, according to a copy of the pardon her lawyer posted on the docket in connection with her case.
In a motion, her attorney sought to vacate her sentencing hearing, which is set for May 14.
The pardon is not listed on the website of the Justice Department’s pardon attorney. The case involved the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Unit, whose staff has been slashed since the beginning of the Trump administration.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Fiore’s pardon.
A federal jury found Fiore guilty of conspiracy and wire fraud last year, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Federal prosecutors accused her of using tens of thousands of dollars of funds she had raised through a charity and a political action committee on rent, plastic surgery and her daughter’s wedding.
In a statement to NBC News, Fiore said she was “vindicated” and thanked Trump for the pardon, adding that she planned to resume her job as a justice of the peace next week.
“Today, I stand before you — not just as a free woman, but as a vindicated soul whose prayers were heard, whose faith held firm, and whose truth could not be buried by injustice. I am deeply and eternally grateful to President Donald J. Trump for granting me a full and unconditional pardon,” she said.
NATO secretary general says Russia needs to step up in peace deal talks
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte suggested to reporters after today's meeting with Trump and several U.S. other officials that the success of efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war depends on President Vladimir Putin, casting Ukraine as being more willing to "play ball."
"It’s something on the table now, I think, where the Ukrainians are really playing ball, and I think the ball is clearly in the Russian court now," Rutte said.
The comments contrast with remarks yesterday by Trump, who told reporters that it has been "harder" to negotiate with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy than Putin. Trump also accused Zelenskyy of derailing the peace talks.
Rutte declined to weigh in on what the specifics of a potential framework to end the war would look like, including whether Ukraine should agree to concede parts of its territory to Putin — a prospect American officials have signaled is likely.
However, he said talks in London have been effective, though top Trump officials notably pulled out of that meeting and warned that the United States is prepared to "move on" from negotiations if more progress isn't made.
Rutte told reporters he's confident the United States will remain a central figure in the push to end the war.
"I think when you look at the outcome of the meeting yesterday in London, we can be quite positive on where we are. So I’m not seeing a situation where the U.S. is walking. I’m seeing a situation where under President Trump’s leadership, this could be brought to a positive end, and that’s very important," he said.
Judge blocks Trump bid to halt federal funding for 'sanctuary' cities
A federal judge in California issued an injunction today blocking Trump’s efforts to halt federal funds from going to several cities and counties considered sanctuary jurisdictions.
“The challenged sections in the 2025 Executive Orders and the Bondi Directive that order executive agencies to withhold, freeze, or condition federal funding apportioned to localities by Congress, violate the Constitution’s separation of powers principles and the Spending Clause,” U.S. District Judge William Orrick wrote in his ruling, referring to Attorney General Pam Bondi.
“They also violate the Fifth Amendment to the extent they are unconstitutionally vague and violate due process,” while Trump’s executive orders “violate the Tenth Amendment because they impose coercive condition intended to commandeer local officials into enforcing federal immigration practices and law,” Orrick wrote.
Poll: Gen Z condemns Trump on inflation but sees personal finances improving more than older generations
New data on Gen Z indicates that young Americans are relatively rosy on the economy despite the issues facing their generation — but they are deeply divided when it comes to pressing societal issues, according to results from a new NBC News Stay Tuned Poll, powered by SurveyMonkey.
Three in 10 American adults under 30 say their personal financial situations have gotten worse compared with a year ago, and a similar 27% say their personal finances are better today. But while the second number may seem low, members of Gen Z were more likely than older generations to say their personal financial situations have gotten better over the last year. In comparison, only 18% of adults over 65 said their finances have gotten better over the last year.
Norwegian PM sidesteps question on whether Trump should be nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, who praised Trump for his administration's attempts to broker a ceasefire deal in the Russia-Ukraine war, sidestepped a question today about whether Trump deserves a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts.
"I was wondering whether you think that Donald Trump for his effort in Ukraine and otherwise deserves to be nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize," a reporter asked Støre at the White House today.
"I salute President Trump for having been taking very important initiatives to get this conflict towards an end which both parties deserve," Støre said. "We need to have a ceasefire, save lives, move towards something which is more secure for Europe, for the people concerned."
A smiling Trump added: "Thank you very much for that question. I like that question."
‘Trump 2028’ apparel on sale at the Trump Organization’s online store
The Trump Organization has begun selling red hats and shirts online with the slogan “Trump 2028” in white.
The hats, which sell for $50, include the description: “The future looks bright! Rewrite the rules with the Trump 2028 high crown hat. Fully embroidered with a snap closure in the back, this will become your new go-to hat.”
The shirts, at $36, also feature the phrase “Rewrite the Rules.”
Asked for comment, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt referred NBC News to the Trump Organization “since it’s their website,” adding, “but it’s a cool hat and I suspect it will be highly popular!”
The Trump Organization did not respond to a request for comment. Eric Trump, the president’s son and a top executive at the organization, posted a photo of himself wearing the hat alongside screenshots of emails from reporters asking about the merchandise.
Furor over Trump’s targeting of law firms heats up with court fight and ad campaign
A liberal group will launch a media campaign today targeting law firms that reached deals with Trump to avoid being targeted by executive orders as the deals come under intense scrutiny within the legal community and Trump’s orders face legal inquiries.
“Big law, stop bending the knee,” reads a poster from the “Big Law Cowards” campaign by the liberal nonprofit group Demand Justice. The group said the ads would be wheat-pasted strategically around Washington today near the locations of the firms that have reached deals with the administration. The group will also have a mobile billboard circulating with ads criticizing the firms, along with a broader digital campaign.
The judicial branch is pushing back against other executive orders targeting firms that didn’t reach deals with the Trump administration — and the firms that did make deals are managing both internal and the external fallout from their decisions.
Federal judge blocks portions of Trump executive order on elections
A federal judge in Washington today blocked the Election Assistance Commission from following through on two key portions of Trump’s executive order on election policies.
The EAC is temporarily blocked from taking any action to implement Section 2(a) of Trump’s order, which had required that within 30 days of the date of the order, the EAC must require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship in order for individuals to fill out a voter registration form, and also required a state or local official to record on the form details of that proof.
Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly has also blocked the Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of the Interior and Small Business Administration from assessing citizenship prior to providing a federal voter registration form to enrollees of public assistance programs.
Trump warns of sanctions threat if Russia fails to strike deal
Asked about placing sanctions on Russia, Trump says he would “rather answer that question in a week” but “things will happen” if a deal isn’t reached to end the war in Ukraine.
“I want to see if we can have a deal,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “No reason to answer it now, but I won’t be happy. Let me put it that way: Things will happen.”
The president said Washington is applying substantial pressure on Moscow, but said "it takes two to tango, and you have to have Ukraine want to make a deal, too.” Moscow, he said, has made meaningful concessions.
“Stopping the war, stopping taking the whole country — pretty big concession,” Trump said.
Federal judge pauses Education Department effort to end DEI in schools
A federal judge today directed the Department of Education to pause its enforcement of the anti-DEI initiatives it outlined in a February letter sent to schools that receive federal funding instructing educators to comply with anti-DEI teachings or risk losing their federal funding.
U.S. District Judge Landya McCafferty of the District of New Hampshire found three organizations that sued the Education Department over its anti-DEI orders — the National Education Association, its New Hampshire affiliate and the Center for Black Educator Development — were likely to prevail in the case because the department's demands violated their First Amendment rights.
“The 2025 letter targets speech based on viewpoint. … A professor runs afoul of the 2025 Letter if she expresses the view in her teaching that structural racism exists in America, but does not do so if she denies structural racism’s existence. That is textbook viewpoint discrimination,” McCafferty wrote in the order.
McCafferty’s preliminary injunction bars the Education Department and Education Secretary Linda McMahon from enforcing or implementing its February letter about DEI programs against the entities involved in the case.
“The ban on DEI embodied in the 2025 Letter leaves teachers with a Hobson’s choice. If they fail to abide by the ill-defined standards set forth in the letter, they leave themselves open to their school’s decision to terminate their employment or curb their work in order to preserve essential federal funding, public ostracization based on one person’s view of what ‘DEI’ is, or potential disciplinary proceedings that put their license at risk,” McCafferty wrote in the order.
“But even if they endeavor to abide by the 2025 Letter’s requirements, they risk failing to comply with certification requirements necessary for retention of their professional credentials,” McCafferty added.
Trump says the U.S. had a meeting with Chinese officials this morning
Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that U.S. officials met with Chinese officials today.
"They had a meeting this morning," he said during a press availability with the prime minister of Norway. "We've been meeting with China."
The president declined to provide additional details, though he suggested more will be revealed later.
Trump's remarks come after a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson denied that the U.S. and China had discussed tariffs after Trump told reporters yesterday the two countries were "actively" engaged in discussions.
The Chinese Embassy in the U.S. did not immediately return a request for comment on Trump's latest remarks.
Trump says he believes Putin is serious about securing a peace deal with Ukraine
Trump this morning said he thinks Russian President Vladimir Putin is serious about securing a peace deal with Ukraine as the U.S. continues working with both countries to broker an end to the three-year war.
"We are thinking very strongly that they both want peace but they have to get to the table," Trump said ahead of a luncheon with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre at the White House today.
"I think we’re going to get peace. I realized how many people were dying, that’s the most important element. Hope we’re going to get there," Trump said, adding that he has his "own deadline" for Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to come to an agreement.
The answer came after Trump slammed Putin in a Truth Social post this morning, saying he is "not happy" with Putin after Russia launched overnight strikes in Kyiv, where at least eight people were killed and over 70 were injured.
GOP secretary of state calls on Trump administration to pause decision to revoke TPS for Afghan Christians
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is calling on the Trump administration to pause a decision to revoke parole status for Afghan Christian refugees.
Raffensperger, a Republican who was among those Trump pressured in his effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election results, urged Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem in a letter yesterday to pause the decision to revoke the parole status for 90 days and consider granting them temporary protected status (TPS) or similar legal relief.
"These refugees, many of whom have already applied for asylum and possess documentation of lawful parole, face a credible threat of imprisonment torture, or death if returned to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan," he wrote in the letter.
Raffensperger wrote that many Afghans, including Christians, made their way to the U.S. in the wake of then-President Joe Biden's withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. He said many "risked their lives for religious freedom and democratic values in service of American forces in-country. These individuals eventually made their way to the United States via lawful channels."
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said that on March 21, Noem determined that Afghanistan "no longer continues to meet the statutory requirements for its TPS designation and so she terminated TPS for Afghanistan."
DHS didn't immediately respond to a request for comment about Raffensperger's letter.
TPS was designated by the Biden administration for people from Afghanistan through May 20. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters at the briefing Tuesday that the Trump administration was not ending TPS for Afghans "proactively."
"It expired," she said, saying that the Biden administration granted hundreds of thousands of people TPS, which she said is "not a permanent status in this country."
"If there are individuals here who came in through the Biden administration who want to claim asylum, there is a legal process to do that," she said. "Those cases will be adjudicated by a judge on a case-by-case basis. We have a legal immigration process in this country for a reason, and all this administration is trying to do is effectuate that."
Trump says he plans to meet with journalist who was added to Signal chat with administration officials
Trump said in a post on Truth Social that he would meet later today with The Atlantic magazine's top editor, Jeffrey Goldberg, and two other members of the publication's staff.
This comes weeks after Goldberg revealed in The Atlantic that he was added to a Signal messaging chat that contained information about upcoming military strikes in Yemen, which included several senior members of the administration like Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House national security adviser Mike Waltz.
"I am doing this interview out of curiosity, and as a competition with myself, just to see if it’s possible for The Atlantic to be 'truthful.' Are they capable of writing a fair story on 'TRUMP'? The way I look at it, what can be so bad — I WON!" the president added.
Trump expected to target ActBlue, a major Democratic fundraising platform
President Donald Trump will sign an executive order or memorandum today aimed at ActBlue, the leading Democratic fundraising platform, a senior White House official told NBC News.
The source said the action is related to how the platform verifies and reports its donors and users.
Politico was the first to report on the move.
ActBlue is the primary fundraising tool for Democratic candidates and, in many cases, the default donation option on Democratic campaign websites. It is widely considered one of the pillars of the party’s digital ecosystem.
Trump administration asks Supreme Court to allow transgender military ban
The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to allow it to enforce a ban on transgender service members in the military.
Solicitor General D. John Sauer filed an emergency application at the court seeking to block a nationwide injunction issued by a judge in Washington state.
He wrote in the court filing that the judge's injunction "cannot be squared with the substantial deference that the department's professional military judgements are owed."
The ban is similar to a policy Trump implemented in his first term, which the Supreme Court allowed to go into effect.
The policy "generally disqualifies from military service individuals who have gender dysphoria or have undergone medical interventions for gender dysphoria," Sauer wrote.
A separate case is ongoing in the District of Columbia, with the administration seeking to overturn a similar injunction.
DNC announces increased investment to all 50 state parties
The Democratic National Committee announced today it will send tens of thousands of dollars a month to every state party as part of an effort to bolster the party's standing in red areas across the country.
The DNC said it will spend more than $1 million a month on a program that will provide a regular, increased stipend for state parties.
The committee said it would send $17,500 a month to state parties in states controlled by Democrats (a 30% increase over the current allocations) and $22,500 to state parties in states controlled by Republicans (an increase of nearly 50%).
On a call with reporters, DNC Chair Ken Martin called the investment the organization’s “largest investment into Democratic state parties in the long history of this Democratic Party.” He said the investment would allow state parties “to invest in critical infrastructure and staffing, strengthen their data and tech operations, build on-the-ground organizing programs, and better prepare for upcoming election cycles, not just in the months ahead, but in the years to come.”
“We are sending a strong message that our party is building from the ground up, and we’re building everywhere,” Martin said. “There’s no such thing as a perpetual red state or a perpetual blue state, and my job is to prove that to be true — that we can keep the blue states blue, and we can make red states blue.”
Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton becomes the first to launch a bid for Dick Durbin’s Senate seat
Reporting from Chicago
And the race is officially on.
One day after longtime Sen. Dick Durbin announced he would retire and not seek re-election, Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton launched her bid for his seat.
She is the first to enter what Illinois Democrats are expecting to be a jam-packed field for a senatorial seat that hasn’t been vacant in nearly 30 years.
Stratton has served at JB Pritzker’s side since the billionaire businessman launched his bid for governor in 2017. In 2018, she became the first Black woman to hold the position of lieutenant governor in the state.
Zelenskyy says he believes a document with proposals from London peace talks is on Trump's desk
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said today that he believes a document containing proposals stemming from negotiations in London to resolve the Ukraine-Russia war is on Trump's desk.
“The United States of America proposed its vision. In London, there was an appropriate strategy that they proposed. Structurally, our team, the European team and representatives of the United States talked and the appropriate points appeared on paper. After the United States proposal, another document appeared," he said at a press conference with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa during a visit to the country.
“And I believe that today this format, this document, is on President Trump’s table. Anything that contradicts our values or our Constitution cannot be in any agreements," he said.
Zelenskyy didn't detail what the proposals entail. He said the meetings were attended by representatives from Ukraine, the U.S., France, the United Kingdom and Germany. The White House didn't immediately comment.
"Yesterday there was a conversation, difficult but constructive," Zelenskyy said. "It ended not with disagreements, but with a desire to work further. And the Russian Federation was counting on a big scandal. The Russian Federation does not like the union around Ukraine, because on its own we will be an easier target for them. Although, after three years of this war, we are strong enough."
This comes after Trump criticized Zelenskyy yesterday for making inflammatory statements that he said would do nothing but prolong the war.
Trump slams Russian President Vladimir Putin for overnight strikes in Kyiv
In a post on Truth Social this morning, Trump said he's "not happy" with Russia and Russian President Vladimir Putin for the overnight strikes in Kyiv, where at least eight people were killed and over 70 were injured.
"I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV. Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers a week are dying. Lets get the Peace Deal DONE!" Trump wrote.
Trump's statement comes as the U.S. is working with Russia and Ukraine to broker a peace deal to end the three-year war.
On Wednesday, Trump directed his ire at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, accusing him of derailing negotiations when a peace deal was "very close."
Attorney General Pam Bondi announces DOJ is cutting grants
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on X that the Justice Department has begun cutting grants to various organizations that she said are "wasteful."
She wrote that $2 million was cut for “national listening sessions of individuals with lived experience," $695,000 was cut for “a parallel convergent mixed-methods case study research design to assess the efficacy of police departments’ LGBTQ liaison services” and $250,000 was cut for “working with incarcerated transgender individuals providing gender affirming care to including housing in gender appropriate facilities."
“Grants for programs that do not align with the administration’s priorities were rescinded but this Department of Justice will continue to ensure that services for victims are not impacted and any recipient will have the ability to appeal and restore any grant if direct impact on victims can be thoroughly established," she said in a statement to NBC News.
Stacey Young, a former DOJ official who co-founded Justice Connection, a group dedicated to raising awareness about what’s happening at Trump’s DOJ, slammed the administration in a statement.
“This administration can’t claim to care about things like supporting crime victims, curbing gun violence, and reducing opioid deaths while slashing grants to entities that do the hard work to achieve these goals," she said.
Trump to participate in town hall marking his first 100 days
Trump is scheduled to participate in a town hall next Wednesday, April 30, on NewsNation to mark the first 100 days of his second term in the White House, according to the network.
Anchor Chris Cuomo will moderate the two-hour event, which will also include other members of the Trump administration such as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
"The town hall will be held in front of a live studio audience comprised of Democrats, Republicans, and Independent voters," the network said in a press release announcing the town hall.
What's on Trump's schedule today
Trump is scheduled to meet with the Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Støre for a lunch followed by a bilateral meeting this afternoon.
Later, he will sign executive orders in the Oval Office before departing for his golf club in Virginia to participate in a MAGA Inc. dinner.
Trump-appointed judge orders the return of a 20-year-old man deported to El Salvador
Maryland U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher issued an order yesterday requiring the Trump administration to facilitate the return to the U.S. of a 20-year-old Venezuelan man whom it deported to El Salvador.
The removal of the man, who is referred to by the pseudonym “Cristian” in court records, violated a previous court settlement from November 2024. He was part of a group of plaintiffs who sued the government in 2019, having come to the U.S. as an unaccompanied minor and later seeking asylum, according to the judge's memorandum opinion.
The filing said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed Cristian on March 15 — despite his pending asylum application — and he was sent to a prison in El Salvador.
Gallagher, who was appointed by Trump, wrote that the Trump administration removed the man "without adjudication of his asylum petition." She said the administration has "provided no evidence or even any specific allegations, as to how Cristian, or any other Class Member, poses a threat to public safety."
She referenced the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, saying that similar to the judge in that matter, "this Court will order Defendants to facilitate Cristian’s return to the United States so that he can receive the process he was entitled to under the parties’ binding Settlement Agreement."
"Facilitation includes, but is not limited to, a good faith request by Defendants to the government of El Salvador to release Cristian to U.S. custody for transport back to the United States," she wrote in the order.
The Trump administration, according to the judge's opinion, argues that Cristian's removal didn't violate the original settlement agreement because it designated him as an "alien enemy" using the Alien Enemies Act, and therefore he's no longer eligible for asylum.
The Department of Homeland Security and the White House didn't immediately return requests for comment.
Trump says the U.S. and China are ‘actively’ discussing tariffs. Beijing says that’s false.
China today directly contradicted President Donald Trump’s claims that Beijing and Washington are actively discussing resolutions to a trade war that threatens to upend the global economy.
While Trump said yesterday that the world’s two largest economies are “actively” talking, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson responded that “China and the U.S. have not engaged in any consultations or negotiations regarding tariffs, let alone reached an agreement.”
The spokesperson, Guo Jiakun, made the comments at a briefing in Beijing, saying that reports of ongoing talks were false. He added that while China is open to negotiations, “if it’s a fight, we will fight to the end.”
At 145%, Trump’s tariffs are higher on China than any other country. As he ratcheted up tariffs on Chinese goods in recent weeks, citing unfair trade practices, Beijing has responded in kind, bringing its total tariff on U.S. goods to 125% — levels that amount to a mutual trade embargo.
