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:
Senate advances RFK Jr.’s nomination to final vote
The Senate voted Wednesday to advance Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination to serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services by a vote 53-47 vote.
All Republicans voted in favor of moving forward with the nomination and all Democrats voted against it.
Having now cleared this procedural hurdle, Kennedy’s nomination is expected to come up for a final vote in the Senate around 7 a.m. Thursday. He is expected to be confirmed.
-ABC News’ Allison Pecorin
Putin agrees with Trump that a settlement in Ukraine can be negotiated
Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed.
Putin agreed with Trump that a long-term settlement in Ukraine can be achieved through negotiations, Peskov said.
The two leaders spoke for about an hour and a half, Peskov said.
Putin and Trump discussed the Middle East settlement and bilateral relations between Russia and the U.S., he said. They also agreed to organize a personal meeting, Peskov said.
Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke for about an hour early Wednesday afternoon, Zelenskyy’s spokesperson told ABC News.
McConnell explains opposition to Gabbard, says she’s demonstrated ‘alarming lapses in judgment’
Sen. Mitch McConnell, the lone Republican to cast a vote against Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination to serve as director of national intelligence, said in a statement that Gabbard “failed to demonstrate” that she was prepared to take on the job.
He added that Gabbard has had “alarming lapses in judgment” during her career.
