Live updates: Federal funding freeze; 1st White House press briefing; buyouts
President Donald Trump's first week in office was a whirlwind of executive orders and actions as part of his mission to follow through on campaign promises, such as securing the border and removing diversity, equity and inclusion practices from federal offices.
The Trump administration brought about more sweeping changes early this week, including military orders and a pause in federal funding, as the president moves into his second week in office. Confirmation hearings with the Senate also continue.
Here’s the latest:
Federal worker buyout offer
6 p.m. ET - The White House on Tuesday began offering buyouts worth eight months of salary to all federal employees who opt to leave their jobs by Feb. 6. The offer comes as part of a mandate by President Trump that all government workers return to the office in-person.
"If you choose not to continue in your current role in the federal workforce, we thank you for your service to your country," the Office of Personnel Management memo says, according to AP.
Executive order on gender transitions
5:05 p.m. ET - The White House says President Trump signed an executive order aimed at curtailing gender transitions for people under age 19.
"It is the policy of the United States that it will not fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support the so-called 'transition' of a child from one sex to another, and it will rigorously enforce all laws that prohibit or limit these destructive and life-altering procedures," Trump said in a statement released Tuesday afternoon.
RELATED: Trump signs order limiting gender transitions for minors
Judge blocks funding freeze
4:55 p.m. ET - A federal judge has temporarily blocked a Trump administration freeze on federal grants and loans that could total trillions of dollars.
The AP reports that U.S. District Judge Loren L. AliKhan blocked the action Tuesday afternoon, minutes before it was set to go into effect. The administrative stay pauses the freeze until Monday.
Medicaid portal outage
2:56 p.m. ET - White House Press Secretary Leavitt Leavitt said the website states use to get Medicaid payments from the federal government is down.
The outage, which occurred just after the White House ordered a pause on federal grants, raises concerns that billions in Medicaid funding would be cut off.
Leavitt said "no payments have been affected" and "the portal will be back online shortly."
Medicaid access appears interrupted
2:30 p.m. ET - The White House subsequently said Medicaid wouldn’t be affected by the federal funding freeze, but states’ Medicaid portals appeared to be down Tuesday afternoon.
Senator Ron Wyden claimed Medicaid portals were down in all 50 states due to Trump's federal funding freeze.
READ MORE: Medicaid access paused by federal funding freeze, states say
Federal funding freeze update
1:23 p.m. ET - White House Press Secretary Leavitt said the federal grant freeze on federal aid won’t affect people directly receiving aid, but was less clear about what will happen to those who get indirect aid — through their states, other organizations or many other ways.
And while Leavitt said beneficiaries of programs like Social Security and Medicare would not be affected, she did not say Medicaid wouldn’t be affected.
Pressed on Medicaid payments being cut off to individuals, Leavitt said "I’ll check back on that."
READ MORE: Is FAFSA paused? What we know about federal loan freeze
Trump says NJ drones ‘weren’t the enemy’
1:20 p.m. ET - White House Press Secretary Leavitt delivered an update on the New Jersey drones from Trump.
"After research and study, the drones that were flying over New Jersey in large numbers were authorized to be flown by the FAA for research and various other reasons. Many of these drones were also hobbyists, recreational and private individuals that enjoy flying drones. In time, it got worse due to curiosity. This was not the enemy," she read, in what she said was a direct statement from Trump.
READ MORE: Trump's update on NJ drones: 'This was not the enemy'
‘New media program’ announced
1:15 p.m. ET - White House Press Secretary Leavitt announced the New Media Program during her first press briefing, which will welcome independent journalists, podcasters, social media influencers and content creators to apply for press credentials to cover the White House.
She said new media members were in the room today from Axios and Breitbart.
Trump and Netanyahu to meet
1:12 p.m. ET - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says President Trump has invited him to visit the White House on Feb. 4.
This will make Netanyahu the first foreign leader to visit Washington in Trump’s second term.
The visit comes as the United States is pressuring Israel and Hamas to continue a ceasefire that has paused a devastating 15-month war in Gaza.
1st White House press briefing Tuesday
1 p.m. ET - The first White House press briefing under the new Trump administration began at the helm of the youngest press secretary ever, Karoline Leavitt.
Leavitt, 27, said that she plans to hold briefings frequently and that Trump would be available to reporters for questions.
"I can assure you that you’ll be hearing from both him and me as much as possible," she said.
Senate confirmations latest
12:42 p.m. ET - Sean Duffy is confirmed as transportation secretary, a key role in helping Trump cut regulations and fix infrastructure.
Duffy has promised safer Boeing planes, less regulation and help for U.S. companies developing self-driving cars — while not giving any breaks to Elon Musk, a key player in that technology.
Federal funding freeze
US President Donald Trump looks on after delivering remarks at the House Republican Members Conference Dinner at Trump National Doral Miami, in Miami, Florida on January 27, 2025. (Photo by Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)
8:30 a.m. ET - Trump is pausing federal loans and grants as his administration reviews spending.
Even grants that have been awarded but not spent are supposed to be halted. It’s unclear how sweeping the pause will be.
The pause takes effect at 5 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday.
READ MORE: Trump's funding freeze explained
Google Maps Gulf of Mexico
7:45 a.m. ET - Google Maps will show 'Gulf of America,' 'Mount McKinley' after government updates.
The company said Monday that it will only make changes when the government updates its official listings for the body of water and the mountain.
READ MORE: Google Maps will show 'Gulf of America,' 'Mount McKinley' after government updates
Military transgender order
11 p.m. ET (Monday) - Trump directs the Pentagon to come up with transgender troop policy that likely sets in motion a future ban on their service.
Other new military orders signed would roll back diversity programs, create a space-based missile defense system and reinstate troops booted for refusing COVID-19 vaccines.
The Source: Information in this article was taken from The White House schedule for Jan. 28, 2025. Background information was taken from The Associated Press. This story was reported from Detroit.