The Latest: House passes bill to fund federal agencies through September — Senate prospects unclear

Here's the latest:

Trump elated over House passage of bill to avoid partial government shutdown

“Big WIN for Republicans, and America, tonight. Congratulations to ALL!!!” Trump posted on his social media platform.

The Republican-controlled House voted 217-213 to pass the bill to fund federal agencies through the end of the budget year in September. It now goes to the Senate, where bipartisan support will be needed to send it to Trump’s desk for his signature by late Friday.

House Republicans grumble after spending bill passes

While House Republicans unanimously supported a continuing resolution to fund the government through September, many GOP lawmakers bristled that spending was not slashed enough.

“It’s a bad bill now, but we were painted in the corner,” Rep. Rich McCormick of Georgia said. “We don’t have a better option right now. That’s the horrible thing about that.”

Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, an outspoken member of Freedom Caucus, said that he expects the White House “will come in with a relatively conservative number” on future budget proposals that would be more satisfying to fiscal hawks.

Republican senators warn the US cannot get ‘played’ by Russia as Trump pushes Ukraine to end the war

Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the former Republican leader, said on Tuesday that Ukraine’s victory and stability in Europe is “squarely in the interest of the United States.”

“Europe is our largest trading partner,” McConnell said. “Russia is a thuggish autocracy with an economy smaller than Italy’s. There is simply no equivalence.”

The remarks came as the Trump administration lifted its suspension of military aid and intelligence sharing for Ukraine, and Ukraine said it was open to a 30-day ceasefire in the war with Russia.

McConnell and Republican Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska joined Democrats to stress the consequences of abandoning Ukraine.

“People need to understand that Ukraine is a doormat to Europe,” Tillis said. “We have to step up and make sure that the American people know that it’s in our national interest to support Ukraine.”

Court asked to intervene after email tells USAID workers to destroy classified documents

A union for U.S. Agency for International Development contractors asked a federal judge Tuesday to intervene in any destruction of classified documents after an email ordered staffers to help burn and shred agency records.

A person familiar with the email who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal verified that it was sent to at least some essential personnel.

The email directed staffers to report to work starting Tuesday. “Shred as many documents first,” then stuff remaining classified material into designated bags for burning if the demand on the shredder becomes too great, the email instructed.

It was sent under the name of Erica Carr — the acting executive secretary at USAID — and bears a USAID logo.

▶ Read more about the email telling USAID staff to destroy classified documents

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Associated Press reporters Ellen Knickmeyer and Farnoush Amiri contributed reporting.

Trump announces US ambassador choices for Singapore and Tunisia

For Singapore, he has selected Anji Sinha.

Trump says Sinha is a “highly respected entrepreneur, with an incredible family” who will “strongly represent our Nation’s Interests, and put America First.”

For Tunisia, he has tapped Bill Bazzi, mayor of Dearborn Heights, Michigan.

Bazzi “worked hard during the 2024 Presidential Election to help us secure our Historic Victory, and I look forward to seeing the great things he will accomplish for our Nation,” Trump said. Bazzi is a former Marine who also held positions at Boeing Co. and Ford Motor Co. before he became mayor in January 2021.

The posts require U.S. Senate approval. Trump made the announcements on his social media platform.

Trump acknowledges Musk’s effort to slash federal spending has encountered ‘little hiccups’

“We had some little hiccups, not big hiccups, but we’ve saved a tremendous amount of money for the future,” Trump said at a business roundtable event in Washington.

Trump also continued to lower expectations for what Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency would ultimately save, a figure Musk first set at $2 trillion then later scaled back to $1 trillion.

“We saved a tremendous amount of money,” Trump says, referring to savings he credits Musk with identifying. “I don’t know if it’s going to reach a trillion, but it’s going to reach a lot.”

He also denounced escalating blowback that Musk has received for his work for Trump, including slumping sales and stock prices at Tesla.

“He shouldn’t be sacrificed or have to suffer because he wants to help government,” Trump said of the world’s richest man.

Education Department plans to lay off over 1,300 employees

The Education Department plans to lay off over 1,300 of its more than 4,000 employees as part of a reorganization that's seen as a prelude to Trump's plan to dismantle the agency.

The cuts announced by department officials raise questions about the agency’s ability to continue usual operations.

The department is also terminating leases on buildings in cities including New York, Boston, Chicago and Cleveland, said Rachel Oglesby, the department’s chief of staff. She said the changes would not affect the agency’s Office for Civil Rights or its functions mandated by Congress, such as the distribution of federal aid to schools.

The layoffs are part of a dramatic downsizing directed by Trump as he moves to reduce the footprint of the federal government.

▶ Read more about the planned Education Department layoffs

House passes bill to fund federal agencies through September, though prospects unclear in Senate

The House has passed legislation to avert a partial government shutdown and fund federal agencies through September, providing critical momentum as the measure now moves to the Senate, where bipartisan support will be needed to get it over the finish line.

Republicans needed overwhelming support from their members to pass the funding measure, and they got it in the 217-213 House vote.

The bill will need support from at least eight Democratic senators to get it to Trump’s desk.

▶ Read more about the funding measure

Another nonprofit sues over frozen ‘green bank’ funds

Power Forward Communities became the third nonprofit to sue Citibank in recent days, alleging the bank had improperly frozen its $2 billion award to finance climate-friendly housing projects.

The Biden administration awarded $14 billion to three nonprofits through the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, commonly called a green bank. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has criticized the program as rife with waste and Democratic self-dealing. The nonprofits have said their programs were closely vetted, congressionally authorized and are transparent.

Top Democrat on House Intelligence Committee hails resumption of intel sharing with Ukraine

U.S. Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut said the suspension by the Trump administration had been “unnecessary and unjust.”

“I am relieved that it was at least brief,” Himes said in a statement. “The Ukrainians did not start this war, so it comes as no surprise that they are willing to agree to a 30-day ceasefire.”

Judge won’t block Trump administration from ending payments for contracts with refugee resettlement program

A federal judge refused Tuesday to block the Trump administration from canceling or pausing payments for government contracts with the nation’s largest private refugee resettlement program.

Last month, U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden declined to order the administration to restore funding for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. In Tuesday's ruling, the judge denied the conference's request for a preliminary injunction.

McFadden said he can’t order the government to pay money due on a contract. The group is seeking “a purely contractual remedy” that must be resolved by the Court of Federal Claims, the judge concluded.

The bishops asked the judge to prohibit the U.S. State Department from enforcing a Jan. 24 suspension of millions of dollars in aid, saying it has affected nearly 7,000 newly arrived refugees. The conference is one of 10 national agencies that received program funds for refugee resettlement services.

Trump to honor Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles at White House in April

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the team “enthusiastically accepted” an invitation to visit on April 28.

Trump attended the first half of the Super Bowl in February, where the Eagles routed the Chiefs 40-22 to win Philadelphia's second championship.

Law firm sues over Trump’s order seeking to strip its attorneys of security clearances

Lawyers for Perkins Coie, which represented Democrat Hillary Clinton’s campaign in the 2016 presidential election, called the executive order signed by Trump an “affront to the Constitution and our adversarial system of justice.”

The firm is asking for a judge to strike down the president’s order as unconstitutional and prevent it from being implemented.

The firm made headlines over its hiring of a private investigative firm to research any ties between Trump and Russia.

In its lawsuit, lawyers for Perkins Coie noted the attorney who brokered that arrangement left the firm years ago. They call the order an act of retaliation that threatens to harm the law firm’s reputation and business and that illegally discriminates against the firm.

Trump buys a red Tesla after showroom comes to the White House

Trump bought a red Model S Tesla, fulfilling a pledge he made overnight on social media.

The president said he planned to pay for the vehicle by check instead of whipping out a credit card because he likes doing things the “old-fashioned way.”

Trump said he hopes the purchase will boost sales for Elon Musk’s company.

And will he take it for a test drive? “Maybe I’ll do it some other time,” Trump said.

House Democrats urge the Trump administration to investigate rising prices

U.S. Rep. Gerald Connolly of Virginia and some fellow Democrats are asking the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to “uphold their duty to protect American consumers from entities that may prey on them financially.”

In a letter to the bureau, the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice, Connolly asked the agencies to investigate price gouging and anticompetitive behavior on essential goods and services.

Connolly is the highest ranking Democrat on the Oversight Committee on Government Reform. U.S. Rep. Gerald Connolly of Virginia and some fellow Democrats are asking the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to “uphold their duty to protect American consumers from entities that may prey on them financially.”

In a letter to the bureau, the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice, Connolly asked the agencies to investigate price gouging and anticompetitive behavior on essential goods and services.

Connolly is the highest ranking Democrat on the Oversight Committee on Government Reform.

Trump ready to speak directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but says it ‘takes two to tango’

Trump also said he hopes the Russia-Ukraine ceasefire proposal can be solidified “over the next few days.”

“I know we have a big meeting with Russia tomorrow, and some great conversations hopefully will ensue,” Trump added.

Education Department buildings to shut down for ‘security reasons’

Employees are being ordered not to come to the office Wednesday.

A memo sent to staff Tuesday ordered them to be out of the Washington headquarters and regional offices by 6 p.m., and not to return until Thursday. Workers won’t be allowed in offices for any reason, the memo said.

It came from the department’s office of security, facilities and logistics.

The only explanation given for the closure was unspecified security reasons. A department spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions.

President Trump campaigned on a promise to shut down the department and turn over its power to states. New Education Secretary Linda McMahon told workers last week to prepare for cuts that will “profoundly impact staff, budgets and agency operations.”

Trump says he’s buying a Tesla for staff use since he’s not allowed to drive

Five Tesla vehicles, including a cybertruck, were lined up on the White House driveway after Trump said he’s buying one to show support for Elon Musk.

Musk owns Tesla and the company has taken a beating over his work through the Department of Government Efficiency to drastically cut federal spending and the workforce.

Musk showed up for the president’s appearance, though Trump said he had no idea that would happen.

Trump lavished praise on Musk, referring to the billionaire’s cost-cutting efforts when he told reporters, “we have to celebrate somebody that has the courage to do this.”

Trump said he would pay full price for the vehicle.

Trump cheers Ukraine agreeing to US ceasefire proposal

The president offered his first comments after his team and Ukrainian officials announced they’ve come to terms on a 30-day ceasefire agreement between Moscow and Kyiv.

The U.S. now needs to get the Kremlin to sign off.

“Now we have to go to Russia and ... hopefully President Putin, will agree to that also,” Trump said. “And we can get this show on the road.”

Ontario’s premier: ‘By no means are we just going to roll over’

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Tuesday afternoon that U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick called him and Ford agreed to remove the surcharge on electricity sold to the United States.

He said he was confident the U.S. president would also stand down on his own plans for 50% tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum.

“He has to bounce it off the president but I’m pretty confident he will pull back,” Ford said on Trump’s steel and aluminum tariff threat. “By no means are we just going to roll over. What we are going to do is have a constructive conversation.”

After a brutal stock market selloff Monday and further jitters Tuesday, Trump faces increased pressure to show he has a solid plan to grow the economy.

US national security adviser: Talks with Ukraine got into ‘substantive details’ of permanent peace deal

U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz spoke to reporters Tuesday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, after talks the U.S. said saw Ukraine agree to immediate negotiations with Russia and a 30-day ceasefire, contingent on Russia also stopping attacks.

Besides immediate steps, the talks addressed “substantive details on how this war is going to permanently end, what type of, guarantees they’re going to have for their long term security and prosperity,” Waltz said.

The Trump administration also agreed to end what had been a weeklong suspension of military aid to Ukraine.

Ukraine is ready to negotiate for a broader peace, Rubio says

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says Ukraine agreed to enter immediate negotiations for an “enduring and sustainable” end to the war with Russia.

“Ukrainians are ready to stop the fighting, they’re ready to stop the shooting, they’re ready to get to the table,” Rubio told reporters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The secretary had just finished several hours of talks that included U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and a Ukrainian delegation. The U.S. now takes the offer to Russia, Rubio said.

Trump administration to resume military aid to Ukraine and intelligence sharing

The Trump administration said Tuesday that it would immediately lift its suspension of military aid to Ukraine and its intelligence sharing with Kyiv, more than a week after imposing the measures to push Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to enter talks to end the war with invading Russian forces.

The announcement came at talks between Ukraine and the United States in Saudi Arabia. Ukraine also said it was open to a 30-day cease-fire in the war with Russia, subject to Kremlin agreement.

▶ Read more about the Russia-Ukraine war

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stops short of calling Canada a close ally of the US

“I think Canada is a neighbor. They are a partner. They have always been an ally,” Leavitt told the White House press corps during a briefing.

“Perhaps they are becoming a competitor now,” she said, especially in light of Trump’s announcement Tuesday to double his planned tariffs on steel and aluminum for Canada in an escalation of the trade war with the U.S.’s northern neighbor.

Leavitt continued to press Trump’s suggestion that Canada would be well served becoming the 51st state in the United States.

“He believes Canadians would benefit greatly from becoming the 51st state of the United States of America,” she said.

White House press secretary calls market volatility a ‘snapshot'

“We are in a period of economic transition … from the mess that was created by Joe Biden,” Leavitt said while speaking to reporters in the White House briefing room.

She was touting increases in the automotive industry while pointing to the high inflation that occurred during the early part of Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration.

“When it comes to the stock market, the numbers we see today, the numbers we saw yesterday, the numbers we will see tomorrow, are a snapshot in a moment in time,” she said, repeating Trump’s claim that the U.S. is entering “a golden age in American manufacturing.”

Leavitt did not mention that markets were higher in September, when Biden was nearing the end of his term in office.

University of Maine says USDA has paused funding during investigation into Title IX compliance

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said last month it initiated the compliance review in the wake of a disagreement between President Trump and Maine Democratic Gov. Janet Mills over the role of transgender girls in sports.

Trump signed an executive order designed to ban transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports. Trump characterized Maine as out of line with the order and told Mills “you’re not getting any federal funding” during a meeting with governors during the disagreement.

University of Maine officials said in a statement that federal funding is critical to its work supporting farmers, fishermen and foresters in the state. They said the university has complied with the USDA investigation and has been informed the funding pause is temporary until further notice.

Judge blocks federal cuts to a teacher training program

U.S. District Judge Myong Joun sided with eight states that sued to keep federal funding in place for a pair of teacher-training grants the Trump administration wants to slash.

The grants largely help bring teachers to rural districts, but California, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Wisconsin had argued that cutting the programs was illegal.

The Education Department had said the grants supported divisive ideologies.

Trump answers backlash against Musk by buying a Tesla

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said a Tesla is being brought to the White House for Trump.

The president announced in an overnight social media post that he was going to buy a car from Elon Musk’s company, which has faced sagging sales and declining stock prices as Musk slashes government jobs, programs and funding throughout the federal bureaucracy.

Leavitt said getting the new vehicle would be a “very exciting moment,” and that Trump would pay full market price.

House Speaker Mike Johnson says to give Trump’s economic policies ‘a chance’

Johnson suggested President Trump’s economic policies amounted to a “shake-up” in the short term that would eventually result in “repairing and restoring the American economy.”

Johnson was fielding reporters’ questions at the U.S. Capitol.

“Give the president a chance to have these policies play out,” he said.

Wall Street scrapes 10% below its record after Trump’s latest tariff threat worsens its sell-off

The S&P 500 earlier sank as much as 1.5% Tuesday before paring its loss to 1.4%, which put it 9.9% below its record. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 711 points, or 1.7%, as of 1:32 p.m. ET, and the Nasdaq composite was 1.2% lower.

The drops came after Trump said he would raise tariffs on steel and aluminum coming from Canada, doubling their planned increase to 50%. The president said it was a response to moves a Canadian province made after Trump began threatening tariffs on one of the United States' most important trading partners.

Canada incoming PM says he’ll keep tariffs in place until US shows respect and commit to free trade

Incoming Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Tuesday his government will keep tariffs in place until Americans show respect and commit to free trade after President Trump threatened historic financial devastation for Canada.

Carney, who’ll be sworn in as Justin Trudeau’s replacement in the coming days, said Trump’s latest tariffs are an attack on Canadian workers, families, and businesses.

“My government will ensure our response has maximum impact in the US and minimal impact here in Canada, while supporting the workers impacted,” Carney said.

Trump said Tuesday that he'll double his planned tariffs on steel and aluminum from 25% to 50% for Canada, escalating a trade war with the United States' northern neighbor and showing an indifference to recent stock market turmoil and rising recession risks.

▶ Read more about tariffs between the U.S. and Canada

Trump says a TikTok deal is in the works

In less than a month, TikTok could have one or a few new owners, be banned again, or simply receive another reprieve to continue operating in the United States.

Questions about the fate of the popular video sharing app have continued to linger since a law requiring its China-based parent company to divest or face a ban took effect Jan. 19. After taking office, President Trump gave TikTok a 75-day reprieve by signing an executive order that delayed enforcement of the statute until April 5.

As he returned to Washington from his Florida home Sunday, Trump told reporters a deal could come soon. He didn’t offer any details on the interested buyers, but said the administration was in talks with “four different groups” about TikTok.

“A lot of people want it and it’s up to me,” Trump said aboard Air Force One.

A TikTok spokesperson declined to comment.

▶ Read more about a possible deal on TikTok

Johnson is pleased with Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil’s arrest

House Speaker Mike Johnson is making his views clear about the arrest of the Palestinian activist, a former Columbia University graduate student who helped lead last spring’s protests against Israel.

Johnson said he was glad the United States has a president “who’s strong enough to lay down the law.”

“We’re going to arrest your tail,” Johnson said, referring to deporting certain international students in the U.S. on visas. “This is just getting started.”

More than 1.1 million people have unclaimed tax refunds from 2021

The Internal Revenue Service says more than $1 billion in refunds remain unclaimed by taxpayers who haven’t filed their 1040 forms for the 2021 tax year.

The IRS estimates the median refund amount to be about $781. In all, it estimates about 1.1 million people may have money owed to them.

Taxpayers who haven’t claimed their refunds for 2021 have until April 15 to submit their returns, the service says.

The EU says it will keep supporting Ukraine against Russia’s illegal invasion

The European Union plans to step up humanitarian aid to Ukraine when others pull back.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas’ speech at the U.N. on Tuesday was clearly aimed at Trump’s dismissive language about Europe, his massive cutbacks in aid to poor and conflict-torn countries, and his refusal to acknowledge that Russia invaded Ukraine.

“The EU will remain the U.N.’s reliable partner of choice,” Kallas said in defending the U.N.’s commitment to respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations.

While the Trump administration is eliminating 83% of the programs of its former aid agency — including to the U.N. — she said the EU will always support rising humanitarian needs, with almost 2 billion euros (about $2.16 billion) this year.

A White House official says they plan to appeal ruling that DOGE is subject to FOIA

The official says the Monday ruling finding DOGE is likely subject to public record law was based on a misunderstanding of DOGE’s placement in the federal government.

The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the case.

— Chris Megerian

A judge finds DOGE is subject to FOIA requests

Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency is likely covered by public records law and must begin complying with requests from a watchdog group, a federal judge found.

Judge Christopher Cooper rejected the Trump administration’s assertion that DOGE isn’t an agency subject to public-records requests because it's part of the White House.

In his ruling late Monday, Cooper cited social-media statements from Musk and President Trump as he found that DOGE likely does wield independent authority that makes it legally subject to the Freedom of Information Act.

The White House did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

Judge Cooper ordered DOGE to start responding to requests about the team’s role in mass firings and disruptions to federal programs filed by the group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.

US hasn’t determined who was behind attack that caused outage on Trump adviser Musk’s social site X

That’s according to a Trump administration official familiar with the ongoing investigation into the matter.

Monday’s outage was described as a cyberattack by the official, who wasn’t authorized to comment publicly on the matter and spoke Tuesday on the condition of anonymity. The official added that the Republican administration takes all cyberattacks against American companies seriously but underscored that the U.S. government had not gleaned any specific intelligence about who might have been behind the attack.

The comments came after Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X and a top adviser to Trump, claimed in an appearance on Fox Business Network's "Kudlow" show that the cyberattackers had "IP addresses originating in the Ukraine area" without going into detail on what that might mean.

Cybersecurity experts quickly pointed out, however, that this doesn’t necessarily mean the attack originated in Ukraine.

▶ Read more about the apparent cyber attack against X

— Aamer Madhani and Zeke Miller

Trump doubles planned tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum to 50% as trade war intensifies

Trump says the increase of the tariffs set to take effect Wednesday is a response to the price increases the provincial government of Ontario put on electricity sold to the United States.

“I have instructed my Secretary of Commerce to add an ADDITIONAL 25% Tariff, to 50%, on all STEEL and ALUMINUM COMING INTO THE UNITED STATES FROM CANADA, ONE OF THE HIGHEST TARIFFING NATIONS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD,” Trump posted Tuesday on Truth Social.

The U.S. stock market promptly fell following the social media post.

Trump slump: Can the president restore trust in his economic plans after his tariffs create fear?

After a brutal stock market selloff because of his tariff threats, President Trump faces pressure Tuesday to show he has a legitimate plan to grow the economy instead of perhaps pushing it into a recession.

Trump was set to deliver an afternoon address to the Business Roundtable, a trade association of CEOs that during the 2024 campaign he wooed with the promise of lower corporate tax rates for domestic manufacturers. But his plans for tariffs on Canada, Mexico, China, steel and aluminum — with more to possibly come on Europe, Brazil, South Korea, pharmaceutical drugs, copper, lumber and computer chips — would amount to a massive tax hike.

The stock market’s vote of no confidence over the past two weeks puts the president in a bind between his enthusiasm for taxing imports and his brand as a politician who understands business based on his own experiences in real estate, media and marketing.

▶ Read more about Trump's effect on the economy

Wall Street’s sell-off is slowing, for now at least

That follows a scary stretch where worries about the economy and tariffs sent it close to 9% below its all-time high.

The S&P 500 was down 0.3% in early trading. While still a loss, such a modest move would be a respite after the main measure of Wall Street's health swung by at least 1%, up or down, seven times in the last eight days.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 202 points, or 0.5%, as of 9:35 a.m. ET. A day earlier, it had been down more than 1,100 points at one point. The Nasdaq composite was virtually unchanged.

Several Big Tech stocks held steadier after getting walloped in recent months. Elon Musk's Tesla rose 1.1%, for example. President Trump even said he would buy a Tesla in a show of support for "Elon's 'baby.' "

▶ Read more about the financial markets

Polls open in Greenland for parliamentary elections as Trump seeks control of the strategic island

The self-governing region of Denmark is home to 56,000 people, most from Indigenous Inuit backgrounds, and occupies a strategic North Atlantic location. It also contains rare earth minerals key to driving the global economy.

Unofficial election results should be available soon after polls close at 2200 GMT Tuesday, but they won’t be certified for weeks as ballot papers make their way to the capital from remote settlements by boat, plane and helicopter.

While the Arctic island has been on a path toward independence since at least 2009, a break from Denmark isn't on the ballot even though it's on everyone's mind. Voters on Tuesday will instead elect 31 lawmakers who'll shape the island's debate on when and if to declare independence in the future.

▶ Read more about Greenland's elections

White House cautious about what's ahead in Syria after clashes

The White House is circumspect about the prospects for a peaceful Syria after clashes erupted last week that left hundreds dead.

Monitoring groups say hundreds of civilians were killed in the clashes that broke out last week. Revenge attacks primarily targeted members of the Alawite religious minority to which the ousted Syrian leader Basher Assad belongs.

White House National Security Council spokesperson James Hewitt said Tuesday that the attacks on religious minorities has raised concerns in the administration “about whether Syria’s interim governing authorities are ready to include a religiously and ethnically diverse population, and whether the interim authorities even have the legitimacy to do so.”

Syria’s interim government signed a deal Monday with the Kurdish-led authority that controls the country’s northeast, including a ceasefire and the merging of the main U.S.-backed force there into the Syrian army.

Republicans are marching ahead with a government funding bill despite Democratic opposition

Republicans will face a critical test of their unity when the spending bill that would avoid a partial government shutdown and keep federal agencies funded through September comes up for a vote.

Speaker Mike Johnson is teeing up the bill for a vote as soon as Tuesday despite the lack of buy-in from Democrats, essentially daring them to oppose it and risk a shutdown that would begin Saturday if lawmakers fail to act.

Republicans will need overwhelming support from their members in both chambers — and some help from Senate Democrats — to get the bill to President Trump's desk. It's one of the biggest legislative tests so far of the Republican president's second term.

“The CR will pass,” Johnson told reporters Monday, using Washington shorthand to describe the continuing resolution. “No one wants to shut the government down. We are governing, doing the responsible thing as Republicans. It’s going to be up to Chuck Schumer and the Senate Democrats to do the right thing.”

▶ Read more about the spending bill in Congress

Trump to speak to business leaders amid market turmoil over tariffs

The president stayed away from the cameras during Mondays sell-off on Wall Street, driven by concerns over his trade war and the reverberations it will cause the global economy.

Trump will get a chance to say his piece when he visits with the Business Roundtable, a group of CEOs from leading American companies, later Tuesday.

Homeland Security overhauls its asylum phone app. Now it’s for ‘self-deportation’

The Trump administration has unveiled an overhauled cellphone app once used to let migrants apply for asylum, turning it into a system that allows people living illegally in the U.S. to say they want to leave the country voluntarily.

The renamed app, announced Monday and now called CBP Home, is part of the administration's campaign to encourage "self-deportations, " touted as an easy and cost-effective way to nudge along Trump's push to deport millions of immigrants without legal status.

Moments after Trump took office, the earlier version of the app, CBP One, stopped allowing migrants to apply for asylum, and tens of thousands of border appointments were canceled.

More than 900,000 people were allowed in the country on immigration parole under CBP One, generally for two years, starting in January 2023.

The Trump administration has repeatedly urged migrants in the country illegally to leave.

▶ Read more about the new CPB app

Trump calls on Republicans to primary Rep. Thomas Massie

Massie, the hardline conservative from Kentucky, has raised Trump's ire by opposing a Republican push for a spending bill that would avoid a partial government shutdown and keep federal agencies funded through September.

Trump went after Massie on social media, calling him a “GRANDSTANDER, who’s too much trouble.”

“HE SHOULD BE PRIMARIED, and I will lead the charge against him,” Trump says.

Massie said he opposes the short-term spending bill because it maintains federal funding without considering budget cuts that reflect the “waste fraud and abuse” in government spending DOGE has uncovered.

“Someone thinks they can control my voting card by threatening my re-election,” Massie added on X. “Guess what? Doesn’t work on me.”

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Credit: AP