Trump 2nd term live updates: US plan will not return Palestinians to Gaza, Trump says

Key Takeaways:

• The Trump administration plans to impose 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.
• Acting CFPB Director Russ Vought has closed the agency and halted staff work, leading to legal challenges.
• President Trump proposes that Palestinians will not return to Gaza and suggests building new communities.
• Legal actions have been filed against the CFPB’s potential dismantling.
• Trump is scheduled to meet with Jordan’s King Abdullah II amid these developments.

Trump Administration to Impose 25% Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum Imports

As President Donald Trump’s second administration continues its efforts to swiftly reshape the federal government, the president is expected early this week to discuss imposing 25% tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum. This duty arrives amid a flurry of trade-related announcements that have applied pressure to some of America’s biggest trading partners, including China, Mexico, and Canada.

The proposed tariffs signify a bold move aimed at protecting domestic industries but have raised concerns about potential retaliation from affected nations and the impact on global trade relations.

CFPB Operations Halted Under Acting Director Russ Vought

Russ Vought, the new acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), sent an email to staff Monday morning reminding them that the agency’s Washington, D.C., bureau will be closed all week. He instructed employees, “Please do not perform any work tasks,” according to an email obtained by ABC News.

“As you have been informed by the Chief Operating Officer in an email yesterday, the Bureau’s DC headquarters building is closed this week,” the email reads. The sudden halt in operations has sparked speculation about the potential dismantling of the CFPB and its future role in overseeing consumer financial protections.

Legal Challenges Filed Against CFPB Actions

In response to the CFPB’s abrupt closure, the National Treasury Employees Union filed two lawsuits overnight against acting director Russell Vought. One lawsuit alleges that Vought’s efforts to halt the CFPB’s supervision and enforcement work overstepped the authority of the executive branch, arguing that only Congress, which created the CFPB in the wake of the Great Recession, has the authority to dissolve the agency.

The second lawsuit contends that the Department of Government Efficiency’s access to CFPB records violates federal law that protects the security of sensitive records maintained by the agency. These legal challenges highlight tensions between the administration’s actions and established legal frameworks governing federal agencies.

Trump Proposes New Plan for Palestinians in Gaza

In a newly released clip from an interview with Fox News host Bret Baier, President Trump stated that Palestinians would not have the right to return to Gaza as he laid out his proposal for the U.S. to “own” Gaza.

“We’ll build beautiful communities for the 1.9 million people,” Trump said. “Safe communities, could be five, six, could be two, but we’ll build safe communities a little bit away from where they are, where all of this danger is. In the meantime, I would own this. Think of it as a real estate development for the future.”

When asked directly if Palestinians would have the right to return, Trump replied, “No, they wouldn’t, because they’re going to have much better housing, much better—in other words, I’m talking about building a permanent place for them, because if they have to return now, it will be years before you could ever—it’s not habitable. It will be years before it could happen.”

This proposal marks a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and has potential implications for regional stability.

Upcoming Meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah II

President Trump is set to meet with Jordan’s King Abdullah II at the White House on Tuesday. Jordan remains steadfast against the proposal to take in more Palestinians, and the meeting is expected to address these and other regional concerns.

Trump remarked, “I think I could make a deal with Jordan, I think I could make a deal with Egypt, you know, we give them billions and billions of dollars a year.” The outcome of this diplomatic engagement could influence the reception of his proposals in the Middle East.

President’s Schedule Includes Signing Executive Orders

The White House released President Trump’s schedule for Monday, noting that he will have no public events but will receive an intelligence briefing at 11 a.m. ET. At 1 p.m. ET, he is set to sign executive orders in the Oval Office. Details of these orders have not been disclosed, adding to the anticipation surrounding the administration’s next moves.

Each development underscores the Trump administration’s assertive approach to both domestic governance and foreign policy, signaling a period of significant change and prompting close attention from allies and critics alike.