President Donald Trump called on Russia and Ukraine to meet and work toward a peace deal Friday.

In comments posted on social media Friday, President Trump said he believes a deal between the two countries is close.

"Success seems to be in the future" he wrote, and later in the day: "They are very close to a deal, and the two sides should now meet, at very high levels, to 'finish it off.' Most of the major points are agreed to. Stop the bloodshed, NOW."

On Friday, special U.S. envoy to Russia Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

An official did not comment on specifics of the meeting, but said "it's long past time for the death and destruction to stop. To move past the failed strategies of the past and for an end to this devastating conflict."

The Associated Press reports the meeting lasted for about three hours and focused the potential for direct talks between Russia and Ukraine.

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President Trump on Friday articulated new goals for the peace effort.

"We're going to try and get out of war so that we can save 5,000 people a week. And that's what my aim is. I want to save 5,000 young men. They happen to be mostly Ukrainian, Russian, 5,000 young Ukrainian and Russian men," he told reporters.

But in new comments to Time Magazine published Friday, President Trump said "Crimea will stay with Russia."

Ukrainian officials say a plan reportedly proposed by the U.S. to officially recognize Russian control of Crimea is unacceptable.

And the president has recently re-upped public criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over a minerals deal that was the focus of a contentious White House meeting earlier this year.

The Trump administration warned that it may move on to other priorities if it determines its not possible to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.

The new tone towards efforts to reach a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine as US officials have met with each side, comes after Sec. of State Marco Rubio presented a peace proposal to Ukrainian and Russian officials.

"We need to figure out here now within a matter of days whether this is doable in the short term because if it's not, then I think we're just going to move on from our perspective. The president feels very strongly about that, Sec. of State Marco Rubio said, following talks in Paris with European and Ukrainian officials and a call with his Russian counterpart.

President Trump later said Rubio was right in saying they wanted to see the war end.

If for some reason one of the two parties makes it very difficult, we're just going to say, you're foolish, you're fools, you are horrible people, and we are going to just take a pass. But hopefully, we won't have to do that, Trump said.

Rubio described the proposal as a broad framework.

Its a framework that gets us into a position to see, look, there are going to be differences; theres no, no ones saying this can be done in 12 hours. But we want to see how far apart it is and whether those differences are, can even be narrowed, if its even possible to get movement within the period of time we have in mind, Rubio said.

Trump would not say whether he was prepared to walk away from his efforts entirely, offer a specific timeline or whether he would continue to support Ukraine militarily if the US did take a pass.

Well, I'm not going to say that. because I think we're going to get it done, he said.

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Experts in the region continued to warn about Russian intent.

If Putin doesn't come off his maximalist position, and we say we're done trying to make a peace, if then we have two ways we can go forward. We can continue to supply Ukraine as they fight Russia. That would be not the best, but an acceptable solution. I think we all want a peace, but we want a just peace, not a Russian peace, said retired General Philip Breedlove, former Supreme Allied Commander Europe. If we stop trying to get a peace, and then our reaction is, we are also going to stop supplying Ukraine, then that is a tantamount to joining the Russian position for an unjust peace, and that would be a very bad outcome."

Breedlove said the principles that we have on one side a war criminal leading an immoral, illegal and inhumane war, and that war was completely contrived by Mr. Putin, should be a guiding factor to ending war in Ukraine, noted a program of maximum pressure on Ukraine but one of maximum accommodation for Russia, and that Russia has no intention of cooperating should be remembered in bargaining.

While the administration has pursued a maritime and energy infrastructure ceasefire, Russia has yet to agree to a full ceasefire as Ukraine indicated it was willing to do.

The things that Russia can't get accomplished in this war they are asking the United States to do for them, Breedlove said.

Trump has appeared to grow more frustrated.

Trump over the past several weeks said Russia faced a psychological deadline to agree to a ceasefire, threatened secondary sanctions on Russian oil and said Russia has to get moving.

We need the fighting to stop, the killing to stop, and we need both sides, everybody, to step up and agree to peace. I think you've seen the Ukrainians in real time. They have agreed to a ceasefire with really no conditions, and now you're seeing the Russians dragging their feet. And I think, you know, President Trump and I know Secretary Rubio are becoming a little frustrated about it, and Secretary Rubio said, we don't want to have negotiations on negotiations. We want an agreement that ends the killing, and then we can get to an enduring peace. And I think that's the most important thing, US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker told Scripps News Monday.

RELATED STORY | Ambassador Matthew Whitaker explains the US' priorities for NATO

Finding a solution for peace has been a significant effort for the administration in Trumps second term, after he promised to end the war during his election bid while criticizing the amount of money the US had spent on Ukraines defense and calling for Europe to do more. On the campaign trail, Trump said he would settle the war before he took office. Once in the Oval Office, he sought dialogue with both Ukraine and the Russians, but softened the US tone towards Russian President Vladimir Putin, avoiding blaming him for the war, while increasing criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

I think the administration is finding out it's much harder to reach a deal to end this war than maybe they bargained for. That's probably not surprising to anyone who follows the war in Ukraine closely, unfortunately, and really there's, there's one party to blame here, and it's Russia. Russia does not have an interest in reaching an expeditious end to this war, said David Salvo, managing director for the Alliance for Securing Democracy at the German Marshall Fund.

To the administration's credit, it understands that Russia is clearly stalling here, and that's good. This is not just Ukraine's fault, in their mind, but I am still worried at the end of the day, it will look for excuses to blame both sides if a deal falls apart, rather than the clear party that's guilty, added Salvo.

Friday afternoon, when asked if Putin was stalling, Trump told reporters Im going to let you know about that soon, if he is, but I hope not, but maintained that nobodys playing anybody, reiterating that he believes they have a really good chance of getting it done.

You have to wonder about the party across the table acting in good faith, said Catherine Sendak, the director of transatlantic defense and Security at the Center for European Policy Analysis.

Sendak was hopeful that Rubio, Witkoff and others understand perhaps some hard talk on the willingness of all the participants obviously Russia being the most critical, to act in good faith and really have hard conversations about what this could look like.

Special envoy Steve Witkoff, who has become a key negotiator in the Trump administration, has met with Putin multiple times amidst the efforts to find an end to the war. Witkoff told Fox News Channels Sean Hannity earlier in the week following an engagement with the Russians that they came up with what Putins request is to have a permanent peace here. So beyond the ceasefire we got an answer to that.

This peace deal is about these so called five territories but theres so much more to it. Theres security protocols, theres you know no NATO, NATO, article five, its just a lot of detail attached to it. Its a complicated situation rooted in some real problematic things happening between the two countries and I think we might be on the verge of something that would be very very important for the world at large, Witkoff told Hannity.

Zelenskyy has described redlines as recognizing its occupied territories as Russian, and shared that they are not looking to discuss territory until a ceasefire is reached.

Also I believe that Mr. Witkoff has taken on the strategy of the Russian side. I think it is very dangerous, because he is consciously or unconsciously, I don't know, spreading Russian narratives. In any case, it does not help, the Ukrainian leader said Thursday prior to Rubios comments.

Whats dangerous is that former-clown Zelenskyy is spending his time slandering Ambassador Witkoff, who is trying to end the war and save Ukrainian lives, instead of thanking President Trump for the weapons that allowed Ukraine to still exist today. While Zelenskyy throws tomatoes, the adults will continue trying to achieve peace, a senior administration official said in response to Zelenskyys comments.

Bloomberg reported the proposal would ease sanctions on Russia and leave Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia under Russias control, that Ukrainian NATO membership would be off the table, citing European officials familiar with the matter, who also underscored security guarantees. Scripps News did not independently verify the report.

Obviously, the term security guarantees came up because they come up in every meeting. Weve heard about it. And its not an illegitimate desire. Every sovereign nation on Earth has a right to defend itself. Ukraine will have a right to defend itself and to enter into whatever agreements it wants to enter into on a bilateral basis with different countries and so forth, Rubio said, but noted they are not working to that level of specifics yet.

The terms are in some way familiar for those watching what Team Trump has been saying for months, which is the lines of control now would be roughly the lines of the general ceasefire and of course that requires concessions by Ukraine, territory which is now in Russian hands, said former US ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst, who is also the senior director of the Eurasia Center at the Atlantic Council. The terms are yet more favorable for the Kremlin which has been the pattern weve seen over the past 6 to 9 weeks but still since Putins aim remains to take control of Ukraine and since the White House has been so accommodating maybe Putin wants more."

RELATED STORY | Trump 'angry' with Putin, vows tougher stance if Ukraine ceasefire talks fail

Following the talks in Paris on Ukraine between Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and officials from France, the UK and Ukraine, parties agreed to continue discussions next week in London, according to a European official.

At the same time, the US has continued to pursue a critical minerals deal with Ukraine, the countries signing a memorandum of intent this week for a reconstruction investment fund.

President Trump has said that the time to get this done is now, and we are moving with all deliberate speed towards this end. This pledge from both countries demonstrates our commitment to finalizing this economic partnership for both the Ukrainian and American people, a Treasury department spokesperson said.

I thought there were some real positives laid out there. Now well see if the deal ends up finalizing said Sendak. Theres some good stuff in there about collaboration, cooperation, making sure no critical minerals deal would impeded any kind of EU accession for Ukraine in the future.

Trump indicated a deal could be signed potentially next week.

U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to the White House on Thursday, highlighting his ongoing stance on tariffs amidst a desire to foster stronger trade relations.

Meloni, who is the first European leader to meet with Trump since his administration unveiled a reciprocal trade agenda, is perceived as a vital conduit to the European Union. During their discussions, she expressed her ambition to "make the West great again," echoing Trumps signature slogan while emphasizing Italys need for increased liquefied natural gas imports.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING | Read the full list of countries facing Trump's reciprocal tariffs

Although Meloni previously voiced opposition to Trumps tariffs, she reiterated her goal of fostering dialogue and collaboration during their meeting. She extended an invitation for Trump to visit Italy and offered to facilitate a meeting with European officials to bolster their discussions further.

In a notable development, Trump announced plans for a trade deal with the European Union, stating, Oh, there will be a trade deal... very much. Meloni supported this vision, asserting confidence in reaching an agreement, saying, Im sure we can make a deal and Im here to help on that.

WATCH | Trump and Meloni meet in Oval Office

Trump and Italy's Meloni meet at White House

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During a cabinet meeting earlier, Trump indicated his expectation for Italy and the EU to emerge as loyal trade partners. He has been vocal about navigating tariffs and non-tariff barriers as part of his administrations trade strategies.

Both leaders' remarks reflect a keen awareness of the geopolitical and economic landscape, particularly in light of past tensions with the EU over trade issues and tariffs, which Trump has often criticized.

Recently, Meloni was in contact with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, hinting at collaborative efforts between the U.S. and Europe. As a sign of a potential thaw in relations, the EU has paused countermeasures in response to Trumps enacted 90-day halt on reciprocal tariffs.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | President Trumps tariff pause prompts EU to hold back on countermeasures

However, as Trump seeks to solidify trade deals with various nations, including Japan, Vietnam, and South Korea, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell has raised alarms about potential economic impacts, warning of rising prices and slower growth due to the existing tariffs.

Addressing these concerns directly, Trump expressed frustration with Powell, stating, If I want him out, hell be out, signaling tension regarding the Federal Reserves independent operations.

As eyes turn toward the implications of this meeting, both Trump and Meloni's willingness to negotiate suggests a determined effort to enhance transatlantic trade partnerships.

This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

The White House Friday touted President Donald Trump's sweeping new tariff policy, as markets fell sharply for a second straight day.

Officials said they believe that the new trade agenda will ultimately have medium and long term benefits. A senior administration official said the White House is analyzing the effects not just day to day, but also month to month and year to year. The administration also characterized stock performance as a "snapshot in time."

President Trump believes the tariffs will lead to a boost in production and revenue in the long run, as well as more investments. He wrote on social media that "this is a great time to get rich."

But some economic experts are warning of inflation projections, equating a tariff to a tax on consumers.

Despite Trump urging Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to cut interest rates, Powell Friday warned that tariffs could "generate at least a temporary rise in inflation."

"While uncertainty remains elevated, it is now becoming clear that tariff increases will be significantly larger than expected. And the same is likely to be true of economic effects, which will include higher inflation and slower growth," Powell said.

Countries across the world are also closely watching tariff actions, while some are taking countermeasures. China, for instance, enacted a reciprocal 34% tariff on U.S. imports. Canada is also taking steps.

Others are looking to talk. A senior administration official said many countries have reached out to Trump, indicating he talked with the leader in Vietnam.

Officials have said the tariffs are not a negotiation, since they are in response to a national emergency that President Trump declared. But officials at the White House have said if a country wants to talk, they will listen.

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio was with his European counterparts overseas Friday denying that markets were crashing.

"Ultimately the markets as long as they know what the rules are going to be moving forward, and as long as that's set and you can sustain where you're going to be the markets will adjust. Businesses around the world, including in trade and global trade they just need to know what the rules are. Once they know what the rules are, they will adjust to those rules. So I don't think it's fair to say economies are crashing."

Meanwhile, trade experts told Scripps News that short- and long-term effects of the tariffs would likely manifest as a diminished U.S. standing with the rest of the world.

"That's a near term impact, that countries are going to they have to retaliate. You can't have this type of aggressive trade action without some sort of retaliation," Said Ben Harris, VP and director of economic studies at the Brookings Institution. "But as bad as the short-term impact is, the worst impact is what's going to happen over time. People decide the United States is A) no longer a country that abides by the rule of law, because there are serious questions as to whether or not these tariffs are legal."

Advocates are working to relocate people from Afghanistan with special immigrant visas in anticipation of potential travel bans as the Trump administration enacts stricter immigration policies.

Departments are expected to provide recommendations to the White House by the end of the week identifying countries for which vetting and screening information is so deficient as to warrant a partial or full suspension on the admission of nationals from those countries, through the Immigration and Nationality Act. The executive order enacted by President Trump includes the heads of the Department of State, Justice Department, Office of the Director of National Intelligence and Homeland Security.

A State Department spokesperson confirmed the agency is reviewing visa programs, as directed by Trump. The spokesperson said the visa adjudication process must ensure that US-bound foreign travelers do not pose a threat to the national security and public safety of the United States.

An administration official said no decisions have been made.

However, a report due to the White House may include Afghanistan in a list of countries recommended to bar entry from, according to a US official.

What people are looking at over these last several days is not a list that exists here that is being acted on, said State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce.

When it comes to the nature of Afghanistan and those who have helped us, the arrangements we have made already in the past, getting as many people from that conflict here, certainly those who have assisted us and worked with us, thats been a policy and a dynamic that weve worked on from certainly even the previous administration, working to try to get that happening, Bruce said.

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The administration has not commented on internal deliberations, details or specific countries.

All very premature. For those of you who are familiar with this from the previous administration, its a security assessment thats made on a wide variety of factors. Do they accept their deportees? Do they share security information? Do they have good biometrics? Do they have control over their own territory? Do they engage in intelligence sharing? Theres a wide variety of assessments that go into the determination, said White House deputy chief of staff and homeland security advisor Stephen Miller.

Trump enacted a travel ban against several majority-Muslim nations during his first term. The order was challenged but upheld by the Supreme Court. While campaigning, Trump promised a return to his first administration's immigration policies, with the Republican platform supporting a travel ban.

Wouldnt that be a stupid thing for me to say, President Trump said last week when asked which countries hed target for a travel ban.

But advocates aiding Afghans who helped the U.S. and their families are preparing for a ban.

Right now we understand that in the State Department version, Afghanistan is on the red list, and also there's an exemption for the SIV pipeline. Now that may not make it out of the State Department to the White House with that exemption still intact, said Shawn VanDiver, president of #AfghanEvac. The coalition, which formed amid the United States chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, brings together organizations helping Afghans resettle. We're hoping that when the report goes over, they sort of do some reconciliation, and it stays in there for wartime allies. But this is just, It's unconscionable to think that this, that these wartime allies in the refugee and SIV track wouldn't be allowed to continue arriving and have the help that they've earned when they arrived.

Advocates are seeking clarity from the administration.

The ambiguity surrounding this issue is unnecessary and cruel. After years of uncertainty, our wartime allies deserve clear and unequivocal answers, not word salads and clever Washington games, AfghanEvac said in a statement.

The considerations come as efforts to resettle Afghan families of U.S. service members, people who aided the U.S. military and unaccompanied children waiting for family reunification have been impacted by the Trump administrations recent executive actions. The orders halted the refugee admission program and paused foreign aid.

A State Department spokesperson said the processing of Afghan special immigrant visas continues, but relocation flights from Kabul to third-country processing platforms for Afghan refugees and SIV applicants have been paused. Those with a special immigrant visa can arrange their own travel to the United States.

While SIV case processing is occurring, there are no funds for travel or resettlement benefits, according to a U.S. official.

VanDiver indicated there are private efforts underway to sponsor those with a special immigrant visa, with more than 200 helped so far.

RELATED STORY | 2 Americans held in Afghanistan freed in a prisoner exchange with Taliban

But 5,000 a month were leaving before. So the scale is just not the same, said VanDiver.

Previously, a State Department spokesperson confirmed it was considering the future of its relocation program for Afghans and the office that coordinates it, but at last check, no decisions had been made.

Lawmakers have urged the administration to reconsider efforts to shut down the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts and Operation Enduring Welcome, warning it would abandon hundreds of thousands of allies and impact global credibility.

Every individual in the Enduring Welcome pipeline served alongside American forces, risked their lives for our mission, and was promised a path to safety. The Afghans in this program are the most vetted immigrants in U.S. history having undergone extensive screening by DHS, DOD, FBI, CIA, and the State Department, wrote Congressmen Lawler, McCaul and Hudson in a letter to the president. The Taliban considers anyone who worked with the U.S. to be an enemy. They are being hunted, detained, and executed.

Without Enduring Welcome, Afghans who qualify for relocation have no legal pathway to reach safety and cannot simply "apply from home"their only options are escape or death, the lawmakers wrote.

President Donald Trump will welcome United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer to the White House Thursday as the new administrations approach to Ukraine has created shock among European allies.

U.S. officials expect discussions on President Trumps efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict, while Starmer is expected to try to convince Trump that Ukraine must be involved in negotiations and recognize Europes role in global defense, on the heels of the three-year anniversary since Russia invaded Ukraine.

The meeting, sandwiched between visits from French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, comes as European nations look for United States backing for security guarantees and push for Ukraine and European nations to be at the table for any negotiations to end the war between Ukraine and Russia.

This is not about a choice between the U.S. or Europe that would be a historic mistake in my view, Starmer said in a briefing ahead of his trip, characterizing a goal of moving the relationship with the U.S. from strength to strength.

Over the last two weeks, President Trump has led a major shift in the United States policy toward the war under his "America First" agenda. United States officials held discussions with Russia without Ukrainian involvement while maintaining communication with with European and Ukrainian officials. Trump ramped up public criticism of Zelenskyy and averted blaming Russia for its invasion.

It has stunned European and Ukrainian allies, according to a former U.S. official. Newer and older allies are now having conversations about what their security looks like without American support, according to another former U.S. official, as well as what force and capability changes they need for fighting in a situation without America.

Both the U.K. and France, large NATO members with modern militaries, have unique relationships with the U.S. and President Trump. The leaders likely want to measure U.S. policy and push back against some statements, according to a former official.

I think they want to use that as much as possible to convince President Trump not to withdraw completely from Ukraine, not to withdraw completely from Europe, said Tara Varma, a visiting fellow in the Center of the United States and Europe at the Brookings Institution.

President Trump wants to end the war between Russia and Ukraine quickly, and believes Russian President Vladimir Putin wants peace.'

Putin for decades has been trying to separate America from Europe and we have handed that to him in the last couple weeks, said retired U.S. Air Force Gen. Philip Breedlove, a former supreme allied commander of NATO and commander of U.S. European Command. The fact of the matter is Mr. Putin is getting one on one with America which is what hes wanted from the beginning.

Administration officials contend in the face of criticism that President Trump is not conceding, but engaging in diplomacy. While President Trump holds discussions with Starmer, Russias foreign minister said diplomats from Russia and the United States will be meeting in Istanbul to discuss embassy relations.

While President Trump has clarified that Putin will have to make concessions, hes ruled out NATO membership for Ukraine, but said peacekeeping thats acceptable to everybody will be needed.

The U.K. and France have indicated a willingness to take part in a peacekeeping force on the ground in Ukraine as part of a peace settlement, but are looking for a backstop from the United States.

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There has to be U.S. backing, because otherwise I don't think it will deter Putin, Starmer said earlier in the week.

Russia has rejected the idea of peacekeepers in Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said they cannot consider any options for it.

President Trump has been noncommittal about the United States role in guarantees.

Im not going to make security guarantees beyond very much were gonna have Europe do that. But were gonna make sure everything goes well, he said Wednesday.

President Trump is looking to cement a critical minerals deal with Ukraine, having also indicated an openness to one with Russia, which he suggests could be a deterrent. He expects Zelenskyy to visit the White House on Friday. Administration officials anticipate the meeting will include the final step of the economic partnership.

While Ukrainian officials have reportedly said the deal is done, a White House official told Scripps News on Wednesday that the deal is "not done until we say it's done," though the official added the agreement was at "first and goal."

They get us over there were going to working over there well be on the land and you know in that way its sort of automatic security because nobodys going to be messing around with other people when were there, President Trump said.

Trump views the deal as a way to recoup billions of dollars worth of security aid provided to Ukraine that he has long criticized, but Zelenskyy has raised concerns over equating a grant with debt. The aid was approved and allocated through Congress. Trump said the equipment could go for a while and maybe until we have a deal with Russia but believes it will be settled quickly.

The economic partnership does not include specific guarantees of funding for future war fighting or commit U.S. personnel to the region, according to a senior administration official.

Conversations about security guarantees are ongoing. Senior administration officials note there are no U.S. boots on the ground, but recognize it's high on allies' agenda as they look at what their defense capabilities provide them.

Officials believe theres a balance between the size of the force needed and the strength of diplomacy backstopping it. They believe nations have concerns about putting forces in an active war zone, noting the concern may be less with a ceasefire or further with a peace settlement.

So the type of force depends very much on the political settlement that is made to end the war. And I think that trade off is what the leaders today, part of what the leaders today are going to be discussing, a senior administration official said.

Some experts in the region, though, believe Putin wants the war to continue and conquer more Ukrainian territory.

If President Trump is serious about getting a peace deal quickly he has to give Putin major disincentives, and the way to do that is A: to strengthen severely as a threat to economic sanctions on Russia, and B: send major arms to Ukraine so that Russian forces cannot take more Ukraine territory, said former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst, who also serves as director of the Atlantic Councils Eurasia Center.

RELATED STORY | Supreme Court temporarily blocks order to release billions in US foreign aid

Zelenskyy hopes the economic deal is a way for the U.S. to maintain a commitment to Ukraine, according to Liana Fix, a fellow for Europe at the Council on Foreign Relations.

So far, it looks like the Trump administration wanted to see this as a payback for what I calls past paybacks for Ukraine, said Fix. This is not exactly what Ukraine had in mind for Ukraine.

I think the fact that basically theres no quid pro quo for Ukraine in that deal also demonstrates a new kind of art of the deal or way to make deals in the U.S., said Varma.

But President Trump contends Europe must shoulder the burden. Hes put public pressure on NATO members to increase defense spending to 5% of their GDP.

Ahead of the visit, Starmer announced the U.K. would increase its defense spending, by cutting funding for overseas development in addition to the openness to participation in peacekeeping forces.

I believe the Europeans are in the process of stepping up to this. America has to be a part of this, said Breedlove.

Intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, air support, all of those things I think are absolutely important, he said. There are things only we can do.

We need to be very, very clear and very, very public that we are asking Europeans to go do a job and that we will stand by our commitment to NATO and NATO forces. We need to correct that language from before, added Breedlove.

RELATED STORY | Judge clears way for Trump administration to pull USAID staffers off the job

Following Starmers visit with Trump, the U.K. is expected to host other European nations for discussions over the weekend.

The prime ministers office said Starmer will also look to build on AI and advanced technologies, integration between tech sectors and partnership on space while in the United States.

Starmer defines his relationship with President Trump as a positive one. The two previously met last fall.

The Department of Education is warning state education agencies they may lose federal funding if they do not remove DEI policies and programs to comply with the departments interpretation of federal law.

A letter from the Department of Education Office for Civil Rights was sent to the departments of education in all 50 states, according to the Department of Government Efficiency.

Institutions that fail to comply with federal civil rights law may, consistent with applicable law, face potential loss of federal funding, acting assistant secretary for civil rights Craig Trainor writes in the letter. The message warns the the department will vigorously enforce the law to schools and state educational agencies receiving funding and that it will start taking measures to assess compliance in no more than 14 days.

The letter argues that a Supreme Court decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, which found that affirmative action in the universitys admission process violated the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, should apply more broadly.

The law is clear: treating students differently on the basis of race to achieve nebulous goals such as diversity, racial balancing, social justice, or equity is illegal under controlling Supreme Court precedent, the letter states.

The office advises education departments to ensure that their policies and actions comply with existing civil rights law, cease all efforts to circumvent prohibitions on the use of race by relying on proxies or other indirect means to accomplish such ends and cease all reliance on third-party contractors, clearinghouses, or aggregators that are being used by institutions in an effort to circumvent prohibited uses of race.

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The letter follows executive orders from President Trump that directed agencies to provide a plan to eliminate federal funding for illegal and discriminatory treatment and indoctrination in K-12 schools, including based on gender ideology and discriminatory equity ideology and that sought to end DEI programs in federal agencies.

The Department of Education previously announced it removed DEI mentions from documents and webpages, placed employees that led DEI initiatives on leave and dissolved its Diversity & Inclusion Council.

The same day the letter was sent, the Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, shared on X that the Department of Education had ended 70 DEI training grants, as the administration through DOGE has sought to eliminate what it considers wasteful spending in government agencies.

Labor organizations have sued the federal government on behalf of foreign service workers over the gutting of USAID.

The action comes after employees and contractors were placed on leave and cut off from system access, funding paused and stop work orders issued over the last two weeks as President Trump seeks to align government agencies with his policy priorities through the Department of Government Efficiency.

These actions have generated a global humanitarian crisis by abruptly halting the crucial work of USAID employees, grantees, and contractors. They have cost thousands of American jobs. And they have imperiled U.S. national security interests, states the lawsuit, filed by the Public Citizen Litigation Group and Democracy Forward on behalf of the American Foreign Service Association and American Federation of Government Employees against President Trump, USAID, the State Department, Department of Treasury, and agency leaders.

The lawsuit seeks a temporary restraining order directing the government to reverse actions and stop steps further dissolving the agency, alleging that none of the actions have received the necessary congressional authorization.

The lawsuit accuses Elon Musk and members of DOGE of gutting the remnants of the agency and demanding access to classified agency systems without the proper security clearances, as employees lost access to computer accounts.

RELATED STORY | Lawmakers, public rally to defend USAID from a shutdown by the Trump administration

USAIDs website has been replaced with a lone message that states that direct hire personnel will be placed on administrative leave globally by the end of the day Friday, with exceptions for designated essential personnel, and that the agency is preparing a plan for the return of within 30 days of those determined otherwise.

Thursday evening, USAIDs website was updated to state that personnel are not required to accept Agency-sponsored travel or to return to the United States within any specific deadline but warns that after 30 days agency funded and arranged travel may not be available without a granted exception.

Civil servants are sharing a sense of confusion. Some foreign service officers are having to ask for couches to stay on in the United States, according to a senior civil servant, while there are concerns for foreign service nationals safety who worked in home countries who have seized on attempts to vilify the agency. A staff member placed on leave estimated less than 200 people remain at the agency, with lawyers among those placed on leave.

The lawsuit states that humanitarian consequences from the actions at USAID have already been catastrophic.

Clinics stopped distributing HIV medication. Staff who operate humanitarian operations at refugee camps in Syria were told to stop work, leaving thousands of people vulnerable to instability and violence at the hands of ISIS. Soup kitchens that feed nearly a million people in famine-stricken Khartoum were shut down. Toddlers in Zambia were deprived of rehydration salts to treat life-threatening diarrhea. Doctors at U.S.-funded medical facilities in Sudan that treat severely malnourished children were forced to choose whether to obey Defendants orders and immediately stop their operations or to let up to 100 babies and toddlers die, the lawsuit states.

The goal of our endeavor has always been to identify programs that work and continue them and to identify programs that are not aligned with our national interest and identify those and address them, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who assumed acting leadership of the agency, said earlier in the day Thursday prior to the lawsuit's filing.

However, there is still confusion over the process to work through a waiver after receiving a stop work order, according to a senior civil servant who also pointed to concerns over food distribution that helped prevent stunting in children and programs that counter Chinese influence, designed to help countries have options beyond investments from the PRC.

The men and women of USAID deserve a government that values and understands their contributions, not one that leaves them high and dry and unable to pursue their important work after a hostile takeover, said Everett Kelley, AFGE National President. We will stand up for our members and all USAID workers who deliver aid across the globe and contribute to a safer, healthier world for all Americans.

Lawmakers are seeking clarity from the White House after the dismissal of 18 Inspectors General over the weekend, without congressional notification.

Senator Chuck Grassley, chairman of the judiciary committee, and Sen. Dick Durbin, ranking member on it, sent a letter to President Trump Tuesday seeking clarity.

While IGs arent immune from committing acts requiring their removal, and they can be removed by the president, the law must be followed, the letter states.

The Inspector General Reform Act of 2008 requires the president to communicate in writing the substantive rationale, including detailed and case-specific reasons for any such removal or transfer to both Houses of Congress not later than 30 days before the removal or transfer.

The senators request written communication with the reasoning for the IGs removals and the names of those to serve in an acting capacity.

IGs are critical to rooting out waste, fraud, abuse, and misconduct within the Executive Branch bureaucracy, which you have publicly made clear you are also intent on doing, the senators write.

The move has prompted concerns within the IG community.

This is an unprecedented move. Without the 30-day congressional notification required under law, there is confusion about the legal effects of terminations, stated Diana Shaw, former Acting Inspector General for the State Department. Regardless, the wholesale removal of so many IGs will have an enormous impact on the oversight community, which traditionally has been insulated from the leadership turnover that typically accompanies a change of administration.

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Speaking to CNN, White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller said Tuesday the 30-day notice required by law was not constitutional.

"The law says 30 days," said CNN's Jake Tapper during the interview with Miller. "Do you think the law is unconstitutional?"

"Absolutely it is," Miller said. "I don't even think it is. I know it is."

The move comes as Trump has moved to quickly enact his priorities, including within the federal workforce.

The Justice Department fired more than a dozen employees that took part in prosecutions against Trump, according to reporting by the Associated Press.

The White House defended Trumps authority for the moves.

It is the belief of this White House and White House Counsel's Office that the President was within his executive authority to do that. He is the executive of the executive branch, and therefore he has the power to fire anyone within the executive branch that he wishes to, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters during her first press briefing Tuesday, pointing to prior case law.

While the Trump administration swiftly moves to enact more stringent border policy, Afghan nationals at the center of efforts to evacuate those who aided the United States stand to be impacted, organizations warn.

The State Department notified some organizations that refugee travel, case processing and pre-departure activity is being suspended, according to an apparent email sent to partners following President Trumps executive order on the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. A State Department official confirmed that the agency was working with partners to suspend arrivals and processing in accordance with the executive order.

The order suspends the refugee admissions program for at least three months with exemptions only on a case-by-case basis and was due to take effect on January 27th.

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The organization, #AfghanEvac, estimates there at least 40,000 Afghans in the "refugee pipeline," with at least 10,000 already vetted, and at least 200 U.S. military families waiting for reunification. The coalition, formed in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan to aid allies as the Taliban took control, has been urging the administration to offer more protection.

Our advice went unheeded, and now there are the families of U.S. service members, our partner forces, all these folks who stood up for the idea of America, and we told them we had their back, and today they're being pulled off flights. Today, they're finding out that their cases are frozen. Today, [the] State Department, five days early, decided to enact this executive order, which means their American dreams are dashed, said Shawn VanDiver, the president of the coalition.

A U.S. service member who said they previously aided forces as an interpreter told Scripps News their sister was in the final stages of the refugee process, having been vetted and waiting for a flight, but now has heard nothing as they await more direction on next steps.

They just indiscriminately treated all of us without even caring or making an exception to policy for us at all, the service member said, adding I was awake until like 2 a.m. last night sending emails and talking to people. Ive done everything I can so far and it hasnt worked.

FROM THE ARCHIVES | Many Afghan refugees face 'mental torture' over unstable future in US

Another refugee resettlement agency told Scripps News that among refugees they have learned about with canceled flights are a group of Afghan minors who were scheduled to travel to reunite with their family after they were separated during the evacuation. In total, they have seen more than 1,000 people, including other nationalities and countries besides Afghanistan, with canceled flights.

The administrations suspension of the refugee admissions program is among a number of actions Trump quickly enacted after campaign promises of tougher border measures. Trump also declared a national emergency at the southern border, directed more military personnel and directed re-establishing a baseline for screening and vetting standards.

What the president is trying to do right now is a reset, and I don't second-guess his decisions on that. He's using his executive authority because desperate times call for desperate measures. Now our role as an Article One branch of the government is to look through legislatively which of these things will we codify, what do we need to address? Obviously the wide open border has created an indescribable human catastrophe for us that we will be dealing with for decades. The president is very serious about addressing that and guess what? So are the American people, Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters when pressed on recent immigration measures.

The United States lacks the ability to absorb large numbers of migrants, and in particular, refugees, into its communities in a manner that does not compromise the availability of resources for Americans, that protects their safety and security, and that ensures the appropriate assimilation of refugees, the order on refugees stated.

FROM THE ARCHIVES | Afghan Refugee, Journalist Highlights Other Refugees Now In The U.S.

From a humanitarian standpoint you have people who are now stranded, said Timothy Young, a spokesperson for Global Refugee, a resettlement nonprofit.

Its going to have major implications. You have persecuted families who have fled for their lives who have gone through years of intensive vetting and cleared every hurdle and are now going to languish indefinitely in this state of limbo, said Young.

#AfghanEvac is urging the administration to exempt Afghans connected to the United States mission. More than 800 people have now signed on to a letter organized by #AfghanEvac ahead of the order, which calls for protecting pathways through the refugee admissions program, shielding those in the United States waiting for permanent status from "broad immigration enforcement," and adding 50,000 more Special Immigrant Visas.

The guidance shared by the State Department suspending travel and processing does not apply to SIV holders, according to the apparent email.

The SIV program is not very well-constructed. It's very narrow and you know, there's you have to have time constraints, and you have to know your old boss and still be in touch them. Sometimes it's 20 years ago, like it's really hard, VanDiver said.

The previous administration issued more than 78,000 special immigrant visas for Afghan allies and resettled more than 185,000 Afghans following the withdrawal it oversaw, after Trump struck a deal with the Taliban in his first administration. Respective officials have long traded blame for the chaotic, deadly scenes that followed.

FROM THE ARCHIVES | One Former Afghan Interpreter Shares His Harrowing Escape To The U.S.

Imagine, if you're an Afghan American serving the United States military and you have to go to work on Monday and tell your chain of command that your mom was killed because the Taliban tracked her down and slit her throat. That's the kind of things that are already happening, and we had this mechanism to make sure that these folks would come out. But on Monday, Donald Trump wiped it all away with the, with the stroke of the pen, VanDiver said.

But the coalition is hopeful, noting Trumps campaign message in part centered around criticizing Bidens handling of the U.S. withdrawal.

What we know was that Donald Trump values loyalty, and he also loves to make a deal. So what we're hopeful is that President Trump and his team are willing to come to the table with #AfghanEvac and make a deal about these folks who are incredibly loyal to us and to whom we owe a great debt, said VanDiver.