Murkowski, Collins vote against Hegseth's nomination, as expected
Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, two Republican moderates, voted against Hegseth's nomination, as was expected. So far, they are the only two Republicans to vote against Hegseth in the final confirmation vote.
Hegseth's confirmation vote is underway
The vote in the full Senate on Hegseth's nomination as defense secretary is now underway.
Marco Rubio had a call with Denmark's Foreign Minister, did not appear to discuss Greenland
Secretary of State Marco Rubio had a call with Denmark’s foreign minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, today, according to State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce.
Rubio and Rasmussen “reaffirmed the strength of the relationship between the United States and the Kingdom of Denmark,” and the two discussed the importance of “bilateral and regional cooperation on security and defense, economic and trade matters, and ending the war in Ukraine,” according to Bruce.
Notably, the readout from the State Department did not include any mention of Greenland — the Danish territory Trump has indicated in recent weeks he might seek to take over, even suggesting he might use military force to do so.
Hegseth arrives at Capitol before confirmation vote
Hegseth arrived at the Capitol moments ago accompanied by his seven children, wife and parents.
Hegseth did not answer any questions on whether he believes he will be confirmed or whether he’s spoken with skeptical senators, but he did give a thumbs-up when asked how he’s feeling.
The final confirmation vote on Hegseth’s nomination is slated to start at 8:57 p.m. ET.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio orders halt to almost all U.S. foreign aid
Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered an immediate stop to the flow of almost all U.S. foreign assistance today pending a review, according to an internal State Department cable obtained by NBC News.
The directive sent to all consular and diplomatic posts follows Trump's executive order Monday pausing new obligations and disbursements of foreign aid pending reviews “for programmatic efficiency and consistency” with U.S. foreign policy, within 90 days of the order.
The memo stipulates that U.S. departments, agencies and entities “shall not provide foreign assistance funded by or through the Department and USAID without the Secretary of State’s authorization or the authorization of his designee.”
Jan. 6 prosecutors describe ‘shocking,’ ‘guttural’ week after Trump’s pardons
Federal prosecutors in the now-disbanded Capitol Siege Section of the D.C. U.S. attorney’s office spent much of the last four years prosecuting cases against Jan. 6 rioters. Suddenly, a single signature erased the end results — though not the public record — of that work.
Three prosecutors who worked in the section described the week to NBC News, with one calling it the worst of their professional lives. It started with Trump’s signing of the pardons. Soon, prosecutors were dismissing the active cases that remained and putting aside evidence they hoped would have led to more charges.
And the week ended, today, with acting U.S. Attorney Ed Martin — an advocate for Capitol rioters who appeared with Trump at fundraisers for Jan. 6 defendants — filing a motion to remove remaining conditions imposed on members of the far-right Oath Keepers militia, whose ability to visit Washington was still restricted by a judicial order after Trump commuted their sentences.
Trump signs new executive order enforcing the Hyde Amendment, banning the use of federal dollars for abortions
Trump has signed a new executive order tonight titled “Enforcing the Hyde Amendment.”
In the order, Trump invokes the 1977 Hyde Amendment to “end the forced use of Federal taxpayer dollars to fund or promote elective abortion.” The 1977 amendment bans the use of federal Medicare or Medicaid dollars to pay for abortions, save in cases in which the mother’s life is at risk.
Trump additionally rolled back two Biden-era executive orders signed in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to overrule Roe v. Wade: Executive Order 14076, or "Protecting Access to Reproductive Healthcare Services," and Executive Order 14079, or "Securing Access to Reproductive and Other Healthcare Services."
March for Life protesters want even more from a second Trump term
The March for Life, which drew tens of thousands of anti-abortion rights activists to the nation's capital, struck a positive, hopeful tone for its mission this year with Vance giving remarks in his first public appearance as vice president.
But for many protesters who spoke with NBC News, the White House can do more to combat access to abortions in America.
While Clare Rowan said Trump does a “pretty good job” supporting the movement, she wants his administration to go further by restricting IVF.
“I’m very hopeful that he will understand IVF better and realize that in vitro fertilization is not just getting more babies; it’s actually another way of aborting and creating human life and then just discarding it, which is something that I’m not for at all,” Rowan, 58, told NBC News.
“And so that’s a big hope: that the administration will come to understand that more deeply and see that that is not a path that we really want to go down.”
Tiffany Bone said she traveled from Fort Worth, Texas, and teared up as she shared that she’s marching for her son, whom she regrets not carrying to term.
"It’s very personal," she said. "I was once deceived. I was once hurting and in a place where I didn’t choose life."
Bone not only “100% without a doubt” wants Trump to sign a national abortion ban, but also wants him to explain his evolution on the issue.
“I would love for Trump to come out and even repent and share how his heart shifted,” said Bone, 42. “It’s evident that his heart is shifting. He has taken a stand in the past, but there’s also been some discrepancies of where his line was, and I believe we haven’t seen the full fruit of what’s transitioning in his heart."
Rallygoers were skeptical when asked about reported cases of women who have died due to not being able to access abortion care in states with strict restrictions on the procedure.
"I believe it’s all deception, that that’s not actually the truth," Bone said. "That’s just false, false narrative that’s been fed, and it’s just spreading.
Trump and Newsom embrace on the tarmac
Trump has landed in California, where the state’s governor, Gavin Newsom, was waiting for him on the tarmac. Upon seeing each other, the two politicians shared an uncharacteristically warm embrace and a brief exchange.
Trump and Newsom have had a contentious back-and-forth over the state's preparedness for and response to the wildfires that broke out in Los Angeles at the beginning of January. Trump has pointed a finger at the governor, accusing him of a botched response to the wildfires and saying the state’s wildlife protections have made accessing water difficult. Newsom, for his part, has accused Trump of spreading disinformation.
Trump has suggested federal disaster aid could come with strings attached — or even be withheld altogether — over policy disagreements.
Supreme Court to hear church-state fight over Oklahoma bid to launch first publicly funded religious school
In a sign that the barrier between church and state could be further weakened, the Supreme Court today agreed to hear a bid by Oklahoma officials to approve the nation’s first publicly funded religious charter school.
The court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority that consistently backs religious claims, will hear a dispute over the proposed St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, which would serve students online throughout the state while maintaining its remit to promote the Catholic faith.