(test) Live updates: Senate confirms Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence
Follow the latest news on President Donald Trump and his administration | Feb. 13, 2025
A former Democratic congresswoman, Tulsi Gabbard was one of President Donald Trump’s most contentious nominees, and will now oversee 18 intelligence agencies.
Happening now: The Senate has confirmed Tulsi Gabbard as President Donald Trump’s director of national intelligence after Republicans who had initially questioned her experience and judgment fell in line behind her nomination. Read more on this below
Other Trump headlines we’re following today:
- Trump said he and Russian leader Putin have agreed to begin ‘negotiations’ on ending the Ukraine war.
- U.S. defense chief Hegseth called NATO membership for Ukraine ‘unrealistic.’
- Fed chair Jerome Powell said Trump’s comments won’t affect interest rate decisions.
- Government watchdogs fired by Trump sued his administration and asked a judge to reinstate them.
- The White House barred an AP reporter from the Oval Office because of the AP’s style policy on the ‘Gulf of America.’
It’s 5 p.m. in Washington D.C.. Here’s where the day stands
If you’re just catching up for the day, here’s what to know about some of the day’s top storylines:
- Aggressive new steel tax: Steel imports will now be taxed at a minimum of 25% following an executive order signed by Trump. The price hike on foreign goods is meant to strengthen domestic manufacturing, but increased tariffs risk stoking inflation. Trump’s tariffs drew immediate criticism abroad, with the E.U. vowing “proportionate countermeasure” on American products including bourbon, peanut butter and jeans.
- The courts: Top Republican leaders are openly questioning the authority and legitimacy of the U.S. court system after judges began to halt and stall the implementation of actions by the Trump administration. Along with tech billionaire Elon Musk the two highest-ranking Republicans, Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson, have all attacked the legitimacy of judicial oversight, a key pillar of American democracy, which is built on the separation of powers.
And here’s what we’re still watching for today:
- Kash Patel: The Senate is expected to vote to advance Trump’s nomination for FBI director, Kash Patel. No word on what time that could fall
- More tariffs: Trump has hinted he’ll sign another executive order on import tariffs sometime this week. The timing of that is unclear.
Reader question: What’s Vance up to today?
Vice President JD Vance is scheduled to open as the first speaker at the annual Conservative Political Action conference today.
Attorney General Pam Bondi and House Speaker Mike Johnson will be speaking later Thursday as well as Steve Bannon, a popular Trump ally. Other international figures such as former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss and Argentine President Javier Milei are also appearing at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Oxon Hill, Maryland.
Trump is scheduled to appear on Saturday, the organization announced.
▶ Have a question about the Trump administration? Ask AP reporters. We’ll answer as many as we can in our daily live coverage.
BREAKING: A news conference between Zelenskyy and Donald Trump’s Ukraine envoy is cancelled at U.S. request, a Kyiv official says
Russia has released detained American teacher Marc Fogel, the White House says
Steve Witkoff, a special envoy for Trump, left Russian airspace with Fogel, who’s from Pennsylvania, and he’s expected to be reunited with his family by the end of the day.
Fogel was arrested in August 2021, and was serving a 14-year prison sentence. His family and supporters said he was traveling with medically prescribed marijuana.
What we’re following today
Events:
- Happening now: The Senate is holding a closed-door hearing on the Department of Government Efficiency (or DOGE).
- 10 a.m. ET: Trump will host India’s Prime Minister Narenda Modi amid tariff news.
- 1 p.m. ET: The White House will hold a press briefing.
- 2:30 p.m. ET: Trump is expected to sign another round of executive orders.
Expected news:
- The White House and Kremlin are expected to announce more details on a prisoner swap first announced yesterday.
- Trump said he’ll sign an order this week assigning new tariffs on imports, but did not give a date or time of when that’d happen.