Trump 2nd term live updates: White House declines to rule out recession

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said news out of the talks between U.S. and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia has been "positive."

"I can assure you and everybody here and the American people that the news we've received from that meeting throughout the day, and the president has been briefed on, is positive. This meeting has been productive. I will let Secretary of State Rubio and our national security adviser speak to specifics of what has taken place today when they are ready to do so, when the meeting concludes," she said.

On Tuesday afternoon, Trump again criticized Rep. Thomas Massie's stance that he will vote no on the continuing resolution to keep the government funded. Trump said in a Truth Social post that he wanted Massie to be primaried, a threat he issued Monday night.

"He can’t even approve a Continuing Resolution when he approved them many times during his career as a 'Congressman,'" the president wrote. "Thomas Massie is a GRANDSTANDER, and the Great People of Kentucky are going to be watching a very interesting Primary in the not too distant future!"

ABC News' Karen Travers asked White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt whether the president had any responsibility over the recent drops in the stock market because of his economic policies.

Trump touted the stock markets gains after the election, but claimed that recently he wasn't watching the market.

Leavitt dodged the question.

"The president will look out for Wall Street and for Main Street just like he did in his first term," she said. "And people on Wall Street and Main Street should bet on this president."

When asked about the controversial arrest of green card holder and Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil, White House Karoline Leavitt press secretary maintained that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has the right to revoke a green card or visa over "national security" interests.

Leavitt claimed that Khalil distributed "pro-Hamas propaganda fliers with the logo of Hamas," but declined to give any more details.

"I have those fliers on my desk, they were provided to me by the Department of Homeland Security," she said. "I thought about bringing them into this briefing room to share with all of you, but I didn't think it was worth the dignity of this room," she said.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked directly during Tuesday's briefing if she can reassure Americans that there's not going to be a recession.

Leavitt declined to explicitly rule it out as she contended the losses Americans are seeing in the stock market are only a "snapshot of a moment in time."

"We are in a period of economic transition," she continued as she railed against the Biden administration. She contended that it will take time for Trump's economic policies to be fully implemented.

"My government will ensure our response has maximum impact in the U.S. and minimal impact here in Canada, while supporting the workers impacted. My government will keep our tariffs on until the Americans show us respect and make credible, reliable commitments to free and fair trade," a spokesperson for Carney said in a statement.

-ABC News' Will Gretsky

House Democrats appear poised to stick together in opposition of the GOP-led government funding bill scheduled to come to the floor later Tuesday

"We cannot support this bill," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said walking into Tuesday morning's caucus meeting.

"House Republicans put a partisan measure on the floor this week. It will gut veterans' health care. It will enable Donald Trump and Elon Musk to continue to cut the federal government. House Democrats are voting No," Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar later added.

Speaker Johnson has at times benefited from Democrats crossing party lines to push bills through.

-ABC News' Lalee Ibssa

A federal judge is requiring the head of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to testify on Thursday about the mass firing of probationary employees.

A group of federal unions have alleged that OPM acting director Charles Ezell lied in a sworn declaration that his office did not order the firing of probationary employees based on "performance or misconduct," prompting U.S. District Judge William Alsup to order Monday night Ezell to testify in person and under oath.

"The problem here is that Acting Director Ezell submitted a sworn declaration in support of the defendant's position but now refuses to appear to be cross examined or to be deposed," Alsup, a Clinton appointee, wrote.

Alsup's order effectively gives the Trump administration two choices to fight the lawsuit.

If Ezell skips the hearing, Alsup said he would consider sanctioning the government and nullifying Ezell's sworn declaration about the purported legality of the mass firings, a move that would likely guarantee that the judge pauses the mass firings and potentially reinstates thousands of employees.

Alternatively, if Ezell does testify on Thursday, he's likely to face tough questions about his sworn statements related to the firing. The plaintiffs allege that on Feb. 13, Ezell convened a phone call with the heads of federal agencies to direct them to terminate thousands of federal employees and "falsely state that the terminations are for performance reasons."

-ABC News' Peter Charalambous

Canadians who are in the United States for 30 days or longer will soon have to register their information with the United States government, according to a notice obtained by ABC News.

Traditionally, Canadians who cross the northern border by land and stay for longer than 30 days do not have to register with the federal government, but the secretary of Homeland Security can unilaterally change that rule.

Those who stay for longer than 30 days will be required to apply for registration with the federal government and be fingerprinted starting on April 11, according to the rule, which is expected to be posted on the federal register Wednesday.

Canadians who stay in the U.S. for 30 days or more and were not issued evidence of registration (such as Form I-94) at entry will need to complete the new Form G-325R, according to the rule.

-ABC News' Luke Barr