this is bbc news. live from washington. on his first domestic trip as president, donald trump visits two states hit hard by disasters and says he might abolish the federal disaster relief agency. the us freezes nearly all foreign aid with exceptions only for emergency food, and military funding for israel and egypt. and we'll be discussing some of the other executive orders president trump signed this week from january sixth pardons to declaring a national emergency at the us—mexico border. hello, i'm ros atkins. welcome to a special programme on bbc news, covering president trump's first week in office. we'll look at some of the most significant developments from the last few days. but let's start with what is happening today.

donald trump visited hurricane—affected areas of north carolina. before heading to los angeles where he's visiting some of the areas worst affected by the wildfires there. 28 people lost their lives in the disaster — at least 12,000 homes and businesses were damaged. already this week, the president had suggested he may withhold federal disaster assistance for california unless the state changes its approach to water management. in north carolina, hurricane helene killed more than 100 people in september. speaking in asheville, president trump threatened to dismantle the us federal emergency agency, fema — saying it had turned out to be a disaster itself. i'll also be signing an executive order to begin the process of fundamentally reforming and overhauling fema, or maybe getting rid of fema. i think, frankly, fema's not good. i think when you have a problem like this, i think you want to go and — whether it's a democrat or a republican

governor — you want to use your state to fix it and not waste time. in washington — the three most powerful politicians in america have spoken at what organisers claim is the largest anti abortion rally in the world. thousands of campaigners marched at the event — called the march for life. it came after the president pardoned 23 anti—abortion activists, convicted of blockading a reproductive health clinic and intimidating staff and patients. the vice president, jd vance, spoke to the crowd — telling them they were there to celebrate victories yet to come. the speaker of the house, mikejohnson, said it is a new golden age for america — echoing donald trump's inauguration speech. and donald trump himself sent a video message from the white house, he promised to protect what he called the �*gains�* made in his first administration. that's a reference to the reversal of a nationwide right to an abortion. hello to everyone at the march

for life. it is a pleasure to speak to you from the beautiful 0val speak to you from the beautiful oval office, that is where we are right now, the magnificent 0val are right now, the magnificent oval office and thank you for turning up once again to show your extraordinary love and compassion for the unborn. 0n the first anniversary of the disastrous ruling known as roe v wade. that unconstitutional decision took power away from the states and voters, kicking a 50 years of division and angen and in the last hour president trump has taken actions to limit us government funding for abortions and other reproductive healthcare. he signed a memorandum to reinstate a policy which bans global health aid for foreign organizations that provide or promote abortions. he also signed an executive order aimed at enforcing the hyde amendment, which has blocked the use of us government funds on abortions since 1977. joining me now to discuss all of this is audrey fahlberg, political reporter with the national review.

thank you very much for your time today. thank you very much for your time today-— time today. what is your analysis _ time today. what is your analysis in _ time today. what is your analysis in response - time today. what is your analysis in response to l time today. what is your - analysis in response to these different decisions relating to abortion the president has taken? , ~ , taken? first i think it is important _ taken? first i think it is important to _ taken? first i think it is i important to acknowledge taken? first i think it is - important to acknowledge there was quite a bit of tension between president donald trump and pro—life advocates on the campaign trail. as you recall, on the campaign trail he came out against a national abortion than which was seen as controversial among pro—life advocates and they are watching to see closely, he did point these supreme courtjustice these supreme court justice that these supreme courtjustice that helped overturn roe v wade but would he help continue to give the pro—life movement wins while in office. the two executive orders he signed aboard air force one earlier today are going to be seen as a wins for the pro—life movement in terms of strengthening the hyde amendment which banned federalfunding for hyde amendment which banned federal funding for abortion and a second ticket order that

bans federal funding and a second ticket order that bans federalfunding for and a second ticket order that bans federal funding for ngos that help fund abortions. pro—life activists are having a good day today and next week and into the weekend and into next week expect to see a lot of resistance from democrats on all these moves. to of resistance from democrats on all these moves.— all these moves. to put this in context, all these moves. to put this in context. do — all these moves. to put this in context, do these _ all these moves. to put this in context, do these decisions i context, do these decisions take us back to where we were during donald trump �*s first term? do they reverse decisions taken byjoe biden? is he actually going further than he did when first president? at, actually going further than he did when first president? a, lot did when first president? a lot of these executive _ did when first president? a lot of these executive orders - of these executive orders reverse quite a few items executive orders on energy and immigration. recall that when president biden took office he reversed a decision trump had made to leave the paris claimant accords, leave the world health organization. with a lot of these administrations, there is turnover and ping—pong back—and—forth but on immigration in particular donald trump is taking it a

little further. he signed an executive order earlier this week. its first day in office trying to overhaul birthright citizenship which was immediately met with a lawsuit. with a lot of these executive orders, expect to see quite a bit of litigation over the next few years. i bit of litigation over the next few years-— few years. i must also ask about his _ few years. i must also ask about his comments - few years. i must also ask| about his comments about few years. i must also ask - about his comments about the femurfrom the about his comments about the femur from the president. strong words suggesting there may be a case for scrapping the agency. what is that level of hostility based on? this agency. what is that level of hostility based on?— hostility based on? this is auoin hostility based on? this is going to _ hostility based on? this is going to cause _ hostility based on? this is going to cause a - hostility based on? this is going to cause a lot - hostility based on? this is going to cause a lot of - hostility based on? this isi going to cause a lot of stir hostility based on? this is i going to cause a lot of stir in congress, not a lot of republican lawmakers will be behind this. it will require congressional approvalfor behind this. it will require congressional approval for him to overhaul this agency. conversations about federal disaster aid he said earlier today he would be supportive of conditioning federal disaster

aid to california unless they signed voter id laws. this comes against the backdrop of a very controversial debate in washington that has already existed before he resumed presidency about whether to condition federal aid. they've wanted to do this for several days now. expect this to bleed into next week when congress returns. the centre is still in today about to move forward. they are not done today. {lin today about to move forward. they are not done today. on the votes, they are not done today. on the votes. where — they are not done today. on the votes, where are _ they are not done today. on the votes, where are we _ they are not done today. on the votes, where are we with - they are not done today. on the votes, where are we with that? l votes, where are we with that? are we expecting had to be confirmed as defence secretary? for the past few weeks he has been the most controversial of donald trump �*s cabinet texts. it picked up a lot of momentum in the past few weeks and still seen as having a very narrow fight but expected to get. there has been suspense on his feet because yesterday

republicans did vote, broke a filibuster on his nomination but notably susan collins of main voted against advancing his nomination. tonight and in the next hour we will see what happens with this boat but all eyes on mitch mcconnell, the former senate gop leader that stayed very mum on pete hegseth nomination. he did vote to stay on the nomination but he has been very quiet as he always is on this nomination one more thing, yesterday thom tillis the senator for north carolina up the senator for north carolina up for re—election in 2026 says he wants to be more due diligence on the recent allegations that has been raised about him regarding drinking and sexual misconduct which pete hegseth has denied which pete hegseth has denied which is important to point out. tom says he wants to do additional due diligence before taking his vote but the last thing is you can only afford

three republican defections. if thatis three republican defections. if that is the case, jd vance would need to come and break the tie but republicans are optimistic you will get the related today. irate optimistic you will get the related today. we appreciate ou related today. we appreciate you taking — related today. we appreciate you taking us _ related today. we appreciate you taking us through - related today. we appreciate you taking us through that. l related today. we appreciate l you taking us through that. we will keep a close eye on the boatin will keep a close eye on the boat in the coming minutes. you can also see the live feed coming in of donald trump speaking. we are listening across the end bring you some of what he says a little later on bbc news. next — donald trump's foreign policy. it falls under his �*america first�* approach and we've been looking for signs of what that may mean in practice. here's a bit of what he told world leaders and business executives during his first virtual address as president to the world economic forum in davos.

my my message to every business in the world is very simple. come make your product in america and we will give you among the lowest taxes of any nation on earth but if you don't make your product in america, which is your prerogative, simply, you will have to pay a tariff list of under the trump administration they will be no better place on earth to create jobs, build factories or accompanied than right here in the good old usa. the president has also been signing executive orders aiming to limit us assistance overseas and reverse biden—era foreign policy. on friday, the state department issued a halt to existing and new foreign aid. the notice appears to affect everything, from development assistance to military support, with exceptions only for emergency food aid and military funding for israel and egypt. it could affect material support to ukraine, which received billions of dollars in us military aid and weapons under the previous administration. i got ravi agrawal�*s reaction

to this week's developments. he's the editor in chief of foreign policy magazine and the host of fp live. you have seen reports that there will be a thorough review of the aid america sends abroad. what is your reaction today? it abroad. what is your reaction toda ? , ., ., ., today? it is going to have devastating _ today? it is going to have devastating implications l today? it is going to have l devastating implications for many countries around the world for a number of massive crises. there are several non—government organisations that rely on aid from the united states distributed by the state department. also america's own aid agency, us aid that gets a lot of funding from the state department which is then deployed around the world in a range of crises to try and help people in need. i set a very mundane but necessary work of getting food to people who need food, getting other types of aid and medical supplies and a range of pricey situations around the

world. all that could be jeopardised. a lot of ngos do long—term planning and rely on the stability of the annual funding they get from the united states. if you take out of the equation all about, they have massive holes to fill and teams they will be unable to support. teams they will be unable to su ort. ~ , ., teams they will be unable to su--ort. ~ . support. while you are disappointed _ support. while you are disappointed by - support. while you are disappointed by the i support. while you are - disappointed by the news, given donald trump and his allies were elected on an america first platform, it's not necessarily come as a surprise. it's not come as a surprise. i think aid agencies have worried for quite a while and whining about it for quite a while. even so, if it happens as we expected to come it would be a shock. the america first agenda and part of it secretary of state mike rego went to the state mike rego went to the state department this week to speak to his team he made clear america's foreign policy with him at the helm is going to

focus exclusively on american national interest and not on the interest of other countries or other parties and they will clawback anything they can claw back. a much more transactional foreign policy which will be something countries might be able to exploit if they are able to exploit if they are able to exploit if they are able to find give and take touch points where they can take advantage but much harder for smaller countries to play that game. for smaller countries to play that game-— for smaller countries to play that game. you're 'ust at the world economic _ that game. you're just at the world economic forum - that game. you're just at the world economic forum and l that game. you're just at the world economic forum and i | world economic forum and i imagine donald trump dominated most of the discussions. he did. he carted _ most of the discussions. he: did. he carted a long shadow of proceedings. every single leader i spoke to, obviously in europe and other parts of the world were very concerned about what tariffs would mean for them, what is other threats would mean for them. for example his claim he could invade greenland, certainly something that worried a lot of european officials, his threats

of tariffs and canada and mexico would have devastating impact on the economy is there. these are all things that came up these are all things that came up again and again and every single conversation that even had nothing to do with america but trump would, again and again. but trump would, again and aaain. �* :, , :, again. i'm wondering if you heard concern _ again. i'm wondering if you heard concern among - again. i'm wondering if you i heard concern among political leaders, among business leaders