The Department of Health and Human Services directed recipients of grant funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to immediately halt all programs, personnel and activities related to "gender ideology," according to an email obtained by ABC News.

“You must immediately terminate, to the maximum extent, all programs, personnel, activities, or contracts promoting or inculcating gender ideology at every level and activity, regardless of your location or the citizenship of employees or contractors, that are supported with funds from this award,” the email stated.

“Any vestige, remnant, or re-named piece of any gender ideology programs funded by the U.S. government under this award are immediately, completely, and permanently terminated," it continued.

The latest directive from the HHS impacts any entity that receives CDC funds, such as local health departments and clinics, and it affects any programs supported by the nearly $4.5 billion spent by the CDC last year to aid health departments across all 50 states.

-ABC News' Will T. Steakin and Anne Flaherty

Dozens of Department of Education employees received letters on Friday night placing them on “administrative leave," effective immediately.

While no specific reason was given, employees told ABC News on Sunday that they believe the only common thread between them is that they attended a voluntary diversity training program in 2019, during President Donald Trump's first term.

ABC News has obtained the letter which states that the administrative leave notice is not for disciplinary purposes; rather, the letter said it's related to Trump’s executive order on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. Employees were told to await “further guidance from OPM,” according to the letter, referencing the Office of Personnel Management.

Per the letter, employees will receive full pay and benefits through the end of the administrative leave, but they are not required to do work-related tasks during this time or come into the office. At the same time, the impacted employees had their government email access suspended.

Sheria Smith, the American Federation of Government Employees Local 252 president, told ABC News that over 50 employees in “extremely diverse roles” within the department had received the emails after regular business hours this weekend.

Smith said she fears more letters will be sent in the coming days.

ABC News did not receive an immediate response to a request for comment from the DOE.

-ABC News' Arthur Jones II

In an interview that aired on "60 Minutes" on Sunday, former Republican Leader Mitch McConnell was openly critical of recent decisions by President Donald Trump and said he planned to be more outspoken about their differences of opinion now that he was no longer in a leadership role in the Senate.

McConnell sharply criticized the president imposing tariffs, especially on allied countries.

"It'll drive the cost of everything up. In other words, it'll be paid for by American consumers. I mean why would you want to get in a fight with your allies over this?" McConnell questioned.

McConnell often found himself at odds with Trump during his first term in the White House, he said, but claimed their relationship was all but severed after Jan. 6, 2021.

The former Senate leader reacted to Trump's sweeping pardons for the convicted rioters, saying, "I think pardoning people who have been convicted is a mistake."

-ABC News' Allison Pecorin

President Donald Trump plans to speak with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Monday morning, he told to reporters during a stopover at Joint Base Andrews on Sunday evening.

The calls are scheduled two days after he imposed 25% tariffs on both of the United States' neighboring countries.

Sheinbaum is also expected to deliver Mexico’s response to the tariffs in the morning, according to sources familiar with the situation.

-ABC News' Hannah Demissie

Five Quaker congregations sued the Department of Homeland Security on Monday over last week's policy reversal that allows immigration agents to conduct searches and arrests in so-called “sensitive areas” like churches and schools.

The Quaker groups, known as the Religious Society of Friends, alleged that the policy change harms their congregations by deterring immigrants from worshipping in person, violating their First Amendment rights to freely associate and exercise religion.

“Allowing armed government agents wearing ICE-emblazoned jackets to park outside a religious service and monitor who enters or to interrupt the service and drag a congregant out during the middle of worship is anathema to Quaker religious exercise,” the federal lawsuit filed in Maryland said.

Quaker worship generally involves multiple congregants sitting together in silence to await a message from God, which can be received and shared by anyone in attendance, according to the lawsuit.

“Being able to receive those messages is fundamental to Quaker religious exercise,” the lawsuit said.

“Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest,” Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman said in a statement announcing the policy change on Jan. 24. “The Trump Administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense.”

-ABC News' Peter Charalambous, James Hill and Laura Romero