The Securities and Exchange Commission told OpenSea on Friday that it was dropping the case it had been building against the NFT marketplace, the second sign in 24 hours that the agency is backing off its campaign against the digital-asset industry.
Why it matters: The SEC is ushering in a new U.S. regulatory scheme for digital assets.
The Associated Press on Friday sued three Trump administration officials for blocking its reporters from access to events like Oval Office meetings and Air Force One press pools, citing a violation of its First Amendment rights.
Why it matters: Efforts by Trump to block reporters during his first administration didn't pass muster in court, and First Amendment experts believe the principles established by those decisions should apply to the AP's case.
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport isn't just nice to look at; it's also a relatively inexpensive airport to fly out of domestically, per the latest Transportation Department data.
Why it matters: It's time to plan your summer travel.
By the numbers: Average domestic airfare out of MSY ran to $324 in the third quarter of 2024.
That's less than the $366 average for all airports.
But there are cheaper places to fly from, the data shows. An average ticket out of Fort Lauderdale ran just $252.
President Trump hasn't implemented most of the tariffs he's announced, but the uncertainty over when — or even if — he'll do so is already hurting the auto industry.
Why it matters: It's a tumultuous time for automakers, which are already grappling with regulatory uncertainties and worries about consumer acceptance of electric vehicles.
The latest: The WorldPride Music Festival in D.C. and The Roots Picnic in Philadelphia both announced their summer lineups this week. The LGBTQ+ festival will feature Jennifer Lopez, Troye Sivan and ZEDD, and the hip-hop festival will include D'Angelo with The Roots, Lenny Kravitz and GloRilla.
The Trump administration has "not complied" fully with a court order pausing a freeze on foreign aid, a federal judge in D.C. ruled Thursday evening.
The big picture: U.S. District Court Judge Amir Ali decided not to hold the State Department and Office of Management and Budget in contempt, but said to the extent they "have continued the blanket suspension, they are ordered to immediately cease it."
Walmart's strong performance continued in its most recent quarter, but its forecast for the rest of the year — lower-than-expected profit and slowing sales growth — took a toll on a jittery market.
Dunkin' will stop charging its long-standing nondairy milk fee starting March 5, the company confirmed to Axios.
Why it matters: Companies have been under pressure over fees on milk alternativesfrom advocacy groups that include PETA, Switch4Good and Mercy For Animals. They have also faced lawsuits over the fees.
Turnover among top communication jobs is up from last year, according to a new study by Patino Associates and The Corporate Affairs Search Alliance (CASA).
Why it matters: This is on par with the record number of departures happening across the C-suite.
Members of the White House held conversations in recent weeks with Ancora, the activist investor pushing to keep U.S. Steel independent, Ancora Alternatives CEO Jim Chadwick tells Axios.
Why it matters: The administration is, at the very least, weighing the possibility of allowing U.S. Steel to go it alone.
The big picture: Nippon Steel's $14.9 billion attempt to buy U.S. Steel turned political last year, with the Biden administration blocking the deal citing national security concerns.
The Trump administration has carried that torch onward, saying he wants U.S. Steel to remain domestically owned. President Trump more recently said he also wouldn't mind if Nippon Steel took a minority stake in the business.
Driving the news: Ancora's Chadwick says the firm spoke with Trump officials earlier this month in what he describes as a "fact finding exercise."
The conversation, which occurred shortly before Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's visit to the White House, circled around the viability of U.S. Steel going it alone.
Ancora has vehemently opposed the Nippon Steel merger, and has sought to nominate nine new board members to U.S. Steel. The activist investor has also identified Alan Kestenbaum, former CEO of Stelco, as their preferred CEO.
Yes, but: Nippon Steel had previously promised to inject new capital into the business, something Ancora currently isn't putting on the table (though it isn't ruling out the possibility in the future).
There's also Cleveland-Cliffs, which has reportedly shown interest in a bid for U.S. Steel.
In his final days as president, Joe Biden delayed an order for Nippon Steel to abandon the deal to June — leaving the door open for a comeback. Chadwick wants to see Trump shorten it to 30 days.
The White House has not replied to a request for comment.
Lara Trump's first show as a Fox News host will highlight the key women who helped get her father-in-law President Trump elected and who now serve in his administration, she told Axios in an interview.
State of play: The show, "My View With Lara Trump," will feature interviews with Attorney General Pam Bondi, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
San Francisco International is the third-costliest U.S. airport to fly out of domestically, the latest Transportation Department data shows.
Why it matters: Nothing beats the February blues like planning your summer travel — and being smart about which airports you use might help you save a buck.
Corporate leaders are feeling good: A measure of CEO confidence rose to its highest level in three years, per a post-inauguration survey released Thursday morning.
Why it matters: The surge happened even as President Trump announced new tariffs on the country's largest trading partners, sparking fears of economic fallout for both companies and consumers.
Andrew Ross Sorkin has been quietly working on this for eight years: He'll be out this fall with "1929: The Inside Story of the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History," told as an immersive, electrifying "tale of power, psychology, and the seductive illusion that 'this time is different.'"
Think of it as a prequel "Too Big to Fail," Sorkin's definitive history of the 2008 banking crisis, which was on the New York Times bestseller list for over six months.
Washington Dulles International, John Wayne and San Francisco International are the costliest U.S. airports to fly out of domestically, per the latest Transportation Department data.
Why it matters: Nothing beats the February blues like planning your summer travel — and being smart about which airports you use might help you save a buck.
President Trump, in small and unprecedented ways, is punishing media companies more than any leader since America's founding.
Why it matters: Once considered a bastion for free expression, America's record on press freedoms has fallen to a historic low, according to Reporters Without Borders. Under Trump's second presidency, the press is "under siege," the group argues.
The big picture: Lutnick's remarks on Fox News, which come as the IRS is reportedly poised to lay off thousands of workers, build on a pledge Trump made to create an "External Revenue Service" to oversee tariffs and other potential foreign revenue.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered military officials to find $50 billion in budget cuts for fiscal year 2026 to be redirected to align with President Trump's priorities for the department, the Pentagon said Wednesday.
Why it matters: The review to identify offsets from the Biden administration's FY26 budget is set to overhaul Defense Department priorities, with a Pentagon official noting its mandate is border security, ending diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and building Trump's planned Iron Dome missile defense shield.
