President Trump claimed on Tuesday that the U.S. would be "virtually defenseless" against other nations if the Supreme Court strikes down a slew of tariffs.
Why it matters: Trump's comments come just one day before the highest court will hear oral arguments challenging the legality of a key part of his economic agenda.
CBS News' sit-down interview with President Trump Sunday night drew a whopping 13.2 million viewers, according to preliminary Nielsen data shared with Axios by a CBS source familiar with the figures.
Why it matters: It marks the highest-rated "60 Minutes" episode since Jan. 10, 2021.
A majority of voters blame President Trump for rising prices, according to a recent poll, marking a possible midterm warning sign for Republicans.
The big picture: The cost of living is top of mind for Americans one year out from the 2026 election, which is set to serve as a major referendum on Trump's second-term agenda.
Morgan Stanley last week agreed to buy EquityZen, a 13-year-old private shares marketplace, at a time when the "democratization of private assets" is being hyped by the White House, Wall Street, and Silicon Valley.
Axios spent some time on the Zoom with EquityZen co-founder and CEO Atish Davda. What follows is a transcript of the conversation, edited for length and clarity:
Pfizer and Novo Nordisk on Tuesday both sweetened their bids for weight-loss drugmaker Metsera, to a maximum of $8.1 billion and $10 billion, respectively.
Why it matters: This reflects how biotech is seeking to corner the next generation of anti-obesity medicines, following the blockbuster success of Novo's Wegovy and Ozempic.
President Trump said food benefits will only get paid once the shutdown ends, in a post on Truth Social Tuesday morning.
Why it matters: The post appears to defy two federal courts that ruled last week the White House must pay at least partial Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits even in a shutdown.
President Trump's Truth Social demands to end the filibuster are just a hint of his coming rampage if Senate Republicans hold out against him, advisers tell Axios.
Why it matters: Most Senate Republicans have no interest in nuking the filibuster. But Trump's frustration is the first clear sign that the shutdown, which becomes a record on Wednesday, is getting to him.
What should you do if you're driving down the road and dense fog emerges? Slow down? Continue? Pull over and stop?
The big picture: That is the core of a disagreement between Federal Reserve leaders who want to proceed with further interest rate cuts and those who think it's better to wait and see what the data reveals once the government reopens.
Layoffs are never a painless exercise, but the Trump administration's effort to fire federal workers while the government is shut down is driving confusion and chaos beyond a typical termination, court filings show.
Why it matters: Documents from a federal court case challenging shutdown firings detail an unusual mess in the latest setback for federal workers this year.
Stocks are under pressure as the CEOs of Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley warn of a potential drop in the market.
Why it matters: Equities have rallied in the face of a shutdown, tariffs, macro uncertainty and geopolitical headwinds. The only thing they can't withstand appears to be a warning from Wall Street.
Layoffs may be rising, but people are also getting rehired more often as part of a "layoff boomerang" trend, an analysis by workplace platform Visier finds.
Why it matters: AI may not be the headcount reducer that it's cracked up to be, at least not yet.
About half of new U.S. businesses make it to their fifth year, per the latest federal data.
Why it matters: Keeping a new business alive is no small feat — and getting even harder amid the government shutdown for companies that rely on federal contracts or aid, Axios' Madison Mills reports.
