Axios

As Americans feel increasingly pinched in their pocketbooks, local governments are getting imaginative to help residents.

Why it matters: As President Trump slashes social safety net funding, cities are absorbing more of the burden to address affordability.

The bottling up of Middle East oil is giving a lift to U.S. exports, but there are real limits on how much more they can grow.

Why it matters: President Trump keeps talking up U.S. exports as the Strait of Hormuz is blocked, and oil and gas exports give America more geopolitical leverage.

Persian Gulf countries like the United Arab Emirates have plenty of dollars, yet they're asking the U.S. for access to more — via what's called swap lines — and the Trump administration seems open to the idea.

Why it matters: The asks are less about finances and more about politics — a sign of how the U.S. is trying to maintain dollar dominance amid a changing geopolitical backdrop.