Axios PM

April 25, 2025
Happy Friday afternoon. Today's newsletter, edited by Sam Baker, is 849 words, a 3-min. read. Thanks to Carlos Cunha for copy editing.
1 big thing: MAGA cheers judge's arrest
The MAGA faithful are ecstatic over the FBI's arrest of a Wisconsin judge earlier today, Axios' Tal Axelrod reports.
- "Lock 'em up!!" Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas), a staunch Trump ally, told Axios after the arrest.
- "Good. We need to see more arrests!!" Rep. Mary Miller (R-Ill.) wrote on X.
- "Take note, local officials. Obstructing federal immigration enforcement will no longer be tolerated. The American people have spoken. And their voice is clear," posted right-wing podcaster Jack Posobiec.
๐ฏ FBI agents today arrested Milwaukee County judge Hannah Dugan on charges of obstructing an immigration arrest.
- Federal agents arrived at Dugan's courtroom last week to arrest a man who was in the country illegally. He was appearing before Dugan on separate charges.
- Dugan confronted the agents in the hallway outside her courtroom, according to the FBI's criminal complaint, and told them they needed to go see the court's chief judge. She then escorted the defendant through a side door and out the back of the courthouse, the charges state. He made it outside, but was arrested after a brief foot chase.
๐ฅ Between the lines: The incident represents several escalations all at once, Axios Sam Baker writes.
- The Trump administration has sought new ways to force the hands of local officials who don't want to help with federal immigration enforcement. And it has been willing to needle and even defy judges, especially over immigration.
๐ฌ What they're saying: "What has happened to our judiciary is beyond me," Attorney General Pam Bondi said on Fox News. "The [judges] are deranged, is all I can think of."
- The other side: "They arrested a judge?! They can no longer claim to be a party of law and order. This will have to be a red line for congressional Republicans. Unbelievable," Rep. Greg Landsman (D-Ohio) told Axios' Andrew Solender.
Go deeper ... Congress erupts ... Read the criminal complaint.
2. ๐ฐ Bondi: DOJ can now subpoena journalists

The Justice Department is rescinding a policy that shielded journalists from most subpoenas, Axios' Andrew Solender, Marc Caputo and Sara Fischer report.
๐ก Why it matters: It is a sign that Bondi will continue the first Trump administration's practice of trying to obtain reporters' newsgathering materials in an effort to smoke out leakers.
- Bondi's predecessor, Merrick Garland, made journalists off-limits for most subpoenas.
๐ "I have concluded that it is necessary to rescind Merrick Garland's policies precluding the Department of Justice from seeking records and compelling testimony from members of the news media in order to identify and punish the source of improper leaks," Bondi wrote in an internal memo obtained by Axios.
3. ๐ค Axios interview: Inside the briefing room

The Trump administration is exerting more control over the press corps in order to expand access, not to limit it, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told me at an Axios Communicators event today.
- "It's not about ideology. It's about increasing the wide array of outlets that have access," Leavitt said.
๐ Where it stands: The White House press office recently took over deciding which outlets will be in the pool rotation that covers the president's daily movements โ decisions previously made by the White House Correspondents' Association.
- "I don't view them as restrictions. We view them as opening access to more outlets, more voices, more news, journalists and outlets," Leavitt said. "Why should a single outlet have the privilege of being in that 13-person press pool every single day?"
๐ค The intrigue: Increasing access for newer and non-traditional outlets, even including MAGA influencers, is a worthy goal, Jay Carney โ a press secretary to President Obama who's now Airbnb's global head of policy and communications โ told Axios' Eleanor Hawkins at the same event.
- "I think it's important to recognize the media landscape has changed, to bring in new voices, to shake things up," Carney said. "I think that's admirable ... [E]verybody can learn from that."
More Leavitt ... More Carney.
4. โก Catch me up

- โ๏ธ Former Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) was sentenced to more than 7 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Go deeper.
- ๐๏ธ ICE reinstated the legal status of thousands of foreign students โ a sudden reversal just weeks after it had revoked those students' ability to remain in the U.S. Go deeper.
- ๐งข "It's just a hat," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told me when I asked about the "Trump 2028" hats the Trump Organization is selling: "It's not something he's thinking of โ though I hear hats are flying off the shelves."
5. ๐ฅ "Nerd prom" parties on
Tomorrow night's White House Correspondents' Dinner will be a much quieter affair than usual: President Trump isn't attending, and there won't be a comedian performing.
- Scheduled headliner Amber Ruffin's appearance was canceled due to comments she made about President Trump.
๐ But the weekend of parties surrounding the dinner is still going strong, Axios' Sara Fischer reports.
- More events are tied to this year's dinner than last year's, including several hosted by independent journalists.
๐ฌ Please invite your friends to join PM.
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