The National Enquirer, an ally to President Trump, went after Michael Cohen, the president’s personal attorney, on the cover of the magazine.
The backdrop: The Enquirer has largely been in Trump's corner — its parent company, American Media, reportedly bought off a story from a former Playboy Playmate in 2016 that would hurt Trump. But Cohen is in hot water after the FBI obtained documents related to his payment to former porn star Stormy Daniels.
Reverend Patrick J. Conroy, the House chaplain since 2011, was abruptly dismissed by Speaker Paul Ryan, the New York Times reports, causing an "uproar...over religion."
The details: Per the Times, some Republicans demanded an explanation for the dismissal, and Democrats called for an investigation, but the move re-ignited "long-simmering tensions between Roman Catholics and evangelical Christians" over who should have the position. Ryan, who is a Roman Catholic, said his decision stemmed from the chaplain's "pastoral care," not politics, or a prayer he gave in November that Ryan took issue with.
Democratic voters have become much less open to compromise with Republicans under President Trump, according to a Pew Research Center survey.
Reproduced from a Pew Research Center report.; Chart: Axios Visuals
Why it matters: The dramatic shift in Democrats' support for compromise — from 69% last July to just 44% now — reflects the party's growing progressive base. They want to stand up to Trump and stick to their liberal views, even if it's against their moderate colleagues.
President Trump sent two strong signals at his joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel Friday: he railed against NATO allies, like Germany, that don't spend the mandatory 2% of GDP on defense, and also touted how successful the U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum have been.
Why it matters, perAxios World Editor, Dave Lawler: The E.U.’s exemption from steel and aluminum tariffs expires Tuesday. Merkel's key priority for her D.C. visit is to get a longer-term exemption. She may end up getting it — but Trump is sending some pretty strong messages here.
The backdrop: Meehan, an Ethics Committee member, reportedly "grew hostile" with an aide when she did not reciprocate his romantic interests. It was reported in January that Meehan wouldn't be running for re-election.
Natalya Veselnitskaya, the Russian lawyer who met with top Trump campaign officials at Trump Tower in 2016, admitted to being an informant for a top Kremlin official, reports the New York Times.
Why it matters: Veselnitskaya previously denied having ties to Russia’s government and insisted she was a private attorney. The revelation now raises questions about who she was working for when she met with Donald Trump Jr., Paul Manafort, and Jared Kushner in 2016. The meeting is a focus of Special Counsel Bob Mueller's investigation.
Almost 1,500 migrant children are unaccounted for after being placed with sponsors by the Department of Health and Human Services, according to a top HHS official's testimony on Thursday the New York Times reports.
The details: Acting assistant secretary of HHS' Administration for Children and Families, Steven Wagner, told the Senate homeland security subcommittee that the department learned of 1,475 missing kids after calling to check in with their sponsors. This comes as the HHS and Department of Homeland Security are working towards an agreement on "joint procedures" for handling unaccompanied children. They're a year past the agreed upon deadline, per the NYT.
