President Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday banning some legal immigration for 60 days due to the novel coronavirus, beginning Thursday at 11:59 p.m. EST.
What's happening: The order will prevent foreigners from obtaining green cards to enter the country if they are outside the U.S. and do not already have valid visas or other travel documents — although there are exceptions.
The U.S. Navy Blue Angels and Air Force Thunderbirds are planning a tour to promote national unity amid the coronavirus outbreak, President Trump said at Wednesday's White House press briefing.
The big picture: Some demonstration squadrons will fly in unison, while others will fly individually, in a mission titled "Operation America Strong," as the Washington Post first reported based on defense officials and a memo. The flights will not feature stunts, and will avoid passing regions where people might congregate to promote social distancing.
President Trump said at a press conference Wednesday that he "strongly" disagrees with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp's plans to reopen some non-essential businesses, like gyms and barber shops, as soon as this week.
Why it matters: It's a rare rebuke of a Republican governor and Trump ally that comes as the president has sought to reopen parts of the country, even encouraging protests against stay-at-home orders across several states.
An expansion of home confinement designed to alleviate the impact of the coronavirus on federal prisons has been restricted to prisoners who have already served at least half their sentences, Politico and ABC News report.
Why it matters: The new rule, reported by friends and family members of inmates to Politico and detailed in a memo obtained by ABC News, could prevent high-risk prisoners at federal facilities from being sent home to combat the spread of COVID-19.
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Wednesday asked wealthy institutions to reject coronavirus emergency funding and requested that Congress change its eligibility requirements.
The big picture: Her statement comes one day after President Trump said Harvard University should pay back the $8.7 million in federal money it was due to receive from the Education Department via the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.
Acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell is pushing to cut U.S. intelligence sharing with countries that criminalize homosexuality, the New York Times reports.
Why it matters: About 69 countries still criminalize homosexuality — including key U.S. intelligence partners like Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Kenya, per the Times. Grenell is the first openly gay Cabinet member and has prioritized anti-discrimination policies.
Rep. Donna Shalala (D-Fla.) told CBS Miami on Wednesday that she made a mistake by not reporting at least six stock sales she made after she was elected to the House in 2018.
Why it matters: The transactions were only revealed when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appointed Shalala to a committee conducting oversight on the hundreds of billions of dollars being provided to companies through the coronavirus relief bill.
What she's saying: ”This November, statewide and state legislative elections will be especially critical as we recover from the coronavirus crisis in the short term and rebuild our economy in the long term,” Warren told supporters in an email, as NBC News first reported.
The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Wednesday that Arkansas is allowed to ban most surgical abortions during the coronavirus pandemic, AP reports.
The big picture: Other red states have sought to block abortion clinics from operating during the coronavirus pandemic and have found their bans being challenged in court.
Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has volunteered to develop a contact tracing program to help the tri-state area, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said at a press briefing on Wednesday.
Why it matters: Cuomo has previously said contact tracing — tracking down people who have interacted with coronavirus patients — is a key component to the "phased reopening of the economy" when the outbreak is under control in New York.
Over 80 scientists, including prominent climate experts, are out with an open letter endorsing Joe Biden just ahead of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.
Why it matters: The letter comes as Biden is seeking to consolidate support among progressives who prefer Sen. Bernie Sanders' more aggressive climate platform.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said at a press conference Wednesday that President Trump agreed during a meeting at the White House to work "very hard" to include funding for state governments in the next coronavirus relief package.
Yes, but: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Wednesday that he prefers states be allowed to declare bankruptcy rather than receive federal bailouts.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told radio host Hugh Hewitt on Wednesday the Senate will continue confirming President Trump's judicial nominations "as soon as we get back in session" on May 4.
Why it matters: McConnell has long viewed the transformation of the federal judiciary through the confirmation of young conservative judges as his defining legacy.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced Wednesday he is endorsing Joe Biden as president for 2020, The New York Times reports.
Inslee said Biden's campaign represents "a chance or survival of life as we know it... The faster we get in harness together, the likelier it is we will remove a man who has dedicated himself to deceit and rejection of science."
The Lincoln Project — which includes former and "Never Trump" Republicans George Conway, Reed Galen, Steve Schmidt, John Weaver, Rick Wilson and more — is up with its first TV ad endorsing Joe Biden.
The big picture: The spot,which shows Biden with Republican former Speaker John Boehner, debuts in Milwaukee and Grand Rapids, Mich., two presumed battleground states in the upcoming election.
Watch for Joe Biden and his surrogates to stand up a disciplined criticism of President Trump's coronavirus response around "the four Cs," per a campaign memo obtained by Axios: "Coverup." "Chaos." "Corporate favoritism." And "caving" to lobbyists.
Why it matters: The memo signals the presumptive Democratic nominee's intention to make Trump's handling of the pandemic a central attack and provides the first detailed look at how his campaign intends to do it.
Howard Schultz — the Starbucks chairman emeritus, who has been quiet since dropping out of the presidential race in September — announces on Medium this morning that he'll push for "transformation" loans for small business.
What Schultz is saying: He states that some of the country's independent restaurants are "dismayed" after qualifying for the Trump administration's Paycheck Protection Program since they have to use it specifically to pay employees or risk the grant becoming a loan.
Editor's note: Axios has returned the loan. Details here.
Axios is among the small businesses that qualified for a PPP loan to protect existing jobs and help weather the coronavirus crisis.
Why it matters: We are in the somewhat unique position of being both a media company, which covers government and business, and a job-creating small business with a national presence. So we wanted to be fully transparent about our thinking.
Hospitals, doctors' practices and other health care providers are getting another $75 billion in taxpayer money to cover the fallout of the coronavirus outbreak, bringing the total pot of bailout funds to $175 billion.
The big picture: The first $30 billion has been dispersed to providers based on Medicare billings, which raised the ire of hospitals that treat higher amounts of poor patients and children. The federal government has said the next "targeted distributions" will go to providers in COVID-19 hotspots, rural hospitals and groups that predominantly treat Medicaid patients.
Harvard issued a statement denying the university had accepted stimulus money meant for small businesses after President Trump said Tuesday the school should return federal funding.
Driving the news: A reporter asked at Tuesday's White House briefing if other big businesses would be asked to return federal government dollars after Shake Shack announced Sunday the chain would hand back its entire $10 million Paycheck Protection Program loan. "Harvard’s going to pay back the money," Trump said.
Robert Blair, a senior White House official who played a key role under former chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, is moving to the Commerce Department to serve as director of policy, two sources familiar with his plans tell Axios and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross confirmed.
What we're hearing: Blair is expected to focus on 5G, rebalancing the relationship with China and reopening the economy after the coronavirus lockdowns, one of the sources said.
