Axios

President Trump said at a press briefing Tuesday that he doesn't know "too much" about the recent indictment of Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, before adding: "I just wish her well, frankly."

Why it matters: Maxwell pleaded not guilty last week to charges that allege she conspired with her billionaire boyfriend Epstein to sexually abuse underage girls. Many have speculated that Maxwell has information that could incriminate powerful figures who were involved in Epstein's alleged sex trafficking ring.

President Trump admitted at his first coronavirus press briefing since April that the outbreak in the U.S. will "probably, unfortunately get worse before it gets better," adding: "Something I don't like saying about things, but that's the way it is."

Why it matters: For weeks, Trump has dismissed the rise in infections as a product of more testing, insisting that the coronavirus will "just disappear" one day. He repeated that claim on Tuesday, but called the surge in cases in the South "concerning" and urged all Americans to wear a mask when social distancing is not possible: "Whether you like the mask or not, they have an impact."

Unlike in other parts of the United States, Los Angeles isn’t debating whether to send students back into physical classrooms. The city's schools have already decided to be fully remote through at least the end of 2020.

Axios Re:Cap digs in with Austin Beutner, LA Unified School District superintendent, about why he made the decision, getting technology to students, contact tracing and what he thinks about President Trump's funding cut threat.

Editor’s note: This episode was updated to clarify that the Los Angeles Unified School District is starting the school year remotely and will return to classrooms as soon as possible.

White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin were deployed to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to brief the Senate Republican conference, alongside Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, on the details of the GOP coronavirus stimulus bill.

Driving the news: The Senate Republican lunch descended into chaos, several GOP lawmakers said, revealing that the White House and Republican senators remain far apart on key priorities in the next economic package.

Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder (R) and four others were arrested on Tuesday on charges stemming from a $60 million bribery case brought by U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio David DeVillers.

Why it matters: It's likely the "largest bribery, money-laundering scheme ever perpetrated against the people of the state of Ohio," DeVillers said at a press conference.

President Trump issued a memorandum Tuesday that aims to exclude undocumented immigrants from influencing congressional apportionment determined by the 2020 Census.

Why it matters: The move is sure to provoke legal challenges. Supreme Court precedent has interpreted the Constitution as requiring congressional districts to be appointed by total population, Reuters notes.

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) called on House Republican Conference chair Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) to "step down or be removed" after a heated conference meeting on Tuesday.

The backdrop: Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and other members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus attacked Cheney, the most senior female Republican in the House, for breaking with President Trump on several occasions and supporting a primary opponent against Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), Politico first reported and Axios can confirm.

Black Lives Matter protests swelled in Portland, Ore., on Monday night, CBS News reports, as demonstrations against police violence have continued in the city for more than 50 days.

The big picture: The ramp-up came hours after President Trump threatened to send federal law enforcement into other cities run by Democrats. Demonstrations against excessive use of police force sparked by the killing of George Floyd while in police custody have overall been peaceful in cities around the country.

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) defended the use of federal law enforcement officers in Portland and compared violent protesters in the city to the "anarchists and insurrectionists" who seceded from the Union in the prelude to the Civil War.

The big picture: Cotton's comments comes after President Trump told reporters on Monday the administration would send more federal law enforcement into cities run by Democrats. The Arkansas senator previously sparked a controversy by calling for Trump in a New York Times op-ed to "send in the troops" to quell violent protests.

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to worsen and President Trump's approval rating sinks, Wall Street analysts are discussing the increasing probability of a "blue wave" Democratic sweep of the House, Senate and presidency.

Why it matters: With a blue wave, Biden could realistically enact major policy shifts such as higher taxes, climate change reform and increased health care spending.

TIME shows John Lewis at age 23, in May 1963, as chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), in Clarksdale, Miss.

Why it matters: Born in Alabama to the son of sharecroppers, Lewis went on to dedicate his life toward fighting the racial injustices that labeled him as a second-class citizen. He became the chair of the SNCC in 1963 and went on to become the youngest person to speak at the March on Washington that August.

Joe Biden released the third plank of his "Build Back Better" economic recovery plan Tuesday, which would cost $775 billion over 10 years and aims to create 3 million new caregiving or education jobs.

The big picture: The Biden campaign is trying to make a big splash with their economic policy rollouts, deploying former 2020 rivals to help pitch the plans and sending the former vice president out to give remarks in person in Delaware.

Americans are looking for a post-coronavirus overhaul at colleges and universities that would include reduced costs and better job placement for graduates, according to a report from think tank Populace.

Why it matters: Coronavirus threatens to upend how traditional four-year universities operate. Parents and students no longer feel like they can justify the large pricetags for a mostly online learning environment — no matter how prestigious the institution is.

The American Civil Liberties Union is suing the Trump administration "for imprisoning Michael Cohen in retaliation for his plans to publish a book" that's critical of President Trump, the organization announced via Twitter Monday night.

Details: The ACLU filed a petition against the Justice Department and Bureau of Prisons earlier Monday on behalf of Cohen, calling for the release of Trump's former personal lawyer and for his return to home confinement.

A Detroit police officer faces felony assault charges over allegations that he fired rubber pellets at three photojournalists covering a protest against police brutality in the city in May, the Detroit Free Press first reported Monday.

Details: Wayne County Prosecutor's Office said in a statement MLive's Nicole Hester, 30, and freelancers Matthew Hatcher, 29, and Seth Herald, 28, each sustained injuries while wearing press credentials and having identified themselves when Cpl. Daniel Debono, 32, allegedly fired on them.

Gov. Mike Parson (R) told Fox News Monday "without a doubt" he would pardon Mark and Patricia McCloskey if they're convicted over pulling guns on anti-racism protesters outside their mansion.

The big picture: St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner said earlier Monday she'd charged the couple with felony unlawful use of a weapon over images of their actions, which went viral last month. Parson told Fox host Sean Hannity the charges were "unfortunate" and marked a "sad day" for Missouri.

St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner announced on Monday that she has charged Mark and Patricia McCloskey with felony unlawful use of a weapon after the couple pulled guns on anti-racism protesters outside of their mansion.

The big picture: Photos of the McCloskeys, both personal injury attorneys in their 60s, went viral last month and have stirred a fiery partisan debate on social media. Missouri's Republican Gov. Mike Parson told Fox News Monday "without a doubt" he would pardon the couple and Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has called on the Justice Department to open a civil rights investigation into Gardner.

Former Vice President Joe Biden vowed on Monday to end President Trump's signature travel ban on people from Muslim-majority nations "on day one" if he's elected.

Of note: Biden made the pledge during an online address at the "Million Muslim Votes" summit. It's rare for a presidential nominee, presumptive or otherwise, to address large Muslim audiences. Organizers of the event, hosted by the Muslim American advocacy group Emgage Action, told NPR they can't recall a nominee ever doing so.

Democratic mayors in Seattle, Atlanta, Chicago, Portland, Kansas City, Mo. and Washington, D.C., condemned federal agents dispersing protesters in their cities, in letters to congressional leadership and the Trump administration on Monday.

What they're saying: "Deployment of federal forces in the streets of our communities has not been requested nor is it acceptable," the mayors write to Attorney General Bill Barr and Chad Wolf, acting Homeland Security secretary.

Joe Biden said Monday that four Black women are on his list of potential running mates, and that his vetting team has so far briefed him on a total of four candidates — with more to come.

The big picture: Biden is expected to announce his VP pick, which he has pledged will be a woman but not necessarily a woman of color, before the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 17.