Special counsel Jack Smithis wrapping up his criminal investigation into whether former President Trump mishandled classified documents, having interviewed virtually every employee at his Mar-a-Lago home, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Why it matters: This is the probe widely believed to pose the most serious threat to Trump's freedom. Based on the publicly reported evidence, Republicans may struggle in their efforts to defend Trump and undermine Smith's credibility in the way they've tried to do with Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg.
Elon Musk said on Tuesday he wants "someone fairly normal" for president after the 2024 election but didn't explicitly make an endorsement.
Why it matters: The comments came after it was revealed that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) plans to announce his campaign for president during an interview with Musk on Twitter on Wednesday.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) is expected to announce his 2024 presidential campaign during a Twitter Spaces event with Elon Musk on Wednesday night, two sources confirmed to Axios.
Why it matters: Twitter has become the center of gravity for conservatives ever since Musk, who's increasingly become cozy with Republicans, took over the platform.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta says that fighting rising anti-Asian hate is personal to him as the state's first Filipino American attorney general.
Why it matters: In an Axios interview, Bonta said he worries about his mother taking public transportation but tries to stay focused to ensure police in the state gather more accurate data on hate crimes.
The big picture: Biden has signaled some openness to invoking a strategy involving the 14th Amendment, while acknowledging there may not be enough time to weather potential legal challenges as a June 1 deadline looms.
In its first month, President Biden’s re-election campaign has already tripled what Donald Trump’s team has spent in online ads in 2023, an attempt to jump-start small donations and lessen Trump’s digital advantage.
Why it matters: Biden needs to lean more heavily into digital advertising to gain traction with donors, as he can’t rely on his organic reach online as much as Trump, who is currently the leading GOP presidential contender.
The driver authorities believe "may have intentionally" crashed a truck into security barriers near the White House on Monday night has been arrested and charged, according to the U.S. Park Police.
Driving the news: The box truck crashed into the security barriers at Lafayette Square, shortly before 10 p.m. ET, Anthony Guglielmi, spokesperson for the Secret Service, said in a statement Monday.
U.S. Park Police spokesperson Sergeant Thomas Twiname told Axios that authorities found a Nazi flag near the crash and that it would be part of their investigation.
State legislators around the country have passed more laws expanding gun access than they have measures on gun control in the year since the Uvalde, Texas, mass shooting that left 19 children and two teachers dead, according to an Axios analysis of data provided by the Giffords Center.
By the numbers: More than 1,700 gun-related bills have been introduced in state legislatures since the Uvalde shooting, and 93 of them were signed into law.
The Walt Disney Company took a big hit in this year's Axios Harris Poll 100, dropping a dozen spots, to 77th, after tangling with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over students' LGBTQ+ rights.
Why it matters: In voicing opposition to DeSantis' so-called "Don't Say Gay" bill last year, Disney gained favor with Democrats but took such a large reputation hit with Republicans that its overall reputation score was severely impacted.
House leadership in both parties is advising members that they could be kept in session into Memorial Day weekend or be called back to vote mid-way through recess next week.
Why it matters: Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen tripled down Monday on her warning that the U.S. could hit the debt ceiling "X-date" as soon as June 1.
FTX and Tesla, once seen as shining examples of innovation and opportunity, took two of the biggest reputational hits in this year's Axios Harris Poll 100 brand reputation survey.
Why it matters: Amid a crypto collapse and Musk madness, Americans have grown wary and weary of big ideas and powerful moguls who they feel have overpromised and underdelivered.
A judge on Monday evening rejected defeated GOP gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake's allegation that Maricopa County didn't verify signatures on early 2022 ballots.
Why it matters: The ruling strikes down the final claim in her long-running attempt to overturn her loss to now-Gov. Katie Hobbs.
A group of Chinese Florida residents are seeking to stop a new property law that Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed from taking effect on July 1 on grounds that it's discriminatory.
Driving the news: The four plaintiffs argue in a lawsuit filed Monday that the legislation restricting people from China and six other countries from buying homes and land in the state is both unconstitutional and in violation of the Fair Housing Act.
The Biden administration called on Congress Monday to pass a bill aimed at tackling fentanyl trafficking in the U.S., which would see the synthetic opioid raised to the highest classification of illegal drugs.
Why it matters: The administration's public support for the Republican-led Halt All Lethal Trafficking of (HALT) Fentanyl Act comes amid a growing synthetic opioid crisis in the U.S.
With just 10 daysuntil the U.S. government's "hard deadline" to avoid a default, Democrats' anxiety has been compounded by new regrets over how Washington blundered to the edge of economic Armageddon.
Why it matters: Political and business leaders had long been aware of a potential debt ceiling crisis if the GOP won the House. Yet Democrats appear to have underestimated Republicans' intransigence — and their unity behind House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).
