Driving the news: Liz Magill faced significant backlash for not explicitly stating that calling for the genocide of Jews would violate the university's code of conduct.
The big picture: As Israel's military operations in the Gaza Strip have ramped up and the death toll has increased, a growing proportion of the demonstrations have been in support of Palestinians.
The next several days could be critical for the future of University of Pennsylvania president Elizabeth Magill, who remains under fire for her testimony at a congressional hearing on antisemitism.
The big picture: Monday is Penn's final day of classes before winter break, which begins after exams end on Dec. 21.
Why it matters: Some lawmakers are already calling for or taking action – urging the three presidents to resign, launching investigations and even floating restrictions on federal funding for certain colleges.
A Texas woman was granted permission on Thursday to receive an emergency abortion despite a restrictive abortion ban that went into effect after Roe v. Wade was overturned last June.
Why it matters: The ruling,in response to an emergency lawsuit,carves out a notable exception to the ban, but an impending ruling in the Texas Supreme Court will determine future cases.
Top Trump campaign officials have a warning for allies following Axios' exclusive reporting about how President Trump would build his loyalty-first team if elected to a second term.
Driving the news: "No aspect of future presidential staffing or policy announcements should be deemed official" unless they come "directly from President Trump or an authorized member of his campaign team," top Trump campaign officials Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita said in a statement.
Former President Trump's allies in Congress are pushing a series of bills that reflect part of his 2025 agenda, including plans to crack down on mask mandates, affirmative action and who can become a U.S. citizen.
Why it matters: The recent proposals show that even as Trump plans to remake the executive branch in a way that would give him unprecedented power as president, Trump's MAGA loyalists on Capitol Hill aim to turn many of his campaign-rally talking points into law.
A pregnant woman in Kentucky filed a lawsuit Friday challenging two abortion bans in the state.
The big picture: The lawsuit comes a day after a Texas woman was granted permission to receive an emergency abortion despite a restrictive ban that went into effect in the state after Roe v. Wade was overturned.
A federal judge on Friday banned the separation of families at the U.S. southern border to deter migrants from entering the country as part of a settlement to a Trump-era lawsuit.
Why it matters: The judge's approval of the settlement may preemptively prevent the controversial policy from resuming during a second Trump presidency, should voters elect him president next year.
Harvard President Claudine Gay apologized for failing to more strongly denounce threats of antisemitic violence during congressional testimony that has received widespread backlash.
Why it matters: Major donors, the White House and campus communities at Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania and MIT have condemned presidents of the three schools for their answers as to whether calls for the genocide of Jews would violate their codes of conduct.
Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is endorsing former President Trump in 2024, and said he'd be willing to serve in a cabinet role "if I'm the best person for the job."
Ethan Crumbley, the 17-year-old accused of killing four students and wounding others in a shooting at a Michigan high school in 2021, was sentenced Friday to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Driving the news: Crumbley, who was 15 years old at the time of the Oxford High School shooting, pleaded guilty last year to all 24 charges against him.
The Republican National Committee will not participate in further 2024 GOP primary debates, the organization said Friday.
Why it matters: The RNC has held four debates with Republican primary candidates, which have seen declining viewership, though GOP frontrunner former PresidentTrump has skipped them all.
House Democrats are demanding answers from Harvard, MIT and the University of Pennsylvania about antisemitism on their campuses in a letter citing their presidents' "unacceptable" congressional testimony this week, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: It's the starkest example yet of widespread disapproval among Democrats toward the unwillingness of the colleges' presidents to say that chants endorsing violence against Jews would be grounds for punishment.
A federal appeals court on Friday upheld most of the partial gag order on former President Trump in his federal 2020 election subversion case.
Why it matters: The former president's gag order was reinstated but now allows him to comment on special counsel Jack Smith, but not other counsel in the case.
U.K. Foreign Secretary David Cameron described China on a visit to Washington this week as an "epoch-defining challenge" — a sharp shift from his approach as prime minister and in business dealings more recently.
Why it matters: Outreach to China was a pillar of Cameron's foreign policy during his tenure in Downing Street from 2010-2016, at which time he heralded a "golden era" in China-U.K. relations.
Driving the news: "We were surprised to be included on a press release by a network about a debate which we had not planned or booked," Neil Levesque, executive director of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm, said in a statement Friday.
Driving the news: Emhoff, speaking Thursday night at a ceremony to light the National Menorah on the White House lawn, said the school leaders"were unable to denounce calling for the genocide of Jews as antisemitic," per AP.
The U.S. labor market added 199,000 jobs in November, while the unemployment rate fell to 3.7% from 3.9%, the Labor Department said on Friday.
Why it matters: The jobs market surprised to the upside, with more jobs than economists anticipated, easing concerns that the labor market is rapidly cooling.
The advertising dollars spent on U.S. elections and advocacy issues will grow to roughly $16 billion next year, up 31.2% compared to the last presidential election in 2020, according to a new forecast.
Why it matters: The U.S. political ad market has gotten so big that next year it’s expected to become the 10th largest ad market in the world, surpassing all of Australia.
University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill is being asked to resign by the board of Penn's Wharton business school, according to a letter obtained by Axios.
Why it matters: Pressure is mounting on Magill and several other Ivy League leaders, following their widely-panned testimony earlier this week during a congressional hearing on antisemitism.
Democrat-aligned groups are working to put a state constitutional amendment protecting abortion rights on Montana's ballot next year, a move that would boost embattled Democratic Sen. Jon Tester's re-election bid.
Why it matters: Tester is one of the most vulnerable Senate incumbents in 2024. Democrats are clinging to a 51-seat majority in the chamber, so his campaign is critical to determining whether they keep control of the Senate in 2025.
Vivek Ramaswamy's theatrical,conspiracy-laden performance at Wednesday night's Republican debateexhilarated fringe elements of the online right, but drew outright disgust from conservative commentators on Fox News.
Why it matters: Ramaswamy's increasingly radical debate stunts have coincided with a slide in his favorability ratings. Polling criteria unveiled today for the next two debates — at least 10% in Iowa and New Hampshire — could threaten the viability of his candidacy over the next month.
The holidays are approaching, but Congress isn't sending good tidings: Fresh off censuring Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.), House Republicans are set to vote next week on formalizing an impeachment inquiry into President Biden.
Why it matters: Personal animus has defined the first year of the House GOP's majority, with rank-and-file lawmakers forcing votes on censures, impeachment and a historic expulsion — often without the support of leadership.
