Former President Trump reiterated his support for Mike Johnson as the House speaker continues to face a threat to his gavel from GOP hardliners.
Why it matters: The comments come as vocal Trump ally Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) threatens Johnson's position despite the former president saying earlier this month he stands by the speaker.
PEN America announced Monday the cancellation of its annual literary awards ceremony after nearly half of the nominated authors withdrew over the nonprofit's response to the Israel-Hamas war.
The big picture: The move comes after weeks of criticism and brewing dissatisfaction from authors with the literary group that intends to defend free expression.
Elisha Wiesel, son of the late-Holocaust writer Elie Wiesel, is joining forces with international human rights advocates to draw attention to the Chinese government's repression of ethnic Uyghurs.
Why it matters: Beijing is facing mounting international pressure over allegations of genocide and mass detention against Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in the country's northwest region of Xinjiang.
The Supreme Court heard arguments Monday over whether a small town in Oregon could enforce ordinances that criminalize behaviors associated with being unhoused — like sleeping or camping on public property or city parks if there's no available shelter.
Why it matters: The court's decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson is likely to have national implications, and could reshape the kinds of policies cities are allowed to use to address rising homelessness.
Prosecutors in Donald Trump's criminal trial in New York used their opening statement to lay out a bold — and potentially risky — thesis: "Trump orchestrated a criminal scheme to corrupt the 2016 presidential election."
Why it matters: Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg wants his case — widely considered the weakest of the four indictments Trump faces — to be viewed beyond the context of a sordid, years-old sex scandal.
Members of Congress flocked to the Columbia University campus on Mondayamidst raucous protests over the Israel-Hamas war and concerns about the safety of Jewish students and faculty.
Why it matters: The lawmakers, who came as separate Democratic and Republican delegations, diverged on legislative solutions and whether Columbia President Minouche Shafik should resign.
Columbia University announced all classes would be virtual Monday, as Passover begins,following days of pro-Palestinian protests on campus.
Why it matters: Big-name colleges have been cracking down more aggressively on pro-Palestinian protests, which they say are getting increasingly intense and disruptive.
New York Courts will begin releasing the daily transcripts of former President Trump's hush money trial, the court system announced Monday.
Why it matters: The transcripts will offer an unfiltered glimpse into the historic proceedings of the first-ever criminal trial of a former U.S. president.
Lawyers on both sides laid out their cases Monday during opening statements in former President Trump's New York hush money trial.
Why it matters: The opening statements set the stage for the first-ever criminal trial of a former U.S. president, with prosecutors arguing that the 2016 payment at the center of the case was "election fraud, pure and simple."
A prosecutor in former President Trump's New York criminal trial argued during opening statements on Monday that the 2016 hush money payment "was election fraud, pure and simple."
Why it matters: Prosecutors sought to raise the stakes of their case to jurors, arguing that the $130,000 hush money payment was an intentional effort by the former president to try to interfere with the 2016 presidential election.
New York Judge Arthur Engoronon Monday accepted the $175 million bond former President Trump posted to appeal his civil fraud case, but the judge imposed several new conditions to ensure sufficient cash funds remain available.
Why it matters: Approving the bond for the appeal will prevent New York Attorney General Letitia James from seizing Trump's assets or freezing his bank accounts while he fights the judgment.
The big picture: The Biden administration appealed a lower court ruling that invalidated its attempt to regulate the firearms, which are typically self-assembled and do not have serial numbers, making them difficult to trace.
President Biden will travel to a national park in Virginia on Monday to mark Earth Day and spotlight new actions on his American Climate Corps jobs and training program, the White House said.
Why it matters: The visit to Prince William Forest in northern Virginia comes after the Biden administration last week announced a flurry of climate and anti-pollution actions, including barring oil drilling on roughly half of the national petroleum reserve in Alaska.
Just over six months from Nov. 5, longtime Democratic adviser Doug Sosnik tells Axios that while either candidate can win, President Biden has the narrower, tougher path to 270 electoral college votes, for three reasons.
Why it matters: Biden has been rising in polls since the State of the Union address. But Democrats continue to sweat their chances in the state-by-state math that determines U.S. presidents.
Big-name colleges are now cracking down more aggressively on pro-Palestinian protests, which they say are getting increasingly intense and disruptive.
Why it matters: Politicians exerting massive pressure on universities over protests, diversity efforts and curricula have started to push administrators to the right.
Former President Trump's meetings with foreign heads of state have begun ruffling feathers in the diplomatic community — and the Biden administration.
Why it matters: One recent meeting — between Trump and Javier Milei, Argentina's right-wing president — seems to have particularly irritated Biden's team. It showed the complex politics at play as Trump, the presumed GOP nominee, eagerly tries to show international leaders that he's back.
America's bridge infrastructure — long seen as dysfunctional — has been steadily improving for the last 20 years.
Why it matters: The amount of bridges rated poor, or an equivalent metric, by the federal government's bridge inventory has fallen from 15% in 2000 to 6.8% in 2023.
President Obama used it for his groundbreaking White House Passover Seders. Kamala Harris used it for the first Passover in the Naval Observatory vice presidential residence.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) is stepping up abortion access efforts while targeting Republicans in other states who've moved to restrict the procedure.
The big picture: Newsom revealed Sunday that California lawmakers are working on a bill to ensure Arizona providers can provide abortion care to Arizonans in his state and unveiled an ad aimed at Alabama lawmakers who are pushing to criminalize people who help minors obtain interstate abortions.
Incendiary pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Columbia University are drawing backlash from members of Congress and the White House over allegations of antisemitic incidents.
Weeks of threats to oust Johnsonover Ukraine aid fizzled Saturday when Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene left town without pulling the trigger.
Why it matters: Greene is still talking the talk, but momentum for an ouster effort against Speaker Mike Johnson that seemed certain now has no timeline and no new endorsers.
A growing number of House Republicans are accusing their conservative colleagues of enabling Democratic wins, especially after this weekend's foreign aid votes.
Why it matters: Multiple members believe they could have gotten concessions from Democrats on border policy in exchange for Ukraine funding, only to be blown up by backlash from conservatives.
