A top Trump advisor warned Maryland Republican Larry Hogan that his Senate campaign in the state is over after the state's former governor told voters to "respect the verdict."
Why it matters: Former President Trump initially planned to refrain from attacking Hogan, despite their strained past, but Hogan's comments Thursday indicate he might have calculated that going up against Trump would serve him well in deep blue Maryland.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said that the jurors who found former President Trump guilty of 34 felony counts on Thursday are the "cornerstone of our judicial system."
Why it matters: Bragg is the first-ever prosecutor to convict a former U.S. president.
Former President Trump's New York hush money trial concluded Thursday after five weeks of testimony with a guilty verdict on all counts.
Why it matters: Prosecutors argued the 34 felony counts of falsifying business records against Trump pertained to his involvement in hush money payments orchestrated by Michael Cohen to buy adult film actress Stormy Daniels' silence about a claimed affair with Trump before the 2016 election.
Minutes after becoming the first sitting or former U.S. president convicted of a felony, Donald Trump condemned what he called a "rigged, disgraceful trial" and declared that the "real verdict" will come on Election Day in November.
Why it matters: Polls suggest some voters might be hesitant to back a convicted criminal. Trump portrayed himself as the victim of a "corrupt" prosecution and the only man who can save the U.S., which he said has "gone to hell."
Moments after Donald Trump became the first former president to be criminally convicted, the Biden campaign issued a statement warning that he will still be the Republican nominee for president.
Why it matters: Trump and President Biden both agree — the unanimous New York verdict does not change the reality that voters will decide the outcome of November's election.
Former President Trump was convicted Thursday of all 34 counts of falsifying business records he faced in his New York criminal trial.
Why it matters: Trump is the first former president to become a convicted felon. The judge in the case has set a July 11 sentencing date. Trump is almost certain to appeal.
X and cable news network NewsNation are planning to host live town halls with former President Trump and independent presidential hopeful Robert F. Kennedy Jr., two sources familiar with the plans told Axios.
State of play: The pair have agreed in principle to separate live interviews as part of a new video series, titled "The People's Town Hall," per the sources, though the dates and locations have yet to be set.
Chief Justice John Roberts rejected a meeting request from Democratic senators on Thursday to discuss ethics at the Supreme Court amid controversy over flags flown outside Justice Samuel Alito's residences.
The big picture: Alito on Wednesday rejected a request from Democratic lawmakers to recuse himself from Jan. 6-related cases.
The Treasury Department on Thursday announced that the IRS' Direct File program, a free online tax filing program, will be made permanent for the 2025 tax season with all 50 states and Washington D.C. invited to participate.
Why it matters: Making the popular pilot program permanentwill be a boon for Americans who won't have to spend money to file their taxes, and could deal a massive blow to private tax filing services such as TurboTax.
A flood of elite GOP donors and Trump-curious tycoons have come off the sidelines in recent weeks in support of the former president, who is rapidly closing his fundraising gap with President Biden.
The big picture: Trump's mega-donors defected in droves after Jan. 6 and Republicans' abysmal performance in the 2022 midterms. After flirting with alternate candidates in the GOP primary, many are getting back behind Trump.
Why it matters: The move to finally incorporate stats from Negro League players — barred from MLB during segregation — means greats like Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb no longer hold some top spots, revamped records show.
The Supreme Court unanimously sided with the National Rifle Association (NRA) on Thursday in its First Amendment claim against a New York official.
Why it matters: The court's ruling will allow the NRA to pursue a lawsuit against the official, who encouraged businesses to stop working with the firearms association after the 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Florida.
When Americans go to the polls in November, they will be deciding the playing field for the biggest battle in memory over the direction of U.S. fiscal policy.
The big picture: Major provisions of former President Trump's 2017 tax law expire at the end of 2025, meaning taxes would go up for most Americans if no new bill is passed. Neither party wants to let that happen in its entirety — but Democrats and Republicans have radically different visions of what the tax code should look like in 2026 and beyond.
Sens. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) sent a letter to the Pentagon Wednesday expressing "serious concern" with a reported plan to invest in Microsoft product upgrades.
Why it matters: The letter is just the latest example of how tensions have risen between Washington and the tech giant amid the fallout from a pair of nation-state cyberattacks.
Elon Musk has three essential ingredients to unrivaled political power among CEOs: control of a massive social media platform, astonishing personal wealth — and now former President Trump's open and willing ear.
Why it matters: That makes Musk arguably the most important business player in modern American politics. He has the power to sway or repel voters — and stands ready to win or lose big, given his companies' deep ties to government.
Former President Trump likes cryptocurrency now — a lot, which is a surprise to anyone who has been following the industry's political fortunes.
Why it matters: The cryptocurrency industry, which may not have that many people but definitely has a lot of money, has never been more politically organized as the U.S. heads into a presidential election.
Bob Bauer, President Biden's personal lawyer, is publishing a memoir next month that analyzes America's current political environment, a person familiar with the matter told Axios.
Why it matters: The book will include anecdotes from Biden's 2020 campaign, during which Bauer led the campaign's legal battles against Donald Trump.
A guilty verdict for Donald Trump in his New York hush-money trial would be unprecedented in presidential history — but even President Biden's team isn't sure it would matter come November.
Driving the news: Biden's campaign appears increasingly frustrated by polls that show Trump with a slight lead — and by the media's obsession with Trump's felony trial in New York.
A Hong Kong court found 14 of 16 prominent pro-democracy activists guilty of subversion charges on Thursday in a case that was condemned by rights groups.
Why it matters: The activists were among 47 charged in the largest trial concerning China's sweeping national security law imposed by Beijing in the global financial hub four years ago.
