Axios

House Democrats on Thursday coalesced around an operative phrase to describe their fervent opposition to Speaker Mike Johnson's (R-La.) revised spending proposal: "Hell no."

Why it matters: It's a term House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) used in a closed-door meeting of his caucus to describe his position, according to four sources who were present for his remarks.

President-elect Trump called a revised stopgap spending plan that emerged Thursday a "very good Deal for the American People" and urged lawmakers to support it.

Why it matters: The development follows 24 hours of chaos on Capitol Hill after Trump blew up a bipartisan deal at the last minute. Government funding is set to lapse this weekend.

If Elon Musk can effectively veto a congressional budget deal, imagine how much influence he might wield over more arcane policy issues affecting his pantheon of business interests.

Why it matters: The incoming Trump administration and Congress could soon take action on a litany of regulatory matters and spending affecting the self-proclaimed First Buddy's business empire, including self-driving cars, space and AI.

The State Department's top diplomat for the Middle East, Barbara Leaf, will travel to Damascus in the coming days, two U.S. officials tell Axios.

Why it matters: This will be the first visit by a State Department official to Syria in many years. The visit is part if a resumption of U.S. diplomatic engagement with the transitional government in Syria after the toppling of the Assad regime.

The Georgia Court of Appeals ruled Thursday to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from President-elect Trump's state 2020 election interference case over a conflict of interest.

Why it matters: It's another major legal victory for Trump, who has repeatedly accused Willis of impropriety due to a relationship with the lead prosecutor on the case.

Donald Trump's idea of abolishing the debt limit is foundering on Capitol Hill as Democrats line up against it and Republicans uncomfortably try to shoot it down without angering the president-elect.

Why it matters: With Trump digging in on the likely unworkable stipulation as part of government spending negotiations, the once-faint prospect of a holiday government shutdown is seeming more and more realistic.

Wednesday's extraordinary display of Elon Musk's social media power saw the world's richest man funnel the anger of his hundreds of millions of online followers against a bipartisan compromise funding bill.

Why it matters: Musk's arresting demonstration of government-by-tweet left Washington reeling — but the magic trick will get harder to repeat.

As mystery drone sightings popped up across the Northeast, federal officials assured the public there was nothing to fear. But the internet didn't buy it, and conspiracy theories began to fill the information void.

The big picture: The situation has the right components to feed conspiracy theories, experts say.

Four federal charges were filed against Luigi Mangione in connection to the death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, according to a federal complaint unsealed Thursday.

The big picture: The anticipated federal complaint, filed in the Southern District of New York, piles onto state charges Mangione is already facing, including 11 counts in New York and 5 in Pennsylvania.

As the Axios Latino newsletter ends, senior reporter Russell Contreras reflects on covering Latino communities.

The now-defunct Houston Post's Hispanic insert, Viva Magazine, published my first professional piece of journalism in 1994. It was about Latino immigrants passing U.S. citizenship tests and the celebrations that followed.

Why it matters: My Mexican-born grandmother, Guadalupe "Lita" Ramos, was among the first to see the piece. She cut it out and saved the clipping.

The past two days on Capitol Hill raise the prospect of a more unpredictable period for U.S. fiscal policy than seemed likely a few days ago.

Why it matters: Economists' hope has been that unified Republican control of the White House would create similar tax and spending outcomes as when they controlled those branches in 2017 — tax cuts paired with steady-as-she-goes spending.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a temporary ban Wednesday on drone flights over parts of New Jersey.

The big picture: Reports of suspicious drones flying over states, including New Jersey, New York and Virginia, have raised public concern, though authorities have said there's no evidence of a specific threat.

Driving the news: The FAA said it issued 22 temporary flight restrictions at the request of federal security partners, prohibiting drone flights over critical New Jersey infrastructure.

• The restrictions are in place until at least Jan. 17 in the central and northern part of the state.
• Temporary flight restrictions are limits on aircraft operations due to temporary hazardous conditions, a security-related event or "other special situations, like VIP movement."

Between the lines: Violating the restrictions can carry jail time and fines. Given the intense public pressure, that gives law enforcement one more tool to prosecute potential violators.

More from Axios:

• Schumer requests "special drone-detection tech" for N.Y. and N.J.
• Drone debate rolls on following arrests
• What to know about New Jersey drone sightings

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is floating Elon Musk to be Speaker of the House after the powerful, billionaire tech businessman helped torpedo a bipartisan agreement on a short-term spending bill.

Why it matters: He's the first GOP lawmaker to explicitly suggest Musk should be Speaker, and his comments come as Speaker Mike Johnson's (R-La.) bid to keep his job is under serious threat.

Democratic members of Congress are incensed at the outsized power billionaire-turned-Trump lieutenant Elon Musk appears to be exercising over the policymaking process.

Why it matters: Musk's fervent public opposition helped scuttle a federal funding deal Democrats were prepared to support en masse — putting the government on the brink of a holiday shutdown.

President-elect Trump told NBC News he supports abolishing the debt ceiling and is prepared to "lead the charge" to make it happen.

Why it matters: Republicans, including some of Trump's strongest supporters in Congress, have historically opposed raising the debt ceiling, at least when a Democrat is in office. Now Trump says he'll push them to scrap it entirely.

Luigi Mangione, who was indicted on the first-degree murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, waived extradition to New York Thursday, agreeing to be transferred from Pennsylvania.

The big picture: Beyond state charges, including an 11-count indictment from the Manhattan district attorney's office, the 26-year-old is also expected to face federal charges out of the Southern District of New York.

The U.S. economy grew at a 3.1% annualized pace in the third quarter — stronger than previously thought, the Commerce Department said on Thursday.

Why it matters: The revision suggests 2024 was yet another shocker year in which the U.S. economy surprised to the upside, as other major nations grappled with sluggish growth.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters launched a strike against Amazon Thursday morning, saying workers at seven facilities would take to the picket line.

The big picture: The strike, which the union is calling the largest against Amazon in U.S. history, coincides with the final week of holiday shopping — one of the company's busiest times of year.

David Axelrod — whose zeitgeisty "The Axe Files" podcast is a favorite of anyone obsessed with media and politics — is making a surprise exit, with Rahm Emanuel as his final guest.

• "Today's podcast will be the 605th episode of The Axe Files, and, at least for now, the last," says Axelrod, who was a Chicago Tribune political reporter before he became the architect of Barack Obama's historic rise.

Elon Musk is arguably the most powerful person in business, the most powerful man in media and, at least at this moment, the most powerful man in politics.

Why it matters: This much power, across this many pillars of society, is without precedent. Musk yesterday single-handedly, his voice amplified by his daylong bombardment of scores of tweets on his X platform, sank a 1,547-page, bipartisan House spending bill aimed at preventing a government shutdown at 12:01 a.m. Saturday.

Tech CEOs are scrambling to land on President-elect Trump's nice list ahead of his inauguration next month, with Meta, Amazon, Uber and OpenAI's Sam Altman each donating at least $1 million to the inaugural fund.

• Meanwhile, the typically very vocal and leaky employee bases have remained eerily quiet.

Why it matters: The lack of employee backlash represents a stark shift from the corporate activism witnessed during Trump's first term.

One of Secretary of State-designate Marco Rubio's most challenging tasks won't be abroad but at home: Navigating a network of envoys nominated by President-elect Trump to manage key foreign policy issues directly out of the White House.

Why it matters: Rubio has extensive foreign policy and national security experience from his years in the Senate, but he isn't a member of Trump's inner circle. He'll have to fight for influence and for Trump's ear as the U.S. decides how to handle a range of conflicts and alliances around the world.

Just a month before President-elect Trump's inauguration, the Biden administration on Thursday put out new and more far-reaching national greenhouse gas reduction goals.

Why it matters: Even if, as expected, Trump withdraws the U.S. from the Paris Agreement for the second time and rolls back emissions regulations, the new targets were devised with some of his likely policies incorporated.

New data suggest that the homicide surge of 2020 was driven largely by men and teen boys who were either laid off or saw their schools close during pandemic shutdowns.

Why it matters: Record spikes in homicides during the COVID-19 crisis puzzled officials, and some blamed social unrest and mass protests. But a Brookings Institution analysis reviewed by Axios indicates that alienated men and youths, especially in low-income areas, likely were behind the jump.

Some Republican lawmakers were left fuming on Wednesday after President-elect Trump abruptly torpedoed House Speaker Mike Johnson's (R-La.) deal with Democrats to keep the government funded until March.

Why it matters: The package was reviled by some conservatives, but many lawmakers in both parties saw it as a golden opportunity to secure long sought-after legislative priorities.

Speaker Mike Johnson faces a nasty task in the next 12-to-24 hours after President-elect Trump and Elon Musk blew up his short-term spending bill.

Why it matters: Johnson badly miscalculated where his party and his president-elect were on the funding measures. It revives questions on his ability to read — let alone lead — his conference.

• Now Johnson has to cobble together a new, skinnier package that can attract Democratic votes and survive any Trump (or Musk) veto threats.

Speaking of bipartisan deals: A small group of senators have been quietly sketching out a possible new border deal for early 2025, we have learned.

• Why it matters: Border and immigration reform is the white whale of Congress. It's also President-elect Trump's No. 1 priority.

⚡️ At least two Trump-state Democrats have been involved in the conversations, which Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) described as "very" serious and the details "very secret."

✅ Pass National Defense Authorization Act (Passed the Senate 85-14 this afternoon)

✅ Finish CR (first version)

❌ Pass CR (first version)

☑️ Reach a new, Trump-approved deal on CR to avoid a government shutdown

☑️ Extend the Farm Bill (This had been attached to the first version of the CR)

☑️ Break McConnell's judges record (Schumer is just two judges away)

☑️ Pass Social Security bill (Final passage expected this week.)

— Stef Kight

Sen. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.) is abandoning his opposition to Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su, opening the possibility that Su can be formally confirmed by the Senate before President Biden leaves office.

Why it matters: Manchin's change-of-heart will put pressure on Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to bring her nomination to the floor before Congress leaves town.

• "We had differences. I couldn't vote for her because of the differences, but I would do nothing that would harm her, and her further endeavors in life," he said, explaining his stark reversal.

A small, bipartisan group of senators have been quietly sketching out a possible new border deal for early 2025, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: Border and immigration reform is the white whale of Congress. It's also President-elect Trump's No. 1 priority.

Sen. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.) is dropping his opposition to Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su, opening the possibility that Su can be formally confirmed by the Senate before Biden leaves office.

Why it matters: Manchin's change-of-heart will put pressure on Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to bring her nomination to the floor before Congress leaves town.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is facing a sudden flood of renewed threats against his efforts to retain his gavel on Jan. 3.

Why it matters: The resurgence of this long-nascent revolt is being spurred by frustration over a bill he negotiated with Democrats to fund the government until March.