Business entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy officially launched his bid for Ohio governor during a rally in Cincinnati on Monday.
Why it matters: Ramaswamy enters a competitive race for Ohio's top office that has already seen several pivots, including former Lt. Gov Jon Husted — long expected to launch a campaign — replacing Vice President JD Vance in the Senate.
A judge on Monday rejected the Associated Press' emergency motion to rescind the White House ban against its access to some press events, as he sought more details on the circumstances surrounding the case.
Why it matters: It's a win for the White House — at least for now — as they seek to restrict the AP's access, following the news organization's decision to use Gulf of Mexico rather than Gulf of America.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday suggested his wife, Casey DeSantis, could be a formidable candidate in the 2026 Florida governor's race, while taking a swipe at President Trump's preferred candidate in the election.
Why it matters: With DeSantis term-limited and potentially eyeing a 2028 presidential run, the Florida governor's race could set up a battle of wills between the president and one of the most prominent GOP governors in the country.
Justice Clarence Thomas issued a scathing dissent Monday after the Supreme Court declined to hear a case challenging free speech rights around abortion clinics, suggesting he wants to revisit the matter after the court ended the federal constitutional right to abortion in 2022.
The big picture: The high court's move marked a loss for abortion opponents who claimed their First Amendment rights are violated by laws that limit demonstrations near clinics.
Why it matters: Bongino's appointment as deputy FBI directoris unorthodox on several levels. His lack of experience, coupled with his — and Director Kash Patel's — starkly partisan posture, has exacerbated concerns of the FBI becoming Trump's private security force while led by MAGA loyalists.
More than just "a big, beautiful Ocean," in President Trump's words, separates the U.S. from its European allies on the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The big picture: The Trump administration has cast a shadow of doubt not only across embattled Kyiv, but across an entire continent that has trusted the U.S. for decades as its most powerful protector and partner.
The federal agency that sent out an email over the weekend asking workers what they accomplished last week can't fire those workers for not responding, claims an amended lawsuit filed Monday on behalf of federal employees.
Why it matters: It's the latest potential legal stumbling block for DOGE and Elon Musk's slash-and-burn workforce strategy.
House Democrats want to hobble Republicans' efforts to pass wide-reaching fiscal policy legislation — and a key vote this week on a budget framework is emerging as a possible golden opportunity for them to do just that.
Why it matters: House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is grappling with several potential defections on their side. With a razor-thin majority, unified Democratic opposition could cement the budget bill's demise.
Dan Bongino, newly appointed deputy FBI director, is a former Secret Service agent who's more recently gained prominence as a conservative podcaster with a background on Fox News.
Why it matters: Bongino is a staunch ally of President Trump, who has set out to overhaul the Justice Department in alignment with his agenda.
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will be headed to Columbia University this spring to teach a course on diplomacy, the university confirmed to Axios Monday.
Why it matters: The former Trump administration official's arrival at the school comes roughly a year after the Ivy League university became the epicenter of college campus protests over the Israel-Hamas war.
Dan Bongino in Stuart, Fla., in 2021. Photo: Calla Kessler for The Washington Post via Getty Images
President Trumpnamed bombastic MAGA podcast star Dan Bongino as deputy FBI director — a role that doesn't require Senate confirmation, and typically goes to a senior agent.
Why it matters: With loyalist Kash Patel confirmed as FBI director, the bureau can function effectively as Trump's private security force.
Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) and Dina Powell McCormick, a business exec and Trump 1.0 national security official, will be out April 1 with "Who Believed in You?" — a new book designed to "kickstart a national mentoring movement."
Why it matters: COVID shattered the ability of young workers and college students to build meaningful relationships with colleagues and mentors.
Two MAGA-friendly government relations firms are forming an alliance:
Miller Strategies, one of the lobbying firms closest to the White House, is partnering with Checkmate Government Relations and Public Affairs, which has state and local muscle, and strong Trump relationships.
Why it matters: Many of those who've served in the military derive a sense of purpose and belonging from their government work — viewing it as a way to serve their country and help their peers outside of active duty.
Who's going to be left holding the $400 billion bag? That's the ultimate question that undergirds the debate over the future of the post office.
Why it matters: The U.S. Postal Service suffers under a system of pension obligations that is seen at no private company and in no other government department.
Germany's CDU/CSU conservative alliance won Sunday's general election and the Elon Musk-endorsed far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party came second, preliminary results show.
The big picture: Friedrich Merz, of the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), is set to become Germany's chancellor and he's indicated that Europe's biggest economy and the largest EU member intends to move away from the U.S. once coalition talks have concluded.
Conservative commentator Dan Bongino was named deputy FBI director, President Trump announced on Sunday night.
The big picture: The "Dan Bongino Show" podcast host will serve in the role that doesn't require Senate confirmation under newly confirmed FBI director Kash Patel, a fellow Trump loyalist.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday he's "ready" to "give up" his leadership in exchange for peace in his nation or Kyiv becoming a member of NATO.
The big picture: Zelensky made the comments on the eve of the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as U.S. and Russian officials hold talks on the war ahead of a possible summit between President Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
Multiple agencies and unions have told federal workers not to respond to a new email demanding that they account for their work over the last week — despite Elon Musk's threat they'll lose their jobs if they don't.
Why it matters: As much as Musk's DOGE effort has disrupted the federal government so far, there's been relatively little tangible internal pushback — until now.
Elon Musk singled out a Defense Department official who criticized an Office of Personnel Management email demanding workers account for their work, as he escalates DOGE's efforts to overhaul the federal government.
The big picture: Musk said on X, "Anyone with the attitude of that Pentagon official needs to look for a new job."
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