The Trump administration intends to pull some $510 million in federal funding from Brown University, a White House official confirmed to Axios on Thursday.
The big picture: The Providence, Rhode Island, school is among five Ivy League universities to have its federal funding reviewed or revoked in recent weeks — alongside Princeton, Columbia, Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania.
The Senate overcame a procedural hurdle Thursday on the newest budget resolution, which would raise the debt ceiling, extend the Trump tax cuts and slash spending.
Why it matters: The 52-48 procedural vote signals Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has the support needed to pass the resolution by the weekend — moving one step closer to accomplishing President Trump's "one, big beautiful bill."
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Thursday touted the use of robotics in his pitch for an American "manufacturing renaissance."
The big picture: While President Trump's tariffs are meant to boost American manufacturing and jobs, U.S. manufacturers will likely hurt from these tariffs, at least in the short run. Whether they lead to more jobs in the long term remains an open question.
President Trump threw his weight behind Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) in her fight with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) over proxy voting that has paralyzed the House floor.
Why it matters: His comments will likely further embolden Luna and make it even more difficult for Johnson to defang her efforts to force a vote on the issue.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) was forced to delay a key procedural vote on Thursday as he grappled with lingering concerns among Republican senators about President Trump's "one, big beautiful bill," according to multiple senators.
Why it matters: It's a reminder that Republican leaders on both sides of the Capitol have an enormously difficult challenge ahead of them to pass Trump's sweeping agenda. And this is supposed to be the easy part.
The Senate on Thursday confirmed Mehmet Oz to be administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in a 53-45 party line vote.
Why it matters: It puts the former heart surgeon and TV talk show host in charge of an agency that oversees health care for 160 million Americans.
Oz will take the helm amid sweeping staff cuts throughout federal health agencies, though CMS was spared from the brunt of the DOGE-directed reductions.
State of play: Oz ducked questions about possible Medicaid cuts and how DOGE could affect the big health programs during a relatively smooth confirmation hearing in the Senate Finance Committee last month.
He said that he supported Medicaid work requirements and also signaled he could be open to looking at changes to eligibility for some higher-income beneficiaries of the safety net program.
Oz also said he would "defend" and "use" Democrats' Medicare drug price negotiation program, authorized in the Inflation Reduction Act.
Despite past support for Medicare Advantage, he was critical of some insurers' practice of "upcoding," or categorizing patients as sicker to get higher payments, vowing he would "go after it."
Addressing DOGE cuts, Oz said that he planned to be "speaking to the staff, raising morale, getting people excited" once confirmed.
CMS has reportedly cut about 300 jobs, including in areas like minority health, program operations and local engagement.
Catch up quick: Oz, who unsuccessfully ran for Senate in 2022 against Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), has no prior experience running a big government agency like CMS.
He's drawn criticism in the past from other medical professionals for promoting treatments with no documented efficacy.
Working under HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., he could have wide latitude within his new role — including to enact policy more in line with GOP orthodoxy.
CMS could grant waiver requests from conservative-led states intent on reshaping Medicaid and also make key changes to Affordable Care Act markets.
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More than 80 U.S. organizations released an open letter on Thursday against President Trump's intimidation of judges who challenge his administration's policies and law firms he views as adversaries.
Why it matters: The letter adds to the mounting public pressure against perceived overreaches of the Trump administration.
Fifteen Senate Democrats backed a pair of resolutions from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) to withhold billions of dollars in offensive weapons sales and other military aid to Israel.
Why it matters: The votes split the party, revealing continued internal divisions over Democrats' views on the war in Gaza and support for the Israeli government. The measures failed 15-82 and 15-83.
Former Vice President Mike Pence will be honored with the 2025 John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for putting his life and career on the line to certify the 2020 election, the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation announced Thursday.
Why it matters: Pence has been ostracized by President Trump and the Republican Party for refusing to overturn the 2020 presidential election amid the violent Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.
The official formula for calculating the "reciprocal" tariffs on countries, as published by the U.S. Trade Representative, is much less complicated than it looks at first glance.
Why it matters: The word "reciprocal" notwithstanding, there's nothing in the formula that represents tariffs or any other trade barriers imposed on U.S. exports.
President Trump's announcement Wednesdaythat the U.S. will impose a baseline 10% tariff on imports, with heavier reciprocal levies on goods from some countries, has left world leaders reeling.
The big picture: The reciprocal tariffs will impact dozens of nations, including some of the country's largest trading partners.
White House spring garden tours scheduled Saturday were postponed in anticipation of large-scale anti-President Trump protests, first lady Melania Trump said on Thursday.
Why it matters: The mass movement is catching the eye of the Trump administration before demonstrators even take to the streets.
Trans and nonbinary citizens of at least eight European countries are being warned that they must designate one "sex" on their travel forms in the U.S. — and it has to reflect the gender they were assigned at birth.
The big picture: The Trump administration's sweeping rollbacks on transgender rights included a day-one executive order that declared the government recognizes two sexes, male and female, that are "not changeable."
Far-right activist Laura Loomer was at President Trump's side as he campaigned and is now visiting the Oval Office. Trump previously claimedhe's unaware of the conspiracy theories Loomer promoted.
Why it matters: National Security Council staffers were fired on Thursday, a day after Loomer visited the Oval Office and pressed Trump to remove specific members.
The Department of Education sent letters Thursday to state K-12 agencies requiring them to comply with the Trump administration's anti-diversity policies to maintain their federal funding.
Why it matters: It's the Trump administration's latest action against public schools that threatens Title I funding, which provides support for low-income students.
At least eight European countries have adjusted travel guidelines for citizens seeking to enter the U.S. as the Trump administration has implemented several rollbacks on transgender rights.
The big picture: Finland, Denmark and several other U.S. allies urged cautionary planning for trans and nonbinary travelers seeking to enter the U.S. following an executive order requiring the federal government to recognize only two sexes: male and female.
Several members of President Trump's embattled National Security Council have been fired,a U.S. official and a second source familiar told Axios on Thursday.
Why it matters: The firings come a day after conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer visited the Oval Office and pressed Trump to fire specific NSC staffers. Axios has not confirmed whether the firings were directly linked to that incident, but the source familiar said they were "being labeled as an anti-neocon move."
Elon Musk will remain a "friend and an adviser" to the White House after his time directing DOGE's reordering of the federal government is through, Vice President JD Vance said in a Thursday interview.
The big picture: Musk is a "special government employee" who can only work 130 days per year, but Vance told "FOX & Friends" that "the work of Elon is not even close to done."
Vice President JD Vance said in a Thursday interview that President Trump's signature tax cuts are not a way to offset tariffs — but that they will help consumers cope with the "cost of inflation."
Why it matters: Vance's comments are the latest example of the Trump administration's mixed messaging on tariffs. Namely, tariffs won't raise prices, but if they do, tax cuts are coming in short order.
The carveouts for energy in President Trump's sweeping tariffs can't shield the sectors from collateral damage as markets digest the sweeping global penalties.
The latest: U.S. crude oil prices are down more than 6% this morning, even though oil, gas and certain minerals are exempted.
New OPEC+ plans to speed up supply additions are also weighing on oil prices.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced Thursday that he would exit the city's Democratic primary for mayoral candidates, and instead run for re-election as an independent.
Why it matters: Polls have shown Adams facing stiff competition in June's primary. The switch spares him from a potentially embarrassing loss — at least until November's general election.
Jonathan Karl — ABC News' chief Washington correspondent, co-anchor of "This Week" and author of three bestselling Trump books — will be out Oct. 28 with "Retribution: Donald Trump and the Campaign That Changed America."
Why it matters:Karl tells Axios that by exploring root causes of President Trump's comeback, the new book will deal "quite directly" with "why I was wrong." Karl thought it was "highly unlikely" Trump would return.
President Trump's "Liberation Day" tariff plan is one of the biggest, most abrupt economic gambles in presidential history.
He acted against the advice of most business leaders, many economists and even some Republican officials.
Why it matters: The reciprocal tariffs, which go into effect in one week, target vital trading partners with massive levies — the kind that could raise consumer prices, interrupt business activity and upend global trade.
Mass layoffs at the Department of Health and Human Services are leaving a communications gulf within the federal health system that millions of Americans rely on for information about drug safety, product recalls, disease outbreaks and other public health threats.
Why it matters: HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. frequently says he's bringing "radical transparency" to the agency. But as the government health establishment is turned on its head,there's the real prospect of a lingering information vacuum.
A day after deep Food and Drug Administration cuts rocked their world, drug and med tech companies faced another potentially big hit when President Trump announced a baseline 10% tariff on U.S. imports.
Why it matters: The life sciences are heavily reliant on foreign countries for raw materials and manufacturing, most of it duty-free. Experts said a radical shift away from free-trade policies could bring higher drug prices, supply chain disruptions and weaker margins for big industry players.
Pharmaceutical companies are growing increasingly concerned widespread cuts at the Food and Drug Administration could set the agency back as crucial review deadlines loom.
Why it matters: Health industries pay billions developing and shepherding drugs through the regulatory process, including user fees that help ensure there are enough staff to evaluate products on a predictable timeline.
House Democrats are making an unusual plea to billionaire Trump lieutenant Elon Musk: Come campaign for our Republican opponents next year.
Why it matters: Democrats see the Republican-aligned candidate's wipeout in Tuesday's Wisconsin Supreme Court election as a clear signal that Musk has become electoral poison for the GOP.
Republicans survived Tuesday's special elections for two congressional seats in Florida, but the races exposed deep frustrations in President Trump's team over the House GOP's political apparatus.
Why it matters: The growing angst comes as Republicans are holding onto a narrow congressional majority in an uncertain political environment.
The verdict is in: President Donald Trump's voters are lively when he's running for the White House. They're downright lethargic when he's not.
Why it matters: This is not just the assessment of Democrats. It's coming straight from the vice president and leaders of the MAGA movement. And it can have massive implications for the results of key gubernatorial races this year and for next year's midterms.
Officials in the European Union, China and North American neighbor Canada say they're preparing countermeasures in response to President Trump's announcement of sweeping tariffs on U.S. imports.
Why it matters: A global trade war is heating up following Trump's announcement of a baseline 10% tariff on U.S. imports, with higher levies hitting China, the EU and elsewhere, which threatens to trigger stagflation with profound consequences for global economies, per Axios' Ben Berkowitz.
President Trump'ssweeping tariffs announced Wednesday extend to countries and territories across the world — including the uninhabited Heard Island and McDonald Islands in the sub-Antarctic Indian Ocean.
The big picture: The remote UNESCO World Heritage-listed Australian territory, which features a mostly barren landscape, was included in the list of baseline 10% taxes on U.S. imports, along with mainland Australia.
The top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee said Wednesday he plans to force a vote on blocking the across-the-board tariffs announced by President Trump.
Why it matters: The vote would force Republicans to choose between their loyalty to Trump and rejecting a policy many of them fundamentally oppose.
Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) relied on a roughly four-day fast, his Hoka Clifton sneakers, 15 binders with 1,160 pages of material and a steady stream of notes from staff to gut through his 25-hour speech.
Why it matters: Booker, 55, had to remain continuously standing on the Senate floor to break the late segregationist Sen. Strom Thurmond's record.
Top GOP operatives are alarmed that House Republicans ditching their seats to pursue higher office could cost Mike Johnson (R-La.) the speaker's gavel.
Why it matters: The GOP's eleventh-hour freakout over special elections —followed by Democrats cutting the margins in half from November in Florida's 1st and 6th congressional districts — is spreading into a broader fear about swing seats next year.
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