West Virginia's GOP senators are urging top Trump officials to undo DOGE cuts that threaten the health and safety of their state's coal miners.
Why it matters: It's a clear example of how the fast-paced, deep cuts in federal spending are hitting even rural, GOP communities — and creating crises for the lawmakers who represent them.
Senior Democrats are increasingly convinced the party will land former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper to run for Senate next year, a potential coup for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).
Why it matters: Both parties acknowledge their Senate success next year will largely rest upon their recruitment efforts this year.
Elon Musk said Tuesday that he will take a major step back from his work as the leader of the Department of Government Efficiency.
Why it matters: The Tesla CEO has become a close and outspoken ally of President Trump, but his government-slashing work via DOGE has sparked a damaging backlash on Tesla.
President Trump said on Tuesday that has no plans to fire Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell, backtracking days after suggesting he was looking forward to the economic policymaker's "termination."
Why it matters: Trump has ramped up attacks on Powell over the past week alongside demands that the Fed cut rates immediately, raising fears among investors about the fate of the central bank's independence.
An economic slowdown induced by the U.S. tariffs will drag down most of the world's major economies, the International Monetary Fund predicts.
The big picture: The U.S. propelled global economic growth for years. Now it's acting as a disruptor to the world economy, Axios Macro co-authors Neil Irwin and Courtenay Brown write.
💰 What they're saying: The U.S. economy is on track to grow 1.8% in 2025, slowing by a full percentage point from last year, the IMF's quarterly outlook says.
That's a sharp downgrade from what the IMF expected at the start of the year:
🤝 The latest: The White House today signaled trade tensions with China could soon cool.
The controversy surrounding Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's decision to share sensitive military plans over Signal is driving waves of new users to encrypted messaging apps.
Signal's daily active users grew 13% last month, Axios' Sam Sabin reports.
🔐 "It's definitely skyrocketed," says Ari Andersen, founder and CEO of encrypted chat platform Kibu. "It definitely has accelerated interest and traction on a number of fronts, for sure."
Law enforcement, corporate executives and local governments are especially fond of encrypted messaging apps, which offer more security than texting and the ability to automatically delete past messages.
President Trump and first lady Melania Trump at the White House Easter Egg Roll yesterday. Photo: Allison Robbert for The Washington Post via Getty Images
✈️ President Trump plans to visit Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar next month. Go deeper.
🎿 Klaus Schwab has resigned from the board of the World Economic Forum. Schwab, who just turned 87, founded the WEF in 1971 and turned its annual Davos gathering into a magnet for the world's elite. Go deeper.
📺 "60 Minutes" executive producer Bill Owens said on Tuesday that he is stepping down from the show. He cited concerns about journalistic independence as CBS' parent company considers settling a $20 billion lawsuit from President Trump over a segment on the show. Go deeper.
An aerial view of the sun rising above homes that burned in the Eaton Fire on Jan. 21 in Altadena, Calif. Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images
Photojournalism is essential to our understanding of major natural disasters and the effects of climate change — but that's a lot of responsibility for any one frame to bear, Getty Images photographer Mario Tama tells Axios.
Tama has been photographing climate change and extreme weather for more than two decades. He spoke with Axios' Aida Amer about his work capturing the devastation of this year's L.A. wildfires.
The number of antisemitic incidents in the U.S. has surged almost 900% in 10 years, and last year reached its highest level recorded in nearly half a century, an annual Anti-Defamation League (ADL) survey released Tuesday found.
The Supreme Court seemed inclined Tuesday to rule that parents must be able to opt their children out of school curriculum that includes LGBTQ storylines.
Why it matters: Schools have become a major political battleground — and conservatives seem poised to win a significant victory.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio unveiled a new organizational chart for his department Tuesday in what he called an effort to "drain the bloated, bureaucratic swamp."
The big picture: The reorganization Rubio outlined targeted some bureaus with a focus on human rights.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has been on defense mode for over a month, with a series of alleged leaks and bombshell reports underscoring anecdotes of chaos at the Pentagon.
Why it matters: Though Hegseth is in turmoil, President Trump remains squarely behind his Pentagon chief.
Uncertainty over Education Department funding won't go on vacation when the school year ends because the cuts also threaten vital summer learning programs.
The big picture: Summer learning programs are essential for kids and working parents alike because federally-funded programs offer enrichment, academic support, social interaction and basic needs, like access to healthy food.
President Trump has called himself the "fertilization president," but DOGE-directed cuts this month decimated Centers for Disease Control staff who track the safety, cost and outcomes of the nation's fertility clinics.
Why it matters: The CDC had been a source of unbiased information for families contemplating IVF or other assisted reproductive technologies, including estimates of of their chances for success.
The White House is emerging as a powerful ally of the burgeoning movement of people who want women to have more children, but there's little emphasis on the unique level of danger that birth poses in the U.S.
Why it matters: The U.S. population is aging, presenting complex economic and health care challenges that "pro-natalists" argue should be addressed through raising fertility rates. At the same time, the country is facing an ongoing maternal mortality crisis and a politically fraught debate over women's reproductive health that's had widespread ripple effects.
Pope Francis' funeral will be held in St Peter's Square from 10am local time (4am ET) Saturday, the Vatican announced on Tuesday.
The big picture: The Vatican also released the first images of the late leader of the world's 1.4 billion Roman Catholics in an open casket with a rosary placed in his hand in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta, his papal home for the past 12 years until his death on Easter Monday at age 88.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is locked in open warfare with his own Pentagon, a hotbed of distrust and dysfunction that commands the most powerful military on the face of the Earth.
Why it matters: No Trump Cabinet official has endured more turmoil in less time than Hegseth, who survived a nasty confirmation battle only to be burned — again and again — by leaks, blunders and now backlash from his own handpicked aides.
The next pope will take over a Roman Catholic Church with dwindling membership in Europe, North America and Latin America, but surging numbers across Asia and Africa.
Why it matters: That's a big reason why two of the cardinals widely seen as top contenders to lead the 1.4 billion-member church after Pope Francis are from Asia and Africa, regions where the church is particularly focused on increasing its influence.
President Trump is toeing an economic red line that few before him have dared even consider crossing.
Why it matters: The mere possibility that Trump could erode the Federal Reserve's independence has been enough to unnerve investors and tank the stock market.
Chinese automakers are turning to Russia and the Middle East to offset the impact of global tariffs imposed by the U.S., Europe and other countries.
Why it matters: Despite the global tariff storm, China remains an industry juggernaut, dominating vehicle sales in its home market while continuing to expand exports around the world.
Pope Francis wished to be buried in a "simple" tomb at Rome's Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major, bearing only the inscription "Franciscus," per his final testament that the Vatican released following his death Monday.
The big picture: It's his will that the tomb should be "without particular ornamentation," in keeping with his modest lifestyle that saw him move into a modest Vatican guesthouse instead of grander papal apartments.
The Republican leader of a congressional task force focused on the Federal Reserve tells Axios in an exclusive interview there is bipartisan interest in stronger guardrails around the central bank's independence.
Why it matters: The comments from Rep. Frank Lucas (R-Ok.) come as President Trump ramps up attacks on Fed chair Jerome Powell, stoking fears the White House might seek to remove him from the post.
Sensitive documents were uploaded during the Biden Administration to a Google Drive folder that was "improperly" shared with thousands of federal workers, one share occurring only three weeks ago, the Washington Post first reported Sunday.
Why it matters: The GSA Office of Inspector General recently learned during an ongoing audit about the uploading of what was mostly unclassified but confidential information that was accessible to all GSA staff, a source familiar told Axios.
The big picture: Thelegal U.S. resident, who has been in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since last month, was denied temporary release to meet his newborn, said his wife, Noor Abdalla.
