Axios

Democrats in Congress have largely closed ranks around Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.) and Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) — but centrist Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) is panning what he calls their "politics as theater."

Why it matters: Golden represents a district President Trump won last year and is always walking a careful line between supporting his party and maintaining his independence. On this, he is steering hard away from the party line.

Democratic state leaders are pushing back against the Trump administration's policies and threats this week.

The big picture: As protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids escalate nationwide, particularly in California, lawmakers are seizing the moment to challenge the administration's bluff about not cooperating with President Trump's enforcement policies.

Two Palestinian men had their visas revoked by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at San Francisco International Airport Wednesday and remain in federal custody, according to Supervisor Bilal Mahmood.

Driving the news: An East Bay Jewish congregation had invited Eid Hthaleen and Ouda Alhadlin, two community leaders in the occupied West Bank, to participate in an interfaith speaking tour.

President Trump will appear at Sen. Dave McCormick's (R-Pa.) inaugural Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation Summit next month in Pittsburgh to discuss AI, energy and labor, McCormick's office tells Axios.

Why it matters: Trump's attendance at the July 15 summit at Carnegie Mellon University is a big win for McCormick's efforts to bring AI and energy leaders together for the first time.

Rep. John Mannion (D-N.Y.) shocked colleagues in both parties Thursday by tearing into Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) in what sources described as a tense and profane confrontation over the forcible removal of Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.).

Why it matters: Lawmakers and aides who witnessed the Mannion-Lawler incident described it to Axios as the product of rising partisan tensions over the Trump administration's use of legal and physical force against Democrats.

Chicago is hosting a citywide celebration and mass on Saturday for the first American-and Chicago-born Pope.

Why it matters: Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to deliver a video message for youth from the Vatican, but some are also wondering if the Holy Father will wade into politics.

Some Republican lawmakers reeled in shock Thursday after Department of Homeland Security officers aggressively removed and handcuffed Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) — others blamed the senator.

What they're saying: "It's horrible," Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) told reporters. "It is shocking at every level. It's not the America I know."

President Trump's request for $9.4 billion in cuts to foreign aid and public broadcasting passed in a 214-212 House vote on Thursday, with multiple House Republicans voting against it.

Why it matters: This was a close call for House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), but a big win for Republicans in the effort to formalize the cuts made by DOGE.

Democratic lawmakers' fears of violence and arrest at the hands of the Trump administration spiked Thursday after Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) was aggressively detained by Department of Homeland Security Personnel.

Why it matters: The concerns among Democrats were already on the rise amid the prosecution of Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.) — with members even buying liability insurance.

Six out of 10 adults say President Trump's Saturday military parade honoring the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary — which coincides with his birthday — is not a good use of government money, according to a poll released Thursday.

The big picture: The event, on which the Army predicts it will spend $25 million to $45 million, will be met with widespread anti-Trump protests from coast to coast.

Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) was physically removed on Thursday from a Los Angeles press conference held by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

Why it matters: In a video posted to X by Fox News reporter Bill Melugin, Padilla was seen being grabbed and pushed out of the press conference while saying he had "questions for the secretary."

President Trump acknowledged that his "very aggressive" immigration policies are ripping long-time workers from the farming and hospitality industries, in a Thursday Truth Social post.

The big picture: Trump's concession comes after reports of federal immigration raids on farms stoked fears among vital agricultural workers during the summer growing season.

Protesters are taking to the streets and community hubs nationwide on Saturday in what organizers expect will be the largest single-day anti-President Trump rally since the start of his second administration.

Why it matters: The widespread movement will run counter to Trump's multimillion dollar military parade in D.C. June 14.

David Sacks, the White House AI and crypto czar, explained Thursday why President Donald Trump has been so sympathetic to the digital asset industry.

Why it matters: The new administration's approach to the industry has been a complete 180 from that of the prior administration, and an evolution even from Trump's own first term.

Senate Democrats proposed sanctions on El Salvador President Nayib Bukele and other top officials on Thursday, arguing the country violated human rights by imprisoning Kilmar Abrego Garcia.

Why it matters: Democrats are continuing to bash the White House and El Salvador for Garcia's treatment, as he faces charges for smuggling undocumented immigrants in the U.S.

MAGA erupted Thursday with warnings that the movement could fracture if President Trump green-lights — or fails to stop — Israeli strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities.

Why it matters: Non-interventionism is one of the core pillars of the "America First" movement — arguably as important to the MAGA base as immigration and trade.

President Trump told reporters Thursday that he was "amazed" Elon Musk had endorsed him in the first place, given Trump's long-standing position on electric vehicles that would hurt Musk's company.

Why it matters: In the aftermath of Trump and Musk's fallout — which shifted from scorched-earth calls for impeachment to a more peaceful stalemate — the president and the former DOGE head have struck a conciliatory tone.

Democratic governors of Illinois and New York said so-called border czar Tom Homan could "try" to arrest them over their disconnects with the Trump administration about immigration policy enforcement.

Why it matters: During an hours-long Thursday congressional hearing, three governors cast the Trump administration's immigration policies and response to protests as undemocratic, while GOP lawmakers grilled them on state-level enforcement.

Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.) told Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to "get the hell out" of the Department of Defense in an explosive exchange during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Thursday.

Why it matters: The congressman grilled Hegseth on a variety of issues, including Marines' deployment to Los Angeles, the Signal chat leak and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

GOP frustration bubbled over in a closed-door meeting with senators and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller on Thursday morning, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: The border has long been a unifying issue for Republicans. Now it's a point of drama as Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) seeks to make cuts to some border funding in the Trump budget bill.

More than 6,300 of the nation's top high school speakers are headed to Des Moines next week for the National Speech & Debate Tournament.

Why it matters: Future leaders in politics and culture are likely to be at this tournament now in its 100th year.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in Los Angeles County have led to public unrest, with Home Depot and Waymos as the backdrop.

Why it matters: Corporate America's muted reaction is in stark contrast with the way it responded to protests during the first Trump administration.

Mike Pompeo, who was secretary of State and CIA director in the first Trump administration, is becoming of counsel to Torridon Law and is joining a related strategic advisory firm, Torridon Group.

Why it matters: The Torridon Group, founded by former Attorney General Bill Barr and former White House counsel Pat Cipollone, is in hot demand for expertise on energy, defense, antitrust and international issues.

At a moment of potential transatlantic fracture, some U.S. lawmakers are headed to France with a message: Washington still values its ties to Europe.

The big picture: Tariffs, disagreements over Ukraine aid, questions of U.S. commitment to NATO and an American refusal at the U.N. to condemn Russian belligerence have all strained longstanding relationships.

The 700 Marines sent to the Los Angeles area following days of protests have completed their training and will be join other troops within 48 hours of Wednesday, U.S. Northern Command said.

The big picture: Another 2,000 National Guard members will be deployed alongside the 2,100 troops who have already been sent to Los Angeles, NORTHCOM said.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents — often dressed in plainclothes — are now arresting immigrants at courthouses nationwide, sometimes moments after their hearings end.

Why it matters: The courthouse crackdown is part of a sweeping Trump administration effort to fast-track removals and increase the number of deportations this year — a strategy that's dramatically expanding who gets targeted and how.

The Senate's top Democrat tells Axios he's activated a multi-pronged strategy to salvage the 2022 climate law that he helped craft.

Why it matters: Minority Leader Chuck Schumer sees multiple pressure points to counter House-passed GOP legislation that largely halts the Inflation Reduction Act's unprecedented low-carbon energy tax credits.

Federal attorneys in Kilmar Armando Ábrego García's wrongful deportation case should be fined for repeatedly violating court orders, the Maryland man's attorneys said in a filing.

Why it matters: Ábrego García's case is emblematic of the Trump administration's aggressive push to deport undocumented immigrants, which has sparked nationwide protests this week.

Want to figure out how to win over MAGA? Take two former Senate colleagues as an instructive case study.

• Sen. Lindsey Graham's (R-S.C.) recent trip to Ukraine infuriated MAGA, which has placed a target on his back despite his close friendship with President Trump.
• Secretary of State Marco Rubio hails from similarly hawkish roots. But he's moved squarely into the camp of MAGA favorites.

Why it matters: Understanding why Graham is still seen as an outsider — and how Rubio made it inside the tent — offers a roadmap for Republicans trying to thrive in a MAGA-dominated GOP.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, one of America's most powerful lobbying groups, is pushing for policies it believes will unleash 3% economic growth.

• The Chamber's new chairman, Ross Perot Jr., is blunt about the challenges of getting there in the short term.

Why it matters: The group has cheered President Trump's agenda as pro-growth, applauding efforts to relax regulations and extend current tax policy. But tariffs are the dividing issue — one the Chamber says is weighing on small businesses and the broader economy.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has embraced a new attack line in his ongoing showdown with Donald Trump: The president — who turns 79 on Saturday — is slipping.

• "He is not the same person that I dealt with just four years ago, and he's incapable of even a train of thought," Newsom, a potential 2028 presidential contender, told Fox LA. "He's lost it."

Why it matters: Newsom, who was among the many Democrats who repeatedly attested that Joe Biden was sharp and ready to serve another four years, is now among those suggesting that Trump — the oldest president ever inaugurated — is showing signs of not being up to the job.

President Trump's reputation as a consummate dealmaker is being challenged by his second-term record.

Why it matters: Supporters inside and outside the White House regularly rhapsodize his negotiating skills. Unorthodox moves are lauded as part of "The Art of the Deal."

• If Trump's dealmaking stature were to erode, it could limit his flexibility on everything from tariffs to taxes.

The Trump administration is "not scared to go further" in its response to Los Angeles' ongoing fiery protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, Attorney General Pam Bondi said Wednesday.

Why it matters: President Trump has referred to protesters as "insurrectionists" and has already taken the rare steps of federalizing California's National Guard and deploying the Marines to LA, prompting reporters to ask Bondi whether he'll next use emergency powers under the Insurrection Act.

Congressional Democrats couldn't stop Republicans' five-year winning streak at the annual Congressional Baseball Game on Wednesday, with the GOP side beating them 13-2.

Why it matters: The games started in the early 1900s, with lawmakers sometimes competing against members of the press.

The U.S. is evacuating nonessential staff from its Baghdad embassy and family members of military personnel from several bases in the Gulf amid growing concerns about the security situation, per two State Department and Pentagon officials.

Why it matters: The unusual steps are taking place ahead of a crucial round of nuclear negotiations between the U.S. and Iran and amid threats made by Tehran to launch missiles against American military bases in the region in retaliation for any attack on Iran's nuclear facilities.

President Trump launched a website Wednesday for people to register their interest in signing up for a "gold card" that would enable successful applicants to buy U.S. permanent residency for $5 million.

The big picture: Trump has suggested the card that would replace the EB-5 investor visa could result in 1 million units sold and raise enough money to retire the national debt.

Columbia University alumnus Mahmoud Khalil cannot be detained nor deported from the U.S. based on evidence provided by the Trump administration, a federal judge ruled Wednesday.

The big picture: It's a setback for the administration in the case of a legal U.S. resident that marks a historic test of immigrants' speech rights.

Veteran journalist Terry Moran, who abruptly left ABC News after calling President Trump and top aide Stephen Miller "world-class" haters, announced Wednesday that he's moving to the newsletter platform Substack.

What he's saying: "For almost 28 years, I was a reporter and anchor for ABC News, and as you may have heard, I'm not there anymore," Moran said, breaking his silence on his departure after ABC called his since-deleted X post "a clear violation of ABC News policies."