Senate Majority Leader John Thune admits Democrats "have done a good job out-demagoguing" President Trump's "big, beautiful bill," he told Axios in an exclusive interview on Tuesday.
Why it matters: Republicans know they are down at halftime, with the polls looking ugly on the overall package. But parts of it are very popular, and Thune (R-S.D.) thinks they can run up the score after the final bill is passed.
House Democrats' younger wing notched a major victory on Tuesday as Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) won a landslide victory to become ranking member of the Oversight Committee — but they're not stopping there.
Deceased Rep. Gerry Connolly's (D-Va.) social media accounts shocked the internet Tuesday by seemingly resurrecting the congressman to endorse his former chief of staff, James Walkinshaw, to fill his seat.
Why it matters: Connolly endorsed Walkinshaw before he died in May, but his name has been used repeatedly in the campaign since his death to promote his would-be successor.
House Democrats privately vented their fury Tuesday about what they said is a "premature" and "unhelpful" vote on impeaching President Trump for his strikes on Iran.
Why it matters: Impeachment has dogged Democrats since Trump came back into office, with Tuesday's vote finally forcing them to go on the record after half a year of internal turmoil.
Rep. Thomas Massie is adding fuel to the fire in his fight with President Trump, poking fun at Vice President JD Vance in a new post on X.
Why it matters: Trump and his allies have gone into full-blown attack mode against Massie after the Kentucky Republican opposed the sweeping tax and spending bill key to the president's domestic policy agenda.
During a closed-door meeting Tuesday, Sen. Tom Cotton's (R-Ark.) colleagues laughed as he listed off predictions by Tucker Carlson about what would happen in a war to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
Why it matters: Cotton urged senators to treat online conservative influencers like they treat MSNBC hosts — ignore them, two sources familiar told Axios.
A top Department of Justice official told department attorneys to ignore court orders barring President Trump from deporting immigrants, a whistleblower said on Tuesday.
Why it matters: The official in question, Emil Bove, is Trump's former personal attorney and a current Trump nominee for a federal appeals court judge.
Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell told lawmakers on Tuesday that he is in "wait-and-see" mode on interest rates, as Republicans and Democrats alike called for the Fed to make cuts soon.
Why it matters: It adds to the pressure Powell faces in Washington to slash borrowing costs — from some congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle, President Trump and even internally at the Fed.
House Democrats overwhelmingly joined with their Republican colleagues Tuesday against holding a vote to impeach President Trump for striking Iranian nuclear sites unilaterally.
Why it matters: It is the clearest signal to date of the distaste many Democrats have with the idea of even attempting to impeach Trump — an effort that would likely fail in either chamber of Congress.
The big picture: Volatility in the Middle East and the years-long Russia-Ukraine war persist despite Trump administration pressure. And after years of public lobbying for the prize, Trump has not joined the small group of presidents who have earned one.
States across the U.S. are rolling out tough new laws that cap deposits and tighten oversight on cryptocurrency ATMs, seeking to cut off a favorite tool of scammers and extortionists.
Why it matters: The kiosks are the easiest way for ordinary people to turn cash into crypto, and their use by fraudsters has surged over the last few years, especially with scams targeting older Americans.
New York circuit judges ordered the Trump administration on Tuesday to return another wrongly deported man from El Salvador.
Why it matters: It's the latest instance of the Trump administration fighting to return an undocumented immigrantgovernment officials conceded in court was wrongly deported.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune expects to start voting Friday on President Trump's "one big, beautiful bill," he told Axios in an exclusive interview on Tuesday.
Why it matters: This would have them voting into the weekend, and it would upend the House's recess next week. But Thune (R-S.D.) is confident Congress will meet its self-imposed July 4 deadline to get a bill on Trump's desk.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Tuesday accused the Trump administration of obstructing Congress's access to critical information about the U.S. attack on Iran.
Why it matters: The administration postponed a Tuesday afternoon classified briefing about Iran for senators, heightening tensions between the White House and Democrats over war powers.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) sparred online with President Trump on Tuesday after she said his unilateral strikes on Iran are grounds for impeachment.
Why it matters: The debate puts Ocasio-Cortez's impeachment position in the spotlight even as other Democrats have pushed back on the idea of trying to impeach the president.
Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday called the War Powers Act "unconstitutional" amid a bipartisan push to check President Trump's authority to carry out unilateral military strikes on Iran.
Why it matters: Johnson's (R-La.) comments are his strongest signal yet that he's against an effort to use the law to assert Congress' authority to rein in the president's use of military force.
The big picture: Skyrocketing representation comes as there are mounting attacks on the transgender community in hundreds of state-level bills and a Trump-emboldened Republican trifecta in Washington, D.C.
Briefings for House members and senators on the situation in the Middle East that were scheduled for Tuesday have been postponed, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: The development comes after President Trump announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran following a 12-day war that had lawmakers clamoring for information.
House Democrats voted Tuesday to formally elect Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) as ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, sources familiar with the matter told Axios.
Why it matters: The 47-year-old Californian's decisive victory is a major coup for the party's youth wing as it tries to secure more leadership roles from the establishment old guard.
A federal judge on Monday again shot down the Trump administration's efforts to bar Harvard from hosting international students by blocking the president's proclamation that would suspend entry of foreign students to the university.
The big picture: President Trump'ssqueeze on Harvard has met friction in the courts. Just last week, the same Obama-appointed judge indefinitely halted another attempt by the administration to block international students from attending the Ivy League institution.
Under pressure from President Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu significantly scaled back planned retaliation against Iran's violation of a ceasefire agreement, Israeli and U.S. officials said Tuesday.
Why it matters: The crisis happened only hours after the shaky, U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Iran had come into effect.
President Trump's team huddled Monday to discuss a victory tour for shortly after July 4, following what they hope will be passage and signing of his Big Beautiful Bill, a White House source with direct knowledge tells Axios.
Why it matters: A top Trump aide pointed out that this will likely be seen as Trump's first big move of the 2026 midterm cycle. Republican control of the House is at acute risk.
President Trump's most fervent backers normally revel in his wild unpredictability and improvisation. But in the past few days, they've been rattled by it.
Driving the news: Many in his anti-war MAGA flock were alarmed when he ordered the bombing of Iran's nuclear sites. But they mostly withheld criticism as he promised the attacks would be limited, not aimed at ousting Iran's leaders, and wouldn't lead Americans into a prolonged war.
Republicans have now launched four separate investigations into former President Biden and whether his declining health affected his abilities in the White House.
Why it matters: Democrats don't want to talk about Biden after last year's elections. Republicans are trying to force them to — even as the GOP has shown little willingness to conduct oversight of the Trump administration's norm-busting first months.
President Trump has announced a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran that will begin at midnight.
"This is the end of the war. It is a great thing for Israel and the world," Trump told Axios on Monday evening.
The latest: Iran fired at least six missile barrages at Israel for hours before — and minutes after — the ceasefire was supposed to take effect. Multiple casualties were reported.
Sen. Markwayne Mullin(R-Okla.) says negotiators are nearing a deal that will keep the House-passed $40,000 SALT deduction cap in the Senate's version of President Trump's "big, beautiful bill."
Why it matters: The SALT cap is one of several major differences between the House and Senate that need to be resolved if congressional GOP leaders want to meet their July 4 deadline.
"I wouldn't say an agreement, just an acceptance," Mullin told reporters. "It does it with the income threshold but not the cap."
The House version phased out the deduction for income above $500,000. The Senate's compromise version will likely lower that threshold.
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) tells us that he and colleagues want to see what comes of their classified briefing tomorrow before scheduling a vote on his war powers resolution, which could come as soon as Wednesday.
News Thune can use: Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) is leaving the door open to caucusing with Democrats if they manage to produce enough midterm upsets to create a 50-50 tie in 2027.
"There is some openness to exploring something different than the status quo," she told the GD Politics podcast.
Why it matters: Murkowski is serious about putting Alaska first and takes pride in practical wins for her state — and bucking her party when necessary.
She called caucusing with Democrats as an independent an "interesting hypothetical," but added she has plenty of disagreements with Chuck Schumer's conference.
President Trump's abrupt announcement Monday that a ceasefire in the Iran-Israel war is imminent threatens a congressional effort to limit his power to initiate unilateral military strikes on Iran.
Why it matters: The lead House Republican on the push is getting cold feet, but non-interventionist Democrats still want to have the vote in order to send a broader message about congressional war powers.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski is leaving the door open to caucusing with Democrats if they managed to produce enough midterm upsets to create a 50-50 tie in 2027.
Why it matters: The Alaska Republican is serious about putting her state first, and takes pride in practical wins for her constituents — and bucking her party when necessary.
The House Democratic steering committee voted Monday to recommend Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) for ranking member of the House Oversight Committee.
Why it matters: The role will be formally decided in a vote of all House Democrats on Tuesday morning, but the steering recommendation makes Garcia heavily favored to prevail.
Why it matters: The SALT cap is one of several major differences between the House and Senate that need to be resolved if congressional GOP leaders want to meet their July 4 deadline for President Trump's "big, beautiful bill."
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