Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) joined the Fed tour on Thursday.
Why it matters: The question for President Trump is if Tillis will join the battle on who should replace Fed Chair Jerome Powell — and which side he'll be on.
On a Senate Banking Committee with a 13-11 partisan split, each Republican will have the ability to vote with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and deadlock the committee.
That's especially true for the retiring Tillis, who bucked Trump on his one "big beautiful bill" and scuttled the nomination of Ed Martin, Trump's first choice to be U.S. attorney for D.C.
Driving the news: Tillis was a late tour addition, tagging along with Trump, banking panel Chair Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and other administration officials who have been fiercely critical of Powell.
Trump didn't repeat any of his Powell insults as they stood side-by-side in hard hats.
"I'd love him to lower interest rates," Trump said.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has been saying that Trump isn't in a hurry to name a replacement for Powell, whose tenure ends in May. An announcement is now expected at the end of the year.
The intrigue: Like Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) balking at Mike Waltz's nomination as the U.S. ambassador to the UN this week, Tillis can slow-walk any Fed nominee he doesn't think is qualified.
This month, he said that ending the Fed's independence would be a "huge mistake."
What we're watching: Tillis is a lame-duck senator, but he hasn't gone full Bulworth. Yet.
Still, he is full of pluck, telling us Wednesday to "release the damn" Jeffrey Epstein files.
Twelve years ago, a first-term Sen. Warren helped kill the Fed candidacy of Larry Summers, a leading candidate for the president of her own party.
The bottom line: Tillis — a fierce defender of the Fed's independence — is expected to play a crucial role in vetting Powell's successor.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) closed out another week in the Capitol, setting up next week's nominations slog that could drag into the weekend — and chip away at August recess.
Why it matters: Senators have the next couple of days to reset for what is expected to be a jam-packed floor schedule next week, with late-night votes and possible weekend work — unless and until Democrats plead mercy and agree to a time deal.
Why it matters: Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries' (D-N.Y.) leadership team has encouraged its members to maintain the drumbeat on Epstein, but some Democrats say they are sick of talking about it.
The Supreme Court paused a lower court's ruling that would have weakened the Voting Rights Act on Thursday, granting Native American groups that brought the suit a temporary win.
Why it matters: If the Supreme Court ultimately sides with the lower court, the legal battle could further diminish the landmark voting rights law when the Trump administration is already moving away from bringing civil rights cases in court.
Senior Israeli and Syrian ministers met in Paris for four hours on Thursday under the auspices of President Trump's special envoy Tom Barrack and discussed de-escalation of tensions between the countries.
Why it matters: The meeting that was brokered by the Trump administration was the most high-level official engagement between Israel and Syria in more than 25 years.
The Senate has circulated a draft of its version of market structure legislation, and it is markedly different than what the House offered — largely because there is so much less there.
Why it matters: These two versions need to become one, setting up a clash of regulatory philosophies and strategic priorities — the House's broad framework that goes heavy on the details, or the Senate's that seems more designed to get passed.
The artist behind Michelle Obama's popular 2018 portrait is pulling her show from the National Portrait Gallery over what she alleged were censorship threats, per multipleoutlets.
Why it matters: Artist Amy Sherald alleged the Smithsonian-owned art museum, which confirmed the show's removal, considered excluding one work in Sherald's show that depicts the Statue of Liberty as a transgender woman.
President Trump toured the Federal Reserve's $2.5 billion headquarters construction project Thursday, continuing his demands for lower interest rates from chair Jerome Powell.
Why it matters: It amounted to a dramatic made-for-the-cameras moment, following weeks of Trump allies apparently laying the groundwork to oust Powell for cause over the project.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) warned that the U.S. Department of Agriculture shuttering most of its Washington, D.C. operations could hurt the department's ability "to provide critical services to Americans."
Calls for the Trump administration to release the remaining Epstein files are growing.
The big picture: Attorney General Pam Bondi released in February more than 100pages of documents that she described as the "first phase of the declassified Epstein files," but she faced scrutiny over why the lack of significant new revelations — something she blamed on the FBI.
The Trump administration plans to incinerate $9.7 million worth of contraceptives intended for poor nations, after declining offers from the United Nations and reproductive organizations to buy or ship the supplies instead, the State Department confirmed to Axios on Thursday.
Why it matters: The move continues the administration's shift away from providing foreign assistance through the United States Agency for International Development, and its stated opposition to abortion-related family planning methods.
Retirees are facing the prospect of substantial Social Security cuts in just seven years, sooner than projected, due to the "big, beautiful bill," per an analysis out Thursday from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.
Why it matters: If policymakers don't stop this from happening, it would at least double the poverty rate of America's seniors, per several estimates.
Harvard is folding staff from its former offices for minority students, women and LGBTQ+ students into its new Office of Culture and Community, according to a Wednesday message from college officials.
The big picture: Harvard University has been locked in an ongoing battle with the Trump administration, as the government squeezes the Ivy League institution from all sides.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) agreed to support former Rep. Mike Waltz's nomination to be ambassador to the UN after securing an agreement with the State Department to release $75 million in foreign aid for Haiti and Nigeria.
Why it matters: Waltz will now likely be confirmed by the full Senate.
Lara Trump, the president's daughter-in-law and former co-chair of the Republican National Committee, will not be pursuing a run for retiring North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis' seat.
Why it matters: The announcement comes after multipleoutlets reported RNC chair Michael Whatley will join the race.
President Trump said on Thursday that he wanted to see Elon Musk's companies thrive, one day after the White House said he didn't want Musk's xAI to get government contracts.
Why it matters: Since the Trump-Musk relationship blew up last month, the rhetoric has run hot and cold in intermittent bursts, but Trump appears to be tamping the tension down again.
The rules of creativity and AI are being rewritten — but the ink isn't dry yet.
Generative AI is unlocking new ways to brainstorm, build and express ideas faster than ever. For creatives, that means more tools, more opportunity — and more reach.
A House subcommittee on Wednesday voted to subpoena the Justice Department's documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation — as well as it plans to pull a plethora of other high-profile public figures into the fray.
The big picture: The ongoing Epstein earthquake has rumbled through Capitol Hill — despite President Trump's attempts to quell the noise — with bipartisan efforts emerging to force the release of more files.
Of all the things you might use Venmo for — buying drinks, splitting a check with friends, repaying a loan — there's a good chance you've never had "sending the government a gift to help pay the public debt" on your list.
But you can, if you really, really want.
The big picture: Axios' calculations suggest it'd be almost impossible for your personal donation to actually make a hole in the debt, even if you were feeling really generous.
A UN court's finding that countries face climate obligations under international law will find its way into climate litigation in multiple venues — as well as diplomatic and policy battles.
Why it matters: It's also a win for the nations most vulnerable to climate change, including the Pacific island nation Vanuatu, which spearheaded the push for a decision.
Schools in NWA have new student cellphone policies ready to go ahead of the school year, the first since a new state law requiring restrictions went into effect.
The big picture: The Bell to Bell No Cell Act, signed by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders in February, requires public schools to ban students from using cellphones and other devices during the school day, with exceptions for emergencies and in cases where the device is allowed per a student's education plan regarding their disability.
Why it matters: President Trump's war on his predecessor is dramatically escalating just as he faces new pressure over his handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files — with a steady stream of leaks extending the scandal, day by day.
The Trump administration's new AI Action Plan, which offers the industry much of what it says it needs to compete with China, also contains a time bomb for tech companies — an attempt to dictate how chatbots deal with contentious political issues.
The big picture: Trump's move could spark a broader wave of efforts by governments around the world to require AI systems to toe political lines, setting up endless conflicts between tech firms and rulers eager to promote agendas and quash dissent.
Columbia University agreed Wednesday to pay a $200 million fine to resolve a Trump administration investigation "into alleged violations of federal anti-discrimination laws," the college announced.
Why it matters: The agreement will see Columbia's federal funding restored.
The State Department is launching an investigation into Harvard's ability to sponsor exchange visas, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Wednesday.
The big picture: It's a part of the Trump administration efforts to bar Harvard from hosting international students.
