D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser at a press conference on August 11. Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
D.C.-area lawmakers are infuriated by President Trump's decision to temporarily take control of the district's police force.
Trump "continues to search for distractions and provocations to divert attention from his outrageous refusal to release the Epstein files," Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) told us today.
Why it matters: Trump is the first president to use the D.C. Home Rule Act for a temporary law enforcement takeover.
President Trump confirmed Monday his administration is considering reclassifying marijuana as a less dangerous drug.
The big picture: The Wall Street Journal first reported that Trump was considering the action after pot companies contributed millions of dollars into the president's political groups.
Why it matters: It's a major escalation of a federal crackdown already underway in the nation's capital as Trump targets crime in the District following the assault of a former DOGE staffer.
The Trump administration on Monday told a federal appellate court that overturning the president's tariffs could lead to a 1929-style depression that would endanger federal benefits like Social Security and Medicare.
Why it matters: The letter from Solicitor General D. John Sauer and assistant attorney general Brett Shumate claims the U.S. would be on the hook to repay trillions of dollars it hasn't actually been paid, from deals that haven't yet been fully signed.
President Trump temporarilyplaced Washington, D.C., police under federal control on Monday and implied that he would intervene in other cities despite crime rates falling.
Why it matters: Trump's D.C. takeover is a major escalation of federal control not frequently seen in America, and further illustrates his willingness to target Democratic-led cities while testing the limits of presidential authority.
President Trump said Monday that he expects Russian President Vladimir Putin to come to their meeting in Alaska on Friday with specific proposals for a deal to end the war, which he will then pass on to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky with a recommendation to make peace or "keep fighting."
Why it matters: Trump suggested he's ready to negotiate with Putin about who gets what parts of Ukraine after the war, and even said he would "try to get some... territory back for Ukraine."
President Trump stopped short of directly endorsing Israel's plans to attack and occupy Gaza City in a brief phone interview with Axios on Monday, but said he didn't believe Hamas would release the hostages unless the situation changed.
Why it matters: Some of Israel's top military commanders oppose the planned offensive in part out of fear that it will put Israeli hostages in danger. Trump argued it was always going to be "very rough to get them," because Hamas "are not going to let the hostages out in the current situation."
Democratic lawmakers from the Washington, D.C. area are blasting President Trump for deploying the National Guard to the city and seizing control of its police force in an effort to crack down on crime.
Why it matters: "Shocking stuff, even for Trump," Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-Md.) told Axios, adding, "Suspicious minds might wonder if this is just kind of a first step towards a move on other parts of the government in D.C."
President Trump has cast D.C. as a city that needs to be saved over crime rates, while seizing control of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Why it matters: Trump's ire toward Washington and its leadership dates back to his first administration, when D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser responded in kind.
Why it matters: President Trump's trade agenda is prioritizing American manufacturing, imposing tariffs to incentivize companies to make goods in the U.S.
A federal judge in California will hear arguments Monday over whether the Trump administration violated federal law with its controversial deployment of the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles this summer.
Meanwhile, on the East Coast, the president announced he is deploying the National Guard and seizing control of D.C.'s police force amid his renewed focus on homelessness and crime in the nation's capital.
The big picture: Bothinstances are emblematic of Trump's targeting of blue cities and willingness to seize and test the bounds of executive authority. But there are fewer roadblocks for the president to mobilize the capital city's troops.
A federal judge on Monday rejected a Justice Department bid to unseal grand jury transcripts in the New York sex trafficking case of Ghislaine Maxwell, the imprisoned associate of Jeffrey Epstein.
The big picture: Amid mounting public pressure over its handling of the disgraced financier's case, the administration turned to the courts to release grand jury materials, but has so far met legal roadblocks.
Former Attorney General Eric Holder will meet virtually with House Democrats this week to discuss how to fight Republicans' mid-decade redistricting, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: Holder has long championed nonpartisan redistricting reform, but he and other Democrats are putting those efforts aside — at least temporarily — to try to ward off electoral oblivion for their party in 2026.
Climate initiatives outside of government are springing up in response to Trump 2.0 officials pulling back science and data programs.
Why it matters: The federal government historically does research and produces climate data that's widely used by academics, local governments, companies and others. But outside groups are stepping forward:
Australia will recognize a Palestinian state in September, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced Monday.
The big picture: The announcement that follows pledges from the leaders of countries including Canada and France to also recognize Palestinian statehood at September's UN General Assembly came soon after it emerged that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had spoken with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who stood alongside Albanese when he revealed the plan.
A union representing Centers for Disease Control workers is calling on the Trump administration to condemn vaccine disinformation after the CDC headquarters was targeted in a shooting that killed a police officer in Atlanta, Georgia.
The big picture: The suspect, named as Patrick Joseph White, 30, of Kennesaw, Ga., who died during Friday's shooting, had reportedly blamed the COVID vaccine for his health issues.
President Trump ratcheted up his rhetoric about crime and homelessness in Washington, D.C., Sunday, telling homeless individuals "move out" of the city "IMMEDIATELY."
The latest: Hours after Trump's announcement, a spokesperson for the FBI's Washington Field Office confirmed via email that its agents "are participating in the increased federal law enforcement presence" in D.C.
