A Department of Defense official faced pressure Thursday to reaffirm Secretary Pete Hegseth's commitment to women's right to vote after the Pentagon chief reposted a video of a pastor saying the opposite.
Why it matters: Reposting the video is a part of a growing list of controversial moves Hegseth has made toward women amid his effort to purge the military of "wokeness."
House Speaker Mike Johnson's right flank is trying to bypass him repeatedly next month by forcing votes on releasing the Epstein files and banning congressional stock trading.
A discharge petition allows the House rank-and-file to force a vote on any piece of legislation if at least 218 members sign on.
Top Republicans have discouraged the use of the maneuver, arguing it would effectively turn over control of the House floor to Democrats, but GOP populists have increasingly ignored that guidance.
ActBlue, the online donation platform that makes it easy for Democratic candidates to hoover up small-dollar donations, is making it easier for independents to do the same.
Republicans both fear and admire ActBlue for the ease with which it allows candidates to translate online enthusiasm into real-world dollars. President Trump also wants to investigate it for "illegal 'straw donor' and foreign contributions in American elections."
Why it matters: In the 2026 cycle, three independent candidates are seeking to challenge GOP senators in deep red states, but without a "D" next to their name.
Dan Osborn, who has always been registered "unaffiliated," gave Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) a scare in 2024 by running as an independent. He's plotting a second run, this time against Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.).
House Speaker Mike Johnson's (R-La.) right flank is trying to bypass him repeatedly next month by forcing votes on releasing the Epstein files and banning congressional stock trading.
Hunter Biden won't apologize to first lady Melania Trump despite her threat to sue, he said in an interview withindependent journalist Andrew Callaghan released Thursday.
The big picture: The first lady's lawyers demanded that the son of former President Biden remove and retract commentary about her made in a separate Callaghan interviewearlier this month, including his assertion that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein "introduced Melania" to President Trump.
ActBlue, the online donation platform that makes it easy for Democratic candidates to hoover up small-dollar donations, is making it easier for independents to do the same.
Why it matters: The new rules allow ActBlue to include independent candidates on a "case-by-case" basis.
A schism is emerging between members of Congress who want to ban their colleagues from trading stocks over how best to accomplish their shared goal.
Why it matters: Congressional stock trading has been the white whale of the last several Congresses, with lawmakers repeatedly trying and failing to pass a ban amid growing populist anger around the issue.
Gov. Gavin Newsom and other California leaders said Thursday that the California Legislature will introduce and approve the state's response to an escalating partisan redistricting arms race starting early next week.
Why it matters: Efforts in blue and red states to pick up seats through gerrymandering could determine control of Congress in next year's midterm election.
The U.S. government has been holding discussions on taking an equity stake in the chip maker Intel, Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.
Why it matters: A deal would be another turn by the Trump administration away from laissez-faire policies and toward state capitalism, as it seeks to bolster the domestic fabrication of semiconductors.
President Trump has taken over D.C. police and directed National Guard members, FBI personnel and other federal agents to patrol the city in an effort to crackdown on crime in the Capital, despite falling crime rates.
The big picture: D.C.'s crackdown is an escalation of the president activating federal law enforcement infrequently used in civilian operations to combat a perceived domestic disturbance, raising concerns about accountability, training and civil rights.
No, there is not a "music festival" coming to the streets of Washington, D.C. — but that's what social media users want apps' algorithms to think.
Why it matters: Amid President Trump's federal crackdown in the nation's capital, internet users are tailoring their language as they organize and encourage resistance.
Why it matters: The suggestion comes after Trump temporarily took control of Washington, D.C.'s police department and ordered the National Guard and FBI to aid law enforcement despite crime in the city being at a 30-year low.
A Justice Department employeeaccused of throwing a sandwich at a Customs and Border Protection agent this week has been fired, and faces felony charges, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi.
The big picture: Sean Charles Dunn, 37, is accused of being the man in a viral video who threw "a sub-style sandwich" at a CBP agent who was patrolling with Metro Transit Police in northwest D.C. late Sunday, after President Trump ordered an increased federal law enforcement presence in the U.S. capital, per a court filing.
President Trump signeda proclamation Thursday celebrating the 90th anniversary of Social Security and promoting the program's improvements under his leadership.
Why it matters: Reports from inside the agency tell a different story. Social Security advocates are questioning whether the administration may be weighing changes to the popular program that would be harmful to its long-term success.
Ghislaine Maxwell's controversial prison transfer following her interview with a Justice Department official raises "substantial concern" the administration may be trying to tamper with a witness, some House Judiciary Democrats argued in a recent letter.
The big picture: The move of the convicted sex trafficker, who was serving a 20-year prison sentence in Florida, to a minimum-security facility in Texas was slammed by the family of Virginia Giuffre and other Jeffrey Epstein accusers, arguing it "smacks of a cover up."
🪕 Trek on up to the Old Pool Farm in Montco this weekend for the annual Philadelphia Folk Festival. Headliners include SONiA disappear fear, John Gorka and Solas. Runs Friday-Sunday.
Tickets: Prices vary depending on day and add ons.
🍸 Party like it's the 1920s aboard the Olympia at the Independence Seaport Museum. Speakeasy Night is Friday from 6-9pm and includes games, themed drinks and snacks.
President Trump on Wednesday ordered his health officials to secure a six-month supply of advanced pharmaceutical ingredients for drugs the administration determines are critical for national health and security.
Why it matters: The move continues efforts started during the Biden administration to reshore the medical supply chain and reduce the reliance on overseas manufacturers, especially China.
The Israeli government is courting popular MAGA influencers in an effort to address Republican divisions over the war in Gaza, where scenes of violence and starvation have fueled global outrage.
Why it matters: U.S. support for Israel's military actions has fallen to record lows. Even within the traditionally pro-Israel GOP, younger Republicans are increasingly skeptical — questioning both the alliance and the billions in U.S. aid that sustain it.
President Trump just upped the ante for Friday's summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin — both for the war in Ukraine and his own credibility. Three advisers who've been in the room as Trump discussed the summit are adamant he's not bluffing.
Why it matters: This is no longer just a "feel-out meeting," as Trump originally labeled it. Not after he privately told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and NATO leaders that his goal was a ceasefire, and then publicly threatened Putin with "very severe consequences" if he doesn't agree to stop the fighting.
Corey Lewandowski doesn't want to clock out of his temporary government gig. So, administration officials believe, he's avoiding clocking in.
Why it matters: Lewandowski, a longtime and controversial Trump adviser, is wielding outsized influence at the Department of Homeland Security as a "special government employee" whose work is supposed to be temporary.
Several U.S. border communities saw violent crime drop below the national average in 2024, as nationwide rates fell to 20-year lows, according to new FBI data analyzed by Axios.
Why it matters: The findings from last year run counter to claims by President Trump and GOP leaders, who painted border towns as crime hotspots because of newly arrived immigrants.
The reaction of Georgia swing voters in our latest Engagious/Sago focus groups shows how President Trump's sudden push for redistricting could backfire on the GOP in the midterms — if Democrats can hold voters' attention.
The big picture: Just four of the 11 Biden-to-Trump swing voters in Tuesday night's sessions said they could explain why more than 50 Democratic Texas legislators have left that state.
But when provided with neutral facts describing the situation, none of the 11 said they support the GOP redistricting effort.
The Trump administration's D.C. crackdown with National Guard deployment and 24/7 federal patrols was ramping up on Wednesday night, drawing a sharp rebuke from religious leaders in the U.S. capital.
The big picture: President Trump maintains his unprecedented action in declaring a "crime emergency" in D.C. was necessary, but the interfaith group said his "sweeping language" to justify it is "inaccurate and dehumanizing, increasing the risk of indiscriminate arrests and the use of excessive force."
Solomon Peña, an unsuccessful New Mexico state House candidate, was sentenced to 80 years in prison Wednesday "for orchestrating a politically motivated shooting spree and plotting to murder witnesses to obstruct justice," the Justice Department announced.
The big picture: A federal jury in March found the 42-year-old guilty of all charges related to the drive-by shootings targeting the homes and offices of elected state Democratic officials in N.M. in December 2022 and January 2023.
