When Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem signed a visa-waiver accord with Argentine officials last month, Marco Rubio — the national security director and secretary of state — didn't get a heads-up until after the fact, according to five sources familiar with the situation.
Now the White House and National Security Council want to make sure there's no repeat of such a scenario.
Why it matters: All U.S. government workers must "clear the purpose and scope of any proposed call, conversation, meeting or trip with the NSC prior to engagement," according to an Aug. 8 memo written by Rubio and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles that was reviewed by Axios.
Longtime Austin Democratic congressman Lloyd Doggett said Thursday that he won't seek reelection if a new congressional map is not overturned by courts.
Why it matters: Doggett's move prevents a potentially nasty Democratic primary following a Republican redistricting effort, allowing U.S. Rep. Greg Casar (D-Austin), a rising progressive, to remain in office.
The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed the Trump administration to proceed with cuts to hundreds of millions of dollars worth of National Institutes of Health grants tied to diversity, equity and inclusion studies.
Why it matters: The order boosts Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s efforts to reshape the biomedical research agency, including cutting funding for research the administration says doesn't support NIH's mission.
A federal judge on Thursday ruled that Alina Habba has been acting without legal authority as acting U.S. attorney for New Jersey for almost two months.
Why it matters: Habba's actions since July 1 may be considered void, U.S. District Judge Matthew Brann wrote.
President Trump said he expects to join federal agents on a patrol in D.C. Thursday night as both officers and protesters increase their numbers and rhetoric during the president's crackdown on crime in the capital.
Why it matters: The president reaffirmed that he is using D.C. as a "test" to see how federal involvement could play out in other cities.
The White House crackdown appears to have driven 1.5 million immigrants out of the country, according to a new tally from Pew Research.
Why it matters: It's the first time the immigrant population has fallen in decades, a clear win for the Trump administration. It could slow the economy.
President Trump is once again demanding that Colorado officials "free" former Mesa County clerk Tina Peters from prison, this time adding a threat to "take harsh measures" if she is not let go.
Why it matters: The remark, made Thursday on his Truth Social platform, is the latest attempt by Trump to intervene on behalf of Peters, one of the nation's most prominent 2020 election deniers.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams' former chief adviser allegedly collected thousands of dollars and other benefits in a series of bribery schemes while working for the city, according to new indictments.
The big picture: While the embattled Adams sidestepped his own corruption case, legal woes and scandals continue to plague those in his inner circle as he mounts a bid for a second term.
California and Texas are among the six states where the majority of the nation's record 14 million unauthorized immigrants live, though more are moving to other states, a new Pew study finds.
The big picture: The states have consistently had the most unauthorized immigrants since at least 1980, but they are no longer the only draw as unauthorized immigrants have moved to other states amid economic transformation and new networks.
Anne Neuberger, a former senior cybersecurity official in the Biden White House, is joining Andreessen Horowitz as a senior advisor, the company announced today.
Why it matters: The role puts Neuberger in position to shape one of the most influential venture capital firms' D.C. agenda during the second Trump administration.
A White House official told Axios that President Trump intends to expand his review of American museums for "woke" ideology beyond the Smithsonian Institution.
Why it matters: The size and scope of Trump's inquiries represents an unprecedented level of museum oversight in the nearly 250 years of American democracy, historians say. It also represents an escalation of the president's attack on cultural institutions.
Political operatives working for the cryptocurrency industry will be on high alert now that Democrats appear to be all in on Sherrod Brown as the national party's candidate for Senate in Ohio.
Why it matters: With Brown as their pick, Democrats — already facing steep odds of retaking the Senate in 2026 — are directly squaring off against Fairshake, the crypto PAC that helped unseat the industry critic just a year ago.
A state appellate court in New York threw out President Trump's roughly $465 million fine in his civil fraud case Thursday morning.
Why it matters: The court decision finding that Trump inflated his wealth on financial statements was one of the few legal cases that wasn't stalled or dismissed as a result of Trump's presidential victory.
President Trump shared his ultimate voting reform goal in a Wednesday Truth Social post, saying he wants the GOP to pick up 100 congressional seats.
Why it matters: Trump's unrealistic vision of a Republican supermajority in the House relies on a combination of GOP-led states redistricting out Democrats and ending mail-in balloting nationwide.
The redistricting battle is reaching a new precipice this week, as state lawmakers in Texas and California sprint to send their measures to their outspoken governor's desks.
The number of unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. rose to a record 14 million in 2023, sparked by migration from countries other than Mexico, a new Pew Research Center analysis says.
Why it matters: The report sheds light on the massive jump in unauthorized immigrants during the first two years of the Biden presidency, a historic rise that fueled the backlash that aided Donald Trump's return to the White House.
The House Oversight Committee's top Democrat is seeking information about Corey Lewandowski and his work as a special government employee.
Why it matters: Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) sent an inquiry letter to the Department of Homeland Security on Thursday following multiple media reports that Lewandowski may be working past the legal time limit for his role while wielding significant power in the department.
U.S. and European officials released a joint statement on Thursday that outlined some details of a trade deal — including reduced tariffs on autos that will take effect once Europe eliminates its own tariffs on U.S. goods.
Why it matters: It is the only official text of the agreement since President Trump announced the deal in Scotland late last month.
Federal health workers' pent-up frustration with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is boiling over in the aftermath of an attack on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Atlanta headquarters that they believe he helped stoke with inflammatory rhetoric and misinformation.
Why it matters: After eight months of upheaval, layoffs and grant terminations, more than 750 Health and Human Services employees went public on Wednesday in a letter to Kennedy and members of Congress that accused Kennedy of contributing to harassment and violence against government employees.
Third Way, a prominent center-left think tank, unveiled a proposal Thursday calling on Democrats to build 12 million new homes through deregulation, removing tariffs and deploying the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to help with the construction.
Why it matters: The proposal is a reflection of the growing "Abundance" movement, inspired by the bestselling book, that urges Democrats to remove red tape and focus on building things if they want to win more elections.
From left: Bill Pulte, Ed Martin and Tulsi Gabbard. Photos: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP, Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/AP, and Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
A housing regulator, a prosecutor rejected by the Senate and a former Democrat have emerged as the unlikely faces of President Trump's "weaponization" crusade.
Why it matters: In a sea of Trump loyalists, these three officials — Bill Pulte, Ed Martin and Tulsi Gabbard — stand out for how aggressively they've shattered norms in pursuit of the president's enemies.
Democratic Party officials are quietly battling over which state will be the first to vote in the 2028 presidential primary — a fight that's set to break into the open next week, when the officials meet in Minneapolis.
Nevada, New Hampshire, and Michigan are currently the frontrunners to be "the new Iowa," and lead off the 2028 Democratic primary season, according to several people familiar with the Rules and Bylaws committee that will determine the order.
Why it matters: The candidate who wins the first state primary gets a boost that can help propel them to the nomination — and potential candidates already are looking into which order of contests could benefit them the most.
The Texas House passed a new congressional map Wednesday that will likely give Republicans five more seats in a closely divided U.S. House.
Why it matters: The redistricting would go a long way to ensuring the U.S. House remains in Republican control — even as it sets in motion a wave of gerrymandering in other states.
A U.S. Navy sailor was convicted Wednesday of espionage and five other charges related to selling military secrets while on active duty to a Chinese intelligence officer who recruited him via social media, the Department of Justice announced.
The big picture: The jury accepted prosecutors' allegations that Jinchao Wei, 25, was paid $12,000 over 18 months for selling "Navy secrets" while working as a machinist's mate on the amphibious assault ship, the USS Essex, at Naval Base San Diego, California, in 2023, per a DOJ statement.
The Trump administration announced fresh sanctions on International Criminal Court officials on Wednesday and accused the ICC of being a "national security threat" and "instrument for lawfare" against the U.S. and Israel.
The big picture: The intergovernmental organization and international tribunal, in a statement, called the latest U.S. sanctions that affect two judges and two prosecutors "a flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution."
