President Trump said on Wednesday that he may deploy the military to New Orleans before Chicago, prioritizing cities whose leaders ask for intervention.
Why it matters: The new stance is a pivot from Tuesday afternoon, when he seemed prepared to deploy the National Guard to Chicago.
The official White House "company" page on LinkedIn received a brand refresh this week, replacing the traditional White House logo with a photo of President Trump.
Why it matters: It's another example of the Trump administration's social media trolling tactics, and it has resulted in his image showing up on former President Obama's LinkedIn page.
President Trump described China's largest-ever military parade marking the end of World War II as a "beautiful ceremony" on Thursday, but he said the U.S. should have gotten a mention.
The big picture: Trump made the comments to reporters hours after suggesting that China's Xi Jinping, Russia's Vladimir Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong-un were conspiring against the U.S. while attending the Beijing event.
The Trump administration can't use a centuries-old wartime law to quickly deport Venezuelans it alleges are suspected gang members, a federal appeals court ruled in a 2-1 decision on Tuesday night.
The big picture: The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said in its ruling it would grant a preliminary injunction "to prevent removal because we find no invasion or predatory incursion" had occurred.
Jeffrey Epstein survivor Lisa Phillips suggested Wednesday that victims of the convicted sex offender are contemplating publishing a list of people involved in their abuse if the Justice Department doesn't make more documents public.
Why it matters: The Trump administration has faced tremendous public backlash for concluding that there is no official Epstein client list, and if victims release their own list of names, it could trigger another fight between MAGA loyalists and federal officials.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) suggested on Wednesday that she's willing to take advantage of a constitutional immunity rule to reveal sex offenders from Epstein's trafficking ring.
Colorado Democratic Gov. Jared Polis said Wednesday the state will sidestep "ridiculous" new Trump administration restrictions on COVID vaccines by issuing its own order.
Why it matters: The move keeps vaccines widely available in Colorado, even as federal rules narrow access for millions of Americans.
Russell Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, said Wednesday that he doesn't believe the Government Accountability Office (GAO) should exist.
Why it matters: The GAO has released several reports this year that said the Trump administration is in violation of federal law — including at least one one that singled Vought out.
Pfizer's CEO defended the safety and efficacy of its COVID vaccine and suggested President Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in its development.
Why it matters: Trump on Monday demanded that "Drug Companies justify the success of their various Covid Drugs" after having praised the shots as a "miracle" during his first term.
President Trump is expected to ask the Supreme Court to reverse the $5 million verdict in a civil suit where he was found liable for sexual abuse and defamation of writer E. Jean Carroll.
Why it matters: Trump has continuously fought the verdict, claiming that several lawsuits against him are politically motivated, with mixed success in court.
House Democrats, with help from more than half a dozen Republicans, succeeded in killing a motion to censure Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.) for clashing with ICE officers in April.
Why it matters: McIver is being prosecuted by the Justice Department on charges of assaulting law enforcement, but she has denied wrongdoing and alleged that both the charges and the censure measure are purely political.
The state of military and diplomatic brinkmanship between the U.S. and Venezuela was cast into fiery new territory Tuesday, when President Trump announced a stunning strike in his militarized war on drugs.
The big picture: The attack came amid an amassing of U.S. ships off Venezuela's shores and escalating tensions between the U.S. government and the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who the administration has labeled a leader of a drug-trafficking terrorist cartel.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has told the Trump administration that Israeli annexation of the occupied West Bank would harm the Abraham Accords and undermine the president's hopes of expanding them, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter.
Why it matters: Israel is considering annexing large portions of the West Bank later this month in response to the recognition of a Palestinian state by several western countries. President Trump is likely the only foreign player who could stop it. The UAE message is that if he doesn't, a key aspect of his foreign policy legacy could unravel.
Florida will end all state vaccine mandates, Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo announced Wednesday.
Why it matters: Vaccines have prevented the deaths of tens of millions worldwide in the past 50 years — and Florida wants to become the first state in the U.S. to stop requiring them.
The Jeffrey Epstein saga picked up steam again this week as Congress returns from summer recess.
Why it matters: The release of the Epstein files has been a talking point this summer, with widespread bipartisan support for the full release of all files related to the sex offender's lifestyle and actions.
More than 120 local politicians from across the U.S. have united to launch a group touting the "Abundance" movement ahead of a conference in D.C. this week.
Why it matters: The Abundance Elected Network aims to give momentum to the movement that was ignited by a bestselling book, and now is the focus of a debate over the future of the Democratic Party heading into the 2026 and 2028 elections.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth suggested in a Wednesday interview that the U.S. strike on a drug vessel that officials said hailed from Venezuela would not be the last as U.S. assets amass off the country's shores.
The big picture: Tuesday's operation marked a sharp escalation in already boiling tensions between the U.S. government and the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Scott Kupor was the first employee at Andreessen Horowitz, hired back when it was just a couple tech vets hoping to raise a few hundred million dollars and never take board seats.
He'd spend the next 16 years as managing partner, even taking portfolio board seats of his own, and serving as chair of the National Venture Capital Association.
Kupor now is in a very different role, director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which is something akin to the federal government's HR department.
More than 1,000 current and former federal health workers called for Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s resignation Wednesday, warning he "continues to endanger the nation's health."
Why it matters: The demand is the latest evidence of a growing staff revolt against Kennedy, whose tenure has coincided with upheaval at the department that oversees the federal government's vast public health infrastructure.
There may be less than meets the eye with Gazprom's announcement Tuesday of a major, binding deal to build a massive Russia-to-China natural gas pipeline.
Why it matters: The agreement — if borne out — is a diplomatic win for Moscow after years of stalled talks over the Power of Siberia 2 project.
The Social Security Administration — under pressure from Senate Democrats —is on track to finish an internal audit of the agency's call wait times by year's end, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: Democrats and the Trump administration are clashing over how GOP cuts have affected customer wait times, with each side disputing the other's data.
As the Trump administration considers taking stakes in big defense contractors, industry insiders are so far offering silence, sidesteps and safe answers.
Why it matters: Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's suggestion last month that the government may acquire pieces of weapons makers inspired political jabs from the left and right as well as dramatic comparisons to China's military-civil fusion.
House Republicans are rejecting President Trump's nearly $20 billion proposed budget cut for the National Institutes of Health in an increasingly rare show of bipartisan support for biomedical research.
Why it matters: The NIH has faced turmoil over canceled grants, staff cuts and other policy changes, but the proposal to keep funding relatively flat shows there are limits to how much House Republicans will accommodate the administration's designs for the agency.
Corporate America may be due for a multi-billion-dollar refund after a federal appeals court ruled that President Trump's sweeping global tariffs are unlawful.
Why it matters: The case will likely go to the Supreme Court, but if the ruling stands, corporations could be primed for billions in back pay —if they're willing to ask for it.
Congress returns from recess this week with Jeffrey Epstein back in the spotlight.
This time, though, President Trump's supporters are divided over how much they still care about the government's files on the late sex offender — and the administration's reluctance to tell all.
Why it matters: MAGA's response to a fresh Epstein news cycle could either cement a playbook for healing rifts with Trump — or trigger another meltdown that derails the GOP's fall agenda.
President Trump plans to escalate immigration enforcement in Chicago and Boston, continuing the administration's pattern of targeting Democrat-run cities it views as hostile to Trump's agenda.
Driving the news: A surge of immigration agents is expected imminently in Chicago, and Trump vowed Tuesday to deploy National Guard troops there in a game plan that appears similar to the one that recently boosted arrests and drew protests and outrage in Los Angeles and D.C.
Democrat Dan Kleban, owner of the Maine Beer Company, will run for Senate in Maine, joining an already-crowded 2026 primary field.
Why it matters: Maine is a critical pick-up opportunity for Senate Democrats, who hope they can finally knock off longtime Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), a moderate Republican.
The Department of Homeland Security blindsided Argentina last week by unexpectedly pausing a visa-waiver agreement as officials from Buenos Aires were already en route to Washington to sign the deal, according to two sources familiar with the discussions.
Why it matters: The apparent diplomatic snub was the result of a lack of communication and organization by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, two sources with knowledge of the situation tell Axios.
The remote work era is over in Washington: The share of federal employees working in-office is up sharply from last year, a Gallup survey released Wednesday finds.
Why it matters: President Trump's return-to-office order worked — and then some. Federal government workers are now twice as likely to work in-office as employees overall nationwide.
China's leader Xi Jinping hosted Russia's Vladimir Putin, North Korea's Kim Jong-un and dozens of other leaders at the country's biggest-ever military parade on Wednesday morning local time.
The big picture: President Trump in D.C. suggested the trio may be conspiring against the U.S. during the event marking 80 years since Japan's formal surrender that ended World War II.
Millions of you, including my two boys, just started a new school year swamped by toxic politics, a tough job market, and tectonic AI shifts on campus and off.
It's easy to understand why stress, uncertainty and sadness are soaring.
Why it matters: I want to offer you a very different way to see the world awaiting you — one with a lot less impending doom. It's based on a belief I grow more certain of with each passing month:
A federal appeals court reinstated Rebecca Slaughter, the Biden-appointed Federal Trade Commission commissioner whom President Trump fired, in a 2-1 decision on Tuesday.
The latest: The White House has indicated it will appeal the ruling in the Supreme Court.
