Senate Republicans voted Wednesday to table an amendment from Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer that would have forced the release of files related to the Jeffery Epstein case.
Why it matters: The amendment was stopped despite many congressional Republicans calling for more transparency from the federal government around the Epstein investigation.
Charlie Kirk, one of the most influential podcasters in the MAGA world and the co-founder of Turning Point USA, died Wednesday from injuries following a shooting in Utah, his organization confirmed Wednesday. He was 31.
The big picture: Kirkwas instrumental in ushering masses of young Americans to conservative politics and a driving force in President Trump's White House runs.
Senior lawmakers of both parties condemned political violence and called for prayers on Wednesday after Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk, 31, was shot and killed at Utah Valley University.
Why it matters: Congress is processing the horrific attack in real time, with both Democrats and Republicans denouncing the shooting.
Three former FBI officials sued Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI director Kash Patel Wednesday, claiming they were fired on orders from the White House and Justice Department as retaliation for their work.
The big picture: The lawsuit alleges that Patel told Brian Driscoll, the former acting FBI director who was later forced out, that there was nothing that could be done to stop the firings because "the FBI tried to put the President in jail and he hasn't forgotten it."
American Oversight, a nonpartisan watchdog group, is suing the Department of Homeland Security over unanswered FOIA requests on Corey Lewandowski's work at the agency.
Why it matters: The lawsuit is the latest oversight attention directed at Lewandowski, a former aide to President Trump and special government employee, following increased monitoring from the White House and inquiryletters from congressional Democrats.
The Senate will be forced to vote on the full release of the Jeffrey Epstein files after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday filed an amendment to a must-pass defense authorization bill.
Why it matters: Senate Republicans will have to go on the record on an issue that continues to haunt their party and President Trump.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick wants the U.S. government to get a cut of university patent revenue, or even commercial revenue derived from those patents, he tells Axios' Mike Allen on tomorrow's premier episode of "The Axios Show."
Why it matters: This could disrupt the startup ecosystem, particularly in biotech.
President Trump on Wednesday demanded the North Carolina man accused of murdering a Ukrainian refugee on a Charlotte train be put to death after a "Quick" trial.
Why it matters: Trump has previously called for the death penalty for all murders in D.C. and Republicans have seized on the Charlotte attack as evidence the president's decision to send the National Guard and federal agents to fight crime in cities is justified.
Poland and NATO forces shot down more than a dozen Russian drones that "repeatedly" violated the Polish airspace late Tuesday and early Wednesday, Polish officials said.
Why it matters: European and NATO leaders condemned the incident as one of the most serious escalations by Moscow since its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris blamed "recklessness" for former President Biden's 2024 presidential bid, according to an excerpt published Wednesday from her new book "107 Days."
Why it matters: Without attacking the Biden's acuity, Harris sounded off on the dynamics that contributed to his decision to run against then-former President Trump.
There's a question bouncing around defense-tech circles: Will the Trump administration's rebrand of the Department of Defense change anything other than the seals and stationary?
The big picture: The War Department nickname, last week's Oval Office ceremony and the ensuing kerfuffles perfectly encapsulate today's national security scene in Washington.
After taking a stake in Intel and a cut of Nvidia's chip sales in China, the U.S. government may next target a share of the money generated by patents developed at major universities using federal funding, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnicktells Mike Allen in the premiere episode of "The Axios Show."
Why it matters: The Trump administration, which has been pushing deeper into control over — and profit from — the private sector, now aims to do the same in academia, capturing potentially tens or hundreds of billions of dollars in future upside from the work of university scientists.
The pressure is rising on Democrats to stiff President Trump and let the government shut down on Oct. 1.
Why it matters: Plunging into a shutdown is risky for Democratic leaders, who rejected the option earlier this year. But a shutdown fight might be the only action that appeases their deeply unsatisfied party base.
The Trump administration said Tuesday evening it's sending out 100 cease-and-desist letters to drug companies as part of a crackdown on what it called misleading direct-to-consumer ads.
The big picture: Meanwhile, President Trump signed a memorandum directing Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to enforce transparency on pharmaceutical advertising, including increasing the amount of information in the ads about risks of using the drugs.
President Trump can't remove Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook while her lawsuit challenges his attempts to fire her, a federal judge ruled on Tuesday night.
Why it matters: The ruling temporarily settles the question over Cook's status ahead of a critical Fed policy meeting, though the Trump administration has already filed notice that it will appeal the decision.
We cover politics clinically, not ideologically. So it's not our job or mission to offer policy or political advice.
But thousands of you asked for thoughts on how college kids — or anyone, really — can truly think differently, or more calmly, about politics in charged moments.
So here are eight clinical, nonideological changes you could make today:
The Trump administration launched an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) crackdown on Chicago Monday, which the city's mayor, Brandon Johnson, said he'd "received no notice" of.
The big picture: The launch of "Operation Midway Blitz" follows weeks of threats from President Trump to tackle crime in Chicago and other Democrat-run cities by expanding ICE's presence and possibly deploying National Guard troops as part of his agenda against undocumented immigrants despite opposition from Democratic leaders.
Former CDC director Susan Monarez will testify before the Senate next week in her first public appearance since the Trump administration fired her.
Why it matters: The hearing before the Senate's health committee could shed light on the tumultuous days leading up to her August exit, which saw several other top CDC officials resign.
