Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to discuss during his trip to Israel the possibility of Israeli annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank in response to the planned recognition of the State of Palestine by numerous Western countries later this month, Israeli and U.S. officials say.
Why it matters: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu still hasn't made a decision about whether to go for annexation and the scope of such a move. He wants to learn in his meeting with Rubio if President Trump would support annexation, an Israeli official said.
Erika Kirk's first public remarks since her husband Charlie Kirk's shooting death at Utah Valley University had attracted more than 3.1 million views by Saturday morning.
The big picture: The widow of the Turning Point USA founder credited with helping bolster the youth vote for President Trump in the last presidential election used her speech to continue one of Charlie Kirk's aims, encouraging students to join local Turning Point USA chapters.
President Trump is methodically disparaging potential Democratic presidential contenders, an early sign he plans to aggressively engage in the 2028 race to succeed him.
Why it matters: Trump's legacy will be on the line in that election, and aides expect him to try to influence the shape of the campaign — and the 2026 midterms — through his robustly funded political operation and his push to define Democratic and Republican contenders.
President Trump on Saturday said he will impose further U.S. sanctions on Russia only if all NATO countries place high tariffs on China.
Why it matters: Trump has threatened to impose more sanctions on Russia to press it to end the war in Ukraine, but despite many public statements he has so far been reluctant to do it.
Like a lot of Canadians, Jorge Aranda stopped coming to the United States this year. "I don't want to pretend that everything's OK," he tells Axios.
Why it matters: Many international travelers say they're put off by tariffs, the Trump administration's anti-foreigner rhetoric and aggressive immigration enforcement, leading to a tourism slump that's dragging on local economies.
The EPA on Friday formally proposed ending longtime requirements for many polluters to collect and report emissions of heat-trapping gases responsible for climate change.
Why it matters: Democrats and environmentalists widely condemned ending the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program when the agency announced earlier this year it was considering doing so.
An FBI affidavit seeking a warrant to search former national security adviser John Bolton's home alleges he used a private email account that was hacked by a "foreign entity" and wrongly shared classified information.
Why it matters: Bolton's role as one of President Trump's sharpest critics has sparked claims, which Trump denies, that he is being investigated for political purposes. The newly unsealed document sketches the outlines of the FBI probe into Bolton's handling of classified information.
Planned Parenthood and 75 other advocacy groups are urging the Trump administration to halt the planned destruction of $9.7 million worth of contraceptives meant for those in low-income countries.
Why it matters: The Trump administration is pushing to destroy the supplies as part of its dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development, even though the United Nations and reproductive organizations have offered to buy or ship the supplies to their intended recipients.
The Missouri Legislature on Friday approved a congressional map that splits Kansas City into three parts, an attempt to flip a seat long held by Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II.
Why it matters: Hundreds of thousands of voters in the 2026 midterms could find themselves in a new voting bloc that includes communities hundreds of miles away.
As President Trump unleashed his fury at Democrats in the aftermath of conservative activist Charlie Kirk's fatal shooting, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox offered a more measured response.
Why it matters: Presidents typically call for cool heads and unity during national crises, but Trump began blaming political opponents before law enforcement had arrested a suspect or established a motive.
Tesla's board chair suggested Friday that there are no restraints on Elon Musk's political activities, and that he'll be measured "on results, and what he does as CEO of Tesla."
Sen. Mark Kelly, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, quietly met with several state legislators Friday morning in the critical Democratic primary state of South Carolina, two people familiar with the meeting told Axios.
Why it matters: Kelly has been raising millions of dollars and traveling the country the last several months, which could set the Arizona senator up for a presidential bid.
Chicago leaders are doing a victory lap on Friday after standing up to President Trump, who announced he's sending federal troops to fight crime in Memphis instead.
Why it matters: Chicago's pushback on Trump's troop threat could be a model for other cities.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick slammed former President Biden's student loan forgiveness plans as unfair to the average American during a sit-down interview with Axios co-founder Mike Allen on "The Axios Show."
Why it matters: The Trump administration blames Biden for the millions of Americans who are facing severe economic consequences and potentially steep declines in their credit scores after student loan delinquencies soared to a five-year high earlier this year.
A massive spike in jobless claims on Thursday heightened fears of a swift labor market deterioration — but it turns out many of those claims were fake.
Why it matters: The big jump, which took national claims to a four-year high and jolted financial markets, was a result of attempted fraudulent unemployment filings in Texas.
Black Democratic politicians have been receiving both "credible" and "non-credible" bomb threats in the past few days, as have a slew of historically Black colleges and universities.
Why it matters: Bomb threats are rising alongside bipartisan calls to tone down accusatory rhetoric after several recent acts of political violence.
Democratic lawmakers are at odds over whether to resurface their standard calls for stricter gun legislation following the shooting death of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: While Democrats have clashed in the past over the timing of gun control conversations and the details of specific legislation, rarely has the debate revolved so much around the target of the shooting.
Elon Musk got DOGE wrong by focusing on firing people instead of on slashing government waste, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnicktells Mike Allen in the premiere episode of "The Axios Show."
To the extent DOGE keeps functioning, Lutnick said, its cuts will be aimed at costs, not headcount.
Why it matters: With Musk no longer in the White House, and his relationship with President Trump in tatters, officials are more willing to criticize the slash-and-burn approach to government that reduced headcount but didn't save much money.
President Trump announced Friday he's sending National Guard troops to Memphis to address the city's persistently high crime problems.
Why it matters: Trump has faced criticism for threatening to send the National Guard to blue cities in blue states while saying little about cities like Memphis with high crime rates in red states.
The suspect who allegedly killed conservative activist Charlie Kirk targeted him for "spreading hate," police said while announcing the arrest Friday.
The latest: President Trump announced the arrest on "Fox & Friends" Friday morning, and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) identified the suspect, who he said confessed to the shooting.
Why it matters: About one in four service members and their spouses report infertility, and the health care coverage expansion Jacobs is championing would provide more affordable family planning options.
There is no need to plan for the possibility the Supreme Court could strike down President Trump's tariffs, because it won't happen and other tariff avenues exist anyway, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnicktells Mike Allen in the premiere episode of "The Axios Show."
Why it matters: Lutnick's brash confidence stands in contrast to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's warning the government could face the "terrible" prospect of issuing tens or hundreds of billions of dollars in refunds.
Michigan swing voters in our latest Engagious/Sago focus groups strongly oppose the idea of President Trump sending the National Guard into their cities, citing concerns about militarizing the police, or gentrification.
Why it matters: All 13 of the voters interviewed backed Trump in last year's presidential election, and most, on balance, still see him favorably. But they don't think this is a job for the National Guard. And the closer it gets to their own homes, the less they like it.
President Trump is turning up pressure on drugmakers to lower prices and demanding they commit within weeks to his "most-favored nation" policy, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick tells Mike Allen in the premiere episode of "The Axios Show."
Why it matters: The initiative — which calls for charging the U.S. less for drugs than comparable countries — continues Trump's efforts to reshape drug pricing through threats and public shaming.
In the debut episode of "The Axios Show," Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick joins Axios co-founder Mike Allen to discuss the state of President Trump's economy, the high-profile ICE raid at a Hyundai plant in Georgia and his late-night chats with the president.
The big picture: This five-episode video interview series features our top reporters and experts talking to the biggest names shaping politics, media, business, tech and culture.
Artificial intelligence is transforming how governments function, make deals and compete on a global scale.
Why it matters: AI policy is at the center of lawmakers' conversations, from Washington to Brussels and Beijing, and the decisions being made in the U.S. reverberate around the world.
Many Americans will remember exactly where they were when they first saw the gruesome video of Charlie Kirk's assassination, which flooded X within minutes — impossible to avoid, impossible to forget.
Why it matters: On the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Americans once again were grappling with the psychological toll of violent images seared into public consciousness.
The government wants AI to accelerate quickly in the U.S. — and it's about to take the first steps to remove as much red tape as possible, Office of Science and Technology Policy director Michael Kratsios told Axios in an exclusive interview.
Why it matters: Kratsios is at the center of AI policy in the Trump administration, and the White House is laser-focused on reshaping the rules around the technology.
President Trump loves to boast about his singular ability to control global events and leaders, but there are two notable exceptions: his ally Benjamin Netanyahu and his nominal adversary, Vladimir Putin.
Why it matters: The wars in Ukraine and Gaza have been the two dominant global crises of Trump's second term, but despite his promises to end both wars, he's seemed doubtful lately about his ability to influence the men prolonging them.
Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro was convicted of plotting a military coup to overturn the country's 2022 election in a majority ruling by the Brazilian Supreme Court on Thursday.
The latest: Bolsonaro's lawyers said in a media statement after he was sentenced to more than 27 years in prison that they would appeal and called the prison term "excessive and disproportionate."
President Trump is expected to meet on Friday evening in New York with Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and discuss the aftermath of the Israeli strike against Hamas leaders in Doha earlier this week, two sources with direct knowledge said.
Why it matters: The gruesome killing of Charlie Kirk, on top of the killings or assassination attempts of so many others, gives 340 million of us Americans a chance to reflect — and act.
Reflect with sadness — and disgust — on senseless violence. Every time. Without pause or caveat.
And act to prevent murderers — and the small, but loud idiots who applaud — from wholly defining our politics.
Do we let a few crazies define the 44 million registered Democrats? Or a few lunatics define 37 million registered Republicans? Do we let all of this define us?
It need not. Here are six ways we can help break that fever:
1. Wake up. This is getting worse — and dangerous. Presidents, congressional leaders and lawmakers, cultural leaders like Kirk, state officials and ordinary Americans are getting shot at and gunned down at an alarming rate. Within minutes, small but loud groups of heartless people justify or even cheer it, and their soulless views are amplified by both sides. Within seconds, your social media feed feels like the apocalypse.
2. Stay grounded. You must realize — and tell others — that the idiot who makes an idiotic comment on MSNBC or X is just that: an isolated idiot. They're not voicing what an entire party or ideology feels or believes. They're getting attention because it's so ludicrous. But the more people "like" it in rage, the more it's pushed to the top of your social media feed. Again, within seconds, you think the world has lost its mind when most of it is grieving.
It wasn't long ago that the wackiest people could be found at the end of a bar, pounding whiskey, howling nonsense. You didn't hear it because it was one person in one bar in one town. Now, that person pops off, other drunks "like" it, and he seems like the most popular guy at the bar. Yet he's still just a howling drunk. That's social media, folks.
3. Tone it down. Don't let the nuts or algorithms suck you into making matters worse. Don't share this stuff. Don't stare at this stuff. Your brain and heart grow twisted or cold when you do. It's OK to just be sad or mad in silence.
4. Shut it off. I know it's hard. But social media is pure evil in these moments. It's not just the awfulness getting amplified. Every clown with a handle is suddenly a forensic expert or coroner. The amount of misinformation is staggering and soul-sapping. Put down your phone. Go outside. Say a prayer.
5. Open up. We won't solve this by drifting deeper into our bubbles. It's easy to hate a faceless party or person. But you'll discover complexity, heart and struggle if you engage the vast majority of people out of curiosity, not judgment. Find someone you disagree with and simply ask: Can we have a calm, nonjudgmental chat about life? This might seem corny. Give it a try.
6. Love. I'm not a self-help guru or cheeseball. In fact, I'm a ruthlessly pragmatic introvert who happens to run a media company. I share many of your worries and worst fears. But the only antidote to division and despair is hope and repair. It starts with each of us. Watch your words. Hug someone. Help someone.
The big picture: Most people are good and peaceful. But a few bad ones can hurl our nation into true chaos. A series of small choices by each of us will write this ending.
➡️ A short story about Charlie to give you hope: Axios is hardly MAGA's comfort food. But we've marveled at the calm, clinical exchanges we've enjoyed with many MAGA leaders, including Kirk. He was responsive and respectful, even when we wrote things he didn't like or agree with.
The same is true of some of the most controversial voices on the left. People can hold views you question, dispute or even abhor. They're still people.
➡️ A second short story about Congress to give you hope. Hours after Kirk was killed, I joined my wife, Autumn, for a reception honoring parents who adopt or foster children. Autumn is the newest board member of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI). You want hope? Listen to parents who take in forgotten kids.
You want hope in politics? Turns out, the largest bipartisan, bicameral caucus in Congress, 135 lawmakers strong, is the Congressional Coalition on Adoption. You won't read that on X or see it on cable.
Investigators are following "multiple leads" in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, but no suspect is in custody, per the Utah Department of Public Safety.
Driving the news: The DPS said via email Thursday afternoon that they had received more than 200 tips from members of the public since Kirk was shot while speaking Wednesday at Utah Valley University in the city of Orem.
