After months of being besieged with demands to "fight harder," Democrats finally see an opportunity to satisfy their grassroots base. All they have to do is be willing to shut down the government.
Why it matters: Unlike in March, they might actually do it. The pressure is higher than ever, and Democratic leaders are gesticulating as though they're ready for a shutdown.
Amazon will pay $2.5 billion in penalties and refunds to settle allegations that it enrolled its customers in Prime subscriptions without their consent and made it difficult for them to cancel, the FTC announced Thursday.
Why it matters: $1.5 billion of that will go directly to Prime subscribers, capped at $51 per person.
President Trump on Thursday said the U.S. would impose tariffs of 30% to 50% on some kinds of furniture and cabinetry, calling it a matter of national security.
Why it matters: Trump previously threatened to tariff furniture in the name of reviving the domestic industry — despite opposition from that industry itself, which warned of higher costs.
Nearly a third of federal student loan borrowers are behind on payments, according to a survey that credit reporting agency TransUnion released Thursday.
The gunman who attacked a Dallas immigration detention facility this week was targeting federal agents and left notes detailing his plan to cause "real terror" on immigration enforcement, officials said Thursday.
The big picture:One detainee was killed and two others were critically injured while they were restrained in a transport van, officials said at a Thursday briefing. Federal officials called the attack an act of terrorism.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said Thursday he wants a "criminal investigation" over reports that the National Archives may have violated federal law in its release of Rep. Mikie Sherrill's (D-N.J.) records.
Why it matters: The incident has supercharged what was already a closely watched gubernatorial race between Sherrill and Republican Jack Ciattarelli.
The Department of Education said Thursday it will withhold $67.2 million in magnet school funds from three districts over diversity policies that didn't eliminate diversity programs and transgender-inclusive policies.
Why it matters: The move tests how far Trump officials can use federal funds to force changes in local school districts, this time in New York City, Chicago and Fairfax, Virginia.
A group of Disney investors is alleging that the company prioritized "improper political" considerations over the best interests of stockholders with its brief suspension of Jimmy Kimmel last week.
Why it matters: In an era where companies are caving to demands from the Trump administration, the investors are arguing that political expediency might in fact hurt profits.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will address senior U.S. military leaders at Quantico, a Marine Corps base in Virginia, next week.
Why it matters: Quantico bills itself as home of "vital concepts, training and equipment of the future" and the birthplace "of the most important techniques in warfighting."
Some of Israel's staunchest Democratic supporters on Capitol Hill are wavering like never before as progressives grow more emboldened in their defense of the Palestinian cause.
Why it matters: The humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza has soured U.S. public opinion on Israel, and while members of Congress have been something of a lagging indicator, they are now shifting as well.
President Trump warned "bad things" happen when Democrats provoke the right, tying the Wednesday shooting at a Dallas ICE facility to "radical left" rhetoric.
Why it matters: The president's comments risk inflaming already high tensions after the deadly shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk as officials point fingers at ideological opponents for political violence.
President Trump last week demanded his attorney general move without "delay" against his political foes — including ex-FBI Director James Comey, renewing a years-long feud that could soon culminate in criminal charges.
Why it matters: Prosecutors have until Tuesday to seek charges tied to Comey's 2020 congressional testimony, turning Trump's public pressure campaign into a make-or-break moment for one of the most consequential feuds in modern politics.
President Trump on Thursday indicated farmers could soon get a bailout funded by tariffs, one that could echo similar relief he provided in his first term.
Why it matters: American farmers are being walloped by the trade war, especially soybean growers, who've seen their largest export market — China— disappear.
Congressional Democrats are largely dismissing a threat from the Trump administration to use a government shutdown to try to accelerate the firings of thousands of federal workers.
Why it matters: The shrugs are coming even from lawmakers who represent large swaths of the federal workforce — underscoring the extent to which Democrats are dug in on government funding.
The Trump administration has approved Elon Musk's artificial intelligence chatbot Grok for official government use for every agency, according to the General Services Administration.
Why it matters: The chatbot has faced criticism for being ideologically biased and lacking proper safety testing.
The Food and Drug Administration said it will conduct a "study" of the safety protocol around the widely used abortion drug mifepristone, in a move that could lead to new dispensing restrictions.
Why it matters: New rules around the drug, especially those addressing its widespread availability through telehealth, could severely limit access in states with abortion bans.
China's long-awaited emissions target is either a nod to realism (and the benefit of under-promising) or a dangerous failure of ambition, depending on who you ask.
Why it matters: The country is the world's largest carbon emitter by a mile. It's also the world's largest energy consumer.
The Trump administration's move to restrict visas for foreign-born workers is pushing the U.S. closer to a "skills cliff" — where companies struggle to hire talent and may even start offshoring parts of their business.
Why it matters: Add H-1Bs to a laundry list of issues dragging down the supply of skilled workers in the U.S., posing long-term problems for the economy and employers.
States are moving to set more rules about who's eligible for vaccines and who'll pay for them. But that isn't much help to nearly 100 million people with workplace insurance.
Why it matters: Self-insured health plans have to follow federal guidelines, which are in flux as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his vaccine advisers debate new limits on COVID-19, hepatitis B and other shots.
NEW YORK — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Barak Ravid on "The Axios Show" that he doesn't intend to lead his country in peacetime. Zelensky also vowed to ask Ukraine's parliament to organize elections if a ceasefire is reached.
Why it matters: Asked whether he would see his job as finished when the war was over, Zelensky saidhe would be "ready" to step down.
A new generation of Black attorneys is mobilizing — not just to defend democracy, but to build the legal infrastructure needed to protect it for the long haul.
Why it matters: On Thursday, in Washington, D.C., as leaders gather for the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference, more than 50 early career Black lawyers are convening for their own summit: the Black Legal Brain Trust, hosted by the Young Black Lawyers Organizing Coalition (YBLOC).
NEW YORK — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told "The Axios Show" that if Russia won't end the war, officials working in the Kremlin should make sure they know where the nearest bomb shelter is.
Why it matters: Zelensky said he had President Trump's explicit backing to hit Russian targets like energy infrastructure and arms factories. And he said that if Ukraine gets additional long-range weaponry from the U.S., "we will use it."
One detainee is dead, and two more are in critical condition after a sniper opened fire on a Dallas Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility Wednesday morning, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed.
The big picture: Law enforcement found the suspected shooter dead, according to the Dallas Police Department. The FBI is investigating the incident as an "act of targeted violence."
The Kremlin responded Wednesday to President Trump's assertion this week that Ukraine can win the war against Russia and labeling Putin's military "a paper tiger."
The big picture: Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov suggested during a Russian radio interview that Trump's abrupt rhetoric shift was due to him meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in New York.
The White House is threatening to use a potential short-term spending lapse to make long-term changes to the federal workforce.
Why it matters: Thousands of government employees could permanently lose their jobs if Congress doesn't reach an agreement to fund the government by Oct. 1.
"Jimmy Kimmel Live!" drew more than 6 million viewers in its return to the airwaves Tuesday night following a six-day suspension by Disney over his comments about Charlie Kirk.
Why it matters: Kimmel's return was expected to draw a large audience, but 6.2 million is especially impressive given that the program was not available to roughly 25% of ABC affiliates across the country.
President Trump said Wednesday the Secret Service is looking into "three very sinister events" at the United Nations concerning issues with an escalator, teleprompter and audio at the UN headquarters in New York City a day earlier.
The big picture: The president and first lady Melania Trump were on an escalator at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday after arriving for his speech, where he told world leaders that their countries "are going to hell," when it malfunctioned.
