Axios

A congressional delegation to Southeast Asia next month, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), has been cancelled, sources tell Axios.

Why it matters: The prolonged government shutdown is forcing top lawmakers to cancel trips into November, with little sign of progress on Capitol Hill.

President Trump hailed the start of demolition work at the White House East Wing on Monday ahead of construction beginning on his planned, privately funded $200 million-plus ballroom.

The big picture: Critics say the project's funding underscores how corporate America has curried favor for access to the Trump administration. But Trump said on Truth Social Monday that he's "honored to be the first President to finally get this much-needed project underway — with zero cost to the American Taxpayer!"

Former FBI Director James Comey's lawyers asked a federal judge on Monday to dismiss the criminal case against him, arguing that President Trump has "personal animus" toward him.

Why it matters: The filing in the Eastern District of Virginia contends that Comey's prosecution is "vindictive and selective," arguing that it violates the Trump critic's First Amendment rights and pointing to the president's demands for the prosecutorial targeting of his political enemies.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said Monday he opposes a Senate Republican bill to extend pay to troops and some federal workers during the government shutdown.

Why it matters: Jeffries' opposition suggests the legislation would have a tough time passing the House if it makes it out of the Senate.

A federal filing Monday revealed the Interior Department's attempt to eliminate more than 2,000 jobs amid an escalating legal fight over mass layoffs across federal agencies.

Why it matters: The expected layoffs, also called reductions in force (RIF), are higher than an estimate the department put out just days ago in a court filing after several unions sued the department.

Police in New York City, Austin, Chicago, D.C. and San Diego reported zero arrests by their departments during Saturday's "No Kings" protests.

Why it matters: No widespread violence was reported during the major mobilization of 7 million people to protest the Trump administration and some of its policies.

The University of Arizona announced Monday it would not agree to President Trump's higher education proposal as written, which would give the school funding preference in exchange for committing to the administration's political priorities.

Yes, but: Arizona State University is continuing conversations with the White House, The Wall Street Journal reports.

MAGA members have not only dismissed President Trump's stream of AI-generated videos, they're also starting to release their own, in the name of parody and harmless fun.

Why it matters: As the Trump administration continues to pursue a social media strategy filled with memes, AI-videos and posts meant to troll the left, Republicans continue to blur the lines between what is satire-filled parody and what critics say is problematic misinformation.

Arizona Republican Party chair Gina Swoboda is the first major GOP candidate to run for the now-open 1st Congressional District, and she launched her campaign with an endorsement from President Trump for the critical swing seat.

Why it matters: CD1, based in Scottsdale and northeast Phoenix, is highly competitive, and it's up for grabs as both parties vie for control of the U.S. House.

President Trump is one step closer to sending the National Guard to Portland after the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a lower court order barring the deployment.

Why it matters: Monday's decision sets the stage for troops to take to Portland streets to protect an ICE facility in the city from long-running protests.

Musician Kenny Loggins demanded that President Trump remove his song from an AI-generated video of the president dumping feces from a fighter jet on protesters at No Kings events.

Why it matters: The Trump administration's "ask for forgiveness, not permission" approach to using creators' copyrighted work has repeatedly drawn pushback as the administration leans heavily into a social media campaign filled with AI imagery.

A survey of Washington, D.C.'s No Kings protesters provides a snapshot of President Trump's critics as the backlash to his administration grows.

The big picture: The typical attendee at the D.C. protest was an educated white woman in her 40s who heard about the event either through friends or via Instagram, according to preliminary data collected by American University researchers who track protest movements.

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to review whether a federal statute that bars drug users and addicts from possessing a gun violates the Second Amendment.

The big picture: The case will weigh the provision on which former President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden, was convicted, and could provide the high court's conservative majority an opportunity to expand the right to bear arms.

Millions of families could go without food aid next month, states have begun warning, as the government shutdown threatens November's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.

The big picture: As the funding lapse drags on with no sign of a deal to reopen the government, the impact is beginning to reach the programs serving the country's most vulnerable families.

Argentinian central bank officials on Monday confirmed they signed a $20 billion currency deal with the U.S. Treasury, one designed to stabilize the country's faltering economy.

Why it matters: The U.S. government is increasingly adopting a "whatever it takes" mantra when it comes to rescuing Argentina, despite questions about why and whether the aid comes at the expense of American farmers.

Small-business owners want the government back to work, according to a survey of nearly 1,500 of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses participants, shared exclusively with Axios.

Why it matters: Survey respondents are sounding the alarm to Washington, and perhaps to Wall Street, that the economic impact of the government shutdown is bigger than what lawmakers may currently be calculating.

The maker of Tylenol is pushing back against efforts to change the pregnancy warning on acetaminophen products, saying there's no evidence showing a proven link between autism and the use of the pain reliever and fever reducer.

Why it matters: It's the latest development stemming from President Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s statements that there may be a connection between Tylenol use among pregnant women and autism in children.

• Kennedy on Sept. 22 announced a series of actions, including directing the FDA to begin a safety label change for Tylenol and generic equivalents.
• The FDA separately issued a notice to physicians urging them to minimize the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy for routine low-grade fevers.

What they're saying: Kenvue Brands said on Sunday that it told the FDA in a 42-page response that the labeling request is unsupported by scientific evidence and would mark a departure from the agency's long-standing position on acetaminophen during pregnancy.

• The FDA evaluated the evidence for more than a decade — and as recently as August — repeatedly concluding that the data doesn't support a causal association, the company said. The FDA also previously rejected updating the pregnancy warning.
• "Kenvue strongly believes that the existing instruction 'if pregnant or breast-feeding, ask a health professional before use' is the most conservative and appropriate warning," the company said.

Physicians and public health officials have said the risk of not treating high fevers, and the lack of safe alternatives, weigh against adding language that may discourage pregnant women from seeking appropriate treatment.

• Professional associations including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Academy of Pediatrics have found no proven link between acetaminophen use in pregnancy and neurodevelopmental disorders.

John Kirby — a retired Navy rear admiral who became well known as a national security spokesman at the White House podium during the Biden administration — will become director of the University of Chicago's Institute of Politics on Nov. 15, Axios has learned.

• Kirby will move to Chicago to head the nonpartisan organization, which was founded by David Axelrod in 2013 with the aim of fostering students' "passion for public service and active engagement in our democracy."

President Trump and the federal government are policing speech, morality, and punishment of individual citizens at a level of micromanagement rarely, if ever, witnessed in America.

Why it matters: We've written extensively about the unprecedented new powers seized or granted to Trump and future presidents in the past eight months alone.

• But few throw America deeper into new, uncharted waters than making presidents and the executive branch the judge, jury and executioner of words and behavior.

Call it the war on poker — professional players and amateurs alike are coming under siege from Uncle Sam, YouTube and state regulators.

Why it matters: Poker players say policies and crackdowns aimed at gambling are threatening livelihoods, driving fans offline, and reshaping how millions of people watch and play.

Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner discussed brokering a fragile deal between Israel and Hamas and rejected allegations that Israeli forces had committed genocide in Gaza during an interview with CBS' "60 Minutes" that aired Sunday.

The big picture: The wide-ranging interview with President Trump's envoys that comes amid fresh clashes between Israeli forces and Hamas militants also addressed potential conflicts of interest of Kushner and Witkoff amid concerns about their business dealings with Gulf states and Qatar's central role in the Gaza ceasefire deal.

President Trump said Sunday that the U.S. will slash aid to Colombia and slap new tariffs on the country, accusing its leader in a social media brawl of "strongly encouraging the massive production of drugs."

The big picture: Colombia has historically been a close partner to the U.S. in Latin America, but relations have been strained under the administration of President Gustavo Petro, a leftist ally to Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

President Trump on Saturday evening shared a seemingly AI-generated video of him dumping brown sludge on protesters while wearing a crown and flying a jet labeled "KING TRUMP."

The big picture: He shared the video the same day that "No Kings" rallies saw nearly seven million people gather in all 50 states to reject the president's agenda.

Israel conducted airstrikes in Gaza on Sunday after Hamas militants fired anti-tank missiles at Israeli soldiers, the IDF said in a statement.

Why it matters: The clashes were the most serious escalation since the ceasefire came into force. The Trump administration is trying to prevent further incidents that could lead to the collapse of the agreement.

The FBI is investigating the discovery of a suspicious hunting stand with a line of sight to the area where President Trump exits Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport, Florida, FBI Director Kash Patel said Sunday.

The big picture: Secret Service officials made the discovery last week while making "advanced security preparations" ahead of Trump's arrival in Palm Beach, which included a security sweep, per an emailed USSS statement Sunday.