The Senate voted Tuesday to repeal President Trump's tariffs on Brazil, with five Republicans joining Democrats.
Why it matters: The vote serves as a symbolic rebuke of Trump's trade policies. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) will not hold a vote on the measure (nor would Trump sign it into law).
DHS officials recommend SNAP recipients keep their cards locked and secure to avoid losing funds.
What they're saying: "Your existing card will continue to work, but your regular payment will not appear," said Rep. Shontel Brown (D-Ohio) in a press release. "Keep your EBT Card active."
Mackenzie Libbey with Community Legal Services told CBS News: "That's money that's already been appropriated. It's been put on their card."
"So we definitely do not want people rushing out to try to use up their benefits at the end of October thinking they're not going to be able to buy anything in November."
Yes, but: SNAP recipients often spend all of their benefits at once, or in the month they're issued, Axios' Emily Peck writes.
"About 80 percent of benefits are spent in the first two weeks and 97 percent by the end of the month," said Lauren Bauer of the Brookings Institution.
This spending becomes a key revenue driver for grocery stores, meaning a drop in SNAP benefits usage can lead to a broader decline in general spending, too, Peck writes.
States and SNAP benefits
The intrigue:Some states say they're unsure if EBT cards will still work in November and that families should plan ahead.
New Hampshire, for example, recommends beneficiaries use all of their funds before Oct. 31.
A federal judge slammed Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Monday for making inflammatory public comments about Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man who was wrongfully deported by the Trump administration earlier this year.
Why it matters: The judge stopped short of issuing Abrego Garcia's requested gag order but agreed with his arguments that the ongoing pattern of attacks from federal officials and agencies could be putting his right to a fair trial at risk.
President Trump may be overseas, but his presence loomed large over an Nvidia conference in D.C. on Tuesday where CEO Jensen Huang lauded the administration's embrace of AI.
Why it matters: Huang has built a strong relationship with Trump, and Nvidia has been rewarded for it — from winning approval to export chips to China to preventing the National Guard deployment to San Francisco.
The Trump administration's military campaign against alleged "narco-terrorists" has now expanded beyond Venezuela, and just had its deadliest day yet.
The big picture: The U.S. has now conducted at least 13 strikes and killed at least 57 people in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. But beyond announcing the strikes and releasing several videos of boats exploding, the administration has provided next to no information about who has been killed and on what evidence.
Critics accused Sen. Mike Lee of xenophobia and racism after the Utah Republican reposted a news story Monday about a local measles outbreak along with the comment: "Are these U.S. citizens getting the measles?"
What they're saying: "Lee is winking at the 'dirty immigrants' narrative without any evidence or even bothering to Google where the outbreak started," replied The Bulwark's Joe Perticone.
U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis in Chicago is requiring Customs and Border Protection Commander Gregory Bovino to procure a body camera for himself and meet with her every weekday to provide updates on operations.
Why it matters: The orders mark the latest escalation in requirements for federal officials amid controversial CBP operations that Ellis suspects violate her temporary restraining order (TRO) on how agents can interact with the public, especially regarding tear gas, tackling and identification.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told reporters Tuesday he'd spoken with President Trump about seeking a third term but doesn't "see the path" for a 2028 run.
The big picture: Trump this week flirted once again with the idea of a third term, continuing his years-long rhetoric of violating the 22nd Amendment, which prohibits a person from being elected president more than twice.
Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) urged Vice President Vance during a closed-door lunch Tuesday to get President Trump to stop demanding that the Senate do away with the filibuster and traditions around judicial nominations, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: Trump has repeatedly called on the Senate to end the tradition of allowing senators to block certain judicial nominations for their states by refusing to return their "blue slips."
Federal funding to programs that millions rely on, from early education to food and utility bill aid have shut down, leaving families scrambling for help.
Why it matters: As the shutdown marks its fourth consecutive week with no end in sight, the pain of federal closures is spreading far past government employees.
The government shutdown is beginning to weigh on public opinion, new consumer sentiment data shows.
Why it matters: Public attitudes toward the nearly monthlong government shutdown are a crucial pressure point on lawmakers, adding incentive to negotiate a reopening — and up till now the public's been largely indifferent.
The Trump administration is arguing there will be lower premiums and more health care plans for Affordable Care Act enrollees next year compared to before the pandemic, according to a memo sent to congressional offices on Tuesday, obtained by Axios.
Why it matters: It's the first real rebuttal to Democratic warnings about skyrocketing premiums — a key driver of the now 28-day government shutdown.
Twenty-five Democratic-led states sued the Trump administration on Tuesday to force it to resume food stamps payments as the government shutdown drags on.
The big picture: Roughly 42 million Americans rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and the Department of Agriculture has warned benefits will stop Nov. 1.
Republican dissent over House Speaker Mike Johnson's (R-La.) shutdown strategy spilled out on a private GOP call this afternoon, with Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) adding himself to the growing list of lawmakers questioning whether they should still be home in their districts.
Why it matters: Republicans have been largely unified around their strategy of keeping the House out of session and refusing to negotiate with Democrats. But the cracks are growing.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said her office is reviewing former President Biden's use of an autopen for pardons after a House Oversight report questioned their validity.
The big picture: The new congressional report argued that any executive actions signed by autopen without written proof of Biden's approval should be voided, a claim legal scholars say is not backed by the Constitution.
A third major shakeup is happening with top officials at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), three sources familiar with the changes tell Axios.
Why it matters: The Trump administration has put significant pressure on ICE to meet the administration's arrest and deportation goals.
A growing number of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck, just as the social safety net beneath them grows weaker.
The big picture: The current economy leaves little room for low-income Americans to lose out on those checks, given the domino effect that threatens their housing, food, and medical care.
The Federal Reserve could announce the end of a program that's been sucking money out of the financial system as soon as Wednesday, a bid to prevent chaos in the plumbing of said system.
Why it matters: Friction is emerging in the markets for overnight cash that is a crucial piece of global money markets.
SNAP payments are set to go dark this weekend, yanking billions from grocery aisles — with Walmart and other value retailers most exposed.
Why it matters: The shutdown will halt about $8 billion a month in federal food assistance, money that usually flows straight into grocery stores and big-box retailers.
Trump Media and Technology Group says it will soon offer Truth Social users access to prediction markets.
Why it matters: The rules governing prediction markets are still evolving, but now the company bearing the name of the president is wading into that space.
Texas' attorney general sued the makers of Tylenol Tuesday, charging they deceptively marketed the painkiller while knowing its active ingredient increased the risk of autism and other disorders.
Why it matters: The state's involvement adds a new legal twist to the controversy stemming from President Trump's claims that there may be a connection between Tylenol use among pregnant women and autism in children.
President Trump's attorneys appealed his criminal conviction Monday, arguing the New York trial was "fatally marred" by evidence they say was protected by the Supreme Court's immunity decision.
The big picture: Last November, Trump became the first convicted felon to be elected president. Roughly a year later, he's still pushing to wipe away that historic conviction.
Bill Gates is calling on world leaders gathering at an annual climate summit next month to rethink progress through the lens of human development.
Why it matters: The comments signal a shifted public posture from the Microsoft co-founder, who's among the world's top funders of both new climate technologies and initiatives to save lives from disease and poverty.
Congressional Republicans have a "battle plan to weaponize" Zohran Mamdani as the new face of the Democratic Party in House battleground races, according to a memo first shared with Axios.
Why it matters: Republicans see Mamdani — a self-described socialist from Queens — as proof that Democrats are drifting more and more to the left.
President Trump is asserting the right to unilaterally use the military wherever, whenever and be the sole judge and jury of his own actions.
Why it matters: Of all the unprecedented actions, these might carry the most sweeping consequences — not just now, but for future presidents.
The new precedent is being set in real time: The only real limit on Trump appears to be Trump himself. Neither the conservative Supreme Court nor the GOP-led Congress has shown much interest in limiting this executive.
Four hours of "Morning Joe" just isn't enough for Joe Scarborough. The MSNBC host tells Axios he's launching an early-afternoon newsletter, "The Tea, Spilled by Morning Joe," for viewers who crave a lunchtime hit.
"Your newsletter in the morning really drives the day," Scarborough told me. "We thought by noon, it'd be time for another one."
Why it matters: Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, whose show has been shaping and driving elite opinion for nearly 20 years, have expansive plans for their "Morning Joe" franchise. In addition to "The Tea," debuting today, they'll host virtual town halls where fans can quiz the cast.
The national fight over redistricting is ramping up in this week, with several states taking new steps to redraw their congressional maps ahead of the 2026 elections.
Why it matters: These changes could have reverberations for years as Democrats and Republicans scramble to nullify each other's gains.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk's "polarizing and partisan actions" may have cost the EV maker over 1 million U.S. car sales, Yale researchers find in a new paper.
Why it matters: It puts huge numbers around what auto analysts and pollsters have directionally believed about the business effect of Musk's political arc.
After Joe Biden's disastrous debate performance last year his team fell into a civil war, with longtime aides insisting he was fine and others — including his chief of staff and Cabinet members — saying he should consider exiting the presidential race, a new report by a GOP-led House panel says.
Why it matters: The report, released Tuesday, is the first time most of Biden's top aides have gone on the record to respond to questions about the former president's declining health, and what aides did to obscure it from the public.
Republicans are embroiled in a fierce round of finger-pointing over California's vote next week on a congressional redistricting measure — an election they concede they're likely to lose.
Some senior Trump political advisers and party strategists say a top operative of a pro-Trump group undermined their efforts to defeat a plan that could help Democrats gain five congressional seats. Others say the GOP is to blame for an ineffective campaign.
Why it matters: If California voters approve, the ballot measure — dubbed Proposition 50 — would pave the way for Democrats to cut into the advantage that several GOP-led states hope to gain through their own mid-decade gerrymandering.
Elon Musk's Grokipedia launched on Monday, but the encyclopedia powered by xAI's assistant Grok that's built to rival Wikipedia, crashed shortly after — leaving the site briefly inaccessible to users.
The big picture: Grokipedia was launched after Musk complained about "propaganda" on Wikipedia and, after a stuttering start, it was live late Monday evening with nearly 900,000 articles available, according to the homepage.
Senate Republicans are leaning toward keeping pressure on Democrats to reopen the entire government, not just parts of it, senators and aides told Axios.
