House members were already fleeing their chamber in droves, either to seek higher office or simply walk off into the sunset. Then the government shut down for a historic 38 days and counting.
Why it matters: The gridlock and dysfunction is pushing lawmakers who were already pessimistic about congressional productivity into a state of near despondency.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Friday signaled his openness to a proposed one-year extension of expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits as a way to end the government shutdown.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Friday that Democrats would vote to end the government shutdown in exchange for a one-year extension of expiring ACA tax credits, multiple sources told Axios.
Why it matters: Democrats, emboldened by sweeping election victories this week, are adamant that Republicans must make concessions on health care before opening the government.
President Trump has been pointing to Walmart's reduced Thanksgiving meal as proof that his economic agenda is driving prices down across the board.
Why it matters: While the meal does cost less at a time when grocery prices are on the rise and millions are uncertain if they'll receive their full November SNAP benefits, the family feast also includes less food.
President Trump rattled off a list of GOP policies that would benefit from eliminating the filibuster on Friday, including the assertion that Republicans would never lose another election if the Senate procedure were abolished.
The big picture: The president listed banning mail-in voting, ending cash bail and changing voter ID laws as some of the legislation the GOP could pass through Congress with a simple majority vote.
Maximum SNAP payments in November will be reduced according to guidance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Why it matters: Roughly 42 million Americans depend on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for food and goods, but the government shutdown has frozen their full benefits for now.
Cornell University on Friday said it reached a deal with the Trump administration that includes a $30 million payment to the U.S. government to end pending claims against the institution.
Why it matters: The agreement, which restores hundreds of millions in federal funding to the university, aligns with the Trump administration's crackdown on diversity policies.
A coalition of unions representing federal workers filed a lawsuit against the White House Thursday over the inclusion of what they say is a partisan loyalty question included in the Trump administration's "merit-based" hiring plan.
Why it matters: The hiring plan is one piece of the White House's massive overhaul of the civil service — and plaintiffs say it amounts to a partisan loyalty test that is unlawful and violates the principles of a nonpartisan civil service.
The Trump administration asked an appeals court to block a judge's ruling that the federal government must pay November SNAP benefits in full by the end of the day.
Why it matters: While millions of households across the country face hunger, the Trump administration is again arguing it does not have to cover the safety net food benefits in full during the government shutdown despite multiple federal courts ordering it to do so.
The Supreme Court is meeting Friday to decide whether to take up a long-shot appeal that could prompt reconsidering the landmark decision that established marriage equality.
Why it matters: If four justices agree to hear the appeal, it would be the first challenge to same-sex marriage before SCOTUS in a decade.
At least 800 flights were canceled Friday at 40 airports across the U.S. as the FAA slashed routes as a result of the government shutdown, according to flight tracking website FlightAware.
Why it matters: With the Thanksgiving travel rush weeks away, the cuts will hit some of the busiest airports in the U.S. — including Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International and Dallas Fort Worth International.
The MAGA populists who made breaking up Big Tech their rallying cry are losing momentum under President Trump's full-throated embrace of AI and cozy relations with the tech industry.
Why it matters: The Trump administration would rather scrap regulations than create new ones in the age of AI, blunting whatever bipartisan unity remained around curbing tech's power.
The Justice Department's push to investigate a progressive activist accused of doxxing top Trump adviser Stephen Miller has been stymied by two judges and a Virginia prosecutor,according to court records and state and federal law enforcement sources.
Why it matters: The case — ostensibly a battle over free speech rights — exposes the sharp partisan divide between Northern Virginia's Democratic resistance and President Trump's MAGA government, just across the Potomac River.
Colorado's approach to implementing AI has been "bullish with guardrails," DavidEdinger, the state's chief information officer, told Axios in an interview.
Why it matters: Colorado is an example of a state where AI safety still reigns supreme.
President Trump and the GOP — almost always seen as stronger than Democrats on economic questions — suddenly find themselves in the same hole former President Biden fell into and never climbed out of:
You can't convince Americans your economic policies are working if they're paying 20% more for a cup of coffee.
Why it matters: Tuesday night's resounding blue wave of Democratic victories across the country was partly a verdict on high prices and the cost of living during the first year of Trump's second term.
The U.S.'s biggest airlines are offering free refunds and changes ahead of looming flight reductions caused by the government shutdown.
Why it matters: The Federal Aviation Administration is expected to close airspace for hundreds of flights — delaying potentially thousands of travelers nationwide.
Seven people at Joint Base Andrews fell ill after a "suspicious package" containing "negative sentiments" towards President Trump and his actions was sent to the Maryland military facility, the U.S. military said Friday.
The latest: "There were no specific threats towards the President or other government officials" in the package that was sent Thursday, but the statement from the 316th Wing of the U.S. Air Force at the base said "emergency responders evacuated the building and connecting building and established a cordon around the area" as a precaution.
President Trump's views on climate change were denounced by several Latin American leaders in Belém, Brazil, on Thursday at the COP30 UN summit.
The big picture: Without naming Trump, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said "extremist forces that fabricate fake news and are condemning future generations to life on a planet altered forever by global warming." Chile and Colombia's leaders both specifically singled out the U.S. president in their COP30 speeches.
A Trump administration official told Axios that D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser is not under federal investigation, hours after the New York Times reported that the Justice Department was probing one of her foreign trips paid by Qatar.
Why it matters: Bowser is weighing a fourth term bid while navigating an unpredictable relationship with President Trump.
Former House Speaker Pelosi's (D-Calif.) retirement announcement is touching off a new round of debate about the congressional Democrats in their 70s and 80s who are resisting calls to retire.
Why it matters: Pelosi, 85, was one of dozens of older House Democrats being challenged by a younger primary challenger in what could have proved to be an expensive intra-party battle.
Why it matters: Roughly 42 million Americans rely on these food benefits to pay for groceries each month, but the White House argued it can't pay them in full because of the shutdown.
Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is expected to announce during a meeting with President Trump on Thursday that his country will join the Abraham Accords, U.S. officials tell Axios.
Why it matters: WhileKazakhstan and Israel have had full diplomatic relations for more than 30 years, the move is designed to reinvigorate the Abraham Accords as the U.S.-led framework for cooperation between Israel and the Arab and Muslim world, a senior U.S. official said.
A former Justice Department employeeaccused of throwing a sandwich at a Customs and Border Protection agent in August was found not guilty of assault by jurors Thursday.
The big picture: Sean Charles Dunn, 37, became a symbol of resistance against President Trump's D.C. crime crackdown after video of the incident went viral.
