President Trump's "Golden Fleet" appears to be a reality, even if there are few public details about the ships.
The big picture: Though the ships may not be fitted with gold,Trump's interest in gold continues to impact more than the Oval Office, including his push for a proposed hemispheric missile shield called the Golden Dome, and now, seemingly, an armada.
President Trump's move to allow Nvidia to sell more advanced AI chips to China may not be much of a win for anyone.
Why it matters: The approval of Nvidia's No. 2 chip is drawing criticism in the U.S. over national security fears — and at the same time it's unclear whether China even wants what Nvidia is being allowed to offer.
The conservative Heritage Foundation released its policy priorities for 2026, many of which align with goals already on the Trump administration's horizon.
The big picture: The think tank crafted Project 2025, which President Trump sought to distance himself from while campaigning despite embracing many of those same policies when back in in office.
The Supreme Court has declined to review a Llano County, Texas, fight over local officials' removal of a group of titles from public libraries that could reverberate far beyond local bookshelves.
The big picture: Theclash that pits First Amendment rights against government and parental controls is playing out across the country, with access to books concerning race, gender and identity often caught in the crosshairs.
President Trump told Politico on Tuesday that if he could grade his own economy, he'd give himself an "A-plus" — an "A-plus-plus-plus-plus-plus-plus."
The big picture: Polls — and November's blue wave — indicate that many Americans disagree with that sentiment, even Trump's voter base, but the president has held firm to the message that his administration's economic policies have been an unqualified success.
The Department of Defense tapped Google's Gemini for the first major deployment of its new generative AI platform, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said Tuesday.
Why it matters: The rollout appears to be one of the first mass deployments of a commercially created generative AI tool across the entire Pentagon.
President Trump said he'd consider a similar approach to curb the flow of drugs from Mexico and Colombia that he's taken with strikes on alleged drug vessels near Venezuela.
Why it matters: The U.S. attacks on alleged drug vessels have killed dozens of people and stirred mass international and bipartisan concern in Congress. Trump's comments in the newly release interview indicate he's undeterred by the growing backlash.
A federal judge on Tuesday granted the Justice Department's request to unseal grand jury testimony in the case against Ghislaine Maxwell, convicted sex offender and Jeffrey Epstein's co-conspirator.
Why it matters: While the order unlocks thousands of pages, Judge Paul Engelmayer tempered expectations about what is contained in the records, warning that they "would not add to public knowledge."
President Trump offered a grim assessment of America's closest allies in a new interview, dismissing European nations as "decaying" while embracing authoritarian leaders who enforce strict borders.
Why it matters: The broadside lands as Europe is already rattled by Trump's tariffs and his push for a Ukraine peace deal that European leaders fear favors Russia and marginalizes the rest of the continent.
President Trump said there's "no question" that Russia is in a stronger negotiating position than Ukraine and has the "upper hand" amid high-stakes discussions to end the years-long war.
The big picture: In a new interview, Trump aired his frustration that Ukraine has yet to accept a proposed peace plan, which would require major territorial losses and other concessions.
The Department of Transportation unveiled a new $1 billion grant program Monday that will let airports apply for funding aimed at improving the overall travel experience for Americans.
The big picture: Funding for Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy's "Make Travel Family Friendly Again" campaign comes from the 2021 Biden-era Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act's Airport Terminal Program, per the DOT.
The age of AI is ushering in the golden age of American energy.
Why it matters: Long prized for being boring — cheap, reliable, predictable — American power is exploding with new growth, new wild ideas and new sci-fi level possibilities.
Hours after former NFL star Colin Allred quit the Texas Senate race Monday, rabble-rousing Rep. Jasmine Crockett jumped in — the latest sign that Democrats are facing a Tea Party-style revolt by progressives.
Why it matters: Senate Democratic leaders this year have tried to tip the scales in favor of their favorite 2026 candidates in several states — but they've lost some power as much of the party's base has turned on them in President Trump's second term.
Senior Trump advisers are telling top GOP donors that a pair of upcoming Supreme Court decisions are likely to bolster Republicans in the 2026 midterms — and transform the party's power to win elections for years.
Driving the news: Trump lieutenants Chris LaCivita and Tony Fabrizio told donors at a Republican National Committee retreat over the weekend that rulings on political contribution limits and congressional redistricting could be transformational for Republicans — if they go the GOP's way.
Two businessmen are in custody for allegedly "violating U.S. export control laws" in a scheme that attempted to smuggle Nvidia H100 and H200 chips to China, the Department of Justice said Monday.
The big picture: The announcement came as President Trump said that his administration would lift a blockade on exports of Nvidia's H200 chips to China and that the U.S. government will get a 25% cut from future sales.
Florida has designated the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations as foreign terrorist organizations, "EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY," Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) announced Monday evening — prompting CAIR to vow it'll sue his administration.
The big picture: CAIR, the largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy group in the U.S., has already filed a lawsuit against Texas after Gov. Greg Abbott (R) last month designated the two groups as foreign terrorist organizations.
Reproductive Freedom for All is throwing its support behind Maine Governor Janet Mills in a heated Democratic Senate primary contest with progressive candidate Graham Platner, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: It's the second major abortion-rights organization to back Mills in the race that's pitted leadership against the party's progressive wing.
