Axios

The House of Representatives voted Wednesday to overturn President Trump's executive order ending collective bargaining rights for two-thirds of the federal workforce.

The big picture: It's the first time during Trump's second term that the House has secured enough votes to repeal one of his executive orders, though the measure faces an uphill battle as it heads to the GOP-controlled Senate.

The font Calibri has joined Harvard, the Smithsonian and corporate America on the Trump administration's list of targets in its war against diversity, equity and inclusion.

The big picture: Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the use of the font in official department paperwork a "wasteful" example of DEI, continuing the administration's attempts to quell inclusion efforts anywhere it has influence.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man the Trump administration wrongly deported to El Salvador earlier this year, was released from ICE custody Thursday following a federal judge's order.

Why it matters: Abrego Garcia's case has rallied immigrant rights groups and became an emblem of President Trump's far-reaching immigration crackdown.

The Trump administration on Thursday released guidance for federal agencies to try to ensure that the AI models they procure are not spitting out "woke" responses.

Why it matters: Company contracts with the federal government could be at risk if large language models are seen as violating the White House's guidelines.

Three members of President Trump's Cabinet have become the target of impeachment threats in recent weeks.

Why it matters: Democrats have, until very recently, been timid about impeachment, which would be unlikely to pass in either chamber. But the base has been urging Dems to act more combatively against Trump and his administration.

Indiana's Senate didn't have the votes, after all.

Why it matters: Indiana's contentious mid-decade redistricting fight was a test of President Trump's hold on the Republican Party.

• Trump pressured Indiana Republicans for months to pass new maps, calling out those by name who expressed doubt about the proposal and threatening consequences for those who opposed him and the state.

A federal grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia, once again declined to indict New York Attorney General Letitia James for alleged mortgage fraud on Thursday, multiple sources reported.

The big picture: It's the Justice Department's second time trying to indict James in one week, after a different grand jury in Norfolk, Virginia, also dismissed the attempt to indict her.

The Federal Reserve Board of Governors on Thursday approved the reappointment of 11 of the 12 presidents of regional Fed banks — the one exception reflecting a previously announced retirement.

Why it matters: There had been speculation among central bank watchers that this every-five-years reappointment process could involve more fireworks than usual, as Trump appointees to the board seek major change to the nation's central bank.

• Atlanta Fed president Raphael Bostic recently announced his retirement at the conclusion of his term in February, but his 11 counterparts around the country were green-lit for another term.

Driving the news: "Following a comprehensive review by the boards of directors of the regional Reserve Banks, and the unanimous concurrence of Federal Reserve Board members," the Fed announced reappointment of the 11 bank presidents.

• The action also includes reappointment of the banks' first vice presidents, who act as chief operating officer of the banks and fill in if the president is unavailable.

Of note: The mention "unanimous concurrence" of governors implies that the three Trump-appointed governors were on board with the reappointments.

Catch up quick: Presidents of the 12 reserve banks serve in an unusual hybrid public-private structure. They are selected by independent boards of directors consisting of local community members, with appointments that must be approved by the presidentially appointed Board of Governors in Washington.

• They have significant management and operational responsibilities, and have a rotating vote on monetary policy as part of the interest rate setting Federal Open Market Committee (the New York Fed chief has a permanent vote).
• They serve five-year terms that all end in February of years ending in "1" and "6," meaning that their terms are up early next year.

A lawsuit alleging Education Secretary Linda McMahon and her husband, WWE co-founder Vincent McMahon, knew about and chose not to stop sexual abuse against eight underage "ring boys" will proceed, a Maryland judge ruled Wednesday.

Why it matters: The case is one among several sexual misconduct allegations surrounding high-ranking members of President Trump's administration.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Thursday delivered dire warnings about Russian President Vladimir Putin and the growing threat of war that Europe faces from the Kremlin.

Why it matters: Rutte warned that Putin won't stop his aggression with Ukraine and could look to attack NATO countries within five years.

Nearly two dozen House Democrats voted with Republicans on Thursday to block one of their own members from forcing a vote to impeach President Trump.

Why it matters: The vote enraged Democrats, many of whom despise the increasingly caustic use of impeachment as a political tool but don't want to be seen as supporting Trump's actions and risk angering the party base.

An environmental group is suing the Trump administration over plans to feature President Trump's face on some of next year's national park passes.

The big picture: It's the administration's latest effort to suffuse Trump's name and likeness into everyday life, blurring the lines between governing and self-promotion.

MAGA populists are making a last-minute bid to shape President Trump's promised executive order targeting state AI laws, pitching two draft proposals to the White House this week.

Why it matters: Republicans are split on regulating AI, but with President Trump pursuing aggressive action to boost the industry some conservatives are desperately trying to intervene.

The Trump administration Thursday imposed new sanctions on three nephews of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, a businessman close to his regime and six companies shipping its oil, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: The new sanctions, to be announced by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, are the latest aspect of President Trump's pressure campaign on Maduro, whom the administration has accused of leading a narco-trafficking terrorist organization.

The Senate voted down competing health care proposals on Thursday, likely guaranteeing that the enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits will expire at the end of the year.

Why it matters: The failed votes on Democratic and Republican plans highlight the deadlock in Congress over how to respond to steep increases in out-of-pocket premium costs for millions of ACA enrollees.

Axios Publisher Nicholas Johnston sat down with Ron Ash, Accenture Federal Services CEO, and Mike Gallagher, former U.S. Congressman and Palantir Technologies' Head of Defense. The conversation unpacked how the federal government can move faster to adopt AI to solve their problems — and why the human element may be the key to unlocking AI's full potential.

The Trump administration began accepting applications for the Trump Gold Card on Wednesday, offering a pay-to-play option for foreign nationals wanting to speed up their path to American residency.

The big picture: The program fast tracks immigration protocols for the very wealthy at the same time the administration is narrowing other paths to residency for refugees, asylum seekers, and low-income people.

MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell announced Thursday that he's running for Minnesota governor.

The big picture: Lindell, a President Trump loyalist who has pushed false claims about 2020 election fraud, joins a crowded field of Republicans seeking the party's nomination to take on DFL Gov. Tim Walz next year.

• Close to a dozen candidates, including House Speaker Lisa Demuth and 2022 nominee Scott Jensen, have already jumped in the race.

Bank of New York Mellon is joining the Trump administration's new investment initiative for babies — and doubling the federal contribution for its U.S. employees' children.

Why it matters: BNY is the first major financial institution to publicly get behind the "Trump accounts," the investment vehicle established by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

The story: As the saying should go: Viva Las Rovo.

At the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix, Atlassian Williams Racing didn't just show up with Carlos Sainz Jr. and Alex Albon — they brought their AI-powered teammate Rovo, built to think fast, surface insights faster and keep teams firing on all cylinders.

Add Rep. Valerie Foushee (D-N.C.) to the rapidly expanding list of House Democratic incumbents being challenged by the left in the primary next year, with 2022 primary rival Nida Allam launching a rematch bid Thursday.

Why it matters: Progressives are going big this election cycle, with efforts to knock off moderate and establishment-oriented incumbents in House districts across the country.

Emil Bove, a federal appeals court judge who previously served as President Trump's personal attorney, is accused of an ethics violation for attending the president's rally-style speech Tuesday night.

Why it matters: The complaint from a watchdog group alleges that Bove's presence at the event runs afoul of two clear pillars of judicial ethics: to avoid impropriety and political activity. It could result in disciplinary action.

The second Trump era's first offshore oil and gas lease sale showed real but hardly gangbusters interest from the industry — and there's no simple explanation why.

Why it matters: The White House wants to juice domestic output, and the sale offered tracts at lower royalty rates enabled by the GOP budget law.

Three out of four U.S. companies in AI, cybersecurity and advanced manufacturing report that they struggle to find qualified talent.

Why it's important: There's an urgent need to strengthen the talent pipeline for these industries as labor shortages grow. Without a strong talent pipeline, the country risks falling behind on AI innovation, energy independence and more.

Theo Baker — a Stanford senior whose investigative reporting for The Stanford Daily brought down the university president two years ago — will be out next spring with an exposé of shady ways Silicon Valley uses the prestigious school as a recruiting pool, plying kids with riches and access.

Why it matters: Baker conducted 250+ interviews with students, CEOs, venture capitalists, Nobel laureates, scientific sleuths, professors, athletes, three Stanford presidents and three Stanford provosts — from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to Condoleezza Rice, former Secretary of State and now director of Stanford's Hoover Institution.

Several prediction markets are forming a coalition to promote and defend their political interests amid a growing fight over sports betting, people involved in the effort tell Axios.

Why it matters: Prediction markets are rapidly expanding their presence throughout the U.S., offering "event contracts" on sports, elections, news, entertainment and other topics.

Driving the news: Kalshi and Crypto.com will announce Thursday that they have convened an alliance to create the Washington, D.C.-based Coalition for Prediction Markets.

• Initial members include Kalshi, Crypto.com, Robinhood, Coinbase and Underdog.
• The coalition's focus will include promoting federal regulation — via the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) — and warding off legal attempts by state gaming regulators to block their services.

State of play: 39 states have legalized sportsbooks, but prediction markets are live in states that haven't done so — and in some states that have — under the premise that they are regulated by the CFTC, a federal agency.

What they're saying: "Americans deserve clarity, not 50 conflicting interpretations," Sara Slane, executive board member of the new coalition and head of corporate development at Kalshi, said in a statement

• Slane added that "a unified industry voice was needed to advocate for access and consistency nationwide."

Friction point: The coalition's formation comes amid a growing fissure in the gambling industry over prediction markets.

• The American Gaming Association — whose members include land-based casino chains like MGM and Caesars — has launched a campaign blasting prediction markets as unlawful.
• The AGA has placed ads on YouTube and on social media ripping prediction markets, saying "it's still sports betting" — hitting at the core of the legal dispute.
• DraftKings, FanDuel and Fanatics recently left the AGA in a dispute over the issue. Fanatics has already launched its own prediction market, Fanatics Markets, while DraftKings and FanDuel are expected to introduce similar services in the coming weeks.

How it works: Businesses that compete with each other but share similar political interests often combine their voices in Washington via interest groups that lobby policymakers.

• In the auto industry, for example, numerous auto companies are members of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, including rivals such as GM and Ford.

What to watch for: Whether Polymarket joins.

• Polymarket has a fierce business rivalry with Kalshi, but their political interests are largely aligned.

U.S. travel destinations and businesses are facing another potential setback after the Trump administration proposed requiring international travelers make their social media accounts available for inspection before gaining entry to this country.

Why it matters: The American hospitality industry is already feeling the effects of declining international travel, thanks to economic uncertainty, political blowback and tighter immigration restrictions.

MAGA's media machine is ripping itself to shreds, locked in a web of interpersonal feuds that have derailed its once-relentless focus on advancing President Trump's agenda.

Why it matters: The MAGA movement spent years perfecting the art of attacking outsiders. Now, less than a year into Trump's second term, its most prominent voices are attacking each other with a fury normally reserved for the left.

There's likely to be one more round of health care votes in the House next week after the Senate votes down two rival Affordable Care Act subsidy proposals Thursday — but they won't get any closer to extending the enhanced subsidies.

Why it matters: Those subsidies now appear certain to expire at the end of the year, short of a last-minute breakthrough — and out-of-pocket premium costs will more than double on average for roughly 20 million ACA enrollees.

America has a talent shortage, with 40% of adults lacking basic digital skills, says a new report from JPMorganChase that bolsters the bank's recently announced $1.5 trillion U.S. investment initiative.

Why it matters: The report frames the workforce shortage as a national security threat, not just an economic issue, arguing that funding for vital industries like AI and energy won't move the needle without a talent pipeline.

Eastern Europe is emerging as a hot destination for Americans traveling abroad next year, per new Kayak data shared with Axios.

Why it matters: The post-COVID travel boom shows no signs of cooling, even as affordability is top-of-mind for many Americans.

The acrimony is so deep between President Trump's border czar and his homeland security secretary that the two officials barely speak to or meet with each other, insiders tell Axios.

Why it matters: Tensions reached such a fever pitch last week that the White House was swamped with rumors and news stories claiming that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had lost Trump's favor and was on her way out.

Economic growth in the U.S. is expected to decline over the next decade, but there's a bright spot: AI, according to new projections from The Conference Board out Thursday morning.

Why it matters: While fears of AI causing sweeping job loss are driving mass anxiety at the moment, the report offers a more nuanced perspective.

• A growing economy is important for a raft of reasons — it creates jobs, raises living standards and brings innovation.

The Trump administration announced plans Wednesday for a new militarized zone in California, along the U.S.–Mexico border.

The big picture: Some 760 acres of public land in San Diego and Imperial counties is being transferred to the Navy over a three-year period to "support ongoing border security operations" and national defense in the latest militarized zone, per a Department of the Interior statement.

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado was cheered by a large crowd after she arrived in Oslo early Thursday, hours after her daughter accepted the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway's capital on her behalf.

Why it matters: It's the first public appearance in 11 months by the 58-year-old industrial engineer who's been under a travel ban for a decade and who has been in hiding since the ruling Maduro regime blocked her from running for president.

House Speaker Mike Johnson narrowly averted disaster Wednesday afternoon, salvaging the $900 billion defense authorization bill after cutting last-minute deals and phoning a friend: Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Why it matters: Conservatives supplied the votes, but they are threatening to tank the next spending bill if Johnson (R-La.) breaks his word.

Iceland is refusing to take part in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest — joining Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Spain in protesting Israel's participation in the European singing competition by boycotting the event.

Why it matters: Eurovision is beloved by many for celebrating cultures with kitsch acts and upbeat songs. Its official slogan is "United By Music," but the Icelandic National Broadcasting Corporation (RÚV) said in a statement that Israel's participation in the contest had "created disunity" among European Broadcasting Union members and the general public.

Half of Republicans and 60% of voters overall said they supported extending the Affordable Care Act tax credits that expire in a few weeks — but many can be persuaded, according to new GOP polling.

Why it matters: A clear majority likes the subsidies, but there's significant support for the GOP's desired changes, including work requirements and redirecting the funding straight to individual health spending accounts.

President Trump on Wednesday further inserted himself into the drama around the sale of Warner Bros. Discovery, saying he believes CNN — one of several cable networks owned by WBD — should be sold as part of any deal.

Why it matters: While the president doesn't have the power to unilaterally block a merger he doesn't like — unless there are serious national security concerns pertaining to foreign investments — his comments do have the ability to sway the decisions of WBD shareholders and its board.

One of Democrats' most fraught internal fights of the year resurfaced Wednesday after Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) introduced articles of impeachment against HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Why it matters: Stevens is part of a growing group of House Democrats effectively going rogue by mounting impeachment efforts without support from party leadership, to the frustration of many of their colleagues.

The House passed a sweeping defense policy bill Wednesday evening that authorizes a record $901 billion in annual military spending.

Why it matters: The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is a traditionally bipartisan bill, but the 2026 legislation contains some pushback against the agenda of the Trump administration, which had earlier called for the measure to pass.

Democrats on the Senate Armed Services Committee called the Pentagon's investigation into retired naval officer Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) a threat to "politicize our military justice system," in a letter sent to the Navy Secretary John Phelan Tuesday.

The big picture: The Senators' concern follows President Trump's post on X accusing Kelly and five other lawmakers of "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH" after they appeared in a video reminding military and service members they could disobey unlawful orders.