House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) issued a warning to Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Saturday: You can't rely on Democratic votes to end the partial government shutdown.
Why it matters: Johnson may instead be forced to try and get virtually all of his members to vote for the government funding legislation — a difficult task as some GOP lawmakers are already raising stringent objections.
Why it matters: The decision is a win for the Trump administration, which has argued that "Operation Metro Surge" has "succeeded" with thousands of arrests.
Groups using the names and imagery of 1970s-era militant movements are reappearing in public protests tied to immigration enforcement, underscoring how intensely ICE raids are reshaping activism in cities.
The big picture: Today's groups are not the original Black Panthers or Brown Berets, yet their visibility signals a broader shift toward confrontational symbolism as ICE and Border Patrol face little accountability over excessive force accusations.
A top Iranian security official close to the country's leader said on Saturday that there is progress in efforts to launch negotiations between the U.S. and Iran.
Why it matters: PresidentTrump has ordered a massive U.S. military buildup in the Gulf ahead of a possible strike against Iran. White House officials say Trump hasn't made a final decision and is still willing to explore a diplomatic solution.
President Trump said on Friday that he intended to nominate Brett Matsumoto, a former economist at the Bureau of Labor Statistics, to run the crucial statistics agency.
Why it matters: It is an abrupt about-face from Trump's previous choice to lead one of the nation's most important economic agencies, a pick who was withdrawn after he was assailed for being too political.
Journalist Don Lemon was released from prison on Friday after federal agents arrested him in Los Angeles Thursday evening following backlashover his coverage ofan anti-ICE protest in a Minnesota church.
Why it matters: A magistrate judge had rejected the Justice Department's initial attempt to bring a case against him last week, citing insufficient evidence that he violated any law.
The Senate passed legislation Friday to separate the fight over ICE funding from the threat of a broader government shutdown.
Why it matters: It's a major step toward resolving the partial government shutdown that's set to begin at midnight, even as it leaves open questions about whether Democrats can deliver on promises to force changes at the Department of Homeland Security.
The Justice Department said Friday it was releasing the final tranche of Epstein files after a lengthy review, U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche told reporters at a news conference.
Why it matters: With the release, Blanche said the DOJ's obligations under the Epstein Files Transparency Act will be completed — more than a month after the congressionally mandated deadline for the department to vet and release materials related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Jeffrey Epstein co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell once sent a message to an email address associated with former President Clinton that complimented the size of the recipient's genitals, according to a Trump administration official familiar with the email released in the latest batch of Epstein files.
It's unclear whether Maxwell was writing to Clinton or an aide who used the ex-president's account, and whose name was redacted. Clinton for years has denied using email, and repeatedly was referenced in the third person in emails sent from the account.
Why it matters: Butthe years-long email correspondence in the government's Epstein files sheds more light on the close relationship the late sex offender and his right-hand woman had with elite political and global figures such as Clinton, and those in their orbit.
Gold and silver prices cratered Friday after President Trump named Kevin Warsh to lead the Federal Reserve, following months of gains driven in no small part by fears over the central bank's independence.
The big picture: The selloff follows a year when the precious metals soared as if they were meme stocks or the hot new tech darling. Today's plunge was seen by many market analysts as an inevitable move for an asset class primed to retreat, with the Fed news merely a catalyst.
As the Trump administration ramps up federal immigration enforcement, experts say children across the country may be absorbing the fear and uncertainty of ICE operations — even when they don't understand all the details.
Why it matters: Experiencing traumatic events in childhood can create lasting physical and mental health challenges that extend into adulthood, Sita Patel, a clinical psychology professor at Palo Alto University tells Axios.
ICE Out protests have prompted Main Street businesses across the country to close in solidarity, but the boycotts have yet to reach the registers of America's biggest retailers.
Why it matters: The lack of impact on major retailers so far underscores the limits of protest-driven economic pressure — even as businesses brace for potential disruptions tied to Friday's action.
Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) said Thursday he will force a vote next week to expel Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.) from Congress over allegations of campaign finance violations and other financial misconduct.
Why it matters: The announcement comes after a House Ethics investigative subcommittee said it found "substantial evidence" to support the criminal charges Cherfilus-McCormick is facing, which she denies.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) voiced stern opposition Friday to a Republican-led effort to expel Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.) from Congress over allegations of financial misconduct.
Why it matters: Expulsion requires a two-thirds majority to pass, meaning it would need substantial Democratic support even if all Republicans vote for it. Jeffries' opposition likely forecloses that possibility.
The Trump administration reportedly hosted an Albertan separatist group seeking independence from Canada, which has repeatedly rebuffed President Trump's desire it become the 51st state.
The big picture: Stoking the separatist movement will only inflame tensions between Washington and Ottawa after Trump ignited a rollercoaster trade war with one of America's closest allies.
President Trump said Friday he will nominate former Federal Reserve governor Kevin Warsh to lead the central bank, ending a prolonged search process.
The big picture: Warsh— who would succeed Jerome Powell as Fed chair this spring if confirmed by the Senate — has been a sharp critic of an institution that he argues has grown unwieldy and is in need of reform.
A new organization is launching to improve federal support for commercial deployment of a range of energy tech, with initial focus on the Energy Department's loan office.
Why it matters: The Energy Infrastructure Alliance Forum (EIAF) aims to fill what organizers call a need for a broad-based push that complements others' ongoing work on specific tech and finance streams.
Kevin Warsh at Allen & Co. conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, in July. Photo: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images
President Trump is expected to nominate Kevin Warsh, a former Fed governor and Wall Street veteran, on Friday morning to succeed Jay Powell as Federal Reserve chair, multipleoutletsreported.
Why it matters: The Fed pick "is arguably the most important personnel decision Trump faces for the remainder of his term, because the central bank serves as a first responder in financial crises and sets interest rates that affect every corner of the economy and markets," The Wall Street Journal reports.
President Trump's EPA is raising alarms with a shift in how it weighs the benefits of air pollution rules, with critics warning they'll lead to dangerous consequences for public health.
Why it matters: EPA regulations on ozone, soot, and more have produced cleaner air for decades, preventing deaths and ailments like heart problems and asthma.
The House Republicans' campaign arm brought in $24.3 million in the last quarter of 2025, ending the year with $117.2 million raised, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: The National Republican Congressional Campaign Committee's (NRCC) fundraising haul surpasses every recent off-year except for 2021, when Democrats had full control of Washington.
Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has become one of the most vocal Republican skeptics of AI, betting that kids' safety, job fears and rising costs can turn his party against Big Tech.
The Senate will have to try again on Friday to pass a funding deal to separate the fight over ICE funding from the threat of a broader government shutdown.
Why it matters: The deal between the White House and Senate Democrats doesn't promise Democrats the changes they want, but it would avoid disruptions to other government services while giving negotiators more time.
As the Senate prepares to kick government funding back to the House, Speaker Mike Johnson is staring down another revolt from his right flank.
Why it matters: While removing Department of Homeland Security funding from the overall package was not Johnson's (R-La.) preferred approach, most members want to avoid a government shutdown.
President Trump, his two eldest sons and the Trump Organization sued the IRS and Treasury Department for $10 billion on Thursday over allegedly leaking tax returns containing "confidential, personal information."
The big picture: The suit claims former IRS employee Charles "Chaz" Littlejohn illegally obtained access to Trump and his sons' tax returns and return information in 2019 and 2020 and both the IRS and Treasury failed to take precautionary measures to prevent the incident.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is scheduled to attend the winter gathering of the National Association of Secretaries of State on Friday, forcing the group to reconfigure its agenda, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: Secretaries of state play a central role in monitoring and administering elections.
