The big picture: Power players like Bill Gates and Elon Musk continue to weather heightened scrutiny over their relationships with Jeffrey Epstein, but have so far avoided professional repercussions.
If your tax return hits a snag this year, getting help from the IRS could take longer — and more complex refunds could be slow to arrive too.
Why it matters: A Treasury watchdog report warns the Internal Revenue Service entered the 2026 filing season short-staffed and overwhelmed, increasing the risk of delays and service problems for millions of taxpayers.
Law enforcement officials on Thursday provided an updated timeline and new information on the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie.
Why it matters: The highly unusual disappearance, which local law enforcement has said it is investigating as a kidnapping or abduction, has captivated the nation.
The Trump administration on Thursday announced a new rule to make it easier to fire senior-level civil servants.
Why it matters: An estimated 50,000 workers would fall into the new category, effectively placing them on an at-will footing similar to private-sector employees, who can be dismissed for nearly any reason.
President Trump on Thursday said Attorney General Pam Bondi insisted that Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard attend the search of Fulton County's election center, contradicting Gabbard's claim that the president requested her presence.
Why it matters: The FBI's seizure of hundreds of boxes containing scanned ballots and other documents — and Gabbard's puzzling presence during the search — sparked fear among Democrats and local leaders who framed the move as retaliation for the president's 2020 loss.
President Trump will announce the launch of the TrumpRx website Thursday night, Trump advisers tell Axios, moving ahead with a plan to offer discounted drug prices through special agreements with drug companies.
Why it matters: The launch will allow people to buy medications directly through the new government portal with discounts the White House has negotiated with the drug manufacturers.
Most Americans (61%) believe that the Trump administration hasn't been honest about the death of Alex Pretti, who was shot and killed by federal agents in Minneapolis nearly two weeks ago, according to a new Quinnipiac poll.
Why it matters: Public opinion on President Trump's hardline immigration agenda is hardening, even as the administration attempts to tamp down fallout from the killings of Pretti and Minneapolis mother Renee Good.
President Trump's multi-front push to shore up critical minerals could pay long-term dividends for low-carbon U.S. industries — though it's hardly the intent.
Why it matters: Cleantech industries — like batteries, renewables manufacturing, advanced grid systems and others — need secure access to raw and processed materials.
House Democrats found themselves in the familiar position this week of seething at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) for negotiating a deal with Republicans to keep the government funded.
Why it matters: While his caucus remains behind him, Schumer is becoming persona non grata for much of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party.
Political violence, stagnant pay and family-unfriendly legislatures are pushing Gen Z and Millennial state lawmakers to consider leaving office — even as many say they still believe in public service, a new report finds.
Why it matters: State legislatures are pipelines for Congress, governors and future national leaders. If younger lawmakers leave early, the system increasingly favors the wealthy, the retired or those insulated from threats and financial strain.
President Trump discussed AI, immigration, the Fed, and more as he sat down with NBC News' Tom Llamas on Wednesday.
The big picture: NBC released an extended version of his "NBC Nightly News" interview on Wednesday night, ahead of more excerpts airing during the network's Super Bowl LX pre-game show Sunday.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and counterpart Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) released 10 policy demandsto "rein in ICE" in a letter Wednesday to Republican leadership amid a standoff over DHS funding.
Why it matters: Congress members have two weeks to negotiate a deal to keep the Department of Homeland Security funded after more than 20House Democrats voted with Republicans to reopen the government on Tuesday after a partial shutdown.
FBI Director Kash Patel is planning a trip to Tucson, Arizona, as President Trump deploys federal resources to find "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie's mother, two sources tell Axios.
The big picture: Trump said on Truth Social he'd spoken with Guthrie, whose mother went missing from her home outside Tucson over the weekend in what law enforcement called "suspicious" circumstances, and was "directing ALL Federal Law Enforcement to be at the family's, and Local Law Enforcement's, complete disposal, IMMEDIATELY."
Facing a government shutdown fight over ICE, top Senate Democrats are doing their best to avoid getting dragged into a fight with Republicans over immigration policy.
Why it matters: After handedly losing on the immigration issue in 2024, Democratic leaders are trying to keep the fight focused on "law and order" instead.
Key Republicans on the Senate Banking Committee appear to be greasing the path for Kevin Warsh to be confirmed as Fed chair by downplaying the criminal investigation into Chairman Jay Powell or calling for it to be resolved.
Why it matters: Warsh's nomination is being held hostage by Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), who is demanding that President Trump drop an investigation into Powell before he votes Warsh out of committee.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas)and his allies are planning to spend roughly $10 million in the next four weeks.
"That's a round number," Cornyn told Axios.
Why it matters: Cornyn is targeting Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-Texas) to turn the three-way Texas Republican Senate primary on March 3 into a two-man showdown.
Elon Musk and State Department officials must sit for depositions over their role in dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.
The big picture: The order is a win for the anonymous USAID employees suing over what they say was an unlawful effort by officials of Musk's Department of Government Efficiency to gut the world's largest humanitarian aid organization.
