House Democrats are discussing a forced vote to censure Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.) if Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) doesn't take action, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: Fine's recent comments on social media saying "the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one" have drawn intense backlash from colleagues, including one fellow House Republican.
Stephen Colbert said Monday that CBS barred him from airing an interview with a Texas Democrat running for Senate over concerns about a recent Trump administration directive.
The big picture: CBS said its attorneys warned that airing the interview would trigger what's known as the "equal time" rule, which critics — including the FCC's lone Democrat — argue is being used to stifle free speech.
An 18-year-old man armed with a shotgun exited his car just a block away from the U.S. Capitol and began running towards the building before he was arrested Tuesday afternoon, law enforcement said.
Nearly half of Americans would describe President Trump as "corrupt," "racist" and "cruel" in new polling full of midterm warning signs for Republicans.
Why it matters: Trump's approval numbers are falling across the board.
Late-night host Stephen Colbert said Monday evening that CBS barred him from airing an interview with James Talarico, a Texas Democrat running for Senate, citing a recent federal directive.
Why it matters: CBS has faced mounting scrutiny in recent months that its news arm and parent company, Paramount Skydance, are succumbing to pressure from President Trump's administration.
The Ukrainian people would reject a peace deal that involves Ukraine unilaterally withdrawing from the eastern Donbas region and turning it over to Russia, President Volodymyr Zelensky told Axios in an interview Tuesday.
Why it matters: As Zelensky was speaking to Axios, Ukrainian and Russian negotiators were meeting for a third round of direct talks in Geneva. The main sticking point is control of the Donbas, around 10% of which is still in Ukrainian hands.
The Department of Homeland Security is reshaping its public affairs team with the departure of spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin.
Why it matters: Promoting President Trump's immigration agenda has been a high-octane effort spearheaded by McLaughlin and the agency's public affairs team.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission is launching a legal campaign to defend its regulatory turf on prediction markets, setting up a clash with states that have sought to block them.
Why it matters: Prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket have been surging in popularity, raising questions about the legality of sports event contracts and other trading opportunities in a growing gambling culture.
Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.) is facing mounting backlash from colleagues after suggesting in a post that he would choose dogs over Muslims.
Why it matters: Fine is doubling down on his remarks, escalating a controversy that's fueling calls for his censure and resignation —as well as for Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to take away his committee posts.
Two teachers unions this morning sent a letter to the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission, requesting that it investigate what they believe were "misleading" statements made by Apollo Global Management to its investors, regarding the firm's relationship to Jeffrey Epstein.
Why it matters: Apollo hasn't put this to bed, five years after severing ties with firm founder and former Epstein pal Leon Black.
A new Senate bill that would ensure the cost of data centers' energy use isn't passed on to consumers is stirring up plenty of debate — pro and con — among AI and energy interests.
Why it matters: The bill from Sens. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) is one of the first bipartisan pieces of legislation on an issue that's drawn plenty of attention from Congress.
Matthew Miller and Tucker Eskew — veterans of high-profile campaigns, now partners at Vianovo, a bipartisan management and communications firm — write in a note to clients Tuesday that a "tsunami of Congressional oversight" is headed straight for corporate America if, as is likely based on history, Democrats win the House in November's midterms.
"It's going to be so much worse than they expect," Miller tells Axios.
Why it matters: Companies "that prepare in advance stand a much better chance of emerging with their reputations intact," the partners write. "The subpoenas are coming. The only question is whether companies will be ready."
The Rev. Jesse Jackson died Tuesdayafter a career in activism and politics during a national transformation in civil rights and inequality, where he worked alongside Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and made a historic presidential run.
Through the lens: Here's a look at some of Jackson's most memorable moments, from rallying Black residents devastated by riots in Los Angeles to meeting Nelson Mandela after being released from prison.
We've been here before.That's the bracing, reassuring message Jon Meacham, the acclaimed biographer and historian, has for us in "American Struggle," out Tuesday.
Why it matters: This hefty, meaty book — dedicated to the memory of Charlie Peters, the legendary Washington Monthly founder, who died in 2023 — anthologizes durable, worthy thinking and writing about the American experiment and struggle, from 1619 through last year.
Meacham tells me that after writing "The Soul of America," out in 2018, he "realized it would be great to hear the voices of the past as they were in real time. And from teaching students at Vanderbilt, I also saw that exposure to original documents could be crucial in illuminating moments that might seem remote but really aren't."
The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a civil rights icon who spent his career fighting against racial inequality and injustice, and who made two historic runs for the presidency, died Tuesday, his family said in a statement. He was 84.
The big picture: Jackson leaves behind an expansive legacy, starting with his time alongside Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to founding Operation Rainbow PUSH on the South Side of Chicago.
President Trump had just won reelection and was basking in the parade of congratulatory pilgrimages to Mar-a-Lago. On this day in November 2024, an old friend and a first-time visitor were meeting privately with Trump. They wanted something, and they brought something.
Charlie Kirk — a beloved Trump confidant who had just led a smashingly successful turnout drive among young voters — was shepherding TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew. A law banning the Chinese-owned TikTok in the U.S. was scheduled to kick in the same week Trump was inaugurated. They wanted him to stall the ban and eventually kill it.
New Mexico lawmakers launched an investigation into Jeffrey Epstein's former Zorro Ranch Tuesday over allegations the late convicted sex offender trafficked and sexually abused girls and women at the sprawling property outside Santa Fe.
The big picture: It's "critical" that the first full investigation into what happened at the ranch provides a platform to "uncover the truth" about what happened there and for survivors to see justice, state Rep. Andrea Romero (D) tells Axios.
President Trump sparked a blame game over the massive sewage spill into the Potomac River, attacking Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D), who in turn faulted the feds.
Why it matters: The major sewage pipe that burst on Jan. 19 caused one of the worst raw sewage spills in U.S. history.
President Trump said he is going to be "involved indirectly" in the second round of nuclear talks between the U.S. and Iran that will take place in Geneva on Tuesday.
Why it matters: The meeting tomorrow between Trump's envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi could be a make or break moment that will signal whether the two countries are moving towards an new nuclear deal or towards a war.
