Democratic senators — and at least one Republican — are urging the Pentagon to withdraw its ultimatum to Anthropic, insisting Congress must participate in the debate over military use of artificial intelligence.
Why it matters: The unprecedented showdown between the Department of Defense and Anthropic has largely been a two-party contest. Now Congress wants to enter the fray.
More than 32 million people watched President Trump's State of the Union address Tuesday night, down from the roughly 36 million that tuned in to last year's address to a joint session of Congress.
Reality check: It's also down significantly from the 45 million that tuned in to his address in 2018 during the second year of his first term.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton testified that she has no new information regarding Jeffrey Epstein's criminal activities during a deposition before the House Oversight Committee on Thursday.
Why it matters: Bill and Hillary Clinton's depositions on Thursday and Friday mark the first time a former first couple has appeared before a congressional panel under subpoena.
Anthropic on Thursday said there has been "virtually no progress" on negotiations with the Pentagon, as CEO Dario Amodei said it could not accept what defense officials had labeled their final offer on AI safeguards.
Why it matters: A deadline of Friday at 5:01pm is fast approaching for Anthropic to let the Pentagon use its model Claude as it sees fit or potentially face severe consequences.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani had what he called a "productive" meeting with President Trump on Thursday, charming the president with a mocked-up tabloid newspaper featuring his likeness.
Why it matters: Mamdani and Trump have developed an unexpected, made-for-TV relationship despite their vast political differences.
Transgender Kansans learned this week their driver's licenses and amended birth certificates became invalid Thursday after lawmakers overrode Gov. Laura Kelly's veto and a new state law took effect.
Why it matters: The abrupt rule change is sending residents scrambling to the DMV and forcing people to pay for replacement documents to keep driving and voting.
Surgeon general pick Casey Means stood by her past claims that birth control has "horrifying health risks" and softened her tone during a confirmation hearing Wednesday.
The 24-foot boat involved in a deadly clash with Cuba's coast guard was stolen in the Florida Keys and had American citizens aboard, U.S. officials tell Axios.
Why it matters: Four people were killed and six injured in the incident Wednesday, the latest source of tension between the U.S. and Cuba as the Trump administration increases pressure on the island's communist regime to change.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's deposition before the House Oversight Committee was paused Thursday afternoon after Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) took an unauthorized photo of Clinton and sent it to conservative influencer Benny Johnson.
Why it matters: Taking a photo during an ongoing deposition and sharing it on social media is a violation of House rules.
Most U.S. adults are concerned about the threat Iran poses to the U.S., but a majority say they don't trust President Trump's handling of foreign affairs, according to a new AP-NORC poll.
Why it matters: Thursday's nuclear talks between the Trump administration and Iran could be the last chance for a diplomatic solution before the president opts for military action.
House Democratic leadership on Thursday announced plans to force a vote next week on a resolution that would require President Trump to seek congressional authorization to use military force in Iran.
Why it matters: The vote has a chance to pass in the House, with even some House Republicans expressing opposition as the White House inches closer to a potential major war in the Middle East.
Supporters of a Utah AI transparency bill are escalating their fight with the White House, taking it public with digital billboards in downtown Salt Lake City aimed at Trump AI adviser David Sacks.
Why it matters: The clash highlights a growing Republican split over who sets AI rules — the White House or the states — just as AI becomes a midterm flashpoint.
Why it matters: AI is increasingly likely to upend how every American lives and works (or doesn't work), yet Washington, D.C. is mostly ignoring the long-term implications.
World Economic Forum leader Børge Brende announced his resignation Thursday, the latest casualty of the Epstein files fallout rocking business, politics and academia.
The big picture: The files have captured some of the world's most powerful people in a far-reaching shadow of shame, effectively ending the careers of captains of industry, academic big shots and prominent politicians. And the dominoes keep falling.
ICE is on a multi-billion-dollar quest for new immigration detention facilities, but they're increasingly facing pushback from an unlikely foe: Republicans.
Why it matters: The Trump administration has prioritized investing tens of billions of dollars to increase how many people it can hold in immigration detention, and ICE has a limited amount of time to spend it.
FBI Director Kash Patel says the FBI under President Biden subpoenaed his phone records and those of Susie Wiles, who ran President Trump's campaign and is now White House chief of staff, when they were private citizens.
The big picture: Trump officials familiar with the investigation tell Axios the revelations might be "the tip of the iceberg," and that the FBI may have probed more Trumpworld figures.
Republican candidates snubbed by President Trump for primary endorsements have found a workaround: Act like he endorsed them anyway.
Why it matters: Trump's approval numbers are sagging but he still dominates the GOP, using endorsements to reward allies, punish detractors and reinforce his vise-like grip on the party.
Congress needs to examine the Pentagon's ongoing dispute with Anthropic over the limits of government use of AI models, per a letter from AI safety nonprofit Alliance for Secure AI, government watchdog Common Cause and libertarian student group Young Americans for Liberty.
Why it matters: Pressure on the Hill to weigh in on the fight between the Department of Defense and Anthropic is heating up.
U.S. officials are looking into an announcement by Cuba's government that it killed four people aboard a Florida-tagged boat near the Villa Clara coast on Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.
Why it matters: The Trump administration has already signaled an openness to regime change in Cuba, and the incident that Cuban officials claim was "intended to carry out an infiltration for terrorist purposes" risks another escalation between Washington and Havana.
Rep. Al Green's (D-Texas) latest protest during President Trump's State of the Union has triggered a fresh Republican push to censure him. But not every Republican thinks it's worth the fight.
Why it matters: GOP leaders and some rank-and-file members aren't sold on censuring Green, arguing the once-rare punishment has become too routine.
