Axios

The Commerce Department announced Monday that the Trump administration's effort to export "full-stack" U.S. AI packages will enter its next phase on April 1.

Why it matters: The American AI exports program is meant to bundle the infrastructure, tools and models into ready-to-deploy AI systems for allies and partners, and has been touted as a key part of the White House's AI policy goals.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) could get caught in the undertow of the very blue wave he hopes to ride into power this November as a growing number of Democratic candidates tell Axios they can't commit to backing his leadership.

Why it matters: It's a stark reversal from Jeffries' virtually untouchable standing in the Democratic Party just a few years ago — and a sign that his path to the speakership may be rockier than previously thought.

President Trump is zeroing in on a major vulnerability for Iran as the war's risks to the global economy grow increasingly serious.

Why it matters: Trump is ramping up his threats to Kharg Island, where Iran handles most of its oil, as the country maintains a stranglehold over the Strait of Hormuz.

A political organization closely affiliated with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) is launching a $10 million ad campaign that features a Maine father testifying to Sen. Susan Collins' (R-Maine) effectiveness, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: The GOP establishment wants to burnish Collins' image and improve her numbers while Democrats are locked in a divisive battle on who should challenge her.

The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) sued the Trump administration Monday, alleging efforts to dismantle a Boulder-based federal lab are "unlawful retaliation" against the state of Colorado.

Why it matters: The lawsuit escalates a growing conflict between the Trump administration and Colorado over election policy, federal authority and the future of a major U.S. climate research hub.

A forum this weekend in Tokyo with 17 Indo-Pacific nations resulted in more than $56 billion in energy-related deals with those countries, the Interior Department said Monday.

Why it matters: Trump administration officials hope the dealmaking can strengthen multinational ties as well as fulfill President Trump's "energy dominance" agenda.

A federal judge on Monday blocked Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. from carrying out vaccine policy changes recommended by his handpicked advisory committee, including a dramatic overhaul of the childhood vaccination schedule.

Why it matters: The injunction from U.S. District Court Judge Brian Murphy is another blow to Kennedy's efforts to overhaul federal vaccine policy at a time when the White House is seeking to limit vaccine critics' influence within the administration.

Gregory Bovino, the Border Patrol official who became the face of the Trump administration's aggressive immigration crackdown, plans to retire at the end of March, he told Breitbart Texas.

Why it matters: Bovino led President Trump's immigration operations in Minnesota but was sidelined after federal agents killed two U.S. citizens. He returned to his prior role in El Centro, Calif.

President Trump revealed Monday that Rep. Neal Dunn (R-Fla.) had a terminal diagnosis and would have been "dead by June," due to a heart problem, before Trump intervened in his medical care.

• "OK, that wasn't public," House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), sitting next to the president at an event at the White House, replied.
• Dunn's current health status is unclear. Both Trump and Johnson said medical care Trump facilitated had given the congressman a "new lease on life."
• The comments created an awkward moment and sowed confusion about Dunn's health. His office did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

The Iran war has entered its third week with ballooning costs and a deepening humanitarian crisis — and no diplomatic off-ramp in sight.

The big picture: Trump and his aides have mentioned varying timelines for ending the war. But with a heavily damaged but defiant Iran stymieing trade, the U.S. remains dug in.

President Trump's most trusted adviser, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, has early stage breast cancer, Trump announced Monday.

The big picture: The 68-year old plans to stay on the job while undergoing treatment, she said. Trump said she has his full confidence and support.

When Jared Kushner formed Affinity Partners in 2021, and then raised most of his first fund from Middle Eastern sovereigns, he took great pains to say that the endeavor was conceived after he left the White House.

• He bristled at suggestions of quid pro quo, but also understood that the whiff was strong enough that it had to be addressed.

Two U.S. companies — Realta Fusion and X-energy — on Monday announced separate agreements with Japanese counterparts on fusion and nuclear energy.

Why it matters: The agreements show the eagerness to take advantage of Japan's technical expertise while expanding supply chain connections between the countries — a priority for the Trump administration.

The Texas primaries this month offered Democrats some hope that Republicans' mid-decade redistricting last year won't net the GOP all five seats the party wants to gain in the U.S. House.

Why it matters: Texas Republicans, at the urging of President Trump, kicked off a nationwide redistricting war for control of the House — but the party leaned on past gains with Hispanic voters in South Texas that are showing signs of cracking.

The war in Iran has sent oil prices skyrocketing, scrambling an economic conflict with Russia that's been raging for more than a decade.

The big picture: It's harder to maintain tight sanctions on Russia —effectively a "cold war" — while also grappling with the economic impact from the "hot war" with Iran.

For five years in office, President Trump has operated with intuition, impulse and improvisation.

• The Iran war, now entering Week 3, is the first time Trump's style has made it impossible for him to easily talk or improvise his way out.

Why it matters: Trump could wind up trapped between his caprice and the realities of war. He expects a quick, clear victory. But unlike tariffs that can be swiftly imposed and rescinded, the war's outcome is beyond unilateral control and quick fixes. And Iran gets a say.

The AI boom is pushing one of America's most venerable environmental groups to cautiously support nuclear power after decades of resistance.

Why it matters: The Natural Resources Defense Council's position is both a sign of the urgent power demands that AI is creating and a larger shift underway among environmentalists to embrace an energy source many once rallied against.

Oil prices rose over $3 per barrel Sunday in the first major trading since President Trump's threat to strike Iran's main oil export hub unless Tehran allows tankers through the Strait of Hormuz — and they remained somewhat volatile into Monday.

Why it matters: The climb shortly after the markets' opening signals that traders see no major near-term market loosening or end to a conflict that has brought an unprecedented throttling of oil flows.

The women behind "Sinners" and "KPop Demon Hunters" led a night of history-making at the 98th Academy Awards.

Why it matters: "A lot of little girls that look like me will sleep well tonight ... being on stage, getting this award will change so many girls' lives because they'll be inspired," Autumn Durald Arkapaw told reporters after winning the Best Cinematography Oscar for "Sinners."

President Trump is working to assemble a coalition of countries to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and hopes to announce it later this week, four sources tell Axios.

• Trump is also weighing a seizure of Iran's critical oil depot on Kharg Island — a move that would require U.S. boots on the ground — if tankers remain bottled up in the Persian Gulf, U.S. officials say.

Why it matters: Oil and gas prices are rising as Iran's blockade of the Gulf's narrow strait drags on, choking off a significant share of the world's crude supply.

FCC Chair Brendan Carr threatened to revoke broadcasters' licenses over Iran war coverage, a day after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth singled out CNN and rooted for a friendlier owner.

The big picture: President Trump has taken credit for "reshaping" the American media landscape via intimidation, regulatory leverage and policy pressure that's cast a shadow over newsroom autonomy.

President Trump said Sunday he may delay his visit to China this month and urged the country to help the U.S. reopen the Strait of Hormuz that Iran's effectively shut during the war.

The big picture: Trump made the comments during an interview with the Financial Times that included him issuing warnings to Iran and NATO, as the effectively shuttered strait that's a key commercial shipping channel and high oil prices weigh heavily on his administration.