The Democratic nominee in a special House election in New Jersey repeatedly dodged questions on Wednesday about whether she would support House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) for speaker.
Why it matters: As Axios has repeatedlydocumented, many Democrats running for Congress have shied away from firmly committing to support Jeffries' leadership amid grassroots frustration with the party establishment.
President Trump's Justice Department has concluded that a federal law requiring presidential records to be turned over to the government is unconstitutional, a senior White House official tells Axios.
Why it matters: The finding is an indication Trump will be reluctant to give all of his official records to the National Archives at the end of his term, as presidents have done for nearly a half-century under the Presidential Records Act of 1978.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said Wednesday they'll advance a plan to fund the Department of Homeland Security — excluding ICE and CBP— with those agencies deferred to a later reconciliation bill.
Why it matters: House Republicans just five days ago rejected that approach, with some vowing to never support a DHS funding package without money for ICE and CBP.
The legal battle over President Trump's executive order restricting birthright citizenship largely boils down to five words found in the 14th Amendment: "subject to the jurisdiction thereof."
The big picture: The court's interpretation of that phrase could have massive implications for who gets to be an American — and therefore enjoy the rights and responsibilities that come with U.S. citizenship.
President Trump became the first sitting president to attend Supreme Court oral arguments on Wednesday and watched as key justices cast doubt on his effort to restrict birthright citizenship.
Why it matters: Even Trump's unprecedented courtroom appearance couldn't shield his executive order from skeptical questioning by justices, a sign the court may reject his attempt to redefine who counts as an American.
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon gave an impassioned defense of the Iran war, dismissed the idea of running for office and pointed at plans for his post-CEO future in an interview with Jim VandeHei for a new episode of "The Axios Show."
Why it matters: Dimon, who once served as chairman of the Business Roundtable, has outsized influence in the American business landscape.
The U.S. and Iran are discussing a potential deal that would involve a ceasefire in exchange for Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz, three U.S. officials tell Axios.
The big picture: The officials did not say whether those discussions had taken place directly or only through mediators, and they cautioned that it was unclear whether a deal could be reached. But the officials said President Trump was discussing the possibility with officials inside and outside the administration.
There's a big shift happening in Big Tech as the AI transition enters a new era.
Why it matters: Investors are changing the way they price these superstar stocks, but judging by what happened in the market Tuesday, they are not totally sure how to do so.
Lockheed Martin plans to quadruple its output of Precision Strike Missiles, used for the first time in the Iran war.
Why it matters: Questions about production capacity and stockpile health haunt the U.S. military, especially as its offensive alongside Israel breaksthe one-month mark. And PrSM's first-ever employment has already drawn scrutiny.
The U.S. is dedicating significant amounts of firepower to the Middle East as it wrestles with Iran. Some of it — billions of dollars' worth, in fact — will not be returning.
Republicans' massive Medicaid overhaul and rising health costs are forcing state legislatures to begin cutting medical spending for the poor, raise taxes and take other steps to deal with a first-of-its-kind budget squeeze.
Why it matters: State budgets are due to shrink by $664 billion over the next decade because of the cuts in last year's GOP budget law, while medical costs are rising and state tax collections are lagging.
If you're an immigrant worker in the U.S. right now, you've got a better shot landing a visa as a farmer than a tech worker, researcher, doctor or nurse.
Why it matters: The Trump administration's crackdown on H-1B visas is crushing sectors that rely on high-skilled immigrant workers, while seasonal programs for farm workers have gotten a pass.
One month in, President Trump's Iran war has fractured into three competing realities:
A military campaign that has largely delivered.
A strategic vision that hasn't.
A political and economic problem getting worse by the day.
Why it matters: The Trump administration has declared Operation Epic Fury an overwhelming success. But the trajectory of the war — from shifting goalposts to mounting costs — points to a potential stalemate.
President Trump isn't just befuddling foreign leaders and financial markets with his mixed signals on Iran. Advisers who speak regularly with the president tell Axios they're just as uncertain.
Why it matters: Trump's off-the-cuff musings and Truth Social postings can have life-or-death consequences for the war, and massive implications for the market. Then the cycle restarts without any lasting clarity.
Oil prices could surge to an unprecedented $200 a barrel if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, analysts warn.
Why it matters: President Trump is weighing ending the U.S. war on Iran without reopening the strait — raising the once-unthinkable prospect that this key energy artery could stay shut indefinitely.
The Supreme Court will hear arguments Wednesday over President Trump's executive order restricting birthright citizenship in a case that could decide who gets to be an American.
Why it matters: A ruling in Trump's favor could reshape America's racial makeup and create a caste system that leaves millions without rights.
JPMorgan Chase chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon told "The Axios Show" that while the ongoing Iran war involves some "short-term risks" for the economy, the country's regime has been a malign actor since its inception.
"Having those folks, their [grip] on the Strait of Hormuz and funding all these proxy wars — why the Western world put up with these proxy wars for 45 years is kind of beyond me," Dimon told Axios CEO Jim VandeHei.
Why it matters: Those are strikingly hawkish comments from the leader of America's largest bank, making him one of the corporate world's most prominent defenders of a war that currently appears politically unpopular and economically damaging.
President Trump will address the nation on Wednesday evening on the war in Iran, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
Why it matters: Leavitt's Tuesday evening announcement on X came soon after Trump told reporters at the White House that U.S. forces could leave the Middle East in "two or three weeks."
