A Republican proposal to spend $1 billion on security measures for the White House ballroom President Trump is building sent House Democrats into a frenzy on Tuesday.
Why it matters: To many lawmakers, it's a grim display of how far Republicans have gone in subordinating Congress' prerogatives to the executive branch.
President Trump said Tuesday he's suspending the new U.S. military operation in the Strait of Hormuz due to progress in the negotiations with Iran on an agreement to end the war.
Why it matters: The operation to "guide" ships through the Strait of Hormuz, which was launched Monday, led to an exchange of fire between the U.S. and Iran and to Iranian missile attacks on the United Arab Emirates for the first time since the ceasefire was announced a month ago.
Louisiana lawmakers are set to begin work on a new congressional map Friday, per the Louisiana Illuminator.
Why it matters: The redrawn map will likely cut the number of majority-Black U.S. House districts in the state, putting either Troy Carter or Cleo Fields at risk of losing their seats.
The downfall of Spirit Airlines is casting a spotlight on the future of its budget carrier rival, Frontier Airlines, which is facing many of the same challenges.
Why it matters: The jet fuel price spike was the last straw for Spirit — which ceased operations early Saturday — and it's posing a serious challenge to Frontier, as well.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has sued the New York Times for discriminating against a white, male employee who claims to have been denied a promotion based on his demographic attributes.
Why it matters: It marks the third lawsuit President Trump or his administration has filed against the Times in less than five years.
President Trump's immigration crackdown has not expanded job opportunities for American workers, a new study found — in fact, it's associated with an employment drain for some U.S.-born men.
Why it matters: The narrative of undocumented immigrants "taking" Americans' jobs has long been a propelling force behind the president's ICE enforcement push. But research suggests his mass deportations aren't clearing the way for U.S.-born workers in the job market.
In-Q-Tel is refashioning its investment strategy to focus on a smaller number of big bets in key areas like autonomy, contested logistics and critical infrastructure, CEO Steve Bowsher told Axios.
The big picture: The venture capital firm, birthed from the CIA, helped elevate Anduril Industries and Palantir Technologies, among the splashiest companies in today's defense-tech frenzy.
Its hundreds of other investments include drone-maker Neros, cyber specialist Twenty and remote-sensing company ICEYE.
President Trump set out on his first day in office to free artificial intelligence from government constraints.
15 months later, his own White House is preparing to become a gatekeeper for the most powerful new models on Earth.
Why it matters: AI has crossed a threshold that no administration — not even one ideologically committed to staying out of its way — can afford to ignore.
A generational and structural shift is decoupling Black identity from Democratic Party loyalty, transforming a once-reliable voting bloc into a cohort of "political free agents" that the GOP is uniquely positioned to exploit.
Why it matters: Even modest GOP gains — combined with weakening party loyalty — could make a big difference in close elections in a post-Voting Rights Act world.
The Trump administration's moves to limit public access to government records are prompting warnings from watchdogs and historians.
The big picture: As the Justice Department challenges the constitutionality of the Presidential Records Act and slow-walks some Freedom of Information Act requests, worries persist about weakened oversight and the government being enabled to spin a curated narrative of American history.
The gasoline price surge is reigniting political chatter about suspending the federal tax on the fuel to help consumers, thanks to a recent round of populist proposals from high-profile Democrats.
Why it matters: It's one of those go-to ideas that never actually happens, but often surfaces when prices climb.
Nationwide access to abortion pills is again in legal limbo, almost two years after the Supreme Court threw out a case challenging mail-order prescribing of the widely used drug mifepristone.
Why it matters: A circuit court ruling on Friday that dramatically dialed back access to the drug has caused confusion for pharmacies, telehealth companies and other clinicians, even in states where abortion is legal.
