President Trump said the U.S. would ban Canadian alcohol, some dairy products and large motorcycles, sharply escalating a trade war largely fought with tariffs.
Why it matters: The measures deepen the economic rift between countries that have spent decades interlinking commerce, threatening disruption for businesses and consumers on both sides of the border.
Congressional Republicans are preparing to share the stage with a president who has spent the August recess complicating their efforts to run their races on their own terms.
Why it matters: Republican lawmakers fled Washington for the latter part of the summer, eager to localize their races.
Why it matters: Robinhood has more than 28 million funded customers, making it a seamless entry point into prediction markets for many retail investors.
House Republicans are effectively abandoning what was supposed to be a key battleground district in New York over concerns that their candidate, state Sen. Peter Oberacker, is too flawed to seriously compete, sources tell Axios.
Why it matters: Expect to see more of this cold calculus as the general election heats up, with both parties determining where their money will actually make enough of a difference to be worth spending.
Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch announced he will retire later this year following clashes with the White House.
Why it matters: Bunch's departure leaves the Smithsonian facing a leadership transition as the Trump administration escalates efforts to reshape how the institution presents American history.
The Trump administration is seeking to rescind a rule that was put in place to stop private equity funds from bribing public officials, following a raft of pay-to-play scandals.
The big picture: The Securities and Exchange Commission claims that the Rule 206(4)-5 of the Investment Advisers Act stifles "free speech" and had too many unintended consequences.
It did not propose any sort of replacement, instead arguing that existing state and local laws would suffice — even though it was the failure of those very laws that led to the rule's creation in the first place.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration released more than 170,000 pages of documents Tuesday that suggest city officials knew air conditions following the 9/11 attacks were unsafe, despite assurances otherwise.
The big picture: Twenty-five years later, New Yorkers are still seeking a full accounting of what city officials knew about the toxic air around Ground Zero and whether they were honest with the public about the risks.
In a Virginia law school classroom, students are grappling with an event once considered unimaginable: a U.S. government debt default.
Why it matters: This semester's class is indicative of a nervousness that has become more widespread about America's standing in the global financial system.
The WNBA, Major League Baseball and even a golf startup spent the summer as unlikely proxies in some of the country's fiercest national conflicts.
Why it matters: American culture has shattered into thousands of tiny shards of glass. But sports remains one of the few forces powerful enough to pull much of the country into the same moment — making it a prime target for political fights.
Every CEO needs to be super-fluent in AI advancements and planning for wild scenarios — ranging from true superintelligence in 2027 to a political movement to shut it down.
Why it matters: This isn't something we can outsource, slow-walk or ignore. The technology and politics are shifting so fast we need to scramble to understand — and ideally routinely use — it.
Campaigning on health care used to mean talking about coverage or costs. Now, in the run-up to the midterms, it's just as likely to focus on "corruption."
The big picture: Candidates are accusing primary or general election opponents of being in the pockets of drugmakers, insurers and other powerful health interests, to the detriment of voters.
As climate change makes extreme heat more frequent and dangerous, states are building systems to manage a hazard they weren't historically built to handle.
The big picture: In a growing number of states, officials are appointing heat officers, writing statewide plans, setting worker protections, funding cooling infrastructure, and coordinating responses across agencies.
Democrats have gained sharply with Latino voters in some of the country's most competitive House districts since 2024, a new Hart Research/TelevisaUnivision poll shared exclusively with Axios shows.
Why it matters:President Trump came close to erasing Democrats' longtime advantage among Latinos in the last presidential election. Now, with control of Congress at stake and Trump's approval ratings hitting newlows, that breakthrough appears to have eroded.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) faces mounting behind-the-scenes frustration from progressive lawmakers and candidates that's likely to burst into public view after the midterm elections.
Why it matters: Unless Democrats win a big enough House majority in November to govern without the progressive wing, a Speaker Jeffries would have to contend with the left flank's demands.
