President Trump is expected to hold a meeting with Gulf leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York next Tuesday to discuss the next steps in the war with Iran, three sources with direct knowledge tell Axios.
Why it matters: The meeting is expected to focus on U.S. ideas for a postwar strategy as Trump and his senior team work on a day-after plan expected to be finalized after the midterms.
The Democrats' main Senate super PAC is pouring an additional $10 million into the Michigan Senate race to boost progressive Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: The Democratic establishment is coalescing around El-Sayed after a primary that was nasty, bruising — and late in the season.
Mike Johnson's decision to send the House home early — again — is fueling an increasingly bitter feud with Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) over whether the speaker is using the calendar to dodge politically painful votes.
Why it matters: The House will now be gone for more than six weeks ahead of the midterms, delaying Massie's effort to force a vote on impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over his handling of the Iran war.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday proposed making Canada the European Union's first "associate member."
Why it matters: Canada and the EU are testing whether a nation deeply dependent on the U.S. market can find economic independence by moving closer to Europe.
This could also present one of the most permanent effects of President Trump's trade wars: U.S. allies building markets, supply chains and security ties designed to make them less vulnerable to Washington.
The House passed the bipartisan Ratepayer Protection Act on Wednesday, marking Congress' most significant step yet to shield consumers from the soaring infrastructure costs of the AI boom.
Why it matters: Washington is facing growing pressure to put guardrails around AI's rapid expansion, from the technology itself to the data centers powering it.
The House passed a sweeping Russia sanctions bill Thursday, sending the long-awaited legislation to President Trump's desk.
Why it matters: The measure would significantly expand economic pressure on Russia while handing Trump fresh authority to impose secondary tariffs of up to 100% on buyers of Russian oil and gas.
About 25% of Americans don't think measles vaccines for children are safe, according to new polling.
Why it matters: The U.S. is experiencing its highest number of measles cases in decades as childhood vaccination rates decline and Trump administration officials continue to cast doubt on vaccine safety.
President Trump responded to the Federal Reserve raising interest rates for the first time in three years by saying they should be lowered — "AND FAST!"
Why it matters: The rate hike immediately puts Trump at odds with the central bank under new Fed chair Kevin Warsh, whom he picked to lead it.
White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles announced Wednesday she is cancer free.
The big picture: Wiles, President Trump's most trusted adviser, announced in March that she had early stage breast cancer, but planned to stay on the job as she sought treatment.
The Federal Reserve raised interest rates a quarter point Wednesday, the first policy adjustment of Kevin Warsh's chairmanship, and hinted that another rate hike is on the way this year, as it seeks to bring inflation down more quickly.
The big picture: The action could bolster Warsh's credibility as an inflation-fighter, but risks putting him in the crosshairs of President Trump, who has long demanded lower interest rates and pilloried Warsh's predecessor for failing to deliver them.
The amount of diesel that Americans buy in a single day costs roughly $321 million more than it did a year ago — driving a new round of chatter about an export ban to preserve domestic supplies.
Why it matters: Investors and economists warn that it could backfire spectacularly, driving up prices globally and potentially putting further upward pressure on domestic interest rates.
The U.S. is open to discussing shared risks with China in upcoming AI talks this weekend, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Axios.
Why it matters: The Trump administration has flatly rejected calls from industry to pace or slow down the development of AI, citing a fierce race against China.
Data: The AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago; Chart: Avery Lotz/Axios
More than half of Americans are extremely or very concerned about the environmental impacts of AI, up more than ten percentage points from last year, per polling results out Wednesday.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is the latest prominent Democrat to back a pause on advanced artificial intelligence, her office told Axios exclusively.
Why it matters: The idea of slowing down AI development — once considered a non-starter in a fierce race to beat China — is gaining momentum.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) did not clue Republican leaders in on his plans to introduce an impeachment resolution against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the Iran war, Axios' Kate Santaliz reported.
The big picture: Lame-duck Republicans who lost Trump-backed primary challenges are increasingly using their final months in office to buck the administration and GOP leaders.
Kristen Silverberg, a widely respected policy expert and former ambassador, was named the new president and CEO of Business Roundtable, the top policy voice of America's leading CEOs.
Silverberg, now BRT's president and chief operating officer, will succeed Josh Bolten, a former White House chief of staff who has led the organization for the past decade, when he steps down on Jan. 31.
Why it matters: Business Roundtable is one of Washington's most influential associations. The 200+ members are CEOs of the biggest U.S.-based companies, most with global reach.
Members of Congress and governors are under increasing pressure to regulate AI, but more than two dozen of them who spoke with Axios said they don't use the technology or have rarely done so.
Why it matters: That striking admission — particularly among older, influential lawmakers — comes amid calls for an AI slowdown and warnings within the industry that it could end humanity if left unchecked.
The nerdy, traditionally apolitical world of federal data is increasingly getting swept up in the Trump administration's push to control every level of government.
Across the federal government, agencies are changing how they collect and publicize information. More and more, politics and ideology are part of the equation.
Why it matters: Reliable, unbiased data informs nearly everything the federal government does — from distributing benefits and enforcing workplace discrimination laws to responding to public health threats.
U.S. household income hit a record in 2025, but the lowest earners barely shared in the gains, new Census data show.
Why it matters: On paper, Americans look richer than ever. But broader measures of financial security show millions still getting squeezed by medical costs, uneven income gains and a thinning public safety net.
