House Democratic leadership is pointing to the colossal spending by President Trump's super PACs in their behind-the-scenes efforts to get members to pay their dues to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Axios has learned.
Democratic House leaders are being pressured by their members over the lack of Black candidates receiving top-level party support in the final weeks of the 2026 midterms, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: With 33 days to go, Democrats are torn between triaging their resources and satisfying all corners of their party's diverse but fractious racial coalition.
Tennessee death row inmate Christa Pike's attorneys said she was "in critical condition" and "receiving life-saving care" Thursday, a day after she survived an execution attempt during which the state administered two doses of the lethal injection drug.
A death penalty expert told the Associated Press that Pike's survival after receiving the execution drug was unprecedented.
The latest: State and federal elected officials are pressing for public accountability after the second failed execution this year. Gov. Bill Lee halted further executions for the rest of the year and ordered a independent review of the Pike execution attempt.
On Thursday morning, he told reporters there were "very few answers" about what had gone wrong.
A U.K. Iranian dual national was arrested on suspicion of preparing to carry out terrorist acts in connection with an incident at an English air base used by the U.S., British counterterrorism police said Thursday.
The big picture: Tehran has denied any involvement in the suspected bomb plot at RAF Fairford, while U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said there were "strong indications that Iran played a part" in it.
President Trump's 75-minute interview with Time revealed his latest thinking on the Iran war, the AI race (or in his words, SI), the media and more.
Why it matters: The interview with one of America's most historic news publications gives voters insight into the direction of the country roughly a month ahead of the midterms.
Just 33 days before the midterm elections, corporate communicators should be asking a simple question: Where could our business become the political story?
Companies and leaders don't have to make overtly political statements to get caught in the crossfire.
Why it matters: Business decisions about prices, AI, jobs or investment can become lightning rods for voter anger over soaring costs and the political establishment.
Renee Good's family filed two civil lawsuits over her killing during Operation Metro Surge — including one against six current and former Trump administration officials, as well as the ICE agent who shot and killed her.
The big picture: The lawsuits are an attempt to hold the feds accountable in civil court for both Good's death and the broader immigration enforcement blitz.
The Trump administration has declined to criminally charge the agents who shot Good or Alex Pretti, and any state-level charges from the shootings would face legal hurdles.
A judge killed the Trump administration's case against former Olympian David Hearn Thursday, some two months after the Justice Department revealed "flawed installation" led to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool's damages, not vandalism.
Why it matters: The judge dismissed the case with prejudice, meaning the charges can't be revived against Hearn — even if President Trump continues to insist that vandals are responsible for the pool's problems.
A sweeping bipartisan deal to cut permitting red tape faces a long road ahead despite a broad show of support.
Why it matters: Cutting hurdles for energy projects is a top priority for fossil fuels and renewables sectors, but some green groups fear erosion of safeguards.
BlackRock, promoting skilled trades as a promising path to a well-paying career, on Thursday announced $13 million in grants to 15 inaugural winners of the BlackRock Future Builders program.
Why it matters: The grants from the BlackRock Foundation span trades that include electrical, construction, HVAC, welding, plumbing, pipefitting, heavy equipment operation and other infrastructure-related occupations.
Larry Fink, BlackRock's chairman and CEO, is promoting the skilled trades message with appearances Wednesday at Ford's Accelerate summit in Detroit and on Thursday at Heartland Forward's Heartland Summit in Bentonville, Arkansas.
Americans overwhelmingly disapprove of President Trump's handling of the economy, reaching levels that rival some of the worst of former president Biden's term, per a new AP-NORC poll out Thursday.
Why it matters: The economy is stronger than sentiment suggests, but time is running short for the president and his administration to convince highly skeptical voters of that.
President Trump and the AI industry have co-signed one of the biggest economic and technological wagers of all time.
If it goes right: A new age of abundance — explosive productivity, staggering wealth and a generational leap in American power.
If it goes wrong: A catastrophic bust that destroys capital and jobs and, in the words of several involved, threatens widespread human harm.
Why it matters: Neither Trump nor the AI titans have plausible deniability. Their fortunes have become so tightly bound that success will be shared — and failure impossible to disown.
The new Texas PAC spent a staggering $131 million in just 17 days to boost Republican Ken Paxton in his battle for a U.S. Senate seat, new financial reports reveal. And tens of millions more could be on the way.
Why it matters: The political environment is bad across the country for GOP candidates, but Paxton's numerous scandals have left him particularly vulnerable to becoming the first Republican to lose a statewide race in Texas in more than three decades.
The great AI rebranding is on, led by President Trump and tech titans like Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who are embracing an alternative term: "super intelligence," or SI.
Why it matters: Leaders in D.C. and Silicon Valley are worried the public backlash against AI and data centers will hamper the development of this staggeringly powerful and existentially dangerous technology. The new label is part of a broader effort to shift the narrative.
Immigration — the issue that helped propel Donald Trump to the presidency and rally his supporters over the past decade — has become an afterthought for voters.
Why it matters: It's another ominous sign for Trump and the GOP heading toward November. What was once a rallying cry for the party is losing salience with voters across the spectrum — and harsh crackdowns have even made it a liability among some Republicans.
Sens. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) are planning to introduce AI liability legislation asbipartisan efforts to regulate the technology persist on Capitol Hill.
Why it matters: While President Trump has made his administration's position abundantly clear — the industry should self-regulate — a growing number of congressional Republicans insist new laws are needed on the books.
Exhausted GOP senators are preparing to fly home mostly empty-handed after staying in D.C. longer than expected.
Why it matters: The midterm outlook is getting bleaker by the day, and Republicans have a monster to-do list for the lame-duck session that could be a last chance to capitalize on their trifecta.
Senate Majority Leader John Thunewelcomed the new "constitution" that President Trump and tech and AI leaders signed Tuesday but said he would work to "codify" some safety protections with legislation.
Why it matters: Thune and other GOP senators aren't directly challenging Trump's preference for industry-led safeguards. But they suggest yesterday's accord — which Trump called "morally binding" — might not be enough.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio demanded on Monday that the Iranian delegation to the United Nations General Assembly immediately leave the country after negotiations stalled, according to a U.S. official and a second source with knowledge of the matter.
Why it matters: Though the Iranians were likely to depart soon anyway,Rubio's move was a highly unusual diplomatic rebuke and laid bare the deep distrust between the two countries amid fruitless efforts to broker an end to the war.
