The Supreme Court denied the Trump administration's request Monday to hear its case regarding more than 20,000 California ballots that President Trump claims were cast by noncitizens.
Why it matters: It's a blow to the administration, which has been tussling with the state in what it says is a fight to ensure all eligible voters can vote and have their ballots counted, as the law requires.
A federal judge on the eve of Election Day barred the Trump administration from demanding California officials set aside ballots from registered voters it suspects are noncitizens, finding the effort likely violates the Constitution.
Why it matters: Courts had already rejected the Justice Department's attempts to force California to separate the ballots.
Monday's ruling goes a step further, directly barring federal officials from making those demands even as DOJ turns to the Supreme Court to compel the state to comply.
MAGA influencers, Elon Musk and even the Trump administration are embracing an unlikely symbol of young men's political frustrations: Anakin Skywalker, the "Star Wars" hero who becomes Darth Vader.
Why it matters: The viral trend reflects how some young conservative men are using pop culture to express resentment toward established institutions and older generations.
President Trump told Axios in a phone interview Monday he's "in no rush" to decide whether to resume fighting in Iran.
Why it matters: The midterm elections have been seen as an inflection point for Trump on whether to unleash a massive bombing campaign to try to bring the war to an end.
But it appears the president, at least for now, will continue on dual tracks — letting negotiations play out while preparing to go back to war if he concludes a deal isn't reachable.
The top Senate GOP super PAC has nearly tripled its spending on streaming and social media platforms this election cycle to more than $200 million, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: In a record cycle for ad spending, more political money is shifting to streaming, where super PACs have greater freedom to target voters, bargain and experiment — but platforms have more power to set the rules.
A federal judge dismissed a complaint against two former FBI officials whom the government accused of covering up how much they knew about the investigation into a laptop reportedly tied to Hunter Biden, multipleoutlets reported.
The big picture: The pre-election case was brought by criminal complaint. A D.C. federal grand jury has not indicted the pair.
Communities across the U.S. courting data centers face an economic bargain: billions in private investment and potentially lucrative tax revenue, alongside mounting public backlash.
Case in point: New Albany, Ohio, a 22-square-mile Columbus suburb, has spent more than a decade welcoming data centers. Today, it has roughly 40 facilities operated by Meta, Google, Amazon and others.
The world seems convinced the end is near — and social media is amplifying that belief, convincing people to stock up on food, water, generators and other items.
Why it matters: Online chatter is fueling viral predictions of societal collapse amid growing unease about the future. But you're probably not going to die tomorrow.
The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to mandate that California separate ballots of more than 20,000 voters the government suspects are "likely" non-citizens.
The big picture: A federal appeals court rejected the administration's bid to set aside mail ballots last week, erecting another roadblock in the DOJ's pre-election quest to demand the state root out claims of voter fraud in the final days of the midterm elections.
After Tuesday's midterm elections, the 2028 presidential race unofficially begins. There is reason to think that fiscal policy will shape the contours of the race in a way that deficits and debt haven't for nearly four decades.
The big picture: Candidates for the White House will be running amid historically large deficits, high and rising debt service costs, elevated interest rates and an imminent Social Security funding crunch.
It is a world where policy trade-offs will be harder to ignore.
President Trump said Monday he'd move to protect Elon Musk if Democrats investigate the SpaceX and Tesla CEO after the midterm elections.
He also suggested the possibility of pre-emptive pardons for staff and others around him if Democrats pursue investigations.
Why it matters: Trump is positioning himself for a combative final two years in the White House, as polls increasingly point to the prospect of a significant blue wave.
After another rough week for the AI trade, stocks seem to be bracing for more uncertainty in the days ahead.
Why it matters: While the AI trade has sputtered, the S&P 500 has managed to largely tread water thanks to strength from shares tied to the basics of the economy, like consumer staples, health care and utilities. (Soaring oil shares didn't hurt either.)
But Tuesday's U.S. midterm elections and the potential reescalation of major fighting in the Iran war after the vote pose another potential hurdle to the market.
Northwood Space raised $375 million in a Series C funding that valued the Torrance, California-based satellite antenna builder and ground station provider at $2 billion.
Why it matters: Modern and fortified infrastructure on Earth becomes more crucial for commercial, civil and military missions as the number of satellites in orbit swells.
Republicans are burning tens of millions of last-minute ad dollars to try to rescue three red-state senators who they say ignored months of warnings that their campaigns were in danger.
Why it matters: Senate races in Kansas, South Carolina and Mississippi are normally GOP layups. This year, Republicans have diverted resources from swing-state battles to defend them.
Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) faced fierce backlash from fellow Democrats, party officials and her own staffers after endorsing Republican Mike Rogers for the U.S. Senate on Sunday.
Why it matters: It's a stunning reversal in standing for Stevens, who came within a few percentage points of being her party's nominee for Senate in Michigan just months earlier.
Some House Democrats want Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) expelled from their caucus after she crossed party lines to endorse Republican Mike Rogers for Senate on Sunday.
Why it matters: It would be an extraordinary step that reflects the deep internal resentment towards Stevens within her own party.
