Axios

President Trump fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in March, but Democrats aren't finished with her.

Why it matters: Armed with commanding House and Senate majorities, they're preparing to haul the architects of Trump's mass deportation agenda before Congress to answer for their actions.

House Republicans are turning to one of their fiercest fighters to lead their diminished conference after one of their biggest drubbings in decades.

Why it matters: Jim Jordan, 62, a founding member of the hardline House Freedom Caucus, has completed a stunning insurgent-to-establishment turn after spending much of his nearly 20 years in Congress battling Republican leaders from the right.

Stephen Miller wants to use his new role as White House chief of staff to win back young and minority men who helped elect President Trump in 2024 but swung toward Democrats in the midterms, two people familiar with the administration's plans tell Axios.

Why it matters: Miller, named last week to replace Susie Wiles, plans to focus on reviving the populist agenda that helped the president build his 2024 coalition, with an emphasis on working-class voters.

The Republican leadership fights are over. For Democrats, the pain has only just begun.

Why it matters: All the talk about changing party leadership is empty if no one steps up to run.

House Democrats' incoming freshman class is barely a week old and already threatening to defy party leaders in ways most of their incumbent colleagues wouldn't dare.

Why it matters: It's a dynamic House leaders may have to learn to live with as they integrate a massive group of new members who were swept into office on a wave of populist, anti-establishment anger.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was sent a highly classified memo warning about Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's relationship with suspected Chinese spy Alice Huang, multiple sources familiar told Axios.

Why it matters: Lutnick oversees the agency charged with keeping sensitive U.S. technology out of the hands of American adversaries. The warning raises questions about how the department weighed potential security risks as it cleared advanced Nvidia chip sales to China-affiliated entities.

Winning congressional candidates made nearly three times as many podcast appearances as their losing opponents, according to Spotify data shared exclusively with Axios.

Why it matters: Podcasts have become a baseline for congressional campaigns, especially competitive races.

House Republicans voted Tuesday evening to block an effort to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, shielding a top Trump administration official from a politically embarrassing rebuke.

Why it matters: The vote marks a victory for Hegseth, the Trump administration and Republican leaders, who were bracing for the prospect of a rebellion within their own ranks.

House Republicans elected Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) as their new leader Tuesday, handing the reins of the battered GOP conference to one of its most prominent conservative firebrands.

Why it matters: Jordan's victory marks a major shake-up in House Republican leadership, elevating a founding member of the hardline Freedom Caucus who campaigned as an alternative to the leaders who presided over the GOP's crushing midterm defeat.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune emerged from a third huddle with Senate Republicans on Tuesday with his leadership job intact.

Why it Matters: Thune (R-S.D.) locked up support from his conference just one week after losing the majority in a generational blue wave.