Axios

America is losing its grip on one of its quietest superpowers: its ability to attract the world's most ambitious students.

Why it matters: As international enrollment drops, colleges face a financial hit. Foreign students typically pay full tuition, acting as a crucial revenue stream that subsidizes campus operations and eases the cost burden for American taxpayers.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) had a banner week, drawing attention from Democratic leaders, prediction markets and millions on social media.

Why it matters: The widespread attention shows how Ocasio-Cortez is expanding her political reach as she weighs a possible presidential or Senate run in 2028.

Newly released renderings of President Trump's White House East Wing project include a shiny gold addition to the facade.

Why it matters: The images were revealed in the Trump administration's appeal to the Supreme Court to overturn rulings blocking its construction.

The 2026 midterm election is on track to be the most expensive in history.

Why it matters: So far, the money hasn't always mattered.

We're zooming in on battleground races ahead of the midterms. This week: Maine.

For 2026, the Maine Senate race has it all: a Democratic establishment-vs.-progressives fight, a nominee swap after explosive allegations, and a rare Republican who dares to buck President Trump.

Why it matters: It's hard to see Democrats winning the Senate if they don't take Maine.

American drone companies got a sudden lift in the stock market Friday after President Trump announced plans to impose tariffs on imported drones.

Why it matters: National security experts have long bemoaned the American reliance on foreign sources for drone production, particularly China.

The Treasury Department this week scrapped a key part of a federal anti-corruption law that required anonymous shell companies and other firms to disclose their owners.

Why it matters: The move is the latest example of how it's becoming harder to get information about the financial system, even as the ascendance of AI makes it seemingly easier to learn anything you want to know.

Republicans have a new name on their growing list of progressive midterm targets: Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, fresh off a landslide Senate primary win.

Why it matters: With President Trump's approval ratings in the 30s, Republicans are trying to turn the midterms from a referendum on him into a choice between the GOP and a Democratic Party they argue has moved sharply to the left.

White House deputy national security adviser Andy Baker is leaving the administration in the coming weeks.

Why it matters: Baker, who also served as national security advisor to Vice President Vance, was among the staffers most central to the administration's foreign policy and national security decision-making over the last 18 months.

When Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump met in the Oval Office two weeks ago, the president asked the Israeli prime minister how he was doing in the polls ahead of an Oct. 27 election.

• Netanyahu paused. Then one of his advisers piped up: "Mr. President, he is winning," the aide said, according to a U.S. official familiar with the exchange.

Why it matters: Netanyahu is not winning. And so far, Trump hasn't given him the endorsement he hopes for, despite being asked about it repeatedly by reporters.

• The president could still change his mind. But with just 75 days left until the election, time is running short for Netanyahu.