Axios

Unhoused people. Criminal justice-impacted individuals. Substance use disorder. Birthing people.

• Several Democrats eyeing 2028 runs for president say the party has a vocabulary problem as much as a messaging one. The left's embrace of "woke" buzzwords alienated working-class voters and drove many of them to Donald Trump, they say.

Why it matters: To get them back, they want more Democrats to start speaking more like ordinary people — and less like progressive politicos or liberal arts professors.

Three Stars and Stripes leaders sued the Pentagon on Thursday, alleging Defense Department officials are threatening to fire them in retaliation for exercising their First Amendment rights.

Why it matters: The lawsuit escalates a fight over the editorial independence of a military newspaper partially funded through congressional appropriations.

President Trump told Axios in a phone interview on Thursday that he isn't concerned that Russia will attack NATO countries.

Why it matters: European leaders have grown extremely concerned and warned publicly that Moscow could test NATO's resolve — and Trump's commitment to Article 5, the alliance's collective-defense clause — through a limited attack or other military provocations.

The Trump administration is in talks with Venezuela's interim government about taking an ownership stake in the South American country's enormous oil resources, two U.S. officials tell Axios.

Why it matters: The historic deal would more than double U.S. oil reserves by drawing from a country that has the world's largest proven reserves.

President Trump's playbook for reshaping America's elections targets who appears on voter rolls, how ballots move through the mail, who monitors polling places and where congressional lines are drawn.

• The effort leaves virtually no part of the election system untouched.

Why it matters: Voting-rights experts say the churn is designed to sow confusion, deter turnout and undermine trust in elections. Even measures later blocked in court can create uncertainty and erode trust before Election Day.

Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-N.C.) is pleading with his colleagues to reject his censure in a 22-page letter arguing that the House Ethics Committee made an "extraordinary leap" in determining that his behavior amounted to sexual harassment.

Why it matters: Edwards' aggressive defense of his conduct — allegations that ultimately caused him to drop his reelection bid — comes as he tries to avoid one of the House's most serious punishments.

Private equity giant KKR has agreed to a $250 million settlement with the U.S. Justice Department, over its alleged failure to file proper pre-merger notifications on over a dozen deals in 2021 and 2022.

Why it matters: This is the largest civil penalty ever for HSR Act violations.

Lawyers for Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook have submitted their case for why she cannot legally be fired, as President Trump seeks new avenues for dismissing the Biden appointee for cause.

The big picture: After the Supreme Court ruled against Trump's attempt to fire Cook last year over allegations that she claimed two different properties as her primary residence in mortgage documents, the White House has sought to introduce a more formal process in pursuit of the same goal.

• It is a closely watched case that may determine the political independence of America's central bank, by setting how high the bar is for a president to fire Fed governors.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick will hold fireside chats with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang next week during the U.S.-led G20 Innovation Ministerial in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Why it matters: The Sept. 1–2 summit, co-hosted by the Commerce Department and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, is aimed at fostering global innovation in AI and other technologies.

Free-market consumer groups are pushing back against the Trump administration's effort to set a definition for ultra-processed foods, according to a letter shared first with Axios.

Why it matters: It's the latest example of a rift within the GOP base over health and nutrition policy.