Axios

President Trump signed two executive orders Thursday seeking to narrow birthright citizenship in several circumstances and intensify the federal crackdown on commercial "birth tourism."

• Trump also is seeking to deny birthright citizenship for children born of some foreign diplomatic staff in the U.S. and, potentially, U.S. territories in the future.

Why it matters: It's Trump's second attempt to curb birthright citizenship in the U.S. and is sure to be challenged in court as a violation of the 14th Amendment, which guarantees citizenship to nearly everyone born in America.

Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan and Bank of America allegedly helped enable convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein by delaying the screening and reporting of his financial transactions, according to a Senate Finance Committee report published Tuesday.

The big picture: The report raises questions about how the three banks failed to stop Epstein from moving hundreds of millions of dollars while he was under investigation for sex trafficking.

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) was discharged from a rehab facility and has returned home amid his lengthy absence from Congress, he said in a statement released Thursday by his office.

The big picture: The 84-year-old lawmaker was hospitalized in June and has not been seen in public since, outside of images released by his office.

The years-long saga of prosecuting the Jan. 6 attack effectively came to an end this week, when a judge dismissed a remaining indictment against Oath Keepers members already freed by President Trump.

The big picture: Not only has Trump erased the legal consequences for many Jan. 6 defendants, but his administration has moved to rewrite the history of a deadly day — and oust federal employees who worked on related cases.

President Trump on Thursday publicly defended Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and said reporting suggesting any friction between the two was "treasonous."

Why it matters: The Washington Post and others reported this week that Trump had reached his limits with Hegseth over the state of the country's weapons stockpile and the impact on the war with Iran.

President Trump personally intervened Tuesday night in a dispute over delaying a ban on hemp-derived THC products, calling a key senator.

Why it matters: THC clearly matters to the White House ahead of the midterms.

Abdul El-Sayed's victory in Michigan's Democratic primary for Senate raises the prospect of a rare new addition to the upper chamber: a progressive doctor — albeit one who doesn't practice medicine.

Why it matters: El-Sayed's medical degree and his experience in public health could bring a powerful new perspective to Washington health care debates — particularly those around Medicare for All, which he staunchly supports.

On a good day, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer can see a Democratic majority in 2027.

Why it matters: On a bad one, he can see the caucus that comes with it.

A work slowdown by the Trump administration's immigration offices has exploded the backlog of applications for citizenship, green cards and work permits to an unprecedented 7.5 million people, according to the latest agency data.

• Add the millions of immigrants waiting on decisions for asylum, work visas and permission to stay in the U.S. for humanitarian reasons, and the total backlog soars to more than 12.1 million.

Why it matters: The delays have put potentially millions of people in legal immigration limbo — vulnerable to being arrested by ICE agents and deported, even if they've followed the rules to try to stay in the U.S.

Hadrian, the factory builder and defense manufacturer, raised $1.37 billion in venture capital and is now valued just shy of $8 billion, post-money.

Why it matters: American reindustrialization is catching on beyond niche national-security and investor communities.