Axios

The Obama Presidential Center just dropped its grand-opening performance lineup, and it may go down as one of the best Chicago concerts of the last 50 years.

Why it matters: The opening brings a star-studded roster of performers to Chicago and marks the public debut of one of the city's most anticipated civic projects.

General Motors and Lockheed Martin plan to work together to strengthen U.S. manufacturing and boost America's readiness for war.

Why it matters: The collaboration, at the urging of the Trump Administration, is portrayed as an effort to protect national security by strengthening the U.S. industrial base across the defense sector.

The White House move to restrict access to Anthropic's latest AI model — using what is known as export controls — could harm the long-term financial prospects of the entire U.S. AI industry.

Why it matters: Anthropic and OpenAI's valuations depend on the global adoption of their most advanced models, and government restrictions could limit that growth.

With large-scale oil shipments potentially resuming soon, let's take stock of how the energy shock has bucked conventional wisdom.

Why it matters: What market watchers and participants got wrong could help inform responses to geopolitical upheaval in the future.

American Action Network is launching a $3 million ad campaign in four House districts, Axios has learned, as Republicans sharpen an affordability-focused message ahead of the midterms.

Why it matters: Republicans are trying to make affordability a defining issue of the November elections, betting voters will reward candidates who can claim credit for lowering costs and cutting taxes.

The U.S. oil stockpile is at its lowest level since July 1983, when the country was still just building up its energy supply.

Why it matters: The stockpile, called the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve, played a critical role in keeping a lid on oil and gasoline prices in the Iran war, but it's running low.

Brad Smith, vice chair and president of Microsoft, slammed tech moguls for hypocritical, grandiose warnings that are alienating Americans at a time of huge workforce opportunity.

• "Nobody knows for sure, but let's not panic," Smith, who has been with Microsoft for 33 years, said from the tech giant's headquarters in Redmond, Washington.

Why it matters: Smith is among the tech leaders who think dire predictions about AI's threat to entry-level white-collar jobs are souring young Americans on a miraculous technology.

Vice President JD Vance's memoir about his conversion to Catholicism, out Tuesday, puts a high-profile face on a small but distinctive slice of the U.S. Church.

Why it matters: Parish reports have fueled talk of a Catholic revival. But a new Pew Research Center analysis found the Church loses eight former Catholics for every adult it gains through conversion.

The Trump administration says it wants American AI to dominate the world.

• But its decision to force Anthropic to abruptly cut off access to one of its most advanced models risks sending foreign governments and companies a very different message: Don't build your future on U.S. AI.

Why it matters: As the Trump administration shapes its AI regulatory regime in real time, the precedents it sets could reverberate far beyond an individual showdown with Anthropic.

Senate Democrats on Tuesday are unveiling a proposal to expand Medicare drug price negotiations, in a bid to counter President Trump's election-year messaging on health care affordability.

Why it matters: High prescription drug prices are a key concern for voters ahead of the midterms — one Trump is trying to address through voluntary pricing deals with leading drug companies and with the TrumpRx website.