Axios

The average regular U.S. gasoline price is $3.85 as of Thursday morning, per AAA data.

Why it matters: That's lower than it was, but it's by far the highest price heading into the July 4 weekend since 2022, when the national average was $4.80 on the holiday itself.

Trump Accounts, basically IRA-style investment vehicles for kids, are set to launch on Saturday — and more details are emerging about how they work.

Why it matters: The accounts put a conservative spin on a progressive idea, giving kids money so that they can build wealth — think the "baby bonds" proposal of Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) , but done Wall Street style.

Chalk it up to American exceptionalism: The U.S. is one of only nine countries in the world that doesn't guarantee workers some kind of paid annual leave, according to a comprehensive new analysis of all 193 United Nations member states.

Why it matters: These policies have become fairly standard around the world — they're not merely some European August vacation thing — but paid vacation in the U.S. is seen more as a privilege managed privately by employers.

The Supreme Court spent its just-completed term sidelining Congress and amassing power for the ascendant branches of government: the presidency and the court itself.

Why it matters: As the court strips Congress of its power, decisions over people's money, jobs, votes and health shift toward the president and nine justices appointed for life.

• After this term, Congress can't insulate regulators from the president, limit political parties' spending or require race-conscious voting districts.

ASPEN, Colo. — Colorado's Democratic governor, Jared Polis, defended data centers, touted oil and gas rules and bemoaned climate change in a recent interview in this mountain town.

Why it matters: Colorado has long been a microcosm of the nation's debates on energy, AI and the effects of a warming planet.

Nineteen former military and defense officials praised Democratic governors who declined to send National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., for this weekend's America 250 celebration in a letter Wednesday.

Why it matters: The endorsements add weight to Democratic governors' argument that National Guard deployments for the celebration could be viewed as serving political rather than traditional security purposes.

Former CIA Director John Brennan sued the Trump administration Tuesday, seeking a court order requiring officials to preserve records related to investigations into him.

Why it matters: If Brennan is later charged, preserved records could be central to any claim that the prosecution amounted to unconstitutional political retaliation.

After losing the birthright citizenship case at the Supreme Court, President Trump's aides and MAGA allies quickly pivoted to a new plan: blocking pregnant foreign women from entering the United States.

Why it matters: The proposal would open a new immigration battle over pregnancy, travel and citizenship, shifting the conversation from challenging the rights of children born in the U.S. to restricting who can enter the country.

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado's repeated efforts to return to her home country — and stage a photo op — after last week's devastating earthquakes there have outraged top Trump administration.

Why it matters: Machado's high-profile attempts to return have saddled the State Department with "extra needless drama," an official said, and threaten to inflame political tensions in Venezuela amid U.S.-assisted relief efforts.

• "It's political opportunism and it's grotesque," a senior administration official said, echoing four others.
• "She wants a photo op of her passing out our aid," a second official said. "This is about her interests."

The White House will not renew the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, triggering a new phase of annual reviews of the North American trade pact that President Trump signed in his first term.

Why it matters: The agreement is not dead. But by declining to extend it, the administration is setting up years of annual reviews — fresh uncertainty for businesses that depend on trade with two of America's largest trading partners.