topics

politics-policy

epstein-files

donald-trump

2026-midterm-elections

immigration

behind-the-curtain

race-and-equity

technology

privacy-tech-regulation

automation-and-ai

tiktok-news

big-tech

social-media

cybersecurity

economy

social-security

inflation

tariffs

federal-reserve

jobs

transportation

business

stock-market-news

retail-news

crypto

media

elon-musk

dealmaking

health

rfk-jr

drug-prices

axios-explains-abortion

public-health

world

israel

axios-explains-ukraine

iran

russia

china

energy-climate

nuclear-energy

climate-energy-policy

climate-change

extreme-weather

alternative-energy

electric-vehicles

science

emerging-tech

biomedicine

newsletters

pittsburgh

atlanta

san-diego

charlotte

boulder

washington-dc

kansas-city

dallas

denver

detroit

des-moines

austin

boston

chicago

cleveland

columbus

houston

indianapolis

miami

nashville

new-orleans

nw-arkansas

philadelphia

phoenix

portland

richmond

salt-lake-city

san-antonio

san-francisco

seattle

tampa-bay

twin-cities

raleigh

huntsville

colorado-springs

axios-local

axios-pro

axios-live

the-axios-show

National

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), once the darling of Congress’ hard-right, now faces an uncertain future within a group of her own ideological allies.

Why it matters: New tensions are the byproduct of a long-growing divide among some of the right-wing Freedom Caucus’ most vocal members over strategy, style and support for former President Trump.

Driving the news: The group discussed whether to kick Greene out during a meeting Friday morning, though no final decision has been made, Axios’ Juliegrace Brufke reported.

An internal vote on Friday reflected "there is the support to kick her out," a source familiar with the matter told Axios, but the group — which has never ejected a member — is in uncharted territory.

The backdrop: Greene quickly emerged as one of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-Calif.) biggest right-wing headaches when she was first elected in 2020.

But — like Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), a founding Freedom Caucus member who serves as the chair of the House Judiciary Committee — Greene was eventually brought into the fold.

While 20 Freedom Caucus members kept McCarthy from the speakership for a grueling 15 ballots in January, demanding concessions that have continued to cause headaches, Greene stuck by his side and even criticized the rebels.

What we're hearing: The source said there has been a push to oust members who are “Freedom Caucus members in name only,” but Greene is a “unique case” due to her outspoken criticism of the group at times.

Between the lines: Greene and McCarthy share a close alignment with Trump, who — facing both state and federal indictments — has demanded more loyalty of his congressional allies in recent months than perhaps any time since leaving office.

Like Jordan, Greene has been given plum postings on high-profile committees investigating the Biden administration.

The other side: Several ascendant Freedom Caucus members have taken a different path with both McCarthy and Trump.

The genesis of the split with Trump can be traced as far back as January 2021, when Reps. Chip Roy (R-Texas) and Ken Buck (R-Colo.) signed onto a statement opposing Trump-backed efforts to decertify Biden electors.

Roy and Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.) have since endorsed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for president over Trump. Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) has endorsed former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.

All four have been among McCarthy’s most vocal antagonists — Roy, Good and Norman during the speaker fight, and Buck more recently in a protest of McCarthy’s debt ceiling deal with Democrats.

Yes, but: Greene’s case is at least as personal as it is political.

Her criticism of her colleagues’ repeated breaks with McCarthy hasn’t exactly endeared her to them. 

She became embroiled in an expletive-laden feud with Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) last week while accusing the Coloradan of copying her articles of impeachment against President Biden. 

The big picture: This is all playing out against the backdrop of a broader internal war over the direction of the GOP.

Trump, who has consistently maintained a commanding lead in early primary polls, has attacked DeSantis, a Freedom Caucus member when he was in the House, as too anti-abortion and fiscally conservative.

too anti-abortion and fiscally conservative

Inside the House's right-wing schism

The Freedom Caucus has discussed whether to eject Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Trump and Greene arrive at a Waffle House after speaking at the Georgia Republican Party's state convention on June 10. Photo: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images

Marjorie Taylor Greene

Politics & Policy

Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin's unexpected offensive into the Russian interior may breathe new life into the counteroffensive across the border in Ukraine.

The big picture: Ukraine's forces have made only gradual progress so far in attacking well-defended Russian positions in the south and east of Ukraine. Wagner mercenaries, meanwhile, took control of the major Russian city of Rostov-on-Don and seemed to face little resistance as they covered three-quarters of the roughly 600 miles from there to Moscow.

On the one hand: The short-lived uprising in Russia doesn't appear to have left any major gaps for Ukraine to exploit. Wagner forces were not playing a major role in Russia's defenses, and the mutiny appears to have ended without Russian units being pulled out of Ukraine to help repel it, analysts say.

Wagner did play a central role in the long and bloody battle for Bakhmut, but moved out after declaring victory there as Prigozhin feuded with the Ministry of Defense over plans to integrate his fighters into the conventional military.

"[Wagner] units were not pulled off the line, hence Russian defense (especially in the south) is unlikely to suffer immediately from their absence," notes Michael Kofman, a top analyst of Russia's military at CNA.

According to the Kremlin, Wagner fighters who did not take part in the mutiny will still be allowed to sign contracts with the defense ministry.

"The fact that Wagner is returning to their training camps with military equipment indicates that the Kremlin intends to maintain at least certain elements of Wagner’s manpower rather than seek to immediately demobilize them," Kateryna Stepanenko, a Russia analyst at the Institute for the Study of War, tells Axios.

On the other hand: It's unclear whether Moscow will be able to effectively integrate Wagner's forces, which include some of Russia's most battle-hardened fighters, after such a public fracture.

Wagner units reportedly shot down seven Russian aircraft and killed 13 airmen during the push toward Moscow.

Then there's the psychological blow for civilian leaders and front-line soldiers alike.

Prigozhin challenged President Vladimir Putin's narrative around the Ukraine invasion — claiming it was launched not to defend Russia but to enrich an "oligarchic clan" — and seemed to challenge the president's very hold on power.

More than a year after Russian tanks first rolled toward Kyiv, Russian authorities were blocking roads and bridges to defend their own capital against a potential coup.

"Prigozhin’s rebellion has illustrated that Russian forces lack reserves in many rear areas and almost certainly will degrade the morale of Russian personnel in Ukraine," Stepanenko says, noting that Kyiv might try to use that information to its advantage.

Putin, meanwhile, "must be wondering whether it is a good idea to have so much of his army committed to the fight in Ukraine," writes Lawrence Freedman, a professor of war studies at King's College London.

Putin claimed in a televised address on Monday night that Russian society and, in particular, the security services, had "saved Russia" through their loyalty and patriotism.

In fact, there were few public displays of support for Putin from officials or ordinary citizens, notes Angela Stent, a Russia expert at Brookings. "Everyone was waiting to see which way the wind was blowing."

Stent tells Axios the weekend's events may not have much direct impact on Putin's war plans or his hold on power, but they will have planted seeds of doubt within the Russian elite that could bloom in unpredictable ways.

State of play: Officials in Kyiv seemed to relish the weekend's events, but say not much has changed on the front lines so far.

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu made a public appearance on Monday, and Putin is also likely to retain his top general, Valery Gerasimov, lest it appear that he's giving into Prigozhin's demands to fire them, says Stent.

National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Monday that it was too early to say whether the weekend's events would hamper Putin's ability to wage war in Ukraine or, conversely, make him use more aggressive tactics to show strength.

The White House's intention is "not to get distracted" by the "internal" Russian dispute, and to stay focused on helping Ukraine succeed on the battlefield, Kirby said.

Go deeper: Putin says Wagner rebels "will be brought to justice"

Putin says organizers of Wagner rebellion "will be brought to justice"

How the Wagner rebellion inside Russia affects the war in Ukraine

More than a year after Russian tanks first rolled toward Kyiv, Russian authorities were blocking roads and bridges to defend their own capital.

Wagner fighters on a balcony in Rostov-on-Don. Photo: Roman Romokhov/AFP via Getty Images

Russian invasion of Ukraine

Russia

Ukraine

Conflicts, policies and powers are intersecting and shaping the world. Breaking news and analysis of national security, foreign policy and global crises.

World

With student loan interests set to resume in the coming months, borrowers will need to prepare to make payments.

State of play: It's been more than three years since millions of borrowers have had to make payments on their student loans. Servicers may have changed in that time and portal logins may have been forgotten.

Flashback: Student loan repayments have been on pause since March 2020, when former President Trump issued the first of many pauses during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Of note: Experts warn of a messy return to debt repayment for the millions of Americans who collectively owe more than $1 trillion in student loans and are bracing for the end of a significant pandemic-era break, Axios' Erin Doherty reported.

Meanwhile, Biden's sweeping student debt relief plan remains in limbo, as the Supreme Court prepares to issue a verdict this week.

Student loan interests will resume starting Sept. 1, and payments are expected to be due starting in October, per the Department of Education.

The department will notify borrowers before their payments restart.

For most borrowers, auto-debit payments will not restart automatically. Most people will need to opt-in to confirm their auto-debit enrollment before payments restart.

The Education Department is warning borrowers of scams with unexpected offers of financial aid, including claims from telemarketers and emails with language like "pandemic grant" or "Biden loan forgiveness."

Where can I find my student loan information?

The Education Department's federal student aid website houses much of the information you may need.

It has a chat feature with a virtual assistant that has an option called "I want my loan and grant info."

The feature can help you view your account balance, see a summary of your federal loans and grants, find your loan servicer and more.

Log in to StudentAid.gov. You'll see your Dashboard, which tracks information about your federal student aid, including how much you’ve borrowed and what types of aid you’ve received.

Select "View Details" under the “My Aid” section to see more detailed information about your federal student aid history, including a breakdown of your loans and grants, interest rates, the date the funding was disbursed to you and more.

Emails and letters from your loan servicer may have your student loan account number listed. 

You can also check your account online on your loan servicer’s website.

If you still can’t find your student loan account number, you can contact your loan servicer.

To find out who your loan servicer is, you can log into the federal student aid website and use the "Ask Aidan" virtual assistant feature to quickly find your information.

Alternatively, call Federal Student Aid at 1-800-433-3243.

How to find student loan information before payments resume

It's been more than three years since millions of borrowers have had to make payments on their student loans.

Illustration of a large pile of money with a graduation cap on top.  

Student debt

49% of registered voters have a negative view of Vice President Kamala Harris, compared to 32% with a positive view, per a new NBC News poll.

Why it matters: NBC News says Harris' net-negative rating of -17 is the lowest for a vice president in the history of its poll. 

Zoom out: In Oct. 2019, 34% had a positive view of then-Vice President Mike Pence, while 38% had a negative view, for a rating of -4, per NBC News.

In Dec. 2010, then-Vice President Biden's rating was +1, with 34% having a positive view and 33% having a negative view. 

Former Vice President Dick Cheney's rating was +23 in May 2003, with 47% of registered voters having a positive view of him, compared to 24% having a negative. 

In March of 1995, former Vice President Al Gore's rating was +15, with 42% having a positive view and 27% having a negative one.

Between the lines: "[It] shouldn't surprise anyone that there is going to be a different filter and a different focus put on the first woman to ever be Vice President of the United States, particularly a woman of color," Democratic strategist Cornell Belcher told Axios.

Belcher added that attitudes of vice presidents are typically on par with the approval of presidents.

41.9% of Americans approve of the job Biden is doing, while 53.1% disapprove, per FiveThirtyEight.

The big picture: White House officials have been working to repair Harris' public image and shore up her underwhelming poll numbers ahead of 2024, Axios' Alex Thompson previously reported.

White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients told Axios on Monday that he meets with Harris weekly and touted her policy ideas and leadership. 

“If you think about what matters to the American people, it’s what the Vice President is actually doing and when the American people see her in action every day … I think the enthusiasm and energy is palpable,” Zients said.

“We just need to make sure that we do a good job of exposing” her to the American public, he added. 

What's next: Harris is expected to appear more frequently to tout popular Democratic policy issues, such as infrastructure spending and abortion rights, as the election heats up.

Methodology: The NBC News poll was conducted June 16-20 and included 1,000 registered voters — 831 were reached by cellphone — and has a margin of error of ± 3.1 percentage points.

Among the poll’s 500 Republican primary voters, the margin of error is ± 4.38 percentage points.

Go deeper: VP Harris quietly convenes abortion allies for 2024

NBC News poll: Kamala Harris hits record low for VP net favorability

Just under half, 49%, of registered voters have a negative view of the vice president.

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the Grady Cole Center in Charlotte, North Carolina on June 24. Photo: Erik S. Lesser/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Biden administration

Kamala Harris

Joe Biden

Amazon plans to tap thousands of U.S. small businesses, from bodegas to florists, to deliver its packages by the end of the year, Axios is first to report.

Driving the news: Amazon on Monday will start actively recruiting existing small businesses in 23 states including Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Florida, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, South Dakota, and Washington.

At least 20 cities across the country, including Boston, New York, Los Angeles and Seattle, will be targeted by the program.

The company is interested in working with a wide range of businesses such as florists, coffee shops, clothing stores, among others. Amazon notes they don't need delivery experience to make the partnership work.

Why it matters: Dubbed Amazon Hub Delivery, this is the tech and logistics giant's latest attempt to expand its "last mile" network — the last stage in logistics where packages are ultimately delivered to customers — through external workforces. 

Exclusive: Amazon launches local business delivery network

Amazon wants to tap thousands of U.S. small businesses, from bodegas to florists, to deliver its packages by the end of the year.

Axios

Monday's top stories

Inside the House's right-wing schism

How the Wagner rebellion inside Russia affects the war in Ukraine

How to find student loan information before payments resume

NBC News poll: Kamala Harris hits record low for VP net favorability

Exclusive: Amazon launches local business delivery network

Putin says organizers of Wagner rebellion "will be brought to justice"

Wagner boss claims he wasn't trying to overthrow Russian government

McCarthy threatens Garland with impeachment inquiry

The next president's $4 trillion problem

Barbie's sociocultural meaning in 2023

Texas' record heat wave enters 3rd week as storms slam southern U.S.

U.S. Coast Guard leading investigation into cause of sub implosion