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National

A U.S. congressional delegation met with Taiwan's new president on Monday and promised weapons the self-governing island ordered in the face of threats from China were on their way.

Why it matters: The visit, led by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Michael McCaul (R-Tex.), comes days after the Chinese military held drills around the democratically run island it claims is its territory in protest at the inauguration of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te.

Taipei officials have in recent months expressed concerns about delays in shipments of U.S. weapons as overstretched suppliers send arms to aid Ukraine fighting Russia's invading forces.

State of play: Congress passed an aid package last month that included around $2 billion in support of the Taiwanese military and other U.S. allies in the Pacific.

McCaul emphasized the importance of supplying Taiwan during a news conference in Taipei after meeting with Lai.

"We are moving forward on those weapons systems," he said. "I'd like to see them faster, but they are forthcoming."

The big picture: U.S. lawmakers' visits to Taipei typically raise the ire of Beijing, which sees any move that appears to treat Taiwan as an independent country as an affront.

After McCaul's last visit in April, Chinese officials placed sanctions on him.

The Chinese military performed live ammunition drills near Taiwan after then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the island in 2022.

Zoom in: Other members of the bipartisan delegation to Taiwan included Reps. Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.), Young Kim (R-Calif.), Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.), and Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.).

During their trip, the delegation met with Taiwanese authorities to discuss regional security, trade and investment to explore new areas of collaboration between the U.S. and Taiwan, according to a statement from McCaul's office.

U.S. "moving forward" with weapons for Taiwan, Rep. McCaul says

Taipei officials have in recent months expressed concerns about delays in U.S. weapons shipments.

Rep. Michael McCaul and Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te, dressed in a cowboy hat, in Taipei.

Rep. Michael McCaul and Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te, dressed in a cowboy hat, a gift from the Republican congressman, during their meeting inside the presidential office building in Taipei on Monday. Photo: Taiwanese presidential office/President Lai Ching-te via X

Taiwan

China

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

World

2024 will be an election year like no other, as President Biden seeks re-election amid economic uncertainty, two wars and questions about his age. His likely foe, former President Trump, faces felony charges and vows revenge on his political enemies. Meanwhile, Americans generally are dissatisfied with those choices and are divided over immigration, race, education and more.

Politics & Policy

Latest news on Wall Street, Corporate America and financial regulation.

Business

The Biden administration is still assessing whether an Israeli strike that killed at least 45 displaced Palestinians at a tent camp in Rafah on Sunday is a violation of President Biden's "red line," two U.S. officials told Axios.

Why it matters: Biden threatened earlier this month to suspend the delivery of some U.S.-made offensive weapons if Israel entered population centers in Rafah, the city in southern Gaza viewed as Hamas' last stronghold.

U.S. officials later explained that a humanitarian crisis as a result of the mass displacement of civilians from Rafah could also constitute a violation of Biden's red line.

The big picture: The airstrike was the deadliest incident in Rafah since Israel began its offensive in the city in early May, with health officials in Hamas-run Gaza reporting that women and children were among those killed.

It took place just days after the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to immediately halt military operations in Rafah.

Driving the news: The Israel Defense Forces announced on Monday that it opened an operational investigation into the airstrike. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the civilian deaths "a tragic mistake."

A U.S. official said the White House is in the process of determining what exactly happened in order to decide if the circumstances warrant U.S. action.

A White House National Security Council spokesperson told Axios that the Biden administration is actively engaging the IDF and partners on the ground to assess what happened.

What they're saying: "The devastating images following the IDF strike in Rafah last night that killed dozens of innocent Palestinians are heartbreaking. Israel has a right to go after Hamas ... but as we've been clear, Israel must take every precaution possible to protect civilians," the spokesperson said.

Behind the scenes: In the days before the catastrophic air strike, White House officials felt they had managed to significantly influence Israel's operational plans for Rafah in a way that would prevent mass civilian casualties, according to three U.S. officials.

When White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan was in Israel last week, he held several hours of discussions with senior Israeli officials about the Rafah operation.

Those talks included a detailed briefing from Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and IDF chief of staff Herzi Halevi.

A senior U.S. official said Sullivan felt that many of the administration's concerns were addressed in Israel's updated plans for Rafah, and that it was possible to see how an operation could be conducted without crossing Biden's "red lines."

This assessment led to the U.S. softening its opposition to the IDF's expansion of its Rafah operations, which included Sunday's air strike.

A U.S. official said the Rafah incident is likely to increase political pressure on Biden to change his policy toward the war in Gaza.

Zoom in: The IDF investigation will be conducted by a special unit tasked with investigating such incidents before the military's Advocate General decides whether to open a criminal probe.

Israel's government says the IDF General Staff's Fact-Finding and Assessment Mechanism is an independent body. 

Between the lines: The IDF said the strike was carried out based on prior intelligence that pointed to the presence of senior Hamas officials who were planning attacks in the West Bank.

An Israeli defense official said the strike was conducted by a fighter jet that used "two munitions with a reduced warhead," which they said are intended specifically for a strike of these types of targets. 

The official said the bombs were dropped roughly 40 meters from the tent camp and most likely caused the fire that killed dozens of Palestinians. 

"Before the strike, a number of steps were taken to reduce the risk of harming uninvolved civilians during the strike, including conducting aerial surveillance, the deployment of precise munitions by the Israeli air force, and additional intelligence," the IDF said.

"Based on these measures, it was assessed that there would be no expected harm to uninvolved civilians. The IDF regrets any harm to uninvolved civilians during combat."

What to watch: Tensions between Israel and Egypt over Rafah escalated Monday when an Egyptian soldier opened fire at Israeli forces on the Palestinian side of the border and was shot dead.

Both the IDF and the Egyptian military said they are conducting a joint investigation into the incident.

A clash between Israel and Egypt was one of the main concerns the Biden administration about a possible Rafah operation.

White House assessing if Israel violated "red line" with Rafah strike

At least 45 Palestinians were killed, according to health authorities in Hamas-run Gaza.

Palestinians gather at the site of the Israeli strike on the tent camp in Rafah. Photo: Eyad Baba/AFP via Getty Images

Israel

In between Truth Social posts praising veterans for their service, former President Trump on Memorial Day lashed out at E. Jean Carroll and the judges overseeing his various trials.

Why it matters: Trump, who will return to a Manhattan court room for closing arguments in his Stormy Daniels hush money case Tuesday, faces significant legal jeopardy as he campaigns to return to the White House.

Trump's rambling post also attacked "the Human Scum that is working so hard to destroy our Once Great Country."

The post came just two hours after Trump's Memorial Day remembrance to fallen servicemembers. Trump later added another post quoting the Bible and praising those who sacrificed their lives for others.

What he's saying: Trump didn't attack Carroll by name, but he called her "a woman, who I never met before (a quick handshake at a celebrity event, 25 years ago, doesn't count!)."

A jury awarded Carroll $83 million in damages in January after finding Trump had damaged her reputation after she accused the former president of sexually assaulting her in the 1990s.

Trump also called Judge Arthur Engoron, who presided over his civil fraud case "the N.Y. State Wacko Judge who fined me almost 500 Million Dollars (UNDER APPEAL) for DOING NOTHING WRONG, used a Statute that has never been used before, gave me NO JURY."

Trump, two of his sons, and Trump Organization associates were ordered to pay $364 million in penalties for defrauding New York.

The Truth Social post ended with a reference to Judge Juan Merchan who is presiding over Trump's ongoing criminal hush money case in New York, which is expected to head to a jury this week.

The other side: President Biden attended a wreath laying ceremony at Arlington National Ceremony and used his speech to praise servicemembers' sacrifices and to defend the importance of democracy.

Trump spends Memorial Day lashing out at "Human Scum," E. Jean Carroll, judges

Trump on Truth Social attacked  "the Human Scum that is working so hard to destroy our Once Great Country."

Former President Donald Trump attends the NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola  600 on May 26, 2024.

Former President  Donald Trump attends  the NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 on May 26, 2024,  in Charlotte, NC. Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Donald Trump

Elections 2024

President Biden used his Memorial Day speech to honor troops who died fighting for the United States, saying they gave their lives in the hope of a "more perfect union" during remarks at Arlington National Cemetery. 

The big picture: Biden's speech and laying of a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier are annual traditions for the president on Memorial Day. 

Biden was accompanied at the tomb by Vice President Kamala Harris and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.  

What he's saying: "We gather at this sacred place, at this solemn moment, to remember, to honor the sacrifices of hundreds of thousands of women and men who have given their lives to this nation." Biden said. 

Each of the veterans, he said, was "bound by a common commitment, not to a place, not to a person, not to a president, but to an idea unlike an idea in human history. The idea of the United States of America." 

The president mentioned his grief over the death of his eldest son, Beau Biden, an Iraq War veteran who died in 2015 from a brain tumor developed in part by exposure to a toxic burn pit while working in Iraq. 

Biden told the families gathered that his loss was not the same as Beau did not die on a battlefield but that "the pain of his loss is with me every day, as it is with you." 

State of play: Biden used his speech to praise democracy and how it has shaped America. 

"Our democracy is more than just a system of government, it's the very soul of America," he said. 

"Decade after decade, tour after tour, these warriors fought for our freedom and the freedom of others. Because freedom has never been guaranteed, every generation has to earn it. Fight for it," he said. 

"Defend it in battle between autocracy and democracy. Between the greed of a few and the rights of many." 

The president also encouraged the crowd to recommit to the future of the United States, saying that the veterans they were there to honor had "a future grounded in freedom, democracy, opportunity and equality. Not just for some, but for all." 

"America is the only country in the world founded an idea. The idea that all people are created equal and deserve to be treated equal all throughout their lives," Biden said. 

Biden praises democracy in Memorial Day speech honoring troops

"Our democracy is more than just a system of government, it's the very soul of America," Biden said.

President Joe Biden participates in a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

President Joe Biden participates in a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, in observance of Memorial Day on May 27, 2024, in Arlington, Va. (Photo by Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

Joe Biden

Axios AM

The most interesting story in Sunday's Washington Post was on Page A3 — and 1,221 days late.

It turns out that The Post's former Supreme Court reporter, Bob Barnes, did a front-yard interview with Justice Samuel Alito on Jan. 20, 2021 — President Biden's inauguration day — about the upside-down American flag that had flown outside the justice's home in Fairfax County, Va.

The Post decided it wasn't a story, until The New York Times broke the news on May 16 — 3 years, 4 months later.

Why it matters: The flag — which Alito attributed to his wife, Martha-Ann Alito — raised ethics questions that were heightened after The Times reported last week on a second provocative flag flown at an Alito property.

What they're saying: Cameron Barr, the Post's former senior managing editor, told Semafor's Ben Smith that he takes responsibility for the decision.

"I agreed with Bob Barnes and others that we should not do a single-slice story about the flag, because it seemed like the story was about Martha-Ann Alito and not her husband," Barr said.

"In retrospect, I should have pushed harder for that story."

Now it can be told: The Post's weekend story revealed an epic scene back in 2021. Barnes — who covered the court for 17 years, and retired in 2023 — went to the Alitos' home to check a tip, and "encountered the couple coming out of the house":

"Martha-Ann Alito was visibly upset by his presence, demanding that he 'get off my property.' As [Barnes] described the information he was seeking, she yelled, 'It's an international signal of distress!'

"Alito intervened and directed his wife into a car parked in their driveway, where they had been headed on their way out of the neighborhood. The justice denied the flag was hung upside down as a political protest, saying it stemmed from a neighborhood dispute and indicating that his wife had raised it."

"Martha-Ann Alito then got out of the car," The Post continues, "and shouted in apparent reference to the neighbors: 'Ask them what they did!'"

"She said yard signs about the couple had been placed in the neighborhood. After getting back in the car, she exited again and then brought out from their residence a novelty flag, the type that would typically decorate a garden. She hoisted it up the flagpole. 'There! Is that better?' she yelled."

Asked for comment by Axios, The Post noted that the weekend story addresses why the account wasn't published at the time:

"The Post decided not to report on the episode at the time because the flag-raising appeared to be the work of Martha-Ann Alito, rather than the justice, and connected to a dispute with her neighbors, a Post spokeswoman said. It was not clear then that the argument was rooted in politics, the spokeswoman said."

Washington Post sat on Alito upside-down flag interview for years

A Washington Post spokesperson told Axios they held the story "because the flag-raising appeared to be the work of Martha-Ann Alito."

Pair of photos of flags outside Alito homes in Virginia and N.J., obtained by The New York Times

Inverted U.S. flag at the Alitos' home in Fairfax County, Va., in 2021, and the "Appeal to Heaven" flag outside their New Jersey vacation home last summer. Photos: Obtained by The New York Times

Supreme Court justices

Memorial Day is seen as the unofficial start to summer and a long weekend for many, but the day is about more than cookouts, sales, and patriotic parades.

Why it matters: The federal holiday commemorates military personnel who lost their lives defending the country.

Memorial Day is observed each year on the last Monday of May, which is May 27.

What to know about Memorial Day and the meaning behind it

Memorial Day was originally called "Decoration Day."

Axios

Monday's top stories

U.S. "moving forward" with weapons for Taiwan, Rep. McCaul says

White House assessing if Israel violated "red line" with Rafah strike

Trump spends Memorial Day lashing out at "Human Scum," E. Jean Carroll, judges

Biden praises democracy in Memorial Day speech honoring troops

Washington Post sat on Alito upside-down flag interview for years

What to know about Memorial Day and the meaning behind it

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