National

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) addressed his hospitalization Sunday, following a fall some four weeks ago. 

Why it matters: McConnell's comments are his first public explanation of the hospitalization that fueled weeks of speculation about his health ahead of his planned retirement.

Driving the news: McConnell said in a statement released by his office that he developed "a mild case of pneumonia" while hospitalized after a fall about four weeks ago. He was admitted after sustaining minor injuries in the fall.

The Office of the Attending Physician said in a separate statement included in the same email that the 84-year-old seven-term senator had experienced several falls this year that were attributed to his post-polio condition.

What he's saying: "My doctors have confirmed that I didn't break any bones or suffer a concussion. I didn't have a heart attack or a stroke," McConnell said.

"I don't have any tumors or hemorrhages. But I was briefly unconscious and was taken to the hospital. While receiving excellent care over the past several weeks, I've also had to deal with a mild case of pneumonia," he added.

"And part of my decision to retire at the end of my term this coming January was being honest about the demands of Senate work. But I still have unfinished business to complete on your behalf, and I have every intention of finishing the job you elected me to do."

Flashback: McConnell was hospitalized in February over "flu-like symptoms."

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details about McConnell's statement and further context. 

McConnell was hospitalized in February over "flu-like symptoms."

McConnell breaks weeks of silence about his hospitalization

They were his first public comments on his illness.

An elderly man in a pink checkered shirt sits in a hospital bed, smiling, with a newspaper in his lap. A smiling woman in a white blouse sits beside him in a hospital room.

U.S. politics & policy

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

2028

Axios 2028

Josh Shapiro says the 2028 presidential race should be a once-in-a-generation battle over the Democratic Party's core identity. But so far, he isn't picking up his sword to fight.

As progressives and socialists have won primary after primary in recent weeks, the more moderate Shapiro often has been gun-shy about criticizing the left, taking more of a we're-all-in-this-together approach.

Why it matters: Many center-left Democrats are looking for a national leader to go toe to toe with the party's rising socialist wing. For now at least, that's not Shapiro.

The potential 2028 contender's restraint underscores a defining trait: He picks his spots and rarely acts impulsively.

His moves also suggest he doesn't want to completely alienate the left. He's sought to court progressives at times — implicitly acknowledging the movement's growing power.

Driving the news: Shapiro repeatedly has said that Democrats need to have an ideological clash as they did in 1992, when they nominated Bill Clinton, a Southern moderate who went on to defeat President George H.W. Bush.

"What our party has to go through that will be very healthy, and something we've not really done since the 1992 election cycle, is to have a battle over what we believe in," Shapiro told CNN's Dana Bash recently.

He made the same argument in an interview with Politico's Jonathan Martin, telling him, "We are now poised as a party to have what we haven't really had for the last 30 years, and that is a big ideological debate," noting, "the last time our party had a big ideological battle … was 1992."

But as much as Shapiro sounds as if he's itching for a fight, he's often pulling punches.

This month, he struck a positive note on MS Now's "Morning Joe" when asked about democratic socialists romping in recent primaries.

"A through-line is that there is real passion in the electorate" to "elect people who can be a check on Donald Trump's chaos and cruelty and corruption," Shapiro said.

He added that voters have "a lot of pain inflicted by this president and his enablers ripping away health care here in Pennsylvania from a half a million people, ripping away food assistance."

Shapiro, 53, has resisted reporters' efforts to identify him as either a "moderate" or "progressive."

On the podcast "The Press Box," he said Democrats eventually "have to coalesce around policies that maybe aren't left-wing or center or center-left or whatever — it's a little piece of lots of different things."

After interviewing Shapiro, "Press Box" host Joel Anderson said Shapiro is "not going to get dragged into dissing like the Mamdani wing of the Democrats. I think that's an … older type of politician that is going to be lashing out."

Shapiro's posture is markedly different from more combative moderates in his party such as New Jersey Rep. Josh Gottheimer, whose response to democratic socialists' recent victories has been to call them frauds: "If you're a socialist, you're not a Democrat."

New York Rep. Tom Suozzi also has taken a more aggressive tack, joining other centrists to push back against the Democratic Socialists of America: "People who do not support the DSA wring their hands at cocktail parties, while the DSA is organizing."

The difference: Unlike Suozzi or Gottheimer, Shapiro is widely seen as a presidential contender, which would necessitate uniting Democrats of all types.

Yes, but: There are times when Shapiro does distance himself from parts of the left.

He's said he has "profound differences" with Darializa Avila Chevalier, a democratic socialist who ousted Rep. Adriano Espaillat in New York's Democratic primary.

Shapiro also has said that "people who want open borders and no prisons and no police — they're wrong."

But that's a bit of a straw-man argument — virtually no elected officials are talking about defunding the police anymore, not even socialist leaders.

Between the lines: Shapiro's centrist identity is no secret: He is pro-school vouchers, supports an "all of the above" energy policy, and brags about cutting taxes.

But he's tried to find common ground with progressives. He talks regularly with Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, sued an AI company, and put his political muscle behind a Bernie Sanders–backed union leader running for a key House seat.

The other side: Matt Bennett, a former Clinton aide and co-founder of the center-left group Third Way, said it's just a matter of timing. 

"People like Shapiro will articulate very sharp differences with the DSA and the rest of the extreme left. But they probably won't do that until they are fully into a presidential primary."

What they're saying: "Gov. Shapiro has been clear that with a president and a Congress hurting Pennsylvania families and attacking our democracy, no one should take their eye off the task of winning in 2026," Shapiro spokesperson Manuel Bonder said.

Flashback: Though Shapiro often compares this moment to 1992, he has been significantly less aggressive than Clinton.

As Arkansas' governor in the years before he ran, Clinton picked fights with powerful groups on the left, including organized labor, environmental groups, teachers and other activists.

In 1990, the head of Arkansas' AFL-CIO accused Clinton's state administration of "union busting."

The Sierra Club repeatedly criticized Clinton on his policies involving forests and animal pollution.

In 1990, Clinton became the head of the centrist, business-friendly Democratic Leadership Council. The group's first manifesto under Clinton called for the Democratic Party to "expand opportunity, not government."

And when he launched his 1992 campaign, Clinton proudly labeled himself a "different kind of Democrat." 

Shapiro wants a Dem fight — so far, without leading it

Center-left Dems are looking for a national leader to go toe to toe with the party's socialist wing.

Photo illustration of Josh Shapiro surrounded by abstract stars, hand drawn X's and a spotlight on an empty spot of a blue frame. 

Photo illustration: Aïda Amer / Axios. Photo: Rachel Wisniewski / Bloomberg via Getty Images

Photo illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Photo: Rachel Wisniewski/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Election results & voting

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, a staunch ally of President Trump and a long-time advocate for U.S. military action around the world, died suddenly late Saturday, his office said. 

The big picture: Graham's sudden passing deprives countries like Ukraine and Israel of a committed supporter in Congress, as well as a key voice in Trump's ear. 

The latest: The D.C. medical examiner's preliminary examination found that Graham died from an aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to a statement posted by his office on X Sunday afternoon.

Aortic dissection is a tear in the body's main artery that can cause it to split, per the Mayo Clinic, which says it's most common in men in their 60s and 70s. 

Zoom in: "On the evening of Saturday, July 11, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham passed away from a brief and sudden illness," his office said in a statement posted to X. "Senator Graham's family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period."

President Trump said on "Meet the Press" that he spoke to Graham in the 7 p.m. hour Saturday night, and that he understood police were called to his home sometime around 8 p.m.

"He sounded a little tired. But perfect. But a little bit tired. He had a right to be. He was a worker. He was really a worker," Trump said, adding that they had discussed meeting Sunday.

"He was like a member of the family to me. It's very tough actually."

What they're saying: Tributes poured in immediately from Republican leaders and heads of state.

"He was a strong advocate for the United States and a strong ally to freedom-loving countries across the globe. He believed in the might of America to achieve good in the world and dedicated his life to advancing that cause," Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) wrote.

"Israel has lost one of its greatest friends. America has lost a great patriot. I have lost a beloved friend," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. 

"We will always be especially grateful for the recognition of our people and words of admiration for the courage of Ukraine's defenders," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote early Sunday. The two had just met in Kyiv on Saturday.

Zoom out: Graham was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2002 after eight years in the House.

Before politics he had a lengthy military career as a lawyer in the Air Force, and he remained in the Air Force Reserves while in office until his 2015 retirement as a colonel. 

What to watch: Graham was in the middle of running for his fifth Senate term at the time of his passing, a race he was favored to win. 

The New York Times reported Gov. Henry McMaster would appoint a replacement for the rest of Graham's current term, with an election to be held next month to replace him on the ballot this November. 

Potential candidates are already considering the race, including Rep. Nancy Mace.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with new details throughout.  

Herb Scribner, Avery Lotz and Rebecca Falconer contributed reporting. 

Sen. Lindsey Graham dies suddenly at 71

Graham was a close ally of President Trump and a staunch supporter of Israel and Ukraine.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, seated behind a name plate that says Mr Graham and Chairman. 

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Donald Trump

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who died suddenly Saturday, spent his final weeks laying the groundwork for an ambitious new push to normalize relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel, he told me in multiple conversations over the past several weeks.

Why it matters: Graham was one of Washington's most influential and energetic foreign policy figures. He spent decades trying to shape America's role in the world and was still pursuing some of his biggest diplomatic ambitions in the final hours of his life.

Zoom in: Graham saw Saudi-Israel normalization as the defining prize of a broader postwar settlement in the Middle East — one that could outlast the military campaign against Iran and fundamentally reshape the region.

He had worked on the issue for years, including with the Biden administration, and believed the opening created by Iran's weakening could give President Trump a rare chance to broker a historic agreement.

Graham's plan was to begin an intensive diplomatic push after Israel's October elections and the U.S. midterms, with the goal of reaching a deal before the new Congress was sworn in in January.

Yes, but: Graham believed the war with Iran first had to be brought under control, especially the ongoing crisis in the Strait of Hormuz.

He had urged Trump to authorize a short, overwhelming military operation to reopen the strait if diplomacy failed.   

Zoom out: Graham was one of the key figures outside of the administration that Trump consulted with on foreign policy and national security, especially around the Iran war. 

He helped lead a group of hawkish advisers who backed the U.S. campaign and urged Trump to intensify military pressure on Tehran.

In mid-May, Graham began urging Trump to make Saudi-Israel normalization the centerpiece of a broader regional "day-after" plan for the war.

A week later, Trump told the leaders of several Arab and Muslim countries during a conference call that he wanted them to establish relations with Israel if an agreement could be reached to end the war with Iran. His primary focus was Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had previously shown a willingness to normalize relations with Israel, though his enthusiasm had cooled over the past year.

Saudi officials continued to insist that any deal must include an irreversible, time-bound path toward the creation of a Palestinian state.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right government rejected that condition, and it remains unclear whether Israel's political landscape after the October election will create room for such a move. 

Behind the scenes: Graham told me in recent weeks he had discussed the initiative with Trump, as well as U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, and that they had agreed to pursue it in a coordinated way.

Graham also said he had spoken with Netanyahu confidant Ron Dermer, Saudi Ambassador to Washington Princess Reema bint Bandar and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan.

He had been planning a trip to Saudi Arabia and Israel in the coming weeks to assess the appetite for reopening talks.

Graham told me that, should there be an opening, he wanted intensive work to begin in September so the pieces of a deal could be in place by November.

Between the lines: Graham believed the effort faced two intertwined political challenges — securing enough votes in Congress and producing an Israeli government willing to meet Saudi Arabia's conditions.

A central element of the proposed agreement was a U.S.-Saudi defense treaty whose text had largely been negotiated during the Biden administration.

Such a treaty would require support from two-thirds of the Senate. Given the political climate in Washington, Graham believed the lame-duck session after the November midterms offered the only realistic window for ratification.

Winning enough Democratic votes would require the deal to include meaningful progress on the Palestinian issue — including an Israeli commitment to a future Palestinian state and concrete steps toward that goal.

That created a parallel challenge in Israel: ensuring that the government formed after the October election was willing and politically capable of making those commitments.

Graham told me he intended to work with Trump and his team to make clear to Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders that Washington expected the next government to move in that direction — and to press it hard to do so.

The final hours: Graham spoke with Trump by phone Saturday night and briefed him on his recent trip to Ukraine and the Russia sanctions bill he wanted the Senate to vote on soon.

Trump told Graham he was preparing to launch fresh strikes against Iran after another attack on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

A person who spoke with Graham shortly afterward said the senator complained that he was feeling unwell. When the person urged him to seek medical attention immediately, Graham said he would do so Sunday morning after his scheduled appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press."

Graham then joked: "I can't die now. I still need to do the Russia sanctions, get Iran sorted out and do Israeli-Saudi normalization."

Inside Lindsey Graham's final push for Saudi-Israel peace

Graham saw Saudi-Israel normalization as the defining prize of a broader postwar settlement.

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Hill Leaders

Axios Hill Leaders

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who died at 71 last evening from what his office called a "brief and sudden illness," found a way to remain relevant through nearly every phase of modern Washington.

The big picture: Graham first rose to national prominence in 1999 as one of the House managers during President Bill Clinton's Senate impeachment trial. 

After winning election to the Senate in 2002, Graham became one of President George W. Bush's most reliable defenders.

Graham's closest political ally, and best friend in the Senate, was the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). The two shared a hawkish worldview, a deep skepticism of Vladimir Putin and a belief that American power, when used wisely, could be a force for good.

Zoom out: Long before Graham became a Sunday show regular, he was McCain's loyal wingman — riding the campaign bus, bantering with reporters and smoothing out conflicts among McCain senior aides.

Graham was friendly with the press, throwing back White Russians and telling political tales from South Carolina. To the end, reporters called him directly on his cellphone. Sometimes he called them.

State of play: Like much of Washington, Graham changed during the Trump era. He grew more guarded with reporters, and could be short with them in the Senate subway. 

He forged a close working relationship, and a frequent golfing partnership, with the president who once dismissed McCain, a naval aviator and prisoner of war in Vietnam, as "not a war hero."

Graham and Trump were largely aligned on Iran. But they often diverged on Russia. Graham consistently pressed for tougher sanctions on Putin, while Trump sought to preserve room for engagement.

After private meetings at the White House, Graham invariably sang from Trump's song sheet.

Go deeper: Sen. Lindsey Graham dies suddenly at 71 

Remembering tenacious, ubiquitous Lindsey Graham

Graham died on Saturday from what his office called a "brief and sudden illness."

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) speaks during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on April 27, 2026.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) speaks during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on April 27, 2026. (Photo by Heather Diehl/Getty Images)

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is delivering a masterclass in global monoculture, stacking blockbuster ratings, on-field theatrics and a superstar race for soccer immortality.

Why it matters: Skeptics spent months bracing for the World Cup to collide with a polarized, parochial and priced-out American public. The tournament has answered back with the largest U.S. viewing audiences in soccer history.

State of play: Even with all three host nations eliminated, ratings, attendance and buzz are through the roof heading into a dream semifinal slate: England–Argentina and France–Spain.

USA–Belgium in the round of 16 drew a final combined audience of 50.1 million viewers on Fox and Telemundo — the largest soccer audience ever recorded in the U.S., even in a 4–1 blowout loss. 

Mexico–England turned Estadio Azteca into a crucible of noise and nerves, as 80,000 fans nearly roared the home team to an upset before England escaped 3–2. The spectacle pulled in 46.7 million U.S. viewers.

Together, Fox says these were the most-watched non-NFL sports events in the U.S. since the 1994 Winter Olympics.

Zoom in: On the ground, the World Cup has transformed into a massive, unexpectedly festive cultural exchange, completely upending pre-tournament anxieties.

FIFA says 6,259,584 fans attended matches through the round of 16, filling 99.7% of seats with an average crowd of 65,204.

More than 7.7 million fans have packed FIFA Fan Festivals across the three host countries, turning downtowns, parks and plazas into rolling global block parties.

Viral scenes of fans marveling at America's abundance — tailgates, ballparks, all-night diners, reflexive hospitality — have united millions in an unlikely, uncomplicated moment of national pride.

Zoom out: The gameplay itself has delivered nonstop theater, anchored by the tightest scoring race in World Cup history.

England survived Norway 2–1 behind Jude Bellingham's two-goal star turn, including an extra-time winner that ended viral star Erling Haaland's breakout World Cup run.

Defending champion Argentina has spent the knockout rounds flirting with disaster, from its three-goal, final-minutes comeback against Egypt to Saturday night's extra-time escape against Switzerland.

France's Kylian Mbappé and Argentina's Lionel Messi are tied atop the Golden Boot race with eight goals each, setting up a showdown between soccer's immortal past and inevitable future.

The other side: For all of America's success as a host, the U.S. national team's tournament ended in abject humiliation.

Its final game was stained by the Folarin Balogun red-card saga, after President Trump confirmed he asked FIFA to review Balogun's suspension before FIFA cleared him to play against Belgium.

The controversy fed a global backlash over favoritism and political meddling, with UEFA, Belgium's federation and former stars questioning whether FIFA bent its own rules for the host nation.

Balogun played, the U.S. still got routed, and Belgium's players celebrated by mocking Trump — a brutal final image for a tournament that otherwise won over a skeptical country.

What to watch: America's soccer mania will face its real test after the final whistle blows.

Historically, U.S. interest in soccer has spiked hard during World Cups and faded quickly once the tournament ends, with little lasting bump in ratings or attendance carrying into the next four-year cycle.

"The World Cup is a lot like the NCAA Tournament, or Olympics. People only tune in for a brief moment, say they are going to keep going and lose interest after a while," soccer historian Stephen Brandt tells Axios. "It's fun while it lasts."

Netflix, Disney and YouTube are already betting this time is different, considering bids of up to $2 billion for combined English- and Spanish-language U.S. rights to the 2030 and 2034 World Cups.

The bottom line: The World Cup has made America feel, briefly, like a soccer country. The harder test is whether that feeling survives this year's once-in-a-generation spectacle.

Go deeper: Trump threatens America's World Cup goodwill with one phone call

Trump threatens America's World Cup goodwill with one phone call

America's World Cup spectacle smashes expectations

Ratings, attendance and buzz are through the roof.

Animated illustration of a spinning soccer ball, with smiley faces in the pentagon shapes.

Media & journalism industry

Shifts in technology and media are changing the way we play, watch and understand sports. Business models are adapting and social change is forcing those in charge of teams and leagues to reconsider decades-old practices.

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Business

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) is "strongly considering" a run for U.S. Senate following the sudden death of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), two sources familiar with her thinking told Axios.

Driving the news: Graham passed away late Saturday from "a brief and sudden illness," his office announced in a statement early Sunday morning.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster will be able to appoint an interim replacement to serve out the remainder of Graham's term through Jan. 3.

But Graham was up for re-election this cycle, meaning an Aug. 11 special election will have to be held to replace him as the GOP nominee.

The winner of the primary will face Democratic candidate Annie Andrews, a doctor, in November.

What we're hearing: One of the sources familiar with Mace's thinking characterized her mindset as "YOLO," or "you only live once."

Mace's team plans to get a poll in the field on Monday gauging her viability, the second source said.

Mace previously ran for South Carolina governor but finished fifth in the primary. State attorney general Alan Wilson won the nomination. 

The intrigue: Mace has run for this seat once before.

She ran in the 2014 primary in the hopes of unseating Graham, finishing fifth behind the incumbent and three other primary challengers.

She went on to be elected to the state legislature in 2018 before ascending to Congress in 2020. 

She began her tenure in the House as a Trump-critical Republican, but later became an outspoken Trump supporter and social conservative.

Nancy Mace eyes run for Lindsey Graham's Senate seat

The congresswoman is "strongly considering" a run, according to a source familiar with her thinking.

Portrait of a smiling woman with long brown hair, wearing a black blazer and white blouse with a gold pendant necklace, standing outdoors near an arched stone building.

Rep. Nancy Mace outside the U.S. Capitol on May 12. Photo: Graeme Sloan/Getty Images

The U.S. military launched a new round of strikes against Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday in response to an IRGC missile attack that left a commercial cargo ship badly damaged.

Iran retaliated by launching drones and missiles at Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Jordan.

Why it matters: The renewed exchange of fire further threatens last month's U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding (MOU), and comes hours after regional diplomats concluded negotiations aimed at resolving the standoff over the Strait of Hormuz.

The Trump administration had demanded Friday that Iran publicly guarantee safe passage through the strait, a key U.S. condition for halting the cycle of fighting between the two countries.

Instead, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) struck a commercial cargo ship and declared the strait "closed until further notice."

Driving the news: CENTCOM said in a statement that the Cyprus-flagged container ship was unable to continue its journey after suffering an onboard fire and significant engine-room damage. A civilian crew member is missing.

In response, the U.S. launched strikes targeting Iranian air and surface-surveillance radars, missile and drone storage facilities, missile and drone launch sites, and surface-to-air missile launchers, a U.S. official said.

CENTCOM said U.S. forces hit approximately 140 Iranian military targets with precision munitions launched by land- and sea-based fighter aircraft, drones and naval vessels.

"The United States is imposing a heavy cost by continuing to degrade Iran's ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the strait," CENTCOM said.

"Iran made a poor choice. Now they pay," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted on X.

State of play: The IRGC claimed it had warned several ships not to use what it described as an unauthorized route through the strait, and fired a "warning shot" after the cargo ship failed to change course.

"Following this incident ... the Strait of Hormuz will be closed until further notice and until the end of the American interventions in this area, and no vessels will be allowed to pass through it," the IRGC said.

Zoom in: Oman proposed fully reopening both shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz during Saturday's talks, according to a diplomat briefed on the negotiations.

Under the proposal, the southern route through Omani waters would reopen without any requirement for prior approval, restoring the rules that were in place before the war, the diplomat said.

Iran's delegation could not get approve for the proposal in Muscat and took it back to Tehran for further internal discussions, according to the diplomat.

The commercial cargo ship struck by the IRGC was transiting the southern route that Oman had proposed reopening without restrictions, according to the U.S. official.

U.S. and Iran trade strikes after IRGC declares Strait of Hormuz "closed"

The IRGC declared the strait will be "closed until further notice."

Axios

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