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The U.S. GDP grew to 2.9% in the last quarter of 2017, 0.2 points more than expected and up from the 2.5% annual growth reported in the third quarter.
Why it matters: Holiday shopping sales were even higher than originally reported, especially due to jumps in transportation related spending, reports Business Insider. While the Trump administration has set a lofty goal of 3% GDP growth rate, the economy grew 2.3% overall in 2017, compared to 1.5% in 2016.
Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D- Conn.) called on the Trump administration to declassify intelligence detailing Russian efforts to influence the 2020 elections, telling MSNBC on Sunday that the classified briefing lawmakers received about the Kremlin's activities this week was "absolutely chilling."
The big picture: National Counterintelligence and Security Center Director William Evanina said in a statement Friday that the Russian government is "using a range of measures" to "denigrate" Joe Biden ahead of the election. China and Iran would prefer that Trump is defeated, according to Evanina.
Former FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb said on CBS News' "Face the Nation" that the coronavirus death toll in the U.S. will be "definitely" somewhere between 200,000 and 300,000 by the end of 2020.
Why it matters: "Whether we're closer to 200,000 or closer to 300,000 depends on what we do now and how it evolves," Gottlieb warned on Sunday as the U.S. surpassed five million confirmed coronavirus cases.