Updated Feb 4, 2018

White House withdraws its nominee to lead environmental council

Haley Britzky

Photo: Andrew Harrer-Pool / Getty Images

The White House has withdrawn the nomination of Kathleen Hartnett White to lead the Council on Environmental Quality, the Washington Post reports, amid mounting concerns about her lack of related expertise and past comments on climate change. A White House official had told Axios on Friday she was withdrawing her nomination.

  • Per Axios' Ben Geman: "Hartnett White faced criticism from members of both parties during her rocky confirmation process. Democrats have strongly attacked her for refusing to endorse the scientific consensus that human activities have been the dominant cause of warming since the mid-20th century," while farm state Republicans took issue with "her past criticisms of ethanol and the federal Renewable Fuel Standard."

Go deeper: What we learned about Hartnett White.

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Courtenay Brown

Airline industry braces for a forever-changed world

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

The airline industry got a $58 billion lifeline in the coronavirus federal aid package. But the path is unclear for these companies, whose operations and prospects will be forever changed by the global pandemic.

Why it matters: People may want to minimize travel for the foreseeable future. Investors, analysts and industry watchers are trying to determine how much airlines will need to spend — and how much more in lost revenue they'll see — while they adapt to the new reality.

Go deeperArrow41 mins ago - Economy & Business
Axios

Trump denies seeing Navarro memos warning about toll of coronavirus

President Trump said at a press briefing Tuesday that he "didn't see" memos from his trade adviser Peter Navarro warning in January and February that the coronavirus crisis could kill more than half a million Americans and cost close to $6 trillion.

Why it matters: Trump insisted that despite not seeing the memos, he did "more or less" what Navarro suggested by banning non-U.S. citizens from traveling from China effective Feb. 2.

Go deeperArrow51 mins ago - Politics & Policy
Zachary Basu

Acting Navy secretary resigns over handling of virus-infected ship

Thomas Modly. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly resigned Tuesday after apologizing for comments he made about Capt. Brett Crozier, who was removed when a letter he wrote pleading with the Navy to address the coronavirus outbreak aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt was leaked to the press. The resignation was first reported by Politico.

Why it matters: The controversy over Crozier's removal was exacerbated after audio leaked of Modly's address to the crew, in which he said Crozier was either "too naive or too stupid to be a commanding officer of a ship like this." After initially backing Modly's decision, President Trump said at a briefing Monday that he would "get involved."

Go deeperArrowUpdated 1 hour ago - Politics & Policy