Axios

President Trump signed an executive order during his first hours in office to begin the process of pulling the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Agreement — the second time he has done so.

Why it matters: The U.S. is the world's second-largest emitter of planet-warming greenhouse gases and top producer of oil and natural gas.

President Trump said little about China in his inauguration address Monday amid growing signs that he's becoming friendlier with the country he's long assailed.

Why it matters: Trump ignited a trade war with China during his first term and pledged to do the same thing again this time.

Israel expects President Trump to lift the Biden administration's hold on the supply of 2,000-pound bombs in his first days in office, outgoing Israeli ambassador to the U.S. Mike Herzog told Axios.

Why it matters: President Biden's decision to halt the delivery of one shipment of 2,000-pound bombs last May triggered one of the biggest crises the U.S-Israel relationship has faced during the 15-month war in Gaza.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Monday said that private companies can make their own decisions about whether to sell or merge, reversing its previous statement that it opposes any effort by ByteDance to sell TikTok U.S. to a foreign owner.

Why it matters: While a few interested buyers have emerged, China's unwillingness to let ByteDance sell TikTok's U.S. arm has tied the company's hands in the face of a U.S. law that required such a sale to avoid a ban.

The daughter of the late Martin Luther King Jr. warned Monday of "sinister forces" and "some disturbing things to come" just hours before President-elect Trump retook office.

Why it matters: The Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change commemorated MLK Day on Monday as Trump is expected to sign a slew of executive orders ending diversity and inclusion initiatives in the federal government and laying the groundwork for mass deportations.

Donald Trump's second presidency is already off to a blazing start — partly from how aggressively he's seized power, but also because his rival, President Biden, has given Trump a head start on realizing some of his big campaign promises.

Why it matters: The most consequential pre-presidency in recent U.S. history has left Trump uniquely positioned to quickly impose his plans to boost executive power, reshape foreign policy, deport millions of undocumented immigrants and juice the economy.

Optimism for the year ahead has dropped significantly among people of color, LGBTQ+ Americans and many women as President-elect Trump returns to the White House, a new Axios Vibes survey by The Harris Poll finds.

Why it matters: The disparities between demographic groups in terms of how they're feeling heading into 2025 reflect the fact that while Trump's return fills some Americans with hope, many others are deeply concerned.

The Gaza ceasefire saw three hostages held by Hamas since the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks on Israel released on Sunday, along with 90 Palestinian prisoners.

The big picture: In the first hostage-for-prisoner swaps to occur since the ceasefire began Sunday, Israelis Romi Gonen and Doron Steinbrecher and dual British-Israeli national Emily Damar were freed and Israel released a group of prisoners that mostly comprised women and minors.

China's Vice President Han Zheng and Elon Musk met on Sunday ahead of President-elect Trump's inauguration, per Chinese state media.

Why it matters: Chinese leader Xi Jinping deployed his top envoy to attend Trump's inauguration on Monday in an unprecedented move following Trump's threats to impose major tariffs on China.