Axios

Palestinians continue traditional Ramadan celebrations in the southern Gaza Strip to a backdrop of devastation from Israeli attacks in the Israel-Hamas war.

The big picture: While observed last year in the thick of the humanitarian crisis, the monthlong Islamic holiday is celebrated this year amid a Gaza ceasefire deal and 42-day truce, which ends on Saturday.

For years, Donald Trump has been obsessed with presidential power, revenge against his enemies — and winning the Nobel Peace Prize.

Why it matters: Now Trump's administration is aggressively pushing him for a Nobel — the obsession that has eluded him. That was a subtext to Friday's Oval Office blowup with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The Oval Office shouting match Friday was shocking. But it wasn't too surprising to anyone close to President Trump or Vice President Vance.

Why it matters: Privately, Trump sees Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a pro-Biden, ungrateful lightweight destined to lose to Russia.

• And Trump advisers believe Zelensky sees Trump as a pro-Putin, delusional fool destined to make him lose to Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he doesn't think he needs to apologize for his public spat with President Trump and Vice President Vance at the Oval Office.

• "I am not sure we did something bad," he said in an interview with Bret Baier aired Friday evening.

Why it matters: The earlier shouting match in front of the cameras led to the explosion of a meeting between the two leaders, with Trump asking Zelensky to leave the White House.

A parade of European leaders issued statements of solidarity with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after his stunning confrontation with President Trump in the Oval Office on Friday.

Why it matters: Trump has plunged the U.S. into a state of unprecedented isolation on the world stage. Ukraine's fate is deeply uncertain, as the country is now at risk of losing its most important partner in the three-year fight against Russia's invasion.

President Trump and his top advisers huddled in the Oval Office after the on-camera shouting match with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday before Trump came to a decision: Zelensky had to go.

Behind the scenes: The delegation from Kyiv waited in another room for about an hour, still hoping to sign the minerals deal that prompted Zelensky's trip and to salvage the visit. Trump and Zelensky were still scheduled to have lunch and hold a joint press conference.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will have to "fundamentally change or go" after a contentious meeting with President Trump on Friday.

Why it matters: Graham has been outspoken in support of Ukraine and for ending Russia's war, but he said he doubts Zelensky can redeem Americans' perception of him after the meeting.

President Trump's explosive Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shocked hawkish Republican lawmakers and led one prominent GOP backer of Ukraine to suggest that Zelensky should resign.

Why it matters: The meeting angered Democrats, who were horrified by Trump and Vice President Vance's conduct. It offended some Republicans, with most of them reserving their ire for Zelensky.

The main event of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to the White House was supposed to be the signing of a minerals deal, but it quickly devolved into a heated argument with President Trump and Vice President Vance.

The latest: After an explosive Oval Office meeting in front of the press, Trump released a statement saying that he had determined Zelensky is "not ready for Peace if America is involved." Lunch and a joint press conference between the two leaders were canceled.

The number of immigrants held in detention under U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has hit the highest level in more than five years, new data show.

Why it matters: The detention surge comes as the Trump administration steps up immigration enforcement and seeks to expand the capacity to detain more immigrants amid a months-long backlog with immigration judges.

President Trump and Vice President Vance's Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Friday quickly turned into a heated argument.

Why it matters: The meeting devolved into a shouting match, with Vance accusing Zelensky of disrespect and of misleading visitors by taking them on "propaganda tours," and Zelensky retorting that Vance had never visited Ukraine.

The U.S. trade deficit for goods widened sharply in January, a result of a record surge of products imported into the country, the Commerce Department said on Friday.

Why it matters: For yet another month, manufacturers and businesses raced to bring goods into the country to get ahead of potential tariffs implemented by President Trump.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have brought on Meredith Maines as their first chief communications officer, Axios exclusively reports.

Why it matters: Perhaps no couple makes more headlines or receives more public scrutiny than the Sussexes, and Maines will be tasked with managing their reputation as well as the reputation of their expanding business portfolio.

It'll be a long, uncertain road from Friday's signing of the U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal to development of resources and revenue that President Trump covets.

The big picture: The pact would create a joint reconstruction fund, partly used to reinvest in Ukrainian minerals, energy and infrastructure projects.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told Axios in an interview on Thursday that she felt "uncomfortable" hearing President Trump and other senior U.S. official in recent weeks "repeating Russian narratives and talking points" about the war in Ukraine.

Why it matters: The former Estonian prime minister has the seemingly impossible job of managing the EU's relationship with Trump's Washington. She received an ominous signal on shortly after arriving in D.C. on Tuesday, when Secretary of State Marco Rubio canceled their meeting planned for the next morning.

After two weeks of verbal attacks, President Trump softened his tone on Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelensky ahead of a key meeting between the leaders Friday.

Why it matters: Zelensky will visit the White House to sign an economic cooperation deal that gives the U.S. access to Ukrainian minerals and other natural resources, such as oil and gas.

The international order forged after World War II is imploding, squeezed on all sides by the return of strongmen, nationalism and spheres of influence — with President Trump leading the charge.

Why it matters: Trump is openly scornful of international institutions and traditional alliances. Instead, he sees great opportunity in a world dominated by superpowers and dictated through dealmaking.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said in claiming a third straight victory for his Progressive Conservatives in the province's election Thursday he'd been given a "mandate" to "stand up" to President Trump's threats to hit Canada with tariffs.

What he's saying: "Donald Trump thinks he can break us," said Ford, who called a snap election this month in response to Trump's threat to impose 25% tariffs on all Canadian and Mexican imports unless they tighten border security.

Mexico extradited 29 people accused of being involved in drug cartels to the U.S. on Thursday, the Department of Justice announced.

The big picture: The move is a part of President Trump's vow to crack down on cartels for what he called in an executive order a "campaign of violence and terror" that saw him designate eight drug cartels as global terrorist organizations last week.