Axios

The Trump administration can strip temporary deportation protections from 350,000 Venezuelans, the Supreme Court said Monday.

Why it matters: The Venezuelan immigrants are still challenging the Trump administration's decision to remove their Temporary Protected Status in a lower court, but the Supreme Court's order means those protections can be revoked while the case continues.

President Trump suggested Monday after a call with Russia's Vladimir Putin that ceasefire negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv should take place in the Vatican, hosted by Pope Leo XIV.

Why it matters: This would be a high-profile and potentially risky first act of international diplomacy for the American-born pope.

President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke for around two hours on Monday, after which Trump announced that Russia and Ukraine would "immediately start negotiations toward a ceasefire" and an end to the war.

Why it matters: Trump previously argued his personal involvement would be crucial to achieving any deal, but walked back from any mediator role on Monday and said the talks would be only between the two countries. He added that Pope Leo XIV "would be very interested in hosting" talks in the Vatican.

President Trump has invited newly inaugurated Pope Leo to the White House, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday.

Why it matters: If accepted, the visit would mark the first time a pope has visited the White House since Pope Francis visited then-President Obama in 2015.

Vice President JD Vance considered traveling to Israel on Tuesday but decided against it due to the expansion of Israel's military operation in Gaza, a senior U.S. official told Axios.

Why it matters: The U.S. official said Vance made the decision because he didn't want his trip to suggest the Trump administration endorsed the Israeli decision to launch a massive operation at a time when the U.S. is pushing for a ceasefire and hostage deal.

The Trump administration conceded this weekend what economists, CEOs and consumers already knew: Americans pay for tariffs.

Why it matters: Nearly a decade of Trump trade arguments held that foreign countries, not Americans, paid the ultimate cost of a trade war.

The Israeli Security Cabinet decided on Sunday to immediately resume the transfer of humanitarian aid to Gaza through existing channels until a new humanitarian aid mechanism starts working, according to two senior Israeli officials.

Why it matters: After the Gaza ceasefire's collapse in early March, Israel halted humanitarian aid into Gaza, resulting in a significant deterioration of the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.

Pope Leo XIV presided over his inaugural Mass on Sunday before a crowd of some 200,000 people.

The big picture: Leo — with world leaders, religious delegations and faithful alike watching — evoked some messages reminiscent of his predecessor Pope Francis and called for love and unity.

White House envoy Steve Witkoff has given Israel and Hamas an updated proposal for a Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal and is pressing the parties to accept it, an Israeli official and a source with direct knowledge told Axios.

Why it matters: The Trump administration is trying to stave off a massive Israeli operation in Gaza, release more hostages, and allow aid in to prevent starvation and a humanitarian catastrophe.

The U.S. may impose some tariffs by region rather than on individual countries, as time runs out to negotiate a laundry list of trade deals globally, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday.

Why it matters: The administration is quickly curtailing its 90-deals-in-90-days ambition, acknowledging the practical realities of trying to negotiate complex trade agreements with dozens of countries simultaneously.

The enduring legacy of President Trump's trip to the Gulf may be the transformation of the Middle East into a global artificial intelligence powerhouse, despite massive risks to the U.S.

Why it matters: The Biden administration saw the Gulf as a backdoor for China to gain access to the computing power needed to advance AI. President Trump and the tech CEOs who joined him in the Middle East see a chance for multibillion-dollar deals.