The top priority for the CIA's new leadership is China, and in particular helping U.S. companies maintain "a decisive technological advantage" in areas like AI, chips, biotech and battery technology, Deputy Director Michael Ellis told Axios' Colin Demarest in a rare interview.
Why it matters: Ellis and CIA Director John Ratcliffe have pledged to restructure the agency and shift its priorities. Ellis offered insight into how exactly they plan to go about it.
President Trump felt "horrible" about the impacts of tariffs on China that hit American businesses in April, Commerce Sec. Howard Lutnick said at an Axios event on Wednesday.
Why it matters: Lutnick said the pain was necessary — but he again insisted prices won't rise for consumers.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) said Russian President Vladimir Putin is playing President Trump "like a fiddle," at an Axios event Wednesday.
Why it matters: Bipartisan pressure is growing in the Senate for the White House to give lawmakers the green light to pass a new package of sanctions against Moscow.
Israel is making preparations to swiftly strike Iran's nuclear facilities if negotiations between the U.S. and Iran collapse, two Israeli sources with knowledge of the discussions tell Axios.
Why it matters: The Israeli intelligence community has shifted just in the past few days from believing a nuclear deal was close to thinking talks could soon break down, the sources say.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa got the Zelensky treatment while meeting President Trump Wednesday, with added special effects.
The big picture: Visiting the White House is no longer just a coveted opportunity to earn goodwill with the president and credibility back home. Under Trump 2.0, it carries the risk of a presidential ambush.
The Justice Department announced Wednesday it will seek to dismiss pending police reform agreements in Louisville and Minneapolis, days before the fifth anniversary of George Floyd's murder.
Why it matters: Scrapping proposed consent decrees for two of the nation's most scrutinized police departments is the clearest sign yet that the Trump administration is backing away from federal oversight of alleged police misconduct.
A judge in a late Tuesday order said the Trump administration must "maintain custody and control" of immigrants "being removed to South Sudan or to any other third country" in case he finds such removals were unlawful.
The big picture: Immigration attorneys have accused the administration of deporting immigrants from Myanmar and Vietnam to South Sudan in violation of a court order, per a filing Tuesday that requested their "immediate return."
Why it matters:President Trump has brushed off any concerns about the appearance of accepting the $400 million gift despite objections from Democrats and some Republicans.
During a visit by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, President Trump had videos shown in the Oval Office purporting to show evidence of violence against white people in the country.
The big picture: The visit comes after Trump cut all foreign assistance to the country and parroted false allegations that white South Africans are being subjected to genocide, while granting them refugee status in the U.S.
