Politics

This week marked a low point for Republicans as they prepare for the 2024 elections: Former President Trump is once again the dominant force in the party, which is showing little indication of trying to appeal to swing voters. Why it matters: By aligning ...

President Biden's not-yet-official bid for re-election will lean on hundreds of social media "influencers"; who will tout Biden's record — and soon may have their own briefing room at the White House, Axios has learned. Why it matters...

The traditional Easter egg hunt turned into the search for cheaper eggs this year as fewer retailers shell out deals. Why it matters: Egg prices have been dropping recently but were still up 55.4% in February compared to a year earlier, according to the l...

If Republicans step back and look beyond the legal and social-media spectacle of Donald J. Trump , they'll see screaming political sirens everywhere they gaze. Why it matters: The GOP's political trouble has been unfolding slowly but unmistakably,...

The Tennessee GOP-led state House's expulsion of two Democrats could have a rippling impact in state legislatures across the country, where political parties are entrenched on issues like gun control and abortion. Why it matters: Experts warn that maj...

The Israeli military attacked Gaza and launched rare strikes against Lebanon overnight in response to a barrage of rockets fired from Lebanon toward northern Israel earlier Thursday. Dozens of rockets were also fired from Gaza overnight. The big picture: ...

You've heard the binary, change-the-world debate over generative AI: It'll either destroy us — or transform us into a happier, more hyper-creative and productive species. Why it matters: After spending a month talking confidentially to a doz...

Families of gun violence victims can't get the gun control they've been fighting for. But they are winning in court. Driving the news: Victims of the 2017 Sutherland Springs, Texas shooting settled with the Department of Justice for $144.5 million...

House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) on Thursday subpoenaed Mark Pomerantz , a former New York prosecutor who resigned in protest of Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg's initial unwillingness to pursue charges against former President Trump. Why ...

Permanently moving to the U.S. was once as easy as getting on a ship or strolling across a border. Today, most lawful means of entering the country take years because of overwhelmed immigration agencies , rising levels of global migration and a limit on t...

Nearly three decades old, HIPAA appears obsolete and riddled with new technology-induced gaps. Why it matters: With regulators unable and politicians unwilling to address the shortcomings of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, private...

A ProPublica investigation alleging Justice Clarence Thomas accepted luxury trips from an influential Republican megadonor is fueling calls for strict ethics guidelines on the Supreme Court. Why it matters: Recent controversies involving big donors and ch...

It has felt like open season for corporate executives on Capitol Hill lately. Why it matters: High-profile congressional hearings present both a major challenge and opportunity for business leaders — and at the center are carefully crafted, long-ter...

If your local grocery or corner mart is keeping Diet Pepsi, Gatorade or Fritos in stock, you may be able to thank artificial intelligence. Driving the news : PepsiCo, the multinational maker of name-brand soda, chips and sports drinks, may not be a techno...

Born out of necessity in the pandemic, the once-reviled virtual layoff seems here to stay. Why it matters: The practice of firing people via Zoom or email is picking up steam alongside an uptick in layoffs — particularly among the professional class...

Big progressive wins in Wisconsin and Chicago elections this week show the staying power of left-wing positions on abortion and crime as issues heading into 2024. Why it matters: After Democrats became the surprise winners of the 2022 midterms , the twin ...

House Democrats who attended a GOP-led meeting with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen believe it bodes well for the possibility of bipartisan work in the coming months. Why it matters: It's a rare moment of cross-party praise for House Speaker Kevin McCar...

Six hours after a New York judge warned former President Trump he could be penalized for any remarks that endangered others, Trump stepped to a microphone in Florida — and practically dared the judge to do just that. "I have a Trump-hating judge...

Data: HUD Annual Homelessness Assessment Reports to Congress; Note: Unsheltered count was not conducted in 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic; Chart: Axios Visuals Street homelessness in the U.S. has increased by 25% since 2017, and most major metros d...

Kia's newest model, making its North American debut at this week's New York International Auto Show, is a spacious and sleek three-row SUV, with an innovative interior and loads of technology to satisfy busy families. Oh, and by the way — it...

Idaho could be at the center of a free speech battle over abortion care . Driving the news: The American Civil Liberties Union announced Wednesday that it's suing the Idaho Attorney General for "threatening health care providers who exercise their...

Former President Trump — now a criminal defendant — has consolidated control over the House GOP, scrambling the majority's agenda and cementing his status as the true power behind the gavel. Why it matters: Trump's allies had already e...

If there's one thing that can lure customers back into the theaters, it's familiar and beloved brands. Why it matters: With investments in streaming content rising , profit worries growing and audiences scattering to their living rooms (or whereve...

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) met with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen in California on Wednesday despite warnings from Beijing that the meeting would provoke "severe confrontation" with the U.S. Why it matters: China views any gesture tha...

A statement Gen. Mark Milley, the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, made during a House hearing last week on Iran's nuclear program alarmed Israeli defense and intelligence officials to the point they protested and asked the Biden administration for...

Data: Bureau of Labor Statistics; Chart: Axios Visuals The economy hit a quiet milestone in recent months: The labor market is seeing more equitable employment outcomes across racial groups than it has in years. Where it stands: For the half-century data ...

Milwaukee Judge Janet Protasiewicz on Tuesday was elected to Wisconsin's supreme court , giving the key swing state's highest court a liberal majority that could potentially expand abortion rights there, AP reports . The big picture: The seven-mem...

Former President Trump pleaded not guilty Tuesday to 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree in a Manhattan criminal court related to 2016 hush money payments . Why it matters: Trump, who is campaigning for the 2024 election, is the f...

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg accused former President Trump on Tuesday not only of falsifying business records but of doing so with the explicit intent of covering up at least three other categories of crimes. Driving the news: Those crimes, Br...

The Trump campaign is capitalizing on the former president's arrest Tuesday . Driving the news: An email from Trump's 2024 campaign was sent advertising a t-shirt with a fake mug shot of former President Trump , with the phrase "NOT GUILTY"...

With the world watching as former President Trump makes history with his court appearance to face criminal charges, attention now turns to the key figures in the case who will help determine his fate. Driving the news: Trump appeared in a Manhattan crimin...

Throngs of people flocked to the Manhattan courthouse where former President Trump made history on Tuesday as the first former or current president to have been arraigned on criminal charges . State of play: Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsif...

Democrats, Trump insiders and legal experts all agree: The investigation into former President Trump's handling of classified documents poses a far more dangerous threat to his freedom than the indictment in New York. Why it matters: A year from now, ...

Data: California Department of Water Resources; Note: Linear interpolation used for Feb. 29 in non-leap years; Chart: Madison Dong/Axios Visuals California's April snowpack is among the largest in state history, tied with 1952 for the title, according...

Finland became the 31st member of NATO on Tuesday — a once-unthinkable step that significantly changes the security landscape in Europe. Why it matters: Finland's membership more than doubles NATO's borders with Russia and formally ends Hels...

Several leaders in AI have teamed up to create what they are calling the first transparent deepfake — a video that looks convincingly real, but is both synthetically created and makes use of an emerging standard to label itself as such. Why it matte...

The U.S. economy is healthy — and is going to remain healthy for decades to come. So says JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon in his annual shareholder letter, released Tuesday morning. Why it matters: Dimon's sunny outlook stands in stark contrast t...

Data: Dave's Redistricting Atlas, Daily Kos, New York Times; Table: Simran Parwani/Axios House Democrats' campaign arm is homing in on districts won by former President Trump in its efforts to expand the 2024 House map. Why it matters: The move bu...

Data: Generation Lab; Chart: Alice Feng/Axios Young Americans of all stripes dream of working at Google, according to a new Axios/Generation Lab survey of college students around the country. The big picture: Google was the most attractive employer to men...

Data: Layoffs.fyi ; Chart: Jacque Schrag/Axios Tech layoffs are way up — and so are tech stocks. Two charts tell this story. The big picture: The tech industry's layoffs began last year and have kept up a relentless stream of bleak announcements...

The U.S. recycling industry is starting to get a helping hand from robots , which can sort trash faster and more safely than humans, and artificial intelligence , which gathers valuable data about what's been thrown out. Why it matters: Automation cou...

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Current Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen's visit to the U.S. and former Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou's unprecedented trip to China have reignited debate within Taiwan about the island's future — and the nature ...

Data: Axios research; Chart: Erin Davis/Axios Visuals Former President Trump has been endorsed by 37 House Republicans — including more than a third of the GOP members on Judiciary and Oversight, two committees he's pushing to investigate Presid...

Social media is getting pricier for users who want to unlock special features and privileges. Why it matters: Users who once believed they were contributing their time and creativity are now being asked to pay up by cash-hungry platforms. Driving the news...

A growing number of TikTok users are touting a decades-old labor law that they say could give workers a heads-up about impending layoffs, but experts say the videos are breeding misconceptions. Why it matters: The social media trend follows warnings from ...

An expansive severe thunderstorm outbreak brought the threat of "strong to violent" tornadoes and straight-line wind damage to 42 million people across at least 12 states on Friday. The big picture: The severe weather is associated with a sharp co...

A map showing countries where leaders have been jailed or prosecuted after leaving office since 2000. In total, 76 countries have had leaders jailed or prosecuted. Eleven countries are labeled as being "complicated";. Former President Trump declare...

The House subcommittee probing the government's COVID response will hold a hearing in April about intelligence collected by the U.S. that could shed light on COVID's origins, Axios has learned. Why it matters: The committee plans a series of heari...

As they begin a two-week recess under the cloud of a Trump indictment , several House Democrats are allowing staffers to work from home as a safety precaution, Axios has learned. Why it matters: To many lawmakers, the memory of Trump supporters ransacking...

The White House will not pay to have its staff's official Twitter profiles continue to be verified , according to guidance issued to staffers via an email obtained by Axios. Why it matters : Official White House staffers rely on their verified account...