A federal judge gave the Justice Department a Tuesday deadline to provide additional information on the Trump administration's defiance of a court order halting deportation of alleged Venezuelan gang members, according to a court docket. The big picture: The Trump administration's decision to disregard the judge's order sets up a high stakes battle between the power of the executive and judicial branches. Driving the news: The Department of Justice on Monday asked to cancel a hearing in the case scheduled for later that afternoon, stating it would not be providing any more information about the flights, but U.S. District Judge James Boasberg denied the request. Attorneys for the DOJ argued during the hearing that no deportation flights took off from the U.S. after Boasberg's Saturday order, per the New York Times. They also argued his order issued verbally from the bench was not definitive, as opposed to the written one issued less than an hour later. ACLU lawyers reiterated their request that the government issue sworn declarations about details on the flights. Where it stands: Boasberg said he did not plan to issue a ruling Monday and laid out questions he wanted answered by the government by noon Tuesday, according to the NYT. These center on what time the government believe the judge's order halting the flights went into effect and what time the planes took off and landed, and where. Boasberg requested they respond to a question about how many people they believe are covered by an 18th century war time law the administration has attempted to use to detain and remove immigrants with little to no due process. The next hearing is scheduled for 12pm Friday ET. What they're saying: "After trying to sidestep appearing at today's hearing by asking the court to cancel it, the government came to court today unable to answer basic questions about the fate of men who have not been afforded basic due process as well as its compliance with a federal court order," said Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, one of the plaintiffs, in an emailed statement. "The president is not a king, and every American should be concerned by this illegal expansion of wartime efforts when we are not in fact at war," Perryman continued. "Every American should also be concerned that the Trump administration has been flagrantly claiming it does not have to abide by district court orders it doesn't agree with. The president is bound by the laws of this nation and we will continue to show up in the courts to ensure this lawless administration is held accountable." Representatives for the Trump administration did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment in the evening. Catch up quick: The president invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1789 on Friday night but intentionally did not advertise it, Axios' Marc Caputo reported. Word of the order leaked Saturday morning, prompting a scramble to get planes off the ground for the deportation of about 250 Venezuelans under the 18th century law. Though Trump has referred to illegal immigration as an "invasion," Congress had not declared a war. During a court hearing hours later, Boasberg ordered a halt to the deportations, saying any flights should be turned around mid-air. The White House did not order the flights to turn around, ignoring Boasberg's order. The administration has argued the flights were over international waters and therefore outside of the court's jurisdiction. What they're saying: The ACLU asked the court Monday to direct the government to submit sworn declarations clarifying whether the flights took off or landed after the court's order. "Whether or not the planes had cleared U.S. territory, the U.S. retained custody at least until the planes landed and the individuals were turned over to foreign governments," the ACLU said in its filing. "The Court could not have been clearer that it was concerned with losing jurisdiction and authority to order the individuals returned if they were handed over to foreign governments," they added. State of play: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement over the weekend that the judge's order had "no lawful basis" and "was issued after terrorist TdA aliens had already been removed from U.S. territory." President Trump's border czar Tom Homan on Monday doubled down on the decision, claiming the flights did not need to be turned around because they were already above international waters when the order came through. "We are not stopping," he said. "I don't care what the judges think." Go deeper: Trump's border czar: "I don't care what the judges think"
A court hearing over the Trump administration's defiance of a court order halting deportation of alleged Venezuelan gang members will move forward Monday evening despite the Justice Department's objections. The big picture: The Trump administration's decision to disregard the judge's order sets up a high stakes battle between the power of the executive and judicial branches. Driving the news: The Department of Justice on Monday asked to cancel a hearing in the case scheduled for later that afternoon, stating it would not be providing any more information about the flights. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg denied the request, and the hearing is scheduled for 5pm ET Monday. Catch up quick: The president invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1789 on Friday night but intentionally did not advertise it, Axios' Marc Caputo reported. Word of the order leaked Saturday morning, prompting a scramble to get planes off the ground for the deportation of about 250 Venezuelans under the 18th century law, which allows the government to detain and remove immigrants with little to no due process during war time. Though Trump has referred to illegal immigration as an "invasion," Congress had not declared a war. During a court hearing hours later, Boasberg ordered a halt to the deportations, saying any flights should be turned around mid-air. The White House did not order the flights to turn around, ignoring Boasberg's order. The administration has argued the flights were over international waters and therefore outside of the court's jurisdiction. What they're saying: The ACLU asked the court Monday to direct the government to submit sworn declarations clarifying whether the flights took off or landed after the court's order. "Whether or not the planes had cleared U.S. territory, the U.S. retained custody at least until the planes landed and the individuals were turned over to foreign governments," the ACLU said in its filing. "The Court could not have been clearer that it was concerned with losing jurisdiction and authority to order the individuals returned if they were handed over to foreign governments," they added. State of play: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement over the weekend that the judge's order had "no lawful basis" and "was issued after terrorist TdA aliens had already been removed from U.S. territory." President Trump's border czar Tom Homan on Monday doubled down on the decision, claiming the flights did not need to be turned around because they were already above international waters when the order came through. "We are not stopping," he said. "I don't care what the judges think." Go deeper: Trump's border czar: "I don't care what the judges think"
Articles about the renowned Native American Code Talkers have disappeared from some military websites, with several broken URLs now labeled "DEI." Why it matters: From 1942 to 1945, the Navajo Code Talkers were instrumental in every major Marine Corps operation in the Pacific Theater of World War II. They were critical to securing America's victory at Iwo Jima. Driving the news: Axios identified at least 10 articles mentioning the Code Talkers that had disappeared from the U.S. Army and Department of Defense websites as of Monday. How it works: The Defense department's URLs were amended with the letters DEI, suggesting they were removed following President Trump's executive order ending federal diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The Internet Archive shows the deleted Army pages were live as recently as November, with many visible until February or March. None are shown with error messages until Trump took office. The other side: Asked about the missing pages, Pentagon Press Secretary John Ullyot replied in a statement: "As Secretary [Pete] Hegseth has said, DEI is dead at the Defense Department. ... We are pleased by the rapid compliance across the Department with the directive removing DEI content from all platforms." "In the rare cases that content is removed that is out of the clearly outlined scope of the directive, we instruct components accordingly." The statement did not address whether the Code Talkers are considered divisive DEI figures that "erode camaraderie and threaten mission execution." Catch up quick: In both World Wars, the military deployed units that used Indigenous American languages to secretly transmit information in pivotal battles. Choctaw soldiers flummoxed German troops during World War I's deadly Meuse-Argonne Offensive. At Utah Beach, Comanche troops created terms that didn't exist in the language: Bombers were "pregnant airplanes," tanks were "turtles" and Adolf Hitler was "Po'sa taiboo" — "Crazy White Man." Meskwaki Code Talkers were sent to North Africa after 16% of the tribe's Iowa population enlisted during World War II. As of Monday, the word "Meskwaki" no longer appeared on the DOD's website. Zoom in: The Navajo Code Talkers rapidly and meticulously shared hundreds of messages in the complex Diné language — often during intense battles, making them exemplars of courage under fire. At Iwo Jima, six Code Talkers sent more than 800 messages without any errors. They likely saved countless American and Allied lives by using languages the U.S. government had tried for generations to eliminate. Meanwhile, the Code Talkers' function was predicated on diversity in the military; languages with more widespread use couldn't have provided effective encryption. Stunning stat: Indigenous Americans have enlisted in the U.S. military at a rate five times the national average, per Trump's own proclamation in 2018. That proclamation has also been removed. Zoom out: Axios found other removed pages about Indigenous Americans' contributions, including: Profiles of Iraq combat veterans from Arizona, Louisiana and Nevada; a paratrooper with the 173rd Sky Soldiers; and a Cherokee Brigadier General from Oklahoma. A chronicle of Native American women who served, including a medic who died while fighting Colorado's Storm Mountain Fire in 1994. A news alert that an Oglala Sioux South Dakota National Guardsman had obtained an exemption to wear his hair long in accordance with his religion. Caveat: As of Monday, the U.S. Marines — the branch that deployed the Navajo Code Talkers — had not removed its pages about them. A few mentions also remained on the DOD site, on photo captions and speech transcripts. The Army's deleted pages were generally posted during the past two years; older references remained on the site. The latest: Axios in recent days found the DOD had given similar "DEI" labels to now-broken pages that honored: Civil War nurses Prominent Black veterans and units, including the Harlem Hellfighters, the 761st Tank Battalion and 555th Parachute Infantry A Latino airman who coordinated mental health support for military personnel. The deleted story is titled, "Embraced in America, airman pays it forward." Meanwhile, the Army removed pages honoring: The 54th Massachusetts Regiment, depicted in the film "Glory" The Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) of World War II The big picture: The military has faced recent complaints over removed pages. Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson asked Trump last week to return Utahn Seraph Young — the first woman to vote in America — to Arlington National Cemetery's website after the removal of a list of notable women buried there. The Army restored a page Saturday about the celebrated Japanese-American 442nd Infantry Regiment after outcry over its disappearance. Case in point: A profile of Army Major Gen. Charles Rogers, a Black recipient of the Medal of Honor, vanished when the word "medal" was changed to "deimedal" in the URL. The implication that his was a "DEI medal" drew ire as details from Rogers' citation circulated online. He was wounded three times during a massive assault on a support base in Vietnam when he refused medical care and repeatedly ran into enemy fire to lead counterattacks. The page was restored within the past day.
It's the sixth inning of a baseball game. The pitcher, by the measures that matter most — how many hits and runs he's allowed — is having a good night. But the manager sees something subtle and pulls him out of the game anyway. The big picture: This is, more or less, the state of the U.S. economy at the onset of spring. All is well with headline measures like GDP growth and the unemployment rate. It's the peripheral indicators that hint at trouble ahead. Much as a baseball manager can't just look to the scoreboard to tell whether their pitcher is gassed, the signs of concern in the economy right now are found in secondary indicators. They could be ignored in isolation but are more worrying when so many of them flash the same warnings, as we noted over the weekend. State of play: A baseball manager might pull a pitcher whose fastball velocity slips by even 2 or 3 miles per hour, or who is suddenly allowing batters to foul off lots more pitches, or whose arm mechanics look a bit off. Similarly, the early warning signs of an economic downturn often turn up in places that are, on their own, not terribly definitive. On Monday morning, for example, the New York Fed released its Empire State Manufacturing Survey, a readout of conditions facing the factory sector in New York state. It fell sharply in March, with the index dropping 26 points to -20 (zero is the line between business conditions improving and worsening). It's a volatile survey of one sector in one state — generally not to be made too much of. It actually notched worse readings in both January and May of 2023, a year in which the overall economy did just fine. Between the lines: It's not the survey in isolation that's worrying; it's that it comes after similar weakness in the University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey, the National Federation of Independent Business survey, a large drop in the stock market and a surge in announced layoffs. Those are the early warning signs that we could soon see shifts in the big-picture economic data — payroll employment, personal incomes, and other major releases that recession-daters monitor. In this analogy, the Federal Reserve is the baseball manager who must decide how much to react to those peripheral indicators that are early warning signs of trouble, as opposed to the ones on the scoreboard that matter most. Yes, but: It's an open question how reliable any of these peripheral indicators are in the economic forecasting game, especially now. In a speech this month, Fed chair Jerome Powell acknowledged that "recent surveys of households and businesses point to heightened uncertainty about the economic outlook." But it "remains to be seen how these developments might affect future spending and investment," he said, as sentiment readings "have not been a good predictor of consumption growth in recent years." The bottom line: By the time of overwhelming evidence that a pitcher is faltering, the game could be lost. A good manager has to decide which peripheral indicators to pay attention to, and when.
President Trump's border czar Tom Homan on Monday doubled down on the decision to defy a court order that barred the deportation of alleged Venezuelan gang members. Why it matters: The White House's decision to disregard a federal judge's order has set up a legal battle that could make its way to the Supreme Court and define the limits of Trump's deportation powers. Driving the news: Homan claimed in a Fox News interview Monday that the two deportation flights to El Salvador did not need to be turned around because they were already above international waters when the order came through. "We are going to make this country safe again ... I'm proud to be a part of this administration. We are not stopping. I don't care what the judges think. I don't care what the Left thinks. We're coming," he added. Asked what was coming next in the administration's deportation efforts, Homan said: "Another flight. Another flight every day." Catch up quick: By going through with the flights, the White House effectively ignored U.S. District Judge James Boasberg's Saturday order barring the deportation of about 250 Venezuelans under the Alien Enemies Act of 1789. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement the judge's order had "no lawful basis" and "was issued after terrorist TdA aliens had already been removed from U.S. territory." It's not clear how many of the immigrants were deported under the 18th century law or other immigration statutes. It's likewise unclear what process was used to determine whether all the people on the flights were members of the Tren de Aragua gang, as the administration claimed. Zoom out: Homan confirmed to Fox News that the administration's decision came after Trump signed an executive order Saturday invoking the Alien Enemies Act for the first time since World War II. The act allows the government to detain and remove immigrants with little to no due process. It was most famously used during World War II to help justify Japanese internment. Homan called Trump's use of the law a "game-changer." Go deeper: Exclusive: How the White House ignored a judge's order to turn back deportation flights
President Trump claimed on Monday that former President Biden's pardons "done by autopen" are "VOID." Why it matters: Other presidents have used an autopen to grant pardons, and experts have expressed doubt that courts would allow a president to revoke clemency granted by their predecessors. It's the latest example of Trump ignoring the legal limits of the president's power. Catch up quick: Biden issued historic preemptive pardons to members of the House Jan. 6 select committee, which investigated Trump's role in the attack on the Capitol. Trump has repeatedly threatened committee members with investigation or jail. Trump said in a late-night Truth Social post that Biden's pardons are "hereby declared VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT" and that the "necessary Pardoning Documents were not explained to, or approved by, Biden." The committee members should "fully understand that they are subject to investigation at the highest level," Trump wrote. He claimed without evidence that the members of the committee, which include former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), were "probably responsible for the Documents that were signed on their behalf" without Biden's knowledge. What is an autopen? An autopen is a device used to make automatic or remote signatures, and has been used by celebrities and other public figures for decades — notable examples include Jon Bon Jovi and Bob Dylan. Former President Obama faced scrutiny in 2011 for authorizing an aide to use an autopen on his behalf to extend the Patriot Act, a first for a president. Are autopen signatures valid? A 2005 memorandum opinion from Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel during President George W. Bush's administration said that the president may sign a bill by directing a subordinate to "affix the President's signature to it." "We emphasize that we are not suggesting that the President may delegate the decision to approve and sign a bill, only that, having made this decision, he may direct a subordinate to affix the President's signature to the bill," the opinion stated. Jeffrey Crouch, an American University professor and expert in federal executive clemency, noted that "other presidents have used autopen to grant pardons." Did Biden use an autopen? Biden has used an autopen before, NBC News reported, but Trump's Monday assertions that the pardons were signed without Biden's participation lack evidence. Trump's assertion mirrors an argument made in an X post from The Oversight Project, a branch of The Heritage Foundation, the think tank behind Project 2025, which claimed that the pardons Biden made on January 19 were signed with an autopen. There is photographic proof, however, of Biden signing several of the documents that The Heritage Foundation is claiming were signed by autopen, Newsweek found. Is Trump likely to win a legal challenge against suing an autopen? Kimberly Wehle, a University of Baltimore law professor who has written extensively about the pardon power, said Trump would likely lose a legal challenge on his argument, though allowing that it's "conceivable" that the Supreme Court could treat Biden's preemptive pardons differently than traditional clemency.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's (D-N.Y.) book tour announced Monday it will postpone multiple events, citing security concerns, after he helped prevent a government shutdown last week. Why it matters: Democrats are badly divided over the best way to oppose President Trump. Schumer spent weeks privately warning against a shutdown, while House Democrats, party activists and even some of his senators publicly invited a confrontation. Schumer's book, "Antisemitism in America: A Warning," is scheduled to be released on Tuesday. His schedule this week included tour stops in Baltimore, New York City, D.C. and Philadelphia. Editor's note: This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
President Trump claimed Monday that former President Biden's preemptive pardons to members of the House Jan. 6 select committee and others are "VOID" and "VACANT" because they were "done by Autopen." Why it matters: Experts cast doubt on Trump's rationale, and said it was unlikely that a court would allow a president to revoke or nullify his predecessor's pardons. It's the latest example of Trump testing the limits of executive power, and could set the stage for a legal showdown with some of his staunchest political enemies. Driving the news: Trump contended in a late-night Truth Social post that Biden's pardons are "hereby declared VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT" and that the "necessary Pardoning Documents were not explained to, or approved by, Biden." The committee members should "fully understand that they are subject to investigation at the highest level," Trump wrote. He claimed without evidence that the members of the committee, which include former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), were "probably responsible for the Documents that were signed on their behalf" without Biden's knowledge. Zoom in: Kimberly Wehle, a University of Baltimore law professor who has written extensively about the pardon power, said Trump would likely lose a legal challenge on his argument. "There's no magic in the mechanism of a pardon," she said of the signature machine versus Hancock-by-hand debate. But that's perhaps beside the point, she said. Going after people who were already pardoned would likely tee up an expensive, stressful legal battle — and even if the courts were to rule against Trump, "the damage, to some degree, will already have been done." Catch up quick: Biden, in the final days of his presidency, issued historic preemptive pardons, granting broad immunity to people whom Trump had targeted with threats to investigate or jail. Biden in a statement at the time said the pardons should not be construed as an "acknowledgment that any individual engaged in any wrongdoing." Beyond lawmakers on the Jan. 6 panel, Biden issued pardons for retired U.S. Army Gen. Mark Milley, former NIAID Director Anthony Fauci and his family members — shielding them from what he described as attacks driven "solely by a desire to hurt me." What they're saying: "I am not afraid of Trump's latest midnight rant that has no basis in reality," said Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), who chaired the committee, in a statement provided to Axios. "Donald Trump was responsible for the deadly January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol. That is why he raced to pardon those who beat the police who protected American democracy that day as one of his first official acts after returning to the White House." Flashback: Autopen signatures have faced scrutiny in the past. A 2005 memorandum opinion from the Bush Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel said that the president may sign a bill by directing a subordinate to "affix the President's signature to it." "We emphasize that we are not suggesting that the President may delegate the decision to approve and sign a bill, only that, having made this decision, he may direct a subordinate to affix the President's signature to the bill," the opinion stated. Between the lines: It's "conceivable" that the Supreme Court could treat Biden's preemptive pardons differently than traditional clemency, Wehle said. But it's still "unlikely," given that the high court's past precedent solidified the president's pardon power as essentially unlimited. Go deeper: "F--k it: Release 'em all": Why Trump embraced broad Jan. 6 pardons Editor's note: This story was updated with additional reporting.
Prominent supporters of President Trump — led by podcaster Ben Shapiro — are fueling a major push to pardon Derek Chauvin, the white former Minnesota police officer convicted of killing George Floyd in 2020. Video of Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck for several minutes while Floyd said he "can't breathe" went viral in 2020 and sparked Black Lives Matter protests against police misconduct and systemic racism across the country. The big picture: A Trump pardon would only affect Chauvin's federal case — where he pleaded guilty — and not the state case. The state conviction carries a longer sentence than the federal case, meaning he would still be in prison even if the president acts. Shapiro has said he hopes that Chauvin would more easily be able to win early release at some point if Trump wipes away his federal conviction and the former officer is serving time only under the state verdict. Zoom in: Shapiro, whose podcast episodes often break the Top 10 on Apple's charts, launched the campaign early this month with a petition to convince Trump to issue the pardon. Shapiro has long dismissed the existence of systemic racism. Earlier this month, Trump said he hadn't heard of the push to pardon Chauvin. Shapiro's petition has now surpassed 50,000 signatures. Shapiro is launching a five-part docuseries titled "The Case for Derek Chauvin" that will start airing on his show Tuesday. Shapiro claims that Chauvin was unjustly convicted and that Floyd's death was caused by underlying health issues and drug use. Reality check: A medical examiner who performed Floyd's autopsy testified in the 2021 murder trial that law enforcement's restraint and compression of Floyd's neck was "just more than [he] could take," given his heart's condition. Hennepin County medical examiner Andrew Baker ruled Floyd's death a homicide and listed the cause as "cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression." He said that Floyd died due to loss or deprivation of oxygen caused by the neck restraint placed on him by the police. "Mr. Floyd's use of fentanyl did not cause the subdual or neck restraint. His heart disease did not cause the subdual or the neck restraint," Baker testified. The intrigue: Some of MAGA's most influential figures are paying attention to Shapiro's petition. Elon Musk posted that the idea was "something to think about." Charlie Kirk hosted Shapiro on his podcast in a show of support for the effort. Shapiro tells Axios: "[I]f you actually do want to get a pardon for somebody, then typically you have to build a groundswell of support for that to become a political reality." What's next: Shapiro says he's in touch with Chauvin's legal team about what "they're interested in pursuing." His podcast could focus beyond just Chauvin to examine other similar cases, including the deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014 and Breonna Taylor in Louisville in 2020. "This is the most obvious example," Shapiro said of Chauvin. "But if people can provide me other examples of police officers who have been railroaded in this way, I'm more than happy to look at it for sure." Axios' Russell Contreras contributed reporting.
Data: Gateway Financial Advisors; Table: Axios Visuals Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent broke with orthodoxy Sunday when he said corrections in stocks were "healthy" and an antidote to "euphoric" market action. The big picture: Over the long run, he's not necessarily wrong. What they're saying: "I've been in the investment business for 35 years, and I can tell you that corrections are healthy. They're normal. What's not healthy is straight up, that you get these euphoric markets. That's how you get a financial crisis," Bessent told NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday. Zoom in: Corrections, or a 10% decline in the market from its recent peak, are pretty common. They've happened dozens of times in the S&P 500 in recent decades, most recently starting last Thursday. Between the lines: Since World War II, such corrections have only deteriorated into bear markets (a 20% decline) about a quarter of the time, Carson Investment Research's Ryan Detrick noted on X. In other words, more often than not, the market bounces back. By the numbers: In a correction, on average the market takes five months to fall from peak to bottom, and then four months to bounce back, per Clearnomics data shared by Covenant Wealth Advisors. After that, markets tend to rise strongly. On average, between 1997 and 2020, stocks were up 32% one year after a correction, per data from Gateway Financial Advisors. The bottom line: Past performance is no guarantee of future results — but it may be a reason to worry a little less.
The Trump administration's moves to deport Columbia University protest leader Mahmoud Khalil have set up a historic court battle over whether the U.S. government can remove legal residents as national security risks for what they say. Why it matters: If Trump's team is successful, legal analysts say, future administrations could deport legal immigrants for any political or religious speech the administration dislikes. In a nation with a long history of immigration, the impact could be huge, and go well beyond President Trump's tenure. Think of the possibilities: If Trump's push is successful, a Democrat-led administration that follows could, theoretically, cite national security concerns to remove green-card holders such as right-leaning Chinese immigrants or someone like the outspoken Elon Musk, who had a green card before he became a U.S. citizen in 2022. Zoom in: Both sides of the Khalil case think it could wind up before the Supreme Court, where the Trump administration is eager to win approval for various deportation strategies. A win in court could give the Trump administration — specifically Secretary of State Marco Rubio — a chance to launch deportations based on speech activities of the 13 million or so green card holders in the U.S. Catch up quick: Khalil, a Columbia graduate and legal resident from Syria, helped lead last year's protests over the war in Gaza. The protests disrupted campus activities and led to allegations of antisemitic harassment of some Jewish students. As part of Trump's sweeping immigration crackdown, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested Khalil earlier this month. The Department of Homeland Security says it's gathered evidence that he was actively supporting Hamas, but not materially helping the terror group, a White House official said. Rubio was presented with evidence from the DHS review and determined that Khalil acted against U.S. foreign policy positions, the official said. Khalil has not been charged or accused of any crimes. As of Friday, he was being held in an ICE detention facility in Louisiana. His legal team is challenging his detention. The big picture: Green card holders, known as lawful U.S. permanent residents, have the most coveted status of foreign nationals who aspire to be U.S. citizens. A green card provides most of the rights of U.S. citizenship — except the right to run for public office and the right to vote. There's also the risk of deportation if the card holder commits a crime. For non-U.S. citizens, there's additional risk in protesting because their speech rights are open to interpretation by the government. That's the legal gap the Trump administration is seeking to exploit. U.S. law allows the secretary of state to deport a green-card holder if that person is deemed to have "potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States." That authority rarely has been used outside of the Cold War or cases involving serious crimes, legal analysts tell Axios. That provision comes from the Cold War-era Immigration Nationality Act of 1952 —a point Rubio made as a senator eight days after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. There are limits on the secretary of state's authority, said Rebecca Ingber, a Cardozo Law School professor and former legal adviser for the State Department during the Biden administration. Ingber said the provision of the law the administration is using in its deportation argument doesn't operate in a vacuum — and that there are competing legal constraints such as "due process and the First Amendment." Emily Berman, a constitutional scholar and assistant dean at the University of Houston Law Center, told Axios that secretaries of state haven't tried to remove legal residents based on their speech "because it's unconstitutional." "If the only thing this person did is engage in protests that happen to be pro-Palestinian, which is speech that the government doesn't like ... they can't punish him for that," Berman said. Khalil's legal team believes the Trump administration is using him as an example for a larger goal. The administration "has selectively targeted Mr. Khalil, a student, husband, and father-to-be who has not been accused of a single crime, to send a message of just how far they will go to crack down on dissent," said Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union. The other side: Trump administration officials have said it's within the secretary of state's right to expel Khalil for speech they claim supported terrorism. Khalil's arrest came days after Rubio posted on X that the U.S. had "zero tolerance for foreign visitors who support terrorists." Trump border czar Tom Homan said last week that "free speech has limitations."
Apple's acknowledgment that AI enhancements to Siri are taking longer than expected has increased concern that the iPhone maker is falling further behind in what is shaping up to be a tectonic shift for the tech industry. Why it matters: When it announced Apple Intelligence last June, Apple was already trailing major competitors in outlining its AI strategy. Driving the news: Apple confirmed earlier this month that the enhanced Siri was taking longer than expected, with features that were due imminently now expected to arrive "in the coming year." With delivery times up in the air, Apple took down the video of a 2024 ad touting Siri's new AI features. Since then, there have been concerns expressed in and outside the company that Apple may have trouble reaching even these revised goals. Bloomberg has reported that Apple executives called the delay "ugly" and "embarrassing" in a meeting with worried staffers. Between the lines: While Apple has shipped the first pieces of Apple Intelligence, what has yet to arrive are the components that really made the strategy compelling — the notion of combining AI smarts with personal data in a secure and privacy-preserving way. The features that Apple has delivered — custom emoji, Image Playground, writing help and ChatGPT integration — fit more in the nice-to-have bucket. And in some cases, those features still lag behind what's available from others. The features that are delayed, meanwhile, are the ones that generated the most excitement during last year's demo. For example, Apple showed Siri answering "when does my mom's flight land?" by drawing upon various pieces of knowledge across the system within multiple apps. That ability to understand personal relationships, context and retrieve personal information was what made Apple Intelligence stand out from rivals. The big picture: While Apple has struggled with its AI efforts, the industry is barreling forward with unprecedented speed. Even Amazon, which has had its own set of challenges, announced in February its plans for Alexa+, an AI-infused upgrade to its voice assistant. On the personalization front, Google last week debuted an option for users to integrate their search history with Gemini and Microsoft managed at long last to ship its Recall feature for Copilot+ PCs. And the whole industry has added new techniques that have leap-frogged what chatbots could do last year. Among those are reasoning models, semi-autonomous agents and the ability to do deep research. What they're saying: Industry observers have been pulling no punches in describing what the delay could mean for Apple's future. Daring Fireball's John Gruber thrashed Apple, arguing that not only is the company late with AI, but it has now broken its long, enviable record of only promoting products when they are ready to ship. "The fiasco here is not that Apple is late on AI," Gruber wrote. "It's also not that they had to announce an embarrassing delay on promised features last week. Those are problems, not fiascos, and problems happen." "The fiasco is that Apple pitched a story that wasn't true, one that some people within the company surely understood wasn't true, and they set a course based on that."
Navy warship USS Gravely is on a mission to strengthen security at the U.S.-Mexico border, Pentagon officials said. Why it matters: The deployment of the guided-missile destroyer that last year was involved in shooting down Iran-backed Houthi rebels' ship attacks in the Middle East to a region the U.S. Coast Guard ordinarily covers marks an escalation in the Trump administration's immigration crackdown efforts at the border. Ready for Tasking! USS Gravely (DDG 107) departed Naval Weapons Station Yorktown for deployment in support of U.S.... Posted by U.S. Navy on Sunday, March 16, 2025 Driving the news: The USS Gravely departed Virginia's Naval Weapons Station Yorktown Saturday for the Navy's U.S. Northern Command Area of Responsibility, per a statement from the combatant command. This area encompasses the continental U.S., Alaska, Canada, Mexico and the surrounding water out to some 500 nautical miles. USNORTHCOM was named "operational lead for the employment of U.S. military forces" to carry out President Trump's border executive orders and the ship "brings maritime capabilities" in response to these and a national emergency declaration, it notes. The combatant command is filling "critical capabilities gaps in support" of the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection, according to the statement, which does not elaborate further on this. Zoom in: The USS Gravely is participating as part of the Defense Department's response to President Trump's executive order on the border to "protect the United States' territorial integrity, sovereignty, and security," per a statement from Gen. Gregory Guillot, Commander, U.S. Northern Command. It's contributing "to a coordinated and robust response to combating maritime related terrorism, weapons proliferation, transnational crime, piracy, environmental destruction, and illegal seaborne immigration," according to USNORTHCOM. Adm. Daryl Caudle, commander, U.S. Naval Forces Northern Command, added in a statement the deployment "marks a vital enhancement to our nation's border security framework." What we're watching: A Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET), specialized, deployable maritime law enforcement teams of the USGS, "will be embarked aboard Gravel," per USNORTHCOM. These teams carry out missions including to counter piracy, military combat operations, stop undocumented immigrants, "military force protection, counter terrorism, homeland security, and humanitarian response," per the statement.
March Madness is officially here and, with it, the time to get irrationally frustrated at your bracket. Why it matters: It probably doesn't! Nobody has ever filled out a perfect bracket, and, because there are fewer upsets in the women's NCAA tournament than the men's, the margins for error on your bracket are lower. But if you're serious about winning your office pool this year, there are a few general tips to follow. Pick the favorites In 2024, only one double-digit women's seed advanced past the first round. Historically, No. 1 seeds have not only won 32 of 42 national championships, but in 35 tournaments, two or more No. 1 seeds made the semifinals, per the NCAA. So: Wait to pick your upsets until the Sweet 16 or Elite Eight. Lean on the powerhouses early. This year, the four No. 1 seeds are UCLA (Regional 1 - Spokane), South Carolina (Regional 2 - Birmingham), Texas (Regional 3 - Birmingham) and USC (Regional 4 - Spokane). The intrigue: These teams are full of future WNBA players, including Te-Hina Paopao (guard, South Carolina), Kiki Iriafen (forward, USC), Lauren Betts (center, UCLA) and potential future No. 1 overall pick JuJu Watkins (USC, sophomore). Star power For everything we just wrote about No. 1 seeds, two non-top seeds this year have enough talent to potentially go on deep runs. No. 2 seed UConn is one of the most storied programs in the sport, but this might be the last shot for stars Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd to win championships as Huskies. Notre Dame is a No. 3 seed, but Olivia Miles and Hannah Hidalgo are two of the best players in the country. Avoid seeds 13-16 If you are compelled to pick a first-round upset, look to a No. 11 or 12 seed. Teams seeded Nos. 14-16 are a combined 1-360 in tournament history, according to the NCAA, but 12 seeds average about one win a year. Study the 3 seeds While a top seed should probably be your winner pick, last year, all four Elite Eight games featured No. 1 vs. No. 3 seeds. March is unpredictable enough that the trend will either continue this year, or the 3 seeds — LSU, North Carolina, Notre Dame and Oklahoma — will all lose in the second round. Ignore the First Four The First Four games, which give the four lowest-ranked teams in the field a chance to make the 64-team bracket, are Wednesday and Thursday. You don't need to pick the First Four games, as most brackets will automatically include the winner, and you should probably avoid picking one of those teams to advance in the round of 64 — First Four squads are 1-11 in first-round games all time, per Sports Illustrated. The bottom line: The first round begins Friday. Upsets are common and most days, anything can happen. So pick your bracket based on colors, or which mascot would win in a fight, or where your exes live. Follow your heart and fly close to the sun. It's March, and you earned it. Go deeper: Official bracket Men's March Madness bracket cheat sheet How to watch March Madness 2025
The first image of Pope Francis since he was hospitalized over a month ago was released by the Vatican on Sunday. The big picture: The photo shows him sitting alone in a wheelchair in a chapel at Rome's Agostino Gemelli Hospital after he celebrated Mass with other priests, according to the Vatican. The pontiff was admitted to the hospital on Feb. 14 with bronchitis symptoms and tests revealed "a complex clinical picture" that saw him diagnosed with a polymicrobial infection and later pneumonia in both lungs. His medical condition has "shown slight improvements" and the Vatican said last week he no longer faced immediate threat of dying from pneumonia. What they're saying: The Pope's condition "remains stable," but "still within a clinical context" that the medical staff defines as "complex," the Vatican said Sunday.
You shouldn't stress about filling out your office bracket this week, as one of the best things about March Madness is that previous knowledge of the sport is not necessarily correlated with success. Why it matters: It probably doesn't! Nobody has ever filled out a perfect bracket and, as far as the NCAA can tell, only one person has ever even picked perfectly through the Sweet 16. Powerhouses with future NBA players are routinely upset by tiny schools that get hot, especially in the early rounds. But if you are serious about beating Brad in sales this year, there are a few tips to follow. Don't get cute While some years are wackier than others, top seeds are historically a good bet to win it all. According to Bracket Research, 34 of 39 winners of the NCAA tournament going back to 1985 were 1, 2, or 3-seeds — and 25 were No. 1 seeds. This year, the four No. 1 seeds are Auburn (South region), Duke (East), Houston (Midwest) and Florida (West). Commit to a Cinderella You should still pick upsets in the early rounds. The common advice will be take No. 12 seeds over No. 5 seeds, as they've won 35% of the time in the first round. One 12 seed that already looks to be a popular pick: Colorado State over Memphis in Seattle. Of note: No. 15 seeds have upset No. 2 seeds 11 times since 1985. Watch the injuries Duke, which entered the ACC tournament No. 1 in the AP Top 25 poll, lost star forwards Cooper Flagg and Maliq Brown to injuries during the tournament. The NCAA seemed to have confidence in at least Flagg's return, as the Blue Devils still earned a No. 1 seed, but do you? Follow the threes An impressive 290 teams have fired off 20 or more 3-point attempts per game this season, which is 34 more teams than last season and the highest of all time, per the NCAA. The intrigue: That could mean more upsets, as lower-seeded teams could score in bunches out of nowhere. If you want to swim against the current: Michigan State, a No. 2 seed in the South, has now made the NCAA tournament 27 straight times and attempts just over 19 3-pointers per game. First Four to the second round The First Four games, which give the four lowest-ranked teams in the field a chance to make the 64-team bracket, are Tuesday and Wednesday. You don't need to pick the First Four games, as most brackets will automatically include the winner, but you should pick at least one to win in the first round of 64 — it's happened every year since the First Four's inception in 2011 except for 2019. For your Final Four Conference tournament results can be helpful for the first rounds, but not once we get to the Final Four. Of the last 11 winners, eight did not win their conference tournaments. The bottom line: The first round begins Thursday. Upsets are common and most days, anything can happen. So pick your bracket based on colors, or which mascot would win in a fight, or where your exes live. Follow your heart and fly close to the sun. It's March, and you earned it. Go deeper: Official bracket How to watch March Madness 2025
A federal judge on Sunday ordered the Trump administration to respond to allegations that U.S. immigration enforcement "willfully disobeyed" an order halting the deportation of a Rhode Island doctor. The big picture: Dr. Rasha Alawieh, who according to court documents is a citizen of Lebanon who holds an H-1B visa, was detained last week upon her arrival at a Boston airport. How it happened: In an order on Friday evening in response to a petition from Alawieh's cousin, federal Judge Leo T. Sorokin mandated 48 hours' notice before Alawieh could be deported. But Alawieh was nonetheless placed on a flight to Paris, where she was detained as of Saturday. It's unclear how much time elapsed between the order coming down and that flight departing, but attorneys representing Alawieh's cousin, Yara Chehab, alleged in a court filing that the government had received "actual notice" and "willfully disobeyed" the court's order. Alawieh was expected to fly to Lebanon on Sunday, per the filing. The Trump administration has not said why Alawieh was detained, or why she was removed from the country despite the order. The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment, while the State Department said it could not comment on individual cases. Driving the news: In a Sunday court filing, Sorokin ordered the government to respond by Monday morning to the "serious allegations" that it intentionally breached a court order. In his previous order, Sorokin had said that in order to give more time to consider the case, Alawieh must not be moved outside of Massachusetts without 48 hours' advanced notice and an accompanying explanation. In his Sunday filing, Sorokin said his order followed "common practice in this district as it has been for years." Catch up quick: Brown University sponsored Alawieh's visa after offering her an assistant professorship, according to a complaint filed Friday. Her petition was approved in June, but she wasn't able to obtain her visa until March 11, per the filing. While she was completing programs at the University of Washington, Ohio State University and Yale in years prior, she was on a J-1 visa, according to the complaint. What they're saying: The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) called on the Trump administration in a Sunday statement to "immediately readmit" Alawieh. "As a U.S. resident for six years and a doctor working for the Division of Kidney Disease & Hypertension at Brown Medicine, Dr. Alawieh played a critical role in treating countless patients who needed treatment by a specialist," CAIR's statement read. Zoom out: This would not be the first time the Trump administration moved to deport someone who was in the U.S. legally. It comes just one week after federal authorities arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate and protest leader, despite him being a legal permanent resident in the U.S. What's next: A hearing in Alawieh's case is set for Monday. Go deeper: Trump's immigration factor
The Trump administration says it ignored a Saturday court order to turn around two planeloads of alleged Venezuelan gang members because the flights were over international waters and therefore the ruling didn't apply, two senior officials tell Axios. Why it matters: The administration's decision to defy a federal judge's order is exceedingly rare and highly controversial. "Court order defied. First of many as I've been warning and start of true constitutional crisis," national security attorney Mark S. Zaid, a Trump critic, wrote on X, adding that Trump could ultimately get impeached. The White House welcomes that fight. "This is headed to the Supreme Court. And we're going to win," a senior White House official told Axios. A second administration official said Trump was not defying the judge whose ruling came too late for the planes to change course: "Very important that people understand we are not actively defying court orders." State of play: Trump's advisers contend U.S. District Judge James Boasberg overstepped his authority by issuing an order that blocked the president from deporting about 250 alleged Tren de Aragua gang members under the Alien Enemies Act of 1789. The war-time law gives the executive extreme immense power to deport noncitizens without a judicial hearing. But it has been little-used, particularly in peacetime. "It's the showdown that was always going to happen between the two branches of government," a senior White House official said. "And it seemed that this was pretty clean. You have Venezuelan gang members ... These are bad guys, as the president would say." How it happened: White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller "orchestrated" the process in the West Wing in tandem with Homeland Security Secretary Kristy Noem. Few outside their teams knew what was happening. They didn't actually set out to defy a court order. "We wanted them on the ground first, before a judge could get the case, but this is how it worked out," said the official. The timeline: The president signed the executive order invoking the Alien Enemies Act on Friday night, but intentionally did not advertise it. On Saturday morning, word of the order leaked, officials said, prompting a mad scramble to get planes in the air. At 2:31 p.m. Saturday, an immigration activist who tracks deportation flights, posted on X that "TWO HIGHLY UNUSUAL ICE flights" were departing from Texas to El Salvador, which had agreed to accept Venezuelan gang members deported from the U.S. Hours later, during a court hearing hours later filed by the ACLU., Boasberg ordered a halt to the deportations and said any flights should be turned around mid-air. "This is something that you need to make sure is complied with immediately," he told the Justice Department, according to the Washington Post. At that point, about 6:51 p.m., both flights were off the Yucatan Peninsula, according to flight paths posted on X. Inside the White House, officials discussed whether to order the planes to turn around. On advice from a team of administration lawyers, the administration pressed ahead. "There was a discussion about how far the judge's ruling can go under the circumstances and over international waters and, on advice of counsel, we proceeded with deporting these thugs," the senior official said. "They were already outside of US airspace. We believe the order is not applicable," a second senior administration official told Axios. Yes, but: The Trump administration was already spoiling for a fight over the Alien Enemies Act — one of several fronts on which they believe legal challenges to the president's authority will only end up strengthening it when the Supreme Court rules in his favor. Between the lines: Officially, the Trump White House is not denying it ignored the judge's order, and instead wants to shift the argument to whether it was right to expel alleged members of Tren de Aragua. "If the Democrats want to argue in favor of turning a plane full of rapists, murderers, and gangsters back to the United States, that's a fight we are more than happy to take," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Axios when asked about the case. It's unclear how many of the roughly 250 Venezuelans were deported under the Alien Enemies Act and how many were kicked out of the U.S. due to other immigration laws. It's also not clear whether all of them were actually gang members. What they are saying: On Sunday morning, El Salvador President Nayib Bukele posted a video on X hailing the arrival of the Venezuelans in his country. Bukele also mockingly featured an image of a New York Post story about the judge's order halting the flights. "Oopsie ... too late," Bukele wrote on X with a crying-laughing emoji U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio retweeted the post. Editor's note: This story was updated with the White House official's claim that the administration had ignored the ruling but not defied it, because it came too late.
More registered voters say the U.S. is heading in the right direction (44%) than at any point since early 2004, though a majority (54%) still say the country is on the wrong track, according to an NBC News poll out this morning. Why it matters: President Trump has enjoyed some of his highest approval ratings in the early days of his second term — though the specifics of his aggressive policies have begun to irk Americans in recent polling. But as the president rolls out a cascade of controversial actions, Democrats are the ones hitting new polling lows — underscoring frustration within the party that lawmakers are being flattened by a GOP steamroller. Driving the news: Trump's job approval rating in the new poll (47%) matches his all-time highs in NBC News polling throughout his political career (37% "strongly approve," 10% "somewhat approve"). 1,000 registered voters were polled March 7-11, with a margin of error of ±3.1%. The other side: The Democratic Party reached an all-time low in popularity in NBC polling dating back to 1990. A net 27% of those polled said they have positive views of the party (20% positive and 7% very positive). CNN's latest polling also found that the Democratic party's favorability rating among Americans is now at just 29%, a new low in in the outlet's polling dating back to 1992. Go deeper: Focus group: Trump swing voters in Michigan have buyers' remorse
Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) stopped short Sunday of calling for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to be replaced — but she said it's time for Senate Democrats to decide if he's the man for the moment. Why it matters: Schumer's decision to help Republicans pass a GOP-led funding bill to keep the government's lights on despite intense pressure to block the legislation highlighted growing fractures within his party that may put his job in jeopardy. When asked by reporters Friday if it was time for new leadership, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) provided no defense for his Senate counterpart, simply saying, "Next question." The rage brewing within Jeffries' caucus erupted Thursday after Schumer said he'd back the stopgap measure, prompting discussion of primary challenges and Senate floor protests, Axios' Andrew Solender reports. Driving the news: Crockett said on CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday that Schumer was "absolutely wrong" in his contention that a shutdown would have created a "far worse consequence." "The idea that Chuck Schumer is the only one that's got a brain in the room and the only one that can think though all the pros and cons is absolutely ridiculous," she said. Asked if Senate Democrats should replace their leader, Crockett said the caucus should "sit down and take a look and decide whether or not Chuck Schumer is the one to lead in this moment." Friction point: Some Dems are so enraged they've encouraged a fellow New Yorker to primary Schumer: Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who said Schumer's move triggered a "deep sense of outrage and betrayal" across the party. Asked if she'd back Ocasio-Cortez in a campaign to oust Schumer, Crockett said it's too early to give an answer, but added "younger, fresher leadership" might be on voters' minds — "especially in the state of New York." By the numbers: While Dems trade barbs, new polling shows the party has hit record-low popularity. Just 27% of registered voters said they have positive views of the party, according to NBC News polling out Sunday. That's the party's lowest positive rating in the outlet's polling dating back to 1990. CNN's latest poll, also out Sunday, has the Democratic party's favorability at 29% among the American public — also a historic low dating back to 1992. CNN notes that number is in part driven by Democrats' dissatisfaction with their own party. What they're saying: Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) said on CBS News' "Face the Nation" Sunday that she's feeling that anger from constituents in her town halls. "People are scared, they want to see us do something," she said. "They want to see Democrats fighting back." She contended Schumer sent out "mixed signals" ahead of the funding vote. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press" that Schumer "certainly can lead this caucus" and that he still supports him as leader. But he noted, "I think the only way that we are going to be effective as a caucus is if we change our tactics," later saying, "if we continue to engage in business as usual, this democracy could be gone." A shutdown, he said, would've "sent a message that the Democratic Party is not going to be bullied by Donald Trump." Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.) on "Fox News Sunday" framed the "generational tension" and debate within the party as "healthy," saying Republicans aligning in "lockstep" behind Trump are the "unhealthy" ones. After the losses of 2024, he said, "we're going to be debating internally as a party. I think that's exactly what American voters expect of us." Yes, but: Some Democrats think the public debate is handing Trump ammo while he faces his own myriad challenges to his aggressive blitz of early executive actions. "I think Chuck Schumer's a great leader," Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) said on CNN Sunday. Asked if he's the man for the job at this moment, she answered, "I don't think we should be talking about that and giving Trump any more wins." Go deeper: Inside House Dems' furious anti-Schumer movement
National security adviser Mike Waltz said Sunday that the U.S. could hit Iranian targets in Yemen as part of its military campaign against the Houthis. Why it matters: President Trump ordered strikes across Yemen on Saturday which killed at least 31 people, according to Houthi affiliated media, and which Waltz claimed "hit multiple Houthi leaders and took them out." Waltz made clear the U.S. is willing to target not just the Iran-backed Houthis, but targets more directly linked to Iran. He said that targets that "will be on the table" include Iranian ships near the Yemeni coast that help the Houthis in gathering intelligence, Iranian military trainers, and "other things they have put in to help the Houthis attack the global economy." The big picture: Trump sent a letter to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei last week proposing negotiations on a new nuclear deal. U.S. officials have said Trump wants any such deal to include limitations on Iran's support for regional terror groups and militias, like the Houthis. Khamenei called Trump's outreach "deception" and stressed Iran is not going to agree to any limitations on its relations with other groups in the region. Iran also condemned the U.S. strikes in Yemen. Trump has also said that if Iran won't agree to a deal, the U.S. will pursue "other options" if needed to ensure Tehran doesn't get a bomb. Waltz said on ABC's "This Week" that all options are on the table to ensure Iran doesn't get a nuclear weapon. He stressed Iran needs to "hand over and give up" all elements of its nuclear program including missiles, weaponization and enrichment of uranium "or they can face a whole series of other consequences," adding that "Iran has been offered a way put of this." Trump abandoned the 2015 nuclear deal that imposed limitations and inspections on Iran's nuclear program during his first term. What to watch: Waltz said the strikes in Yemen on Saturday were also a message to Iran. "We will hold not only Houthis accountable but also their Iranian backers," he said.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Sunday said the correction in the S&P 500 and Nasdaq was "healthy," and suggested that prior strong performance in stocks had been signs of a "euphoric" market. Why it matters: Treasury secretaries don't typically welcome major stock indices falling 10% in less than a month. But Bessent again said the economy needed to go through a "transition" as deficits come down and government spending declines. What they're saying: "I've been in the investment business for 35 years, and I can tell you that corrections are healthy. They're normal. What's not healthy is straight up, that you get these euphoric markets. That's how you get a financial crisis," Bessent told NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday. "It would have been much healthier if someone had put the brakes on in '06, '07. We wouldn't have had the problems in '08," Bessent said, referring to the global financial crisis. By the numbers: After hitting highs on Feb. 19, the S&P 500 fell 10% through March 13, while the Nasdaq fell more than 11%. Both are among the world's worst-performing major indices this year. The intrigue: U.S. stocks rallied on President Trump's election, before starting to fall once he began implementing his tariff policies. Both indices rose 6% to 9% from Election Day through their Feb. 19 peak. Between the lines: Over the last week Trump imposed steel and aluminum tariffs globally, threatened (and then withdrew) further retaliatory tariffs against Canada, and promised 200% tariffs on European wine and champagne. A key measure of big CEOs' confidence in the economy dipped, even as Trump brushed off C-suite concerns, saying they had "plenty of clarity." While stocks fell, gold surged to an all-time high above $3,000, as investors and governments sought tariff-safe assets. Zoom out: "I'm not worried about the markets. Over the long term, if we put good tax policy in place, deregulation and energy security, the markets will do great," Bessent said. What to watch: Bessent, as he has in recent days, declined to rule out the possibility of a recession. He said "there are no guarantees" about what may come, and while he expects an "adjustment" in the economy, "there's no reason that it has to" lead to a full-blown recession. "But, you know, I can tell you that if we kept on this track ... what I could guarantee is we would have had a financial crisis," he said.
The Trump Administration on Saturday ordered nearly all 1,300 employees of Voice of America (VOA) to be placed on leave. It also terminated funding for its sister broadcasters such as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), Radio Free Asia (RFA) and Middle East Broadcasting Networks. Why it matters: The decision sparked outrage from press freedom groups who say gutting those programs represents the latest effort by the Trump Administration to abandon the historic role the U.S. has played in championing democracy and press freedom abroad. Catch up quick: VOA is the largest of five international broadcasters represented by U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), formerly the Broadcasting Board of Governors. Those broadcasters operate on Congressionally-approved funding. VOA was created more than 80 years ago to combat Nazi propaganda during WWII. It's mission is to promote democracy and American interests abroad through fact-driven journalism. A legal firewall is supposed to protect it from any government interference. Those boundaries were tested during the first Trump Administration. Zoom in: On Saturday, employees at VOA were informed by USAGM's director of human resources that they were placed on leave, barring them from entering VOA's headquarters and using USAGM-provided equipment. The move came as part of a directive issued late Friday by The White House to reduce statutory functions of "unnecessary governmental entities to what is required by law." USAGM special advisor Kari Lake cancelled USAGM's 15-year lease, with a notice calling it "obscenely expensive." Other USAGM-funded broadcasters were told their funding would be terminated. What they're saying: "Attempts to defund @RFERL would be a massive gift to America's enemies, many of whom are already celebrating," Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty president and CEO Steve Capus said in a statement. "VOA needs thoughtful reform, and we have made progress in that regard. But today's action will leave Voice of America unable to carry out its vital mission. That mission is especially critical today, when America's adversaries, like Iran, China, and Russia, are sinking billions of dollars into creating false narratives to discredit the United States," Voice of America director Michael Abramowitz wrote on LinkedIn. Zoom out: Trump allies have long criticized the VOA and USAGM press agencies as propagandists. Elon Musk has called for VOA to be shut down. Saturday's actions were foreshadowed two weeks ago, when Gavin Kliger, a former Twitter software engineer who is now part of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team, was spotted inside VOA headquarters, sources told Axios. The week prior, USAGM placed one of the VOA's most visible journalists, chief national correspondent Steven Herman, on "excused absence" pending an HR investigation, and reassigned the broadcaster's longtime White House bureau chief Patsy Widakuswara to another beat. Yes, but: Attempts to defund USAGM-funded entities were halted by courts during the first Administration, and could come up against legal pressure again this time around. Michael Pack, the conservative filmmaker who was nominated by President Trump to lead USAGM during his first term, was accused of fraud, as well as misuse of office, during his short tenure from 2020 to 2021. What to watch: The gutting of USAGM's broadcast agencies would leave an information vacuum in parts of the world where fact-based journalism is difficult to access, advocated have argued. "The termination of RFA's grant is a reward to dictators and despots, including the Chinese Communist Party, who would like nothing better than to have their influence go unchecked in the information space," RFA president and CEO Bay Fang said in a statement.
President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin will likely speak this week as part of Trump's push to reach a 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, White House envoy Steve Witkoff said Sunday. Why it matters: Witkoff met the Russian president for several hours on Thursday. While Ukraine agreed to Trump's ceasefire proposal, Putin refused to accept it unconditionally. Driving the news: In an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper, Witkoff described his four-hour meeting with Putin as "positive" and added the discussion was "solutions-based". He claimed Putin accepts "Trump's philosophy" of ending the war with Ukraine. "The two sides are a lot closer today than they were a few weeks ago. We narrowed the differences," Witkoff said. Behind the scenes: Witkoff said Trump is personally involved in the diplomatic efforts with Russia and Ukraine. He said he briefed Trump from the U.S. embassy in Moscow right after the meeting with Putin. Witkoff said Trump held a meeting with his senior advisers on Saturday about the efforts to reach a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine and more discussions are expected to take place today in order to " narrow the differences even further." "We hope to see a ceasefire within weeks," Witkoff said. What to watch: Witkoff said U.S. officials will hold separate talks this week with teams from Ukraine and Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Saturday that he appointed a negotiating team led by his chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, and including Ukraine's foreign and defense ministers. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke on Saturday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and "discussed next steps to follow up on recent meetings in Saudi Arabia and agreed to continue working towards restoring communication between the United States and Russia," the State Department said. The intrigue: Trump announced on Saturday that he appointed General Keith Kellogg as Special Envoy to Ukraine. That's a narrowing of Kellogg's previous mandate as envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Trump said Kellogg "will deal directly with President Zelensky, and Ukrainian leadership. He knows them well, and they have a very good working relationship together." The reason behind the move seems to be Russian reluctance to deal with Kellogg.
At least 33 people are dead after tornadoes, high winds and wildfires hit more than a half-dozen states since Thursday. Threat level: Although the outlook is less dire, more severe thunderstorms with potential tornadoes are expected Sunday from Pennsylvania to Florida. Fatalities occurred in Georgia, Mississippi, Arkansas and Alabama from tornadoes that raced at highway speeds on Friday through Saturday night and into early Sunday morning. States of emergency are in effect in Georgia, Mississippi, Arkansas and Alabama due to the storms. The storms had prompted the National Weather Service to issue a rare "high risk" threat designation for Mississippi and Alabama on Saturday, as multiple rounds of intense thunderstorms swept across these states. Hard-hit communities include Taylorsville, Miss., and Calera, Ala., among many others. Much of the damage will be revealed Sunday morning, as some of the tornadoes struck at night. The storms even targeted at least one NWS office, with forecasters at NWS Birmingham forced to take shelter as a tornado passed close to their building Saturday evening. State of play: As of Sunday morning, tornado watches stretched from Florida to North Carolina, and severe storms are forecast to bring a threat of high winds all the way into western Pennsylvania by Sunday evening as a cold front slices its way eastward. About 38 million people live in areas designated at "slight" to "enhanced" risk of severe thunderstorms on Sunday. X/Storm Prediction Center Dozens of tornadoes, many of them confirmed by the National Weather Service, have been reported from the Midwest to the Southeast since Friday. These numbers are likely to increase on Sunday, despite the lower overall risk level. Yes, but: As damaging and deadly as this event was, it was not the historic outbreak feared in some states, particularly Alabama. Meteorologists are likely to spend years studying what set this storm apart from past landmark outbreaks in order to better forecast them ahead of time. Context: Climate change is altering the environment in which severe thunderstorms and tornadoes form. Studies show that while some ingredients, such as humidity and atmospheric instability, are likely to increase with a warming climate, others may do the opposite. Yes, but: When the right mix of ingredients are present, as they have been during the past few days, climate change may lead to larger severe weather outbreaks. The intrigue: The Southeast, home to so-called "Dixie Alley," has been particularly hard-hit by tornado outbreaks in recent years beginning during March. Between the lines: This severe weather outbreak has been testing NOAA's ability to handle a large-scale, deadly weather event in the wake of laying off about 800 staff, including more than 100 meteorologists, in late February. These layoffs reduced staffing at some local weather forecast offices to threadbare levels, causing some to reduce their services. More layoffs of up to around 1,000 NOAA employees are possible in coming weeks, though it's not clear if those would fall at other parts of the agency than NWS. The bottom line: The tornado and damaging straight-line wind threat is not over yet, as this long-lasting outbreak stretches into another day. Go deeper: What we know about how climate change affects tornado outbreaks NOAA cuts could ground some Hurricane Hunter flights 2nd judge orders agencies to reinstate thousands of fired federal workers
Data: IPEDS; Note: Includes students from Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, Delaware, Washington, D.C., Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania; Chart: Axios Visuals Warm weather, affordability and politics have prompted a teenage migration from the Northeast to the South. Why it matters: Large southern state schools, many in already expanding metro areas, are attracting a geographically diverse student body as Americans are increasingly disillusioned with the value of higher education. "They're seen not only as more fun, but also more accessible," Jeff Selingo, author of college admissions books, told Axios. The big picture: Many public southern schools have lower tuition rates than their private counterparts, and they prioritize merit scholarships, Selingo said. The more exciting draws? School spirit and football culture. By the numbers: In two decades, 84% more students from the North attended public schools in the South, per a Wall Street Journal analysis last year. It jumped 30% from 2018 to 2022. Louisiana State University saw a nearly 500% increase in attendance from students in the Northeast from 100 students in 2014 to 568 in 2023, according to an Axios analysis of National Center for Education Statistics data. The University of Tennessee in Knoxville and the University of Mississippi had significant increases as well. Between the lines: Politics are also a rising factor in some students' decision. Colleges in Republican-led states returned to in-person classes sooner than colleges in Democratic-led states after the onset of COVID. High school students who sat through virtual classes during the pandemic may have been inclined to flock south for a more authentic college experience. "Students who were looking at colleges saw more freedom and fun in the South than they saw up North," Selingo said. Zoom in: More recently, elite colleges in the Northeast and California were the main sites of pro-Palestinian protests that sparked clashes between demonstrators and school administrations. "Students have said to me, 'I don't want to go to a college where everybody's angry at each other and everybody's fighting over everything,'" said Maria Laskaris, a counselor at Top Tier Admissions, a higher education consulting firm. "It's not that they don't want to be challenged. They're looking for a good education, an active and generally happy student body." Politically moderate or conservative students could feel that they'd better fit in at schools in Republican-leaning states, Selingo said, as slightly more young people identify with conservatives. What's next: Alumni of these schools are likely to stay in the South for work after graduating, as the population in cities such as Raleigh, Charlotte, Nashville, Atlanta and Austin have been growing faster than the country overall. About half of graduates work in the same metro area as their college, and two-thirds work in the same state, per 2024 research from the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. "Suddenly you're living there and raising the next generation of kids," Selingo said. Behind the scenes: The Common Application, which allows students to apply to multiple schools at once, used to primarily serve private and highly selective schools, per Education Week. It's now become a major resource for students applying to public colleges and universities. In 2023-24, applications to public schools on the platform surpassed private for the first time, per a report. The bottom line: "It is becoming almost impossible to get into the most competitive schools," Laskaris said. "And at some point, I think students are going to say 'Why am I chasing something? Look at this wonderful school that has a much more generous admit rate that gives me everything I want." Go deeper: America's college chaos
In public, President Trump is blunt, salty, mean, flattering and gossipy. In private, he's the same man — with an extra dash of profanity and edge. Why it matters: Axios White House reporter Alex Isenstadt captures the two Trumps in a series of never-before-reported moments in his new book, "Revenge: The Inside Story of Trump's Return to Power," out Tuesday. Here's a sneak peek: 1. "I'm going to squash this guy like a bug." —Trump in January 2023 to then-Sen. JD Vance of Ohio about Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who was gearing up to run against Trump in the GOP presidential primary. 2. "If you need a bed to lay down in, there's one here on the plane. If you feel sick and you need to lay there, you can lay on it. Just don't tell Melania. She doesn't like other women on my bed." —A joking Trump to Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) while aboard his personal jet in the summer of 2023. Luna was pregnant and not feeling well. 3. "Honey, I need to fix this." —Trump to then-RNC chair Ronna McDaniel, backstage at the Republican Jewish Coalition conference in October 2023. Trump didn't think McDaniel's hair was ready for prime time. So he grabbed some hairspray and sprayed it on her. 4. "He's f--king fired. Get him fired now. Have someone walk him off the property." —Trump to his aides in early 2024, after a mechanic accidentally deployed the emergency slides on his jet when it was parked, requiring it to be sent for repairs. 5. "Listen, everybody. There will be no retribution, there will be no revenge. Wink, wink." —A sarcastic Trump to aides in March 2024, after then-President Biden said Trump would be focused on revenge if he got back into the White House. 6. "Go tell Lindsey we're not friends anymore." —Trump to an aide in April 2024 after Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) criticized Trump's decision to oppose a Graham-backed plan to ban abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy. 7. "E. Jean Carroll says I f--ked her. Stormy Daniels says I f--ked her. But I never f--ked them. Everyone's f--king everybody, but I never f--ked any of these people." —Trump to an aide about Carroll, a New York writer who had accused Trump of sexually assaulting her in the 1990s, and Daniels, a porn star who said she had sex with Trump in 2006. In May 2024, a jury found Trump liable for sexually assaulting Carroll and fined him $5 million. 8. "Convict me and send me to Rikers already. At least they probably have the heat turned on." —Trump complaining about the chilly New York courtroom where he was tried in 2024 on charges of falsifying business records in a case that stemmed from his $130,000 payment in alleged hush money to Daniels. Trump was convicted and got a no-penalty sentence. 9. "It was Jared's thing, and Jared's a Democrat." —Trump to aides, referring to his son-in-law and former adviser, Jared Kushner, who championed a criminal justice reform bill. 10. "Youngkin's pretty good, isn't he?" —Trump to then-Sen. and vice presidential prospect Marco Rubio of Florida, referring to another vice presidential contender, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin. 11. "Can you give me a copy of these? Because I want to make sure I can show reporters that my cognitive function is 100%. You can't say the same about Joe Biden." —Trump to a hospital nurse, about the results of a CT scan after the attempt on his life on July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. The results showed the gunshot that clipped Trump's ear didn't impede his cognitive abilities. 12. "Wow. Steve is even more blind than I thought he was if he thinks Tom Cotton has charisma." —Trump to an ally after casino mogul Steve Wynn urged him to consider Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) for the VP slot. Wynn suffers from retinitis pigmentosa, an incurable eye disease. 13. "He was like a beggar. I could have said: 'Drop to your fucking knees, Ron.'" —Trump to guests on his personal plane in June 2023, recalling DeSantis asking for his endorsement during the 2022 Florida governor's race. More on the book.
President Trump's tariffs are rattling the economy and drawing attacks from Democrats. But some key party members are largely backing his approach — arguing that Democrats need their own pro-tariff agenda to win back working-class voters. Instead of warning about tariffs hiking prices, they say, Democrats should be talking about how they'd use tariffs more effectively — even if that means using them against allies, including Canada and Mexico. Why it matters: It's the latest example of Democrats' soul-searching and agenda-tweaking after Trump made inroads among blue-collar workers with promises to use tariffs to boost American manufacturing. Driving the news: Democrats across the Rust Belt and in several congressional swing districts, along with leaders of historically Democratic unions, have voiced support for many of Trump's tariffs — even if they believe he's haphazardly implementing them. Rep. Jared Golden of Maine introduced legislation to put a 10% tariff on all goods coming into the U.S. He told Axios: "The world is changing, and some Democrats haven't quite caught up to that fact." Golden, whose largely rural district voted for Trump in 2020 and 2024, added: "I think Trump did identify the problem. In many ways, Democrats are doubling down [on free trade] in reaction to him." "Some have said that we have really healthy trade with Canada, and I don't agree," Golden added. "I'm not arguing we should embrace tariffs as part of a campaign strategy. I'm arguing we should do it based on the merits of the policy and what is good for working-class Americans." The United Auto Workers union, which endorsed then-President Biden last year, said this month: "We are glad to see an American president take aggressive action on ending the free trade disaster that has dropped like a bomb on the working class." Faiz Shakir, a close adviser to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) who ran his 2020 presidential campaign, told Axios: "I disagree with the Democrats who live in the framework that we just need cheap goods from China and Mexico, and their message is: 'Washing machines and avocados are going to get more expensive.'" Shakir said he believed Trump was implementing tariffs poorly, but added: "There's a desire for tariffs for a reason. Voters hear that Trump is making these corporations pay a price for shipping jobs overseas." Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.) has criticized Trump's "chaotic" implementation of tariffs, but argued that "the answer isn't to condemn tariffs across the board." "Democrats need to break free from the wrong-for-decades zombie horde of neoliberal economists who think tariffs are always bad," he wrote in a New York Times op-ed. Between the lines: Many other Democrats have tried to find a middle ground — avoiding a reflexively anti-tariff stance while criticizing Trump's tariffs against U.S. allies. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) told Axios in a text message that Trump's "blanket tariffs — especially against Canada and Mexico — have hurt farmers who import feed for cattle, have increased grocery prices, and have hurt many small business owners, convenience stores and restaurants." "I am for strategic tariffs against China as part of smart industrial policy," he added. "Not blanket tariffs on our allies and food and farm items." The other side: Some Democrats think Trump's tariffs are bad policy and will create even higher prices after years of relatively high inflation. Some Democrats believe Trump, who promised to lower prices, is making himself politically vulnerable with his new tariffs. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, who's weighing a 2028 presidential run, tweeted: "The president should be focused on making life easier for American families, not harder. A trade war with Canada and Mexico will do the exact opposite, raising prices at the grocery store, gas pump and more." Larry Summers, a top economic adviser for Presidents Clinton and Obama, said the tariffs could move the U.S. toward stagflation — a scenario with high inflation and unemployment plus anemic economic growth. "These policies are a major penalty to U.S. consumers that reduce the real income of middle-class families," he told The Free Press. Flashback: The parties are in a historic muddle when it comes to trade and tariffs. Democrats used to be more skeptical of free trade, but Clinton and Obama were largely supportive of free trade deals like NAFTA. Republicans were mostly unified behind free trade deals, but now are largely acquiescing to Trump's agenda. Trump, long critical of free trade deals, made tariffs and protectionism a centerpiece of his campaigns in 2016, 2020 and 2024. That's partly why the Biden administration kept in place some of Trump's tariffs — while arguing it was applying pressure in more targeted and strategic ways.
The U.S. military conducted wide-ranging air strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen on Saturday, President Trump said. Why it matters: It was the biggest wave of U.S. strikes in Yemen since Trump assumed office. Driving the news: According to local reports in Yemen, numerous explosions took place in Sanaa around 1:30pm ET. Trump said the strikes were aimed at "terrorists' bases, leaders, and missile defenses." What they are saying: "Today, I have ordered the U.S. Military to launch decisive and powerful Military action against the Houthi terrorists in Yemen. They have waged an unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism against American, and other, ships, aircraft, and drones," Trump wrote on his Truth Social account. Trump said Houthi attacks "have cost the U.S. and World Economy many BILLIONS of Dollars while, at the same time, putting innocent lives at risk". "The Houthi attack on American vessels will not be tolerated. We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective," he said, hinting that the strikes are part of a wider military campaign. "To all Houthi terrorists, YOUR TIME IS UP, AND YOUR ATTACKS MUST STOP, STARTING TODAY. IF THEY DON'T, HELL WILL RAIN DOWN UPON YOU LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE!" Trump wrote. The big picture: Trump said the strikes against the Houthis are also a message to Iran, to which he sent a letter earlier this week proposing negotiations on a new nuclear deal. "To Iran: Support for the Houthi terrorists must end IMMEDIATELY! Do NOT threaten the American People, their President, or Worldwide shipping lanes. If you do, BEWARE, because America will hold you fully accountable and, we won't be nice about it!" Trump stressed.
Former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, a Democrat turned independent, is taking revenge on Democrats who criticized her longstanding push to keep the Senate filibuster. Why it matters: This week's Democratic campaign to shut down the government called for using the filibuster, which some Democrats spent the last few years arguing shouldn't exist. Zoom in: The filibuster is a procedural rule that forces the Senate to have 60 votes to advance most legislation. Republicans have 53 Senate seats, but the filibuster meant they needed 60 votes to advance the government funding resolution that passed Friday. Back in 2022, Sinema and former Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia resisted calls to abolish the filibuster so Democrats could pass gun control, voting rights and abortion rights laws, despite only having 50 Senate seats. Both Sinema and Manchin started as Democrats, but left the Democratic Party while in the Senate. Sinema resurfaced comments by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who said Thursday she's feeling "outrage and betrayal" over Senate Dems not using the filibuster. Back in 2022, AOC said "we could protect Roe tomorrow, but Sinema refuses to act" to get rid of the filibuster. "Change of heart on the filibuster I see!" Sinema posted on Saturday. Sinema also noted progressive leader Rep. Pramila Jayapal's (D-Wash.) demands for Schumer to filibuster. Back in September, Jayapal called the tactic the "Jim Crow Filibuster." "Just surprised to see support for the "Jim Crow filibuster" here, Sinema posted on Saturday.
With just mere seconds of audio, artificial intelligence voice cloning programs can make a copy of a voice, virtually indistinguishable from the original to the human ear. Why it matters: That tech can have legitimate accessibility and automation benefits — but it can also be an easy-to-use tool for scammers. Despite that threat, many products' guardrails can be easily sidestepped, a new assessment found. The "granny scam," as experts refer to imposter scams that sometimes weaponize voice cloning tech to scam people using their loved ones' voices, is not a new phenomenon. However, "the pace at which it's now happening and the believability of the voice has fundamentally changed," says Rahul Sood, the chief product officer at Pindrop, a security company that develops authentication and fraud detection tools. It's not just individuals who are at risk, he noted. The corporate sector faces many cyber threats, from account takeover scams targeting call centers to recruiting impersonation. Zoom in: A study out this week from Consumer Reports found many leading voice-cloning technology products lacked significant safeguards to prevent fraud or misuse. For four of the six products in the test set, researchers were able to "easily create" a voice clone using publicly accessible audio, with no technical mechanism to ensure the creators received the speaker's consent to use their voice or to limit the cloning to the user's own voice. For four of those services, it was free to create a custom voice cloning. By the numbers: While the Federal Trade Commission does not have specific data on voice-cloning scams, over 845,000 imposter scams were reported in the U.S. in 2024. The intrigue: Scams and spoofs using AI voice cloning and deepfake technology also often impersonate well-known individuals, like celebrities, CEOs and politicians. After former President Biden's voice was cloned using AI in fake robocalls discouraging voting in the New Hampshire primary, the Federal Communications Commission unanimously outlawed the use of AI-generated voices in scam robocalls. In July, Elon Musk shared a fake Kamala Harris ad that featured a phony voice that sounded just like the then-vice president — teeing up a debate over whether such media is obvious "parody" or dangerous AI. What they're saying: Such scams on social media platforms are only growing, and voice cloning "is far more mature" and widely accessible today than facial cloning technology, Sood says. The commercial services Pindrop tracks are often "very easy to use," Sood added. He said the quality of voice cloning has now passed the so-called "uncanny valley" — meaning the human ear can no longer detect the difference between what is human and what is machine-generated. Philadelphia attorney Gary Schildhorn detailed to a Senate panel in 2023 how he almost became the victim of a voice-cloning imposter scam, when he received a call from his "son," who tearfully told him he was in a car accident with a pregnant woman and was in jail. What ensued was a multi-layer scam that ended with Schildhorn being told to wire money to the man claiming to be his son's attorney. "I'm a father; I'm a lawyer," he said. "My son's in trouble, a pregnant woman was hurt, he's in jail; I'm in action mode." But before he could send the money, Schildhorn received a call from his son — who had not been in an accident and was not in jail. The Consumer Reports assessment recommended mitigation practices that include requiring unique audio consent statements and watermarking AI-generated audio. For individuals, it can be prudent to change the way people think about sharing their voices online, such as through custom voicemail messages, experts told Axios. Yes, but: Steve Grobman, McAfee's chief technology officer, acknowledges it's not practical in a digital world to expect everyone to erase their voice from the internet. "I think of it a little bit like developing a healthy skepticism," he said, recommending a family code word to verify a caller's identity. The bottom line: Grobman highlighted the legitimate, powerful benefits voice cloning tech can have: providing a voice for those who may not be able to speak, bridging language divides and saving time and resources. "I think in many ways, we have to think about our voice being out there as something that is a cost of doing business for all the great things the digital world of 2025 can bring to us," he added. Go deeper: IBM researchers use AI voices to hijack phone calls
A dangerous Saturday into Saturday night is set to unfold across the Deep South and into parts of the Southeast as a prolific tornado outbreak hits at least half a dozen states. Threat level: The NOAA Storm Prediction Center has issued a rare "high risk" outlook indicating forecasters' confidence in numerous, powerful tornadoes, particularly in parts of Mississippi and Alabama. The severe weather is forecast to get underway by late morning in Louisiana and Mississippi, with storms racing northeast with time. A mix of abundant wind shear, atmospheric instability and unusually strong upper level winds will drive this tornado outbreak, forecasters warned. The NWS forecast office in Birmingham released a statement on X Friday noting the rare combination of ingredients that could make this event so significant, summarizing it as: "This will be a very scary situation for many." High risk region focuses on Mississippi and Alabama The high risk zone (Level 5 out of 5 alert level) encompasses more than 3 million people on Saturday including the cities of Birmingham, Jackson, Miss., Tuscaloosa, Ala. and Hattiesburg, Miss. About 11 million people are located in the moderate risk zone (Level 4 out of 5 level) Saturday into Saturday night, including New Orleans and Baton Rouge, La., along with Montgomery and Mobile, Alabama and Columbus, Ga. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey (R) issued a state of emergency for the entire state on Friday. "The state of Alabama is at risk for potentially dangerous, severe weather throughout this weekend, so it is critical that everyone stays very aware of their local forecasts," Ivey said. Zoom in: The SPC is using strong language to describe the tornado threat in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama in particular on Saturday. "A tornado outbreak is expected across the central Gulf Coast States and Deep South into the Tennessee Valley," SPC forecasters wrote in an online discussion Saturday morning. "Numerous significant tornadoes, some of which should be long-track and potentially violent, are expected this afternoon and evening." The reference to "violent" tornadoes refers to twisters of EF-3 intensity or greater, and forecasters are also warning that some tornadoes may remain on the ground for many miles. The tornado threat will continue into the overnight hours on Saturday into early Sunday, particularly in Georgia, parts of Tennessee and the Florida Panhandle. Overnight tornadoes are particularly deadly because people have a harder time receiving warnings and getting to shelter, particularly in states with high proportions of mobile homes. NWS urges preparation for tornado outbreak Zoom out: The storms on Saturday come after severe weather swept across the Mid-South and Midwest on Friday night, killing two in Missouri as about two dozen tornadoes were reported across multiple states. X/NWS Storm Prediction Center. Context: Climate change is altering the environment in which severe thunderstorms and tornadoes form. Studies show that while some ingredients, such as humidity and atmospheric instability, are likely to increase with a warming climate, others may do the opposite. Climate change is anticipated to decrease the amount of wind shear available to severe thunderstorms, which could deprive them of a key ingredient for tornado formation. Yes, but: When the right mix of ingredients are present, as they are on Saturday, climate change may lead to larger severe weather outbreaks. The big picture: The NWS is urging people to prepare for the tornado outbreak, with some private sector forecasters instructing residents to be near tornado shelters by midday Saturday. Gather important documents, charge your devices, and do not hesitate to act when prompted," the NWS forecast office in Birmingham stated in a forecast discussion. "These storms could be moving 50+ MPH when a warning is issued, and time will be of the essence." The intrigue: The Southeast has been particularly hard-hit by tornado outbreaks in recent years beginning during March. Between the lines: This severe weather outbreak will test NOAA's ability to handle a large-scale, potentially deadly weather event in the wake of laying off about 800 meteorologists and other staff in late February. These layoffs reduced staffing at some local weather forecast offices to threadbare levels, causing some to reduce their services. Some meteorologists are also having to put in more frequent overtime shifts. The bottom line: This severe weather outbreak is likely to be a high-end, potentially historic event, resulting in multiple powerful, long-lasting tornadoes. Go deeper: What we know about how climate change affects tornado outbreaks NOAA cuts could ground some Hurricane Hunter flights 2nd judge orders agencies to reinstate thousands of fired federal workers
U.S. forces with help from Iraqi intelligence and security killed the No. 2 global ISIS leader, "one of the most important" of the entire organization, per U.S. Central Command. The big picture: Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rifai, also known as Abu Khadijah, oversaw global operations and logistics for the extremist group and directed "a significant portion" of its global financing, Central Command said Friday in an X post. Zoom in: Khadijah was killed in a precision airstrike in Al Anbar Province, Iraq on Thursday along with another ISIS operative. "After the strike, CENTCOM and Iraqi forces moved to the strike site and found both dead ISIS terrorists," Central Command said. "Both terrorists were wearing unexploded 'suicide vests' and had multiple weapons." Khadijah was identified through DNA obtained when he "narrowly escaped" an earlier raid, per CENTCOM. What they're saying: "Abu Khadijah was one of the most important ISIS members in the entire global ISIS organization," Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, CENTCOM commander, said. "We will continue to kill terrorists and dismantle their organizations that threaten our homeland and U.S., allied and partner personnel in the region and beyond," Kurilla added. President Trump declared for "PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH" on Truth Social Friday, praising U.S. forces as "intrepid warfighters." More from Axios: U.S. conducts strikes against ISIS operatives in Somalia ISIS, refugees, populism: How Syria changed everything
Chart: Axios Visuals Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is stirring speculation that he's floating a potential bid to be the 2028 Democratic presidential candidate, after bowing out of local races this week. The big picture: Democrats eyeing runs for the White House in 2028 have largely remained coy about their intentions, though their actions indicate they're preparing for primaries. Potential top 2028 contenders include Buttigieg, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis. Here's a closer look: Pete Buttigieg Buttigieg made his national ambitions clear when he launched an ultimately unsuccessful presidential run in 2020 while mayor of South Bend, Indiana. He served in the Biden cabinet as transportation secretary, where he was forced to contend with a pile-on of crises. Buttigieg was considered a strong contender in Michigan's gubernatorial or Senate elections next year, but he ruled himself out of both races on Thursday. Gavin Newsom Newsom has long been considered a likely Democratic presidential candidate, and has been building a nationwide network of supporters and donors in recent years while garnering more national attention. After President Trump won the 2024 election, Newsom called for a special legislative session in California to raise money to prepare to challenge the Republican leader in the courts. He has pitched himself as a moderate in recent months and sought to broaden his appeal. In a recent conversation with right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk on the governor's new podcast, Newsom broke with many Democrats when he said transgender athletes competing in girls' and women's sports was "deeply unfair." Rahm Emanuel Emanuel, who served as the ambassador to Japan under former President Biden, has fueled speculation of a bid for president. The former Obama White House chief of staff has been making several public appearances sounding the alarm that Democrats must recalibrate their political strategies before the 2026 midterms. Emanuel joined CNN as a commentator last month and obtained a Washington Post column. Tim Walz Walz announced last month he will not run for Minnesota's newly open U.S. Senate seat in 2026, potentially leaving room for a presidential run. The two-term governor and 2024 vice presidential candidate launched a national tour of town halls in Republican House districts, traveling the country. JB Pritzker Pritzker, a billionaire businessman, has been claiming the Democratic resistance lane in Illinois. He's been boosting his national profile in recent years and has been on unofficial shortlists — including as a potential emergency replacement for then-President Biden after the disastrous first presidential debate last year. Gretchen Whitmer The Michigan governor has been a rising star in the Democratic Party and has positioned herself as a pragmatic, center-left leader since Trump's win. She said she met with him this week to discuss jobs, tariffs and defense investments. In recent weeks, Whitmer has touted that she sent National Guard troops to the border to combat illegal immigration and said she's open to some new tariffs to protect industry. She declined to join a multi-state federal lawsuit challenging Trump's push to ban birthright citizenship. As governor, Whitmer has championed gun safety measures, abortion access and civil rights protections for LGBTQ+ residents. She launched a national political group in 2023 to boost her public profile. Jared Polis The popular two-term Colorado governor was among a handful of top Democrats under consideration as a possible replacement for Biden on the 2024 ticket. Polis, like Whitmer, has taken a centrist approach since Trump's inauguration. He said in his State of the State address that he hopes Trump and Congress can work together "to secure the border, stop human trafficking and stop the illegal flow of guns and drugs ... We welcome more federal help to detain and deport dangerous criminals." The governor backed Trump's controversial nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Health and Human Services secretary. Zoom out: Other potential contenders include Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy. Between the lines: Top Democrats are divided on how to confront Trump, as the party faces an identity crisis following the 204 election. This time, there's no consensus on strategy — and prominent Democrats are already taking different paths, Axios' Alex Thompson reports. Go deeper: Democrats eyeing 2028 split on how to tackle Trump
First, the good news: There is no solid evidence right now that the economy is in recession, or even particularly close to it. The bad news is that warning bells of what is to come are ringing every which way. The big picture: The cautions about the outlook keep piling on top of each other, including from surveys of consumers and businesses, corporate earnings, and financial markets. It all suggests that the economic ground may — emphasis on may — be shifting beneath our feet. But the evidence so far is all in the realm of anecdotes, or "soft data," not the kind of definitive, "hard data" evidence of a downturn that would make economists believe a recession is commencing. Zoom out: A confluence of forces emanating from Washington is driving the vibe shift. The threat of new tariffs far larger than those enacted in the previous Trump term is part of it, as is the erratic, on-again/off-again pattern through which they are being implemented. Cuts to the federal workforce and government contracting may be leading some wary consumers to slow their spending (as is already evident in credit card data for the Washington, D.C. area). It all adds a layer of uncertainty for companies trying to decide whether to engage in new capital spending or hiring. Zoom in: On Friday, the University of Michigan's preliminary survey of consumer sentiment for March plunged for the third straight month, showing sharply lower expectations for the future among Democrats and Republicans alike. Thursday, the S&P 500 fell into official correction territory — a 10% drop from its peak. (It rebounded sharply on Friday, however). Leaders of businesses large and small are showing less confidence in the outlook, per surveys. Warnings have percolated from airlines and retailers, including Dollar General and Walmart, about underwhelming consumer demand. Announced layoffs reached their highest levels since the summer of 2020, when the pandemic was in full force — and highest for the month of February since 2009, per outplacement firm Challenger Gray & Christmas. Between the lines: Any one of these developments can, and generally should, be chalked up to the ebb and flow of data. The Michigan survey sample size is small. The stock market has been frothy lately, and routinely experiences corrections that don't predict recession. Any given company or industry can have a rough quarter. What is striking is how pervasive these warning signs have been lately, and how they all seem to point the same direction. The good news lately — on solid Q4 GDP growth, for example — has come from data sources that are backward-looking. Meanwhile, the Trump administration's talk, suggesting that a period of economic weakness could be necessary (or even desirable) to remake the economy, adds to the sense that hard days are ahead. Elevated inflation could keep the Federal Reserve from cutting rates as much as it normally would during a downturn. Reality check: None of this means that a recession is underway, or inevitable. The U.S. economy is like a tanker ship that normally moves forward, and it takes a lot to stop that progress. The bottom line: Shifts underway in Washington may be enough to at least slow the ship, if not stop it — even if the evidence so far isn't definitive.
The most urgent divide within the Democratic Party is less ideological than tactical: if the Dems stand and fight on every front or pick their battles. Why it matters: The split is epitomized by the feud over whether Democrats should have let the government shut down on Friday, but it's bigger than that. The base is bracing for a four-year political war against a power-hungry president, but their representatives aren't all in battle formation. As Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker's chief of staff Anne Caprara put it, it's "team fight" vs. team "cave," and "team fight stretches across the ideological spectrum." The other side of the debate argues that fighting for the sake of fighting — including by triggering a shutdown that empowers President Trump to wreak further havoc across the federal government — is a fool's errand. Driving the news: The most glaring example of that split is between two prominent New York Democrats. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and nine members of his caucus voted to advance the GOP-led funding bill on Friday despite intense pressure to oppose it. Schumer torched both Trump and the continuing resolution (CR) in an NYT op-ed explaining his decision but argued that Trump would only seize more power in a shutdown and distract attention from the policy failures that are hurting his popularity. Friction point: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez argued Schumer's "almost unthinkable" move caused a "deep sense of outrage and betrayal" across the Dems' ideological spectrum — and pointedly didn't rule out a primary challenge against him. "The strength we have is in this moment," Ocasio-Cortez argued, stressing that this was a rare case where Republicans needed Democratic votes and that providing them for this bill would only "empower" Trump and Elon Musk. Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) also called on Democrats to buck Schumer and "listen to the women" in the party pushing a different approach. Every House Democrat but one voted against the CR, and younger members have been particularly outraged by Schumer's more cautious approach. It's not just the party's left flank. Susan Rice, the former top Obama and Biden adviser who has had her share of run-ins with progressives, called on Schumer to "grow a spine" and on all "self-respecting" Dems to refuse to "roll over and play dead." The other side: Democratic strategist James Carville called on Democrats to do exactly that — "roll over and play dead" — last month, letting Republicans "crumble beneath their own weight and make the American people miss us." Sen John Fetterman (D-Pa.) backed the CR and has shown willingness to work with Trump on some issues. Gov. Gavin Newsom has been hosting chummy interviews with MAGA warriors, including an interview with Steve Bannon in which he expressed surprise that Republicans were willing to go along with the CR. By contrast, Pritzker, a potential 2028 rival of Newsom's, is building his brand as an anti-MAGA warrior. He tweeted Friday that Democrats "have the power to stop the cessation of power" to Trump and Musk, and must oppose the CR. Yes, but: Influential left-leaning blogger Matt Yglesias made the exact opposite argument — that Dems had no plausible path to constraining Trump and Musk in the CR fight and thus the "responsible" thing to do was keep the government open. "If you want to stop Republicans from doing bad things you need to win races," he wrote. What we're watching: The grassroots are team fight all the way, but team cave believes they'll ultimately be vindicated in 2026 and beyond for steering a more prudent course. That's if they don't tear each other apart first.
Data: CoreLogic; Chart: Axios Visuals More Gen Zers are looking to break into the home market, new data shows. Why it matters: High housing costs and a supply crunch have made it harder, especially for younger people, to become homeowners. The big picture: Gen Z represented 13% of U.S. home mortgage applications in 2024, up from 10% in 2023, according to an analysis by CoreLogic, an industry data provider. Relatively affordable parts of the Midwest and South saw the highest Gen Z shares, while pricey coastal metros lagged behind. Between the lines: Gen Zers, those roughly ages 12–28 today, are expected to make up a bigger piece of the homebuying pie as they get older. CoreLogic researchers analyzed 2024 mortgage applications, accepted or not, and they excluded investors, second-home buyers and cash buyers. Reality check: Many who take the plunge get help from Mom and Dad. Younger generations are increasingly banking on family money for down payments, Redfin research shows. And house hunters commonly ask loved ones for cash instead of traditional wedding or baby gifts. What to watch: Some aspiring homeowners are getting creative — splitting a mortgage with friends or buying rental properties in cheaper cities.
Adam Boehler, who oversaw unprecedented direct negotiations with Hamas on behalf of President Trump, has withdrawn his nomination for the position of special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, according to two White House officials. The intrigue: A senior Trump administration official claimed that the move has been planned for two weeks and was intended to shift Boehler into a different presidential envoy position with a broader mandate but no need for Senate confirmation. The big picture: Boehler has been at the center of a media and political storm since Axios revealed he had met directly with Hamas officials — making him the first U.S. official ever to do so. Although those talks were approved by Trump, they sparked anger among some Senate Republicans, some of whom took the issue up privately with the White House. That could have made Senate confirmation difficult. News Nation first reported on Boehler's decision. Driving the news: Last week, Axios reported that Boehler held two meetings with senior Hamas officials in Doha to negotiate the release of American hostages held by the group in Gaza. The talks between Boehler and Hamas have sparked great anger in the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, including an angry phone call with Netanyahu's close confidant, Ron Dermer. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said earlier this week that Boehler's negotiations with Hamas were a "one-off" and stressed that Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is the main channel for negotiations on the issue of the Gaza hostage deal. He is conducting the negotiations via Qatari mediators and not in direct talks with Hamas, Rubio said. What they are saying: "Adam Boehler will continue to serve President Trump as a special government employee focused on hostage negotiations," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Axios. "Adam played a critical role in negotiating the return of Marc Fogel from Russia. He will continue this important work to bring wrongfully detained individuals around the world home."
Chart: Axios Visuals President Trump's whirlwind of policy hauls kept spinning this week as he navigated international trade disputes, a ceasefire proposal for Ukraine and turbulence over his claims of antisemitism at Columbia University. Here's our recap of major developments. U.S. economic outlook sours amid trade war Global investors are becoming wary of the possibility Trump will eventually follow through on his pledge of across-the-board tariffs on many of the largest U.S. trading partners. These trade conflicts have triggered worries about stagflation, a combination of stagnant growth and elevated inflation. Catch up quick: The European Union announced $28 billion in counter tariffs Wednesday in response to Trump's levies on steel and aluminum, escalating the global trade war. The EU's move follows Trump's earlier tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada and China. While Trump temporarily paused tariffs for Mexico and Canada, uncertainty looms, leaving businesses and consumers on edge. Go deeper: Trump threatens 200% wine tariffs as trade war with Europe shifts to alcohol Putin won't commit to ceasefire Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that he needs more specifics regarding a U.S.-backed proposal for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine before fully committing. Meanwhile, Trump asked Putin to "spare" thousands of Ukrainian soldiers "surrounded" in the Kursk region in Russia on Friday. The U.S. military assistance resumed on Tuesday after the U.S. president paused the aid following a public dispute with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Leaders from both countries negotiated the ceasefire proposal announced on Tuesday. Columbia protest leader targeted The Trump administration is moving to revoke the green card of Columbia University protest leader Mahmoud Khalil. Though, federal court action has paused the White House's push to deport him. Immigration agents arrested Khalil, on Sunday, setting off free speech protests in New York City, Washington D.C., Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles. One of them ended in dozens of arrests Thursday in Manhattan. The White House is arguing Khalil's involvement in pro-Palestinian protests violates Trump's executive order banning antisemitism. Trump hailed Khalil's arrest on Monday and promised more activist arrests. Context: The Trump administration has warned of funding cuts over its claims of antisemitism at 60 colleges and universities, including Harvard and Yale. It earlier pulled $400 million in federal grants and contracts from Columbia over antisemitism allegations, after which the university detailed disciplinary actions for student protesters on Thursday. Zoom out: The Department of Education announced Tuesday it is cutting its workforce of more than 4,100 people by nearly half in the first step toward Trump's plans for a total shutdown of the agency. Go deeper: Education secretary says mass layoffs first step toward shutting down DoE EPA plans to revisits carbon cost The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on Wednesday plans to revisit the social cost of carbon and its endangerment finding — this time taking into account the price tag associated with regulation. The social cost of carbon, which prices climate pollution per ton, is a metric that influences government regulations. The endangerment finding is the scientific basis for regulating greenhouse gases. "Challenging the science would be fraught," Axios' Andrew Freedman writes. Science "has pointed to increasingly obvious and severe present–day and forthcoming climate damages," he adds. Instead, the Trump administration is attempting to introduce new considerations into the finding such as the cost of regulations. Harvard University law professor Jody Freeman called it "a very aggressive, swing for the fences-sounding announcement, meant to send a political message, which is, we don't care about climate change." Trump spikes football at Justice Department For a president given to making and creating superlatives, Trump's off-the-cuff campaign-style speech was unlike any other ever given by an occupant of the White House at the department, Axios' Mark Caputo and Erin Doherty report. Trump paid his first visit to the Department of Justice Friday and denounced the prosecutors who once worked out of this office in public remarks. Despite his November victory, he won't let go of his grievances over his federal criminal cases, which have been dismissed. He didn't announce any new policies in a more than hour-long speech. Go deeper: Trump spikes football at Justice Department Trump admin switches up CDC gameplan The White House withdrew the nomination of Dave Weldon to be the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Axios' Caitlin Owens scooped. Weldon, a former Florida congressman, was scheduled to appear before the Senate health committee Thursday for his confirmation hearing. His anti-vaccine views have garnered media attention since his nomination. Even Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose vaccine stances have repeatedly raised public concern, said Weldon wasn't ready, Axios reported. More from Axios: Ten Senate Democrats cave to avert government shutdown Mexican ambassador pick won't rule out military strikes on cartels Johns Hopkins to slash 2,200 jobs after Trump admin's USAID cuts
President Trump paid his first visit to the Department of Justice Friday and in public remarks denounced the prosecutors who once worked out of this office. Why it matters: Despite Trump's decisive November victory, he won't let go of his grievances over his federal indictments, which have been dismissed. He didn't announce any new policies in a more than hour-long speech. "The case against me was bullshit," Trump, referring to the indictment over mishandling classified documents, said to laughter in The Great Hall of the Justice Department. He praised Judge Aileen Cannon, who oversaw the federal case and dismissed it before the election. For a president given to making and creating superlatives, his off-the-cuff campaign-style speech was unlike any other ever given by an occupant of the White House at the department. State of play: It's highly unusual for a sitting president to speak at the Justice Department, but Trump's visit marks the latest victory stop on his revenge tour since taking office. He went from federal defendant in two criminal cases to the leader of the executive branch firing the prosecutors who indicted him. His remarks were reminiscent of a campaign speech at times, as he outlined his grievances against the Biden administration and prosecutors involved in cases against him, and derided what he views as the weaponization of the department. He accused former President Biden of being part of a "crime" family. Trump boasted about his administration's immigration crackdown, and he pledged to fight gangs and halt the flow of deadly fentanyl into the United States. Trump also attacked "Deranged Jack Smith," the special prosecutor who investigated him. He praised Cannon, an appointee from his first term who he said he's never spoken to, as "brilliant." But this time, instead of speaking to a crowd of voters, he spoke before Justice Department officials, many of whom he hand-picked. Zoom in: Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who served as one of Trump's criminal defense attorneys, spoke Friday and mentioned "the partisan prosecutors, the complete and utter lawfare." Zoom out: Trump vowed to stack the Justice Department with loyalists during his 2024 presidential campaign. His first nominee for AG, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fl.), withdrew from consideration for the role under intense scrutiny from both parties. Trump upon taking office dismissed the DOJ employees who worked on his two criminal prosecutions with Smith. Trump also faced criminal indictments in Georgia and New York, where he was convicted and received a no-penalty sentence. His 70-minute speech that ended with the playing of Village People's "YMCA," a song the Trump campaign often played. Go deeper: Scoop: Trump plans "law and order" speech at DOJ Editor's note: This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Ten Senate Democrats joined with the Republican majority in voting to move forward with a stopgap spending bill Friday — clearing the path to avoid a government shutdown. Why it matters: Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is facing outrage from his party, including House leadership, over his decision to vote for the bill. Many Democrats wanted to force a shutdown to protest President Trump and Elon Musk's sweeping federal spending cuts. The key procedural vote was 62-38. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) was the only Republican who voted "no." Schumer did manage to get GOP leadership to agree to hold a vote to ensure that the D.C.'s budget did not suffer a $1 billion cut. The House's bill was written to include the budget reduction, sparking concern. Zoom in: After days of lengthy caucus meetings and threats of a shutdown, Schumer announced Thursday evening he would be voting "yes" to clear the way for Republicans to pass the spending bill. Despite public outrage especially from House progressives, Schumer delivered the needed votes, drawing support from moderates, members of his leadership team and retiring Democrats. Democratic Sens. Richard Durbin (Ill.), Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (N.H.), Gary Peters (Mich.), Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.) and Brian Schatz (Hawaii) (Nev.) all voted "yes" in addition to Schumer, — as did Maine's Angus King, an Independent who caucuses with Democrats. Cortez Masto told reporters before the vote that a shutdown would give Trump and Musk "more authority to cherry-pick" which agencies to close and "would cost the economy billions of dollars. "I'm not going to exacerbate that," she added. What to watch: The Senate will vote on final passage Friday, after leaders reached an agreement to speed up the process. Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) granted votes on three amendments brought by Democrats and one brought by Paul. All are expected to fail. "Congratulations to Chuck Schumer for doing the right thing — Took 'guts' and courage!" Trump posted Friday on Truth Social, calling Schumer's decision to back the bill a "really good and smart move." Zoom out: The bill largely maintains 2024 levels of spending through the end of September, with some additional defense funds and nearly $500 million for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The measure narrowly passed the House earlier this week with all Republicans except Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) voting for it and all Democrats except Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) voting against it. Speaker Mike Johnson's (R-La.) ability to get the bill through the House — despite his narrow margins and skeptical conservatives — presented Senate Democrats with a tough choice: Join Republicans or risk getting blamed for a government shutdown. Go deeper: Inside House Dems' furious anti-Schumer movement
The Federal Aviation Administration is permanently halting non-essential helicopter operations near Reagan National Airport in D.C., the agency announced Friday. The big picture: The closure comes after the National Transportation Safety Board's urgent recommendation earlier this week, following the deadliest aviation disaster in the U.S. in decades. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy had already indicated he'd comply with the recommendation. The midair collision that left 67 dead amplified long-standing concerns about congestion in the busy skies around DCA. Reagan National Airport has the nation's busiest runway, and commercial planes and choppers share nearby airspace. Driving the news: In addition to permanently restricting non-essential helicopter operations around DCA, the FAA is eliminating helicopter and fixed-wing mixed traffic. It's also permanently closing a route between Hains Point and the Wilson Bridge, and evaluating alternative helicopter routes as recommended by the NTSB. "If a helicopter must fly through the airspace on an urgent mission, such as lifesaving medical, priority law enforcement, or Presidential transport, the FAA will keep them specific distances away from airplanes," the agency said. Editor's note: This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates. Go deeper: NTSB "urgently" recommends permanent helicopter traffic restrictions near DCA
House Democrats from across the party's ideological spectrum — united in their fury at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) — are engaged in a campaign to get Senate Democrats to defy their leader. Why it matters: House lawmakers feel that there is a glimmer of hope, however faint, that they can actually persuade their Senate counterparts to reject a Republican-led government spending bill. "There is a massive effort going on with people reaching out to their senators ... still happening this morning," one House Democrat told Axios on Friday. "We just need to pick off four or five" senators, the lawmaker said. What we're hearing: House Democrats are circulating a draft letter to Schumer, a copy of which was obtained by Axios, voicing "strong opposition" to passing the spending measure. "The American people sent Democrats to Congress to fight against Republican chaos," they wrote. "Instead of capitulating to their obstruction, we must fight ... we urge you to reject the partisan continuing resolution." The letter has been signed by more than 50 House Democrats, one lawmaker told Axios. It was first reported by the Washington Post. State of play: Schumer sent House Democrats into fits of rage on Thursday by announcing that he would vote to allow Senate Republicans to pass their stopgap government spending bill. Democrats have pushed for language in the bill to stop DOGE from cutting congressionally approved spending, but Schumer argued that Democrats would ultimately lose a shutdown fight. The announcement came after all House Democrats except Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) voted against the bill, which passed the chamber virtually along party lines Tuesday. Now they feel they walked the plank for nothing. President Trump on Friday praised Schumer's "courage" in backing the bill. The intrigue: It's not just the left pressuring Schumer. "A lot of it is being led by [former Progressive Caucus chair Pramila] Jayapal and AOC, but there are frontliners too trying to whip," one House Democrat told Axios. The draft letter is being led by Rep. Derek Tran (D-Calif.), who represents one of the most competitive districts in the country, according to multiple House Democrats and aides familiar with the matter. A centrist House Democrat who represents a battleground district stressed to Axios that "this is NOT an ideological battle. I've never seen our caucus more united around an issue." What they're saying: Centrist Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), asked by Axios about Schumer's decision to support the stopgap bill, quipped, "Amy Schumer was great in that movie 'Trainwreck.'" Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) said in a statement that Senate Democrats are "making a strategic calculation that we as a party might live to regret." "The CR represents the best (and possibly only) leverage that we as Democrats will have to halt or impede Donald Trump's systematic decimation of the social safety net—particularly Medicaid," he added. The bottom line: "The anger from yesterday has not subsided at all," a House Democrat told Axios, adding that members feel "let down." "At the end of the day, because this is the only opportunity where we matter, we needed to get more from it, and we got nothing," the lawmaker said. The Democrat noted that swing-district House lawmakers already see themselves getting roasted by Republicans for opposing a bill that could now pass anyway: "The NRCC ads are already happening."
Data: University of Michigan; Chart: Axios Visuals Consumers are becoming sharply more pessimistic about the economic outlook, according to a preliminary reading of the University of Michigan's sentiment survey for March. Why it matters: The mix of new tariffs, federal cutbacks, erratic policy, and a slumping stock market is dampening American's optimism, which risks generating self-fulfilling economic weakness in the event consumers act on their newfound sense of worry. Lower sentiment was strikingly broad-based, seen "across all groups by age, education, income, wealth, political affiliations, and geographic regions," survey director Joanne Hsu said in an announcement. By the numbers: Overall consumer sentiment fell 11% in the month to 57.9, the third straight month of decline. That level is the lowest since the fall of 2022. when Biden-era inflation was still running high. The decline was sharpest among Democrats, whose expectations declined 24%, but sentiment among Republicans fell 10% as well. Inflation expectations also surged, with survey respondents now expecting inflation over the next year of 4.9%, up from 4.3% a month ago Of note: Long-term inflation expectations also surged, to 3.9% in March from 3.5% in February. That will be particularly worrying to Federal Reserve officials, who may be reluctant to respond to any weakening in the economy due to fears that inflation expectations are coming unmooored. That was the largest one-month rise in long-term inflation expectations since 1993. What they're saying: "While current economic conditions were little changed, expectations for the future deteriorated across multiple facets of the economy," Hsu wrote, "including personal finances, labor markets, inflation, business conditions, and stock markets. "Many consumers cited the high level of uncertainty around policy and other economic factors; frequent gyrations in economic policies make it very difficult for consumers to plan for the future, regardless of one's policy preferences," she aded. Yes, but: The preliminary reading of the Michigan survey, released mid-month, is based on a relatively small sample of around 420 households. The final March number, based on about 800 survey respondents, is to be released March 28.
President Trump plans to invoke a centuries-old wartime authority to accelerate mass deportations of undocumented immigrants with little to no due process. Why it matters: Trump floated invoking the law on the campaign trail. Its potential use comes as some of his administration members have become frustrated with the slower than expected pace of deportations. Trump could invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 as soon as Friday. Since the act is not part of immigration law, it would allow the government to detain and deport people without court hearings or asylum interviews. Its most infamous use came during World War II, when it was used help justify Japanese internment. Reality check: The U.S. is not currently at war with any country. The big picture: Despite promising to carry out the "largest deportation program" in U.S. history, the pace of arrests of undocumented immigrants under Trump has appeared to lag behind President Biden's. The Trump administration has faced lack of funding and infrastructure hurdles, and even looked to hold detainees in Guantanamo Bay — a plan that has faced legal challenges. If Trump were to invoke the Alien Enemies Act during peacetime it would be a "staggering abuse," sure to wind up in court, per the Brennan Center for Justice. Zoom in: The president has suggested the law it could be used to target immigrants with alleged ties to criminal gangs. Less than 1% of immigrants deported last fiscal year were kicked out of the U.S. for crimes other than immigration violations, Axios' Russell Contreras has reported. What is the Alien Enemies Act of 1798? The Alien Enemies Act allows the government to detain and remove immigrants when there is "a declared war between the United States and any foreign nation or government." It could also apply in cases when a foreign government has "perpetrated, attempted, or threatened" an invasion or "predatory incursion" of the U.S. While the law can't be used to detain U.S. citizens, the U.S.-citizen children of immigrants could be affected. Trump border czar Tom Homan, when asked how deportations could be carried out without separating families, said in October that families would be deported together. When has the Alien Enemies Act been used? Only three times since its inception, during the War of 1812, World War I and World War II. In these instances, the act has been "wielded against immigrants who have done nothing wrong, have evinced no signs of disloyalty, and are lawfully present in the United States," according to the Brennan Center for Justice. During both World Wars, Presidents Woodrow Wilson and Harry Truman used it to justify the "detentions, expulsions, and restrictions targeting German, Austro-Hungarian, Japanese, and Italian immigrants based solely on their ancestry," per the center. How has Trump laid the groundwork for its use? Trump on his first day in office issued an executive order instructing his administration members to prepare for the act's potential invocation. While the Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war, the president has the authority to respond to sudden attacks, like predatory incursions or invasions, per the Brennan Center for Justice. Trump has already begun making the case that such an incursion or invasion is already underway. His administration has declared some Latin American cartels to be terrorist organizations, and Trump has baselessly suggested that one of them — Tren de Aragua — has already taken over a Denver suburb. Many Republicans have also echoed Trump's language referring to illegal immigration as an "invasion." Go deeper: Trump plans to use 1798 law in mass deportations
President Trump said on Friday he "strongly requested" that Russian President Vladimir Putin "spare the lives" of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers, whom he claimed were "surrounded" in the Kursk region in Russia. Why it matters: Ukraine launched a risky cross-border incursion into Kursk last August and occupied a significant swath of Russian territory, but Russia has been making rapid gains in recent weeks and putting those forces under severe pressure. Trump claimed the troops now faced a potential "massacre." Driving the news: Putin raised the fate of the Ukrainian forces in Kursk as a key issue to be resolved before he would consider Trump's proposal for a 30-day ceasefire. In a Thursday press conference, Putin asked: "Should we release them after they committed serious crimes against civilians?" Russia has previously said soldiers captured in Kursk would be considered terrorists. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander-in-chief of Ukraine's armed forces, acknowledged the "difficult situation" on Tuesday but said Ukrainian forces were not surrounded and were moving to "more favorable" defensive positions. He said Ukraine would fight on in Kursk "as long as reasonable and necessary." Ukraine has not yet said whether it supports Trump's call for its troops to be given safe passage out of Kursk. State of play: Trump made the comments on Truth Social a day after his envoy Steve Witkoff met Putin for discussions Trump called "very good and productive." The meeting lasted several hours and Witkoff didn't depart Moscow until 2am local time. The Kremlin said Putin gave Witkoff a message for Trump, and that a phone call between the leaders could take place in the coming days. Before the meeting, though, Putin downplayed Trump's proposal for an unconditional surrender, making clear that with his forces on the march in Kursk and in southeastern Ukraine, several demands would have to be met before he would order them to stand down. Data: Institute for the Study of War and AEI's Critical Threats Project; Map: Axios Visuals What they're saying: "We had very good and productive discussions with President Vladimir Putin of Russia yesterday, and there is a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end," Trump wrote on Friday morning about Witkoff's meeting. Trump added: "BUT, AT THIS VERY MOMENT, THOUSANDS OF UKRAINIAN TROOPS ARE COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY THE RUSSIAN MILITARY, AND IN A VERY BAD AND VULNERABLE POSITION." "I have strongly requested to President Putin that their lives be spared. This would be a horrible massacre, one not seen since World War II. God bless them all!!!"
Data: Financial Modeling Prep; Chart: Axios Visuals Gold hit a new all-time high Friday, breaking $3,000 for the first time ever, as investors search for tariff safe-havens. Why it matters: There's a psychological value to important assets breaking through big, round numbers — but it's also further evidence of the market's nerves and uncertainty about global trade. By the numbers: The new gold all-time high came Friday morning, crossing $3,000 just after 4 a.m. ET. The yellow metal is up about 10% since President Trump won the election last November, outperforming most other asset classes. Zoom out: In difficult times, investors search for "safe" assets that are likely to retain more of their value, regardless of geopolitical disruptions. So much gold was brought into the U.S. earlier this year, in a bid to front-run tariffs, that it skewed the trade deficit and messed up key calculations of economic growth. The intrigue: The new record for gold comes just a few hours after the biggest U.S. stocks entered correction territory, 10% off their all-time highs set less than a month ago. "A key factor behind the recent market selloff is the uncertainty surrounding trade tariffs and their economic implications," LPL Financial chief technical strategist Adam Turnquist wrote in a market commentary earlier this week. "The lack of clarity regarding tariff policies has made it difficult for markets to stage a meaningful recovery, as investors hesitate to make significant moves without a clearer outlook."
A powerful storm system is set to bring multiple rounds of dangerous severe thunderstorms, with numerous strong tornadoes possible, from the Midwest to the Southeast beginning Friday. Threat level: A total of about 100 million people live in areas under threat from straight-line wind damage, hail and tornadoes through the weekend. The greatest threat for storms on Friday centers on the Midwest, where a squall line containing straight-line winds and embedded tornadoes is forecast to congeal later in the day and sweep across parts of Missouri east to Indiana. A large area of strong winds will occur even outside of severe storms, raising the likelihood of widespread power outages. Cities under a "moderate risk" of severe thunderstorms on Friday, which is a Level 4 of 5 on the Storm Prediction Center's threat scale, include St. Louis, Des Moines and Springfield, Ill. The greater threat for powerful tornadoes will occur on Saturday, when an especially volatile setup takes shape across the Southeast. Zoom in: The SPC is using strong language to describe the tornado threat in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama in particular on Saturday. "Numerous significant tornadoes, and some long-track tornadoes are expected on Saturday afternoon and evening, centered on eastern Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama," forecasters wrote Friday morning. The tornado threat will continue into the overnight hours on Saturday into early Sunday. Overnight tornadoes are particularly deadly because people have a harder time receiving warnings and getting to shelter, particularly in states with high proportions of mobile homes. Cities in the moderate risk zone Saturday include New Orleans and Baton Rouge, La. as well as Birmingham, Montgomery and Mobile, Ala. Context: Climate change is altering the environment in which severe thunderstorms and tornadoes form. Studies show that while some ingredients, such as humidity and atmospheric instability, are likely to increase with a warming climate, others may do the opposite. Climate change is anticipated to decrease the amount of wind shear available to severe thunderstorms, which could deprive them of a key ingredient for tornado formation. Yes, but: When the right mix of ingredients are present, climate change may lead to larger severe weather outbreaks, albeit fewer in number overall per year. The intrigue: The Southeast has been particularly hard-hit by tornado outbreaks in recent years beginning during March. Some researchers have noted a shift of so-called "Tornado Alley" to the southeast and earlier in the year, away from some of the Plains states and Midwest, over time. However, tornado alley itself has long been considered somewhat of a misnomer in the meteorology community, with multiple areas favored for tornado outbreaks. Tornadoes can and have occurred in any state. Between the lines: This severe weather outbreak will test NOAA's ability to handle a large-scale, potentially deadly weather event in the wake of laying off about 800 meteorologists and other staff in late February. These layoffs reduced staffing at some local weather forecast offices to threadbare levels, causing some to reduce their services. Some meteorologists are also having to put in more frequent overtime shifts. Recent court rulings may bring at least some of those fired federal workers back on the job at least temporarily. Further staff reductions of about 1,000 NOAA workers are planned, though it is not clear if those would focus on the NWS or NOAA's other missions. The bottom line: This severe weather outbreak could be a high-end event, resulting in multiple powerful, long-lasting tornadoes, particularly in the Southeast on Saturday. Go deeper: Scoop: NOAA monthly media calls on climate change suspended NOAA cuts could ground some Hurricane Hunter flights 2nd judge orders agencies to reinstate thousands of fired federal workers
Hamas said on Friday it agreed to release Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander and return the bodies of four other American-Israeli hostages. Why it matters: Hamas' statement didn't make clear what the group demands in return for releasing the five remaining American hostages. Hamas would likely demand Israel release Palestinian prisoners and extend the Gaza ceasefire. What they are saying: Hamas said in its statement that it met on Thursday with the Qatari and Egyptian mediators and received a proposal for extending the Gaza ceasefire. "We handled this proposal with responsibility and a positive approach and responded on Friday. We are ready to start negotiations on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal and we call for pressing Israel to implement its commitments," Hamas said. This is a developing story. Check back for updates
Third Way, the well-connected center-left Democratic think tank, today will launch an 18-month Signal Project, including polling, to identify Trump administration actions "that are most relevant to key voters and how best to frame those issues." Why it matters: Anything "that seems performative will be tuned out or backfire," Third Way says. "It is a painful irony that while our very democracy is at stake, a focus on 'democracy' (and the trashing of democratic norms) simply won't save it." In unveiling the project, Third Way says: "Shuttering USAID, using government power to attack political opponents, firing indiscriminately, degrading the civil service, releasing J6ers, or blaming Ukraine for the Russian invasion all are a combination of unwise, unethical, illegal, or unconstitutional. But none resonate much with key voters." So as an opening frame, the project will focus on "Risking Americans' Safety and Security." Between the lines: Matt Bennett, a Third Way co-founder, told Axios that there's "real concern among Democrats that the Trump/Musk attacks were coming so fast and so arbitrarily that the opposition was having trouble with a coherent response. "The things we believe to be important — like foreign aid, or Trump actions that violate the law — don't always line up with voters' concerns," Bennett added. "We can fight back effectively ... but only if we are creating a singular narrative that is simple, memorable, and resonant. If we do that, Trump's allies will feel the heat." 🐘 The other side: Tony Fabrizio and Chris LaCivita, who run Trump's outside political operation, told us in response to the Third Way plan that "no matter the approach, Americans know that for the last four years their safety — economically and physically — has been put in jeopardy." "One glaring flaw in their strategy: What happens when President Trump's policies work and deliver the change voters voted for? Once again, the Democrats — much like the Harris campaign — will be left having no position or a positive agenda for America." Read the Third Way plan.
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