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Jon Ossoff is having a moment. But some Democratic insiders are questioning whether he's the real deal — or if a few slickly produced videos are making him look like more of a political juggernaut than he is. Why it matters: The Georgia senator, 39, has catapulted into the 2028 conversation by making liberals on social media swoon over his viral clips of high-energy rallies and sharp takedowns of President Trump and Republicans. Our conversations with Democratic strategists in Georgia and beyond

Ohio GOP Rep. Max Miller said Sunday he will stay in his reelection race, using a livestream on X to deny allegations he abused his ex-wife and their young daughter. Shortly after his announcement, his ex-father-in-law, Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), denounced him as a "danger" to his daughter and unfit for office. Why it matters: The extraordinary public split between two Trump -aligned Ohio Republicans comes days before the state's deadline to replace Miller on the ballot with a special election

Gavin Newsom is quietly banking a lot of goodwill among party organizers and elected officials in states — particularly in the South — that will be key in the midterms and the 2028 Democratic presidential primary. Newsom has raised more than $1.7 million for critical state parties and their legislative committees so far this two-year cycle, according to data reviewed by Axios. Why it matters: State party leaders told Axios that the California governor has raised more for them than any other prom

The Wall Street Journal opinion page tried to stop Donald Trump a decade ago and again in 2024. Now, the standard-bearer of traditional conservatism is making an early case against his presumed heir. Why it matters: Vice President JD Vance has the inside track for Trump's endorsement. But there's a not-insignificant GOP faction that never embraced Trump's overhaul of the party — and is already arguing against handing the reins to Vance. Driving the news: In a series of recent columns, Journal op

Nearly eight months after President Trump predicted U.S. companies would "rapidly rebuild Venezuela's dilapidated oil industry" to boost production, no new petroleum deals have been finalized there with American firms. The U.S. Department of Energy is largely to blame, a dozen oil industry professionals, senior U.S. officials and Venezuela insiders tell Axios. Why it matters : The price of oil is climbing as the Iran war squeezes global supplies, spotlighting the absence of finalized deals in Ve

Massive changes to Medicaid eligibility are entering a new phase as states begin implementing new work rules and patients face the first real risk of losing coverage. The big picture: The crunch period has started for states to get the word out and set up systems for many Medicaid enrollees to report at least 80 hours a month of work, school or volunteering or get an exemption. "If that goes wrong, people are going to be really, really upset, and that is a political firestorm that nobody wants,"

America has been napping or distracted by trivialities while China is racing toward the future, in part by taking advantage of President Trump's trade, immigration and budget policies. That's the eye-opening reality that Evan Osnos unfurls in a 12-page piece for The New Yorker, "The Future, Made in China." Why it matters: China could beat the U.S. to the future on a host of fronts, including engineering a cure for cancer. What it says: "For China, America's retreat comes just as decades of state

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche rescinded the order setting up President Trump's $1.776 billion "anti-weaponization" fund Sunday, a move aimed at ending a Republican blockade of his confirmation that leaves the underlying settlement unresolved. Why it matters: Blanche has faced unusual resistance from two Senate Republicans on a committee where he cannot afford to lose a single GOP vote in order to advance to a full Senate vote. Catch up quick: The fund grew out of a May settlement of Trump

Climate adaptation is increasingly moving from planning to real-world action as heat waves, droughts, wildfires, floods and hurricanes test communities across the U.S. Why it matters: Even if greenhouse gas emissions decline, many communities are already facing more frequent or intense climate extremes, prompting officials to invest in infrastructure designed to reduce future damage. Driving the news: After catastrophic flooding killed more than 130 people in Texas Hill Country last year, newly

Wildfires in Washington and Oregon have forced evacuations, caused power outages, and burned hundreds of thousands of acres as firefighters battle dozens of massive fires across the Pacific Northwest. Why it matters: The blazes are among 99 active large fires burning across the U.S. as this year's wildfire season exceeds the 10-year average for both the number of fires and the acres burned, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. So far this year, 45,835 fires have burned more than 5.

The White House said on Monday it met its deadline to establish a voluntary framework for evaluating advanced AI models — but it won't say what the framework contains, who's seen it or when companies will start using it. Why it matters: The framework is being closely watched beyond the industry players it directly applies to. Policymakers, AI safety advocates, and U.S. allies have been waiting to see what the rules for the most powerful models in the world look like. What they're saying: "The vo

Six months after Nancy Guthrie was taken against her will from her Arizona home in the middle of the night, there are no suspects or major leads and the case seems to be stalled, a source close to the investigation tells me. "There is plenty of blame to go around, but there is growing pressure to solve this case," the source said. "This case has struck a chord — people are watching very closely. This can't go on for another six months ." Savannah Guthrie , the "Today" show co-host and Nancy's da

You're probably about 550 days from Democrats having a true leader who can show and shape the party's direction. Why it matters: Until Super Tuesday — that's March 7, 2028 — or well beyond, Democrats will be leaderless, rudderless and likely split between rising socialist energy and more traditional, establishment liberalism. DNC Chair Ken Martin will likely get ousted and leave behind a hot financial mess and cashless dumpster fire. Hakeem Jeffries has a legit shot at rising to speaker, but wil

President Trump doesn't much care if Republicans lose the House and/or the Senate in the midterms this fall. Yes, he'd prefer a big win, but he seems indifferent to the election and the possibility of endless Democratic investigations of his family, wealth and policies, his closest advisers tell us. A big reason: Trump knows he'll emerge just as strong, or even stronger, heading into his final two years, at least among Republicans. Why it matters: Trump will enjoy a more pro-Trump Republican Con

Silicon Valley's AI moguls are flooding Washington with competing blueprints for superintelligence, clashing over a defining question: Does safety come from spreading powerful AI or containing it? Why it matters: Their fight will shape who gets access to the best models, how America competes with China, and whether the government can slow the race in an emergency. Driving the news: Alarming developments, seemingly by the day, have turned the manifestos from thought exercises into an urgent polic

President Trump said Saturday night that he has called off a potential attack on Iran due to progress in negotiations between the two nations. The big picture: There had been indications from some U.S. officials that an attack on Iran's infrastructure was possible, all in an effort to get the Iranians to agree to the U.S.' terms in ceasefire negotiations. What they're saying: "I have agreed, for the future benefit of the WORLD and, likewise, the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran, to c

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke to President Trump on Saturday and expressed concern over his plans for massive new strikes against Iran , according to two U.S. officials and a third source with knowledge of the call. Why it matters: Trump is seriously considering attacking Iranian energy targets in the coming days in response to Iran's missile strike on a U.S. base in Jordan and its continued disruption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. He has yet to issue final orders. The

Sen. Thom Tillis said Saturday morning that new comments by President Trump about his "anti-weaponization" fund mean that attorney general nominee Todd Blanche won't be confirmed by the Senate next week. Why it matters: Tillis's comment escalates the fight between the White House and holdout Senate Republicans over whether Trump's fund — for people he considers victims of political persecution — is dead or not. What they're saying: " Despite comments as late as yesterday that the fund is dead, P

Data: Axios research; Chart: Sara Wise/Axios Chinese AI lab DeepSeek released a powerful new coding model Friday that charges pennies for vast amounts of code — the latest sign that some of the smartest software on Earth is rapidly becoming a commodity . Why it matters: Tech giants are pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into the computing infrastructure powering the AI revolution. Yet the intelligence that infrastructure produces is getting cheaper by the week. Zoom in: DeepSeek is the same

President Trump is seriously considering launching attacks against energy targets in Iran in the next few days, but hasn't given final orders to do it, a U.S. official told Axios on Friday. Why it matters: A new U.S. bombing campaign in Iran against energy and infrastructure targets would be aimed at trying to get the Iranians to agree to the United States' terms in ongoing ceasefire negotiations. The strikes could also involve the Israeli military for the first time in many weeks, and such an e

The Trump administration is still pushing lawmakers to confirm acting Attorney General Todd Blanche , even as President Trump defends the "anti-weaponization" fund holding Blanche's confirmation hostage. The big picture: The "anti-weaponization" fund has been the red line for Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.). The lawmakers have refused to vote for Blanche until the DOJ put into writing that aspects of the deal aren't moving forward . Trump said Friday the fund is dead, but he

Inflation has been too high for too long, and the Federal Reserve should not count on it fading without further action. That is the argument from the three Fed officials who dissented from the decision led by chairman Kevin Warsh to leave interest rates unchanged this week, preferring instead to raise them. Why it matters: Together, the dissents lay out a blueprint for the Fed's hawkish wing, arguing that repeated supply shocks paired with resilient demand have made inflation too persistent to f

Data: Brunswick Group and Echelon Insights; Chart: Sara Wise/Axios CEOs face an increasingly skeptical American public that's laser-focused on affordability and fairness, according to polling from the Brunswick Group and Echelon Insights provided first to Axios. Why it matters: With the midterms less than 100 days away, the results show corporate leaders need to build trust through consistency and neutrality — rather than trying to chase political headwinds. By the numbers: 41% of Americans surv

The Department of Health and Human Services keeps saying it's turning over a new leaf , but it has only been partially successful — and controversial vaccine policymaking appears to be back on the table. Why it matters: Though the agency reset was launched with the midterm elections in mind, it's already under strain and the elections are still more than three months away. State of play: Until this week, the administration had spent most of this year toning down its approach to vaccines, after i

The Trump administration has a new tactic for trying to isolate cases of alleged voter fraud — digging into the IP addresses of those who went online to register to vote. The FBI recently obtained the IP address of someone who registered online in South Carolina, according to documents first shared with Axios. Why it matters: The bureau's request for the address, which state and local officials complied with, offers a glimpse of how federal authorities are stepping up their probe of voter rolls

A series of dangerous heat waves this summer — including one that has left 17 states under an emergency federal order — are putting the electric grid under an intense real-world stress test. Why it matters: Successive summer heat waves are forcing utilities to rethink how they prepare the grid for longer and more frequent periods of extreme stress. They're raising questions about whether the electric grid can keep pace with surging demand from both climate change and the AI-driven electricity bo

The way your work shows up in a digital-dominated world is changing lightning fast, starting with the total collapse of Google Search traffic. Why it matters: Google has basically stopped sending people to websites (including our site) for answers and information. Instead, it's using AI to answer them on its platform, in its words. Chartbeat data shared with Axios shows Google Search traffic to publishers fell 34% over the past year. That pain is regressive. Over the past two years, small publis

Europe and the United Kingdom are fine-tuning their approach to AI model testing as a deadline looms for the U.S. government to set rules of the road. Why it matters: U.S. allies for years have been grappling with the same AI safety questions the Trump administration now faces. Wherever the U.S. lands in its AI framework, architects of the EU and U.K. approaches say it would be just the start. The big picture: President Trump began his second term by scrapping his predecessor's AI strategy and p

Democratic socialists look like they're about to rack up a stunning new victory: Their candidate in Michigan's Senate Democratic primary has the momentum heading into Tuesday's primary. Why it matters: A win by Abdul El-Sayed in the swing state would turbocharge the party's left flank and validate establishment fears about the party's direction. The big picture: Establishment Democrats have watched in horror as democratic socialist candidates pull off one win after another in House primaries thi

President Trump announced Thursday that his Board of Peace had reached an agreement with Hamas to disarm and transfer civilian and security control of Gaza to a new Palestinian technocratic government. Why it matters: If implemented, the agreement would represent a dramatic breakthrough in Trump's 20-point Gaza peace plan and clear the way for reconstruction of the devastated enclave. But the deal requires Hamas and Israel to complete a complicated series of reciprocal and independently verified

President Trump has three go-to moves for GOP senators who frustrate him : persuade them when he can, ignore them when he must and bully them at will. Why it matters: The approach doesn't always produce results. But it almost always provides drama . Persuade: Trump dispatched two top deputies to the Senate GOP lunch on Wednesday to make the case, in person, for a third reconciliation bill with elements of the SAVE Act . Then he sent in the big guns. Chief of Staff Susie Wiles huddled with the Se

Some of Anthropic's most powerful models — including Mythos 5 and an internal research model — gained unauthorized access to real-world systems during pre-deployment cybersecurity testing, the company said Thursday. Why it matters: OpenAI's and Anthropic's latest disclosures show frontier AI models reaching real-world systems during safety testing, raising new questions about how labs secure their evaluation environments. The big picture: Anthropic said a misunderstanding between the company and

Apple hinted Thursday that heavy users of its revamped Siri may have to pay for access. Why it matters: It's the first time that Apple has confirmed it will charge for the new AI -powered voice assistant. What they're saying: In a conference call to discuss Apple's most recent quarterly earnings , CEO Tim Cook said Apple is still developing its plan to address the higher computing costs that will come with the improved voice assistant. "We do believe there will be people that want to use it a lo

A super PAC that has invested millions to unseat Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) is putting another $700,000 behind his GOP primary challenger in the final week of the campaign, Axios has learned. Why it matters: Ogles was already facing one his most perilous reelection battle to date, with Democrats making him one of their top targets in November. But first he has to get the nomination, which is not a done deal. Invest in Tomorrow Coalition, the clean-energy aligned super PAC working to primary Ogles

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer held a high-level video call with China's vice premier to prepare for the September visit of its president, Xi Jinping, Axios has learned. Why it matters: The call sets the stage for President Trump and Xi to sign future trade deals between the U.S. and China. But there are tensions. Zoom in: The cordial video conference call between Bessent, Greer and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng lasted more than an hour. "I emphasi

President Trump said Thursday that he would have "no objection" to temporarily withdrawing acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's nomination until his Republican opponents are out of office next January. The big picture: Trump's threat, directed at GOP Sens. Thom Tillis (N.C.) and John Cornyn (Texas), puts Blanche's critics on notice as to what the president deemed "the right thing" after their concerns stalled the acting attorney general's nomination. Cornyn lost his primary earlier this year t

Situational Awareness, an AI -focused hedge fund founded by a former OpenAI researcher, has sold all of its public equities portfolio to Ken Griffin's Citadel, a source tells Axios. Why it matters: This comes amidst a recent sell-off in AI stocks, particularly chipmakers. News of a sale was first reported by the WSJ . Catch up quick: Former OpenAI researcher Leopold Aschenbrenner founded Situational Awareness after being fired from OpenAI in 2024, over an alleged information leak that he dispute

The Senate health committee approved the nomination of Erica Schwartz for Centers for Disease Control director Thursday, a step toward refilling the depleted ranks of the Trump administration's health care leadership. The committee also approved the nomination of Sean Kaufman , who's in line for assistant secretary for preparedness and response and had been in trouble because of past anti-vaccine statements . Why it matters: The votes showed Republicans, at least, are still willing to accept the

Data : Charles F. Kettering Foundation and Gallup. Chart: Noah Bressner/Axios Americans fear November's midterms could be stolen or otherwise compromised, with most worried about political pressure to change results or officials mishandling ballots, new Gallup polling finds. Why it matters: President Trump has cast the American election system as under siege and vulnerable with unfounded claims about his 2020 loss. Meanwhile, his critics warn his push to reshape the ways Americans vote are under

Vice President Vance and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a "direct" conversation about their differences in a one-on-one meeting in Washington on Tuesday evening, Israeli and U.S. officials said. Why it matters: Vance has been the most Netanyahu-skeptical voice in Trump's inner circle since the beginning of the war. As the war dragged on, he became increasingly critical of the Israeli prime minister. Vance took on a larger role in war policy and Iran negotiations as the conflict p

Data: China's General Administration of Customs; Chart: Matt Phillips/Axios The Iran war has revealed China's enormous power over global oil prices, thanks to its position as the world's largest buyer. Why it matters: China's reaction to the oil shock — by substantially withdrawing from buying on world markets — helped prevent the worst of the price spikes that experts thought would follow from the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Catch up quick: After the U.S. and Israel launched the