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A Stanford-led research team has used generative AI to design a synthetic virus — the first time artificial intelligence has been harnessed to create a organism that has never been seen in nature. Why it matters: What could go wrong? The big picture: It could be the first step toward the nightmare scenario AI experts have already warned about: deadly pathogens that can't be stopped, because they've been created too quickly for our current surveillance systems to stop them. The research could als

A Senate panel voted Thursday to hold Anthony Fauci in contempt for repeatedly declining to answer questions last week from lawmakers investigating the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. Why it matters: Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has said he will refer the contempt resolution to the Department of Justice for possible prosecution. That could set up a legal clash, since former President Biden preemptively pardoned Fauci before leaving office. The big picture: The 8-5 vote by the Senate Homeland Securit

Reproduced from AP ; Chart: Axios Visuals Greater shares of Americans now say that extreme heat has affected various parts of day-to-day life compared to just two years ago. Why it matters: The findings , from the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, suggest that people are increasingly aware of extreme heat's impact on their health, budgets, travel plans and more. By the numbers: 90% of Americans now say that extreme heat has had at least a minor impact on their lives broadly, up from 83

The years-long saga of prosecuting the Jan. 6 attack effectively came to an end this week, when a judge dismissed a remaining indictment against Oath Keepers members already freed by President Trump . The big picture: Not only has Trump erased the legal consequences for many Jan. 6 defendants, but his administration has moved to rewrite the history of a deadly day — and oust federal employees who worked on related cases. Driving the news: Judges in recent weeks disposed of the final two cases ac

Denounced on social media and by fellow Republicans, Ohio Rep. Max Miller is telling allies he's not quitting for a simple reason: It would be tantamount to admitting he beat his ex-wife and their child, which he denies. Why it matters: The Washington summer scandal is a case study in whether Miller — one of Donald Trump's understudies — can successfully employ the president's playbook of never backing down and never quitting. Trump has publicly expressed sympathy for Miller but privately expres

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) was discharged from a rehab facility and has returned home amid his lengthy absence from Congress, he said in a statement released Thursday by his office. The big picture: The 84-year-old lawmaker was hospitalized in June and has not been seen in public since, outside of images released by his office. The mystery of McConnell's continued absence has fueled questions about his capacity to serve the remainder of his term, which ends in January 2027. Driving the news: "

A legal cat-and-mouse game has played out over whether the president can use various obscure, untested provisions to impose tariffs. Now, Congress appears on track to give him a big, new — and explicit — tariff authority. Why it matters: A bill on Russia sanctions, named for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham , has received overwhelming bipartisan support in the Senate and would allow President Trump and future presidents to impose tariffs of up to 100% on major importers of Russian energy. If enacted

President Trump plans to sign two executive orders Thursday seeking to narrow birthright citizenship in several circumstances and intensify the federal crackdown on commercial "birth tourism," Axios has learned. Trump also is seeking to deny birthright citizenship for children born of some foreign diplomatic staff in the U.S. and, potentially, U.S. territories in the future. Why it matters: It's Trump's second attempt to curb birthright citizenship in the U.S. and is sure to be challenged in cou

President Trump on Thursday publicly defended Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth , and said reporting suggesting any friction between the two was "treasonous." Why it matters: The Washington Pos t and others reported this week that Trump had reached his limits with Hegseth over the state of the country's weapons stockpile and the impact on the war with Iran . What they're saying: "The Fake News, as usual, is spreading false and completely unfounded rumors. I am extremely happy with the job that Pete

Suspected Iran-linked cyberattacks are exposing long-standing vulnerabilities in fragmented U.S. drinking water systems facing aging infrastructure and intensifying climate threats. Why it matters: Drinking water systems disruptions can threaten public health and essential services, while many utilities—especially smaller ones—lack the staff and resources to strengthen their defenses.. Kevin Morley, federal relations manager for the American Water Works Association (AWWA), tells Axios utilities

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) will vote against Todd Blanche's nomination for attorney general , becoming the second known Republican to oppose him. Why it matters: Murkowski's opposition puts Blanche's confirmation in jeopardy . With Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) still absent from the Senate, Blanche cannot afford to lose any more GOP support. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) has already announced her opposition , and Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) has yet to announce his position. What they are saying:

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) announced Friday that he will vote for Todd Blanche's nomination for attorney general , boosting his prospects for confirmation before the Senate leaves for its August recess. Why it matters: Cassidy's vote keeps Blanche's nomination alive despite previous opposition from Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) Editor's note: This is a breaking news story and will be updated.

Data: NCSL ; Map: Sara Wise/Axios Americans across the country could have very different experiences with AI deepfakes leading up to Election Day , thanks to a patchwork of state rules. Why it matters: AI-generated attack ads and campaign content are rampant leading up to the midterms as candidates across the political spectrum use the technology. State of play: Twenty-nine states have AI election deepfake laws in effect, while two others — California and Hawaii — have had their laws permanently

Read the polls, watch economic indicators and talk to President Trump's inner circle in private, and the verdict on his second term seems clear: Even some longtime insiders fear he's trapped by a war he shouldn't have waged, tariffs he shouldn't have levied, monuments he shouldn't be obsessed with. Why it matters: These three topics chew up much of Trump's time and attention. All three are widely unpopular in polls. And it's almost impossible to see the public suddenly warming to war, tariffs or

Top AI architects say their technology has arrived at a threshold once confined to science fiction: the singularity, or the moment machines begin accelerating their own evolution. Why it matters: If these moguls are right, we may be entering the most consequential technological transition in human history — the opening stages of an " intelligence explosion " that transforms civilization faster than humanity can understand or control. Driving the news: Google jolted the tech world Wednesday by an

The author of the Democratic National Committee's 2024 election "autopsy" confirmed an Axios report that he concluded the war in Gaza hurt Kamala Harris politically — and that he'd privately shared that assessment with a pro-Palestinian group. He said he drafted that finding late last year but never submitted it to party leadership. Why it matters: Democrats have spent months debating whether the Biden administration's support for Israel during its war on Hamas contributed to Harris' defeat. Mod

Senate Republicans are racing toward the August recess with a legislative to-do list worthy of a Joe Rogan podcast: crypto, college sports and hemp. Why it matters: They likely won't get to all of it, but the White House wants the Senate to get caught trying. First, senators want to get way ahead of any government shutdown fight. Just as important — an NIL rights bill, with ESPN's first College GameDay set for Sept. 5. "I've kind of stacked these things: funding the government, the [Todd] Blanch

Republicans plan to use their first-ever midterm convention in Dallas next month to mount a sweeping, made-for-prime-time case that Democrats have become captive to their activist left, Axios has learned. Why it matters: With President Trump's approval rating in the 30s and his war in Iran weighing on the economy, Republicans don't want the Nov. 3 midterms to be just a referendum on his presidency. They're essentially planning a "But they're worse" campaign targeting the ascendant Democratic lef

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is waging an unprecedented economic war on Cuba — and wants to make sure the island's communist leaders know it's going to get worse. "What we're trying to teach them is, there are no escape valves," Rubio told Axios. Why it matters: Cuba's economy is in a state of slow-motion collapse because of crushing U.S. sanctions and communist mismanagement of the island, which prides itself as the hemisphere's chief foe of the superpower 90 miles to its north. President Tru

On a good day, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer can see a Democratic majority in 2027. Why it matters: On a bad one, he can see the caucus that comes with it. Abdul El-Sayed's 48.5% to 47.5% victory over Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) exposed an uncomfortable reality for Schumer: Some of the Democrats most likely to deliver him a majority may also be the hardest to lead . "If you're Chuck Schumer, I'm dangerous," El-Sayed said during the campaign . "If you're AIPAC, I'm dangerous. If you're a

A work slowdown by the Trump administration's immigration offices has exploded the backlog of applications for citizenship, green cards and work permits to an unprecedented 7.5 million people, according to the latest agency data. Add the millions of immigrants waiting on decisions for asylum, work visas and permission to stay in the U.S. for humanitarian reasons, and the total backlog soars to more than 12.1 million. Why it matters: The delays have put potentially millions of people in legal imm

SEATTLE — Wildfire smoke blanketing this coastal city and much of the West is bringing an ominous reminder that the reach of destructive fires is growing. Why it matters: Climate scientists study how global warming increases the odds of wildfire. People living through it are confronting a more immediate question: where is truly safe anymore? The big picture: Wildfires intensified by climate change are like an unforgiving spotlight sweeping across the world. No one really knows where it will stop

Four scandal-plagued House Republicans whose seats should be gimmes for the GOP have instead turned their races into unexpected battlegrounds. Why it matters: These aren't districts you'd expect to be in play — Donald Trump carried all four comfortably in 2024. But the incumbents' ethical troubles are making Republicans spend time and money defending the seats — in a cycle where neither party has any room for error. Chuck Edwards (R-N.C.) dropped his reelection bid after the Ethics Committee fou

The FCC on Thursday voted 2-1 to eliminate the national TV ownership cap rule that bars a single broadcaster from owning stations that reach more than 39% of U.S. TV households. Why it matters : The party-line vote clears the way for local broadcasters to merge, giving single broadcast ownership groups far more reach than they previously could have. FCC chairman Brendan Carr has long argued that the cap was outdated and limits the ability of broadcasters to consolidate to compete with tech firms

Weeks before OpenAI's agents hacked Hugging Face , the agents worked together to find and exploit a vulnerability in the infrastructure supporting the company's cybersecurity testing, OpenAI researchers said Wednesday. Why it matters: The new findings raise questions about how frontier AI labs are monitoring their testing environments — and the challenges safety testers are finding as they try to rein in increasingly powerful AI. Driving the news: OpenAI's internal research model, one of the mod

Tucker Carlson used a highly promoted livestream Wednesday to unveil a 10-point vision for America — defining the worldview of a breakaway MAGA faction increasingly at odds with President Trump . Why it matters: After vowing last month to "help build a third party," Carlson fueled further speculation this weekend by hosting MAGA dissidents at his home in Maine, where they urged him to run for president in 2028. The former Fox News host stopped short of a formal launch, instead presenting the man

Data: Economic Policy Institute ; Map: Danielle Alberti/Axios American taxpayers would pay about $2,358 each for President Trump's mass deportation push, according to a new calculator tool from the Economic Policy Institute. Why it matters: The estimate fuels debate over whether billions of federal dollars devoted to deportations could instead fund other public priorities such as food assistance, health care or housing. By the numbers: EPI estimates the $268.9 billion projected for deportations

Federal aviation officials are investigating an air-safety incident involving President Trump's Marine One helicopter in Washington, D.C. Why it matters: The incident comes as regulators work to improve safety in increasingly congested U.S. airspace , particularly around the nation's capital. Zoom in: The Wall Street Journal first reported that the helicopter was carrying Trump on Tuesday when it flew too close to a commercial airliner departing from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Th

For Speaker Mike Johnson, Rep. Chuck Edwards ' decision to drop his re-election bid just trades one problem for another. Why it matters : Instead of trying to hold a vulnerable seat with a scandal-ridden candidate , Republicans now have to scramble for a replacement who'll be starting at square one three months out from Election Day against a well-funded Democrat. North Carolina's 11th District already was in Democrats' sights long before Edwards became the target of a House Ethics probe this sp

A half dozen House Democrats in safe districts have lost their primaries so far this election cycle — and many more could soon follow suit. Why it matters: Many of these losses are the result of growing restlessness among the Democratic grassroots that has increasingly morphed into anger towards the party establishment . "I expected a lot of people to run because they didn't know how to respond to Trump without just being active," Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) told Axios. He added: "We're seeing that

The Senate confirmed Erica Schwartz for Centers for Disease Control director on Wednesday, giving the beleaguered agency its first full-time political leader in almost a year. Why it matters: While the 51-44 vote marked a step toward refilling the depleted ranks of the Trump administration's health care leadership, it didn't fully resolve questions about whether Schwartz could steer clear of political interference. Driving the news: Just one Democrat — Sen. Tim Kaine (Va.) — supported Schwartz's

Federal judges, appointed by both Democrats and Republicans, have handed the Justice Department a steady stream of losses in the administration's attempt to obtain sensitive voter information. Why it matters: The DOJ has sued 30 U.S. states, as well as D.C., for rebuffing its demands, all to back President Trump 's efforts to reshape voting after years of spreading unproven claims of massive fraud. The latest: U.S. District Judge Philip Brimmer, a George W. Bush appointee, sided with Colorado in

Private employment data suggests that the labor market might be tighter than the headline hiring numbers alone suggest, with worker pay accelerating alongside lackluster jobs growth. Why it matters: Employers are pulling back on hiring as they navigate an uncertain economic outlook, but supply constraints continue to limit the pool of available workers in some industries. That's helping speed up pay growth — a boon for workers in industries like construction and health care, where employers are

Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-N.C.) dropped his re-election bid early Wednesday after the House Ethics Committee concluded he violated House rules over sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment, and recommended his censure. The findings follow Axios' reporting that Edwards singled out two young female staffers in their 20s for special attention that multiple sources described as inappropriate. Why it matters: Pressure has been mounting on Edwards to step aside since the Ethics Committee

State Rep. Donavan McKinney bested two-term incumbent Rep. Shri Thanedar in Tuesday's Democratic primary to represent Michigan's 13th Congressional District. Why it matters: The lifelong Detroiter's win likely returns Detroit to Black representation in Congress, which ended with Thanedar's 2022 victory. It also brings another victory for a progressive-backed candidate. McKinney won by a slim 51.9% to 48.1%, with the race called late Wednesday morning by AP . State of play: Thanedar had the advan

Michigan progressives woke up Wednesday after a banner night: Abdul El-Sayed overcame an outsized cash advantage in the Democratic Senate primary, Will Lawrence won a battleground House nomination, and Donavan McKinney ousted Rep. Shri Thanedar. Why it matters: The sweep signals the left's growing strength in a key swing state. The state's Democratic Socialists of America chapters, the Working Families Party and the United Auto Workers all flexed their muscles Tuesday up and down the ballot. Sta

Progressives scored their biggest win of the year Tuesday in Michigan's Senate primary , narrowly defeating the Democratic establishment in the clearest sign yet of how a populist surge is remaking the party. Why it matters: Left-wing outsider Abdul El-Sayed underperformed predictions, but his victory over moderate Rep. Haley Stevens was still a rebuke to party leaders in D.C. and Michigan, and to big donors who flooded Stevens' campaign with cash. El-Sayed was outspent 9 to 1 by Stevens and her

Data: The Downballot, Dave's Redistricting Atlas, The Texas Tribune; Table: Andrew Solender/Axios House Democrats' campaign arm announced Wednesday it is adding a dozen districts that President Trump won handily in 2024 to their midterm target list . Why it matters: The additions are meant to project Democratic confidence that they can compete in solidly Republican territory come November. "House Democrats are expanding the battlefield deep into Trump terrain," Democratic Congressional Campaign

Data: FactSet; Chart: Matt Phillips/Axios Who cares about war, oil prices, interest rates or an AI bubble? Investors apparently do not — for now at least — sending stocks back to record highs. Why it matters: High stock prices are critical to keeping funds flowing to the AI buildout. A significant erosion of investors' confidence in stocks would be a big risk to the AI flywheel of financial flows, capital expenditures and industrial activity driving the U.S. economy. Catch up quick: Some analyst

Senate Republicans' planned vote this week on whether to hold Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress is the latest escalation in their attempt to right perceived COVID-era wrongs and further disempower the federal health care bureaucracy. Why it matters: Critics fear the Senate Homeland Security Committee's efforts will deter scientific talent from taking government jobs, weakening America's public health infrastructure and ceding its dominance in biomedical innovation. Driving the news: The pane

The Trump administration's rosy promises of a new "golden age" with 6% economic growth have fizzled on the realities of slower-than-anticipated growth and souring consumer sentiment. Why it matters: President Trump's roller coaster economy has risen with consumer spending and AI investment but also tumbled on tariff uncertainty, stubborn inflation and his Iran war, muddling the economic picture. Trump preaches a golden future, but many voters aren't buying it . That's a warning sign for the midt

This will be the first election cycle where AI is both a dominant policy debate — and a widely deployed political weapon. Why it matters: AI allows both candidates and bad actors to persuade and perplex with unprecedented speed, scale and precision in our elections. Watch what works, as those same techniques will likely be used against YOU. What to watch: Persuasion bots. Campaigns are training text bots to hold back-and-forth conversations in their candidate's voice. Some voters engage for HOUR

Sunrise Movement co-founder Will Lawrence is the latest progressive candidate to notch an upset Democratic House primary win — this time in a key battleground district in Michigan . Why it matters: The seat is a top target for Democrats in November, but party leaders fear that Lawrence's left-leaning politics will make it much harder to win. Several top House Democratic moderates expressed the view to Axios last month that Lawrence cannot beat Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Mich.) in Michigan's 7th Distric

The U.S., Iran and Oman are closing in on an interim agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with the U.S. aiming for a Wednesday announcement, according to two regional sources and a U.S. official. Why it matters: The deal, which has been under negotiations for several weeks, is aimed at resuming the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran and restarting negotiations over a nuclear deal. President Trump decided on Saturday not to follow through on threats to unleash a massive bombing campaign, in

Rep. Wesley Bell (D-Mo.) defeated former Rep. Cori Bush in his primary on Tuesday, thwarting an attempt by left-wing groups, including the Democratic Socialists of America, to avenge Bush's 2024 loss. Why it matters: It's a win for the Democratic establishment in an election cycle where triumphs against left-wing insurgents have been few and far between. Bell's win was propelled in part by United Democracy Project, the super PAC arm of AIPAC, which spent more than $3 million to thwart Bush's com

Authorities said Tuesday they arrested a suspect near President Trump's Los Angeles-area golf course ahead of his fundraising visit. The big picture: Jeanine John Taele, 38, of Downey, California, was arrested Sunday after deputies say they found a pistol and illegal ammunition in his vehicle in a parking lot at Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Zoom in: A suspect was "observed walking throughout the golf course grounds tak

Top Pentagon officials are already pitching reconciliation 4.0 to Senate Republicans behind closed doors, underscoring the need for a massive boost in military funds, Axios has learned. Why it matters: Thune hasn't embraced reconciliation 3.0. The White House is already looking beyond it. Trump officials are quietly sketching out a lame-duck package that could pair significant Pentagon funding with other priorities, including a debt ceiling increase that will be necessary sometime in 2027. They

Some members of the Congressional Black Caucus want a condition for incoming Democrats seeking to join their ranks: You have to support House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) for speaker. Why it matters: Things could get dicey fast, as several Black Democrats who are all but guaranteed to be elected in November have declined to commit to voting for Jeffries. But Darializa Avila Chevalier wants in: The Afro-Latino nominee in New York's 13th District told Semafor she will seek to join both