Occupy Banksters & Crony Capitalism & GREED

Exclusive: Trump rejects Iran's offer, says blockade stays until nuclear deal
Axios | Barak Ravid | 04/29/26

President Trump told Axios he's going to keep Iran under a naval blockade until the regime agrees to a deal that addresses U.S. concerns about its nuclear program.

Why it matters: Trump is rejecting an Iranian proposal to first open the Strait of Hormuz and lift the blockade, while postponing nuclear talks to a later stage.

Behind the scenes: U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has prepared a plan for a "short and powerful" wave of strikes on Iran in hopes of breaking the negotiating deadlock, three sources with knowledge said.

After the strikes, which would likely include infrastructure targets, the U.S. would press the regime to come back to the negotiating table and show more flexibility. ... ... ... Read more

Powell to remain as Fed governor, denying Trump a key vacancy
Axios | Courtenay Brown,Neil Irwin | 04/29/26

Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell said on Wednesday that he will remain a central bank governor "for a period of time to be determined," citing attempted political interference.

Why it matters: It extends Powell's influence over monetary policy beyond the conclusion of his term as Fed chair on May 15. His term as one of seven Fed governors extends through January 2028.

It denies President Trump the immediate opportunity to fill a vacancy on the influential Fed board.

Powell's term as chair ends on May 15, but his term as a governor goes through Jan. 31, 2028.

What they're saying: "My concern is really about the series of legal attacks on the Fed, which threaten our ability to conduct monetary policy without considering political factors," Powell told reporters at a press conference on Wednesday, his last as Fed chair.

"I worry that these attacks are battering the institution and putting at risk the thing that really matters to the public - which is the ability to conduct monetary policy without taking into consideration political factors," Powell added. ... ... ... Read more

I Know How Melania Threatens Trump: Wolff | Inside Trump's Head | The Daily Beast | 04/26/26 | 38:58

LIVE: Defense Sec. Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Caine testify amid Iran war | MS Now | 04/29/26 | 5:50:29

Epstein Survivors Discuss Their Experiences At Public Roundtable During King Charles Visit | Forbes | 04/29/26 | 1:22:35

Behind the Curtain: We've been warned
Axios | Jim VandeHei,Mike Allen | 04/29/26

Six facts. No hyperbole. All in the past 60 days.

1. AI is the fastest-growing product category in world history.
2. One of the latest models is so powerful that its maker won't release it to the public.
3. OpenAI and Anthropic say their most powerful AI coding models are now building themselves.
4. AI companies are growing less transparent as models grow more powerful. The federal government requires zero transparency.
5. AI resentment is building fast. In early April, the San Francisco home of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman was the target of two attacks in the same week. Shaken, he wrote: "The fear and anxiety about AI is justified ... Power cannot be too concentrated."
6. AI havoc is no longer theoretical: This year's great software rout erased $2 trillion in value as investors realized, week by week, new human tasks that the latest models would wipe out, from coding to real estate services to legal research to financial management. ...

Georgia wildfires come as much of America is ready to burn
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Axios | Alex Fitzpatrick | 04/29/26

Georgia's wildfires could be a preview of a potentially severe fire season nationwide, with swaths of dried-out land primed to burn from coast to coast.

Driving the news: The Highway 82 Fire and Pineland Road Fire have destroyed more than 120 homes, fueled by dry conditions, high winds and leftover debris from 2024's Hurricane Helene.

The big picture: Much of the U.S. is at least "abnormally dry" after long stretches of low precipitation, per the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Severe, extreme or exceptionally dry conditions prevail across much of the West, South and Southeast, setting the stage for fires. ... Read more

State Street - The $57 Trillion Financial Monster | Documentary | FINAiUS | 04/28/26 | 45:17

Americans feel worse off financially than at any point in 25 years, Gallup finds
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Axios | Emily Peck | 04/28/26

The share of Americans who say their financial situation is getting worse is higher now than at any point in the past 25 years, per new Gallup data out Tuesday morning.

Why it matters: Americans are struggling after years of higher inflation and a recent surge in gas prices due to the Iran war - a major challenge for President Trump and Republicans as the midterm elections come into view.

By the numbers: 55% of respondents to a poll conducted April 1-15 said their financial situation is getting worse; that's up from 53% last year and 47% in 2024.

The number is higher than at any point since 2001, even compared with recessions during the pandemic or in the wake of the financial crisis. ... Read more

President Trump on White House Correspondents' Dinner | 60 Minutes | 04/27/26 | 40:14

Washington Week with The Atlantic full episode, April 24, 2026 | {BS Washington Week | 04/24/26 | 26:45

Meet the Press NOW - April 27 | NBC News | 04/27/26 | 54:58

Trump PRISON ALERT Judge Just Saw UNREDACTED Epstein Files!! | U.S Focus Today | 04/27/26 | 17:25

Trump's 24-hour truce with the media
Axios | Zachary Basu | 04/27/26

The truce didn't last long.

Asked by O'Donnell whether the near-miss would change his relationship with the media, Trump pivoted to attacking Democrats - calling them and the press "almost one and the same."

He then erupted when she read him a passage from the alleged shooter's manifesto: "I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes."

"I'm not a rapist. I didn't rape anybody. I'm not a pedophile," Trump shot back, arguing that it was Democrats - not him - who were involved with Jeffrey Epstein.

Trump has spent his second term at war with the press, suing major news outlets - including 60 Minutes" parent Paramount - for billions of dollars. ... ... ... Read more

WHCD Shooter TORCHED "P*DOPHILE" Trump in EXPLOSIVE Manifesto | Status Coup News | 04/26/26 | 12:32

Republicans rally behind Trump's ballroom plan after gala shooting
Axios | Josephine Walker | 04/26/26

Saturday's shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner has pushed Republicans to coalesce around President Trump's proposal for a new White House ballroom with a subterranean bunker.

Why it matters: The $400 million ballroom would significantly alter the complex's structure and has drawn condemnation by preservationists and some Democrats, who call it a vanity project backed by secretive donors seeking favor with the president.

Driving the news: A suspect armed with a shotgun fired several rounds Saturday night at the Washington Hilton while trying to breach security. ... Read more

Tillis will support Warsh, clearing way for Trump's Fed pick
Axios | Courtenay Brown | 04/26/26

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) on Sunday said that he would no longer block Kevin Warsh's Federal Reserve chair confirmation, removing a key hurdle for President Trump's pick to lead the central bank.

Why it matters: The Department of Justice said last week that it was dropping its investigation into current Fed chair Jerome Powell, satisfying the key Republican's conditions for supporting Warsh. ... Read more

The New Fed Chair's Plan to Cancel the $39Trillion Debt - And Who Actually Pays For It | Clearly Finance | 04/24/26 | 10:35

The Fed Is About to Accidentally Create a Generation of Millionaires | Clearly Finance | 04/21/26 | 15:23

Inside the House Dem push to impeach Trump on Day 1
Axios | Andrew Solender | 04/24/26

A cohort of resistance-minded House Democrats is pushing their colleagues to begin building the case against President Trump now in anticipation of a Day 1 impeachment vote if they retake the House.

1. "This is something that I keep saying to our leadership ... we need to have a very concrete, coordinated strategy," Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.) told Axios.
2. The Illinois Democrat said the party should "build up the case so that when we are in power in January, we've created the conditions ... we've done the fact-checking, we've done the shadow hearings, everything we need to be able to to impeach [Trump]."
3. Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.) told Axios that if Democrats recapture the House "the push for impeachment is going to be overwhelming." ... ... ...

Meta to lay off 8,000 as part of AI efficiency push
Axios | Sara Fischer | 04/24/26

Meta told staff Thursday it plans to lay off roughly 8,000 people, or around 10% of the company, two sources confirmed to Axios.

Why it matters: The cuts underscore how soaring AI costs are pressuring even the biggest tech companies to cut jobs to protect margins and reassure investors.

Zoom out: Meta's capital expenditures have ballooned in recent years, sparking investor concerns that excessive AI spending will eat into profits.

In January, the company said it expects capital expenditures to soar by at least 60% this year compared with 2025, "driven by increased investment to support our Meta Superintelligence Labs efforts and core business." ... Read more

Jim VandeHei: A letter to our kids on handling the coming hurricane of change
Axios | Jim VandeHei | 04/23/26

Hey kid, we gotta talk.

I want to be blunt - and insanely useful - in helping you navigate the uncertainty, fast change and new opportunity of the current moment. It's bolded because it's so easy to lose hold of hope and action, a dynamic duo. Don't. Ever.

First, a gut check. It's normal to be anxious. I see what you see: AI eating up work, phones eating up attention, politics eating up hope. That's a lot. It's real.

For better or worse, you're living through history, with once-in-a-century changes happening in technology, politics, media and how you work. I can't sugarcoat reality. ... ... ... Read more

China stockpiled huge amounts of oil before Iran war
Axios | Amy Harder | 04/23/26

China has stashed away far more oil than any other country, according to U.S. government data released this week.

Why it matters: The stockpile, which surged last year, is emerging as a strategic advantage as the world faces an oil shock with the Strait of Hormuz largely shut.

The big picture: China is a huge winner in the Iran war due in large part to its positioning on energy, including its oil stockpile.

It also owns over 70% of global solar, wind, battery and electric vehicle supply chains. ... Read more

Anthropic: No "kill switch" for AI in classified settings
Axios | Maria Curi | 04/23/26

Anthropic argues in the filing to a federal appeals court in D.C. that it has no visibility, technical ability or any kind of "kill switch" for its technology once it's deployed.

The company also says the Pentagon has the opportunity to test models before deployment.

Catch up quick: The company's usage policies include no Claude for autonomous weapons or mass surveillance, red lines that the Pentagon dismissed as red herrings and led to the dispute.

The D.C. court previously rejected Anthropic's request for a pause on the supply chain risk designation. A judge in California for an ongoing parallel case granted Anthropic's request.

The split decision means Anthropic can't participate in new Pentagon contracts, but can continue working with other government agencies while the litigation plays out. ... Read more

Trump gives Iran days to end power struggle, return to peace talks
Axios | Barak Ravid | 04/22/26

President Trump is giving Iran's warring factions a short window to unify behind a coherent counter-offer - or the ceasefire he extended Tuesday ends, three U.S. officials tell Axios.

"Trump is willing to give another three to five days of ceasefire to allow the Iranians to get their shit together," one U.S. source briefed on the matter said. "It is not going to be open-ended."

Why it matters: Trump's negotiators believe a deal to end the war and address what's left of Iran's nuclear program is still achievable. But they also worry they may not have anyone in Tehran empowered to say yes.

Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is barely communicating. The IRGC generals now in control of the country and Iran's civilian negotiators are openly at odds over strategy.

"We saw that there is an absolute fracture inside Iran between the negotiators and the military - with neither side having access to the supreme leader, who is not responsive," a U.S. official said. ... ... ... Read more

Kash Patel Denies Excessive Drinking & Labor Sec.’s Family Plays HR Violation Bingo | The Daily Show | 04/21/26 | 12:21

Americans' disapproval rating of Congress matches historic high
Politico | Cheyanne M. Daniels | 04/22/26

The survey released Wednesday shows that only 10 percent of Americans approve of Congress, just barely above 2013's all-time low of 9 percent. In contrast, 86 percent of Americans disapprove of the job Congress is doing - matching the historic high in the over 50 years Gallup has been asking Americans for their opinions on the legislature.

The last time 86 percent of Americans disapproved of Congress was in 2015.

The poll shows much of the disapproval likely stems from repeated government shutdowns, including the ongoing partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. Approval ratings for Congress fell sharply during the October shutdown and have not recovered since. ... Read more

OpenAI-Anthropic enterprise rivalry heats up
Axios | Madison Mills | 04/21/26

OpenAI is mobilizing consulting partners and touting its compute edge to claw back enterprise customers from Anthropic, as both labs barrel toward potential IPOs.

Why it matters: The outcome of this fight could determine which company hits the public markets with momentum, and which has to explain to investors why it's losing ground.

Driving the news: OpenAI is working to take market share from Anthropic's enterprise business. ... ... ... Read more

Trump's Concentration Camp Build-Out Includes Nearly $40 Billion for Warehouse Conversions
commondreams.org | Julia Conley | 02/13/26

President Donald Trump's anti-immigration agenda has supercharged opposition in cities where he has deployed federal agents to conduct raids, and communities in states including New York and Missouri are already working to block the next step the Department of Homeland Security plans to take in its push for mass deportations: acquiring massive warehouses across the country to use as immigrant detention centers.

US immigration and Customs Enforcement documents that were provided to Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire-one of the states where ICE aims to acquire a building and retrofit it to house at least 1,000 people at a time-show that the administration plans to spend $38.3 billion on its mass detention plan.

It would buy 16 buildings across the country to use as "regional processing centers" that could hold 1,000-1,500 people. Another eight detention centers would hold as many as 10,000 people at a time, with the detainees awaiting deportation. ... ... ... Read more

The kids aren't AI-right, Part 2
Axios | Jim VandeHei,Mike Allen | 04/21/26

Young Americans are scared of more than AI. They're downright panicky about finding a job at all.

Only 20% of young workers told Gallup in Q4 last year that it's a good time to find a quality job, down from 62% at the pollster's peak for the measure in October 2021. You rarely see mood swings this severe.

Why it matters: For 70 years, a bachelor's degree was the most reliable on-ramp to a stable career. That's no longer true. And that's before AI hits entry-level work at scale.

This isn't just worried kids succumbing to bad vibes. It's a hard, empirical reality. Let's dig deeper into the numbers, all based on the latest N.Y. Fed data from December: ... ... ... Read more

Anthropic bites back in the compute wars with Amazon partnership
Axios | Madison Mills | 04/21/26

Anthropic is expanding its partnership with Amazon, committing more than $100 billion over the next decade to secure massive new computing capacity.

Why it matters: Compute capacity is the currency of the AI race and is most likely to define who wins.

Driving the news: Anthropic agreed to spend $100 billion to secure up to 5 gigawatts of compute from Amazon to train and run its Claude models.

Amazon will invest $5 billion now, with the option for up to $20 billion more - deepening its stake in Anthropic. ... Read more

The pope's English fuels a Trump feud
Axios | Russell Contreras | 94/20/26

Escalating tensions between Pope Leo XIV and President Trump may hinge on something unusually simple: the pope doesn't need a translator.

The big picture: Leo's native-level English removes a long-standing Vatican buffer - ambiguity in translation - that has historically softened or clarified papal critiques of U.S. leaders.

Without that layer, Leo's comments land more directly in the American media ecosystem and to American Catholics, amplifying political impact and backlash.

The pope's remarks have worked seamlessly into cable news clips, social media, and campaign messaging, accelerating their political impact - just like the president. ... ... ... Read more

Trump says he'll send negotiators to Pakistan, Iran suspects trap
Axios | Barak Ravid | 04/20/26

Vice President JD Vance will lead a U.S. delegation for another round of talks with Iran in Islamabad before the ceasefire is scheduled to end on Tuesday night, two U.S. officials tell Axios.

Why it matters: The talks could provide an eleventh hour opportunity to reach a deal, or at least extend the ceasefire - though Iran has yet to confirm its participation and is concerned this is all subterfuge from the White House.

Driving the news: In a brief call with Axios on Sunday, President Trump expressed optimism about the purported talks.

As of Sunday afternoon, the Iranian officials hadn't confirmed they would be sending negotiators to Islamabad, and multiple Iranian officials raised the possibility that Trump's real intention may be to resume the war. ... ... ... Read more

Behind the Curtain: China wins by watching
Axios | Jim VandeHei | 04/19/26

Chinese President Xi Jinping has spent the Iran war doing what he does best - patiently exploiting America's distraction and discord.

Why it matters: The conflict allowed China to bolster its diplomatic leverage, clean-energy muscle and intelligence on the U.S. military - all without firing a shot or spending a dollar.

The implications touch supply chains, energy procurement, geopolitical risk, and the race for superior AI and weaponry.

Even with progress toward a framework for peace between the U.S. and Iran, significant disruptions continue in the Strait of Hormuz. The strategic damage is done. ... Read more

Scoop: U.S. considers $20 billion cash-for-uranium deal with Iran
Axios | Barak Ravid,Marc Caputo | 04/17/26

The U.S. and Iran are negotiating over a three-page plan to end the war, with one element under discussion being that the U.S. would release $20 billion in frozen Iranian funds in return for Iran giving up its stockpile of enriched uranium, according to two U.S. officials and two additional sources briefed on the talks.

Why it matters: There has been steady progress in the talks this week, though significant gaps remain. A deal on these terms would bring the war to a close, while potentially generating backlash from Iran hawks.

President Trump said Thursday that U.S. and Iranian negotiators would likely meet this weekend for a second round of talks to try to seal the deal.

A top priority for the Trump administration is ensuring Iran can't access the stockpile of nearly 2,000kg of enriched uranium buried in its underground nuclear facilities, in particular the 450kg enriched to 60% purity. ... Read more

The best and worst states for AI data centers
Axios | Maria Curi | 04/17/26

Data center construction is booming nationwide, but the AI buildout is separating the friendliest states from the most resistant, with Texas and Maine on opposite ends.

Why it matters: Americans are bracing for what trillions of dollars in AI infrastructure investment will mean for them.

Here's how two key states are encouraging - and slowing - the buildout.

It's no wonder that Texas, with its low electricity prices and abundance of land, is drawing a wave of data center investment.

1. Texas has 212 operating data centers as of 2024 and 651 have been announced, according to data firm Aterio. Another 157 are under construction, beating Virginia.
2. The state also offers one of the most generous tax incentives in the nation, worth more than $1 billion annually.
3. Some state legislators are rethinking whether that tax break is appropriate, but Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas) said at a recent Axios event in Dallas that the incentives keep projects and jobs in the U.S. instead of abroad, noting companies already pay significant taxes. ...

'Battle of the titans': Trump's distorted reality on Iran war runs into a brick wall
The Guardian | David Smith | date

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Will Trump Pardon Ghislaine Maxwell? Her Lawyer Thinks So. | Politico | Hailey Fuchs | 04/17/26

The Darkest Web: Inside the internet's most hidden corners to save kids | BBC World Service | 03/16/26 | 1:24:23

The global oil shock, mapped | maxfisher | current | short

Israel hits a low point with Democrats in Congress
Axios | Andrew Solender | 04/16/26

Israel's relationship with Democrats on Capitol Hill is rapidly deteriorating, with a growing number of lawmakers saying they can no longer support U.S. funding for even the country's defensive weaponry.

Why it matters: Opposing the use of American taxpayer dollars to fund Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system was "seen as insanely fringe four years ago," Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) told Axios. No longer.

1. Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) told Axios he "cannot support more military assistance" to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying he has "supported Iron Dome in the past, but there doesn't seem to be any accountability."
2. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) told Axios he doesn't think that position is "wildly controversial in light of what the Israeli government has said for a long time."
3. "I think many of us are in the place of saying, 'They have enough money to wage the wars they're doing, they don't need our money, period," said Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wisc.). ...

Behind the Curtain: The kids aren't AI-right
Axios | Jim VandeHei,Mike Allen | 04/16/26

America, we have a problem: Young adults are scared and unprepared for the AI revolution upending their early career choices and prospects.

They tell pollsters they're frightened, even angry, about AI's fast arrival. They're rightly unnerved by a tough job market for college grads. And most aren't remotely equipped by schools to be AI-savvy.

Why it matters: This is a growing problem for just about everyone — kids, educators, employers and politicians.

The youngest, most technologically native age group should be among the biggest cheerleaders and beneficiaries of AI. They aren't. If anything, their feelings are growing more sour. ... Read more

U.S. and Iran inch toward framework deal to end war, U.S. officials say
Axios | Barak Ravid,Marc Caputo | 04/15/26

U.S. and Iranian negotiators made progress in talks on Tuesday, moving closer to a framework agreement to end the war, two U.S. officials said.

Why it matters: The two adversaries - with the assistance of Pakistani, Egyptian and Turkish mediators - have been trying to bridge remaining gaps and reach a deal before the ceasefire expires on April 21.

1. A Pakistani delegation headed by Army commander Field Marshal Asim Munir arrived in Tehran on Wednesday for talks with Iranian officials.
2. U.S. officials and sources familiar with the mediation cautioned that a deal is not guaranteed, given the substantial differences between the two sides.
3. "Lets wait and see if we can get a deal. We are hopeful and accordingly trying to push with both sides," a Pakistani official said. ...

Exclusive: a16z-backed Hilbert raises $28 million
Axios | Madison Mills | 04/15/26

Hilbert, an AI startup rethinking how companies drive growth, raised a $28 million Series A led by Andreessen Horowitz, the startup told Axios exclusively.

Why it matters: Companies are pouring money into AI without always seeing returns, which Hilbert hopes to change by helping automate business decisions that drive growth.

How it works: Hilbert's AI software connects data across teams to help companies make decisions from a single system.

1. Using deep learning, Hilbert offers a more complete picture of its customers' data. It then structures that data so AI models can read it and suggest actions users can take.
2. Hilbert's tools also show the dollar value of taking those actions.
3. Walmart is already using the platform to better understand its shoppers' needs and how to act on them, according to Hilbert.

ICE deported 442k people in fiscal year 2025
Axios | Brittany Gibson | 04/15/26

The top U.S. immigration enforcement agency deported 442,637 people between October 2024 and September 2025, according to newly-released statistics.

Why it matters: The top-line figure is about 171,000 people more than the fiscal year before, but far short of Trump's campaign promise to deport one million people a year.

Zoom out: The figure is the first official deportation statistic released under the Trump administration and was included in a congressional budget justification report.

The Office of Homeland Security Statistics hasn't updated its data since November of 2024.

Homeland Security's much-hyped "self deportation" figure is not included in the report. The agency has claimed in press releases that more than two million have "self-deported" but hasn't shared regular data. ... Read more

Trump's incredible shrinking tent
Axios | Zachary Basu | 04/14/26

Donald Trump is torching the coalition that made him president, seemingly unaware of - or simply unconcerned by - the depth of discontent permeating his movement.

Why it matters: Trump won back the White House with the most eclectic alliance in modern politics - a blend of MAGA diehards, crypto evangelists, nonwhite men, podcast bros, anti-war populists and culture-war Christians.

What Republicans celebrated as a once-in-a-generation coalition may turn out to be exactly that, never to be reassembled.

Between the lines: Catholics, who make up roughly a fifth of the U.S. population, are America's most powerful swing religious bloc. Trump's attacks on the pope - who is far more popular than he is - could prove self-destructive in the midterms. ... ... ... Read more

Trump is losing support as the Iran war divides MAGA influencers | Axios | 04/13/26 | 4:26

Influential U.S. cardinals caution against Iran war, Trump immigration policies | 60 Minutes | 04/13/26 | 13:06

Finance world heads to Washington as politics and markets erupt
Politico | Kathryn Carlson | 04/10/26

The IMF-World Bank meetings will be dominated by the Iran war and concerns over shadowy lending outside the banking system.

The economic fallout of the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran has sent markets scrambling, pushing up energy costs and threatening to squeeze already-tight budgets in many countries. A fragile ceasefire holds, but warnings remain over the long-lasting economic impact of the effective shuttering of the Strait of Hormuz.

If the effects of the Middle East war weren’t bad enough, there's also a lurking concern in the more opaque part of the finance system: loans made by Wall Street firms outside the highly regulated banking industry that are going bad and causing investors to flee. One concern for European officials: potential spillovers from chaos in those so-called private credit markets in the U.S.

"I was just in Europe two weeks ago, and private credit came up as often as Iran did," said Josh Lipsky, chair of international economics at the Atlantic Council. ... Read more

Apple could win the AI race without running
Axios | Dan Primack | 04/14/26

Apple isn't burning mountains of cash to buy GPUs for the sake of training AI models and processing prompts.

Nor is it investing huge sums in frontier labs like OpenAI or Anthropic, as are rivals like Amazon and Microsoft.

Keep selling high-end consumer hardware that will become even more essential as AI becomes more ubiquitous.

AI advancements could lead to shorter upgrade cycles, while Apple's reputation for enhanced privacy could become an enhanced selling point.

All the while, "taxing" the frontier labs via the App Store. It doesn't matter to Apple which app gets used most, so long as it's being used. ... Read more

Earthquake in Hungary: Orban defeated after 16 years in power
Axios | Zachary Basu | 04/13/26

Hungarian voters have ousted Prime Minister Viktor Orban after 16 years in power, delivering a stunning rebuke to one of the Western world's most entrenched populist leaders.

Why it matters: The political earthquake in Hungary, where Vice President Vance was dispatched to campaign for Orban in the final days of the election, will ripple far beyond Budapest.

State of play: Peter Magyar, a 45-year-old former Fidesz insider who broke with Orban two years ago and built the upstart Tisza party into a political juggernaut, claimed victory Sunday night.

With early results showing a dominant victory, Orbán congratulated Magyar and vowed to continue serving Hungary from the opposition, despite the "painful" defeat. ... ... ... Read more

Washington Week with The Atlantic full episode, April 10, 2026 | PBS/Washington Week | 04/11/26 | 26:47

Trump unleashes tirade against "weak," "terrible" Pope Leo
Axios | Rebecca Falconer | 04/13/26

President Trump lashed out against Pope Leo XIV on Sunday night, calling him "WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy" and accusing him of "catering to the Radical Left."

The big picture: Trump's comments escalate already high tensions between the president and the first U.S.-born pope, who has increasingly spoken out on Trump administration immigration policies and the Iran war.

Driving the news: Trump attacked Leo in a lengthy Truth Social post one day after the Chicago-born pontiff denounced during a prayer vigil for peace what he called a "delusion of omnipotence" during the war.

What they're saying: Trump criticized the pope on matters including the Catholic Church's stance during the COVID pandemic and said he likes Leo's elder brother Louis Prevost "much better" than him because, he claimed, he's "all MAGA." ... ... ... Read more

Trump's Financial Corruption, Explained | Lock Stock Finance | 04/10/26 | 10:18

Anthropic's unprecedented growth
Axios | Jim VandeHei | 04/13/26

I have no clue if there's an AI bubble.

I do know this: I went hunting for any company - in any industry, in any era - that has scaled organic revenue this quickly at this level as Anthropic.

Couldn't find one. Not in tech. Not in oil. Not in wartime manufacturing.

Historically, many of America's biggest companies have grown through acquisitions or government contracts. This is customers lining up to buy.

Try to wrap your head around this. The company announced last week that its run-rate (annualized) revenue has passed $30 billion - up from $19 billion in early March, and up from $9 billion at the end of 2025. Its main product, Claude, launched just over three years ago. ... Read more

Melania Trump says she's "never been friends with Epstein" in rare address
Axios | Avery Lotz,Alex Isenstadt | 04/10/26

First lady Melania Trump denied that she had a friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein or that she had any ties to his crimes in a head-turning White House address Thursday.

The big picture: The administration's handling of the Epstein files - and the president's ties to the disgraced financier - have become a months-long headache for the administration.

Driving the news: "The false smears about me from mean spirited and politically motivated individuals and entities, looking to cause damage to my good name to gain financially and climb politically must stop," she said at the White House.

"I am not Epstein's victim. Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump," she said, adding she first "crossed paths" with Epstein at an event she attended with Trump in 2000. ... Read more

How Roger Stone persuaded Trump not to fire Tulsi Gabbard
Axios | Marc Caputo | 04/10/26

President Trump sounded ready to dismiss top intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard until he got an earful last week from one of his oldest friends and advisers, Roger Stone, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: Trump was displeased with Gabbard when she didn't wholeheartedly endorse the Iran war during her recent testimony to Congress about threats to the U.S., according to five advisers and confidants who spoke with the president.

The day before, Gabbard's former adviser and counterterrorism director, Joe Kent, quit his post in a headline-grabbing resignation that undercut the administration's message campaign about the danger posed by Iran. ... Read more

Strait of Hormuz stays shut as Trump demands Iran stop tolls
Axios | Barak Ravid,Alex Fitzpatrick | 04/10/26

President Trump on Thursday demanded Iran stop charging tolls for tankers to cross the Strait of Hormuz, as Iran's supreme leader promised the country would control the crucial waterway.

Why it matters: The already shaky ceasefire between the two countries is getting more strained by the day, even as they prepare for peace talks in Islamabad on Saturday.

The narrow waterway off Iran's southern coast is vital to the normal functioning of the global economy.

What they're saying: "There are reports that Iran is charging fees to tankers going through the Hormuz Strait - They better not be and, if they are, they better stop now!" Trump posted to Truth Social. ... Read more

Iran ceasefire clouded by confusion, contradictions
Axios | Barak Ravid | 04/08/26

The U.S., Israel and Iran agree that a ceasefire is now in effect, but they're contradicting each other and themselves in terms of what's actually been agreed to and what happens now.

Why it matters: Those differences will have to be reconciled at the negotiating table, beginning on Saturday in Islamabad. One thing everyone agrees on is that there is no guarantee this war is actually over.

Breaking it down: President Trump's key condition for a ceasefire was the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, but we still don't know just how "open" it will be or whether Iran will charge ships to pass through.

1. Meanwhile, the Pakistani mediators announced that the ceasefire also applied in Lebanon. Israel says it doesn't and has intensified its attacks.
2. Attacks have also taken place on oil facilities in Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait in the first 12 hours since the ceasefire came into force. Pakistan's prime minister warned that they "undermine the spirit of the peace process."
3. Talks are expected in Islamabad on Saturday, but the parties have offered contradictory statements about the basis on which they are negotiating. ...

Vance to lead U.S. delegation at peace talks with Iran in Islamabad
Axios | Barak Ravid | 04/08/26

Vice President JD Vance will head the U.S. negotiating team for the peace talks with Iran on Saturday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Wednesday.

Why it matters: It's the highest level meeting between the U.S. and Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution, as ceasefire negotiations hit a crucial tipping point that could lead to the resumption and escalation of the war if the high-stakes talks fail.

This will be the most significant and challenging mission in Vance's political career, testing his line of trying to avoid war with Iran and preferring diplomacy as a way to reach a deal.

Vance said in Budapest on Wednesday that President Trump is "impatient to make progress" with Iran and stressed that if Iranian officials don't engage in good faith "they're going to find out that President Trump is not one to mess around with". ... Read more

MAGA media's great unraveling
Axios | Zachary Basu | 04/08/26

The architects of MAGA's media empire are in open revolt against President Trump, disgusted by his threat to destroy Iran's "whole civilization."

Why it matters: Trump's political strength has always depended less on party institutions than on a decentralized media ecosystem — podcasters, streamers and activists who translate his message to millions of loyal voters.

At the start of Trump's second term, that coalition was unified, powerful and certain: They had just delivered him the White House, and believed he would deliver for them.

Now the movement's most powerful voices are working to keep Trump in check if not bring him down outright, accusing him of betraying the "America First" promises that built the movement.

1. Tucker Carlson delivered a 43-minute monologue Monday framing Trump's Iran rhetoric as morally corrupt and even "evil." He expressed personal outrage at Trump's Easter post threatening to bring "hell" to Iran, and urged U.S. officials to defy any orders that could kill civilians.
2. Alex Jones, the far-right conspiracy theorist who spent years defending Trump, was overcome with emotion on air as he called the president a "dementia risk" who must be removed from office.
3. Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), once among Trump's most devoted GOP allies in Congress, called his rhetoric "evil and madness" Tuesday and demanded his removal via the 25th Amendment.
4. Candace Owens, another disillusioned Trump loyalist with millions of podcast followers, called the president a "genocidal lunatic" and demanded Congress and the military intervene.

... Read more

How Iran's supreme leader reached a truce with Trump
Axion | Barak Ravid,Dave Lawler,Marc Caputo | 04/08/26

Officials in the U.S. and Israel learned of an intriguing development on Monday, with President Trump's ultimatum looming: Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei had instructed his negotiators, for the first time since the war began, to move towards a deal, according to an Israeli official, a regional official and a third source with knowledge.

The big picture: As Trump was publicly threatening total annihilation, there were signs of diplomatic momentum behind the scenes - though even sources close to Trump didn't know which outcome to expect right up until a ceasefire was announced.

1. U.S. forces in the Middle East and officials in the Pentagon spent those closing hours preparing for a massive bombing campaign on Iranian infrastructure, and trying to figure out where Trump was leaning. "We had no idea what was going to happen. It was wild," a defense official said.
2. Allies in the region were bracing for Iranian retaliation on an unprecedented scale. Inside Iran, some civilians were fleeing their homes in an attempt to avoid the brunt of the strikes.
3. This account of the diplomacy that staved off that escalation, for now, is based on conversations with eleven sources with knowledge of the talks. ... ... ...

NATO chief heads to Washington as Trump 2.0 flames the alliance
Axios | Colin Demarest | date

NATO chief Mark Rutte returns to Washington this week, facing fresh doubts about the alliance inside the White House and on the Hill.

Why it matters: His relationship with President Trump will be put to the test, as the geopolitical stakes - the near-future of the transatlantic bond, ongoing war in the Middle East, gas-price gloom, European rearmament and more - ratchet up.

Driving the news: Rutte is expected to meet with Trump days after the commander in chief called allies "cowards" for not throwing themselves at the Strait of Hormuz and described NATO as a "paper tiger" incapable of intimidating Russia.

Lawmakers like Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) have called on the U.S. to find the nearest exit while Moscow's delegates, including Kirill Dmitriev, amplify such thinking. ... ... ... Read more

Trump's Iran threats raise moral stakes for military members
Axios | Avery Lotz Axios | 04/08/26

Military officers could face a moral dilemma if President Trump follows through on threats to bomb Iran's civilian infrastructure, military law experts tell Axios.

The big picture: Established procedures and rules of warfare dictate that civilian infrastructure is protected from an attack, and though the Joint Chiefs' chair says the U.S. military has abided by "normal procedures," Trump's rhetoric dramatically raises those stakes.

On Tuesday, the president posted that a "whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again," a harrowing pledge after a series of public warnings to destroy Iran's bridges, power plants and other infrastructure.

What they're saying: The U.S. interpretation of obligations under the law of war in regard to "war-sustaining" dual-use infrastructure has been "pretty stretched," Rachel VanLandingham, a retired lieutenant colonel in the Air Force and former legal advisor for international law at U.S. Central Command, told Axios. ... ... ... Read more

Trump's tipping point: Destroy Iran's infrastructure or give talks a chance
Axios | Barak Ravid,Marc Caputo | 04/07/26

President Trump faces a momentous decision on a tight timeline: carry out his threat to obliterate Iran's infrastructure beginning at 8pm ET, or push his own deadline again to give negotiations a chance.

Trump has threatened to destroy every bridge and power plant in Iran by midnight, among other options that would have devastating consequences for ordinary Iranians and spark dangerous retaliation across the region.

1. Mediators from Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey are working to avert that outcome by brokering a deal - or at least putting time back on the clock.
2. "If the president sees a deal is coming together, he'll probably hold off. But only he and he alone makes that decision," a senior administration official told Axios. A defense official said they were "skeptical" there would be any extension this time around.
3. This account is based on interviews with six officials and sources with direct knowledge of the ongoing diplomacy or Trump's thinking. ...

Trump threatens "whole civilization will die tonight" amid 11th hour Iran negotiations
Axios | Barak Ravid | 04/07/26

President Trump threatened on Tuesday to wipe out the entire Iranian "civilization" if the regime doesn't meet his 8pm ET deadline for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

The big picture: Trump's new threat, which was the most harrowing in a series of public warnings to Iran, seems to be part of an effort to convince Tehran the risks of not making a swift deal are too dire to countenance.

Iran has accused Trump of planning to commit war crimes. The regime has not shown much flexibility around a deal in public comments, though sources tell Axios there has been some progress behind the scenes in the past 48 hours.

Vice President Vance, who is involved in the Iran diplomacy, said at a press conference in Budapest on Tuesday that intense negotiations would take place right up to Trump's deadline. "I am hopeful it will get to a good resolution," he said.

What he's saying: "A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don't want that to happen, but it probably will," Trump wrote on Truth Social. ... Read more

Washington Week with The Atlantic full episode, April 3, 2026 | PBS Washington Week | 04/03/26 | 26:46

Abby Martin Went To Israel. IT'S WORSE Than You Think | Double Down News | 04/07/26 | 10:30

Pope calls for peace, and Trump vows hell for Iran on Easter
Axios | Rebecca Falconer | 04/05/26

Pope Leo XIV and the top U.S. Catholic bishop for the military both used Easter Sunday to emphasize Jesus' message of peace amid the escalating Iran war.

Why it matters: The first U.S.-born pope urged those who "unleash wars" to lay down weapons as President Trump continued his increasingly aggressive wartime rhetoric on Sunday to demand that Tehran "Open the Fuckin' Strait, you crazy bastards, or you'll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah."

1. Leo and U.S. Roman Catholic leaders have voiced moral opposition to Trump's policies, notably on the the Iran war and immigration.
2. "Let us allow our hearts to be transformed by his immense love for us. Let those who have weapons lay them down," the pontiff said.
3. "Let those who have the power to unleash wars choose peace! Not a peace imposed by force, but through dialogue! Not with the desire to dominate others, but to encounter them." ...

Iran mediators make last-ditch push for 45-day ceasefire
Axios | Barak Ravid | 04/06/26

The U.S., Iran and a group of regional mediators are discussing the terms for a potential 45-day ceasefire that could lead to a permanent end to the war, according to four U.S., Israeli and regional sources with knowledge of the talks.

Why it matters: The sources said the chances for reaching a partial deal over the next 48 hours are slim. But this last-ditch effort could be the only chance to prevent a dramatic escalation in the war that will include massive strikes on Iranian civilian infrastructure and retaliation against energy and water facilities in the Gulf states.

Driving the news: President Trump's 10-day deadline to Iran was expected to expire Monday evening. But on Sunday, Trump extended his deadline by 20 hours and posted on Truth Social a new deadline of Tuesday at 8pm ET.

Trump told Axios on Sunday that the U.S. is "in deep negotiations" with Iran and that a deal can be reached before his deadline expires on Tuesday. ... Read more

NATO slides into Trump-induced coma
Axios | Dave Lawler,Zachary Basu | 04/03/26

The big picture: The alliance was built on the premise that an attack on one member is an attack on all. President Trump has made that conditional: if you won't help me in my war, I might not show up for yours.

1. NATO's mutual defensive framework doesn't actually apply in the case of Iran, a war taking place far from the alliance's territory.
2. But it could be the death knell for the most powerful and consequential alliance of the past eight decades.

Driving the news: Trump and his team have fumed at several NATO allies for denying the U.S. logistical help or access to their airspace or military bases to carry out attacks against Iran.

1. He's called them "cowards" for refusing to join the war to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
2. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the administration would now "have to reexamine the value of NATO." Trump said he might withdraw altogether. ... ... ...

U.S. bombs Iran's civilian infrastructure for first time after "Stone Ages" threat
Axios | Barak Ravid | 04/03/26

Thursday morning's strike was on a bridge that connects Tehran and the suburb of Karaj. It partially collapsed.

1. While U.S. officials said the bridge was opened in January, some Iranian press reports said it was still not operational.
2. The night prior, Trump had declared that the U.S. would hit Iran "extremely hard" in what he suggested would be the final two to three weeks of the operation.
3. "We're going to bring them back to the Stone Ages, where they belong," he said. ...

Trump & Russia: Is the DoJ covering up the Epstein Files? | FourSight interview | Channel 4 News | 04/03/26 | 16:40

We Uncovered The Most Infamous Secret Society: And The Truth Is Shocking | More Perfect Union | 02/24/26 | 17:40

Jamie Dimon's warning
Axios | Jim VandeHei | 04/02/26

JPMorgan Chase chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon tells me the U.S. is facing the most concurrent risks in 80 years - and that's before AI starts displacing a large number of American workers.

Why it matters: Dimon, in an interview for "The Axios Show," says American business leaders need to step up, and speak up, to help guide the country through these high-risk, tumultuous times.

"We in business made a mistake in not getting more involved earlier," Dimon told me at his new global headquarters in Manhattan. "I do not think the problems of society will be fixed by politicians alone."

Dimon's annual shareholder letter, out next week, will dive deep into geopolitical threats. "There's more geopolitical risk than we've seen since World War II," he said.

A top threat: He told Axios that AI is likely to displace lots of workers in the medium term and increase the likelihood of a large-scale cyberattack.

1. "AI makes cyber - and these [AI agents] make cyber - far worse," he said.
2. Dimon was briefed on Anthropic's unreleased Mythos model, which the company fears may dramatically increase the ability of hackers or foreign adversaries to carry out potentially catastrophic attacks. ...

Attorney General Pam Bondi pushed out
Axios | Avery Lotz,Marc Caputo,Alex Isenstadt | 04/02/26

Attorney General Pam Bondi is leaving the Department of Justice, President Trump announced on Truth Social Thursday.

The big picture: Bondi led the unsuccessful attempts to prosecute Trump's political foes and oversaw the release of files about deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, which has been a political liability for the president.

Driving the news: "We love Pam, and she will be transitioning to a much needed and important new job in the private sector, to be announced at a date in the near future," the president posted on Truth Social, "and our Deputy Attorney General, and a very talented and respected Legal Mind, Todd Blanche, will step in to serve as Acting Attorney General."

Bondi is expected to depart the DOJ in 45 days, an administration official told Axios. ... Read more

The world's largest humanoid robot maker is going public
restofworld.org | Kinling Lo | 03/31/26

It might be a while before humanoid robots hit market shelves. But the world's largest humanoid robot maker is all set to hit the stock market.

Hangzhou-based Unitree Robotics, which became the world's top humanoid robot seller last year, filed for an initial public offering to list on the Shanghai Stock Exchange on March 20.

The company hopes to raise 4.2 billion yuan ($610 million) through its IPO, which it will use for research and development, and increasing its manufacturing capacity.

Unitree's listing will test investors' appetite for humanoid robots, Ethan Qi, associate director at Counterpoint Research, told Rest of World. ... Read more

Trump's mixed messages on Iran perplex his own team
Axios | Marc Caputo, Barak Ravid | 04/01/26

President Trump isn't just befuddling foreign leaders and financial markets with his mixed signals on Iran. Advisers who speak regularly with the president tell Axios they're just as uncertain.

Why it matters: Trump's off-the-cuff musings and Truth Social postings can have life-or-death consequences for the war, and massive implications for the market. Then the cycle restarts without any lasting clarity.

Between the lines: Some Trump aides and allies say he's mostly improvising rather than following any clear plan.

1. He likes to keep his options open, spitball with different audiences, then capitalize if he thinks he sees an opportunity, they say.
2. Aides have been convinced at various points that Trump was leaning toward a major escalation, and at others that he was eager for a swift resolution. "Nobody knows in the end what he's really thinking," a senior adviser said.
3. "They had a plan for the first week and since then, they are making the plan up as they go along," a former U.S. official said. ...

Strike on Iran: The Nuclear Question (updated documentary) | FRONTLINE (PBS) | 03/31/26 | 53:18

Johnson digs in after GOP resistance torpedoes DHS funding deal
Axios | Kate Santaliz | 94/01/26

House Speaker Mike Johnson is inching closer to hard red lines on future negotiations over the Department of Homeland Security.

"They sent us a bill that literally put the number zero in the bill for the funding of border security and customs and immigration enforcement. We can't do that," Johnson (R-La.) said Tuesday on Fox News.

At the same time, President Trump is weighing whether to use a rare constitutional power to force Congress to return next week, he told the New York Post on Tuesday.

Why it matters: Senate Republicans have already yielded to Dems' shutdown hostage taking on ICE funding, and Trump - who's been all over the place — weakened the GOP's leverage by paying TSA. ... Read more

Trump risks handing China the keys to the Gulf if he taps out of Iran | Hamish de Bretton-Gordon | The Trump Report | 04/01/26 | 27:06

North Korean hackers implicated in major supply chain attack
Axios | Sam Sabin | 04/01/26

Suspected North Korean hackers are believed to be behind an ongoing compromise of the widely used open-source package Axios, which is downloaded millions of times per week, researchers at Google said Tuesday.

Why it matters: Hackers briefly turned a widely trusted developer tool into a vehicle for credential-stealing malware that could give attackers ongoing access to infected systems.

Note: Axios, a widely used JavaScript library for making HTTP requests, is not affiliated with Axios Media.

Driving the news: Researchers at Google linked the activity to a North Korean group tracked as UNC1069, which has previously targeted cryptocurrency and decentralized finance companies. ... Read more