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Inside the White House's AI power center
Axios | Maria Curi | 06/18/26

Like its AI policy, the Trump administration's AI team is taking shape on the fly.

Why it matters: Departures among key White House officials, combined with rapid advances in technology, are shaking up who's taking the lead on AI policy in the administration.

The big picture: Silicon Valley figures David Sacks and Sriram Krishnan have served as key architects of the administration's AI agenda. But with Sacks stepping back from day-to-day involvement and Krishnan preparing to leave, influence is shifting inside the White House to a broader group of officials and aides.

Here's who's running the show - for now.

1. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick
2. Chris Fall at Commerce's Center for AI Standards
3. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent
4. National Economic Council's Ryan Baasch
5. National Cyber Director Sean Cairncross

Arizona emerges as test case for AI's energy and water crunch
Axios | Amy Harder | 06/18/26

PHOENIX - This desert region has become a bellwether for the nation's data center growth as the tech sector grapples with rising temperatures and scarce resources.

Why it matters: Arizona is an extreme microcosm of the challenges the AI boom is running into across the country as tech companies race to build data centers demanding massive amounts of power and testing local water supplies.

"What took our utilities 100+ years to build, we need to double that within the next four to five years to keep up with demand," said Kevin Thompson, who serves on the Arizona Corporation Commission, a powerful utility regulator whose members are elected statewide.

'AWFUL': Trump's Iran deal sparks widespread criticism | MSNow | 06/18/26 | 9:32

JD Vance Instantly THROWN UNDER BUS as GOP PLOT his OUSTER!!!! | MeidasTouch | 06/18/26 | 16:17

SpaceX soars above Amazon in market cap
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Axios | Matt Phillips | 06/17/26

SpaceX jumped another 4.8% Tuesday, enabling Elon Musk's space launch/satellite services/AI/social media conglomerate to leapfrog Amazon.com in market value.

1. In just its first two full days of trading, SpaceX has added roughly $537 billion to push its market value to $2.659 trillion, according to FactSet data.
2. That puts it ahead of Amazon.com, which was valued at $2.646 trillion at Tuesday's close.

Why Stocks and Profits Keep Soaring While Real Wages Fall Behind
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Why Stocks and Profits Keep Soaring While Real Wages Fall Behind | Steve Rattner | 06/16/26 | 8:48

The Fed Will CRUSH Jobs (On Purpose) | Finance Bureau | 06/16/26 | 16:27

"Regime Change" scoop: The night Murdoch was quizzed on Vance vs. Rubio
Axios | Mike Allen | 06/17/26

... Read more

Allen Dulles: The Man Who Built America's Shadow Empire | The Power Archives | 06/06/26 | 1:41:32

An explosion of AI deepfakes is redefining American elections
Amazon | Andrew Solender | 06/16/26

Campaign ads featuring AI-generated clips and images once sounded like a laughable concept. Now they're everywhere, with attack ads that place candidates in a wide variety of compromising - and fictitious - situations.

Why it matters: This largely unregulated practice is warping the unspoken norms of political campaigns and blurring the line between truth and fiction.

1. Some campaigns voluntarily disclose this AI use, but it's not required.
2. Democrats want to change that if they retake control of Congress in November.

Driving the news: The latest spot to push the envelope is an attack ad against Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico from a President Trump-aligned group called Citizens for Sanity. ... Read more

Ad | My Favorite Things

All eyes on Warsh at new Fed chairman's first policy meeting
Axios | Neil Irwin | 06/15/26

As Kevin Warsh leads his first policy meeting as Federal Reserve chairman this week, he is not getting the luxury of starting the job in "easy" mode.

The big picture: He faces a renewed surge of inflation, a restive wing of monetary hawks on the policy committee and big questions around how he will operationalize the major changes he advocates in how the Fed works.

Even if the policy outcome — no change to rates - looks preordained, the messaging would be tricky in any circumstance. ... Read more

Fox enters new era with Roku deal
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Axios | Sara Fischer | 06/16/26

Fox's $22 billion deal to buy Roku marks a turning point in the streaming wars and a new era for the Murdoch media empire.

Why it matters: Streaming is no longer a paid subscriber race, but rather an opportunity for entertainment giants to accelerate other parts of their businesses where they have a competitive edge against Netflix.

1. For Apple, Amazon, Disney and Comcast/NBCUniversal, that means selling devices, e-commerce subscriptions, parks/movie tickets and broadband, respectively.
2. For Fox, it means bringing more eyeballs to its live programming and selling more digital TV ads.

How it works: The merger would make Fox the owner of the top digital TV operating system in the U.S. ... Read more

How SpaceX's arrival impacts the stock market
Axios | Emily Peck | 06/15/26

The markets are starting the week in their trillion-dollar IPO era, now that SpaceX shares are trading.

Why it matters: Think of Elon Musk's company like a pebble, a big one, thrown into a giant lake of equity - there will be ripples through the public and private markets, and they'll be rippling for a while.

"Any large IPO has a gravitational pull to them, so they can have sizable effects on the public markets, on private markets and sectors," Aaron Mulvihill, a strategist at JPMorgan Asset Management, tells Axios.

State of play: Those impacts take time. SpaceX made only a small slice of its shares available to the market - around 5%.

In a typical IPO, a company will offer up about 10%-20% of its shares as its float, Mulvihill says. ... ... ... Read more

Trump declares D.C.'s July 4th celebration a "TRUMP RALLY"
Axios | Avery Lotz | 06/15/26

President Trump is billing Washington D.C.'s July 4 celebration of 250 years of American independence as a political rally for himself.

Why it matters: Turning America's birthday into a Trump rally underscores the tension in the nation's capital between bipartisan celebrations of U.S history and the partisan spectacle of Trump's presidency.

Driving the news: The morning after a UFC bash on White House grounds that coincided with his 80th birthday, Trump announced on Truth Social that "at The Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument, in beautiful and safe Washington D.C., we are going to host the most spectacular TRUMP RALLY of them all" on July 4.

He pitched his speech as remarks "you will not want to miss" to be followed by a display of pyrotechnics he wants to be "the LARGEST FIREWORKS SHOW IN HISTORY." ... ... ... Read more

Boris Epshteyn: Trump's "psychiatrist" and counsel
Axios | Marc Caputo,Alex Isenstadt | 06/15/26

Boris Epshteyn is such a fixture in Donald Trump's White House that he's in Oval Office meetings when some attendees don't even know it.

Epshteyn, the president's senior personal counsel, speaks with "the boss" so often that Trump sometimes puts him on speakerphone without telling others in the room, two people familiar with the routine tell Axios.

Why it matters: In a White House where proximity to power is power itself, Epshteyn is one of the most influential people in D.C. - not just because he's listening in, but because Trump listens to him as well.

"He's like my psychiatrist," Trump has joked, referencing how frequently he talks to Epshteyn - who typically offers such enthusiastic support that it's like therapy for the president. ... ... ... Read more

America approaches 250 with its best days in doubt
Axios | Russell Contreras | 06/12/26

Most Americans say the country's best days are behind it as the U.S. approaches its 250th birthday, even as they're personally hopeful about the future.

Why it matters: A new Pew Research Center analysis reveals national pessimism, fueled by political polarization and institutional distrust. But the findings also show the American spirit isn't completely broken.

By the numbers: Nearly 7 in 10 U.S. adults said in January 2026 they were dissatisfied with the way things are going in the country, compared with 29% who were satisfied, Pew found.

1. 59% say the country's best years are behind it, while 40% say they are ahead.
2. Only 50% said in January that the year ahead would be better than the year that just ended - the lowest share in Pew surveys dating back to 2020.
3. Two-thirds of Americans think the country will be more politically divided by 2050. ...

Trump claims Iran deal reached, Tehran says no "final decision"
Axios | Barak Ravid | 06/12/26

President Trump announced that he canceled planned strikes against Iran on Thursday and claimed Iran's leadership "approved" a draft agreement that would extend the ceasefire, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and launch 60 days of negotiations on Iran's nuclear program.

Why it matters: Trump has claimed an agreement was close multiple times before, and Tehran said in response to Trump's latest claim that there had been no "final decision." However, three sources briefed on the talks told Axios that key gaps were narrowed during talks between Iranian officials and Qatari mediators on Wednesday.

1. Iran's Fars news agency denied any deal had been agreed, but said there was a "possibility" Tehran would consider signing off.
2. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday afternoon that his understanding was that the Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei had given his approval.
3. He added that the final points of the deal have been, "in both concept and great detail, approved by all parties involved," including the U.S., Israel, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and Egypt. ...

Inside Trump's Epstein Panic: Who Leaked the Situation Room? | Tara Palmeri and Legal AF | 06/12/26 | 15:13

Most Americans Struggle Under Trump | Steve Rattner on Morning Joe | Steven Rattner | 06/10/26 | 5:47

Trump Will RESET The US Dollar | Finance Bureau | 06/11/26 | 16:24

Trump threatens to seize Kharg island as U.S. strikes continue
Axios | Barak Ravid | 06/11/26

President Trump said the U.S. will hit Iran with new strikes Thursday and threatened to seize Kharg Island, Iran's main oil export hub.

Why it matters: This will be the third consecutive night the U.S. military strikes Iran. U.S. officials say the goal is to push Iran to show more flexibility in the negotiations over its nuclear program.

What he is saying: "The United States will be hitting Iran VERY HARD TONIGHT," Trump wrote on his Truth Social account.

He added that "at some point in the not too distant future" the U.S. will take over Kharg Island, and other oil facilities in the country "and assume total control of their Oil and Gas Markets" like it did it Venezuela. ... Read more

"Regime Change": New book reveals Trump team's Epstein leak fears
Axios | Mike Allen | 06/11/26

President Trump's top aides so feared leaks about their handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files that they held multiple damage-control meetings in the classified confines of the Situation Room, Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan write in "Regime Change," their hotly awaited book about Trump's second term.

In a New York Times Magazine excerpt, posted today ahead of the book's publication on June 23, the two Times reporters describe in cinematic detail how top Trump officials, including Vice President JD Vance and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, gathered in the Situation Room last summer to debate how to manage the growing scandal.

The White House is now abuzz over the leak about leak control.

Behind the scenes: Vance had "floated to colleagues an extraordinary P.R. gambit - that the White House enlist Tucker Carlson to interview Epstein's longtime girlfriend and co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell, in prison. It might help the president if Maxwell was willing to state that Trump had not been part of any wrongdoing with Epstein," Swan and Haberman report in the excerpt, "Inside the White House Freakout Over the Epstein Files." ... Read more

Trump threatens to attack Iran 'very hard tonight' and seize Kharg Island
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TheGuardian | author | 06/11/26

The price of oil has risen since Donald Trump has threatened a 'very hard' attack on Iran tonight and said US will seize Kharg island, according to the BBC. Brent crude futures increased by around $2, to $94.16, a barrel in the space of a few minutes this afternoon - before shortly falling back down minorly.

This comes in as Trump claims he will be "taking" Kharg Island "at some point in the not too distant future". He believes he will take control of their oil and gas markets, "much like we have with Venezuela".

Kharg island, which is home to a major oil terminal that is considered vital to the country's economy, is located just off the coast of Iran. ... Read more

Supreme Court's final cases loom over Trump's immigration, election hopes
Axios | Avery Lotz | 06/10/26

The last Supreme Court decisions of the term include major tests of presidential power and election law that could have lasting implications on voting and governance.

The big picture: After blessing a wave of partisan gerrymandering, the justices have yet to weigh in on election disputes over campaign financing and mail-in ballots just months before voters head to the polls to elect a new Congress.

The Supreme Court's final slate also includes significant decisions that will affect immigrant families, government regulators and transgender people.

Here are some of the biggest outstanding Supreme Court cases: ...

1. Election law ... please read article
2. Birthright citizenship ... please read article
3. Deportation and asylum ... please read article
4. Trans athletes ... please read article
5. Trump's freedom to fire ... please read article

Breaking! Trump panics as Epstein witness tells all: 'MONSTER'! | Ari Melber, Journalist & Attorney | 06/09/26 | 12:08

The bull and bear cases for SpaceX
Axios | Dan Primack | 06/09/26

It's a foregone conclusion that SpaceX will raise at least $85 billion in its record-wrecking IPO, with pricing set for Thursday and first trades for Friday.

The question, therefore, is what happens next.

1. The bull case ... please read article
2. The bear case ... please read article

The wildcard: Elon Musk

Musk is often compared to Steve Jobs, so a big question is if SpaceX is in its pre-iPhone/App Store phase, when Jobs was vital, or in its post-iPhone stage where Tim Cook was able to build on bedrock.

Bulls believe the former, adding that SpaceX has perhaps the world's best physical engineering team, while bears see a rocket/telecom/AI conglomerate that's less than a year old and still needs foundational direction. ... Read more

AI Stock Bubble Bursts - $1.3 Trillion Market Crash Sparks Global Panic | World Affairs In Context | 06/10/26 | 11:54

Under Trump, Corruption and Governance Have Become Indistinguishable
TruthOut | Kelly Hayes , OrganizingMyThoughts | 06/09/26

In May, former GEO Group executive David Venturella became the acting director of ICE. Venturella's ascent marked the latest victory for GEO Group, a behemoth in the world of private prisons and detention centers, which saw its annual profit rise nearly eightfold during the first year of Trump's second term. After years of weaving its profit-making machinery into the fabric of the prison industrial complex - with ICE as its largest customer - Venturella's appointment signals an unabashed merger between GEO Group and the US deportation machine: an arrangement that positions GEO Group to extract ever greater profits as detainees are funneled into its detention centers, shackled with its electronic monitors, and warehoused in facilities it owns, manages, or helps operate.

If this sounds like it should be illegal, it almost is. ... Read more

Bari Weiss: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver | John Oliver | older_10/13/25 | 34:24

Behind the scenes: How Israel and Iran nearly pulled Trump back to war
Axios | Barak Ravid | 06/08/26

The past 24 hours underscored the risk of the U.S. once again becoming ensnared in major combat operations in the Middle East, despite President Trump clearly wanting out.

On Monday, Trump nudged Israel and Iran back from the brink, but it's unclear for how long.

Why it matters: 100 days into the conflict, Trump still has not secured an elusive deal to end the war and spent the last 24 hours scrambling to avoid its full-scale resumption.

Trump found himself in a dilemma. On the one hand, he understood it would be nearly impossible for his key ally Benjamin Netanyahu to let an Iranian missile attack go unanswered. On the other hand, he was concerned the tit-for-tat would lead to all-out war. ... Read more

5 key moments from Trump's cut-short "Meet the Press" interview
Axios | Andrew Pantazi | 06/07/26

5 key moments from Trump's "Meet the Press" interview

1. Jan. 6 payouts
2. Iran red line
3. No to no-new-wars pledge
4. Praise for Khamenei
5. Farmers and costs

Trump called NBC a "one-sided crooked network" before ending the interview when Welker pressed him for evidence supporting his election fraud claims. ... Read more

The New Fed Chair's Plan to Cancel America's $39T Debt Crisis | Minority Mindset | 04/20/26 | 25:26

They're Not Building a Currency. They're Building a Trap. | Hillsdale College/Catherine Austin Fitts, Solari, Inc. | 01/25/25 | 54:45

Apple's Siri AI is both cool and 2 years too late
Axios | Ina Fried | 06/09/26

Apple is finally delivering the conversational and context-aware AI that it promised two years ago. Its rivals have already moved on to agents.

Why it matters: OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and other AI companies are pushing beyond chatbots toward agentic tools that can write code, search through complex file structures, use apps and handle workplace tasks.

Driving the news: At its annual developers conference Monday, Apple announced that its long-delayed Siri overhaul will arrive this fall, built through Apple's partnership with Google.

Apple says its new conversational assistant is "profoundly more capable" and includes greater "personal context understanding" that can surface relevant information from texts, emails, photos and more. ... Read more

Trump calls on Israel and Iran to "immediately stop shooting" as ceasefire frays
What an asshole!!!!!!!!
Axios | Barak Ravid | 06/08/26

President Trump called on Israel and Iran to "immediately stop shooting" in a post on Truth Social on Monday.

Why it matters: The war between Israel and Iran resumed on Sunday after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defied Trump's request to stand down. Israel struck Tehran and other cities after Iran launched missiles toward Israel.

The exchanges on Sunday night and Monday morning are the most significant escalation since the April 8 ceasefire. They are threatening to unravel the negotiations between the Trump administration and Iran and draw the U.S. back into the war. ... Read more

Washington Week with The Atlantic full episode, June 5, 2026 | Washington Week PBS | 06/05/26 | 24:20

'We will not look away': Velshi on journalism, citizenship, and his move to prime time | MSNow/Velshi | 05/07/26 | 18:32

What Nobody Tells You About Palantir | ColdFusion | 06/05/26 | 29:44

The Psychology of Trumpism | A Psychoanalytic Deep Dive | Psychoeducation | 05/08/26 | 43:43

Medical innovation's big moment
Axios | Caitlin Owens | 06/05/26

Decades of scientific investment have paid off just in the last month, with researchers announcing promising breakthroughs against cancers and other deadly afflictions.

Why it matters: They're all the product of a rigorous innovation system that delivers - though some have one important limitation: All they can do is buy someone a few more years.

The big picture: We're still in the era of medicine where most miraculous new drugs don't cure the disease as much as allow sick people to live longer.

In economic terms, that ongoing medical care is expensive, and long-term diseases usually limit the number of years people are productive while increasing their lifetime medical costs. ... Read more

Palantir. IT'S WORSE Than You Think | Double Down News | 06/05/26 | 23:59

The End Of Capitalism Is Here. | Second Thought | 06/05/26 | 14:00

Iowa's Cancer Rate Is Skyrocketing. Our Tests Prove Why. | More Perfect Union | 06/04/26 | 3:57

Trump to nominate Todd Blanche as attorney general
Axios | Andrew Pantazi | 06/05/26

President Trump will formally nominate acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to lead the Justice Department, with the paperwork expected Thursday.

Why it matters: Confirmation would keep the Justice Department in the hands of Trump's former criminal defense attorney, who has used his tenure to fight judges, indict former FBI director James Comey and dismiss critics of the department's handling of the Epstein files.

The latest: The president revealed the pick in a video that deputy White House chief of staff Dan Scavino posted to X late Wednesday.

"We are going to make him permanent attorney general," Trump said in the video, vowing to start the process the next day.

"Todd Blanche has done an excellent job as acting Attorney General and will continue doing so as Attorney General," White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a statement to Axios. "President Trump has a great relationship with Todd and is very pleased with the job he's done so far. Todd Blanche is an American patriot who fearlessly fought on behalf of President Trump against the Democrats' illegal and unprecedented lawfare campaign." ... Read more

Trump confirms profanity-laced Netanyahu call over Lebanon
Axios | Barak Ravid,Marc Caputo | 06/03/26

President Trump confirmed on Wednesday that he sharply criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over Lebanon during a tense call, as Axios first reported.

Why it matters: Trump's confirmation signals a widening divide between the two leaders, over both the fighting in Lebanon and the war with Iran.

What he's saying: Miranda Devine asked Trump on her New York Post podcast if he called Netanyahu "fucking crazy" and that he would be in prison if not for Trump.

"I did," Trump replied.

"I wouldn't say angry. I was a little bit perturbed at his constantly fighting with Lebanon, you know. At some point I said, 'Bibi, we've got to stop this. We gotta stop it,'" Trump added. ... Read more

Netanyahu squeezed between Trump and election year politics
Axios | Barak Ravid | 06/04/26

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent spat with President Trump over Lebanon underscored how his military objectives, and possibly his political survival, are dependent on a U.S. president who doesn't share his appetite for escalation.

Why it matters: Trump and Netanyahu have coordinated very closely on Iran and speak almost daily. But officials on both sides have been cognizant that there could be a point in time when the allies' interests and objectives diverge. Some in Netanyahu's camp worry that time is now.

Netanyahu himself said Tuesday that it was an "open question" as to whether he and Trump were aligned on how the war with Iran should end.

The big picture: With an election expected by October, Netanyahu hasn't delivered on his promise to destroy Hamas or his plans for regime change in Iran, and he's under immense criticism at home over the ongoing Hezbollah attacks.

Every time a siren near the border heralds an incoming drone or missile, Netanyahu faces domestic pressure to respond.

It was in that context that he vowed to conduct major strikes on Hezbollah targets in Beirut — before being forced into retreat by an angry Trump, who cares far less about Lebanon than a deal with Iran. ... Read more

New forecasts lay out 2 rocky paths for global economy
Axios | Courtenay Brown | 06/04/26

The Iran war has divided the global outlook into two tracks:

A modest slowdown if the conflict ends soon or a severe hit, with some economies near recession, if it drags on and the disruption deepens.

Why it matters: Either path leaves the global economy worse off than before the war, with slower growth and hotter inflation. The scenarios determine the scale of the damage.

It's the latest reminder of how a single chokepoint can upend the world economy, the same supply-side dynamic behind most of the past half-decade's inflation shocks.

The AI investment boom that is helping offset that pain could leave the economy more fragile down the line, with its technology tying the world to those very chokepoints. ... Read more

Thune hits breaking point with Trump
Axios | Mike Zapler | 06/03/26

The shift the past few weeks has been subtle but unmistakable: John Thune sounds like a man who's had it with President Trump.

Why it matters: In a departure from the past 18 months, the Senate majority leader has publicly broken with the president on a string of recent controversies.

It's a sign that Trump's sway with congressional Republicans is waning as he approaches the back half of his term.

The latest: Trump named Bill Pulte - a MAGA attack dog who's used his position as the federal housing finance chief to go after the president's enemies - acting director of national intelligence on Tuesday, despite a resume with no apparent intelligence experience.

Thune's verdict: "We don't need a weaponized DNI, we need professionals there." If the White House wants Pulte in the job permanently, "he's got a lengthy road ahead of him," the Senate leader added. ... Read more

"You're fucking crazy": Trump fumes at Netanyahu in call on Lebanon
Axios | Barak Ravid,Marc Caputo | 06/02/26

President Trump lashed out at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over Israel's escalation in Lebanon in an expletive-laden call on Monday, two U.S. officials and a third source briefed on the call told Axios.

Why it matters: Earlier on Monday, Iran threatened to abandon the negotiations with the U.S. over Israel's actions in Lebanon. On the call, Trump called Netanyahu "crazy" and accused him of ingratitude, according to two of the sources. He also put the brakes on Israel's plan to strike Beirut.

Behind the scenes: One U.S. official said Trump told Netanyahu that following through on his threats to bomb the Lebanese capital would further isolate Israel around the world.

1. Two of the sources said Trump claimed he'd helped keep Netanyahu out of jail - a reference to his support during Netanyahu's corruption trial.
2. Summarizing Trump's remarks to Netanyahu, the U.S. official said: "You're fucking crazy. You'd be in prison if it weren't for me. I'm saving your ass. Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this."
3. A second source briefed on the call said Trump was "pissed" and at one point yelled at Netanyahu: "What the fuck are you doing?" ...

We Uncovered a Hidden Wealth Transfer in the SpaceX IPO. You're Holding the Bag. | More Perfect Union | 05/27/26 | 12:05

SpaceX IPO: Nice Try Though | Patrick Boyle | 05/22/26 | 31:41

Fed officials warn AI's economic costs may arrive faster than benefits
Axios | Courtenay Brown | 06/01/26

Don't count on AI to solve America's inflation problem: That's the message from several Federal Reserve officials who warn that the promise of an AI-fueled productivity boom might not justify cheaper money.

Why it matters: How AI shapes inflation and productivity will be a defining question for the Fed under the leadership of Kevin Warsh, who has staked out a case that the technology's supply-side benefits justify keeping rates low.

Some Fed officials say they see clearer evidence of AI-related investment boosting demand for labor, equipment and infrastructure than they do of widespread productivity gains.

The upshot: Inflation risks look more immediate than any AI-related productivity benefits, especially as inflation remains stubbornly above the Fed's target.

What they're saying: "I believe it would be risky to rely on the prospect of higher productivity growth in the future to solve our inflation problem today," St. Louis Fed president Alberto Musalem said in a speech last week. ... Read more

The growing long-term care dilemma
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Axios | Caitlin Owens | 05/29/26

Senate Democrats recently committed to tackling one of health care's most under-the-radar dilemmas: how to accommodate the long-term care needs of the fast-aging U.S. population.

Why it matters: The elder care infrastructure isn't ready for the demographic change heading its way.

Between the lines: This isn't the stuff that typically lights up a debate stage. But the math suggests that more and more American families are going to be confronted with a broken status quo and no easy solutions.

The big picture: This is essentially about who is going to help seniors and people with disabilities with daily tasks, whether there's enough care available and how will it be paid for.

And the kind of care we're talking about is very different from cutting-edge surgeries or groundbreaking new therapies that drive most health care affordability debates.

It's labor-intensive tasks like feeding, bathing and medication management. ... Read more

Anthropic overtakes OpenAI as the most valuable AI startup
Axios | Madison Mills | 05/28/26

Anthropic raised $65 billion in a Series H funding round, valuing the AI lab at $965 billion post-money, in one of the largest private funding rounds in tech history.

Why it matters: With the round, Anthropic leapfrogs OpenAI, which was most recently valued at $730 billion.

Driving the news: The round was led by Altimeter Capital, Dragoneer, Greenoaks and Sequoia Capital.

The company said the funding will support safety and interpretability research, expand compute capacity and scale Claude products and partnerships.

Anthropic said its run-rate revenue crossed $47 billion earlier this month. ... Read more

The CEOs are losing confidence
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Axios | Emily Peck | 05/28/26

The CEOs of the world's biggest companies lost confidence in the economy this month as the Iran war dragged on, a new survey finds.

Why it matters: Business leaders who lack confidence tend to pull back on hiring and investment, weighing further on the economy.

Zoom in: CEO confidence fell 12 points in the second quarter of the year to 47, per the survey from The Conference Board, a nonpartisan think tank, and The Business Council, an association of CEOs.

Any number below 50 signals negative sentiment.

141 Fortune Global 500 chief executives participated in the survey, conducted from May 4 to May 18, the war's third month. ... Read more

Trump's Approval Rating Hits New Low, America's 250th Party is a Mess & Iran War May Be Over Soon? | Jimmy Kimmel | 05/29/26 | 14:26

U.S. and Iran reach deal but need Trump's final approval, officials say
Axios | Barak Ravid | 05/28/26

U.S. and Iranian negotiators have reached an agreement on a 60-day memorandum of understanding to extend the ceasefire and launch negotiations on Iran's nuclear program, but President Trump has yet to give his final approval, two U.S. officials and a regional source involved in the mediation efforts tell Axios. Iran has also not confirmed its acceptance.

Why it matters: The signing of the MOU would be the most significant diplomatic breakthrough since the war started, but a final agreement that tackles Trump's nuclear demands would still require further intensive negotiations.

1. "This is an agreement to get everybody to the table. We will work out the details in the negotiations," one of the U.S. officials said
2. The U.S. officials claimed the Iranians later came back and said they had the necessary approvals and were prepared to sign. Iran has not confirmed that.
3. The U.S. negotiators briefed Trump on the details of the final deal, but he did not immediately sign off. "The president relayed to the mediators that he wants a couple of days to think about it," a U.S. official said. ... ... ...

Trump's accelerating squeeze on Cuba
Axios | Marc Caputo | 05/28/26

The Trump administration is bracing for the potential collapse of Cuba's totalitarian government as early as this summer, and has war-gamed new military response plans in case the island descends into chaos, U.S. officials tell Axios.

Why it matters: President Trump hasn't authorized an invasion and prefers a peaceful transition to a free Cuba, so the administration will keep pushing economic sanctions to try to strangle the regime in Havana in a slow-motion constriction.

"The best way to describe it is 'accelerationism,' " one senior administration official said, referring to the philosophy of hastening societal collapse. ... ... ... Read more

Buyer's remorse hits Trump's Latino voters
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Axios | Russell Contreras | 05/28/26

A new UnidosUS poll finds that 1 in 4 Hispanic Trump voters say they would not vote for him again if given the choice.

Why it matters: The erosion of Latino support for President Trump, combined with dissatisfaction with the economy, signals danger for competitive GOP-held seats in the 2026 midterm elections.

Trump's gains with Latinos were one of the biggest political stories of 2024.

1. By the numbers: Two-thirds of Latino voters disapprove of Trump's job performance, compared with 30% who approve. Disapproval is a majority in every region tested, including 51% in Florida.
2. 25% of Latino Trump 2024 voters say they probably or certainly would not vote for him again. That compares with 5% of Harris 2024 voters who say they would not vote for her again.
3. On the 2026 House ballot, Latino voters back the Democratic candidate over the Republican candidate 54% to 27%, with 19% undecided. ... ... ... ...