Occupy Banksters & Crony Capitalism & GREED

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. ... ... ... ...

OpenAI and Anthropic dig in against each other on AI jobs apocalypse
Axios | Madison Mills | 05/27/26

AI's most powerful CEOs are splitting into warring camps over whether their own technology will gut white-collar work or supercharge it - but the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle.

Why it matters: The two leading AI labs are trading in hype and doom, making it nearly impossible for companies, policymakers and the public to know what's coming.

The big picture: A pair of public appearances this week highlighted how far apart Anthropic and OpenAI are.

Anthropic co-founder Chris Olah, speaking at the Vatican's AI ethics conference, doubled down on rhetoric CEO Dario Amodei has used about the dangers of AI. "There is a real possibility that AI will displace human labor at very large scale," Olah said.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is sounding rosier about the tech. He said it's unlikely to cause a jobs apocalypse and that he was "wrong" about earlier projections that it would wipe out entire categories of jobs.

1. Meta let go of nearly 8,000 employees, after projecting at least $125 billion in AI capital expenditures this year.
2. That came after Coinbase, Block, Pinterest, Shopify and others tied workforce restructurings to AI capabilities.
3. "AI costs a lot of money" and layoffs can offset those costs, Sophia Velastegui, Microsoft's former chief AI officer and now CEO at Velastegui Ventures, told Axios. ...

AI's education explosion leaves teachers in the dark
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AI tools are reshaping the classroom and students' critical thinking — but school leaders are lagging on giving teachers formal guidance for using the tech, a new report shows.

The big picture: AI should amplify the best parts of the classroom and streamline work for already stressed teachers, education experts tell Axios — not create an added burden for educators or replace human connection.

1. "AI is out there," All4Ed CEO Amy Loyd tells Axios. "It's not a question of whether or not our students are going to be using it; it's a question of how well our educators are supported and receive the ongoing professional learning and capacity building to be able to be confident in it."
2. A growing share of K-12 students already expect they'll have to know how to use AI in college, and the tech is already making college students change majors. ...

Israel Expands Strikes and Ground Invasion in Lebanon as Iran Negotiations Stall
Truthout | Shireen Akram-Boshar | 05/26/26

On Monday and Tuesday, Israel expanded its strikes and ground operations in Lebanon as the U.S.'s negotiations with Iran came to a standstill.

Overnight on Monday, Israel bombed areas in Southern Lebanon and in Bekaa Valley in Eastern Lebanon, and expanded its ground operation outside of the so-called "yellow line," an Israeli-drawn line separating Israel's current occupation of areas of the South from the rest of Lebanon. Israel also issued an evacuation warning on Tuesday for the city of Nabatieh, north of the Litani river.

Israel's strikes on the Bekaa region Monday night killed 11 people, including two children, in the village of Mashghara. When asked about the strike in Mashghara, the Israeli military claimed that they had targeted "Hezbollah infrastructure sites." ... Read more

@Lucasbean | Smart Men Reject Trump Cult

Behind the Curtain: Trump's irreversible choices
Axios | Jim VandeHei,Mike Allen | 05/26/26

President Trump has proudly stretched the power of the presidency in never-before-witnessed ways.

But it's the choices he's made with that power - often alone, often impulsive - that explain his plunging popularity and will define his second term.

Why it matters: Every president tests limits. Trump tests them faster than anyone, often with little thought about the consequences, his advisers tell us. Only courts or markets, or his quest for good press, can rein him in.

By then, the tariffs are in place, the war has started, the ally is insulted.

You can sort his choices into three buckets: ... Read more

5 ways Pope Leo says AI could warp humanity
Axios | Russell Contreras | 05/26/26

Pope Leo XIV is warning that the artificial intelligence race could become a new Tower of Babel - a dazzling human achievement that concentrates power, weakens truth and turns people into data points.

Why it matters: The long-awaited document, Magnifica Humanitas ("Magnificent Humanity"), signals that the Vatican is aggressively positioning itself as a central moral authority in the global tech debate.

Driving the news: The Vatican released Leo's first encyclical on Monday, which he signed at St. Peter's on May 15, 2026, in the second year of his pontificate.

It was signed exactly 135 years after Leo XIII's Rerum Novarum, the landmark 1891 encyclical that became the foundation of modern Catholic social teaching during the Industrial Revolution. ... Read more

Why Michigan is emerging as one of America's worst-hit climate states
TheGuardian | Stephen Starr in Ann Arbor, Michigan | 05/25/26

The tornado hit west Ann Arbor at 1.45am on 15 April, passing through Veterans Memorial park, where it knocked several mature oak trees and ripped up baseball field fences before setting its sights on a local ice rink.

"It came up through the parking lot and, in that time, the pressure differential between the tornado and the air inside the rink collapsed the wall," said Scott Spooner, a manager at Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation.

"We had roughly 60,000 people use the rink last year, between high school hockey, men's and women's [and] private leagues. ...

Florida, California and the mountain west are often held up as US regions worst affected by climate change now and into the future. But recent events suggest parts of the Great Lakes, sometimes referred to as being "climate proof", are suffering too. ... Read more

Why Tech Companies Are Quietly Cancelling AI Data Centers | Economy Media | 05/23/26 | 10:31

50% Of AI Data Centers Have Quietly Been Cancelled Or "Delayed" | How Money Works | 04/23/26 | 16:52

Behind the Curtain: Trump's unprecedented profit and protection
Axios | Jim VandeHei,Mike Allen | 05/22/26

Never in 250 years has America witnessed a sitting president shield himself and his family from tax scrutiny, after leveraging policies that benefit his own businesses and personal portfolios, as Donald J. Trump has done.

Why it matters: This isn't a hidden scandal. Trump has done this publicly and proudly. Last year, we called it the "most unprecedented presidency in 250 years."

In doing so, he has set a precedent - once so unfathomable as to be laughable - that it's OK for presidents and family members to make billions off deals affected by government decisions, then use the Justice Department to secure lifetime protection from scrutiny of their past tax returns.

Trump's crypto venture alone has been a windfall unlike anything in the history of presidential business, generating more cash for the Trump family in 16 months than the entire Trump real estate empire produced from 2010 through 2017, according to The Wall Street Journal.

"I let my kids ... do business," Trump said in a January interview with The New York Times. "I prohibited them from doing business in my first term, and I got absolutely no credit for it."

1. Presidents and their family members, unlike other U.S. citizens, shall be granted lifetime immunity from federal audits and criminal investigations of their past tax returns.
2. Presidents and their family members can maintain active ownership of global business empires, profiting when government decisions directly benefit those specific businesses.
3. Presidents, while in office, can maintain massive personal crypto and stock portfolios that buy and sell hundreds of millions of dollars in industries directly regulated by their own administration. ...

Trump is cashing in on the presidency like no president ever has

Anti-"doomer" feedback derails Trump's AI executive order
Axios | Ashley Gold,Maria Curi,Sam Sabin | 05/22/26

Everything seemed set for a photo op with tech and AI CEOs surrounding President Trump on Thursday as he signed a much-anticipated executive order on AI and cybersecurity.

But it fell apart hours before the order was to be signed, as a top Trump adviser and some tech executives gave it a big thumbs down. And the president didn't really want to regulate AI in the first place.

Why it matters: Any further delay of the order means more time for infighting and for the text to get bogged down in disagreements among different parts of the government and industry.

Behind the scenes: Before the order was to be signed, Trump, AI adviser David Sacks and some in industry discussed it, sources familiar told Axios.

The main reason the signing was delayed was that Trump "just hates regulation," one source familiar said, adding that Sacks also "hated it." ... Read more

From Asia to the Middle East, US Bombs Are a Failed Foreign Policy Choice
Truthout | Christine Ahn | 05/19/26

he U.S.-Israeli war on Iran opened not with a declaration, not with diplomacy exhausted, but with airstrikes.

Among the first confirmed casualties were more than a hundred schoolchildren killed in a strike on their elementary school in southern Iran. Within a month, 850 U.S.-made Tomahawk missiles were used to strike Iran. President Donald Trump has delivered on his promise to bomb Iran “back to the Stone Ages,” with U.S. and Israeli missiles targeting bridges, pharmaceutical and steel plants, and civilian infrastructure like schools and hospitals. The bombing campaign has struck civilian oil infrastructure in Tehran, engulfing a city of 10 million people in toxic black rain. Thousands of Iranians and Lebanese have been killed, and hundreds of thousands of workers have lost their jobs as factories and basic infrastructure have been destroyed.

Washington calls this national security. The historical record calls it something else entirely. ... Read more

Scoop: Palantir fights Pentagon over key intelligence contract
Axios | Maria Curi | 05/21/26

Palantir is battling the Pentagon's Defense Intelligence Agency for the ability to bid for a contract to modernize its data analytics system, according to a filing obtained by Axios.

Why it matters: Palantir's already massive foothold at the Pentagon could eventually expand to an agency tasked with providing foreign military intelligence to prevent and win wars.

What's inside: Palantir argues in its protest that the DIA is wasting taxpayer money, and flouting the law, by refusing to consider a commercial solution for its data analytics modernization efforts.

1. The agency launched MARS (Machine-assisted Analytic Rapid-repository System) eight years ago and has been developing it ever since to replace a Cold War-era system.
2. Palantir claims the DIA is pouring money into trying to build the system from scratch, with unreliable results, rather than opting for a commercial solution.
3. Palantir declined to comment. DIA didn't immediately respond. ...

Trump dropped his 10 billion dollar lawsuit two days before a federal judge could rule it was a sham. Why? Because his administration is creating a 1.7 billion dollar fund for anyone who claims Biden treated them unfairly, including the nearly 1,600 people he pardoned for January 6th. He called it Truth and Justice. | Instagram | short

Projection | Instagram | short

How Trump's $1.8B "anti-weaponization" fund works
Axios | Andrew Pantazi | 05/21/26

President Trump sued his own administration, settled and will now spend $1.776 billion of taxpayer money to pay people who say the government targeted them politically.

Why it matters: The "Anti-Weaponization Fund" turns a personal Trump settlement into a new government program, shields decisions on who gets the money from the courts and limits information about what the public knows about where the funds go.

The backstory: Trump sued the IRS and Treasury in January for $10 billion over the 2019 leak of his tax returns. The settlement gives Trump, his sons and the Trump Organization a formal apology but no money, and it bars the IRS from auditing Trump's past tax returns.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Trump's former criminal defense lawyer, created the Anti-Weaponization Fund with the Treasury Department's Judgment Fund.

How it works: The attorney general will handpick the five-member commission that decides who will collect money from the fund, which ends in December 2028. ... Read more

Trump's revenge spree stuns Senate Republicans
Axios | Hans Nichols, etc | 05/19/26

Senate Majority Leader John Thune - and most of the GOP conference - was reeling Tuesday from President Trump's snap endorsement of Ken Paxton in the Texas GOP Senate runoff.

Why it matters: Thune (R-S.D.) called it Trump's "decision." But it's Thune's problem to pass Trump's agenda, with a trio of senators the president can no longer hurt.

1. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) has been unbowed since announcing his retirement in July 2025 after clashes with Trump.
2. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) voted with Democrats Wednesday to advance an Iran war powers vote to debate.
3. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) has a runoff May 26 but will enter it with Trump backing someone else.

Trump completed his revenge tour. Allies wonder what it cost.
Politico | Adam Wren, Dasha Burns and Samuel Benson | 05/20/26

President Donald Trump has finally delivered on his promise a decade ago: He has made Republicans "so sick and tired of winning."

The winning - a series of retributive primary challenges this month that settled scores up to five years old - has led to a fresh round of chest-thumping from MAGA allies boasting about their victories in Indiana, Louisiana and Kentucky.

Trump ended his vendetta spring Tuesday by dropping a two-stage MAGA bomb, backing Attorney General Ken Paxton for Senate in Texas on the same day he ushered Rep. Thomas Massie to the exits in Kentucky. ... Read more

Democratic Socialism vs Capitalism (Predatory Capitalism) | instagram | short

Leonard Leo Scam Organizations | instagram | short

Why would you lose friends and family over politics?? | instagram | short

Trumpworld's presidential gold rush
Axios | Zachary Basu | 05/19/26

Democrats erupted Monday over President Trump's $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund for MAGA allies who claim political persecution, vowing to investigate what they called textbook corruption.

Why it matters: With each passing month, Trump is weaving the financial interests of his family, his allies and his political movement more tightly than ever into the fabric of the American presidency.

Driving the news: The weaponization fund grew out of an extraordinary legal conflict: Trump sued the IRS for $10 billion in January while simultaneously controlling the agencies and lawyers on the other side of the case.

The taxpayer-backed fund will be overseen by a five-member commission appointed by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Trump's former personal attorney. ... Read more

"Staggering Corruption": Rep. Raskin on Trump's $10B IRS Lawsuit, Stock Trades & Family Business | DN | 05/18/26 | 12:59

Why the Ebola outbreak is worrying public health officials
Axios | Avery Lotz | 05/19/26

The ongoing Ebola surge has public health experts anxious about the world's capacity to contain its spread.

The big picture: Ebola epidemics aren't new, but the current outbreak has been identified as the rare Bundibugyo strain, which has no vaccine, and is located in a populated, mobile and conflict-stricken part of the world.

1. Thirty cases have been confirmed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), while two confirmed cases, including one death, have been recorded in Uganda from people who traveled from the DRC, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Monday.
2. There are more than 500 suspected cases and 130 suspected deaths, he said. One American working in the DRC tested positive and is being taken to Germany for treatment, the CDC confirmed Monday.
3. The World Health Organization has deemed the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. ...

The Shocking Billionaire Plot To Steal The Election | More Perfect Union | 05/18/26 | 13:48

This Year's Super El Niño Has a Terrifying Implication No One Talks About | The Sky Lab | 05/17/26 | 1:40:49

Scoop: 60+ MAGA allies tell Trump to vet AI before release
Axios | Ashley Gold | 05/18/26

A group of more than 60 loyal allies of President Trump is urging him to test and approve the most powerful AI models before they're released, according to a new letter shared first with Axios.

Why it matters: The letter - signed by Steve Bannon and conservative anti-AI activists Amy Kremer and Brendan Steinhauser - puts a vocal faction of the MAGA base at odds with the White House's hands-off approach to AI.

Inside the White House, the prevailing view is the opposite: that America will win the AI race by keeping regulation light and knocking down most state-level AI laws. ... Read more

Trump abandons Dreamers despite past sympathy
Axios | Brittany Gibson | 05/18/26

President Trump talks sympathetically about the country's 500,000 Dreamers - but his administration is putting them in the crosshairs for deportation.

Why it matters: The recipients of the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program are finding it no longer reliably protects them from deportation or disruptions to their ability to work legally.

Trump officials are slowing renewals, narrowing deportation protections and ramping up enforcement against some DACA recipients.

And in Texas, the Fifth Circuit Court has delivered the program's biggest challenge yet, ruling that DACA is illegal. Ongoing litigation is expected to stop Texas-based Dreamers from getting work authorization in the future. ... Read more

Trump's economic polling is in freefall
Axios | Josephine Walker | 05/18/26

President Trump's approval rating fell to a new second-term low in polling released Monday.

Why it matters: Economic discontent drove Trump's re-election, but his failure to temper inflation and the fallout of the Iran war have turned voters against him.

About 37% of voters approve of Trump's job performance, per a New York Times/Siena poll released Monday, down 3% from the last poll conducted in January.

While Republicans still broadly back the president, 69% of independents - a core voting block the GOP will have to capture to maintain control of the House in November - disapprove of Trump, up from 62% in January.

Driving the news: Roughly 64% of voters disapprove of Trump's handling of the economy, and 69% disapprove of how the president is managing issues over cost-of-living, per the NYT. ... Read more

New frontier of AI forces Trump's heavy hand
Axios | Zachary Basu,Sam Sabin | 05/05/26

President Trump set out on his first day in office to free artificial intelligence from government constraints.

15 months later, his own White House is preparing to become a gatekeeper for the most powerful new models on Earth.

Why it matters: AI has crossed a threshold that no administration - not even one ideologically committed to staying out of its way - can afford to ignore.

It's a sea change in both Silicon Valley and Washington, accelerated by a new class of models that can hunt down cybersecurity flaws with extraordinary speed and precision.

Anthropic's Mythos, withheld from public use due to safety concerns, was the first model to trigger panic. But with OpenAI's GPT-5.5 now matching its capabilities and Chinese labs racing to catch up, it won't be the last. ... Read more

White House gave Iran private message before new Hormuz operation
Axios | Barak Ravid | 05/05/26

A high-level Trump administration official informed Iran on Sunday of the impending U.S. operation to "guide" ships through the Strait of Hormuz and warned Tehran not to interfere, according to a U.S. official and a source with knowledge.

Why it matters: The private message suggests the White House wanted to mitigate the risk of potential escalation. But despite the warning, the Iranians launched a string of attacks on U.S. Navy ships, commercial vessels and the United Arab Emirates.

State of play: On Tuesday, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs chair Gen. Dan Caine downplayed the Iranian attacks and claimed the ceasefire remained in place.

Nevertheless, some U.S. and Israeli officials believe President Trump could give an order to resume the war later this week if the diplomatic stalemate continues. ... Read more

Inside Trump's assault on public records
Axios | Josephine Walker | 05/05/26

The Trump administration's moves to limit public access to government records are prompting warnings from watchdogs and historians.

The big picture: As the Justice Department challenges the constitutionality of the Presidential Records Act and slow-walks some Freedom of Information Act requests, worries persist about weakened oversight and the government being enabled to spin a curated narrative of American history.

The Presidential Records Act and FOIA exist to preserve presidential documents as public property and to ensure access to government records, respectively.

"By erasing and deleting the information to which we are entitled, they are depriving the public of information ... to know whether their government has been serving them as they promised to," Chioma Chukwu, executive director of American Oversight, tells Axios.

State of play: The Justice Department issued a memo in early April declaring the Presidential Records Act - a Watergate-era law - unconstitutional. ... Read more

All HELL BREAKS LOOSE as GOP SHUTS DOWN Congress FOR TRUMP | MeidasTouch | 05/05/26 | 17:33

"He wants action": Trump's frustration with Iran stalemate sparked Hormuz gambit
Axios | Barak Ravid,Marc Caputo | 05/04/26

President Trump was fed up with the "no deal, no war" stalemate in Iran. The operation he ordered to change that dynamic could ultimately lead back to war.

"The president wants action. He doesn't want to sit still. He wants pressure. He wants a deal," a senior U.S. official told Axios.

The intrigue: Trump was presented with a plan on Thursday night to send naval vessels through the Strait of Hormuz to open it by force. At the last minute, he opted for a more cautious approach, at least initially.

Driving the news: Starting Monday, the U.S. Navy will help U.S.-flagged and other commercial ships cross the strait by advising them on how to avoid mines and standing ready to intervene if Iran attacks them. ... ... ... Read more

AI godfather Yann LeCun's blunt advice for the AI age
Axios | Madison Mills,Ina Fried | 05/04/26

The big picture: The leading AI scientist warns that doom narratives are already harming teens' mental health, calling extinction fears "extremely destructive" - and wrong.

"A small proportion of high school students are actually kind of depressed because they've read that AI is not only going to take a job, but basically cause human extinction," he said. "They take that seriously and it has a profound effect on their psychology."

No, AI won't eliminate 20% of jobs, and yes, you still need to go to college, LeCun argues. Here's more advice from LeCun, executive chairman of AMI Labs:

1. Don't listen to CEOs ...
2. Go to college
3. Jobs won't disappear | The idea that AI will erase 20% of jobs is "ridiculously stupid," LeCun says, adding some roles will disappear but new ones will emerge, as in past tech shifts.

The bottom line: Maybe the truth in the AI doom and hype cycle lies somewhere in the middle. ... Read more

'There should've been a reckoning': How End Citizens United’s electoral spending faded
Politico | Elena Schneider | 05/02/26

In November 2023, the liberal good-governance powerhouse End Citizens United announced a $9 million initiative, "Organize New York," to register young voters in six key battleground House districts in the Empire State. It was a splashy pledge that could have helped Democrats' efforts to retake control of Congress the following year.

Except it never happened.

After a local TV interview one month later, End Citizens United stopped mentioning the initiative. And IRS filings reviewed by POLITICO show the group's 501(c)4 nonprofit arm that was supposed to fund the effort only spent $1 million in 2024 - across all of its activities.

he disappearing act in New York is emblematic of how End Citizens United has faded from the electoral spending landscape. The group was once a fundraising behemoth, raking in millions from small-dollar donors online, but a POLITICO review of campaign finance data and nonprofit records, along with interviews with more than two dozen former employees and Democratic strategists, reveal declines in fundraising and direct electoral spending that have frustrated many of its former allies. ... Read more

Trump declares hostilities with Iran "terminated"
Axios | Hans Nichols | 05/01/26

President Trump has notified Congress that the hostilities the United States initiated against Iran on Feb. 28 have been "terminated," though he did not rule out future military action.

Why it matters: Under the War Powers Act, the president must seek congressional approval for military hostilities that last longer than 60 days.

1. By declaring the hostilities over, Trump is effectively resetting the clock—potentially making it more difficult for Congress to challenge his authority or constrain further action through a war powers resolution.
2. "On April 7, 2026, I ordered a two-week ceasefire. The ceasefire has since been extended. There has been no exchange of fire between United States forces and Iran since April 7, 2026," Trump wrote to Speaker Mike Johnson on Friday.
3. "The hostilities that began on February 28, 2026, have terminated." ...

CEO pay soared in 2025, 20 times faster than workers' pay
TheGuardian | Michael Sainato | 05/01/26

CEO pay increased 20 times faster than worker pay around the world in 2025, according to a new analysis from Oxfam and the International Trade Union Confederation, the world’s largest trade union federation.

When adjusted for inflation, global worker pay declined 12% between 2019 and 2025, the equivalent of 108 days of free work during that time period. In comparison, CEO compensation increased by 54% between 2019 and 2025.

The average CEO received $8.4m in total compensation in 2025 compared to $7.6m in 2024.

The analysis also found billionaires were paid $2,500 a second in dividends in 2025, according to the investment portfolios of more than 1,000 billionaires. For every two hours in the 2025, the average billionaire received more in dividends than the average worker earned in annual pay. ... Read more

Germany was largest exporter of plastic waste in 2025, sending 810,000 tonnes overseas, analysis finds
TheGuardian | Leana Hosea | 04/30/26

UK was close behind, exporting 675,000 tonnes, with much of the waste sent to Turkey, Malaysia and Indonesia

Germany was the world’s largest exporter of plastic waste in 2025 and sent more than 810,000 tonnes abroad, according to analysis of trade data carried out for the Guardian.

The UK followed close behind, according to the analysis by Watershed Investigations and the Basel Action Network. It exported more than 675,000 tonnes, its highest level in eight years and enough to fill about 127,000 shipping containers.

Much of the waste was sent to Turkey, followed by Malaysia, with Indonesia also a regular destination. Investigations have repeatedly linked the plastic recycling industry in these countries to environmental damage, illegal dumping and burning, and labour abuses. ... Read more

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
Click to enlarge
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
Click to enlarge
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