Guthrie County Newspapers 
Adam Boehler, who oversaw unprecedented direct negotiations with Hamas on behalf of President Trump, has withdrawn his nomination for the position of special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, according to two White House officials. The intrigue: A senior Trump administration official claimed that the move has been planned for two weeks and was intended to … Read more
President Trump paid his first visit to the Department of Justice Friday and in public remarks denounced the prosecutors who once worked out of this office. Why it matters: Despite Trump’s decisive November victory, he won’t let go of his grievances over his federal indictments, which have been dismissed. He didn’t announce any new policies … Read more
Ten Senate Democrats joined with the Republican majority in voting to move forward with a stopgap spending bill Friday — clearing the path to avoid a government shutdown. Why it matters: Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is facing outrage from his party, including House leadership, over his decision to vote for the bill. Many Democrats … Read more
Third Way, the well-connected center-left Democratic think tank, today will launch an 18-month Signal Project, including polling, to identify Trump administration actions “that are most relevant to key voters and how best to frame those issues.” Why it matters: Anything “that seems performative will be tuned out or backfire,” Third Way says. “It is a … Read more
Hackers already have the AI tools needed to create the adaptable, destructive malware that security experts fear. But as long as their basic tactics — phishing, scams and ransomware — continue to work, they have little reason to use them. Why it matters: Adversaries can flip that switch anytime, and companies need to prepare now. … Read more
Most Michigan swing voters in our latest Engagious/Sago focus groups said that although they voted for President Trump in November, they have objections, frustrations and fears about his behavior since he returned to power. Driving the news: Ten of 13 participants from this battleground, auto-industry state bordering Canada said what they’re seeing isn’t what they … Read more
The agency charged with carrying out President Trump‘s mass deportation promises has warned Congress it is short a whopping $2 billion for this fiscal year, Axios has learned. Why it matters: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) repeatedly has faced significant budget shortfalls in recent years. Trump’s immigration plans — which include deporting “millions” of unauthorized … Read more
Deprived of all levers of federal power, and with their party’s popularity at rock bottom, some Democrats are taking a polarizing new tack: Engaging with the enemy. Why it matters: Backlash against cultural elitism — and a reluctance to take risks — fueled the party’s loss in 2024. Ambitious Democrats are reckoning with the need … Read more
OpenAI’s chief global affairs officer Chris Lehane told Axios in an interview this week that it’s time to accelerate AI policy for the Trump era two years after ChatGPT exploded onto the scene. Why it matters: For top AI companies, the policy message has shifted from begging for regulation and warning of dangers to projecting … Read more
Data: U.S. Census Bureau’s Population Estimates Program; Map: Axios Visuals America’s metros are growing faster than the country overall, driven largely by foreign immigration, per the U.S. Census Bureau. Why it matters: An exodus of city-dwellers rocked many U.S. metros during the COVID-19 pandemic, but some are now clawing back residents (and their productivity, creativity, … Read more