Editor’s note: The Small Business Administration will handle the nation’s student loan portfolio, President Trump announced Friday. President Trump signed an executive order to close down the Department of Education on Thursday — an unprecedented move that presents big questions for student loan borrowers. Why it matters: The department plays a key role in managing … Read more
Elon Musk met with the Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday after President Trump and other officials denied reports that he was originally scheduled to receive a top-secret briefing for a potential war with China. Why it matters: Some lawmakers and ethics experts have raised conflict of interest concerns about Musk’s role as senior adviser … Read more
Boeing will spearhead development of the U.S. Air Force’s futuristic fighter and drone coordinator, the F-47, following a secretive competition and fits and starts within the service. Why it matters: The Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) effort is meant to succeed the F-22 and be a linchpin for collaborative combat aircraft (CCA). NGAD envisions sixth-generation … Read more
Montgomery, Alabama, the final site of a crucial march from Selma, is set to celebrate the 60th anniversary of an event that culminated in one of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s greatest speeches and helped pass the Voting Rights Act. Why it matters: The commemoration comes amid uncertainty about the future of voting rights, … Read more
Starbucks’ big bet on reestablishing its cafes as community coffeehouses is showing early signs of paying off, according to numbers shared exclusively with Axios. Why it matters: The Seattle-based coffee giant is trying to reverse a decline in foot traffic and sales by returning to its roots. Zoom in: Starbucks tells Axios that over the … Read more
Data: U.S. court filings; Table: Jacque Schrag/Axios All over the country, fired federal workers got a bit of good news this week — they’re getting their jobs back. For now, anyway. Why it matters: The recently rehired could soon become the newly re-fired, and the productivity of the entire federal workforce is taking another hit. Where … Read more
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is suing the Trump administration, Kari Lake, the U.S. Agency for Global Media and USAGM acting CEO Victor Morales over moves to terminate the news organization’s federal funding. The big picture: The lawsuit that was filed Tuesday says “Congress has appropriated funds specifically for RFE/RL” and “expressly directed” the USAGM to … Read more
Chief Justice John Roberts said impeaching federal judges is “not an appropriate response” to disagreeing with their rulings in a rare statement Tuesday. Why it matters: Roberts’ extraordinary comments come as a rebuke to President Trump‘s Tuesday post saying the federal judge who ordered flights deporting alleged Venezuelan gang members to turn around “should be … Read more
A federal judge on Tuesday temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s efforts to ban transgender people from serving in the military. The big picture: “The Military Ban is soaked in animus and dripping with pretext,” wrote U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes in a scathing ruling that found the restrictions that were due to take effect this … Read more
NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore returned to Earth on Tuesday after spending some nine months in space. The big picture: The astronauts traveled to the International Space Station in June 2024 as part of the Boeing Starliner’s first crewed test flight. They drew global attention after technical issues and safety concerns delayed … Read more