North Korean leader Kim Jong-un responded with fury after watching a "serious accident" occur during the launch of a new warship on Thursday that he described as a "criminal act," the state-run KCNA reported.
Why it matters: It's highly unusual for Kim to criticize his defense forces or for state media to report on an error — though KCNA did not disclose whether there were any casualties as it reported that parts of the 5,000-ton destroyer were crushed in the incident.
In a photo taken in Seoul on Thursday, people sit near a television featuring news footage with a satellite still image courtesy of Maxar Technologies showing a general view of a new North Korean warship at the harbor ahead of its launch in Chongjin, North Korea. Photo: Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images
Details: KCNA said the incident occurred due to "inexperienced command and operational carelessness in the course of the launch."
Kim made a "stern assessment, saying that it was a serious accident and criminal act caused by sheer carelessness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism which should never occur and could not be tolerated," per KCNA.
He ordered that the ship be restored following the incident at the shipyard in the northeastern port city of Chongjin "that lowered the dignity and self-respect of our state," according to KCNA
North Korean officials have launched "a full-scale investigation" into the matter, KCNA said on Friday morning local time.
"It is necessary to make clear the cause of the accident," KCNA said.
Between the lines: KCNA reported that the "extent of damage to the warship is not serious," but the U.K.-based Open Source Centre noted on X that satellite images of the frigate on its side beside the dock show it was "significantly damaged."
The high resolution imagery "shows the ship lies partially submerged on its side, tarpaulins draped over the wreckage in a visible attempt to contain the disaster," said the nonprofit that works in open source intelligence and analytics.
"This was the second new destroyer built by the Pyongyang regime in the last year, with another launched in April in Nampo."
Columbia University violated federal civil rights law by "acting with deliberate indifference toward student-on-student harassment of Jewish students" from Oct. 7, 2023, through the present, a Trump administration investigation found Thursday.
The big picture: The college was an epicenter last year for students protesting the Israel-Hamas war. The Trump administration announced in March it was pulling some $400 million in federal grants and contracts over its dissatisfaction with Columbia's response to antisemitism allegations.
"We understand this finding is part of our ongoing discussions with the government," a Columbia spokesperson said Thursday night in an emailed statement.
"Columbia is deeply committed to combatting antisemitism and all forms of harassment and discrimination on our campus. We take these issues seriously and will work with the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education to address them."
Details: The investigation found that Columbia violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which protects against discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin, per a Thursday statement from the Department of Health and Human Services' civil rights office.
Among the findings were that Columbia allegedly failed to "investigate or punish vandalism in its classrooms, which include the repeated drawing of swastikas and other universally recognized hate images."
No fresh action against Columbia was announced.
What they're saying: "The findings carefully document the hostile environment Jewish students at Columbia University have had to endure for over 19 months, disrupting their education, safety, and well-being," said Anthony Archeval, acting director of the Office for Civil Rights at HHS, in a statement.
"We encourage Columbia University to work with us to come to an agreement that reflects meaningful changes that will truly protect Jewish students."
The Democratic National Committee will vote in June on whether to hold a redo of the election of David Hogg and Pennsylvania state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta as vice chairs, per a Thursday evening DNC meeting.
Why it matters: Kalyn Free, a losing candidate in February's vice chair race, claims the pair was elected under a flawed tabulation process, but Hogg alleges it's linked to his efforts to reform the party that include plans to spend $20 million to primary older Democratic Congress members.
Driving the news: The DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee at a virtual meeting determined that a vote should be held electronically from June 9-11.
Hogg said at the meeting the move "sends a horrible message to the public about our inability to run elections."
It "truly just sends a horrible message that we really do not want out there at the at this moment" if Democrats were to redo this election, he said. "That's why I believe that it should not go forward, and if it does, it does, it should not be done electronically or over mail."
Kenyatta said at the meeting that he "fundamentally" believes that the election was fair.
What's next: If most DNC members vote to redo the election, there will be an electronic vote for a male vice chair on June 12-14 and an any gender vote for a second vice chair, according to a timeline shared at the meeting.
Two Israeli Embassy staff were fatally shot at close range while leaving an event Wednesday night at the Capital Jewish Museum in D.C., the embassy's spokesperson in Washington, Tal Naim Cohen, told Axios.
The big picture: The suspect, who was apprehended by a museum security guard minutes after the shooting, chanted "free Palestine" as he was arrested, Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith said at a press briefing.
The victims were identified by the Israel Foreign Ministry on Thursday morning as Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim.
Israeli Ambassador to Washington Yechiel Leiter called them a "beautiful couple" and said Lischinsky had "purchased a ring this week with the intention of proposing to his girlfriend next week in Jerusalem."
Police identified the suspect as 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez of Chicago, Illinois and said they believe he acted alone.
The latest: Attorney General Pam Bondi visited the shooting scene Thursday and told reporters that the suspect "will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
"No parents should have to be called and told that their children were violently murdered leaving a religious event at the Jewish Museum. That should never happen in this world and not in our country," she said.
Bondi did not offer any updates on the case and would not confirm if the Justice Department would seek the death penalty.
What they're saying: President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on Thursday, the prime minister's office said in a statement.
Trump expressed "deep sorrow over the shocking murder in Washington of two Israeli embassy staff members," and Netanyahu thanked Trump for his efforts to combat antisemitism in the U.S., the statement said.
Trump had previously offered condolences to the victims' families in a Truth Social post, saying "These horrible D.C. killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW! Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA," he said.
Netanyahu has ordered the strengthening of security at Israeli missions around the world and for state representatives in response to the shooting.
Details: Smith said police were alerted just after 9pm ET Wednesday about a shooting in the area around the museum in downtown D.C., which is near government buildings including the FBI's Washington Field Office and tourist attractions.
"Prior to the shooting, the suspect was observed pacing back and forth outside of the museum," Smith said.
Rodriquez was not previously known to the police, Smith said at the briefing.
A LinkedIn page shows Rodriquez is an employee of American Osteopathic Information Association (AOIA). The company wrote in a statement that they are "shocked and saddened to learn that an AOIA employee has been arrested as a suspect in this horrific crime."
Zoom in: The FBI assisted on the scene and its deputy director Dan Bongino said on X early Thursday that the suspect was being interviewed by the Metropolitan Police Department with the Bureau's Joint Terrorism Task Force team while he, the U.S. Attorney's office and other officials were "reviewing the evidence to determine additional actions."
He added, "Early indicators are that this is an act of targeted violence."
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said at the briefing, "We will not tolerate any acts of terrorism, and we're going to stand together as a community in the coming days and weeks to send a clear message that we will not tolerate antisemitism."
Zoom out: The American Jewish Committee was hosting at the museum the annual Young Diplomats Reception, which "brings together Jewish young professionals ... and the D.C. diplomatic community for an evening dedicated to fostering unity and celebrating Jewish heritage," per a post by the Jewish advocacy group advertising the event.
Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.
President Trump said Wednesday he's "giving very serious consideration" to bringing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-sponsored mortgage giants, public.
The big picture: Trump said on Truth Social he'll speak with officials including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Federal Housing Finance Agency director William Pulte, about the matter "and will be making a decision in the near future."
He added, "Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are doing very well, throwing off a lot of CASH, and the time would seem to be right. Stay tuned!"
Why it matters: The two companies combined support some 70% of U.S. mortgages.
Between the lines: Changing the structure of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac poses risk to the economy — and at the least could raise mortgage rates even further, per Axios' Felix Salmon and Emily Peck.
Flashback: Before Trump took office, there was a broad-based desire to wrest Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from federal control and the Biden Treasury Department and Federal Housing Finance Agency, which oversees the two companies, released a roadmap for how privatization could work.
Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.
Representatives for Andrew Cuomo, a New York City mayoral race front-runner, on Tuesday questioned the timing of a reported Trump Department of Justice investigation into the former Democratic N.Y. governor.
Why it matters: The New York Times first reported that the investigation into Cuomo over decisions he made as governor during the COVID pandemic began about a month ago, after the DOJ moved to have the criminal corruption case against NYC Mayor Eric Adams dismissed.
"That puts the Trump administration in the unusual position of having ended a criminal case against the leader of the nation's largest city — Mr. Adams, who is running for re-election as an independent — and opened one into his chief rival, Mr. Cuomo, who is leading the Democratic primary field in the polls, in the span of a few months," the NYT noted.
What they're saying: "We have never been informed of any such matter, so why would someone leak it now?" said Rich Azzopardi, a spokesperson for Cuomo, in a statement shared with outlets including Axios.
"The answer is obvious: This is lawfare and election interference plain and simple — something President Trump and his top Department of Justice officials say they are against," he added.
State of play: Cuomo came under fire during the early stages of the pandemic for his handling of COVID in nursing homes and House Republicans in a criminal referral last year accused him of violating the law by allegedly making false statements during congressional testimony on the matter.
The NYT reports that U.S. attorney's office in D.C. began the investigation into Cuomo in response to this when Ed Martin was running the office before he was replaced by former Fox News host Jeanine Pirro, whom the NYC mayor candidate beat to become N.Y. state attorney general in 2006.
Pirro was scathing in her criticism of Cuomo's handling of the pandemic on her show "Justice with Judge Jeanine," notably saying in one segment after he was accused of covering up nursing home deaths in 2021: "You cannot escape the consequences of your intentional and reckless acts."
Azzopardi said in his emailed statement Tuesday that Cuomo "testified truthfully to the best of his recollection about events from four years earlier, and he offered to address any follow-up questions from the Subcommittee — but from the beginning this was all transparently political."
A DOJ spokesperson declined to comment on the matter and the U.S. Attorney's office in D.C. said it can "neither confirm nor deny the existence of investigations."
Representatives for the White House did not immediately respond to Axios' Tuesday evening request for comment.
Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.
A judge in a late Tuesday order said the Trump administration must "maintain custody and control" of immigrants "being removed to South Sudan or to any other third country" in case he finds such removals were unlawful.
The big picture: Immigration attorneys have accused the administration of deporting immigrants from Myanmar and Vietnam to South Sudan in violation of a court order, per a filing Tuesday that requested their "immediate return."
The attorneys made the filing in a Boston-based federal court to U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy, who's already ruled that sending undocumented immigrants to countries they're not citizens of would "clearly violate" an earlier order against sending people to third countries.
The latest: The Biden-appointed Murphy said in his order he's leaving "the practicalities of compliance" to the Trump administration, but he expects the immigrants "will be treated humanely."
DHS identified eight individuals ICE deported and listed crimes they were convicted of in a news release also shared on the White House's website on Wednesday.
That list includes Cuban nationals Enrique Arias-Hierro and Jose Manuel Rodriguez-Quinones; Thongxay Nilakout, a citizen of Laos; Mexican national Jesus Munoz-Gutierrez; Dian Peter Domach, a South Sudanese citizen; Myanmar (Burma) citizens Kyaw Mya and Nyo Myint; and Tuan Thanh Phan, a Vietnamese national.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in the release the men were removed "from American soil so they can never hurt another American victim."
She called the judge's decision "absurd" and said the men "present a clear and present threat to the safety of the American people."
Driving the news: The lawyers said the man from Myanmar, identified in court documents as N.M., was delivered a notice in English without an interpreter on Monday, saying he'd be sent to South Sudan, an East African country that the State Department advises U.S. citizens not to travel to due to "continued security threats" that include crime, kidnapping and armed conflict.
"N.M. has limited English proficiency," said a San Francisco-based attorney in a Tuesday filing that said she was told after the fact that her client had been "removed" from Texas' Port Isabel Detention Center to South Sudan.
The emergency filing in the Massachusetts District Court said T.T.P., a national of Vietnam, "appears to have suffered the same fate as N.M." and the lawyers had "information that there were likely at least 10 other" immigrants on the deportation plane to South Sudan.
The lawyers said this "blatantly defies" the court order prohibiting sending immigrants to third countries and requested the judge block any further such deportations.
Zoom in: Murphy told Elianis Perez, a Department of Justice lawyer, at a hearing later Tuesday that he has a "strong indication" that his preliminary injunction order "has been violated," per Reuters.
It "seems like it may be contempt" based on what he's been told, but he's "not going to order that the plane turn around," he said, the New York Times reports.
Perez said the Burmese immigrant had been sent to Myanmar and not South Sudan but wouldn't say where T.T.P. or the plane were, nor would she confirm its final destination because she said the information was "classified," according to the NYT.
Joseph Mazzara, the Department of Homeland Security 's acting general counsel, said "at least one rapist and one murderer" were on the flight, citing other administration officials, per the NYT.
A deadly, tornado-spawning storm system was slamming the Central U.S. into Tuesday, as the Southeast braced for a fresh round of severe weather on the heels of a tornadoes.
The big picture: The National Weather Service confirmed at least four tornadoes in Oklahoma and Nebraska and some 8.7 million people in half a dozen states were under tornado watches on Monday night. Tornado warnings were in effect in Arkansas and Missouri.
Lightning galore as storms erupt across the Central U.S. this evening. ⚡️⚡️⚡️ pic.twitter.com/CMyyfnvs65
At least 28 deaths have been reported and tens of thousands lost power since the storms began slamming much of the U.S. last Friday.
There were notable power outages in Missouri (more than 56,000 customers affected), Arkansas (over 34,000 customers) and Oklahoma (nearly 28,000 customers) early Tuesday, per utility tracker poweroutage.us.
Situation report: Among the areas being impacted Monday night into Tuesday was Oklahoma, where multiple roads were closed due to flooding or storm cleanup.
"Take cover now! Tornado on the ground and headed this way," said the City of Wilburton, Oklahoma, in a Monday evening Facebook post.
Multiple properties have been damaged since storms began in the state Saturday — with 10 homes and a fire station destroyed, per an Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management statement.
Threat level: Severe thunderstorms with "damaging winds and tornadoes" — some that could be strong — were expected Tuesday across parts of the Mid-South, Tennessee Valley and lower Ohio River Valley, per the NWS.
"Heavy to excessive rainfall, which may lead to flooding, is expected," the NWS said.
The NWS' Storm Prediction Center warned of a moderate risk, or level 4 out of 5 on the threat scale, of severe thunderstorms across much of the southern Plains and into western parts of the Mississippi Valley.
"All severe weather hazards are likely: large hail, damaging winds, and a few strong tornadoes are possible," the NWS noted in a forecast discussion Monday.
Meanwhile, a moderate risk for excessive rainfall was active across most of northern Arkansas and southern Missouri, per the NWS.
"Storms are expected to expand in coverage and may train. Some locations could see 4-5 inches in the near term through the overnight," the weather agency said.
Severe thunderstorms are likely across portions of the Mid-South, Tennessee Valley, and lower Ohio River Valley Tuesday,...
What we're watching: Kentucky has been among the worst-affected areas from the destructive weather system, with 19 people reported killed in tornado-spawning storms — and the NWS' Louisville office said on X more strong storms were possible overnight, with severe weather set to move through the area Tuesday night.
This could include "damaging winds, hail, and possibly a few tornadoes," NWS Louisville noted.
Some storms may move through overnight, but the "largest risk" of impacts was from noon-11pm Tuesday ET, said Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear in a statement posted to his social media accounts.
"All of Kentucky may experience storms, but there is a heightened risk for dangerous winds, hail and tornadoes in the west," he said.
Between the lines: Climate change is causing extreme precipitation events to become more frequent in much of the U.S.
The Justice Department charged Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.) on Monday over a scuffle with law enforcement outside an ICE facility in New Jersey this month.
Why it matters: McIver is the first federal officeholder targeted by the Trump administration as they aggressively prosecute politicians who open themselves to legal liability while opposing the president's mass deportations.
McIver has strongly denied assaulting law enforcement during the clash, saying she was the one who was assaulted. In a Monday statement, she called the charges against her "purely political" and said they are "meant to criminalize and deter legislative oversight."
The Department of Homeland Security has pointed to body camera footage of what they say is McIver elbowing an ICE agent during the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka.
What's happening: Alina Habba, acting U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey announced on X she was dropping the case against Baraka, but charging McIver with assaulting, impeding and interfering with law enforcement. Habba accused the Democrat of violating the U.S. Constitution during the scuffle.
"No one is above the law — politicians or otherwise," Habba said in a statement. "It is the job of this office to uphold justice, regardless of who you are. Now we will let the justice system work."
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem echoed those comments in a post to X, saying: "If any person, regardless of political party, influence or status, assaults a law enforcement officer as we witnessed Congresswoman McIver do, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
Baraka in a statement the City of Newark shared on its social media accounts welcomed the dismissal of the case against him and expressed support for McIver:
Mayor Ras J. Baraka statement on dismissal of Delaney Hall Trespassing Charge.
Catch up quick: McIver, Baraka and Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.) and Rob Menendez (D-N.J.) were at the Delany Hall detention center in Newark this month to protest its use as a migrant holding facility.
The lawmakers argued that they were there to conduct legitimate oversight based on accusations that GEO Group, the private prison company operating the facility, lacked the proper permitting.
In addition to Baraka and McIver, the FBI also arrested a Wisconsin judge last month for allegedly helping an undocumented defendant avoid arrest by ICE agents. She was indicted and pleaded not guilty this week.
What they're saying: McIver said in her Monday statement the charges against her "mischaracterize and distort" her actions.
"This administration will never stop me from working for the people in our district and standing up for what is right," she added.
"I am thankful for the outpouring of support I have received and I look forward to the truth being laid out clearly in court," she added.
What to watch: House Republicans have floated additional repercussions for the three lawmakers, with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) accusing them of "wildly inappropriate behavior."
"I think it's pretty clear that the law was violated," the speaker said at a press conference this month, floating censure, removal from committees and expulsion as possible punishments.
He acknowledged the two-thirds threshold for an expulsion vote would be a difficult hurdle to clear given Democrats' unity around defending their colleagues.
Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.) has introduced a resolution to remove the trio from their committees.
The big picture: After Biden's representatives announced that he was diagnosed Friday with an "aggressive form" of prostate cancer, Democrats and Republicans took to social media to pay tribute.
What they're saying:
Trump saidon Truth Social, "Melania and I are saddened to hear about Joe Biden's recent medical diagnosis. We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery."
Former President Obama said in a Facebook tribute to his vice president that he and former first lady Michelle Obama were thinking of the entire Biden family.
"Nobody has done more to find breakthrough treatments for cancer in all its forms than Joe," Obama said of Biden, who spearheaded the Cancer Moonshot initiative following the death of his son from brain cancer. The project was an effort to cut cancer death rates and improve the experiences of people affected by cancer that Biden stepped up when he was president.
"I am certain he will fight this challenge with his trademark resolve and grace," Obama added. "We pray for a fast and full recovery."
Harris wrote on Bluesky that she and her husband, former second gentleman Doug Emhoff, were saddened to learn of Biden's diagnoses.
The 2024 Democratic vice presidential candidatesaid they're keeping him, former first lady Jill Biden and their family "in our hearts and prayers," adding: "Joe is a fighter — and I know he will face this challenge with the same strength, resilience, and optimism that have always defined his life and leadership. We are hopeful for a full and speedy recovery."
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on X he's praying for the former president and the Biden family.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said in a statement that he, the "House Democratic Caucus and our nation are praying" for Biden and his family.
"Over the years, the Biden family has confronted unimaginable adversity with grace and steadfast perseverance," he added. "We stand with President Biden as he confronts this moment with the same courage and resilience he has shown throughout his life."
Rep. Greg Murphy (R-N.C.), who is a urologist, noted in a video posted to X that with "many medical interventions" life expectancy can be extended by several years."
Murphy's hope is that Biden "will have good, good treatment awaiting him, and that his cancer responds well to the diagnosis."
House Speaker Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) wrote on X, "This is certainly sad news, and the Johnson family will be joining the countless others who are praying for the former President in the wake of his diagnosis."
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said on Bluesky he's praying for his "friend" Biden and "will be keeping Joe, the entire Biden family, and the medical professionals treating him in our thoughts," adding: "Continue to keep the faith, Joe."
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Facebook, "I'm thinking of the Bidens as they take on cancer, a disease they've done so much to try to spare other families from. Wishing you a speedy, full recovery."
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) said on X that as a cancer survivor, she knows how difficult this news can be and wished the former president a full and speedy recovery.
"I send my love and support to President Biden and his family. He's a ferocious fighter, and I know he'll handle this battle with strength and dignity," she said.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) wrote on X that she's "sorry to see this news," adding: "Cancer is truly awful. My Dad passed away in 2021 with cancer. Prays for Joe Biden and his family."
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) said on X he's praying for Biden to defeat the cancer he's recently been diagnosed with, adding: "He and Jill have always been fighters and I am confident they will meet this challenge with grit and grace."
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) expressed her sadness on X at Biden's cancer diagnosis and said she's "wishing him and his family well as he begins treatment."
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) wrote on X, "Our hearts are with President Biden and his entire family right now. A man of dignity, strength, and compassion like his deserves to live a long and beautiful life. Sending strength, healing and prayers his way."
Hundreds of Starbucks workers have walked off the job at over 100 U.S. stores this week in a strike that's protesting a new dress code that went into effect this week.
The big picture: Axios' Kelly Tyko notes the Seattle-based coffee giant is trying to revitalize the brand amid sluggish sales by returning to its roots with a new design Starbucks says provides "simplified color options that allow our iconic green apron to shine." But the change sparked outrage with the baristas union.
Starbucks and the union, Starbucks Workers United, still haven't reached an agreement on a contract despite beginning negotiations in February last year — something the union pointed to in a Bluesky post on the strike that began Sunday.
"We're not just angry over a shirt color," said the Wednesday post. "Starbucks is a MASSIVE company without focus. They refuse to staff our stores properly, give guaranteed hours to workers, pay us a living wage, or provide stipends to pay for this arbitrary dress code. We need fair union contracts NOW."
Driving the news: Starbucks said in its announcement that its "more defined color palette includes any solid black short and long-sleeved crewneck, collared, or button-up shirts and any shade of khaki, black, or blue denim bottoms" and it's "making a new line of company branded t-shirts available to partners, who will receive two at no cost."
The company said it wants to "create a sense of familiarity for our customer."
What they're saying: A striking barista said in a video posted Thursday to the union's Bluesky account that Starbucks "made a big decision about our jobs without bargaining with us, and this time it's a new restrictive dress code, one that we're paying for out of pocket."
Wearing black "doesn't make the customer experience any better" and "policing" what workers wear doesn't address being short-staffed or dealing with long lines while there are pay concerns, said the worker, who was not identified in the post.
"They think they can tell us how to dress, expecting us to spend money on new shoes or pants just to be in compliance with the new dress code while we're already stretched thin and struggling to pay our bills," she said.
The other side: As the strike expanded with the union reporting over 2,000 workers walked out Thursday, Starbucks said in a statement "more than 99% of our stores are open today serving customers — and have been all week," per AP.
"It would be more productive if the union would put the same effort into coming back to the table that they're putting into protesting wearing black shirts to work."
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday that all NATO nations "will have agreed on a goal" of reaching 5% in defense spending over the next decade by time the military alliance has held its summit next month.
Why it matters: President Trump has long complained other members have ripped off the U.S. and failed to meet the military spending target of 2% of their GDP. During the 2024 election campaign he made threats that he'd "encourage" Russia "to do whatever the hell they want" to countries that didn't meet the NATO spending goal.
Driving the news: During a Thursday appearance on Fox News' "Hannity," Rubio credited Trump for pushing back against other NATO members during his first term at the 2018 summit, which he called "one of the most important moments in NATO history."
He told Fox News' Sean Hannity there had been improvements since then.
"And I can tell you we are headed for a summit in six weeks in which virtually every member of NATO will be at or above 2%," Rubio said.
"But more importantly, many of them will be over 4% and all will have agreed on a goal of reaching 5% over the next decade."
The big picture: Then-NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in February 2024 he expected a record "18 Allies" of the 32-country alliance "to spend 2% of their GDP on defense."
To meet Trump's 5% goal, current NATO chief Mark Rutte proposed that members increase direct defense expenditures to 3.5% of GDP by 2032 and a further 1.5% on wider security-related spending — which AFP notes major nations Germany and France backed Thursday.
What they're saying: Rutte said that most member nations were "set to reach the initial aim" of spending 2% of GDP on defense this year, "and many have already announced plans to go much, much further, per a statement NATO's office shared with Axios.
This is "crucial because it is clear that 2% is not nearly enough," he said in his email. Discussions at the summit in Antalya, Turkey, would be focused on what more the alliance would need for the future, Rutte said.
"We know we will need greater investment in our core military requirements" as well as additional broader defense-related investments, "including infrastructure and including resilience," he added.
In regards to Rubio's remarks on the 5% goal, his office directed Axios to his statement saying "we expect that Allies will commit to an ambitious spending target in The Hague."
A 9-month-old baby who was born with a rare genetic disorder is the first person to be successfully treated with personalized CRISPR gene editing therapy, scientists in Philadelphia announced on Thursday.
The big picture: This "historic medical breakthrough" could "provide a pathway for gene editing technology to be successfully adapted to treat individuals with rare diseases for whom no medical treatments are available," per a statement from the University of Pennsylvania and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
While KJ "is just one patient, we hope he is the first of many to benefit from a methodology that can be scaled to fit an individual patient's needs," said a Rebecca Ahrens-Nicklas, an assistant professor of pediatrics and genetics at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the University of Pennsylvania who treated the infant, in a statement.
Driving the news: KJ was born with a rare metabolic disease known as severe carbamoyl phosphate synthetase 1 (CPS1) deficiency, per according from the statement from the hospital and the university's Penn Medicine.
What they did: Researchers "corrected a specific gene mutation in the baby's liver cells that led to the disorder," per a Thursday statement from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which supported the research, the findings of which were published in The New England Journal of Medicine on Thursday.
After spending the first several months of his life in the hospital, KJ received the first dose of his bespoke therapy in February.
He is "now growing well and thriving" after the treatment was safely administered, per the hospital and the university's Penn Medicine.
Context: The research that scientists are hailing as "historic" comes after years of progress in gene editing and decades of federally funded research.
Gene editing based on CRISPR, which stands for clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat, can precisely correct disease-causing variants in the human genome.
"CRISPR is an advanced gene editing technology that enables precise changes to DNA inside living cells," according to the NIH.
"This is the first known case of a personalized CRISPR-based medicine administered to a single patient and was carefully designed to target non-reproductive cells so changes would only affect the patient."
What they're saying: "As a platform, gene editing — built on reusable components and rapid customization — promises a new era of precision medicine for hundreds of rare diseases," said Joni Rutter, director of NIH's National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, in a statement.
It's "bringing life-changing therapies to patients when timing matters most: Early, fast, and tailored to the individual," Rutter added.
The bottom line: "This truly is the future for all of these gene and cell therapies," said Arkasubhra Ghosh, who studies gene therapy at Narayana Nethralaya Eye Hospital in Bengaluru, India, per Nature.
"It's really exciting," added Ghosh, who wasn't involved in the study.
The U.S. Secret Service and Department of Homeland Security are investigating former FBI Director James Comey's Instagram post of shells arranged on a beach that read "8647," DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said Thursday evening.
Why it matters: "86" is a slang term that can mean "to get rid of" and some use it to mean to kill — something President Trump's elder son, Donald Trump Jr., pointed to on X as he shared a screenshot of Comey's since-deleted post with the comment, "Just James Comey causally calling for my dad to be murdered."
Driving the news: Comey wrote in the post accompanying the photo to his 130,000 Instagram followers: "Cool shell formation on my beach walk."
A trend has emerged of posting the number "86" alongside "47," reflecting Trump's current term in the historical number of U.S. presidents as a means of resistance, the Detroit Free Press noted.
Comey said in an updated post he assumed the shells were "a political message," but "didn't realize some folks associate those numbers with violence."
What's happening: "Disgraced former FBI Director James Comey just called for the assassination" of Trump, Noem said on X Thursday evening.
"DHS and Secret Service is investigating this threat and will respond appropriately."
USSS spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said the Secret Service "vigorously investigates anything that can be taken as a potential threat against our protectees."
She added: "We take this responsibility very seriously and we are aware of the social media posts in question. Beyond that, we do not comment on protective intelligence matters."
Meanwhile, FBI Director Kash Patel said on X the Bureau is aware of Comey's post and in communication with the USSS and its director Sean Curran.
"Primary jurisdiction is with SS on these matters and we, the FBI, will provide all necessary support," he added.
Thought bubble, via Axios' Tal Axelrod:The controversy, unsurprisingly, consumed MAGA diehards beyond top administration officials, with social media posts lamenting "Democrat political violence."
It seemed tailor-made to provoke Trump's movement, igniting several of its core motivators: frustration with a "deep state" that's out to get the president; a back-against-the-wall mentality that broader MAGA and its values are under threat; and the belief that violence by liberals is a true threat but undercovered after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
Of note: Comey was appointed FBI director by former President Obama, but he was a registered Republican for years.
He told ABC News in 2018, a year after Trump fired him as FBI chief, "the Republican Party has left me and many others."
What they're saying: Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said on Fox News Thursday she's "very concerned for the president's life," noting "we've already seen assassination attempts."
She added that "Comey, in my view, should be held accountable and put behind bars for this."
Taylor Budowich, White House deputy chief of staff and Cabinet secretary, on X called Comey's post "deeply concerning to all of us" and said it was being taken seriously.
"While President Trump is currently on an international trip to the Middle East, the former FBI Director puts out what can clearly be interpreted as 'a hit' on the sitting President of the United States —a message etched in the sand," Budowich said.
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) wrote on X, "Arrest Comey."
Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.
A Wisconsin judge accused of helping an undocumented immigrant avoid arrest cannot be prosecuted "because she is entitled to judicial immunity for her official acts," her attorneys argued Wednesday in a motion to dismiss charges against her.
The big picture: The filing that comes one day after a federal grand jury indicted Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan cites last year's U.S. Supreme Court ruling in President Trump's since-dismissed Jan. 6 case that ruled presidents have immunity for "official acts."
"Immunity is not a defense to the prosecution to be determined later by a jury or court; it is an absolute bar to the prosecution at the outset," Dugan's attorneys argue, pointing to Trump v. United States.
She denies any wrongdoing and her attorneys argue in the motion to dismiss the case that she was acting in her official duties as she was "directing people around the courtroom."
Dugan's attorneys wrote in the filing, "The government's prosecution here reaches directly into a state courthouse, disrupting active proceedings, and interferes with the official duties of an elected judge."
What they're saying: Attorney General Pam Bondi said after Dugan's arrest that "nobody is above the law" and "some of these judges think that they are beyond and above the law. They are not."
Representatives for the Justice Department did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment in the evening.
Read the motion to dismiss the case in full, via DocumentCloud:
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has fired the National Intelligence Council's top two officials over what the Trump administration has called the "politicization of intelligence," Fox News Digital first reported Wednesday.
The big picture: The firing of acting NIC chair Mike Collins and his deputy, Maria Langan-Riekhof, comes after an intel report from the council last week contradicted an administration assertion linking Venezuela's Maduro regime to the criminal gang Tren de Aragua.
The administration has used this to invoke the wartime authority of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport undocumented immigrants with what critics say is little or no due process.
What they're saying: "These Biden holdovers were dismissed because they politicized intelligence," said Gabbard's deputy chief of staff, Alexa Henning, on X.
She added that "the leak of classified info was a NIC product, which is against the law, that is the issue," as she pushed back on a Washington Post report saying Gabbard had "removed or sidelined officials perceived to not support Trump's political agenda."
Between the lines: Experts say the Trump administration has made unsubstantiated claims about Tren de Aragua and the Mara Salvatrucha gang, commonly known as MS-13.
Gang experts say the threat of Tren de Aragua in the U.S. is overblown and a lot smaller than Trump officials have claimed.
The administration has repeatedly called MS-13, a gang started in Southern California by Central American refugees from the 1980s civil wars, a transnational gang and has compared it to terrorist groups and organized Mexican cartels.
Lidia E. Nuño, a Texas State University criminology professor and MS-13 expert, told Axios that MS-13 is a street gang that shows little evidence of sophisticated transnational criminal operations like cartels or the mafia.
A coalition of 20 Democratic attorneys general is suing President Trump's administration over threats to withhold billions of dollars in federal funding if they don't follow his immigration enforcement polices.
The big picture: California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who's leading the two lawsuits, said at a Tuesday briefing that threats to cut funds for emergency services and infrastructure maintenance represented "a blatantly illegal attempt to bully states" into enacting Trump's agenda.
Driving the news: Trump signed executive orders last month directing federal agencies to document "sanctuary cities" that are not complying with his immigration agenda, and the White House said those that failed to do so "may lose federal funding."
The conditions would affect state projects including disaster relief, flood mitigation, and railroad, bridge and airport construction, the states argue in the lawsuits that were filed Tuesday.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who's named in one of the suits, pushed back on the state AGs' lawsuit allegations in an emailed statement Wednesday that said no funding has been withheld.
Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in an emailed statement Wednesday that Trump "has been clear" that cities and states "who break the law and prevent us from arresting criminal illegal aliens should not receive federal funding."
Zoom in: One lawsuit that names Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, the Department of Homeland Security, FEMA and others, argues the Trump administration's conditions on funding are unconstitutional.
They're also "beyond FEMA's legal authority because Congress appropriated the billions of federal dollars to help states prepare for, protect against, respond to and recover from catastrophic disasters," per a statement from Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, one of the AGs suing the administration.
The other suit naming Duffy and the Department of Transportation makes a similar argument on the funding of critical infrastructure projects.
States signed onto the suit include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai'i, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.
What they're saying: "We are experiencing creeping authoritarianism in this country, and as a people we must continue to resist," said Peter Neronha, attorney general of Rhode Island, where the lawsuit was filed, in a statement.
"Using the safety of Americans as collateral, the Trump Administration is once again illegally subverting the Congress, bullying the states to relinquish their right, ensured by the Constitution, to enact policies and laws that best serve their residents."
The other side: "Americans would all be better off if these Democrat attorneys general focused on prosecuting criminals and working with the Trump administration to address the toll of gangster illegal aliens on their communities instead of playing political games," White House spokesperson Kush Desai said in a statement.
Duffy said in his statement the 20 states were "challenging the terms of their grant agreements because their officials want to continue breaking Federal law and putting the needs of illegal aliens above their own citizens."
Under Trump's leadership, "what my Department has done is remind grant recipients that by accepting federal funds, they are required to adhere to federal laws," he added.
"No state or local government is above enforcing the immigration rules that keep communities safe. These common-sense values reflect the priorities of the American people, and I took action to ensure compliance."
McLaughlin said inher statement that under Noem's leadership, "DHS is working to end violations of federal immigration law and remove criminal illegal aliens from American communities.
She added: "Radical sanctuary politicians need to put the safety of the American people first—not criminal illegal aliens. The Trump Administration is committed to restoring the rule of law. No lawsuit, not this one or any other, is going to stop us from doing that."
Editor's note: This article has been updated with comment from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin.
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg confirmed on Tuesday he's considering a possible 2028 presidential run and weighed on former President Biden's impact on the 2024 election.
The big picture: Buttigieg was in Iowa on Tuesday, where he won a Democratic primary during his unsuccessful 2020 presidential run while mayor of South Bend, Indiana, which saw him make a splash and earned him a place in the Biden administration.
Reporters asked him after he headlined a town hall with veterans' group VoteVets Action Fund in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, if Democrats would've fared better in 2024 if Biden hadn't initially run for re-election against President Trump.
"Maybe," Buttigieg responded, per multiple reports. "Right now, with the benefit of hindsight, I think most people would agree that that's the case."
Zoom out: Ahead of the town hall, Buttigieg said during a Substack Live interview with independent journalist Anand Giridharadas he'll "assess what I bring to the table and how it's different than the others."
He noted "there are times I follow that process and decided to run, and there are times I followed that process and decided not to run — and the process can lead you to surprising places."
Yes, but: Buttigieg said "any kind of decision process there is a long way off."
China's leader Xi Jinping took an apparent swipe Tuesday at President Trump's tariff policies.
Why it matters: Xi's first remarks since China and the U.S. agreed to cut tariffs on each other for 90 days were far removed from those in the U.S.-China joint statement that spoke of recognizing the importance of a "mutually beneficial economic and trade relationship."
"There are no winners in tariff wars or trade wars," Xi said at the China-CELAC Forum, according to translations.
"Bullying or hegemonism only leads to self-isolation," he added.
The big picture: Xi last addressed the forum of over 30 countries that's designed to foster political, economic, cultural and other kinds of cooperation between China and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States during the inaugural event in 2015.
The Chinese leader told Tuesday's event in Beijing that "only through unity and cooperation can countries safeguard global peace and stability and promote worldwide development and prosperity."
Representatives for the White House did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment early Tuesday.
While President Trump maintains it'd be "stupid" to turn down a $400 million jet from Qatar to serve as Air Force One, some Republicans have joined Democrats in expressing concern at such a move.
The big picture: White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in an emailed statement Monday night that "any gift given by a foreign government is always accepted in full compliance with all applicable laws" and the administration "is committed to full transparency."
But the prospect of the Qatari royal family giving the president a luxury Boeing 747-8, which has been dubbed a "palace in the sky," has led some Republicans to express discomfort about the matter.
What they're saying:
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), a key Trump ally, said "I'm not flying on a Qatari plane. They support Hamas," per The Hill. "I don't know how you make it safe. ... I don't want the president of the United States flying on an unsafe plane."
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) told reporters, "I don't think it looks good or smells good." He later told Fox News, "There is a provision in the Constitution says you can't do this. And so the question is, can you do it if it's only for official purposes? .. I think it's not worth the appearance of impropriety. Whether it's improper or not, I don't think it's worth it."
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.) said to CNN that Trump and the White House "need to look at the constitutionality" of the matter. "I'd be checking for bugs is what I'd be checking for," she added.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) told reporters,"If Qatar gives a plane to the president of the United States, it seems to me that raises questions of whether the administration would be in compliance with the gift law."
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) told reporters, "It would be better if Air Force One were a big, beautiful jet made in the United States of America. That would be ideal."
Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) said he needed to look into the legalities of the matter but "we ought to follow the law," according to CNN.
