Europe's far-right leaders are divided over President Trump's approach to ending the Russia-Ukraine war.

Why it matters: Trump's embrace of Russian President Vladimir Putin and coinciding about-face on U.S. assistance to Ukraine has caught even some of his reliable allies on the continent off guard.

What they're saying: French far-right leader Marine Le Pen condemned the "brutality" of the U.S.' decision to halt aid to Ukraine in an interview with Le Figaro published Tuesday.

• Dutch populist leader Geert Wilders — often referred to as the "Dutch Trump" — said Saturday that he and his far-right Freedom Party (PVV) support Ukraine "with conviction," the Brussels Times reported.
• Italy's far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stressed Sunday the importance of Western unity when it comes to Ukraine and reaffirmed Italy's support for Ukraine.

The other side: Others have endorsed Trump's approach.

• Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán backed Trump emphatically and praised the economic benefits of bringing Russia back into the Western fold, AP reported.
• Alice Weidel, one of the co-leaders of the far-right, anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, posted on X about the contentious White House meeting, writing, "Historic. Trump & Vance!"

Catch up quick: Trump and Vice President JD Vance publicly berated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office last week, before pausing military aid to, and intelligence sharing with, Ukraine this week.

• The Trump administration has also thrown cold water on prospect of a U.S.-led peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, insisting instead on the need for European peacekeeping forces to secure peace in Ukraine.
• Meanwhile, the U.K. and French governments have pledged to commit troops to such a peacekeeping force.

The big picture: Trump's first month in office has upended America's long-held alliances in Europe and reshaped the post-World War II international order.

Go deeper: What's behind Trump's views on Ukraine and Russia

President Trump's taunting and tariffs have turned Canadians against the U.S., Prime Minister Justin Trudeau into a fire-breathing nationalist, and his Liberal Party — once on track for an electoral wipeout — back into a force to be reckoned with.

Why it matters: Trump has imposed big tariffs on the U.S.' closest ally and wants to make Canada the 51st State. Canada's response: a big middle finger to the USA.

Zoom in: Trudeau blasted Trump Tuesday for taking aim at its neighbor and ally while cozying up to Russia, vowing massive retaliatory tariffs in response to the levies imposed by the U.S.

• Trudeau bluntly told everyday Americans to blame Trump for the coming economic pain, saying "your government has chosen to do this to you."
• "What he wants is to see a total collapse of the Canadian economy, because that'll make it easier to annex us," Trudeau said. "We will never be the 51st state."
• He added: "When it comes to defending our great nation, there is no price we all aren't willing to pay."

The intrigue: Trudeau resigned as Liberal Party leader in January amidst deep unpopularity, as polls showed his party was set to be trounced in October's elections by the Conservatives, led by Pierre Poilievre.

• Yet the onset of the Trump administration has coincided with a change in the party's fortunes.
• Most polls now show the Liberals trailing only narrowly, and one Ipsos poll published last week gave the party its first lead since 2021.
• The Conservatives "are facing headwinds from rising anti-Trump sentiment and anticipation surrounding the Liberal Party's new leadership," Ipsos noted.

Zoom out: The souring relations between the two countries have already reverberated culturally.

• Canadian fans started booing the U.S. national anthem at hockey games last month, including ahead of a U.S. vs. Canada match that became a moment of national pride when Canada prevailed in overtime. "You can't take our country, and you can't take our game," Trudeau declared.
• Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky has faced harsh backlash from his fellow Canadians for his past support of Trump — prompting a Trump post defending him.
• Meanwhile, actor Mike Myers wore a "Canada is not for Sale" shirt on Saturday Night Live after portraying Elon Musk.

Several Canadian provinces announced plans last month to remove U.S. liquor from some liquor store shelves, while some Canadian businesses and shoppers have been boycotting American products.

• Canadian coffee shops have begun renaming Americanos "Canadianos," in a move reminiscent of Americans' attempts to rebrand french fries as"Freedom Fries" during the onset of the Iraq war.

What to watch: Canada is far more reliant on the U.S. economically than vice-versa, but Trudeau emphasized Tuesday that Americans will feel the pain as well.

• The bad blood is also far from over. "We're probably going to keep booing the American anthem," Trudeau said.

Go deeper: Canada drops the gloves, tells U.S. to blame Trump for tariff pain

President Trump confirmed Monday that his long-promised tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada will go into effect on Tuesday.

Why it matters: The announcement sent financial markets tumbling in anticipation of a potential trade war between the U.S. and its top trading partners.

State of play: Canada and Mexico will see 25% tariffs on goods exported into the U.S., while a 10% tariff will be levied on Chinese exports.

• The latter comes on top of the 10% tariff Trump already imposed on Chinese exports earlier this year.
• Trump's decision to pull the trigger on tariffs on Canada and Mexico came after he agreed early last month to delay the planned tariffs for a month.

The big picture: The tariffs will see Trump make good on his campaign pledge to institute sweeping tariffs on America's trade partners.

• Tariffs function like an additional tax on goods and are often passed onto consumers. Some retailers have already warned that they could be forced to raise prices.
• Exactly how much of the tariffs' costs are passed onto consumers remains to be seen, but experts predict that by next year the tariffs will reduce Americans' after-tax income by 1%.
• The tariffs are expected to hit working-class Americans especially hard.

Here are the goods that will be hit hard by Trump's tariffs:

Cars

Trump's tariffs threaten to decimate the U.S. auto industry, which relies on Canada and Mexico to assemble vehicles.

• Due to the complicated auto industry supply chains criss-crossing North America, a single car component could cross the U.S. border six to eight times before final assembly — with a 25% tariff applicable each time.
• This could make U.S.-made vehicles so expensive that buying a finished car from Europe, Japan, or Korea, could be significantly cheaper — even if tariffs are levied on those vehicles.

Energy

The U.S. relies on Mexico and Canada for critical energy exports that could make everyday activities — like cooking and heating their homes — more expensive for everyday Americans.

• Oil and gas are some of the U.S.' top imports from Mexico, while top imports from Canada are crude oil, petroleum gas and coal.
• In fact, the U.S.' reliance on Canada for crude oil has been increasing for decades.

Electronics

Computers and other electronics are expected to see persistent price increases due to the tariffs.

• The U.S. imports a significant portion of its electronics from China, including smartphones and computers.

Household goods

The U.S. is the largest market for Chinese exports, buying about 15% of everything China sends out.

• This encompasses a wide array of everyday household goods, from machinery, toys, furniture, sporting goods, footwear, clothing and textiles.

Food and beverages

The U.S. imports large amounts of food and beverage products from Canada and Mexico.

• In 2023, 63% of U.S. vegetable imports came from Mexico. The nation also supplied 43% of the United States' fruit and nut imports, per the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
• About 81% of U.S. beer imports came from Mexico in 2023.
• Canada is another major source of food for the U.S. and in 2023, almost 64% of U.S. agricultural imports from Canada consisted of "meat and other animal products, grains and feeds, and oilseeds and oilseed products," per the USDA.

Go deeper:

• A timeline of Trump's tariff proposals
• What Trump's tariffs mean for your wallet

CBS anchor Gayle King and Lauren Sánchez, fiancé of Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos, are heading to space on a Blue Origin flight this spring with four other women, King announced Thursday.

Why it matters: The all-women crew will be the highest-profile mission yet for Blue Origin, which has become one of the foremost players in the commercial space industry.

Driving the news: A video announcement narrated by King on Thursday's "CBS Mornings" show revealed that the mission will take place sometime this spring.

• The other women joining the mission are pop star Katy Perry, aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen and film producer Kerianne Flynn.
• A launch date was not announced.

What they're saying: "I'm so afraid, but I'm also so excited about it," King said Thursday of the upcoming mission.

• Although she initially rebuffed the offer to go to space, King said she came around to the idea after considering "what a unique opportunity" it would be.
• King interviewed Bezos in 2021 after he returned from Blue Origin's first crewed mission.

State of play: Sánchez's sojourn to space has been long-anticipated. The vice chair of the Bezos Earth Fund, Sánchez has for years spoken about her plan to helm an all-women Blue Origin mission.

The big picture: Earlier this week, the company announced that it had successfully completed its 10th crewed mission, as well as its 30th flight for its New Shepard program.

• The company hit another milestone last month when it launched its New Glenn rocket, marking its first orbital flight.

Go deeper: Bezos vs. Musk: Space tycoons with dueling visions for humanity's survival

Editor's note: This story was updated with additional quotes from King.

A West Texas city reported Wednesday that an unvaccinated child with measles died after being hospitalized amid the recent outbreak.

The big picture: It's the first death officials have reported in the outbreak that began late last month. At least 124 people have been infected in the state so far.

• It's the largest measles outbreak in Texas in 30 years, following smaller outbreaks in 2013 and 2019.
• The surge in cases this year has prompted an uptick in vaccinations among parents who had previously declined to vaccinate their children, NBC News reported.

Driving the news: Officials for the city of Lubbock, in West Texas, and the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) confirmed the death in a joint press release Wednesday.

• "The patient was an unvaccinated school-aged child, and passed away in the last 24 hours," the press release stated.
• They said no further details were forthcoming.
• A representative for Lubbock Mayor Mark McBrayer did not immediately respond to Axios' requests for comment.

While eight U.S. states have reported measles cases this year, the majority of infections have occurred in Texas, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

• The outbreak has sparked fears among health officials that the disease could be rebounding in the U.S. amid falling vaccination rates. Measles was previously declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000.
• The vast majority of patients infected with the respiratory virus in the current outbreak have been unvaccinated.

Zoom in: Measles is a "highly contagious" respiratory virus that can be spread via respiratory droplets in coughs or sneezes or contact with an infected person, per the CDC.

• Measles can survive in the air up to two hours after an infected person has left the area.
• Measles symptoms typically appear one to two weeks after exposure, and include fever, cough, runny nose, and rash, as well as red, watery eyes.
• It can especially cause dangerous complications, like pneumonia, in children under five years old.

Go deeper: Texas measles outbreak grows

Editor's note: This story was updated with new developments and additional context.

President Trump shared what appeared to be an AI-generated video late Tuesday night depicting his vision of "the Riviera of the Middle East" if his plan to "take over the Gaza strip" comes to fruition.

Why it matters: The video recasts the enclave that's been devastated by the Israel-Hamas war as an oasis of Trump's fantasy, complete with bellydancers, a golden statue of himself and Elon Musk dancing under a shower of money.

Driving the news: The AI-generated video Trump posted on his Truth Social account opens with a shot of ruins labeled "Gaza 2025" and set to a dance track.

• The video then asks "what's next?" before segueing into idyllic visions of children running on a beach, skyscrapers, cruise ships and a rebuilt city — as what sounds like an AI-generated voice sings, "no more tunnels, no more fear, Trump Gaza is finally here."

Zoom in: The bizarre images in the video include:

• Bearded men belly dancing on a beach;
• Elon Musk eating what appears to be hummus on the beach, followed later of a shot of him dancing on the beach as U.S. dollars rain down;
• Trump, dancing with a scantily-clad woman in a club;
• A skyscraper emblazoned with "Trump Gaza" in golden letters;
• A toddler holding a large, golden balloon of Trump's head;
• A shot of Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in swim trunks sipping drinks at a poolside resort.

The big picture: Trump said earlier this month that his takeover plan would entail a "permanent occupation" of Gaza by the U.S. that would see Palestinians displaced with no right of return, a plan that would violate international law.

• The plan was rejected by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as well as the leaders of Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia.
• Faced with backlash, Trump seemingly walked it back, stating that the U.S. would not pay for the rebuilding or send in troops. No one seems to have a clear idea of how the plan would actually work.

Between the lines: United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres lambasted Trump's proposal as "tantamount to ethnic cleansing."

• The UN lists forced relocation of populations as a crime against humanity.

Reality check: Even members of the Trump administration admit that the president's rebuilding plan is unlikely to happen anytime soon, even without the geopolitical hurdles it would have to clear.

• White House Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff told Axios last month that rebuilding Gaza could take between 10 and 15 years.

The bottom line: A vision of Gaza filled with luxury skyscrapers is unlikely to happen in Trump's lifetime, let alone his presidency.

Go deeper: Exclusive: Inside Trump's Gaza takeover stunner

A grassroots movement is calling on Americans to abstain from shopping with major retailers on Feb. 28 as part of an "economic blackout."

Why it matters: The economic protest comes as many everyday Americans struggle to keep up in the current financial landscape, characterized by high housing costs, surging egg prices and stubborn inflation.

Between the lines: This week's economic blackout is the latest, but not the first, grassroots movement against consumerism that has gained steam in the face of high costs of living.

• Earlier this year the "no buy 2025" challenge gained traction on social media for similar reasons.

Who is behind it?

The Feb. 28 economic blackout is an initiative by The People's Union USA, which describes itself as a "grassroots movement dedicated to economic resistance, government accountability, and corporate reform."

• The group says it has no political affiliation but is rather focused on uniting Americans against corporate greed.
• The movement was founded by John Schwarz, who describes his movement as raising awareness about the ways the "system is rigged" against everyday Americans.

What is the economic blackout?

The Feb. 28 economic blackout calls on consumers to avoid all unnecessary purchases, either in-person or online, from midnight Thursday through midnight Friday.

• "No Amazon, No Walmart, No Best Buy," The People's Union USA website reads. "Nowhere!"
• It further urges participants not to spend money on fast food, major retailers or gas, and to avoid using credit or debit cards to make nonessential purchases.
• The blackout makes an exception for buying "essentials of absolutely necessary" — like medicine, food or emergency supplies — but urges consumers to make those purchases at small, local businesses.

Zoom in: The People's Union USA has other targeted economic actions planned for after the blackout.

• These include weeklong blackouts against specific retailers, including Amazon, Nestlé and Walmart.

What is the goal?

The economic blackout is "about solidarity and sending a clear message: we have the power," the group's website states.

• Schwarz echoed the sentiment in an Instagram video posted last week, saying the blackout is meant to push back against the notion that Americans have "no choice" but to accept the economic system.
• "For our entire lives, they have told us we have no choice ... that we have to accept these insane prices, the corporate greed, the billionaire tax breaks, all while we struggle to just to get by," he said.
• "For one day, we are going to finally turn the tables," he added.

Our thought bubble, from Axios' Ben Berkowitz: Boycott threats regularly make headlines, but their impact is usually more optical than financial.

• In fact, decades of research into boycotts suggest they often end up having a counterintuitively positive effect, as a larger, silent majority votes with their dollars by shopping instead of staying home.
• In 2014, the #BoycottBlackFriday movement after the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., did appear to have some short-term impact, as total sales during that key weekend fell versus 2013. But if there was an effect, it didn't last, as overall sales for the year's holiday season rose.

Go deeper: Shoppers are avoiding certain brands over politics: poll

The Kremlin emphasized Tuesday that Russia had not dropped its opposition to peacekeeping forces in Ukraine, contradicting a claim that President Trump made a day earlier.

Why it matters: Trump is pushing to reach a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the three-year war. Peacekeeping forces are seen as a key component for any peace settlement between Russia and Ukraine.

Driving the news: During a White House meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron Monday, Trump told reporters that he had "specifically asked" Russian President Putin about the prospect of deploying European peacekeeping forces to Ukraine following a peace deal.

• "He has no problem with it," Trump said of Putin's acceptance of the proposal.
• When asked about Trump's claim Tuesday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov referred reporters to an earlier statement on the matter from Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Reuters reported.
• Lavrov told reporters last week that the deployment of peacekeeping troops from NATO countries would be unacceptable to Russia, and would be perceived as a "direct threat" to Russian sovereignty.
• Citing Lavrov's previous comment on the issue, Peskov said he had "nothing to add" on the matter, per Reuters.

Zoom out: U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sparked controversy earlier this month by ruling out the possibility of a U.S.-led peacekeeping mission for Ukraine and throwing cold water on the prospect of Ukraine's NATO ascension.

• Instead, the Trump administration has pressed Ukraine to sign a minerals deal in a purported effort to secure a return on the U.S.'s wartime aid to in Ukraine.
• In an interview Monday, Putin said he would be willing to allow the U.S. access to the rare earth minerals in Russian-occupied Ukraine.

Go deeper:

• What to know about Ukraine's rare earth minerals, which the U.S. wants
• Mapped: Control in Ukraine three years on from Russia's invasion

French far-right leader Jordan Bardella canceled planned remarks at CPAC Friday, after ex-Trump adviser Steve Bannon made a "gesture referring to Nazi ideology," according to a statement to French news agency Agence France-Presse.

Why it matters: Bardella's change of plans is the strongest rebuke yet of Bannon, who, during his remarks at the annual conservative conference made a gesture that appeared to mimic a Hitlergruß, or Nazi salute.

• "This is a lie … It's a wave … I acknowledged a crowd after the best speech @ CPAC," Bannon told Axios.
• Bannon added that he sees Bardella as "gutless ... not tough enough to be a leader of France — he's a spokesmodel."
• A CPAC representative did not respond to a request for comment Friday.

Driving the news: "At this forum, (Thursday), while I was not present in the room, one of the speakers allowed himself, out of provocation, a gesture referring to Nazi ideology," Bardella said in a statement to AFP.

• "As a result, I have taken the immediate decision to cancel my speech scheduled for this afternoon at the event."

The big picture: The Bannon incident comes about a month after Trump-ally Elon Musk also made a hand gesture that drew comparisons to a Nazi salute.

• Despite blowback, Musk dismissed the criticisms, writing on X: "Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. The 'everyone is Hitler' attack is sooo tired."

Go deeper: ADL condemns Musk's Nazi "jokes" after salute controversy

Axios' Alex Isenstadt contributed reporting.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Thursday that she will propose constitutional reforms to crack down on foreigners involved in gun smuggling in the country.

Why it matters: The move came after the U.S. State Department formally announced it has designated eight drug cartels — including six in Mexico — as global terrorist organizations that pose a threat to national security.

• The designations prompted worries in Mexico about the U.S. military crossing the border to target the cartels, AP reported.
• Trump allies prior to his inauguration reportedly discussed a "soft invasion" of Mexico to target cartels with cross-border special forces operations or drone strikes.

Driving the news: Sheinbaum said at a press conference Thursday that the proposed reforms would shore up Mexico's sovereignty by ensuring foreign agents can't operate in Mexico without the permission and collaboration of the Mexican government, per AP.

• The reforms would also include calling for the highest penalties to be applied to foreigners who are found guilty of smuggling and distributing guns.

Zoom out: The U.S. is a major conduit for the flow of weapons into Mexico each year, helping fuel gun violence in the country.

• Earlier this month, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) introduced legislation aimed at curbing the supply of guns from the U.S. to Mexico.
• Roughly 200,000 to 500,000 American-made guns are trafficked into Mexico each year, primarily from sources like unlicensed gun dealers and straw purchasers, they said.

Reality check: Updating the country's constitution is just a first step in a long road towards prosecuting offenders of gun smuggling.

• The Mexican justice system has a large case backlog that can lead to delays in prosecutions. Statistics show that only about 40% of incarcerated people in Mexico have actually been convicted of a crime.

Go deeper: Who are the Latin American cartels the U.S. labeled as terrorist organizations

Mexico is threatening to sue Google over the tech giant's use of President Trump's "Gulf of America" (renamed from Gulf of Mexico) label on its maps.

Why it matters: It's the latest fallout over Trump's executive order to rename the body of water.

Driving the news: During a press conference Monday, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum argued that Google's decision to change its map labels was "incorrect" because Trump's order only applied to the U.S.' continental shelf in the Gulf, CNN reported.

• "What Google is doing here is changing the name of the continental shelf of Mexico and Cuba, which has nothing to do with Trump's decree...We do not agree with this," she said.
• Mexico's foreign minister had sent Google a new letter regarding the issue.
• "We will wait for Google's response and if not, we will proceed to court," Sheinbaum added, per AP.

Google did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment on Tuesday.

The big picture: Google began rolling out updated map labels last week to reflect the name change in official government sources.

• Google Maps users in the U.S. will see "Gulf of America" over the body of water but people in Mexico will continue to see "Gulf of Mexico" on their maps.
• Everywhere else around the world, users will see both names, denoted as "Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America)."

Reality check: The U.S. does not exclusively control the body of water and doesn't have full say over what it's officially named.

• The U.S. has jurisdiction over roughly 46% of the Gulf, while Mexico controls 49% and Cuba 5%, per AP.

Go deeper: Mexican president says U.S. should be called "América Mexicana" in Trump clapback

Already engulfed in a political firestorm, New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) appeared on "Fox & Friends" alongside Trump administration border czar Tom Homan Friday morning.

Why it matters: Adams, who is facing calls for his removal from his fellow Democrats after receiving a legal lifeline from Trump's Department of Justice, publicly solidified his alignment with the new administration and pledged collaboration on its immigration crackdown.

Driving the news: Appearing together on "Fox & Friends" Friday, Adams and Homan touted their partnership.

• Adams said the executive order would work toward "getting dangerous people off our streets."
• The appearance followed an announcement from Adams Thursday that he had met with Homan and was working on implementing an executive order that would allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents (ICE) to operate at Rikers Island jail.
• Adams said in an X post that the shift would allow ICE to assist in criminal investigations, particularly "those focused on violent criminals and gangs."

The big picture: Their joint appearance comes just a day after federal prosecutors resigned from their positions after refusing an order from the Department of Justice to drop charges against Adams.

• Adams was indicted last year on charges of bribery and fraud following a federal investigation into allegations that his campaign had illegally conspired with wealthy foreign businesspeople and Turkish officials to collect donations.
• Adams' collaboration with Homan is also a litmus test for Adams' relationship with the Trump administration, after it ordered the case against him dropped, the New York Times noted.

The big picture: Adams has faced mounting pressure to resign for months.

• New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) did not rule out the possibility of removing Adams from his post during an appearance on MSNBC Thursday.
• Asked about the possibility of removal, Adams told "Fox and Friends" that Hochul "has her role, I have my role."

Go deeper: 3 federal prosecutors resign after DOJ order to drop NYC mayor's case

Elon Musk and the State Department pushed back on reports Thursday that the agency was slated to purchase $400 million worth of armored Tesla Cybertrucks.

Why it matters: Musk, arguably the most powerful bureaucrat in the Trump administration, has faced mounting questions about his potential conflicts of interest while working inside the government.

• As the head of the Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE), Musk is leading the Trump administration's efforts to radically reshape the federal government.
• At the same time, Musk's companies — like SpaceX, Tesla and Neuralink — receive lucrative government contracts.

Driving the news: Musk took to X early Thursday morning to refute the alleged contract, responding to a user who had posted about it.

• "I'm pretty sure Tesla isn't getting $400M. No one mentioned it to me, at least," he wrote.
• A State Department official also denied the reports to Axios, saying that "no government contract has been awarded to Tesla or any other vehicle manufacturer to produce armored electric vehicles for the Department of State."

Zoom in: The Biden administration had explored interest from private companies to produce armored electric vehicles, but the plan never reached the stage of an official solicitation, the official said.

• "The solicitation is on hold and there are no current plans to issue it," the official added.

State of play: The State Department's 2025 procurement forecast states that the administration is set to purchase $400 million worth of "armored electric vehicles."

• The entry on the procurement forecast — which was initially published last December, before Trump took office — shows that it was edited Wednesday evening.
• Yet a previous version of the forecast viewed by Axios showed an entry for the same amount listed as "Armored Tesla (Production Units)." The description appeared to point toward Tesla's steel-covered Cybertrucks.
• Tesla did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.

The big picture: Musk, the world's richest man, is a bonafide Republican megadonor and gave at least $288 million to help elect Trump and other GOP candidates in the 2024 election.

• Musk waved off questions about his potential conflicts of interest during a Tuesday press conference with Trump, touting the transparency of his actions heading up DOGE.

Go deeper: The elusive link between Elon's politics and Tesla sales

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional context.

Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), the top Democrat on the House's DOGE subcommittee, called on Elon Musk to testify before the body during its first meeting Wednesday.

Why it matters: Stansbury delivered a blistering criticism of the new Department of Government Efficiency, accusing President Trump and DOGE head Musk of wielding the new department to break the law.

Driving the news: Stansbury said during the hearing she supported the goal of ensuring the government works better and more efficiently for Americans, but said lawmakers "can't just sit here today and pretend like everything is normal."

• "While we're sitting here, Donald Trump and Elon Musk are recklessly and illegally dismantling the federal government," Stansbury said.
• She went on to accuse Republicans of shielding Musk and Trump as they break the law and took aim at Vice President JD Vance for purportedly undermining the judiciary.

State of play: If Musk is as committed to transparency as he claims to be, he should testify before the subcommittee, Stansbury said.

• "Come and testify in front of the American people under oath, because we want to know what you're up to," she said.

The big picture: The DOGE Subcommittee on Oversight is the congressional arm of the new department, and Stansbury had previously vowed to use her position on the committee to fight back against the dismantling of federal agencies.

• In the first weeks of the new Trump administration, DOGE has swept through federal agencies, gutting programs and career civil servants in the name of cost cutting.
• In the line of fire have been U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), among others.
• DOGE's activities have sparked lawsuits from labor unions seeking to hem in DOGE's access to confidential data.

Go deeper: What to know about Elon Musk's DOGE

Eight of the federal agency watchdogs abruptly fired by President Trump last month filed a lawsuit Wednesday challenging their terminations.

Why it matters: The group of inspectors general argue that their firings violated federal law and that they should be reinstated to their posts.

• The lawsuit, filed in federal district court in Washington, D.C., joins a tsunami of other legal challenges that hope to stop Trump's bid to radically reshape the federal government.
• Trump fired at least 17 inspectors general just days into his second term.

Driving the news: The lawsuit was brought by the former inspectors general of the Departments of Defense, Labor, Veterans Affairs, Health and Human Services, Education, State, and Agriculture, as well as the Small Business Administration.

• The plaintiffs argued that their terminations violated federal statutes meant to protect them from interference in carrying out their "critical, non-partisan oversight duties."
• This includes a 2022 law stipulating that the president must notify Congress at least 30 days before firing an inspector general and provide "substantive, case-specific rationale" for the decision.

The big picture: Calling their firings "unlawful and unjustified," the lawsuit noted that the Trump administration revoked the inspectors general's access to their government-issued phones, email accounts and computer systems, and even "physically disabled" them from entering the buildings where they worked.

• The lawsuit calls on the court to declare their firings "legally ineffective" and allow them to remain the inspectors general of their respective agency "unless and until" Trump removes them in a way that complies with federal law.

Between the lines: Inspectors general are tasked with identifying fraud, waste and corruption and are intended to be "non-partisan officials."

• The lawsuit disavowed Trump's claim that such firings are "common," instead noting that "since 1980, there has been a bipartisan consensus that it is improper for a new presidential administration to remove IGs en masse."

Editor's note: This story has been updated with new information throughout.

Alexander Vinnik, the Russian co-founder of a bitcoin exchange, was handed over to Russian authorities in Moscow on Thursday after being repatriated as part of a prisoner swap that freed American teacher Marc Fogel, a U.S. official told Axios.

Why it matters: President Trump has hailed the exchange as a "fair deal" after panning past prisoner exchanges with Russia as imbalanced or otherwise poorly negotiated.

The latest: The Trump administration released Vinnik as part of the exchange for Fogel, two U.S. officials said Wednesday.

• Vinnik, the co-founder of the bitcoin exchange BTC-e, pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to commit money laundering and was due to be sentenced this coming June.
• Vinnik had been in U.S. custody in California.

Driving the news: Earlier Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to identify the Russian prisoner by name at a press briefing, though he confirmed a swap would occur, Russian state news agency TASS reported.

• The swap's order of events varies from typical prisoner exchanges, in which prisoners are released simultaneously, with their identities revealed at the same time, AP reported.

State of play: Fogel, 63, is from the Pittsburgh area and was a teacher at the Anglo-American School of Moscow.

• He was arrested in 2021 while he tried to enter Russia with a small amount of medical marijuana in his luggage. He was sentenced to 14 years in prison.
• Fogel arrived back in the U.S. Tuesday night.

Zoom out: Trump has been critical of prisoner exchanges in the past.

• After the Biden administration freed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich as part of a historic prisoner exchange with Russia last year, Trump took to Truth Social to question the terms of the deal.
• "Are we releasing murderers, killers, or thugs? Just curious because we never make good deals," Trump wrote, adding that offering other countries something in exchange set a "bad precedent."
• He was also sharply critical of the Biden administration's prisoner swap for WNBA star Brittney Griner, which saw Russia receive a notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout in exchange.

Flashback: While Trump did manage to secure the release of some American detainees without an exchange during his first term, he also presided over at least four prisoner swaps, CNN reported.

Barak Ravid contributed reporting.

Go deeper: American teacher back in U.S. after Russia releases him from detention

Editor's note: This story has been updated throughout with new information.

Pope Francis denounced the Trump administration's plan to carry out mass deportations of migrants in a letter to U.S. bishops Tuesday, while appearing to take a direct jab at Vice President JD Vance.

Why it matters: Vance — a devout Catholic — has invoked Catholic theology to justify the Trump administration's aggressive immigration enforcement strategy.

Driving the news: Pope Francis wrote in the letter that he has been following the "major crisis" in the U.S. concerning the mass deportations program.

• While the pope acknowledged countries have the right to defend themselves and keep their communities safe, he urged all his followers "not to give in to narratives that discriminate" against migrants and refugees.
• "The act of deporting people who in many cases have left their own land for reasons of extreme poverty, insecurity, exploitation, persecution or serious deterioration of the environment, damages the dignity of many men and women, and of entire families, and places them in a state of particular vulnerability and defenselessness," he wrote.
• The pope also drew a distinction between legal regulation of immigration and wholesale deportation. "What is built on the basis of force, and not on the truth about the equal dignity of every human being, begins badly and will end badly," he wrote.

The big picture: The Trump administration has already taken a number of steps to curb immigration.

• These include reinstating the "Remain in Mexico" policy for asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border, aiming to end "birthright citizenship" for children born to undocumented immigrants, and allowing federal officials to arrest undocumented immigrants in "sensitive" spaces, like churches.

Zoom in: Vance recently defended the administration's actions by invoking on X the Catholic theological concept of "ordo amoris."

• Translated from Latin, "ordo amoris" means "order of love" or "order of charity," AP reported.
• Vance argued that the concept denotes a hierarchy of obligation — that one's responsibility to one's family is greater than the obligation to a "stranger who lives thousands of miles away."
• "You love your family, and then you love your neighbor, and then you love your community, and then you love your fellow citizens in your own country. And then after that, you can focus and prioritize the rest of the world," Vance posted, per AP.
• Other Catholic figures, like Jesuit priest James Martin, pushed back on Vance's interpretation. "Jesus's fundamental message is that *everyone* is your neighbor," Martin wrote on X last month.

Pope Francis weighed in on the concept in his Tuesday letter.

• "Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extend to other persons and groups," Francis wrote.
• "The true ordo amoris that must be promoted is that which we discover by meditating ... on the love that builds a fraternity open to all, without exception," he added.
• A spokesperson for the Vice President did not immediately respond Tuesday to Axios' request for comment on the Pope's letter.

Trump's "border czar" Tom Homan hit back at the pope Tuesday, telling reporters that Francis "ought to fix the Catholic Church and concentrate on his work and leave border enforcement to us," The Hill reported.

Zoom out: It's not the the first time Christian groups have rebuked the administration over its immigration policies.

• A group of Quaker congregations filed a lawsuit against the administration in January over its policy to allow arrests at houses of worship and other sensitive spaces.
• After Trump first took office, Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde implored him to "have mercy" for undocumented immigrants and LGBTQ+ people.

Go deeper: Trump's immigration orders rebuked by Christian leaders

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee launched an inquiry Friday into the Trump administration's dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Why it matters: The speed at which USAID, the U.S. government's lead humanitarian aid arm, has been gutted has stunned U.S. allies and humanitarian groups around the world.

• The teardown of USAID, coupled with the administration's freeze on foreign aid, is posed to endanger millions of lives around the world and diminish U.S. influence.

Driving the news: Ranking member Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) and committee member Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.) on Friday outlined the scope and goals of the probe in a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio — the new acting administrator of USAID.

• The letter accused the Trump administration of engaging in an "opaque and Orwellian effort to dismantle" USAID, noting the illegitimacy of eliminating the agency without Congressional authorization.
• It also urged the administration to reverse course on its foreign aid freeze and to "restore the functions, leadership, and employees of USAID."

Zoom in: The letter requested that Rubio provide documented answers by Feb. 20 to a series of questions about Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency's activities and the aid freeze.

• This would include a "comprehensive explanation of the legal authorities" used by Musk and the DOGE team to dismantle USAID, as well as details about Musk and DOGE staffers' "federal employment status."
• It also requested further details about the exemptions carved out of the foreign aid freeze, the criteria being used to determine which programs should be eliminated, and how the freeze has impacted different foreign aid programs.

The big picture: Both President Trump and Musk have railed against USAID, which has been targeted by Musk's DOGE, which is not an official government entity but has rushed through the federal bureaucracy looking for spending cuts.

• Republicans have sought to portray USAID as overly-aligned with liberal values and ideologies.
• Earlier this week it was announced that all direct hires at the agency, abroad and at home, would be placed on administrative leave by the end of Friday.
• The Trump administration intends to only keep a few hundred employees on at the agency, a vast reduction from the more than 10,000 it previously employed, Reuters reported.

Go deeper:

• What to know about USAID, the federal agency DOGE wants to dismantle
• Where USAID funds are disbursed around the world
• What to know about Trump's freeze on foreign aid

The majority of Americans hold favorable views of the federal agencies that the Trump administration and its Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have begun overhauling, a new Economist/YouGov poll found.

Why it matters: President Trump has moved to swiftly gut critical agencies in order to reshape the federal workforce and cut costs from foundational portions of the federal government.

Driving the news: While the Trump administration has targeted the National Weather Service's (NWS) parent agency, the NWS had the highest approval rating among the agencies respondents were surveyed about (76%).

• Elon Musk's DOGE has set its sights on remaking the U.S.' air traffic control system, but most Americans favorably view the Federal Aviation Administration (62%) and Transportation Security Administration (59%).
• While disaster relief has become increasingly politicized, 55% of Americans said they favorably view the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
• As Trump has sought to purge the FBI of agents who investigated Jan. 6 cases, 57% of Americans said they view the bureau favorably.

Zoom in: While the new administration could radically reshape food and vaccine safety, most Americans say they approve of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (63%) and Food and Drug Administration (61%).

State of play: Trump's overhaul of the federal bureaucracy has been wide-reaching and shows no signs of slowing down.

• Most staffers at the U.S. Agency for International Development, the government's lead humanitarian aid arm, will be put on leave by the end of this week.
• The government's targeting of the Labor Department has sparked a lawsuit from labor groups concerned about DOGE's access to confidential data.
• The CIA this week offered "buyouts" to its workforce.
• Trump also fired at least 17 independent agency watchdogs, with the Transportation Department among the agencies impacted.

Methodology: This Economist/YouGov poll was conducted Feb. 2-4, 2025 among 1,604 U.S. adults. The margin of error is ± 3.2%.

Go deeper: Trump's gut-it-all plan for D.C.'s "Deep State"

The Trump administration's widely criticized overhaul of the U.S. government's lead humanitarian aid agency has drawn some international praise — from Russia and Iran.

Why it matters: Dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and freezing foreign aid will endanger millions of lives around the world and diminish U.S. influence.

Driving the news: Iran's government has seemingly welcomed the agency's overhaul and freezing U.S. foreign aid, with state media reports suggesting the moves will cut off support pro-democracy activists, AP reported.

• Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev praised Elon Musk — Trump's righthand man who has led the charge against USAID — for "trying to plug USAID's Deep Throat."
• Russian ultra-nationalist Alexander Dugin praised the USAID's takedown as a "critical blow to globalism" in the right-wing outlet Arktos.
• USAID was "aimed at the worldwide imposition of liberal democracy, market economics, and human rights, while dismantling sovereign states and overthrowing regimes capable of resisting this on a global scale," he added.

The big picture: USAID — the world's single largest humanitarian donor —has historically administered programs that fight disease outbreaks, reduce poverty and provide relief to people impacted by conflicts and natural disasters.

• Since Trump returned to the White House, the agency was thrown into disarray after a funding freeze on foreign aid ground much of the humanitarian sector to a halt.
• Trump, meanwhile, railed against USAID, saying the agency was run by "radical lunatics."
• On Tuesday night it was announced that all direct hires at the agency, abroad and at home, would be placed on administrative leave by the end of Friday.

Go deeper:

• What to know about USAID, the federal agency DOGE wants to dismantle
• Where USAID funds are disbursed around the world
• What to know about Trump's freeze on foreign aid