President Trump and his allies are blaming diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives for contributing to the tragic plane crash outside of D.C. Wednesday night, without providing any evidence of a link between the two.

Why it matters: Trump repeatedly cited DEI policies, a favorite boogeyman, at the Federal Aviation Administration as having some role in the plane collision during White House remarks. He also blamed Democrats who advanced inclusive workplace policies.

• While the cause of the crash isn't yet known, Trump implicitly equated racial, gender and other forms of diversity with a lower-quality federal workforce.
• Officials said Thursday that there hadn't been anything unusual about the flight paths for either aircraft leading up to the collision, nor had there been a breakdown in communications.
• Asked Thursday if he was getting ahead of the official investigation by blaming DEI initiatives, Trump disagreed, even while acknowledging it was still unclear what caused the collision.

Reality check: Aviation experts have focused on a shortage of air traffic controllers, rather than any DEI initiatives, as a safety concern.

• There are simply not enough people at present, of any identity, making it through the long, arduous qualification process.

State of play: Other Trump administration officials echoed the president's sentiments about the connection between DEI and the quality of the federal workforce.

• "We can only accept the best and the brightest in positions of safety that impact the lives of our loved ones, our family members," Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said at the press conference after Trump spoke.
• Duffy also promised reforms after Trump's comments. "We are going to take responsibility at the Department of Transportation and the FAA to make sure we have the reforms that have been dictated by President Trump in place to make sure that these mistakes do not happen again and again."
• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth struck a similar note at the briefing. "The era of DEI is gone at the Defense Department and we need the best and brightest — whether it's in our air traffic control or whether it's in our generals, or whether it's throughout government," he said.
• Vice President JD Vance claimed that over the past decade, hundreds of people had sued the government because they wanted to be air traffic controllers but had been "turned away because of the color of their skin."
• "That policy ends under Donald Trump's leadership, because safety is the first priority of our aviation industry," Vance added.

Elon Musk, one of Trump's most powerful supporters, has long had a combative relationship with the FAA and has previously blamed DEI efforts for making air travel less safe.

• Trump also announced Thursday that he was appointing a new acting administrator of the FAA. Former FAA administrator Michael Whitaker stepped down earlier this month after Musk pressured him to resign.

Zoom in: Trump claimed the FAA's DEI policies had included "hiring people with severe intellectual and psychiatric disabilities."

• People with such severe disabilities — including missing extremities, hearing and vision loss, and dwarfism — all qualified for air traffic controller positions under the DEI policies, Trump added.
• Trump did not offer specific examples of when such hires had occurred. The FAA did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.
• After slamming groups that had previously determined the FAA as being "too white," Trump added: "We want the people who are competent."

Driving the news: Trump wasted little time blaming former Presidents Obama and Biden for allegedly lowering safety standards at the Federal Aviation Administration at a press conference Thursday.

• He also railed against former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, saying the former Biden administration official had run the FAA "right into the ground with his diversity" initiatives.
• Buttigieg hit back at Trump's accusations in an X post, calling them "despicable" and noting that one of Trump's first acts in office was to "fire and suspend some of the key personnel who helped keep our skies safe."

The big picture: American Eagle Flight 5342 was en route from Wichita, Kansas to Washington, D.C. when it collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter late Wednesday.

• The passenger jet was carrying 64 people on board while the helicopter was carrying three soldiers.

Go deeper:

• D.C. plane crash: What we know about the collision as all passengers feared dead
• Trump touts national unity over air disaster before bashing Biden and Obama

No survivors are expected after an American Airlines passenger flight collided midair with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter late Wednesday night near Washington D.C.'s Reagan National Airport.

The big picture: While the cause of the crash remains unknown, details are slowly emerging about the victims aboard the aircrafts.

• American Eagle Flight No. 5342 had 64 people on board while the helicopter was carrying three soldiers.

State of play: The flight was en route from Wichita, Kansas to Washington, D.C. when it collided with the helicopter.

• Officials said Thursday that there had been nothing unusual about the flight paths for each aircraft leading up to the collision, nor was there a breakdown in communications.
• The American Airlines flight attendants were based out of Charlotte, an Association of Flight Attendants spokesperson confirmed to Axios.
• The Communication Workers of America, a labor union, said two members of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA were on the plane. They did not immediately name them.

Zoom in: Doug Zeghibe, the CEO of the Skating Club of Boston, confirmed at a briefing Thursday that "to the best of their knowledge" 14 skaters were on board the flight, returning home from a development camp put on in Wichita by U.S. Figure Skating.

• Of those, six people were affiliated with the club, including two coaches, two teenage athletes and two parents, Zeghibe said.
• Two Chinese citizens were also on board, China's state media reported the country's embassy in D.C. as saying.
• Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed on Telegram that Russian figure skaters and other citizens were on board. Russian state news agency TASS reported coaches of Russian origin may have been on board as well.
• United Association, a union representing plumbers and other service technicians, said Thursday that at least five members were on the flight. Four of them were members of Maryland-based Steamfitters United Association Local 602. They were not identified by name.

Here's what we know about the victims so far:

Alexandr "Sasha" Kirsanov

Delaware skating coach Alexandr "Sasha" Kirsanov was "more than just a coach — he was a mentor, a friend, and a light in the skating world," per a Facebook post by the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club confirming its former coach and "two incredible skaters from our rink" were on the plane.

• He is survived by his wife, Natalia Gudin, who also teaches students, and daughter, Nicole.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Skating Lesson (@theskatinglesson)

Angela Yang and Sean Kay

Natalia Gudin confirmed to Delaware Online that the two child skaters were also on the plane.

• "This young team — Sean Kay and Angela Yang — they were so amazing. All the judges were so proud and they had such a big future," Gudin said. "For me, it's a triple [loss]."

Ryan O'Hara

Ryan O'Hara, the crew chief of the helicopter, was remembered by Parkview High School Marine Corps JROTC in Lilburn, metro Atlanta, "as a guy who would fix things around the ROTC gym as well as a vital member of the Rifle Team."

• He leaves behind a wife and 1-year-old son, per a school Facebook post.

Andrew Eaves

Brooksville native Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves was one of three pilots in the Black Hawk, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said on X.

• Eaves was Central Academy graduate who grew up in the Brooksville area, per the Macon Beacon.
• Eaves is remembered as "one of the finest, most disciplined, committed trainers," Josh Muehlendorf, Chief Warrant Officer 5 with the US Army, told CNN in an interview.

Asra Hussain Raza

Asra Hussain Raza was traveling home from a work trip when the crash occurred, according to Indianapolis' WISH-TV.

• The 26-year-old graduate of the University of Indiana and Columbia University had recently moved to D.C. with her husband for a consulting job, per CBS News.

Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov

The two Russian skaters aboard the American Airlines flight were Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, TASS reported.

• The pair were married and former world champions, having won the pair title in 1994. They competed together at the Olympics in 1992 and 1994.
• After marrying in 1995, the pair moved to the U.S. in 1998 to coach at the International Skating Center in Connecticut, per Radio Free Europe.
• The Skating Club of Boston lists both Shishkova and Naumov as coaches.
• Their son, Maxim Naumov, is a skater at the club, but returned home earlier in the week, Zeghibe said.

Jinna Han and Jin Han

Jinna Han was one of the athletes aboard the American Airlines flight, the Boston Skating Club confirmed Thursday.

• Zeghibe described her as a "wonderful kid" and a "great competitor" who was "loved by all."
• Her mother, Jin Han, was accompanying her during her time at the development camp and was also killed in the crash.

Spencer Lane and Christine Lane

Spencer Lane was another skater from the Boston Skating Club who died in the crash.

• Lane was a "highly talented" skater "rocketing to the top of the sport," Zeghibe said.
• His mother, Christine Lane, was also among the victims.

Inna Volyanskaya

Virginia Rep. Suhas Subramanyam confirmed on X Thursday that one of his constituents, Inna Volyanskaya, was aboard the American Airlines flight.

• Volyanskaya was a coach at the Washington Figure Skating Club, which said in a statement Thursday that it was "devastated" to hear of the crash but did not confirm details about any potential victims.
• Inna Volyanskaya was a former professional skater who had competed for the Soviet Union, Russian state news agency TASS reported.

Everly and Alydia Livingston

• A pair of sisters, 14-year-old Everly Livingston and 11-year-old Alydia Livingston were among the victims, People reported.
• They were members of the Washington Figure Skating Club and had over 14,000 followers on their Instagram account where they shared their love for skating.

Sam Lilley

One of the American Eagle flight pilots was 28-year-old Sam Lilley, who started started his pilot training in 2019, his father told FOX 5 Atlanta.

• "He was engaged to get married in the fall," Timothy Lilley said of his son in a Facebook post. "Sam was the First Officer on the flight that crashed in DC last night. It is so devastating to lose someone that is loved so much."

Ian Epstein

• Ian Epstein was one of the American Airlines crew members who died, his family said on Facebook.
• The identities of the other crew members are still unknown.

Michael Stovall and Jesse Pitcher

• Michael Stovall, 40, and Jesse Pitcher, 30 were on a hunting trip with their friends in Kansas, the New York Times reported. Stovall was a steamfitter and Pitcher owned a plumbing business.
• "He said he'd see me when he got back," Pitcher's father, Jameson Pitcher, told the NYT.

Go deeper: D.C. plane crash: What we know about the collision as all passengers feared dead

Editor's note: This story will be updated with additional information as it is available. Axios' April Rubin contributed reporting.

Authorities have said there are likely no survivors from a tragic plane crash near Reagan National Airport outside D.C., late Wednesday night.

The big picture: An American Airlines passenger jet with 64 people on board collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter carrying three soldiers, sending both aircraft plunging into the Potomac River.

• John Donnelly, chief of D.C. Fire and EMS, told reporters Thursday: "We are now at a point where we are switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation" as they believed there are no survivors.

Go deeper: Here's what we know about the victims.

• The airport resumed flight operations at 11am ET, but dozens of flights were delayed or canceled. Passengers were advised to check with their airlines for specific flight information.

The latest: The National Transportation Safety Board issued a media statement Thursday evening, saying: "NTSB investigators recovered the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder from the Bombardier CRJ700 airplane involved in yesterday's mid-air collision at DCA. The recorders are at the NTSB labs for evaluation."

Situation report: The NTSB intends to have a preliminary report on the crash within 30 days, board member Todd Inman said during a briefing Thursday afternoon.

• "We do not know enough facts to be able to rule in or out human factor, mechanical factors," Inman said.
• President Trump delivered remarks from the White House earlier Thursday afternoon, briefly calling for national unity before attacking his Democratic predecessors.

Zoom in: He later signed a memorandum in keeping with an earlier one ordering the Transportation secretary and FAA administrator "to review all hiring decisions and changes to safety protocols" made during the previous four years.

• It also directs them "to take such corrective action as necessary to achieve uncompromised aviation safety, including the replacement of any individuals who do not meet qualification standards," Trump added in the memo.
• "This review shall include a systematic assessment of any deterioration in hiring standards and aviation safety standards and protocols during the Biden Administration."

Catch up quick: Remnants of the two aircrafts have been discovered, including the fuselage of the American Airlines plane, which was found in three sections in "waist-deep" water, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said at a press briefing Thursday morning.

• Frantic rescue operations along the frigid river began soon after the crash at around 9pm ET. Around 300 people were involved in those efforts, Donnelly said.

Speculation mounts on "absolute tragedy"

"Everything was standard in the lead-up to the crash," Duffy said, while declining to speculate about where things went so tragically wrong.

• Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth said in a video statement Thursday that the Army unit involved in the collision, the 12th Aviation Battalion, had been placed on a 48-hour operational pause while the incident is reviewed.
• President Trump's Army Sec. nominee Dan Driscoll called the incident an "absolute tragedy" during a hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services. He added: "I think we might need to look at where is an appropriate time to take training risk, and it may not be near an airport like Reagan."

How the crash happened

American Eagle Flight 5342 traveling from Wichita was approaching DCA, sometimes described as having "America's busiest runway."

• Visibility was good at the time of the crash, with winds blowing out of the northwest. An advisory for high winds had expired earlier in the evening.
• Both the jet and the helicopter were following "standard flight patterns," Duffy told reporters.
• Hegseth noted that the helicopter had been manned by a "fairly experienced crew" that was appropriately equipped with night vision goggles.

The U.S. Army UH-60 helicopter was on a training exercise out of Fort Belvoir, Virginia, a Pentagon spokesperson said.

• The helicopter was told to maintain visual separation with the plane — essentially, "see and avoid," Axios aviation expert Alex Fitzpatrick notes. That's not an unusual procedure, despite a Truth Social post from Trump questioning why the control tower hadn't given more direct instructions.
• It's also not unusual to see Black Hawks flying low along the Potomac. This is some of America's busiest airspace due to the presence of both military and commercial aircraft.

What remains unclear is why the military aircraft did not divert from its path and collided with the jet as it made its final descent.

• "Do I think this was preventable? Absolutely," Duffy said, without offering specifics.

Who was on board

U.S. Figure Skating confirmed "several" of its members were on board, as well as family members of some athletes returning from a development camp in Wichita. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed on Telegram that Russian figure skaters and other citizens were on board.

• The plane was carrying 60 passengers and four crew, while the Black Hawk was carrying three soldiers.

Recovery operations continue

Recovery efforts are ongoing in and around the Potomac. Based on an initial count, around 30 people had yet to be recovered as of Thursday morning.

• Dive teams scoured the site as helicopters from law enforcement agencies across the region flew over the scene in a methodical search for bodies, AP reports.

Deadly plane crashes in the U.S.

Fatal crashes of commercial aircraft in the U.S. have become a rarity.

• The last was in 2009 near Buffalo, N.Y. All 49 passengers and crew above Colgan Air Flight 3407 were killed when the Bombardier DHC-8 propeller plane crashed into a house. A person on the ground also was killed.
• Other than the Pentagon attack on 9/11, last night's collision is the worst air tragedy in the D.C. area since the Air Florida Flight 90 crash on Jan. 13, 1982, which killed 78 when it hit the 14th Street Bridge and crashed into the Potomac.

This story has been updated throughout and will continue to be updated as new information comes in.

An American Airlines regional passenger jet carrying 64 people collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter in midair near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, on Wednesday night, officials said, citing preliminary reports.

The latest: Emergency respondents were now "switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation," D.C. Fire and EMS Department chief John Donnelly said at a press briefing Thursday morning.

• "At this point, we don't believe there are any survivors from this accident, and we have recovered 27 people from the plane and one from the helicopter," Donnelly added.
• Remnants of the two aircrafts have been discovered, including the fuselage of the American Airlines plane, which was found in three sections, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said at a press briefing Thursday morning.

State of play: Duffy added that the U.S. still "absolutely" had the safest airspace in the world.

• The cause of the crash is still under investigation. "Something went wrong here," Duffy acknowledged, though he stressed that both aircrafts' flight paths in the lead up to the collision were standard for the D.C. airspace and that there hadn't been a communication breakdown.
• A little over 14 hours after the collision, the airport can "safely" reopen at 11am, said Jack Potter, head of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.

The big picture: The American Eagle Flight 5342 was en route from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington, D.C., with 60 passengers and four crew members on board, per a statement on American Airlines' website about the incident involving its subsidiary airline.

• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared a statement on X just after midnight Thursday from a Defense Department spokesperson saying the U.S. Army UH-60 helicopter was on a training exercise out of Fort Belvoir, Virginia, when the incident happened.

Zoom in: The collision prompted a ground stop and Reagan Washington National Airport said on X all takeoffs and landings had been "halted at DCA."

• A figure skating group said on X that skaters, coaches and their families were on the flight following the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed on Telegram that Russian figure skaters and other citizens were on board.

What they're saying: President Trump thanked first responders in an emailed statement late Wednesday and said that he'd been "fully briefed on the terrible accident," adding: "May God Bless their souls."

• Trump made clear on Truth Social early Thursday that he's seeking answers on how the collision happened, saying: "This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented."

What we're watching: Donnelly said at an early Thursday morning briefing some 300 responders were at the scene, where temperatures were expected to be below freezing overnight.

• Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said on X her department was "deploying every available" U.S. Coast Guard resource for search and rescue efforts.
• The Federal Aviation Administration said it would investigate the incident alongside the National Transportation Safety Board, with the latter leading the probe.

Background: Reagan Washington National Airport is owned by the federal government and operated by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which serves the D.C. metropolitan area.

• It's an American Airlines hub that provides nonstop flights to 102 domestic destinations and six international destinations, per the airport's website.

Flashback: Wednesday's collision is the worst air tragedy in the D.C. area since the Air Florida Flight 90 crash on Jan. 13, 1982.

• The plane crashed into the 14th Street Bridge after take off from Reagan Washington National Airport, killing 70 passengers, four crew members and four people in vehicles on the bridge over the Potomac River.

Go deeper: In photos: Crews search Potomac River after air crash near Reagan airport

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt took on a combative tone with the media at her first press briefing Tuesday, vowing to hold them accountable for telling the truth.

Why it matters: Tuesday's press briefing offered the first glimpse of how the new Trump administration plans to shape its relationship to the media as it presses forward with revamping the federal government.

The big picture: Leavitt said the new Trump White House would prioritize nontraditional media outlets in the media briefing room.

• These "new media" outlets — like podcasters, independent journalists and social media influencers — will now be able to apply for White House press credentials.
• Leavitt also lauded the changes as in line with the Trump administration's openness, calling Trump the "most transparent and accessible president in American history."

Between the lines: Leavitt's tone echoed Trump's longtime hostility towards many legacy media outlets.

• "We know for a fact that there have been lies that have been pushed by many legacy media outlets about this president," Leavitt said.
• Instead, Leavitt committed to "telling the truth from this podium every single day," and said the White House would "call out" media outlets for pushing any perceived misinformation.

Go deeper: Trump ramps up legal threats against news outlets

Southern California continues to reel from the devastating wildfires that ripped through Los Angeles County earlier this month, prompting questions about whether it will be ready to host the 2028 Olympics as planned.

Why it matters: It could take several years for the Los Angeles area to recover from the blazes, creating a potential clash of timing and resources needed to prepare for the Games.

State of play: Organizers of the L.A. Games have pitched the Games as a "no build" feat, instead taking advantage of existing venues across the city, and some temporary builds.

• While none of the recent wildfires damaged the existing venues, some were in areas where the flames drew near.

Zoom in: The Palisades Fire, the largest blaze, ripped through much of the Pacific Palisades area between Malibu and Santa Monica, where the 2028 Games are slated to host golfing. The Riviera Country Club where golf events will be held was evacuated due to the fire.

• The UCLA campus, set to become the Olympic Village, was just outside the Palisades Fire's evacuation and warning zones.
• The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, near the site of the Eaton Fire and within the fire's evacuation zone, is set to receive an up to $85 million renovation ahead of hosting soccer events at the 2028 Games.
• The fires also damaged L.A. County's sewer, power and transportation systems throughout the city, as well as public infrastructure like streetlights, all of which will need to be repaired before millions of visitors descend on the city.

Between the lines: Rebuilding entire neighborhoods while preparing to host a 17-day global sporting event that could draw 15 million people to the city and its surrounding area is a tall order.

• But it's still possible for L.A. County to prepare for the Games and simultaneously rebuild, Jadrian Wooten, an associate professor at Virginia Tech who focuses on the economics of sports, told Axios.
• "Most of the heavy organizational work for the Games doesn't kick in until about a year before the event," he added.

However, construction for some of the temporary venues could end up "competing for resources with other folks as you're trying to rebuild damaged area of the cities," Victor Matheson, a College of the Holy Cross professor who specializes in sports economics, told Axios.

• This might not stop the Games from happening, but it could increase the costs of building temporary facilities, Matheson added.

Caveat: The recent wildfires highlighted the intense risk of large-scale urban wildfires, which are becoming all the more frequent due to climate change.

• So even as L.A. rushes to rebuild, if it doesn't take measures to make itself more resilient in the future — like developing urban water systems equipped to fight massive fires and creating buffer zones — it could remain just as vulnerable to future conflagrations.
• While the fires had "a relatively minor impact on the Games" this time around, "that may not necessarily be true in the coming years," Wooten told Axios.

The big picture: The region's officials remain adamant that Los Angeles will be able to accomplish everything in time.

• California Gov. Gavin Newsom told NBC's "Meet the Press" this month that the region would be able to rebuild and prepare to host the Olympics — as well as the 2026 World Cup and the 2027 Super Bowl.
• "There is no reason to believe that the fires will adversely impact or delay preparations for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which are already well underway," Paul Krekorian, executive director of L.A.'s Office of Major Events, said in a statement.
• LA28 did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.

Go deeper:

• How Los Angeles is preparing for the 2028 Olympics
• Scoop: Trump pledges to make L.A. Olympics "the greatest games"

A collection of Quaker groups sued the Trump administration Monday over a policy allowing federal officials to arrest undocumented immigrants in "sensitive" spaces, like houses of worship.

Why it matters: The policy, issued as part of a bevy of measures meant to carry out Trump's long-promised immigration crackdown, reversed a long-standing federal policy against raiding spaces like churches and schools.

• The policy provoked immediate outcry from Christian denominations around the country.

Driving the news: Five Quaker congregations, also known as the Religious Society of Friends, filed the lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security and new DHS Secretary Kristi Noem in federal court in Maryland on Monday.

• The lawsuit argued allowing raids in places of worship violates Quakers' freedom to practice their religion, which they said requires them to welcome everyone.
• "Quaker religious practices depend on communal worship. And Quakers believe that the presence of worshippers from different backgrounds is integral to hearing messages from God," the suit said.
• As such, the policy "substantially burdens" the Quakers' ability to freely exercise their religion in the way intended, interfering with their "ability to hear and receive messages from God," the suit argued.

A DHS spokesperson told Axios the department does not comment on pending litigation.

What they're saying: Skye Perryman, the president and CEO of Democracy Forward, which is representing the Quaker groups in the suit, called out President Trump Monday for violating the plaintiffs' First Amendment rights.

• "A week ago today, President Trump swore an oath to defend the Constitution and yet today religious institutions that have existed since the 1600s in our country are having to go to court to challenge what is a violation of every individual's Constitutional right to worship and associate freely," Perryman said in a statement.

The big picture: The Quakers appear to be the first religious organization to challenge the policy, according to NBC News, which first reported the lawsuit.

Zoom out: Other lawsuits have been brought to slow Trump's immigration crackdown.

• Advocacy groups supporting the sanctuary city movement in Chicago filed a lawsuit against the federal government Sunday over its plans to conduct mass deportation raids in the city, Bloomberg Law reported.

Flashback: The original DHS policy restricting ICE arrests in sensitive areas was issued during the Obama administration, in 2011.

Go deeper:

• Trump's immigration orders rebuked by Christian leaders
• ICE can raid churches and schools to arrest immigrants under new policy

Editor's note: This story has been updated with a statement from Skye Perryman.

President Trump celebrated the start of his administration Thursday while addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, lauding his agenda while taking digs at former President Biden.

Why it matters: Trump vowed this week to usher in a "golden age" in the U.S. and immediately issued a flurry of executive orders reshaping the country's immigration and environmental policies, civil rights protections and federal workforce.

Driving the news: "What the world has witnessed in the past 72 hours is nothing less than a revolution of common sense," Trump told the gathering business leaders and European officials in Davos.

• Recapping his executive orders, Trump claimed his administration had accomplished more in less than four days since taking office than other administrations had done in four years.
• Trump said his administration was tasked with fixing the "disasters" of the Biden administration, adding that his predecessor had "totally lost control of what was going on in our country."

Zoom in: Trump also outlined some of his goals for his term.

• The president said he plans to ask Saudi Arabia and OPEC to "bring down the cost of oil" and that once oil prices begin falling he will "demand that interest rates drop immediately."
• He will also ask all NATO members to raise their defense spending to 5% of their GDP. Just over half of NATO members currently meet the 2% spending target.
• Trump also pledged to lower the corporate tax rate down to 15% — from the current 21% — for companies that "make your product in the U.S."
• Trump also repeated his pledge to soon meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the Russia-Ukraine war.

Go deeper: Tracking Trump's executive orders: What he's signed so far

President Trump on Tuesday revoked a decades-old executive order that strengthened protections against workplace discrimination.

Why it matters: Trump's desire to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in the federal government's employment practices could set the tone for private companies nationwide to do the same.

• Trump's executive order targeting DEI practices undid a whole host of previous orders that sought to prohibit discrimination in the workplace. Among the landmark pieces of legislation were anti-discrimination rules enacted by President Lyndon Johnson in the Civil Rights era.

What is the Equal Employment Opportunity Act?

Signed by Johnson in 1965, Executive Order 11246, mandated government contractors to give equal opportunity to people of color and women in recruitment, hiring, training and other employment practices.

• It prohibited employment discrimination and called on federal contractors to take affirmative action to ensure employees are treated equally, "without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin."
• Johnson signed the act just a year after signing the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
• Congress later expanded on the executive order in the Equal Opportunity Employment Act of 1972, increasing the number of employees covered by the workplace protections and requiring state and local governments to follow the rules outlined.

What does Trump's executive order say?

Trump's expansive executive order states that "Executive Order 11246 of September 24, 1965 ... is hereby revoked."

• The executive order claims that both the private and public sectors "have adopted and actively use dangerous, demeaning, and immoral race- and sex-based preferences," and that these DEI practices "can violate the civil-rights laws of this Nation."
• It noted that federal contractors could continue complying with the act for the next 90 days.

Caveat: Trump's executive order targets the Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), which enforces Executive Order 11246.

• It orders the OFCCP to "immediately cease" promoting diversity, holding federal contractors and subcontractors responsible for affirmative action practices, and "allowing or encouraging" those same entities "to engage in workforce balancing" on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, religion and nation of origin.

What's been the response?

Trump's executive order has already sparked outcry from civil rights leaders and advocacy groups.

• "Diversity, equity, and inclusion are aligned with American values," National Urban League president Marc H. Morial told Axios. "They are about uniting us, not dividing us. Efforts to paint DEI as a preference program are nothing more than campaigns of smear and distortion."
• Judy Conti, government affairs director of the National Employment Law Project, slammed Trump's executive order in a statement Wednesday.
• "This is not a return to so-called 'meritocracy.' Rather, it's an attempted return to the days when people of color, women, and other marginalized people lacked the tools to ensure that they were evaluated on their merits," Conti said.

Go deeper:

• Trump rolls back bedrock civil rights measure in sweeping anti-DEI push
• Trump's diversity rollback sparks civil rights outcry

Editor's note: The story and headline have been corrected to note that Johnson's executive order was revoked by Trump (not the Equal Opportunity Employment Act signed by Congress).

The Trump administration is screening the loyalty of approximately 160 career civil servants assigned to the National Security Council.

Why it matters: The screenings are part of a larger push by President Trump to reshape the federal workforce that includes staffing the administration with loyalists and making it easier to fire civil servants.

State of play: There are approximately 160 civil servants, known as detailees, on the NSC whose employment is being reviewed. These reviews are at "different stages" but nearly all "are being impacted today," a national security source briefed on the matter told Axios Wednesday.

• The sidelined detailees have been told to temporarily work from home as the process continues, per AP, which first reported the story.
• Meanwhile, new detailees, including some that had served during the first Trump administration, are being brought on, per AP.

Catch up quick: Even before President Trump took office, members of his administration began questioning NSC employees about their political affiliations and actions, to suss out their loyalty to Trump, AP reported earlier this month.

• Trump's national security adviser Mike Waltz had told Breitbart News earlier this month that career civil servants detailed to the NSC during the Biden administration would be returned to their home federal agencies and departments.

Between the lines: Compliance with policy goals has also been a high priority for the Trump administration.

• His Justice Department has also ordered federal prosecutors to investigate and potentially bring charges against state and local officials if they refuse to enforce the administration's new immigration policies.

Zoom out: Trump has lost little time in reshaping the federal workforce since his inauguration Monday.

• He swiftly signed executive orders mandating a hiring freeze for federal workers and mandating a full-time return to in-office work for government employees.
• He also reinstated Schedule F, which could make it easier to fire civil servants deemed disloyal.

Go deeper: Tracking Trump's executive orders: What he's signed so far

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

President Trump threatened on Wednesday to levy fresh tariffs on Russia if the Kremlin does not quickly agree to a deal to end its war in Ukraine.

Why it matters: Trump made ending Russia's invasion of Ukraine a key campaign pledge, but its not clear that his new threat will put significant pressure on Russia to change its negotiating posture.

Driving the news: Trump wrote on Truth Social Wednesday that if a deal to end the war is not reached "soon," he would have "no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries."

• Trump said he wasn't "looking to hurt Russia" but that the actions were necessary to end the war.
• "I'm going to do Russia, whose Economy is failing, and President Putin, a very big FAVOR," he added.

Caveat: According to U.S. Census Bureau data, U.S. imports from Russia have fallen precipitously over the past decade.

The big picture: The U.S. has already imposed wide-ranging sanctions on Russian companies, imports, oligarchs and financial institutions during the Biden administration.

• The sanctions weakened Russia's economy but did little to slow its war machine, as Russia sought aid from allies like North Korea and China.

State of play: Trump vowed on the campaign trail to end the war within 24 hours of taking office. That didn't happen. Recent reports have suggested his administration now expects it to take several months to broker a deal.

• Trump was often critical of the Biden administration's support for Ukraine.
• His relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin has drawn scrutiny in the past.
• Nevertheless, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier this month that Trump's "unpredictable" nature could help end the war.

Our thought bubble, from Axios' Ben Berkowitz: A threat to tariff Russian exports, and sanction its companies, has much less practical impact now than it would have in past years, given that Russian trade has dwindled dramatically since the war started.

Go deeper: Trump says he will meet with Putin to discuss end of Russia-Ukraine war

President Trump on Tuesday ordered key federal health agencies to pause all external communications, multiple outlets reported and Axios confirmed.

Why it matters: The health agencies' website updates, advisories, and scientific reports provide the public with critical information on a variety of medical issues, including food recalls, infectious diseases and new drug approvals.

Driving the news: The directive was delivered to officials inside the Department of Health and Human Services' agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), per the Washington Post, which first reported the story.

• The directive did not outline a reason for the pause, how long it is meant to last, or what exactly was covered under it, CNN reported.
• The HHS and NIH did not immediately respond to Axios' requests for comment on Wednesday. The FDA and CDC referred Axios to HHS.

Between the lines: The temporary pause is meant to allow the new administration's team to get settled but will not impact communications related to health emergencies, a source familiar with the matter told Axios.

• While a pause in external communications at the start of a new administration isn't unprecedented, an unnamed source familiar with the directive told CNN that the scope of the order seemed unusual.

Flashback: The first Trump administration in 2017 sent a similar directive pausing external communications to several federal agencies overseeing environmental and scientific policy.

Go deeper: Trump names doctors to head CDC, FDA and for Surgeon General

Editor's note: This story was updated with a comment from an administration official.

President Trump on Monday issued pardons for nearly all of the defendants charged with participating in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot — an unprecedented act of clemency.

Why it matters: In doing so, Trump absolved those who sought to undermine the democratic process. He also dashed a years-long effort by former President Biden's Justice Department to hold accountable those responsible for the deadly violence.

• In addition the roughly 1,500 pardons, Trump also commuted 14 defendants' sentences.

The big picture: Trump himself was indicted after special counsel Jack Smith's investigation into his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election. However, the DOJ case was dismissed after Trump won the 2024 election.

• In his final report, Smith drew a direct line between Trump and the rioters, saying the president had "inspired his supporters to commit acts of physical violence."

Here are the most notorious Jan. 6 defendants impacted by Trump's executive order.

Enrique Tarrio: ex-Proud Boys leader

One of the most well known rioters to receive a pardon is Henry "Enrique" Tarrio, the former leader of the right-wing extremist Proud Boys group.

• Tarrio was sentenced in 2023 to 22 years in prison after being found guilty of engaging in seditious conspiracy related to the Jan. 6 riot, the longest prison sentence handed down in the Jan. 6 cases.
• Seditious conspiracy is committed when two or more people in the U.S. conspire to overthrow, destroy, seize the property of or levy war against the U.S. government, or to prevent the execution of any U.S. law.

Zoom in: While Tarrio wasn't at the Capitol riot himself, prosecutors argued that he maintained command over the Proud Boys during that time and took credit for what unfolded on behalf of the group.

• Tarrio's mother posted on X Monday night that her son was being released. "Tarrio is free!" she wrote.

Stewart Rhodes: founder of Oath Keepers

Trump commuted the sentence of Stewart Rhodes, founder of the far-right militia group Oath Keepers.

• Rhodes was sentenced to 18 years in prison in 2023 for seditious conspiracy, after he helped lead a plot to halt the certification of the 2020 election results.
• Rhodes was released from prison early Tuesday morning, Reuters reported.

Trump pardons Proud Boys leaders

Three other Proud Boys leaders — Joseph Biggs, Zachary Rehl, and Ethan Nordean — were all military veterans and Proud Boy leaders who had their sentences commuted by Trump.

• Biggs and Rehl were sentenced for seditious conspiracy and other charges in their Jan. 6 cases, with Biggs was sentenced to 17 years in prison and Rehl to 15 years in prison.
• Nordean was sentenced to 18 years in prison after also being found guilty of seditious conspiracy.
• It was not immediately clear when the trio would be released.

Kelly Meggs: Oath Keepers leader

One of Rhodes' top deputies, Kelly Meggs, also had his sentence commuted by Trump.

• Meggs, a former Florida leader of the Oath Keepers, had been sentenced to 12 years in prison for seditious conspiracy and other felonies.
• His wife, Connie Meggs, also received a pardon for her role in the riot, per Reuters.

Go deeper: Trump pardons most Jan. 6 defendants

Editor's note: This story was corrected to reflect that Rhodes was released from prison Tuesday (not Wednesday).

Humanity is "on the verge" of having AI agents that can complete tasks in the real world, OpenAI product chief Kevin Weil told Axios' Ina Fried in Davos Tuesday.

Why it matters: Weil's prediction comes days after Axios reported that a major AI company was close to announcing a breakthrough regarding the creation of Ph.D.-level AI super-agents capable of completing complex tasks.

What he's saying: "I think 2025 is the year that we go from ChatGPT being this super smart thing that can answer any question you ask to ChatGPT doing things in the real world for you," Weil told Axios.

• The advanced reasoning skills of new AI models, and improved ability to be multimodal and engage with humans, will be key to this ability, Weil said.
• He predicted that likely as soon as this year, AI agents will be able to do tasks like filling out forms or making restaurant reservations.

State of play: Asked about workers' anxiety about the impacts of AI, Weil encouraged people to experiment with AI tools.

• Using them will give people "a much better sense for how these things really will impact sort of your sphere — your workplace, your friends, your family," he said.
• It will also enable workers to "participate in the change" that AI will bring.

Go deeper:

• AI agents coming soon to a workplace near you
• Behind the Curtain — Coming soon: Ph.D.-level super-agents

President Trump took the first step toward rolling back protections for transgender people on Monday, signing an executive order that the federal government would only recognize two sexes, male and female.

Why it matters: Trump made attacks on transgender individuals a central focus of his 2024 campaign, and by issuing the executive order on his first day in office, signaled the importance of the issue in his second term.

• The executive order could have wide-reaching implications for gender-affirming care and recognition of trans people in a variety of spaces.
• It could also signal a first step toward banning transgender athletes from taking part in women's sports. The move would amount to "removing protections from some of our most vulnerable students," Jon Valant, director of the Brown Center on Education Policy at the Brookings Institution, told Axios ahead of the decision.

Driving the news: Trump's executive order states that only two sexes will be recognized by the federal government, "male and female."

• As such, only those two sexes will be recognized for official documents such as passports and visas.
• "'Sex' is not a synonym for and does not include the concept of 'gender identity,'" the order states.
• The executive order aims to prohibit taxpayer funds from being used for gender-affirming care and to prevent transgender women from being held in women's prisons or detention centers.

State of play: An incoming White House official previewed the executive order on a call with reporters Monday ahead of Trump's inauguration, saying it was part of Trump's aim of "restoring sanity" in the U.S.

• The executive order is about "defending women from gender ideology extremism and restoring biological truth to the federal government," the official said.

Zoom out: Even before he took office, trans rights advocates vowed to fight Trump's rollback of trans rights.

• Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign, the biggest LGBTQ political lobbying group in the U.S., said in a statement the HRC refused to back down or be intimidated.
• "We are not going anywhere, and we will fight back against these harmful provisions with everything we've got," Robinson added.
• Ash Orr, a spokesperson for Advocates for Trans Equality, told AP the group would persevere and "continue in our work and we're going to continue to protect trans rights throughout the country."

State of play: Trump has repeatedly railed about trans athletes competing in women's and girls' sports while on the campaign trail.

• At a Fox News town hall in October, Trump said, "We're not going to let it happen ... we absolutely stop it. You can't have it," when asked about how he would handle "the transgender issue" in women's sports.

Zoom out: LGBTQ+ advocates long warned that the new Trump administration would attempt to undo the Biden administration's efforts to expand protections for LGBTQ+ students under Title IX.

• Those efforts faced legal hurdles even before Trump re-entered office.
• In December, the Education Department withdrew a proposal to expand Title IX protections for trans student-athletes in the face of multiple lawsuit threats.
• In early January, a federal judge rejected rules to broaden the definition of sex discrimination under Title IX in order to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.

Go deeper: Trump closing out campaign cycle with anti-trans attacks

President Trump signed an executive order on Monday granting a "full, complete and unconditional pardon" to the vast majority of Jan. 6 defendants charged with participating in the Capitol riot four years ago.

Why it matters: Among the roughly 1,500 pardoned and 14 others whose sentences were commuted were leaders of the extremist groups Proud Boys and Oath Keepers who were convicted of the seditious conspiracy for their roles in the attack.

• Trump made pardoning Jan. 6 rioters a key campaign pledge, repeatedly extolling them as "patriots" and "hostages" of the justice system and claiming they'd been treated unfairly.
• It's a far cry from former President Biden's denouncement of the "violent insurrectionists" who threatened U.S. democracy in storming the Capitol.

Driving the news: Trump commuted the sentences of 14 defendants and issued pardons for all other "individuals convicted of offenses" connected to Jan. 6, according to the executive order.

• "These are the hostages, approximately 1,500 for a pardon, full pardon," Trump said from the Oval Office, as he signed a slew of other executive orders on his first night as president.

Zoom in: A lawyer for Henry "Enrique" Tarrio, who was sentenced to 22 years in prison after a jury found him guilty of seditious conspiracy over the deadly Capitol riot, confirmed to media that the former leader of the right-wing extremist Proud Boys group was among those pardoned by Trump.

• Among the rioters whose sentences Trump commuted was Stewart Rhodes, the founder of the far-right militia group Oath Keepers, to 18 years in prison after a jury found him guilty of seditious conspiracy.

Context: Seditious conspiracy is defined as when two or more people conspire to overthrow, destroy, seize the property of or levy war against the U.S. government, or to prevent the execution of any American law.

By the numbers: At least 1,583 people had been charged to date in connection with the insurrection, per Department of Justice data ahead of the Capitol riot's fourth anniversary.

• More than 1,000 defendants have pleaded guilty or been convicted at trial.
• The charges faced by the defendants have ranged from misdemeanors, like trespassing, to felony charges, like assaulting law enforcement officers or engaging in seditious conspiracy.

Zoom out: Pardoning insurrectionists convicted of crimes, including violent felonies, defies the GOP's image as the party of law and order. Future perpetrators of political violence could also expect to be met with clemency.

• Since 2021, multiple criminal and congressional investigations have sought to sift through the events of the attack and Trump's role in it.
• Trump was indicted in 2023 as part of special counsel Jack Smith's investigation into his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election. After Trump won the 2024 election, the case was dismissed.

State of play: During the campaign and transition period, Trump repeatedly promised to quickly pursue pardons for Jan. 6 rioters upon assuming the presidency.

• As recently as January, Trump vowed "major pardons" were coming for Jan. 6 defendants.
• In 2022, before he announced another run for office, Trump publicly promised pardons and said the defendants were being treated unfairly.

Over the years, he gave limited details about how broad the potential pardons would be.

• In an interview with NBC News' "Meet the Press" in December, Trump said there could be "some exceptions" for the pardons in cases where the defendant was "radical, crazy," but did not elaborate.
• He also told Time magazine he would determine the pardons on a "case-by-case" basis, but that the "vast majority" of defendants "should not be in jail."

What we're watching: In pardoning Jan. 6 defendants convicted of crimes, Trump is testing the limits of public opinion.

• A Washington Post-University of Maryland national poll released in December found that 66% of Americans opposed Trump's plan to issue pardons for the rioters.

Several federal judges had also opposed Trump's plan to issue pardons for the rioters.

• U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee who has handled Jan. 6 cases, said in November that "blanket pardons for all January 6 defendants or anything close would be beyond frustrating and disappointing."
• While sentencing a member of the Oath Keepers militia last month, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta said that the prospect of the group's founder Stewart Rhodes receiving a pardon "is frightening and ought to be frightening to anyone who cares about democracy in this country."

Go deeper: Trump downplays Jan. 6: "You had a peaceful transfer of power"

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

President Biden issued historic preemptive pardons for former NIAID Director Anthony Fauci, members of the House Jan. 6 committee and others on Monday, granting them broad immunity before President-elect Trump's White House return, multiple outlets reported.

Why it matters: He issued the blanket pardons after President-elect Trump repeatedly threatened to investigate or jail his political enemies.

• Follow Axios' live coverage of Inauguration Day.

Driving the news: Biden said in a statement Monday that the pardons should not be construed as an "acknowledgment that any individual engaged in any wrongdoing."

• Rather, Biden said he wished to protect the individuals from damage to their reputations or finances by "baseless and politically motivated investigations." His statement did not mention Trump by name.
• "Our nation owes these public servants a debt of gratitude for their tireless commitment to our country," the statement read.

The big picture: The pardons benefit people who have been the target of Trump's ire as he mounted his bid for another term in the White House.

• Fauci was, for decades, the nation's top infectious disease expert. He led the country through the COVID-19 pandemic, and was repeatedly attacked by Trump, who sought to downplay the pandemic.
• Retired U.S. Army Gen. Mark Milley, a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had issued stark warnings about Trump, calling him a fascist and a "wannabe dictator."
• Among Trump's most famous opponents on the Jan. 6 select committee was former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.). Her anti-Trump criticism ostracized her from much of the Republican party.
• Trump has said Cheney and other members of the Jan. 6 committee should go to jail.

State of play: Biden issued the preemptive pardons for Fauci, Milley, the members and staff who served on the Jan. 6 select committee, and the law enforcement officers who testified before the committee just hours before his term ends.

• Fauci told CNN Monday that while he had done nothing wrong, he was "grateful" to Biden for the preemptive pardon, saying he had become increasingly concerned about threats against his family.
• Former Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn echoed Fauci's sentiment, saying in a statement that he was "eternally grateful" to Biden for the pardon, CNN reported.
• "I wish this pardon weren't necessary, but unfortunately, the political climate we are in now has made the need for one somewhat of a reality," Dunn added.

Cheney and Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), who co-chaired the select committee, issued a joint statement Monday thanking Biden for their pardons.

• "We have been pardoned today not for breaking the law but for upholding it," they said.

Zoom out: Biden had been reportedly mulling issuing a slate of preemptive pardons for weeks for individuals likely to be targeted by Trump.

• Last month, Biden controversially pardoned his son Hunter following his conviction on felony gun charges and guilty plea on felony tax charges.

Editor's note: This story was updated with reaction to Biden's pardons and additional context.

President-elect Trump's inaugural ceremony Monday will take place inside the Capitol Rotunda due to the weather forecast in Washington, D.C., he posted on Truth Social.

The big picture: Ronald Reagan's 1985 presidential swearing-in was the last to move indoors because of cold temperatures.

Driving the news: Trump wrote on Truth Social that the decision to adjust the ceremony's plans was a safety consideration.

• "I don't want to see people hurt, or injured, in any way," Trump wrote, noting that the temperature lows could pose "dangerous conditions" for law enforcement personnel and spectators.
• Instead, Trump said he had ordered much of the proceedings moved to the Capitol Rotunda and that Washington, D.C.'s Capital One Arena would be opened to spectators to watch the ceremony live.
• Trump added that he would join the crowd at the arena after his swearing-in.

Zoom out: Air temperatures Monday are expected to hit the low- to mid-20s, with wind chills that could register between 12ºF and 14ºF.

• Though inaugurations have been held in colder weather, Trump's will be the coldest in several decades.

Go deeper: Abnormally cold weather forecast for Trump's inauguration

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

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew intends to attend President-elect Trump's inauguration next week and is expected to sit on the dais alongside other prominent guests, a Trump transition source confirmed to Axios Thursday.

Why it matters: News of his invite comes as TikTok's fate hangs in the balance, with the U.S. ban of the popular platform set to take effect on Sunday, barring any eleventh-hour intervention.

Driving the news: The Trump Vance Inaugural Committee issued the invitation to Chew, the Trump transition source said.

• He will join other tech industry titans at the inauguration, including Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos, according to the New York Times, which first reported the news.

Flashback: During his first term, Trump spearheaded the initial effort to ban TikTok, but appeared to flip-flop on the platform's future while campaigning for office last year.

Zoom out: It's not yet clear how Trump could intervene to save the popular Chinese-owned app from the ban, but he wants to try, according to Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.), Trump's pick for his national security adviser.

• Trump is looking to craft a deal to "preserve" TikTok while protecting U.S. users' data, Waltz told Fox News Wednesday, though he did not offer specifics about the plan.
• "I don't want to get ahead of our executive orders but we're going to create the space to — to put that deal in place," he added, calling Trump a "dealmaker."

Go deeper: What will happen to TikTok on Jan. 19

President-elect Trump engaged in an "unprecedented criminal effort" to overturn the results of the 2020 election, Special Counsel Jack Smith alleged in the final report of his investigation into Trump's election subversion case.

Why it matters: The report's release early Tuesday came despite Trump's legal efforts to block it, making the Justice Department's findings public less than a week before Trump's inauguration.

What they're saying: Trump lambasted the report in a Truth Social post Tuesday, claiming he was "totally innocent" and calling Smith a "lamebrain prosecutor who was unable to get his case tried before the Election."

State of play: Trump was indicted and charged with conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and other counts for his purported role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and the events leading up to it.

• However, the case was dismissed in November following Trump's 2024 victory, in light of longstanding DOJ policy that a sitting president can't be prosecuted.

Here are the top takeaways from the 174-page report:

Conviction at trial

Smith remained convinced he could have convicted Trump for his alleged efforts to subvert to the 2020 election if the case had gone to trial.

• A Justice Department policy prohibiting the prosecution of a sitting president doesn't change the "gravity of the crimes charged, the strength of the Government's proof, or the merits of the prosecution," Smith wrote.
• "But for Mr. Trump's election and imminent return to the Presidency, the Office assessed that the admissible evidence was sufficient to obtain and sustain a conviction at trial," he added.

Responsibility for Jan. 6

Smith drew a direct line from Trump's actions to the events of the Capitol riot.

• After then-Vice President Pence refused to overturn the electoral college vote count in the Senate, Trump "took aim" at Pence, targeting him in his Jan. 6 rally speech and in a social media post.
• "Taken together, these actions resulted in rioters at the Capitol on January 6 singling out Mr. Pence for their ire and chanting, 'Where is Pence? Bring Him Out!' and, 'Hang Mike Pence!'" the report said.
• Trump's words also "inspired his supporters to commit acts of physical violence" by telling them to "fight like hell" against the purported election fraud.

Trauma of law enforcement officers

The report delved into the trauma experienced by law enforcement officers responding to the breach of the Capitol on Jan. 6.

• 140 law enforcement officers were assaulted during the Capitol riot and at least 123 rioters have so far been charged with using a deadly or dangerous weapon that day or causing serious bodily injury to a law enforcement officer, according to the report.
• "This violence took a lasting toll," the report stated, noting that in addition to physical injuries many officers have experienced psychological trauma and depression as a result of the insurrection.

Prosecutorial independence

In a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland attached to the report, Smith pushed back against Trump's claims the investigation was corrupt.

• "I want it to be clear that the ultimate decision to bring charges against Mr. Trump was mine," Smith wrote, adding that "nobody within the Department of Justice ever sought to interfere with, or improperly influence, my prosecutorial decision making."
• Trump's claims that Smith's decisions while leading the case were in any way "influenced or directed by" the Biden administration or other political actors is "laughable," Smith noted.

Go deeper: Jack Smith claims in Jan. 6 report: Trump would have been convicted