The Senate adopted a budget resolution early Friday after an all-night "vote-a-rama" that would provide more than $300 billion dollars for border and defense.

Why it matters: Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has barreled forward with his backup plan as Speaker Johnson (R-La.) scrambles on his mega-package that would also make good on President Trump's tax promises.

• The measure passed 52-48 after Democrats raised dozens of unsuccessful amendments, including one on IVF.
• Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) was the only Republican to vote against the budget resolution.

Between the lines After 25 rounds of voting on amendments, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Republicans "were forced to go on record and defend their plans to cut taxes for Donald Trump's billionaire friends."

• "What happened tonight was only the beginning," Schumer added. "This debate is gonna go on for weeks, and maybe months. Democrats will be ready to come back and do this over and over again."
• Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) voted with Democrats on failed amendments blocking Medicaid cuts.

Zoom in: The resolution provides $150 billion in additional defense spending and $175 billion for border. It also changes energy policy.

• The package will be offset by spending cuts and increased energy revenue.

What to watch: Getting both chambers to agree to a budget resolution is just the first step in the reconciliation process, which allows the Senate to get around the 60-vote filibuster for budget-related measures.

• The House and Senate have yet to agree on the first step.
• Once they do, they will also have to reach agreement on all the particulars — the funding, spending cuts and policies.

The big picture: House and Senate leadership have been divided over how best to go about passing Trump's biggest legislative priorities through budget reconciliation.

• Speaker Johnson insists the best chance of getting major wins through his razor-thin majority is if everything is in one package.
• Senate Republicans want to move faster on border and defense spending and give more time for negotiating a host of complicated and contentious tax issues in a second bill.
• Trump sided with Johnson this week, preferring "one, big beautiful bill." Still, Vice President Vance gave the Senate the green light to move forward with their own plan as backup.

The other side: Democrats tried to turn the budget "vote-a-rama" into a referendum against Trump's first month in office.

• Democrats mainly focused their amendments on cuts made by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and Trump's federal funding freeze.
• While none of their amendments passed, it gave Democrats an opportunity to get Republicans — especially moderates facing reelection next year — on the record about supporting Trump's agenda.
• "In 2026, these amendments are going to play a valuable role," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) told Axios in an interview earlier this week.

For Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), the overnight session on Thursday is about proving Democrats have a path — and the guts — to get out of the political wilderness.

Why it matters: Schumer sees the budget "vote-a-rama" as his shot to convince voters that President Trump's GOP serves billionaires, not the working-class people who make up the new MAGA coalition. Axios scooped Schumer's thinking earlier this week.

• Democrats are expected to offer about 40 amendments as part of the debate over the Senate GOP's $300 billion budget reconciliation package.
• The amendments — which aren't expected to pass — are designed to pin Republicans between what's good for their reelections and what could infuriate Trump.

🔑 Schumer's two key targets are Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), who each face reelection in 2026.

• As Schumer told Axios this week: "In 2026, these amendments are going to play a valuable role."

🎉 Zoom in: The festivities won't end until each side votes the other to exhaustion.

• Amendments are unlimited and the median age of senators is 65, per Pew Research Center.
• Among the potential amendments: Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) plan to put GOP senators on the record on Trump's IVF promises, as Axios scooped tonight.

The bottom line: For Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), the evening is much more straightforward.

1. Endure the vote-a-rama and pass the resolution.
2. Plant the Senate's flag as Trump's most viable path to quickly fund his mass deportations and border security.
3. Take back the upper hand from Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who has a daunting path next week to get his one big bill through the House.

Senate Democrats want to force Republicans to vote on mandating insurance coverage of IVF as part of a debate over the GOP's budget resolution, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: President Trump signed an executive order meant to expand access to IVF this week, but Democrats say the directive is toothless.

• Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) plan to offer their Right to IVF Act as an amendment to the Republican budget resolution on Thursday evening.
• Trump's executive order earlier this week doesn't change U.S. law or policy, but instead directs his team to make recommendations to reduce the cost of IVF.
• Duckworth is lobbying Senate leadership to put the amendment on the floor for a vote, sources told Axios.

The big picture: Trump promised in his presidential campaign to mandate that the government of insurance companies cover the cost of IVF.

• "If Republicans really support IVF, then Senator Booker and I are giving them yet another chance to prove it tonight," Duckworth said in a statement to Axios.
• Senate Republicans blocked IVF legislation in 2024.

Zoom out: Democrats will use the budget debate, which is expected to stretch past midnight, to force Republicans into tough amendment votes.

Go deeper: What to know about Trump's executive order on IVF

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) plans to use this week's budget votes to force Republicans to choose between defending tax cuts for billionaires or defying President Trump and Elon Musk.

• "It unifies Democrats from one end to the other. It is simple. It is easy to state. And it's true," Schumer told Axios.

Why it matters: After weeks of getting pummeled, Schumer is clearly relishing the prospect of changing the subject and forcing Republicans to play defense.

• Schumer wants to turn the "vote-a-rama" on the Senate GOP's budget bill — expected Thursday or Friday — into a parade of tragic decisions by Trump and Musk — all in service of making the rich even richer.
• Look for amendments on Trump's proposed tax cuts, the president's funding and hiring freezes and Musk's deep cuts to federal agencies.
• You can also expect an amendment blocking the GOP from changing tax rates if they cut funding from Medicare or Medicaid.

Zoom in: None of these Democratic-forced amendments will pass. But Schumer's goal is to make GOP senators own as many of the cuts and freezes as possible, or put them on the wrong side of a president who demands total loyalty.

• Democrats have been on their back feet as Trump and Musk fire federal workers, cut off foreign aid and rewire the country's bureaucracy.
• Democratic lawmakers feel powerless and are "pissed" at Democratic activist groups.
• Schumer and Jeffries huddled last week for a strategy session on how they could pick a couple of issues — such as cuts to Medicare and tax breaks for the wealthy — to re-create the magic of 2018.

🚨Now Schumer has an opening to cast DOGE and the congressional GOP in the harshest possible light.

• That includes programs highlighted by DOGE and those — like Medicaid — targeted by congressional Republicans.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) summoned his caucus for a rare Saturday conference call ahead of a potential "vote-a-rama" next week.

Why it matters: Senate Budget Chair Lindsey Graham's (R-S.C.) budget package includes some $175 billion in border security spending, presenting a potential political minefield for Democratic senators.

Schumer's meeting lasted less than an hour.

• The New York Democrat told his members to prepare a blitz of amendments to the GOP's budget resolution, according to multiple sources familiar with the call.
• Schumer wants Democrats to remain focused on messaging that Republicans want to cut taxes for the wealthy at the expense of American families, he told members.

Zoom in: Schumer wasn't certain the GOP's budget resolution would come to the senate floor next week, as has been expected.

• If Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) calls Graham's budget package to the floor next week, it would lead to a "vote-a-rama" — in which senators can offer amendments for some 50 hours to score political points.

Between the lines: Schumer has given his members broad leeway on some controversial issues around immigration, like the Laken Riley Act.

• Democratic activists are demanding their elected lawmakers mount a more forceful response to President Trump's dismantling of the federal government.
• But the reality for incumbent Democrats is that they don't have any immediate way to stop Trump, short of appealing to the federal courts.
• Senate Democrats staged an all-night talk fest last week to protest the confirmation of Russ Vought as Office of Budget and Management director. He was confirmed on a party-line vote.

The bottom line: Many lawmakers are deeply frustrated — and even "pissed" — with progressive pressure campaigns demanding they do more to oppose Trump, as Axios reported.

• The budget process will allow Democrats to go on record defending policies that Trump and Republicans plan to cut.
• House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Schumer have been strategizing on how to draw attention to the GOP's proposed tax cuts and their efforts to trim spending from entitlement programs like Medicaid.

Editor's note: This article was updated with new details from the Senate Democratic call.

In private meetings with his in-cycle incumbents, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has asked for a small favor: If you're not going to run in 2026, please let me know soonest.

Why it matters: Two Democrats in potentially close races have now honored his request. A third — Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) — has yet to make an announcement.

• Schumer craves clarity on the 2026 Senate map, according to people familiar with the matter.
• He also wants time to consider the party's options, allocate resources and develop a comprehensive strategy to eat into the GOP's three-seat majority.

Driving the news: Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) on Thursday morning became the second senator in as many months to announce her retirement, following Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) in January.

• Both decisions sent shockwaves throughout Washington.

The intrigue: That leaves Shaheen, 78, as the only open question for many senior Democrats.

• She has publicly questioned her future, and multiple sources tell us she hasn't privately indicated whether she plans to run.
• If Shaheen runs, Democrats like their chances of holding onto the seat.
• Should she retire, New Hampshire will be much more expensive for Democrats, drawing resources away from other competitive races.

Zoom out: In other potentially competitive races, there's not much uncertainty around the Democrats' remaining 2026 incumbents.

• Sens. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) are sending strong signals they plan to run for reelection.
• While he's not an incumbent, there's great pessimism among senior Democratic sources that former Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) won't try to return to the Senate in 2026.

Zoom in: Just as Peters' retirement opened the field in Michigan, several Democrats are indicating that they are interested in running in Minnesota, a state Vice President Harris won by 4 percentage points and Sen. Amy Klobuchar took by 16 points.

• Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic 2024 vice presidential candidate, is interested, according to Politico.
• There's also a possibility that former Sen. Al Franken, who was forced to resign during the height of the #metoo movement, could mount a comeback. He praised Smith on Thursday but didn't give any indication that he would run.
• Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Angie Craig (D-Minn.) are also potential candidates, Axios reported earlier Thursday.

The bottom line: Retirements from proven winners are never welcomed, but they sting less when they are made early in an odd number year.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) met Wednesday to try to re-create the magic Democrats found in 2017, when they turned President Trump's original tax cuts into political poison for the GOP majorities.

Why it matters: Grassroots Democrats are demanding to see real action immediately. But top Democrats are eyeing a different date: November 2026.

• Their goal is to develop a unified message ahead of the midterms and take back at least one chamber of Congress.
• They'll have to temper the expectations of activists who want quicker results, while also keeping them motivated to support Democrats in the coming campaigns.

Zoom in: Democratic leaders firmly think their life in the minority will be shorter if they seize on the right messaging opportunities, not every messaging opportunity.

• They want to avoid responding to Trump's outrages du jour and develop a deeper narrative about what unified Republican control means for working families.

What's next: Democratic leaders are eyeing the 2018 midterms as a blueprint, when they made Trump's tax cuts so unpopular that Republicans barely mentioned it in their campaign messaging.

• Democrats are salivating at the opportunity to message against even deeper tax cuts being paired with broad slashes in federal spending, especially on health care.

The bottom line: Democrats are powerless to stop the GOP's filibuster-proof plans to cut taxes and federal spending. But details of the Republican playbook read like a wishlist for Democratic campaign operatives.

• The (at minimum) $1.5 trillion in spending cuts the GOP is considering, in addition to $4.5 trillion to pay for tax cuts, includes hundreds of billions in reduced Medicaid payments and cuts to food assistance and student loan aid.
• "This is all about clearing the path to cutting taxes for billionaires, and making the American people foot the bill," Schumer said Wednesday from the Senate floor.

The March 14 government funding deadline is becoming a crucial test of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's (D-N.Y.) toughness in the opposition.

Why it matters: If House GOP leaders settle on a partisan funding package, Schumer is indicating he's willing to stand in the way and plunge into a government shutdown.

• Schumer will need to keep seven Democratic senators from joining Senate Republicans on a filibuster vote, if all Republicans support the package.
• "Senate Democrats will use our votes to help steady the ship for the American people," Schumer said Monday, in a clear warning to Republicans.
• Negotiations are foundering and Republicans haven't made a unified top-line spending offer to Democrats, according to multiple sources.

Zoom out: Senate Democrats up for reelection in 2026 haven't been tested on whether they'll break with their party on a potential government shutdown.

• Some of them have crossed the aisle on hot-button cultural issues, like the Laken Riley Act.
• But Trump's first month in office is making it more difficult for Democrats and Republicans to work together on anything.

The bottom line: A government shutdown vote is a tougher call than a procedural vote on a foreign policy.

• Schumer scored a tactical and strategic victory last month as the Democrats stopped a vote on a pro-Israel GOP bill from coming to the floor. However, it took several emergency meetings to craft the response.
• Now, Democratic leaders are confident a House spending bill that only relies on GOP votes would flop in the chamber, according to multiple sources familiar with the conversations.

During his meetings in Washington, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented a plan for ending the war in Gaza in return for Hamas giving up power and its leaders leaving Gaza, according to two U.S. sources and one Israeli source.

Why it matters: Netanyahu has said he doesn't see a path to a post-war plan for Gaza as long as Hamas is in control. If Hamas relinquishes power and its leaders go into exile, it could open the door for a day-after plan, possibly including President Trump's "Gaza takeover."

• Netanyahu wanted to reach an understanding with Trump and his team about how to move forward with the Gaza hostage-release and ceasefire deal. As part of that, Netanyahu wants to get to an agreement with the Trump administration about making some changes in the deal.
• Trump's advisers, who inherited the first phase of the deal from the Biden administration, agree with Netanyahu on the need to make some changes, sources said.
• Under the current agreement, 59 hostages would remain in Gaza after the full implementation of the first phase of the deal. Of those, 35 people have already been confirmed dead.

Driving the news: The hostage-release and ceasefire deal was one of the issues Netanyahu discussed with Trump during their meeting on Tuesday.

• An Israeli official with knowledge of the discussion said Trump told Netanyahu his goal was to return all of the hostages home.
• "Trump did not speak in detail about the various stages of the deal, but emphasized that he trusts his envoy Steve Witkoff to secure the release of the remaining hostages," the Israeli official said.
• The Israeli official said Netanyahu emphasized to Trump that he is ready to conduct serious and substantive negotiations on the second phase of the hostage deal.

Behind the scenes: U.S. sources said Netanyahu told U.S. officials during his meetings in Washington this week that he wants to extend the first phase of the deal after the 42-day ceasefire in order to release more hostages beyond the 33 who are included in the first phase as of now.

• In exchange for additional hostages to be released after the 42nd day of the ceasefire, Israel is ready to release more Palestinian prisoners according to a ratio that would be negotiated.
• An Israeli official involved in the negotiations on the release of the hostages said such a move could lead to the release of no more than two or three additional hostages in the extended first phase based on their medical condition.

The U.S. sources said Netanyahu indicated that if the first phase is extended, during the negotiations on the second phase of the deal he intended to present Hamas with a proposal that includes ending the war in Gaza and releasing "senior" Palestinian prisoners that Israel did not agree to release in the first phase of the deal.

• The U.S. sources said Netanyahu is demanding in return that Hamas releases the remaining hostages, relinquish power in the Gaza Strip and that its senior leaders, including those who will be released from prison, go into exile.
• During a meeting with a bipartisan group of senators Thursday on Capitol Hill Netanyahu raised his idea of ending the war in exchange for Hamas giving up power in Gaza and their leadership going into exile, sources with knowledge of the meeting said.
• "Bibi and Israeli leadership have articulated a plan that includes allowing senior Hamas leadership to go into exile in a third-party country," a U.S. source familiar with the issue said.
• Netanyahu's spokesman Omer Dostri initially declined to comment for this story. He later said Netanyahu didn't present a plan for the second phase of the deal.

Senior Israeli officials claim Hamas has already agreed to give up civilian control of Gaza and to transfer responsibility for the reconstruction process to the Palestinian Authority or an independent committee.

• However, Hamas is not willing to give up its military power or dismantle its military wing, one official said.
• The senior Israeli official also assessed that the chances that Hamas senior leaders in Gaza will agree to go into exile are "extremely low," which could lead to the collapse of the hostage-release and ceasefire deal and to the war beginning again.

What to watch: White House envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to meet on Thursday in Miami with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani to discuss the second phase of the hostage deal following Witkoff's meetings with Netanyahu in Washington.

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

Senate Democrats are privately eyeing delays on all Trump nominees as retaliation for his restructuring of USAID, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: This would go beyond the "blanket hold" that Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) has placed on State Department nominees. Democrats are furious at Trump's actions, and want to signal a strong response.

• Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) told Axios on Tuesday that he's willing to place holds on Trump nominees on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
• Blumenthal said the caucus is proceeding as if there is a blanket hold on Trump nominations.

New Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee chair Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand has been privately indicating she's prepared to intervene in contested primaries.

Why it matters: Senate Democrats want to avoid the GOP's Obama-era pain of watching preferred candidates lose primaries to unelectable newcomers.

• Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) know their ability to claw their way back to the majority starts with candidates who are built for the general election.
• The top target: Getting the right candidates in three of the most competitive races of the 2026 cycle — Maine, North Carolina and now Michigan.

Zoom in: At a private DSCC fundraiser on Wednesday night, Gillibrand told donors that Roy Cooper, the former North Carolina governor, would be a "formidable candidate," according to people familiar with the matter.

• Cooper has yet to decide whether to run, but he's clearly indicated he's considering it and used his farewell address to say, "I am not done."
• A big announcement from Cooper would help offset fears of losing other seats — especially if Gov. Brian Kemp (R-Ga.) decides to challenge Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.).

Democrats were stunned by Sen. Gary Peters' (D-Mich.) surprise announcement he won't seek a third term, opening a primary they thought would be closed.

• Reps. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) and Hillary Scholten (D-Mich.) are both mulling primary bids. Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and the current Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist are also taking a look.

The bottom line: In these MAGA times, the NRSC is typically left with whatever candidate President Trump endorses.

• Schumer and Gillibrand don't have that kind of power, but they clearly want to avoid intra-party fights and save their resources for the general election.
• "As always, the DSCC evaluates every primary on a case-by-case basis and doesn't take any options off the table," a DSCC aide said.

Top congressional Democrats smell blood over President Trump's federal spending freeze.

Why it matters: The base is loving the party's muscular signs of life and wants more. Phone lines lit up in Democratic offices on Wednesday, sources told Axios.

• "This is only the beginning," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) told House Dems on an emergency call Wednesday afternoon.
• House Democrats are planning a "day of action" Thursday on the funding freeze, even after the White House withdrew the memo and blamed media coverage for the public's confusion.

Zoom in: The Trump White House is in retreat.

• Top Trump advisers said the memo was an unforced error and skipped the proper channels, the N.Y. Times reported on Wednesday.

Now, Democrats will try to turn the public backlash into durable opposition to other (and more popular) parts of his agenda.

• Senate Dems will flood the floor into the overnight hours Wednesday night with speeches about the dangers of Trump's move.
• Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has demanded the creation of "strike teams" to combat the budget reconciliation plan by Republicans, sources tell Axios.

The bottom line: After weeks of internal frustration over his leadership, Schumer has taken a heavier hand.

• Schumer obsesses over issue polling and privately acknowledges that some of Trump's priorities play well with voters.
• But the magnitude and scope of the OMB memo jumped out to Schumer and leadership as a massive overstep by Trump.

Republicans are jockeying over how to deal with a government shutdown deadline that's coming fast — and everything else President Trump wants them to get done.

Why it matters: Congress has a huge to-do list. And leaders are largely still arguing about logistics.

• Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) argued against a long-term stopgap spending measure during the Senate GOP weekly lunch on Tuesday — pointing out the impact on defense, in particular, multiple sources told Axios.
• "Our leadership is pretty hostile to that idea," Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) told Axios about the long-term continuing resolution idea. "But I don't know what they're going to do otherwise."
• Meanwhile, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Oh.) told Punchbowl News he doesn't think it's a good idea to force a big appropriations package right before Republicans have to rally to pass top Trump's priorities through reconciliation. He's pushing for a short-term stopgap.

Zoom in: The top four congressional appropriators have been meeting to try to find agreement on topline spending numbers for appropriation packages to keep the government funded and running past March 14.

• When asked on Monday when there might be a decision there, Collins told Axios, "We're talking, but we're not that close."

Zoom out: Congress wants to address border, energy, defense and tax cuts through a major budget reconciliation bill (or two), which would allow the Senate to avoid the 60-vote filibuster.

• Lawmakers also have to fund the government for the rest of the year, start the appropriations process for next year and raise the debt ceiling. They're not far on any of those priorities.
• Don't forget all the Cabinet nominations the Senate still has left to churn through.

President Trump's freezing of federal aid and grants and his mass firing of inspector generals has quickly shocked congressional Democrats into a coordinated resistance movement.

Why it matters: One week after the 2025 inauguration, it feels more like the winter of 2017.

• Democrats have flipped overnight from retreat to obstruction after Trump fired government watchdogs and froze (some) government spending.

They have no plans to stop unless or until Trump backs down.

• "This is about Trump wanting to seize control of everything," Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) told reporters Tuesday.

Zoom in: A coherent Democratic counteroffensive is starting to emerge.

• Make noise: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries' (D-N.Y.) messaging arm urged House Dems to hold press conferences and go live on social media. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's (D-N.Y.) Democrats audibled Tuesday's press conference from Jan. 6 pardons to Trump's spending freeze.
• Block bills: Senate Dems filibustered a GOP bill sanctioning the International Criminal Court (ICC). Democrats were resigned on Monday that they'd be jammed on the bill. Now they know they can increase their negotiating position if they stay unified.
• Protest votes: Nearly two dozen Senate Democrats voted against Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy's confirmation, a day after the chamber voted unanimously to advance his nomination.
• Lawsuits: A federal judge blocked Trump's spending freeze plans on Tuesday. But all day, Democrats decried Trump's move. The lawsuit will give them time to create a narrative about the real-world impact of the cuts. Meanwhile, GOP lawmakers will be hearing from their (potentially) angry constituents.

The bottom line: The all-day rage session was convenient for Schumer, who'd rather talk about Trump than a soon-to-be-open Michigan Senate seat. Gary Peters surprised the Hill today by announcing he won't run for reelection.

Senate Democrats are expected to block a bill sanctioning the ICC on Tuesday, a show of Democratic unity after a week of internal dissent.

Why it matters: If Democrats follow this, this stonewalling is their first concrete action since President Trump's inauguration to thwart the GOP agenda.

• Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) told Axios on Tuesday that Democrats and Republicans were unable to reach a deal on the ICC bill, and that the caucus plans to block the bill on the floor Tuesday.
• It will also give them leverage to change the ICC bill, which could help Democrats in Trump states avoid a controversial vote.

The Senate voted 59-34 Saturday to confirm South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as head of the Department of Homeland Security

Why it matters: Noem, a Trump loyalist and immigration hardliner, will play a crucial role in implementing President Trump's immigration policies, including his plans to carry out mass deportations and shut down the border.

• Seven Democrats joined Republicans in backing the nomination.
• The role also places Noem in charge of FEMA — a part of DHS— which Trump has proposed eliminating to force states to do more disaster relief independently.

Catch up quick: The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted 13-2 Monday in favor of her nomination.

• Noem, 53, was the first governor to deploy state National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas.
• She resigned her post as governor on Saturday, and Gov. Larry Rhoden, formerly South Dakota's lieutenant governor, now has the role.

Go deeper: ICE returns to calling immigrants "aliens"

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

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) used a rare emergency meeting on Friday to make a plea for unity, but Democrats have a tactical problem he can't avoid.

Why it matters: Schumer can't guarantee the votes to give Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) the time and leverage to negotiate with Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) on the upcoming ICC sanctions bill.

• Democratic senators know they're stronger when they stick together, especially on procedural votes.
• But many senators have a greater interest in voting for GOP legislation that can help them win reelection in Trumpy states.

Zoom in: Democrats didn't resolve any of their short- or long-term strategic differences in Friday's 90-minute meeting, which Axios scooped was coming in Hill Leaders.

• After the meeting, senators were extremely reluctant to discuss the open rift in their party. They emerged stone-faced and weren't in the mood to talk.
• Staff weren't allowed to attend the strategy session.

Between the lines: Schumer approached the meeting with a message of kumbaya, according to a source briefed on the session.

• To give her room to negotiate, Shaheen needs Democrats to send a clear signal that they oppose the current version of the bill — and are prepared to vote it down.
• Shaheen is the ranking member on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Cotton introduced the ICC sanctions bill in the Senate.

But lawmakers emerged from the meeting without a clear strategy on how to approach the ICC measure, which has splintered progressives and moderates.

• Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) told Axios after the meeting "all I can tell you is that Jeanne Shaheen is in the middle of negotiations."

The bottom line: Schumer has a handful of moderates who are up for reelection next year, and they will face pressure to back some GOP legislation.

• Schumer allowed Democrats to vote their conscience on the Laken Riley Act, the GOP's first border crackdown bill of the new session.
• With a dozen Democratic votes for the procedural vote, Republicans passed the bill without any changes to the legislation.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is summoning the entire Democratic caucus on Friday after a surprise meeting left key issues unresolved.

Why it matters: Republicans are already teeing up their next tough vote, and Schumer's members want a clear strategy from the top on protecting Trump-state Democrats.

• Schumer met for over an hour with about a dozen senators Thursday afternoon to discuss general strategy. Axios scooped the meeting.
• Now Schumer wants to take the pulse of his full membership.

Zoom in: Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has lined up a vote on sanctioning the ICC as the Senate's next legislative piece of business. It could come as early as next week, depending on the pace of Cabinet confirmations.

• The ICC sanctions bill, which imposes penalties on ICC officials involved in prosecuting Americans or citizens of U.S.-allied countries that are not a party to the ICC, has nearly universal support in the Republican Party.
• But it puts vulnerable Democrats in a difficult political position between pro-Israel groups and progressive activists who think Israeli officials are guilty of war crimes.

What they're saying: "I am reviewing the bill," said Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) after the meeting, declining to say how he planned to vote.

• "I think folks are still trying to work through some amendments and I am going to have to wait and see," Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) told Axios after meeting with Schumer.
• "I think all of us would like to see the ICC perform differently but do it in a way that ensures that our allies and partners are still supporting and working with us," said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.).

Between the lines: The House and Senate GOP control their chambers' calendars, giving them a tactical advantage over Schumer and the Democrats who represent districts and states that President Trump won in 2024.

• They used the Laken Riley Act, which allows for greater detention of undocumented immigrants, to divide the Democratic caucus and score a quick political win.

What's next: The House GOP bill banning transgender women from playing in women's sports is also in the pipeline.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has called a last-minute closed-door meeting on Thursday to hash out the party's internal fight over engaging with Republicans.

Why it matters: Schumer has put himself right in the middle of his caucus' tug-of-war over immigration. More tough votes are coming, including over Israel and trans rights.

• Schumer is juggling two different parts of his caucus. One wants to engage with the GOP on some of its priorities. The other thinks the party should fight back against the MAGA agenda.
• Behind the scenes, Schumer was hands off in dealing with the GOP's first immigration crackdown bill, letting Democrats engage with Republicans on the bill but ultimately voting against the legislation on the floor.
• Senate Democrats on both sides of the immigration issue told Axios that Schumer needs to find a better strategy in dealing with Republican bills which fracture the party.

Between the lines: Sources around Schumer argue the Democratic leader is good at providing cover for both flanks of his party.

• But multiple Senate Democrats, who were granted anonymity to speak freely about the caucus, said Schumer should do more to give them leverage in negotiations over the GOP bills.

Between the lines: The meeting on Thursday will give Senate Democrats a chance to air the grievances ahead of a battle over proposed sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC), which Republicans have prioritized in their first weeks in power.

• The ICC issue is another which splits Democrats — some believe the court's arrest warrants for top Israeli officials are unjust, while others believe the Israeli government should be held accountable for the war in Gaza.
• Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) started the process of getting the bill through the chamber on Thursday.

Senate Democrats from Trump states are starting to vote in tandem, which could make Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's (D-N.Y.) life more complicated for the next two years.

Why it matters: Call it the buddy system for vulnerable Dems. If Senate GOP leader John Thune (R-S.D.) can flip a Democrat who's up for election in 2026, he increases his chance of picking up the other state's Dem senator.

• That 2-for-1 math gives him massive incentive to push the limit on messaging bills ahead of 2026.
• It's a major headache for Schumer if Monday night becomes a trend.

You saw this on the Laken Riley Act vote, which passed with help from 12 Democrats.

• Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) quietly changed his position by voting in favor of final passage. He was backing up Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), who faces reelection in 2026. Warnock later blamed a process objection for his flip.
• Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) voted with Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), who's up in '26.
• So did new Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), whose fellow Democratic Michigander Sen. Gary Peters is up next year.

Zoom out: The Laken Riley Act is just the beginning of a barrage of GOP bills that Senate Democrats will have to find their footing on in the coming months.

• Thune is likely to try to pass an abortion-related bill later this week, which is unlikely to get much — if any — Democratic support, sources tell Axios.
• But other GOP legislation, particularly if it is related to the border and the economy, is an area ripe for some Democratic buy-in.

Editor's note: This article has been corrected to note that Sen. Shaheen (not Sen. Hassan) faces reelection in 2026.