The S&P 500 has fallen more than 15% since Donald Trump's inauguration, the worst showing for a new administration since George W. Bush was in office during the dot-com bust.

Why it matters: Trump usually touts stock market performance as an indicator of his success, and in his first term as president, he backed off on policies that sparked market sell-offs.

• But not this time around Trump has so far doubled down on his tariff moves, even as the market has sunk.

By the numbers: Since there was a break between Trump's first stint in the White House and his current one, Axios compared the S&P 500 at the start of Trump 2.0 to other presidents in their first terms in office, including Trump 1.0.

• The market rose a bit during Trump's first time in the Oval Office, rising 4.1%, from inauguration day through April 7.
• It was higher, rising 7.4%, for former President Biden.

Between the lines: When Biden was in office, Trump took credit for stock market gains, and blamed losses on the former president.

• "There are many people that are saying that the only reason the Stock Market is high is because I am leading in all of the Polls, and if I don't win, we will have a CRASH of similar proportions to 1929," he posted during the campaign in May 2024.

The bottom line: That's not quite how it has worked out, so far anyway.

President Trump has a much different vision of the future than the tech titans who raced to shape and support his economic agenda.

Why it matters: The collision of those visions helps explain the most glaring private and public fights inside the Trump coalition over tariff strategy.

The tech vision: We're at the dawn of the AI Epoch — driven by a technology so all-powerful it will reorder markets, industries and nations.

• The U.S. enjoys an early, decisive AI advantage that could fuel a manufacturing and middle-class renaissance. American-made chips, data, minerals and energy companies (and adjacent work) will proliferate and prosper. Lose this race and little else matters.

The Trump vision: America is in steep, perhaps fatal decline. 

• The country has been "looted pillaged, raped and plundered." Salvation demands brute, unapologetic force to erase trade deficits, and muscle a 1950s America back into existence. AI won't do that. Tariffs will.
• Yes, it'll be painful. But big buildings, new factories and good-paying jobs will follow for millions of Americans. Some'll be AI jobs. Many others will be traditional gigs like line worker, plumber or electrician.

What they're saying: Steve Bannon — a White House official in Trump's first term, and now an influential MAGA podcaster — told us he sees tech bros as "narcissistic globalists that put their wealth and power first."

• With his fellow populist nationalists, Bannon says, "the country and the American citizens come first."

Musk tweeted over the weekend (now deleted) that Peter Navarro, the Trump trade adviser leading the populist charge, "ain't built s--t."

• Navarro retorted Monday on CNBC's "Squawk Box" that Musk is "not a car manufacturer. He's a car assembler, in many cases."

The big picture: Look at who's speaking out — or staying quiet — to understand how this dynamic is unfolding. It's both tech innovators (Elon Musk, Reid Hoffman) and hedge-fund magnates (Bill Ackman, Stan Druckenmiller) sounding the alarm about tariffs. They know little can be made cheaply in America fast, especially vital technology ingredients. We simply don't have the materials or workforce here. They want Trump to unleash his unpredictability and power to impose mineral deals and savvy incentives.

• Brad Gerstner, founder and CEO of the tech investment firm Altimeter Capital, tweeted Monday: "nuclear style tariffs is not what people voted for - they will break the US economy NOT make us great again. CEOs support pro business Trump who promised precision guided truly reciprocal, smart tariffs that level the global playing field."
• Joe Lonsdale, a pro-Trump tech investor, said on X that there are ways "the tariffs could be done better."
• Balaji Srinivasan, a well-known angel investor and crypto bull, posted to his 1.1 million X followers after Trump's "Liberation Day" announcement: "This is nuking every single supply chain that passes through the US in any way, under the illusion that 45 years of deindustrialization can be fixed in one day of 45% tariffs."

On the other side sit true America First believers like Bannon, who hold deep suspicion, even disdain, for the tech titans.

• The Bannonites see tariffs as the world's comeuppance for screwing America's working class, and firmly believe good-paying jobs will materialize. They believe AI could hurt U.S. workers — just like trade deals did — and envision a broader-based renaissance. So tariffs are a smart, if painful, way to reset things. Eventually, companies will build here, come here, stay here.
• Bannon, after the administration announced Monday that Trump had kicked off high-level tariff negotiations with Japan, texted us: "Isolate China ... Let a New Golden Age Now Begin."

Between the lines: The merger of Trump's MAGA base with what we call the Tech Bro Industrial Complex (tech CEOs, investors, workers, podcasters) was always an imperfect fit. Trump, 78, assembled his original base with a mix of grievances and nostalgia, promising to make America what it once was. Trump and tech share a move fast, break things, high-testosterone mentality. But most tech CEOs are fixated on two things: future growth and AI. Trump spends little time fixating on tech, advisers tell us.

• The tariffs fight is testing the durability — and compatibility — of the Trump-tech alliance. After all, the top tech companies are taking an absolute beating, with the Magnificent 7 losing more than $1 trillion in the past three trading days alone. They can easily stomach such losses. But it's the vital technology ingredients (cell phones from Vietnam, chips from Taiwan) that are not mere nice-to-haves.
• Axios' Ben Berkowitz and Zachary Basu contributed reporting.

🔮 Coming for subscribers: Axios AM Executive Briefing — with expertise from Axios tech policy reporters Maria Curi and Ashley Gold — is about to publish a subscriber-only special report on the collision of AI and Washington. Subscribe here.

In less than one week, many Americans will no longer be able to apply for Social Security benefits over the phone, setting the stage for disruptions and upheaval for millions of seniors.

Why it matters: The abrupt change, implemented at breakneck speed at White House request, increases the likelihood that some eligible people will miss out on benefits; others could simply not get them at all.

The big picture: "President Trump has repeatedly promised not to cut Social Security benefits — but his Administration's actions will effectively do just that," writes Kathleen Romig, director of Social Security and Disability Policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, in a new analysis shared exclusively with Axios.

• More than 4 in 10 retirees apply for benefits by phone, per agency data cited by the Center.

How it works: Right now, if applicants can't use the agency's website to apply for benefits or change their bank information, they can phone an 800 number or their local office.

• Starting April 14, applicants for retirement benefits and those who need to change their direct deposit information must either go online or trek to an office. (Those applying for disability, supplemental security income and Medicare can continue to do so by phone.)

By the numbers: The Center looked at how far senior citizens will have to travel to apply for benefits. For millions it will be a journey.

• Nearly 6 million seniors live more than 46.6 miles, roundtrip, from a field office, per the analysis of agency and Census Bureau data. (See their data.)
• They picked that distance threshold because it's twice the average distance (23.3 miles) an elderly person travels in a day, according to National Household Transportation Survey data that the Center cites.

Those in rural areas face the longest journeys:

• In Alaska, 46% of seniors live more than 46.6 miles from an office, per the analysis. (An estimated 60,000 in the state have no internet access; some live hundreds of miles away from the nearest office.)
• In North Dakota, 13,000 seniors live more than 180 miles roundtrip from a field office.

The distances tracked by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities are "as the crow flies," meaning they mapped a straight line; actual travel distances will be longer.

Where it stands: The agency, in an internal memo viewed by Axios, acknowledged cutting off phone service could drive as many as 85,000 people per week to its already backlogged field offices.

• They will have to make an appointment by phone — where service is already constrained by long hold and callback times.
• The changes were only announced recently and have been rushed. The process has been "a really big mess," says Jill Hornick, a service representative at an agency office outside Chicago.
• Her office still hasn't gotten written instructions on how to implement the changes, says Hornick, who is an administrative director for AFGE, a union for government workers.

Zoom in: Some applicants will have no choice but to make the journey.

• There is no way right now to apply for Social Security survivors' benefits online. That means "grieving family members must visit offices soon after the deaths of their loved ones to apply," CBPP points out in their analysis.
• Children cannot have online accounts, so their parents or guardians will now have to come in person. They are entitled to benefits after the death of a parent.

The big picture: The Social Security Administration is struggling with senior staff departures, staff cuts, and the challenges of return to office.

• On top of that, tech updates — DOGE driven — are causing the agency's website to crash more often, the Washington Post reports. The paper reports a "cascade of blows" to Social Security customer service in recent weeks.

The tech disruption means "you are going to start impacting people's paychecks and people's money," Marcela Escobar-Alava, the agency's former chief information officer, tells Axios.

• "The way that they're going about letting staff go or reducing staff is not strategic and it's not very well thought through."

The other side: The Trump administration has repeatedly said it will protect Social Security, and that the changes are meant to address fraud and increase efficiency.

• The changes going into effect next week were already postponed once to allow for more training, and partially rolled back.

Immigration agents are the "principal" deciders on whether a detainee is linked to a gang and should be deported immediately, border czar Tom Homan told Axios in an exclusive interview.

• If agents determine the answer is yes, Homan said, the Trump administration believes that detainee's rights to due process are limited.
• Not so fast, the Supreme Court said late Monday. The court signaled that detainees designated as "enemies" of the U.S. could be deported, but should have some way to challenge their removal.

Driving the news: Homan's comments to Axios came on a day when the Supreme Court began to sort out how far President Trump can go in his aggressive push to deport immigrants the administration sees as threats to the U.S.

• In a separate decision, Chief Justice John Roberts temporarily blocked a lower court's order that the U.S. return a Maryland man, Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, whom the administration admits was mistakenly deported to a prison in El Salvador.

Garcia, a Salvadoran who had been in the U.S. since 2011 and was here legally, was among those swept up by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in raids last month that officials say targeted alleged gang members and criminals.

• Many of those arrested were men like Garcia who say they weren't in gangs or wanted for crimes, civil rights advocates and other critics say. Garcia's case has become a much-watched test of the White House's zealous push for deportations.

Zoom in: Homan declined to comment on Garcia's case. But he told Axios that Trump is simply "using the laws on the books" to quickly deport unauthorized and potentially dangerous immigrants under the rarely used Alien Enemies Act.

• "People who are enemies of the United States don't have the same level [of] due process [as in] the normal process," Homan said.
• "People keep saying they have no criminal history," he added. "I've been doing law enforcement since 1984. Many gang members don't have criminal history. It's more than criminal history."

Homan said ICE conducts "deep dive" investigations into detainees being considered for removal, looking at their social media posts, criminal records, immigration records and information from confidential informants and surveillance.

• "ICE is the principal arbiter" in weighing whether such factors warrant deportation, Homan said. "There's a Homeland Security task force and a lot of agents involved. ... But it starts with ICE."

The administration claims Garcia is a member of MS-13, a transnational gang that U.S. officials have designated as a terrorist organization.

• U.S. District Judge Paula Xinia in Maryland said Trump's team made a "grievous error" deporting Garcia, and that evidence indicating he's a gang member "consisted of nothing more than his Chicago Bulls hat and hoodie."

Between the lines: Homan said agents use several factors in determining membership in a designated terrorist gang such as MS-13 or the Venezuelan-based Tren de Aragua.

• He said those factors include, but aren't limited to, tattoos or religious emblems: "It can be one factor or up to 20 factors ... It's a case-by-case analysis."

Agents' decisions for identifying gang members are made using a rubric with an eight-point threshold for removal, according to a court document.

• In the case of Tren de Aragua, a tattoo "denoting membership/loyalty to TDA" would count four points toward a removal action, according to the document. If a person admits being a gang member, that alone would be enough for removal from the U.S.
• "I've talked to the highest level at ICE and they've reassured me several times: Everyone that was removed under the Alien Enemies Act was a gang member and a terrorist," Homan said.

The other side: "Just the word of an ICE officer should not suffice as the final word that someone is covered by the Alien Enemies Act," said Muzaffar Chishti, a senior fellow at the Migration Policy Institute.

• Nayna Gupta, policy director at the American Immigration Council, said it was "wild" that the administration would seek to ignore due process for accused immigrants.
• She noted that when the Alien Enemies Act was used against people of Japanese, German and Italian descent during World War II, there was a hearing process for the accused.

Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) is perhaps the only Democrat on Capitol Hill willing to defend President Trump's new tariffs to the hilt. In fact, his main concern is that the president will back down from his trade policy.

Why it matters: It's one vote House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) can't count on as he makes opposition to the tariffs a new centerpiece of House Democrats' anti-Trump messaging.

• Jeffries said Monday that he hasn't "heard any opposition" among House Democrats to Rep. Greg Meeks' (D-N.Y.) measure to effectively kill Trump's new across-the-board tariffs.
• But Golden told Axios in an interview on Capitol Hill: "I'd be a 'no' on that."

What he's saying: "My biggest worry is that they're going to do this and lose faith and political will and back away," Golden said.

• The Maine Democrat also dismissed the stock market turmoil that has accompanied Trump's tariffs: "The vast majority of Americans have no stocks."

Between the lines: Golden, who represents one of the most Republican-leaning districts of any Democrat in Congress, is trying to forge a populist brand that he dubs "progressive conservatism."

• Part of that is legislation he introduced in January to establish a universal 10-percent tariff on all imports into the U.S.
• "I remember Dems being outraged by the World Trade Organization, NAFTA, all these trade deals, even as recently as TPP," Golden told Axios.
• "Now all of a sudden it's like a complete 180 degree flip here where we're staunchly defending the importance and relevance of the stock market to the American economy and defending free trade deals."

Zoom out: Golden is far from the only Democrat supportive of some degree of protectionism, but even Democrats who favor tariffs in theory have largely spoken out against Trump's tariffs in practice.

• "I think a wrong-for-decades consensus in Washington on free trade has been a race to the bottom," said Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.) in a video posted to X by the House Democratic caucus on Friday.
• "The president's tariff announcement, though, his trade strategy — it's been chaotic, it's inconsistent," Deluzio said, criticizing tariffs on allied countries like Canada.

What to watch: Democrats are already signaling plans to run in the 2026 midterms on opposition to Trump's trade policy — or at least the economic chaos it creates.

• But Golden, ever the obstinate independent, suggested he will go his own way.
• "When they're searching under every couch cushion for ways to re-appeal the party to working class, coming out against this so strongly" is not a very good strategy, he said.

The AI industry's two-and-a-half-year investment spree is about to enter a new phase of turmoil and doubt thanks to President Trump's massive tariffs.

Why it matters: Key industry players backed Trump or made nice with him after his election win, but the centerpiece of his economic policy makes an AI slowdown — or even a crash — much more likely.

The big picture: The AI giants need cheap data and cheap energy to keep building bigger models, and mountains of cash to pay for it all.

• Recent months have seen a tidal wave of deals in the tens of billions of dollars — from OpenAI's latest investment round and Stargate project to Elon Musk's most recent xAI fundraise — based on forecasts of beyond-the-horizon growth in demand for AI services.

Yes, but: In the trade-war era kicked off by Trump's tariffs, capital will move more cautiously and growth will slow or vanish.

• The flood of billions into AI model training and infrastructure was always understood to be a big gamble on an impressive technology that hasn't yet proved its broad business value.
• Last year, some analysts began to question the industry's "incineration" of cash.

In the new post-tariff world, expect many more investors to watch and wait rather than toss more billions on the fire.

• Meanwhile, AI companies newly challenged to drum up revenue will have to do so in a market that's hurting, or even in recession.

The best case for AI companies is that their products will thrive as customers seeking savings in a downturn deploy AI and automation to try to cut costs.

• For that to work, AI will have to deliver on that promise much more widely than it has so far in a handful of realms like software development and customer service.

Between the lines: Some in the MAGA camp see AI as a key player in their project to restore the heyday of domestic U.S. manufacturing.

• Trump's Commerce Secretary, Howard Lutnick, described this vision on CBS' "Face the Nation" Sunday.
• "The army of millions and millions of human beings screwing in little, little screws to make iPhones — that kind of thing is going to come to America. It's going to be automated. And great Americans, the tradecraft of America is going to fix them, is going to work on them. There's gonna be mechanics, there's gonna be HVAC specialists, there's gonna be electricians."
• "The tradecraft of America, our high school educated Americans, the core to our workforce, is going to have the greatest resurgence of jobs in the history of America to work on these high-tech factories."

Lutnick isn't totally clear here. But it sounds like he's saying iPhone manufacturing will move to the U.S. but will be automated.

• Americans won't work in the factories like their Chinese predecessors tightening all those tiny screws; instead, Americans will work on the factories, building and maintaining them.
• Put aside what Apple experts say about the impossibility of building iPhones in the U.S. without tripling their price. Just consider what this scenario actually means for American workers.
• You can't have "the greatest resurgence of jobs in the history of America" if you're automating all the manufacturing.

The more likely scenario is a broad economic slowdown, with the AI industry, along with the rest of the U.S. economy, mired in the doldrums of uncertainty and fear.

• A tariff-induced inflation jolt, a trade-war-fueled recession, or both together would radically limit the runway for AI startups and dry up the dollars flowing into AI research.

The bottom line: The biggest companies — Microsoft, Google, Apple and Meta — all have enough cash flow and reserves to weather such a storm. Not so for the rest of the AI industry.

President Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff will lead the U.S. delegation for nuclear talks with Iran on Saturday in Oman, two sources familiar with the plan tell Axios.

Why it matters: President Trump surprised the world Monday by announcing the high-level meeting between U.S. and Iranian officials. If diplomacy fails, the next stage is likely war.

Between the lines: So far, there have only been negotiations about the negotiations — which don't yet seem to be resolved.

• Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, whom Iranian press reports say will be Iran's chief negotiator, insisted the talks would be "indirect" — with Omani mediators passing messages between the sides.
• Trump insisted the talks would be "direct." Two U.S. officials told Axios that is indeed the plan.

Whatever the format, the stakes are clear.

• "If the talks aren't successful with Iran, I think Iran is going to be in great danger," Trump said, when asked by Axios if he was prepared to use military force to destroy Iran's nuclear program. "You know, it's not a complicated formula. Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon."

How it happened: Trump kicked off the nuclear diplomacy last month with a letter to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in which he gave Tehran two months to make a deal, without actually saying when the clock would start ticking.

• Khamenei had publicly dismissed the idea of direct talks with Trump — who withdrew from previous Iran deal in 2018 — but responded with a letter of his own in late March.

Behind the scenes: Omani mediators have exchanged messages between the sides since Khamenei transmitted his response.

• The exchange has mostly been "a negotiation about the format of the negotiations," as one U.S. official put it, with the U.S. prioritizing efficiency and the Iranians wanting slower indirect talks that would allow them to build trust and assess the U.S. endgame.
• Trump's preferred direct format "would mark a vital shift from talking past each other to talking with one another," says Ali Vaez, director of the Iran project at the International Crisis Group.

Between the lines: Bombs vs. diplomacy on Iran is a live debate within the Trump administration and the wider MAGA world.

• Trump threatened to strike Iran, but he aligns more with the dovish camp that favors a diplomatic solution. Witkoff and Vice President Vance also believe a deal with Iran is possible and preferable, according to a source familiar with their thinking.
• In an interview with Tucker Carlson — who himself has vehemently opposed the "suicidal" Iran warmongering from "neocons" in the administration — Witkoff said there was "a real possibility" of getting a "verification program" to ensure Iran isn't developing a nuclear weapon.
• But hawks like national security adviser Mike Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are much more supportive of military action and skeptical of the chances of a deal.

The intrigue: One prominent Iran hawk, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was in the Oval Office when Trump announced the Iran talks.

• Israeli officials say Netanyahu was briefed ahead of time. Still, the situation was embarrassing for a prime minister who has strongly criticized past administrations for their Iran outreach.

The Houston Cougars fell to the Florida Gators in Monday's NCAA men's basketball championship game.

Why it matters: The loss was the Coogs' first national championship try since 1984 and signifies the team's growth in the last decade.

Driving the news: The Florida Gators outscored Houston 65-63 in the March Madness finale in San Antonio.

Catch up quick: Houston blew through most of the competition in this year's tournament, topping SIU Edwardsville, Gonzaga, Purdue and Tennessee before facing the Duke Blue Devils in the Final Four.

• Duke led for nearly the entire game, but Houston went on a 9-0 scoring run in the last 35 seconds to secure the victory.

The intrigue: Despite the championship loss, it's the furthest the team has gotten in March Madness since Phi Slama Jama greats like Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler contended for back-to-back championships in the mid-1980s.

• The Coogs' recent success is thanks to veteran coach Kelvin Sampson, who took over the team in the 2014-15 season after years of losing seasons and zero March Madness wins since 1984.
• By his third season at the helm, the Coogs started a streak of March Madness victories and made trips to the Final Four in 2021 and 2025.

China's government said Tuesday it will "resolutely take countermeasures" if President Trump carries out his threat to impose an extra 50% tariff on Chinese goods.

Why it matters: In a sign that the trade war with Beijing will not end any time soon, the Chinese Commerce Ministry said in a statement carried by state media: "China will fight until the end if the U.S. side is bent on going down the wrong path."

Driving the news: A Chinese Commerce Ministry spokesperson accused the U.S. of "blackmail" after Trump wrote Truth Social that he'd impose the additional tariffs that would take effect Wednesday if Beijing didn't withdraw by Tuesday the 34% tariffs it announced for all American goods.

• "The U.S. threat to escalate tariffs on China is a mistake on top of a mistake," the spokesperson said. "China will never accept this."

What they're saying: Trump in his post accused China of "long term trading abuses" and said if Beijing officials didn't pull the tariffs "all talks with China concerning their requested meetings with us will be terminated!"

• Representatives for the White House did not immediately respond to Axios' early morning request for comment.

More from Axios:

• Markets lurch on false Trump tariff pause report
• Behind the Curtain: Trump's dark opening to Golden Age
• Republicans groan as Trump tariffs spur stock market turmoil

Editor's note: This article has been updated with further details of President Trump's post and more comment from China's Commerce Ministry.

The Department of Homeland Security offered employees the choice between deferred resignation, early retirement or an immediate buyout, according to an email obtained by Axios Monday evening.

Why it matters: The email from Secretary Kristi Noem is part of a broader push to drastically reduce headcount across the federal government, including at the nation's top cyber defense agency.

What's happening: Noem laid out the voluntary offers in an email with the subject line, "Reshaping the DHS Workforce." Employees have until next Monday, April 14, to decide if they will take the deferred resignation, early retirement offer or buyout.

• Those who take the deferred resignation will be offered a "brief period of paid administrative leave to complete key tasks, submit retirement documentation and prepare for departure." Most departures would happen before the end of fiscal year 2025, Noem wrote.
• Workers can also choose to do a buyout in which they get a lump sum of $25,000, "or an amount equal to severance pay if lower," per the email.
• Eligible employees are also able to participate in an early retirement program, Noem said. Those employees typically will have reduced pensions and health care benefits.
• "By offering these options, we intend to provide flexibility for employees who may be considering a change, retirement or new career opportunities while also supporting the Department's operational readiness," Noem wrote.
• A senior DHS spokesperson said in a statement that, "the American people deserve a government that works for them, something President Trump has promised."
• "Every dollar spent and position filled at DHS should be focused on our core mission of securing our homeland and keeping the American people safe," the spokesperson added.

Between the lines: Sources familiar with the cutbacks previously told Axios that the goal is to reduce the headcount at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency by as much as a third.

Catch up quick: Rumors have been circulating throughout Washington about sweeping cuts at various DHS units since late last week.

• If enough employees don't take this week's offer, CISA will likely hand out "reduction in force" notices to meet its quota, two sources told Axios.
• CNN reported that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is likely to be decimated in the latest cuts, and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are also facing potential cuts.

What to watch: Lawmakers in both parties were already raising alarm bells about the potential workforce reductions.

• Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.), chair of the House Homeland Security Committee's cyber subcommittee, said during an event in D.C. last week that he was "not thrilled" with CISA's previous firings.
• Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), the ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee's cyber subcommittee, has already requested a briefing on CISA's workforce changes, spokesperson Cassie Baloue told Axios in a statement on Friday.

Go deeper: CISA braces for deep staffing cuts

Editor's note: This story has been updated with a statement from the DHS.

President Trump praised Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for being "very smart" during a White House meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Monday and suggested he could work as a mediator between Israel and Turkey.

Why it matters: Critics including Republican Against Trump slammed the president's praise for "autocratic leader Erdoğan" — a charge that's been leveled against Turkey's president for moves including last month having his main opposition rival, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, detained along with over 100 other officials, which rights groups said was "politically motivated."

• Erdoğan has been accused of "eroding" Turkey's democracy during his 22 years as president, with his government controlling the country's courts and most media.
• Trump's admiration for strongmen is well-documented. He sought to build close ties during his first term with leaders of traditional U.S. adversaries, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Driving the news: Trump was asked during a briefing with Netanyahu on Monday about Turkey's influence in Syria and Israel's objections to this, with Israeli forces in recent days striking Syrian targets and accusing Turkey of playing a "negative role" in the country following the collapse of the Assad regime — for which Trump on Monday credited Erdoğan.

• "I have a very, very good relationship with Turkey and with their leader, and I think we'll be able to work it out. So I hope that's not going to be a problem. I don't think it will be a problem," Trump said.
• "I happen to like him, and he likes me ... and we've never had a problem," Trump said of Erdoğan.
• Trump said he told Netanyahu, "If you have a problem with Turkey, I really think you're going to be able to work it out."
• He turned to Netanyahu and said, "Any problem that you have with Turkey, I think I can solve. I mean, as long as you're reasonable, you have to be reasonable. We have to be reasonable."
• Representatives for the White House did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment Monday evening.

More from Axios...

• Trump's stunning string of Putin-friendly moves
• Trump's new world order: Strongmen make the rules
• Scoop: Trump to visit Saudi Arabia in May for first foreign trip
• Trump's surprise love affair with North Korea's Kim Jong-un

Gen Zers are apprehensive about artificial intelligence, but they continue to use the tools, according to a Tuesday report from the Walton Family Foundation and Gallup.

Why it matters: Students and young professionals may be digital natives, but they still crave clear policies around AI—especially as employers increasingly value experience with the tools.

• "Both at school and in the workplace, Gen Z students and workers whose institutions implement clear AI use policies are notably more likely than their Gen Z peers to use AI on a regular basis," the report said.

By the numbers: The results are based on a web survey of nearly 3,500 13- to 28-year-olds living in the U.S. conducted March 6-13, 2025.

• 52% of Gen Zers said schools should be required to teach students how to leverage AI.
• 49% said they believe AI will harm their critical thinking skills.
• 41% said AI makes them anxious, while 36% said it makes them excited.

What they're saying: "Navigating these concerns will be important to earning Gen Zers' buy-in for school and workplace AI initiatives," the report said.

• When AI policies are unclear, students who want to follow the rules may be "unnecessarily cautious" in avoiding AI, while their peers may be gaining an advantage.

The other side: 72% of Gen Zers agree that AI can help them find information more easily.

• 66% said it can help them work faster, and 53% said it can help them learn faster.

Zoom in: Students in more urban and wealthy communities are more likely to attend schools with AI policies.

• "If artificial intelligence is going to be a 'great equalizer,' ensuring young people in underserved communities have equitable access to and support in learning these technologies will be critical in preparing them, as well as their peers, to join the workforce of the future," the report said.

Go deeper:

• How Gen Z is thinking about AI at work
• Teachers warn AI is impacting students' critical thinking

Methodology: A Gallup Panel web survey was conducted March 6-13 with a sample of 3,465 13- to 28-year-olds living in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

• For the total sample of 3,465 Gen Z respondents, the margin of sampling error is ±2.4 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.

TV ratings and ticket sales indicate "Cinderella" teams aren't necessary for a buzzworthy March Madness.

The big picture: Fans enjoy watching the best teams play.

By the numbers: The first round of the men's Final Four drew the highest viewership in eight years, with an average of 15.3 million fans tuning in.

• Viewership for the tournament as a whole is up 2%.

State of play: This year's bracket lacked improbable, deep runs from lower seeds like North Carolina State last year or Loyola Chicago in 2018.

• Both teams made the Final Four as the 11th seed in their respective tournaments.

The average resale ticket price to attend Saturday's Final Four games (in which every team was a No. 1 seed) was $702, according to SeatGeek.

• That's up from the average of $611 in 2023 when the Final Four teams included No. 9 Florida Atlantic, No. 5 San Diego State, No. 4 UConn and No. 5 Miami.

What they're saying: "There's been a lot of standing on business," former University of South Carolina star A'ja Wilson told Axios at an AT&T press event.

• "Being a No. 1 seed, you don't want to get upset. I think a lot of the top teams were like, 'No, we're going to show that we can hang in and win games.'"
• "Seeing how the basketball gods move, we're going to have more Cinderella stories. I think it's just one of those years where [the top teams] are just really good," said Wilson.

Yes, but: Some argue that these plucky underdogs may cease to exist as good players transfer to more elite programs that can offer them more NIL money.

Republicans acknowledge the stress they're feeling from President Trump's tariffs. Their Wall Street donors are feeling it too, with some giving top GOP lawmakers an earful this weekend.

Why it matters: Trump is making it clear he won't tolerate any limits on his ability to impose tariffs, Axios scooped Monday. But rattled GOP donors wanted lawmakers to help convince the president that tariffs are crushing the economy.

• Trump was rankled by the introduction of such a bill by Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). His veto threat sent a message to any Republican senators thinking about signing onto it: Don't even think about it.
• "I don't think that has a future," Senate GOP leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said of the bill.
• Lawmakers declined to cite specific donor conversations, but their level of concern is high after three days of stock market chaos.

The other side: Some Republican senators, notably Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), are openly critical of Trump's tariffs, insisting they are a tax on American consumers.

• "Every country is freaking out. The American stock market is in decline. Now, we're in the second week. Where do we go from here?" Cruz said on his podcast on Monday.

The bottom line: "Uh, yeah. Obviously everybody is concerned," Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), told Axios when asked if the market reaction is giving lawmakers pause.

• Simpson said he expects "some members will" raise concerns directly to the administration, telling Axios, "When I've done that, they've listened."

Axios' Andrew Solender contributed reporting.

The Supreme Court on Monday allowed the Trump administration to resume use of the Aliens Enemies Act to deport alleged Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador.

Why it matters: It's a big win for President Trump's immigration policies, though the court ruled that the government has to give deportees "reasonable time" to challenge their removal in court before leaving the country.

Zoom in: In a 5-4 decision, the high court vacated an order from U.S. District Judge James Boasberg that blocked the use of an 18th-century wartime law to deport immigrants with little or no due process.

• The court's conservative majority said legal challenges must take place in Texas, where the migrants are being held, and not in Washington D.C.
• "For all the rhetoric of the dissents," the Supreme Court's decision says "that the detainees subject to removal orders under the AEA are entitled to notice and an opportunity to challenge their removal."

Zoom out: The three liberal justices dissented, writing that the government's "conduct in this litigation poses an extraordinary threat to the rule of law."

• They continued, "That a majority of this Court now rewards the Government for its behavior with discretionary equitable relief is indefensible."
• Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson in parts of the dissent.

What they're saying: Attorney General Pam Bondi praised the court's decision on X, writing "tonight's decision is a landmark victory for the rule of law."

• "An activist judge in Washington, DC does not have the jurisdiction to seize control of President Trump's authority to conduct foreign policy and keep the American people safe," Bondi wrote.
• In a follow-up tweet, she said that Americans can "rest assured" that she, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and border czar Tom Hooman "will direct our assets to scour the country for any remnants of Tren De Aragua and DEPORT THEM."

Catch up quick: The Trump administration last month defied Boasberg's court order barring the deportation of about 250 people the government claims are Tren de Aragua gang members.

• The administration claimed the two deportation flights, which were not turned around as per the judge's order, had taken off before the judge's written order came through and were justified under the Alien Enemies Act.
• Boasberg refused to lift the ban on the deportations and later extended a temporary restraining order blocking the deportations until April 12.
• A federal appeals court maintained the temporary block.

Editor's note: This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

The Trump administration is formally taking on fluoride in drinking water, with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy planning to tell the CDC to end its longtime recommendation for the practice.

• EPA head Lee Zeldin also said his agency is "ready to act."

Why it matters: Public health and dental experts have warned ending the addition of fluoride to drinking water will harm children's teeth.

Driving the news: Zeldin and Kennedy joined Utah lawmakers in a Monday media event to praise the state's first-in-the-nation ban on fluoride in public water systems.

• Kennedy later told the AP he planned to assemble a task force to examine the mineral in drinking water and tell the CDC to stop recommending it.

Catch up quick: Kennedy last November called fluoride "an industrial waste associated with arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental disorders, and thyroid disease."

The latest: He renewed those criticisms Monday, citing an August report by the National Toxicology Program that found, "with moderate confidence," an association between higher levels of fluoride exposure and lower IQs in children.

Reality check: The analysis looked at fluoride levels more than double what federal regulators recommend in drinking water.

• "It is important to note that there were insufficient data to determine if the low fluoride level of 0.7 mg/L currently recommended for U.S. community water supplies has a negative effect on children's IQ," the paper states.
• Most U.S. water systems contain fluoride below that level. Higher readings are almost always the result of naturally occurring fluoride in the ground, the New York Times reported.

What they're saying: "It is top of the list for the Environmental Protection Agency," Zeldin said, pledging the agency will "go back and look at these studies that have come out."

• Yes, but: Zeldin did not specify what, if anything, the EPA will do. Kennedy previously said the Trump administration would advise U.S. water systems to remove fluoride from public water.

By the numbers: More than 60% of the U.S. population is connected to water systems that contain added fluoride, per the Kaiser Family Foundation.

What we're watching: Bills similar to Utah's have been introduced in Tennessee, North Dakota and Montana.

Editor's note: This story's headline has been corrected to indicate that the EPA, not the FDA, is prepared to act on Kennedy's recommendation.

The Supreme Court on Monday temporarily paused a federal judge's midnight deadline to return a Salvadorian national who was mistakenly deported while the justices weigh the case.

The big picture: Chief Justice John Roberts set a 5pm Tuesday deadline for a response from Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia's attorney after the Trump administration argued the lower court order improperly imposed on the president's foreign policy powers.

• The Trump administration had asked the high court to get rid of the Monday deadline set by U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis to return Abrego Garcia to the U.S., repeating their accusations that he's a member of MS-13.
• Abrego Garcia, who was legally living in Maryland, has not been convicted of gang-related crimes.
• The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals earlier Monday refused to block Xinis' order.

The latest: Abrego Garcia's lawyers argued in their response filed Monday evening that there is no credible reason for the U.S. government to withhold his return, as it was their error that led to Abrego Garcia's deportment.

• The response also disputes the Department of Justice's claim that it is "powerless to correct its error" writing that the federal government has not said "that doing so would cause it any harm."
• "That is because the only one harmed by the current state of affairs is Abrego Garcia," his lawyers wrote.

Context: Abrego Garcia was detained by immigration officials and erroneously deported despite a court order saying he could remain in the U.S. because of a likelihood of harm in El Salvador.

• He was wrongly told last month by immigration agents that his status had changed.
• His wife, a U.S. citizen, identified him after seeing a news article that featured a picture of detainees entering the notorious Center for Terrorism Confinement (CECOT) prison in El Salvador.
• Justice Department attorneys conceded that he was removed to El Salvador because of an "administrative error."

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

President Trump said Monday that the U.S. had been holding "direct talks" with Iran and that a "very big meeting" involving "very high-level" officials will be taking place this Saturday.

Why it matters: The surprise announcement from Trump follows his repeated warnings that Iran must sign a new nuclear deal or face military strikes.

• Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had ruled out direct talks with the U.S. so long as Trump kept his "maximum pressure" policy in place. Tehran has not confirmed Trump's claim that talks had already "started" and would soon ramp up.
• Trump emphasized that the talks with Iran will be direct — rather than through intermediaries — and take place "at almost the highest level."

What he's saying: "I think everyone agrees that doing a deal would be preferable to doing the obvious. And the obvious is not something that I want to be involved with, or frankly, that Israel wants to be involved with, if they can avoid it," Trump said, speaking from the Oval Office alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

• "So we're going to see if we can avoid it. But it's getting to be very dangerous territory, and hopefully those talks will be successful. And I think it would be in Iran's best interest if they are successful."
• Later in the back-and-forth with reporters Trump said: "I think if the talks aren't successful with Iran, I think Iran is going to be in great danger. And I hate to say it, 'great danger,' because they can't have a nuclear weapon. You know, it's not a complicated formula. Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. That's all there is."
• Trump did not say who had been in touch with the Iranians, who would take part in Saturday's talks, or where those talks would be.

Between the lines: Netanyahu believes the chances of a U.S.-Iran nuclear deal are extremely low, but intended to present what "a good deal should look like" during Monday's meeting with Trump, a senior Israeli official said.

• "Netanyahu wants the Libya model. Full dismantling to the Iranian nuclear program," the official said. Iran denies it wants a bomb, but rejects the idea of shutting down its nuclear program.
• The official added Netanyahu wants to reach an understanding with Trump about striking Iran's nuclear facilities when diplomacy fails.
• Trump rebuffed Israel over the main purpose of Netanyahu's visit: Trying to reduce or eliminate the 17% tariffs he imposed.

President Trump told reporters during a visit with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday that he had not decided whether to reduce the 17% tariffs he announced on Israel last week.

Why it matters: Netanyahu was the first foreign leader to meet Trump after he launched the global tariff regime, and the meeting was closely watched by investors and other foreign governments for signs of just how flexible the president was willing to be. So far, there's no sign of a deal.

State of play: U.S. markets see-sawed wildly on Monday on any indications of the direction the trade war might take, before ending down for the day and way down over the past week.

• Trump threatened an additional 50% tariff on China if it follows through on its plan to retaliate with tariffs of its own. That would push levies on Chinese goods to at least 104%.
• But Trump also said negotiations with other countries would begin "immediately," in what the markets interpreted as a more positive sign.

Between the lines: Trump is coming under increasingly sharp criticism from American billionaires and business leaders, including some who supported him in the election.

• But he sent an uncompromising message in a flurry of Truth Social posts before the meeting with Netanyahu.
• He called his critics "weak, stupid and PANICAN" and claimed "countries from all over the World are talking to us" about negotiating new trade deals.

State of play: Netanyahu landed in Washington on Sunday. He met Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to discuss the tariffs. The Prime Minister's Office said the meeting was "productive."

The big picture: Iran and Gaza were also on Netanyahu's agenda. Trump made the surprising announcement that the U.S. had opened nuclear talks with Iran and would hold a "high-level" meeting on Saturday.

• Netanyahu thinks the chances of a U.S.-Iran nuclear deal are extremely low but planned to present to Trump what "a good deal should look like," a senior Israeli official said.
• "Netanyahu want the Libya model. Full dismantling to the Iranian nuclear program," the official said. Iran denies it wants a bomb, but rejects the idea of shutting down its nuclear program.
• The official added Netanyahu wanted to reach an understanding with Trump about striking Iran's nuclear facilities when diplomacy fails.

Trump and Netanyahu also planned to discuss the stalled efforts to reach a new Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal.

• Trump held a call earlier Monday on Gaza with French President Emmanuel Macron, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and King Abdullah II of Jordan.
• Netanyahu also met Monday with White House envoy Steve Witkoff to discuss the efforts made by Egypt and Qatar to draft an updated ceasefire proposal.

The National Park Service rewrote — then restored — the Underground Railroad story and reposted a deleted photo of abolitionist Harriet Tubman.

Why it matters: The initial rewriting of abolitionist sites and history, first reported by the Washington Post, comes amid a massive purge of articles about people of color on government websites following President Trump's executive order ending federal diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

The big picture: It also comes as the administration is reinterpreting Civil Rights-era laws and history to focus on "anti-white racism" rather than discrimination against people of color.

• It follows President Trump's order to review monuments toppled in the wake of George Floyd's murder, targeting what he calls a "concerted and widespread effort to rewrite our Nation's history."
• That executive order takes aim at what he called a "revisionist movement" that he says has infiltrated the Smithsonian Institution and other federal sites dedicated to America's history.

Zoom in: The National Park Service initially removed from a webpage an introductory quote from Tubman about being a conductor in the secret network and replaced it with postal stamps of white and Black people working together — sparking pushback from groups including the National Parks Conservation Association.

• It retold the Underground Railroad story as an episode of "Black/White cooperation," and removed a photo of abolitionist Harriet Tubman.
• The introduction also dropped references to enslavement and instead focused on white/Black allyship during the lead-up to the Civil War.
• "The Underground Railroad bridged the divides of race, religion, sectional differences, and nationality," the website was updated to say.
• "(It) joined the American ideals of liberty and freedom expressed in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution to the extraordinary actions of ordinary men and women working in common purpose to free a people."

Yes, but: The National Park Service told Axios that the rewriting of the website was a mistake.

• "Changes to the Underground Railroad page on the National Park Service's website were made without approval from NPS leadership nor Department leadership," NPS spokesman Rachel Pawlitz told Axios late Monday.
• "The webpage was immediately restored to its original content."
• A NPS spokesperson earlier Monday defended the rewriting as "a couple (of) web edits" and said it was "completely false" that the rewriting invalidated the agency's commitment to tale a complex story.

Context: The Underground Railroad was a secret network of routes, safe houses and people who aided Black Americans who were enslaved in violation of the "American ideals of liberty and freedom."

• Though it consisted of a network for Black and white abolitionists, many had become disillusioned with American ideals and many Black Americans sought to escape to Canada and Mexico.

Zoom out: The initial rewriting of the Underground Railroad follows another initial website purge that drew outrage before it was restored, too.

• Last month, the U.S. Department of Defense removed — then restored — a webpage featuring baseball and civil rights pioneer Jackie Robinson, who served in the Army during World War II and segregation.
• It was part of a purge of articles about soldiers of color on government websites following President Trump's executive order ending federal DEI initiatives.

The department also removed articles about the famed Native American Code Talkers.

• A National Guard article on the celebrated 442nd Regimental Combat Team — made up almost entirely of Nisei, or second-generation Japanese-Americans and who liberated Nazi concentration camps — was removed.

Between the lines: Historians are uncovering new evidence about the Underground Railroad to Mexico — a loosely organized path allowing enslaved Black people in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Alabama to escape bondage by fleeing south.

• Other recent works, like Erica Armstrong Dunbar's 2017 book on Ona Judge, a woman who fled enslavement from President George Washington, have garnered national attention.
• "Sweet Taste of Liberty: A True Story of Slavery and Restitution in America," by W. Caleb McDaniel, a meditation on reparations based on the story of a woman who survived kidnapping and re-enslavement, won a Pulitzer in 2020.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with a response from the National Park Service and to reflect that the Underground Railroad history has been restored to the NPS site.