Pro-Palestinian activist and Columbia University alumnus Mahmoud Khalil was arrested Saturday by immigration authorities, his lawyer confirmed to Axios.

The big picture: Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents told Khalil that his student visa had been revoked before his arrest.

• However, Khalil is a legal permanent resident and not in the U.S. on a student visa, attorney Amy Greer said in a statement.

• Greer told AP that an agent informed her in a phone call that they were executing an order from the State Department to revoke Khalil's student visa. Upon being informed he was a permanent resident with a green card, the agent said they were pulling his green card too.
• Greer said in a statement to Axios that Khalil's legal team was informed Sunday morning he had been transferred to an ICE facility in Elizabeth, New Jersey. But when his pregnant wife, a U.S. citizen who was also threatened with arrest by ICE, went to visit him, she was told he was not there.

What they're saying: Columbia University said in a Sunday statement about reports of ICE on campus that law enforcement must have a judicial warrant to enter university buildings.

• ICE arrested Khalil at his university-owned apartment, Greer told AP.
• A State Department spokesperson told Axios that the department has broad authority to revoke visas but said they could not comment on individual cases.
• The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) referred Axios to the White House when asked for comment. The White House did not respond to Axios' request.

A petition calling for Khalil's immediate release said he has been the target of "various zionist harassment campaigns" that serve to "instill fear in pro-Palestine activists as well as a warning to others."

• It had been signed by more than 450,000 people by 8:30pm Sunday ET.
• Khalil told AP before his arrest that the university accused him of misconduct weeks before his December 2024 graduation, adding that most of the allegations concerned social media posts he had "nothing to do with."
• Khalil became one of the most well-known student activists during the Columbia encampment and protest last spring, giving interviews and engaging in negotiations with the university about the protesters' demands.

Friction point: Khalil's detainment comes as the Trump administration has called for revoking student visas for foreign nationals it deems to be "Hamas sympathizers" — a process Axios reported would involve AI-assisted reviews of tens of thousands of student visa holders' social media accounts.

• Columbia also remains in the crosshairs of the White House, which announced Friday it would yank some $400 million in federal grants and contracts from the university. The school became the epicenter of nationwide protests last spring over Israel's handling of the war in Gaza.
• The Trump Education Department cited alleged inaction in the face of "persistent harassment of Jewish students" in announcing it would slash funding, saying additional cancelations are expected to follow.
• Days before, President Trump threatened to halt federal funding for schools and universities that allow "illegal protests."

What we're watching: "We will vigorously be pursuing Mahmoud's rights in court, and will continue our efforts to right this terrible and inexcusable – and calculated – wrong committed against him," Greer said.

• His arrest follows what she described as the government's "open repression of student activism and political speech," targeting Columbia students protesting the Israel-Hamas war, in particular.
• "The U.S. government has made clear that they will use immigration enforcement as a tool to suppress that speech," she said.

Go deeper: ICE fears prompt foreign workers and students to keep visas close

Editor's note: This article has been updated with details of petition signatures.

Several Democrats echoed a leave-it-to-localities stance Sunday when asked their take on transgender athletes competing in girls' and women's sports.

The big picture: Sports participation has become a major flashpoint in the Trump administration's restrictions on the transgender community — one on which some Democrats, like California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), appear to be tilting right.

• In a conversation with right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk on Newsom's podcast, "This is Gavin Newsom," the California governor contended that trans athletes competing in girls' and women's sports was "deeply unfair."
• But Senate Democrats voted unanimously Monday to block a GOP bill that would have banned trans athletes from women's sports in schools.
• Arguing that trans sports participation should be a state- or local-level decision is an emerging Democratic strategy to counter Republican attacks on their support for trans rights, Axios' Stephen Neukam and Hans Nichols report.

Driving the news: Several Democrats, presented with Newsom's comments, said Sunday that rules of sports participation should be determined by local communities and leagues rather than by the federal government.

• "We want to make sure that these decisions are made by the communities ... by the schools and others that are the ones closest," Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) said on CNN's "State of the Union," adding, "We're talking about a handful ... of athletes around the country."
• Kim disputed the GOP's attempts to characterize transgender athletes participating in women's and girls' sports as an issue of safety, saying, "It's not about safety and security; it's about politics."

Zoom out: Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) said that her state has a process by which transgender girls can obtain waivers to participate on girls' sports teams.

• That's only happened twice, she said.
• "So let the local communities, just like everything with school, handle that issue," she said on NBC News' "Meet the Press." She added that "this issue is being sort of brought up in order to make sparks and see sparks fly."

"I want all young people to have the experience of playing in sports," Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said on ABC's "This Week." "And I want those sports to be fair."

• He said he's confident that local schools and communities "can make those decisions without the federal government making them for them."

Yes, but: Most Democrats stopped short of directly criticizing Newsom or raising an issue with his argument.

• However, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) said he was "perplexed" by Newsom's stance, noting a decade-old California law that allows trans kids to participate in sex-segregated school activities, like sports, based on their gender identity.
• "I believe that that law has worked in California, and I don't think there should be a federal ban, and we should have the state athletic associations ... set the standard so that you balance inclusion with fairness and safety," Khanna said.

LGBTQ+ rights and other advocacy groups were quick to strike back against Newsom's comments, with Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson writing in a statement, "When LGBTQ+ lives are under attack, real leaders don't hedge — they fight."

• Newsom is not the first Democrat to spark concerns from the LGBTQ+ community over his stance on trans athletes' sports participation — during the 2024 campaign cycle, some Dems earned rebuke from advocates over their weak defense of the community on the topic.

Catch up quick: Trump signed an executive order last month denying federal funds for schools that allow trans women or girls to compete in athletics based on their gender identity.

• The NCAA revised its participation policy shortly after to limit competition in women's sports to athletes assigned female at birth only.
• Trump's order on trans athletes was just one of several sweeping anti-trans actions the administration has taken since Jan. 20 — many of which were promises central to Trump's 2024 campaign.
• Those actions — such as orders defining "two sexes," threatening funding for youth gender-affirming care and moving to remove trans service members from the military — have sent shockwaves through an already vulnerable community.

Go deeper: "See you in court," Maine governor tells Trump after transgender athlete threats

U.S. hostage envoy Adam Boehler said Sunday that while he understands Israel's concerns over direct talks with Hamas, the U.S. is "not an agent of Israel."

The big picture: Hours after Boehler met with a senior Hamas political official, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-hand man Ron Dermer condemned the U.S. making proposals without Israel's consent in an intense call last week, Axios' Barak Ravid scooped.

• Boehler assured that he was not close to a deal with Hamas after the meetings in Doha, which were largely centered around securing the release of American hostage Edan Alexander and the bodies of four deceased American hostages, sources told Axios.

Driving the news: But on CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday, Boehler described the conversations with Hamas as "very helpful," later saying he thinks "something could come together within weeks."

• He added, "I think there is a deal where they can get all of the prisoners out, not just the Americans."

Friction point: Boehler said he's "sympathetic" to top Israeli leaders' disapproval of his meetings, but he emphasized the U.S. is "not an agent of Israel" with "specific interests at play."

• Boehler said he wanted to ascertain the vision of a "realistic" end-game for Hamas during the talks.
• "The reality is what I wanted to do is jump start some negotiations that were in a very fragile place," he said.
• On "Fox News Sunday," Boehler emphasized that dialogue "does not mean giving things." He continued, "Dialogue ... means sitting -- hearing what someone wants and then identifying, does it fit with what we want or not and then how can you get somewhere in the middle and not have a war?"

Zoom out: The 42-day ceasefire that was part of the first phase of the Gaza deal expired just over a week ago after the parties could not agree on an extension.

• A day after the agreement ended, Israel announced it would halt all humanitarian aid and fuel deliveries into Gaza, where some 90% of the population has been displaced amid war.
• Hamas is still holding 59 hostages, 35 of whom the Israel Defense Forces have confirmed are dead.

What's next: White House envoy Steve Witkoff is now expected to travel to Doha Tuesday to push for a new hostage-release and ceasefire deal.

• The administration is advocating for a deal that would see all remaining hostages released, extend the ceasefire until after the holy month of Ramadan and the Jewish holiday of Passover and possibly lead to a long-term truce, Axios previously reported.

Go deeper: Trump issues new ultimatum for Hamas to release Israeli hostages

Republicans across the country have launched initiatives mirroring the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency to root out so-called "waste" and "fraud" within state budgets.

Why it matters: While they cheer Elon Musk's chainsaw, some of those same officials worry how those deep cuts at the federal level will affect their states, which take in more federal money than they send to Washington.

• Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, who established DOGE-OK via executive order last month, acknowledged that reality to Politico, noting that as DOGE is "trying to cut $2 trillion out of the federal spending … a lot of money from the feds goes to the states."
• He suggested state officials can help guide DOGE when considering state aid.

Driving the news: Stitt is not alone as the DOGE drive trickles down to the state level.

• Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry's DOGE-like initiative preceded Trump's inauguration by creating a "Fiscal Responsibility Program" in December with the goal of downsizing the state budget.
• New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte's first executive order established a Commission on Government Efficiency (COGE), "to streamline government, cut spending, and ensure we're doing everything we can to create value for taxpayers."
• In North Carolina, lawmakers formed an "interim House 'Select Committee on Government Efficiency,'" which is authorized to "look at DEI policies, excess state property, and other potential wastes of taxpayer dollars."
• Georgia's Senate recently passed a bill likened to a "state-level DOGE" backed by Lt. Governor Burt Jones to curb regulatory burdens.
• And in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis launched a Florida DOGE task force, with university spending a prime target.

Yes, but: The Trump administration's slash-and-burn style of budget busting worries some GOP lawmakers.

• "If you're making [final] decisions without involving local representatives, you're making a mistake," House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole (R-Okla.) told reporters when discussing cuts to a key National Weather Service facility in his district.
• Landry and other Louisiana officials asked the Office of Management and Budget "to develop a responsible runway to untangle us from any unnecessary and egregious policies without jeopardizing the financial stability of the state."
• Several lawmakers have pressed the administration to act with "compassion" and treat the federal workforce "with dignity" as mass federal layoffs take a toll far beyond D.C.

State of play: States' initiatives so far have not echoed the dramatic disruptions Trump and Musk's DOGE triggered.

• Layoffs have hit thousands of employees across the government, from NOAA to National Parks to the IRS, as the administration guts federal agencies and slashes contracts deemed wasteful.

Reality check: To make the vast $2 trillion reduction Elon Musk has floated, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and defense cuts would mathematically be a likely necessity.

• And how the federal government does its math — considering tax and spending cuts — could shake up state-level budgets.

Go deeper: Trump stares down early economic potholes

Republicans overwhelmingly support President Trump's tariffs in spite of the higher costs they're likely to face as a result of them, according to a new Economist/YouGov poll out this week.

Why it matters: After promising to lower prices if elected, Trump's tariffs targeting the U.S.'s biggest trade partners will cost the average American household at least $830 per year, economists have warned.

• Trump eased some tariffs on the U.S.' North American neighbors with temporary carve-outs for the auto sector, an industry that relies on free trade with Canada and Mexico.
• The White House is also reportedly considering exemptions for some agricultural goods from the tariffs on Canada and Mexico, Bloomberg reported.

Driving the news: Republicans expressed the strongest support for a 10% tariff on goods from China, with 78% approving of it. Trump has since increased the levy to 20%.

• Just 23% of Democrats and 42% of Independents said they supported a tariff on goods from China.
• The GOP support for 25% tariffs on Canada (57%) and Mexico (68%) was lower, but far outpaced the number of Democrats and Independents who approved of them.

Between the lines: Over half of Republican respondents (56%) acknowledged that increasing tariffs generally increases prices.

• 13% said they thought there would be no effect on prices, while 9% said tariffs would decrease prices and 22% weren't sure.
• 40% of Republicans said that mostly companies and people in the country exporting products would ultimately bear the cost of tariffs.
• Meanwhile, 39% agreed that mostly companies and people in the U.S. would bear the brunt, while 20% said they weren't sure.

The other side: Three-quarters of Democrats said U.S. companies and consumers would mostly feel the cost, with only 10% saying companies and people in the exporting country would.

• 82% of Democrats said that tariffs would increase prices.

State of play: Trump on the campaign trail floated tariffs as "the greatest thing ever invented" and cast them as an economic cure-all.

• Tariffs can raise revenues for imposing governments, but they can also hurt domestic companies and consumers.
• Soybean farmers are one such case study: They've yet to recover the market share in China lost during the Trump 1.0 trade war and now face renewed uncertainty.

Thought bubble, from Axios' Managing Editor for Business & Markets Ben Berkowitz: The results make clear most Americans simply don't believe Trump's long-lived argument that tariffs don't raise prices, and that it's the tariffed countries who really pay.

• Whether they support the tariffs or not may not be relevant in the end, if the mere belief that prices will rise is enough to keep eroding consumer sentiment and holding people back from making big purchases.
• That may be why Trump's language has shifted subtly in recent months, from prices will go down (campaign trail) to prices won't rise as fast (transition) to "a little disturbance" in prices (now).

Methodology: The poll of 1,638 U.S. adults was conducted on March 1-4 and has a margin of error of +/- 3.7% percentage points.

Go deeper: New tariffs hit, but there's a $100 billion hole in the data

The Supreme Court refused to halt a lower court ruling Wednesday that required the Trump administration to unfreeze some $1.9 billion in foreign aid payments.

The big picture: Wednesday's order from the highest court marks one of the first times the justices have intervened since Trump's return to the White House as a litany of legal cases involving his administration's policies move through the federal court system.

• The administration turned to the high court after U.S. District Court Judge Amir Ali ordered the administration to pay invoices and letter of credit drawdown requests to USAID and State Department contractors for work completed before Feb. 13.

Driving the news: The court split 5-4 in denying the government's request to overrule the lower court decision after Chief Justice John Roberts issued a stay pausing Ali's order one week ago.

• Ali initially set a Feb. 26 deadline for the administration to disburse payments.
• Because that deadline has passed, Roberts wrote in the court's opinion, the district court should "clarify what obligations" the administration must fulfill to comply with Ali's order.

Catch up quick: Last month, Ali ordered the administration to temporarily restore funding — only to reiterate that order days later, finding the administration had "not complied" fully.

• The lawsuit was brought by organizations that said Trump's 90-day freeze impacted their work on foreign aid, which the plaintiffs consider an unconstitutional overreach "harming global health and security."
• As part of a Department of Government Efficiency-led upheaval of the federal bureaucracy and search for "waste" in the government, the Trump administration said last week it would nix 92% in foreign assistance-related grants.
• While Secretary of State Marco Rubio has repeatedly said the department would issue a waiver exempting life-saving humanitarian aid from the freeze, organizations across the globe — and an official within USAID — say resources remain unreachable.

Zoom out: The U.S. government is the world's largest humanitarian donor, per the United Nations.

• But the funding freeze, coupled with the DOGE-led dissection of USAID, casts the nation's humanitarian presence into uncertainty, leaving organizations across the globe scrambling.

What we're watching: The justices will likely have more work to do as lawsuits over Trump's most sweeping executive actions set the stage for potentially historic showdowns in the nation's highest court.

• Multiple lower judges have ordered freezes on key Trump 2.0 agenda items, from his plan to end birthright citizenship to his restrictions on transgender rights.
• But the conservative-leaning court will have the final say.

Go deeper: Exclusive: Oversight Dems open probe into Trump's USAID purge

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

The number of migrants illegally crossing the U.S. southern border plummeted in February to the lowest level seen in decades, according to internal data obtained by Axios.

The big picture: Crossings had been trending down for several months, driven by policies on either side of the U.S.-Mexico border, experts say. But the numbers have plunged since Trump began implementing — and broadcasting — his sweeping immigration crackdown.

• "The Invasion of our Country is OVER," Trump wrote in a Saturday Truth Social post celebrating the decline.
• The drop represents an overlap of Trump's sweeping changes in policy and rhetoric with trends that began months before he returned to the White House, said the Migration Policy Institute's Colleen Putzel-Kavanaugh, who closely tracks border data.

Driving the news: Border Patrol recorded around 8,300 apprehensions of migrants who crossed the border unlawfully between ports of entry in February, according to the data obtained by Axios.

• In January, according to CBP statistics, Border Patrol recorded some 29,100 encounters, down from around 47,300 the month prior.
• The February numbers are the lowest recorded since FY 2000, the earliest year of monthly data publicly accessible.
• There were over 130,000 encounters in both February 2023 and 2024.

Context: Illegal border crossings spiked at the end of 2023 but started to slope downward in 2024 after the Biden administration implemented new restrictions and Mexican officials ramped up enforcement.

• Mexico's actions were a "really key" reason for the downward trend "that often goes a bit under the radar," said Putzel-Kavanaugh.
• Former President Biden in June signed an executive order that took aggressive action to curtail border surges by implementing asylum restrictions in periods where border encounters were high.
• That triggered a "huge dip" in the number of migrants arriving irregularly between ports of entry, Putzel-Kavanaugh said.

The Trump administration's long-promised crackdown started on day one of his term. It sent shockwaves throughout the immigration system.

• Officials shut down an app that facilitated the legal entry of some migrants at the border, used military aircraft for deportations and loudly publicized a plan for mass deportations.
• The CBP One mobile application going dark left thousands stranded in Mexico, with their appointments for asylum screenings canceled.
• "The calculus was really starting to shift [prior to the app being shut down] where people were waiting in Mexico to get those appointments and be able to be processed that way, because there would still be access to humanitarian protection," Putzel-Kavanaugh said.

Zoom in: Migrants are likely in a "wait-and-see" moment today, Putzel-Kavanaugh said, as they make sense of how to navigate "many different layered policies" that make it "really hard to know if there's really access to humanitarian protection."

• There are also a number of pending legal challenges to the Trump administration's policies, including its efforts to fast-track deportations.

What to watch: Border crossings also fell sharply when Trump took office in 2017, but he faced his own border crisis when they spiked in 2019 — though not to the levels seen under Biden.

• It's unclear if the current ultra-low levels will be sustainable, says Putzel-Kavanaugh, noting border numbers are "volatile" and fluctuate in the context of an "ever-changing environment."
• And with Mexico playing a key role in keeping border numbers low, it's uncertain how tumultuous cross-border diplomacy — and a burgeoning trade war — will play into migration enforcement conversations.

Go deeper: Scoop: Trump's immigration arrests appear to lag Biden's

The Senate confirmed Linda McMahon on Monday to serve as head of the Education Department — an entity President Trump has targeted for elimination,

Why it matters: Trump's proposals to dismantle the Department of Education could have dramatic implications for public schools that rely on federal funds to fill gaps in state and local support. Experts point to a recipe for chaos as critical government programs are reorganized.

• The vote was 51-45.
• Trump told reporters last month he hopes McMahon will "put herself out of a job."

The big picture: McMahon, a former World Wrestling Entertainment executive, headed the Small Business Administration during Trump's first term and is a longtime Trump ally (and megadonor).

• In advance of her confirmation, the Education Department offered a buyout of up to $25,000 to most of its employees, Politico reported, citing an email sent Friday to staffers.

Reality check: Eliminating the Department of Education, which has been a punching bag for the GOP for decades, would require congressional action.

• But that's not to say the administration won't try to dismantle it before urging lawmakers to deliver the final blow.
• The Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has begun dissecting the agency from the inside, claiming last month that the team had terminated some $881 million in contracts deemed wasteful.

Zoom out: McMahon will be tasked with implementing several education-related executive orders Trump has signed, including one that threatens to slash funding for K-12 schools that "indoctrinate" students by teaching about race and gender.

The other side: NAACP President Derrick Johnson said McMahon's confirmation "brings us one step closer to losing our Department of Education—the agency that not only funds public schools, but advocates for our teachers and enforces essential civil rights laws.

• "Today marks another dark day in America—not just for our government but for our kids," Johnson said.

Go deeper: Trump taps major donors, eldest sons to lead transition team

President Trump's Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered U.S. Cyber Command to suspend offensive cyber and information operations against Russia, according to multiple reports.

Why it matters: It's the latest in a series of foreign policy reversals that appear favorable to The Kremlin, setting off alarm bells for U.S. allies, supporters of Ukraine and critics of the Trump administration.

• The directive, issued last month and first reported by the Record, is another example of the U.S.'s about-face on Moscow.

Driving the news: The suspension is only intended to last as long as negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine war play out, officials told the Washington Post.

• Experts told the Post it's not unusual to halt operations during high-level talks but cautioned that the Kremlin could take advantage of the lapse.
• The Pentagon declined to comment to Axios.
• "Due to operational security concerns, we do not comment nor discuss cyber intelligence, plans, or operations," a senior defense official told Axios. "There is no greater priority to Secretary Hegseth than the safety of the Warfighter in all operations, to include the cyber domain."

The big picture: Moscow's cyber power remains a threat to critical U.S. and global infrastructure, the director of national intelligence's 2024 threat assessment concluded.

• Russia views cyber disruptions as "a foreign policy lever" to shape other countries' decisions and employ influence, the assessment stated.
• Even as Moscow prioritizes operations for its ongoing invasion of Ukraine, Russia still has the capacity to pose an "enduring global cyber threat," the assessment read.

Flashback: The U.S., at the end of 2021, sent cyber experts to Ukraine, a few months ahead of the Russian invasion.

• U.S. officials applauded the hunt-forward operation for blunting Moscow's cyber effectiveness: "Presence matters," said retired Gen. Paul Nakasone, then the chief of U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency, in 2022.

Zoom in: Russia's alleged efforts to interfere in U.S. elections and amplify domestic divisions through malign influence campaigns and illicit cyber activities have prompted sanctions and legal action.

• Asked about reports that the U.S. was pausing offensive cyber operations against Moscow, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz said on CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday that a halt had not been part of discussions between Moscow and the Trump administration.
• But he added, "There will be all kinds of carrots and sticks to get this war to an end."

Go deeper: U.S. votes against UN resolution condemning Russia for Ukraine invasion

Moscow is welcoming the apparent shift in U.S. relations with Ukraine following last week's tense Oval Office meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, President Trump and Vice President Vance.

The big picture: Kremlin officials commended the U.S. on Sunday, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov saying the United States' "rapidly changing" foreign policy configurations "largely coincides with our vision."

• Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also praised Trump for his "common sense," even if the U.S. and Russia are not aligned on everything.
• A spokesperson for Russia's foreign ministry said after the Oval Office meeting that it was a "miracle of restraint" that Trump and Vance didn't hit Zelensky.
• Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy chair of Russia's security council, crowed that "the insolent pig finally got a proper slap down in the Oval Office."

Driving the news: For at least one Republican, the idea of the U.S. walking away from its allies is stomach-turning. But others in the GOP have dismissed the commentary from Moscow — and have taken their turn heaping on criticism for Zelensky.

What they're saying: Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) wrote in a Saturday X post that she is "sick" as the Trump administration "appears to be walking away from our allies and embracing [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, a threat to democracy and U.S. values around the world."

• Her condemnation followed weeks of rhetoric from the White House signaling a softer approach to Putin and a brewing hostility toward Zelensky, whom the president called a "dictator" before walking it back last week.

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union" that the "White House has become an arm of the Kremlin."

Yes, but: The Trump administration has largely dismissed the concerns from some in Congress, instead praising Trump for bringing Putin to the bargaining table and arguing the president is the only person who can end the war.

• "They're going to say what their position is," Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, said in response to Russian reactions on "Fox News Sunday." "What we should pay attention to here in the United States of America is the American people."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio also waved off Murkowski's criticism.

• ''We're a free country. People have a right to these opinions," he said on ABC's "This Week" in response to her statement, later arguing if a Democrat had handled recent talks as Trump had, "everyone would be saying, well, he's on his way to the Nobel Peace Prize."
• House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) argued Trump has been "very clear" that Putin was the aggressor in the war (Trump has falsely blamed Ukraine for starting the conflict), saying Murkowski's view is "plainly wrong."

What's next: While U.S. leaders seem to suggest the ball is in Kyiv's court in the wake of the spat, European leaders quickly organized to contain the damage.

• "We have to find a way where we can all work together," UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who met with Trump the day before Friday's clash, told the BBC Sunday.
• He said the UK will work with other European nations to develop a plan to end the war supported by a "coalition of the willing" and present it to Trump, who Starmer says still wants a "lasting peace."
• But the seas between the U.S. and its European allies grow choppier — threatening to sink a longstanding bridge.

Go deeper: Inside the Oval: How Trump sent Zelensky home with no deal and no meal

Democratic senators who crossed the aisle to back their former colleague Marco Rubio for Secretary of State now say they regret it.

The big picture: Rubio easily swept through the Senate with bipartisan backing. But as the early days of Trump 2.0 bring historic shifts in American foreign policy, some Democrats now see the former Florida senator in a different light.

• Rubio was in the Oval Office on Friday for the jaw-dropping argument between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, President Trump and Vice President Vance.
• And after, he was one of the leaders who asked the Ukrainian president to leave, casting the minerals deal officials had gathered to sign into uncertainty.

Driving the news: Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union" that voting to approve Rubio's nomination in January was "a mistake."

• "I think a lot of us thought that Marco Rubio was going to stand up to Donald Trump" on issues like Russia's years-long war in Ukraine, Murphy said.
• "I thought when Donald Trump decided to do that, when Donald Trump would come to him and say, help me move America closer to Russia .... Marco Rubio would stand up to him," he said. "Marco Rubio has not."

Catch up quick: Rubio has stood beside the president as the administration leads an "America-first" shift away from European allies, rebukes the country's northern neighbor and pushes plans to take over war-torn Gaza.

What they're saying: Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) shared Murphy's sentiment on "Fox News Sunday," saying, "I regret that vote" to confirm Rubio.

• "As a member of the Senate, Secretary Rubio was somebody who stood up for American values, American principles," Van Hollen said, noting that his former colleague "acknowledged that Russia was the aggressor against Ukraine."
• In recent weeks, Trump falsely claimed Ukraine started the war, and other administration officials have declined to say whether Russia was the aggressor in the bloody war, which began in 2022 when Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
• "[N]ow he's simply taking his directions to the State Department from Elon Musk and essentially parroting the president's position, which I understand, but it's very different than what Senator Rubio used to talk about," Van Hollen said.

Go deeper: GOP piles on Trump's Zelensky hostility

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and others in the GOP chided Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday following a heated Oval Office meeting with President Trump and Vice President Vance on Friday.

The big picture: The tense exchange between the three leaders has further soured an already strained relationship between the U.S. and Ukraine and led to at least one GOP member — South Carolina's Lindsey Graham — to suggest Zelensky leave office.

Driving the news: Johnson said on NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday that Zelensky needs to "come to his senses" and return to the negotiating table "in gratitude, or someone else needs to lead the country to do that."

• Asked if Russian President Vladimir Putin also needed to step down, Johnson said he'd like to see him "defeated."
• He argued the U.S. is not abandoning Ukraine but criticized the country's leader for appearing "rather stiff-necked in the Oval Office instead of being gracious and saying, 'Thank you,' and looking for a way out of this mess."

Reality check: Zelensky was accused by Vance of not saying "thank you" during the Oval Office showdown, but the Ukrainian leader has thanked the U.S. — and both Presidents Biden and Trump — for its support dozens of times.

• When the leaders gathered in the White House Friday, they were slated to sign a minerals deal. But the talks exploded before the press, prompting the deal to be scratched.
• After Zelensky publicly questioned Vance's definition of "diplomacy," the barbs started to fly: The vice president accused the Ukrainian leader of disrespect and argued he led "propaganda tours."
• Trump, who described Zelensky as an unelected dictator last month, told his visitor he was "not in a good position," saying, "you don't have the cards."

Zoom in: White House national security adviser Mike Waltz, who Axios reported directed Zelensky to leave the White House on Friday alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio, said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union" that "it wasn't clear to us" that Zelensky "was ready to negotiate in good faith."

• Asked if Trump wants to see Zelensky resign from his post, Waltz replied, "if it becomes apparent that President Zelensky's either personal motivations or political motivations are divergent from ending the fighting in his country, then ... I think we have a real issue on our hands."
• Responding to his past characterization of Zelensky as a modern-day Winston Churchill, Waltz said the former UK prime minister was "a man for a moment."

The other side: Not all Republicans are on board with calls for Zelensky to step aside.

• "I'm not interested in calling on the resignation of other world leaders," Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) said on NBC's "Meet the Press" in response to Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) suggesting Zelensky needed to pass the reins.
• "I think that would spiral Ukraine into chaos right now, trying to find who is the negotiator to bring an issue to peace," he added.

Meanwhile, Democrats and others admonished the administration and its Republican chorus Sunday, with Sen Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) slamming calls for Zelensky to resign as a "horrific suggestion."

• "I think millions of Americans are embarrassed, are ashamed, that you have a President of the United States who says that Ukraine started the war, that Zelenskyy is a dictator — he's got it exactly backwards," Sanders told NBC's Kristen Welker.
• Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) condemned the White House's softening approach to Moscow and recent tendency to echo Russian talking points, contending on CNN that "the White House has become an arm of the Kremlin."

Go deeper: Zelensky says he doesn't think he did anything wrong after public spat with Trump

Elon Musk called Thursday for retired air traffic controllers to consider returning to work amid staffing shortages — but a federal law means doing so isn't so simple.

The big picture: Hiring shortages have long plagued air traffic controllers in already stressful roles overseeing critical airspace, but the job is under more scrutiny following a deadly midair collision at Reagan National Airport and several other close calls between aircraft at other U.S. airports.

• "There is a shortage of top notch air traffic controllers," Musk posted on X Thursday. "If you have retired, but are open to returning to work, please consider doing so."

Context: Despite Musk's request, U.S. law requires that air traffic controllers retire by "the last day of the month" in which they turn 56. The Transportation secretary can exempt controllers "having exceptional skills and experience" from automatic separation — but only until that person is 61.

• Air traffic controllers must also pass annual medical examinations with strict physical requirements, like having 20/20 vision, sufficient hearing and proper blood pressure levels.

Driving the news: Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Thursday announced a plan to "supercharge" controller hiring that would shave steps off the hiring process and increase starting salaries.

Catch up quick: Duffy said in an interview on Fox News earlier this month that he plans to "make an offer" to air traffic controllers to let them stay longer, past the mandatory retirement age of 56.

• But the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, the union that represents the country's air traffic controllers, told Flying Magazine Duffy's suggestion is not the answer to filling thousands of shortages.
• "The solution to the ATC staffing crisis is a long-term commitment to hiring and training and the retention of the experience of all the highly skilled, highly trained air traffic controllers," the union said, noting in the next year, just dozens of air traffic controllers across 35 facilities will reach 56.

Zoom out: The Federal Aviation Administration has tried to bolster recruitment efforts amid ongoing staffing and retention issues, but applying to be a controller and becoming one are two very different things.

• It's a long, strenuous training process that can take up to three years, according to a 2023 inspector general report. And given the mandatory retirement age, the FAA must grapple with constant attrition.
• On top of that, the Trump administration's upheaval of the federal government and deep cuts could further complicate recruitment, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick notes.

Catch up quick: Hundreds of FAA employees were fired earlier this month amid the large-scale reductions that have rocked the federal workforce.

• But Duffy clarified that "[z]ero air traffic controllers and critical safety personnel" were let go.

Go deeper: Air traffic controllers union hits back at Trump DEI comments

Editor's note: This story has been updated with a plan to increase starting salaries.

Leading a federal agency is an around-the-clock, full-time job, but several top Trump administration officials have picked up side hustles: leading other federal agencies at the same time.

Why it matters: At least four officials have juggled leadership posts at multiple agencies or organizations at once. Several of those have also been targeted for deep budget and staffing cuts at the direction of the White House and its Department of Government Efficiency.

• The trend serves as another example of how Trump 2.0 has re-shuffled the federal bureaucracy.

State of play: While it's not rare for acting officials to fill posts during the Senate confirmation process, Trump's approach has broken with past precedent, said Jenny Mattingley, the nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service's vice president of government affairs.

• "Dual-hatting," as she calls it, does sometimes occur in presidential administrations, Mattingley told Axios.

Yes, but: "Particularly at the beginning of an administration, you have acting officials who are in that agency — not across multiple heads of agencies," she said.

• "Being triple-hatted makes it really hard to get in and actually see the nuts and bolts" of what an agency does, Mattingley said.
• Trump's nominees have moved "fairly quickly" through the Senate, underlining the fact that the setup "appears to be more of an intentional choice," she added.

Marco Rubio, Secretary of State, National Archivist and head of USAID

Marco Rubio is balancing three different posts:

• He was easily confirmed as the Secretary of State, a role that's seen him travel across Latin America, engage in talks over ending the Russia-Ukraine war and navigate a fragile Middle East ceasefire.
• At the same time, he also took on the title of acting director of the U.S. Agency for International Development. That change coincided with the dramatic DOGE-led dissection of the humanitarian aid organization. Rubio said at the time that the administration had "no choice but to bring this thing under control."
• While traversing the globe, Rubio is also serving as the acting archivist of the National Archives and Records Administration, an independent agency Trump has long disliked after it alerted to the Justice Department of his alleged mishandling of classified documents. Trump fired the previous head archivist this month.
• Trump did, however, appoint Jim Byron, the the president and CEO of the Richard Nixon Foundation, to handle the "day-to-day" needs at the National Archives.

One stunning stat: Based on historical staffing levels, that would mean Rubio is overseeing a combined 90,000 employees across three agencies before factoring in DOGE's mass layoffs.

Kash Patel, running the FBI and ATF

FBI Director Kash Patel, who was narrowly confirmed by the Senate in late February, is to many experts and critics a controversial pick for the main job he was nominated to do.

• But he was also tapped to lead another federal law enforcement agency: He sworn in Monday as the acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Associated Press reported.
• The White House, in a fact sheet on Trump's executive order directing a review of second amendment infringements, argued the Biden administration had "weaponized" the ATF through regulations.
• That means Patel would concurrently be overseeing the 5,000-plus-person ATF workforce and the 38,000 people who work for the FBI.
• It's unclear what the administration plans to do with the agency after the unprecedented move of placing the FBI director at its helm.

Russ Vought, Trump's budget chief and consumer protection head

Russ Vought, Trump's budget chief, is leading several of the White House's key initiatives chipping away at the federal government.

• In doing so, he also reportedly took over as acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the financial watchdog that the White House railed against as a "woke, weaponized arm of the bureaucracy."
• Trump fired former CFPB leader Rohit Chopra, cutting short his term that was not supposed to end until next year.
• As acting director, Vought issued directives earlier this month freezing much of the agency's work — though the administration said in a court filing Monday that there "will continue to be a CFPB."

Zoom out: Trump earlier this month nominated Jonathan McKernan to take the reins from Vought, so his tenure at the agency may be short-lived.

• McKernan is set to testify Thursday before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.
• Counting Chopra, McKernan —if confirmed — would be the fourth person in the post since Trump took office: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was first designated as acting CFPB director before Vought filled the slot.
• CFPB's website, which on its homepage displays an error code, still has Bessent listed as acting director.

Go deeper: Behind the Curtain: Trump's boundary-busting provocations

The quality of global democracies hit an all-time low in 2024, and the U.S. continues to be seen as a "flawed democracy," according to the Economist Intelligence Unit's annual Global Democracy Index report.

The big picture: More than one-third of the world population now lives under authoritarian rule, according to the index.

• The overall global Democracy Index score has fallen from 5.52 in 2006 to a historic low of 5.17 in 2024, down from 5.23 in 2023.
• The index ranks countries on a 0 to 10 scale, based on ratings for 60 indicators that are grouped into five categories: electoral process and pluralism, civil liberties, the functioning of government, political participation and political culture.

Driving the news: Even among regions that improved or saw no change in 2024, discontented populations increasingly turned to anti-mainstream or insurgent parties.

• The U.S., which was downgraded from a "full democracy" to a "flawed democracy" in 2016, saw some positive developments in 2024, the report found, including the smooth election and political engagement. But low trust in media and institutions, political gridlock, lobbyist influence and sharp inequalities persist.
• The score for North America — where Canada is the only "full democracy" — remained unchanged.
• But the unpopularity of current prominent political leaders threatens to undermine North America's score moving forward, the index cautioned, noting that heightened cynicism toward electoral processes and possible declines in voter participation could trigger a fall.

"If insurgents come to power and fail to improve governance and deliver tangible improvements for citizens, there is a risk that disaffection and political [polarization] will grow," Joan Hoey, the director of the Democracy Index, said in a statement.

Zoom out: Western Europe was an outlier as the only region in the world that saw its average index score improve (by 0.01 points).

• Norway ranks highest in the region — and in the world — with an overall score of 9.81.
• France was downgraded from a "full democracy" to a "flawed democracy" in 2024 amid a year of political unrest and deteriorating confidence in government.

South Korea, which was among the top 10 "worst performers" in the index last year, similarly slipped into the "flawed democracy" category after the chaos that unfurled late last year following impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol's shock martial law declaration.

Yes, but: Despite the general decline, some democracies are on the rise: The Czech Republic, Estonia and Portugal moved up to become "full democracies."

Go deeper: U.S. slips to new low in international corruption index

A Trump administration freeze on foreign aid has left nonprofits and volunteers scrambling to fill gaps in funding that have forced layoffs, suspended services and closed doors.

The big picture: But with the future of U.S. foreign assistance uncertain following confusion-inducing stop-work orders, organizers warn that it will likely be impossible to sustain critical services with philanthropic efforts.

• The State Department last month ordered a 90-day freeze on foreign assistance in accordance with a Day 1 executive order from President Trump that called for aid to be paused pending assessments of foreign assistance programs.
• The dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development dropped a bomb on the already difficult-to-navigate quagmire, further complicated by the ongoing legal saga over the freeze.
• It has rocked foreign and U.S. contractors, stranded assistance at ports and risked livelihoods — and lives, experts told Axios.

The U.S. is the single largest humanitarian donor in the world. Though foreign assistance accounts for just around 1% of the total federal budget, that's a massive gap for crowdfunding organizations and nonprofits to fill.

Case in point: Nonprofit GlobalGiving, which works with some 6,000 nonprofit partners across 175 countries, recently launched its GlobalGiving Community Aid Fund to assist organizations on the front lines providing assistance amid the U.S. government's freeze.

• CEO Victoria Vrana told Axios that nonprofit partners in at least 75 countries have been impacted. The collateral damages range from having to halt vital services, like providing HIV treatment, to closing doors.
• But "donations can't fill the gap," Vrana stresses.

Friction point: After announcing the freeze, Secretary of State Marco Rubio later announced there would be waivers for "life-saving humanitarian assistance programs."

• But confusion persisted. And a list of exemptions obtained by Reuters showed the majority of waivers went to security and counternarcotics programs, while a limited amount went to humanitarian relief.
• Asked for comment, the White House said Trump returned to D.C. with a "mandate" to "bring about unprecedented change in our federal government to uproot waste, fraud and abuse."
• Rubio in an interview last week acknowledged the freeze has been "disruptive for some programs" but said he thinks it will ensure "every program ... serves the national interest because it makes us stronger or more prosperous or safer."

Yes, but: Even if the flow of funds is restored, organizations that have had to dismiss staff may no longer have the necessary infrastructure to actually provide aid, says Susan Appe, a University at Albany associate professor who researches government-nonprofit relationships.

• Fluctuations in aid are not a new phenomenon, she said — but this was an extreme case with no "responsible exit strategy."
• She noted there are strategies local aid partners can use to try to sustain services, like forming mergers or leaning on local philanthropy or governments to fill public service gaps. Others will have to close doors.

By the numbers: According to globalaidfreeze.com, a site that surveys nonprofits and organizations to gauge impact of the pause, 60% of 725 respondents as of Feb. 20 have had to lay off or furlough staff.

• Among nonprofit respondents, more than 21% say they have only one month of financial resources remaining, according to the site.
• "People have very little time right now," says Cheri-Leigh Erasmus, the co-CEO of Accountability Lab, one of the organizations collaborating on the freeze-tracking site. "And even a 90-day freeze — after 90 days, you don't have an organization left anymore."

What's next: The seismic shifts triggered by the halt may signal the "whole ecosystem of international aid being reshaped," Erasmus says. As actors scramble to find the most important gaps to plug, other sectors in the field may go underfunded.

• Accountability Lab has worked with organizations to identify themselves for potential mergers or strategic partnerships amid the freeze, she noted. Local governments will also likely be forced to think of ways to build resiliency to sustain services without bilateral funding support.
• "We have to try and sustain parts of an ecosystem," Erasmus said. "We're not going to be able to save every organization — that's just a reality of where we are."

Go deeper: Most USAID workers to be fired or placed on leave by late Sunday

More than just "a big, beautiful Ocean," in President Trump's words, separates the U.S. from its European allies on the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The big picture: The Trump administration has cast a shadow of doubt not only across embattled Kyiv, but across an entire continent that has trusted the U.S. for decades as its most powerful protector and partner.

• Trump smearing President Zelensky as a "dictator without elections" brought the U.S.-Ukraine relationship to a new low — and the U.S.-Europe marriage to a fork in the road.
• The verbal spat followed U.S.-Russia talks on Ukraine in Saudi Arabia, with no seats at the table for Ukrainian or European voices.
• As the war enters its fourth year, the U.S. is no longer aligned with the Ukrainian cause or with its NATO allies, and European leaders are bracing for a post-U.S. alliance.

Driving the news: Friedrich Merz, the center-right leader poised to become Germany's new chancellor, said after Sunday's election victory that his "priority ... will be to strengthen Europe as quickly as possible" to "achieve real independence from the USA."

• A coalition of pro-European political parties in the European Parliament, in a joint statement issued Tuesday, attested that Europe can "no longer fully rely on the United States to defend our shared values and interests" and it is "high time for Europe to step up its own security."
• Those once-unthinkable statements from conservatives and progressives alike mirror calls from French President Emmanuel Macron, who is visiting Washington on Monday, for European "strategic autonomy."
• Many leaders in Europe didn't take that concept seriously in Trump's first term — but they are now, amid the largest-scale conflict in Europe since World War II.

State of play: Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who will also visit Trump this week, are among the several European leaders who have signaled they're prepared to boost defense spending as Trump steps back.

• Starmer has committed to putting boots on the ground if necessary to "guarantee Ukraine's security" — while noting that, "U.S. support will remain critical."
• European leaders have been discussing a potential post-war "reassurance force" to be deployed to Ukraine to deter against renewed Russian aggression, AP reported.
• U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made clear U.S. troops would not take part in any such mission, but Trump expressed openness to the European security force idea in a call with Zelensky, Axios' Barak Ravid reported.

Yes, but: While that's a "plausible plan," the lack of clear messaging from Washington — and Trump's occasional parroting of Kremlin talking points — risks "torpedoing" hopes of a favorable deal to end the war, says Daniel Fried, the former US ambassador to Poland and assistant secretary of State for Europe.

• "Instead of arguing from a position of strength and forcing the Russians to step back, it starts to resemble some kind of deal by which Ukraine is subordinate to the US-Russian understanding," Fried contends.
• Trump has repeatedly attacked Zelensky, insisted there should be elections in Ukraine, and reportedly opposed a G7 statement that described Russia as the aggressor in Ukraine.
• On Monday, the U.S. was one of just 18 countries that opposed a UN resolution that referred to Russia as the "aggressor."

Between the lines: Led by Vice President Vance, the Trump administration has effectively accused Europe of freeloading on American strength for decades.

• They will welcome the idea of Europe investing more in its own security, though the growing transAtlantic divide is likely to produce tensions as well.

What to watch: European allies have conceded they will struggle to make up the gap in supplying Ukraine, let alone ensuring the security of the entire continent.

Go deeper: Zelensky warns Ukraine won't accept decisions made without them in peace talks

President Trump named bombastic MAGA podcast star Dan Bongino as deputy FBI director — a role that doesn't require Senate confirmation, and typically goes to a senior agent.

Why it matters: With loyalist Kash Patel confirmed as FBI director, the bureau can function effectively as Trump's private security force.

• Announcing the appointment on Truth Social last night, Trump said Patel "will be the best ever Director" and said of Bongino: "Working with our great new United States Attorney General, Pam Bondi, and Director Patel, Fairness, Justice, Law and Order will be brought back to America, and quickly."

Catch up quick: Bongino served in the NYPD before joining the Secret Service and working in the Presidential Protective Division during the administrations of Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

• The FBI Agents Association wanted an active-duty agent as deputy. So the pick could intensify "mistrust among the rank-and-file," the N.Y. Times reports.
• Bongino ran for a U.S. Senate seat in 2012 and in two congressional races after that. He lost all three.

Flashback: Talking in 2018 about the confirmation battle for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Bongino said: "My entire life right now is about owning the libs."

• In 2022, he was banned from YouTube after being suspended for violating the platform's COVID-19 misinformation policy.
• He's also spread conspiracy theories about the FBI's role in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections and questioned the integrity of its investigations into the assassination attempts targeting Trump.

The other side: Some Democrats have sounded the alarm over the pick.

• "Trump has chosen grifters to lead the FBI," Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) wrote Sunday, alleging that "Dan Bongino's entire show is telling listeners the world is ending so they buy the dozens of survivalist products he sells."
• He added, "I know this feels like a bad dream. It isn't."

Go deeper: YouTube permanently bans Fox News host Dan Bongino

Editor's note: This story was updated with additional background and reaction.

Pope Francis' 10th night in the hospital "went well," according a brief Monday update from the Vatican.

The big picture: But the Vatican did not provide any information on whether the 88-year-old Catholic church leader's health has improved.

• Pope Francis sent a message from his hospital bed as the Vatican said in a health update Sunday that he remains in "critical" condition but "has not presented any further respiratory crises."
• The Vatican said in its Sunday statement that he is being treated for a kidney problem in addition to his respiratory issues, but it is "currently under control." He remains "alert and well-oriented," according to the Vatican.
• The pontiff was admitted to Rome's Agostino Gemelli Hospital with bronchitis and tests revealed "a complex clinical picture" that saw him diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs.

What he's saying: Pope Francis in a statement on Sunday thanked medical professionals for taking care of him and expressed gratitude for the warm wishes he'd received.

• "In recent days I have received many messages of affection, and I have been particularly struck by the letters and drawings from children," the pope said.
• "Thank you for this closeness, and for the prayers of comfort I have received from all over the world! I entrust you all to the intercession of Mary, and I ask you to pray for me."

Zoom in: The pope noted that Monday "will be the third anniversary of the large-scale war against Ukraine: a painful and shameful occasion for the whole of humanity!"

• He added: "As I reiterate my closeness to the suffering Ukrainian people, I invite you to remember the victims of all armed conflicts, and to pray for the gift of peace in Palestine, Israel and throughout the Middle East, Myanmar, Kivu and Sudan."

Flashback: Pope Francis compares Russia's invasion of Ukraine to Stalin-era famine

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

Majorities of Americans disapprove of Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency-driven upheaval of the federal workforce, several recent polls show.

The big picture: While Republican lawmakers have contended voters wanted drastic change, new polling suggests the Trump administration may be taking their chainsaw-wielding executive reach too far for some.

• President Trump's approval ratings also took a slight hit in recently released polling, after his initial numbers were some of the highest of his political career, though weaker than other modern presidents at the start of their terms — other than himself in 2017.

Driving the news: Trump's approval ratings dropped into more "normal territory" for him, as described in a Washington Post analysis of recent polling, which could spell trouble for the administration as their billionaire budget buster also slips underwater.

• In a Feb. 13-18 Washington Post-Ipsos poll, a net 34% of respondents said they approved of how Musk was handling his job, compared to 49% disapproving and 14% not sure.
• The poll displayed a stark divide based on party ID, with just 6% of Democrats approving of how Musk has handled his job compared to 70% of Republicans.
• But when asked if they approved of Musk shutting down federal government programs he deemed unnecessary, a smaller slice of Republicans (56%) gave their blessing, while 25% said they weren't sure and 18% disapproved.

By the numbers: In several recent national polls, more respondents disapproved of Musk or the job he's doing than approved of him.

• Over half of respondents (55%) in a Quinnipiac University poll conducted Feb. 13 to 17 said Musk has too much power in making decisions affecting the U.S., while 36% think he has about the right amount of power.
• A Pew survey of U.S. adults taken Jan. 27 to Feb. 2 showed that Americans had more negative (54%) than positive (42%) views of Musk (DOGE's dissection of the federal government has dramatically escalated since the poll was conducted).
• And a Feb. 15 to Feb. 17 Emerson College Poll showed 45% of respondents disapproved of the job Musk was doing, while 41% approved and 14% were neutral.

Some of those polls also show that Trump's disapproval ratings are surpassing his approval ratings.

• Per the Washington Post-Ipsos poll, 27% strongly approve of how Trump is handling his job — 39% strongly disapprove.
• Sixty-two percent said they don't consider the words honest and trustworthy to apply to the president.
• But even as Trump's approval ratings dip, multiple surveys showed Musk's ratings are even lower.

What we're watching: Disapproval of DOGE doesn't seem to be fazing the president, who on Saturday called for Musk to be "MORE AGGRESSIVE."

• The broad purge of the federal workforce — stretching from the Internal Revenue Service to the National Parks Service — could have far-reaching impacts — and it seems Americans aren't so sure they like that.

Go deeper: Agencies, unions tell fed workers: Don't answer Musk's threat email