President Trump challenged U.S. birthright citizenship the day of his inauguration, attempting to strike down a 19th century constitutional doctrine via executive order.

The big picture: Though a core part of American citizenship, unrestricted birthright citizenship is mostly a facet of the Western Hemisphere.

• Many other nations make citizenship conditional on the legal status of the parents or a person's length of residency in the country, per the Library of Congress.
• In Africa, Asia and Europe, most countries either don't offer birthright citizenship or offer it conditionally, some through an application process.

What they're saying: "The historical foundation of this principle in the U.S. reflects its aim to eliminate legal inequalities and promote inclusivity," the American Immigration Council said.

• Another explanation of its foundation is colonialism, John Skrentny, a sociologist at the University of California, San Diego, told Politifact in 2015 when Trump first raised his qualms with birthright citizenship.
• European colonizers, he said, wanted to build populations in North and South America to outnumber Indigenous populations.
• "Getting people to move in was a good way to establish authority," Skrentny added.
• He pointed out that birthright laws remain in South America, which has historically had fewer immigrants.

Zoom out: Universal birthright citizenship was restricted or abolished in Britain, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and India in recent decades, the New York Times reported.

• Ireland in 2004 ended unrestricted birthright citizenship after 79% of voters supported a constitutional amendment that hinges citizenship on parents' residence and history.
• The Dominican Republic's abolition of birthright citizenship in 2013 denationalized about 200,000 people, largely of Haitian descent, according to the Center for Migration Studies.
• It was a decision the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights condemned and the Open Society Justice Initiative said was "part of a long history of discrimination against Dominicans of Haitian descent."

Catch up quick: Trump has also faced criticism for rhetoric used to push for more limits on immigration and promote mass deportations.

• States and civil rights groups immediately sued his administration after the president signed the birthright citizenship order, which was set to take effect on Feb. 20.
• A U.S. district judge sided with four Democratic state attorneys general who argued in lawsuits that the order was unconstitutional, and the decision Thursday temporarily blocked the order nationwide.
• Trump's defense of the order was that children whose parents aren't citizens are "not subject to" American jurisdiction as envisioned in the 14th Amendment.

What's next: The case is likely to be appealed to the Supreme Court.

• The Justice Department "will vigorously defend President Trump's EO, which correctly interprets the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution," it said in a statement to NBC News.

Go deeper:

• "Blatantly unconstitutional": Judge blocks Trump's birthright citizenship order
• Trump offers first defense of birthright citizenship order in court filing
• Tracking: States suing to block Trump's birthright citizenship order

President Trump confirmed Friday he stripped security protections from former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci, the latest in a pattern of retaliation against political adversaries.

Why it matters: All of Trump's targets have received death threats during a time of heightened political violence.

• Read more about whose security protections have been pulled:

Anthony Fauci

The former NIAID director lost his protection late Thursday night.

• Fauci has repeatedly been forthright about death threats against himself and his family. He's now hired his own security detail, per the New York Times.
• "You can't have a security detail for the rest of your life because you worked for government," Trump said on Fox News on Friday, when asked about Fauci.

Between the lines: Former President Biden issued a preemptive pardon for Fauci on his last day in office, granting him broad immunity before Trump's term began.

• Fauci faced repeated political attacks from Trump and other Republicans over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

John Bolton

Trump's former national security adviser has faced death threats from Iran after being a fierce critic of the regime. In 2022 an Iranian national was charged in connection with a plot to assassinate Bolton.

• "This is a matter that people should take seriously," Bolton told CNN's Jake Tapper.

Context: Bolton was vocal in his criticism of Trump after working with him during his first term and ahead of his new administration.

• "It's certainly a downer for expressing your opposition to Donald Trump," Bolton said on CNN.

Mike Pompeo

Trump's former secretary of state, like Bolton, faced threats from Iran, multiple outlets reported.

• Pompeo has criticized Trump on fiscal and foreign policy and was not invited to join his second administration. However, Pompeo spent Trump's first week in office celebrating his win, Cabinet confirmations, and early executive orders.

Zoom in: Pompeo's top aide Brian Hook also lost his security, per the reports.

Go deeper: Trump's Week 1 revenge tour rips through Washington

About half of U.S. adults have an unfavorable view of Elon Musk, and an even larger share disapprove of President Trump relying on advice from billionaires to shape government policy, per new AP-NORC poll data.

Why it matters: Musk is playing a central role in the Trump administration with the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which he has promised will revolutionize the U.S. government. But Americans are far from sold on the initiative and its leader.

State of play: Just 29% of Americans approve Trump's creation of DOGE, the survey found.

• A little over half (52%) of those surveyed said they have an unfavorable opinion of Musk, while 36% said they have a favorable opinion of the world's richest man.

Zoom in: 60% of U.S. adults have an unfavorable view of the president relying on a billionaire for advice about government policy, the survey found.

• 78% of Democrats said they disapproved of it, while just 35% of Republicans said the same.

Catch up quick: Not even a week into the administration, Musk has been at the center of controversy over a Nazi salute and publicly undermined a Trump-backed artificial intelligence investment.

The intrigue: "Americans' views of Musk and Trump have a fair amount of overlap: About 8 in 10 Americans share the same view of both men, whether positive or negative," the AP said.

• "About half of Americans have an unfavorable view of both Musk and Trump."

Go deeper: "Keep Elon Out of AdMo": Musk meets D.C. resistance

Methodology: The AP-NORC poll of 1,147 adults was conducted Jan. 9-13. The margin of error is +/- 3.9 percentage points.

President Trump on Thursday signed an executive order to declassify files related to the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr.

Why it matters: The files relating to JFK's killing have been the focus of decades of speculation.

• "Their families and the American people deserve transparency and truth," Trump said in the order. "It is in the national interest to finally release all records related to these assassinations without delay."

State of play: Records related to the former president's assassination were meant to be publicly disclosed in 2017 unless the federal government determined their release would harm national security or go against the public interest.

• "I have now determined that the continued redaction and withholding of information from records pertaining to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy is not consistent with the public interest and the release of these records is long overdue," Trump said.
• Congress did not require the release of files related to King or the former senator, but Trump said the release of those records "is also in the public interest."

Between the lines: The longtime classification of the documents contributed to conspiracy theories about the killings.

Catch up quick: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a Trump ally and Cabinet pick, believes the CIA had a role in assassinating his uncle, which was part of why he unsuccessfully pushed his daughter-in-law Amaryllis Fox Kennedy, for deputy CIA director.

• He's also said there's "convincing" but "circumstantial" evidence that the CIA was involved in his father's death.
• No such evidence has ever surfaced and the Warren Commission determined that gunman Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone.

Context: Trump said in August that he'd establish a new independent presidential commission on assassination attempts.

• The commission would be tasked with releasing documents of the previous assassinations and the attempt against him in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Flashback: In 2022, former President Biden authorized the National Archives to release thousands of secret documents related to JFK's assassination.

• Trump released nearly 3,000 files in 2017. He withheld the rest at the time because of requests from various agencies.

Zoom out: JFK was killed in 1963, and civil rights leader King and RFK were both killed in 1968.

Go deeper:

• RFK Jr. wants answers on JFK assassination
• Tracking Trump's executive orders: What he's signed so far

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

President Trump's flurry of orders restricting immigration and promising mass deportations violate core Christian principles of caring for the poor and needy, religious leaders in multiple denominations said.

The big picture: Many of the policies championed by Trump during his campaign have roots in Christian nationalism that several churches reject.

• The blowback comes as the Trump administration clears the way for immigration officials to conduct raids in churches and schools, sites previously deemed off-limits.

What they're saying: Provisions within Trump's executive orders "are deeply troubling and will have negative consequences, many of which will harm the most vulnerable among us," Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said in a statement.

• He referred to orders on immigrants and refugees, foreign aid, the expansion of the death penalty and the environment.
• The Episcopal Church denounced Trump's family separation policy, and said it will "continue to provide practical pathways to protect the most vulnerable among us."
• The statement encouraged taking action to protect Dreamers, standing against mass deportation and supporting programs like Temporary Protected Status.

Zoom in: Trump attended a Tuesday church service at the National Cathedral where Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde asked the president to have mercy on immigrants and LGBTQ children.

• "The people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings, who labor in poultry farms and meatpacking plants, who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants and work the night shifts in hospitals — they may not be citizens or have the proper documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals."
• Trump on TruthSocial criticized Budde for bringing "her church into the world of politics in a very ungracious way."

Catch up quick: While Pope Francis congratulated Trump on his inauguration Monday, he also called his mass deportation plans "a disgrace."

Zoom out: 85% of white Evangelical Protestants, 59% of white Catholics and 57% of white non-Evangelical Protestants voted for Trump in the election, per 2024 polling from the nonpartisan Public Religion Research Institute.

• Meanwhile, 64% of Hispanic Protestants and 43% of Hispanic Catholics cast their vote for Trump.

Go deeper:

• Pope Francis congratulates Trump but calls mass deportation plan a "disgrace"
• ICE can raid churches and schools to arrest immigrants under new policy

President Trump on Wednesday tapped Sean Curran, his special agent in charge, to be the next director of the U.S. Secret Service.

Why it matters: Curran will be tasked with leading the agency Congress reported had operational failures during the first assassination attempt against Trump during the presidential campaign.

• Curran was with the now-president during a July rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where Trump was grazed in the ear by a bullet, per Reuters.

What he's saying: "Sean is a Great Patriot, who has protected my family over the past few years, and that is why I trust him to lead the Brave Men and Women of the United States Secret Service," Trump said in a Truth Social post Wednesday.

• Trump called him "a brilliant leader, who is capable of directing and leading operational security plans for some of the most complex Special Security Events in the History of our Country, and the World."
• "He proved his fearless courage when he risked his own life to help save mine from an assassin's bullet in Butler, Pennsylvania," Trump added.

Context: A congressional task force investigated the Secret Service's July and September operations and found the first assassination attempt against Trump to be preventable.

• "Secret Service personnel with little to no experience in advance planning roles were given significant responsibility," the final report said in December, despite line of sight issues and existing intelligence about a long-range threat.
• "Further, some of the Secret Service agents in significant advance planning roles did not clearly understand the delineation of their responsibilities."
• Conversely, the report said, the September attempt in West Palm Beach, Florida, "demonstrated how properly executed protective measures can foil an attempted assassination."

State of play: Ronald Rowe has served as the agency's acting director since the resignation of his predecessor, Kimberly Cheatle after the first assassination attempt.

Go deeper: "Preventable" Secret Service failures led up to Trump shooting: Senate panel report

Editor's note: This article has been updated with comment from President Trump. Sareen Habeshian contributed reporting.

Hours after President Trump announced a major artificial intelligence investment, it faced skepticism from one of his closest allies: DOGE head Elon Musk.

Why it matters: Musk publicly undermining the $500 billion project, led by OpenAI and other tech titans, could draw Trump's ire.

• Trump tasked Musk with slashing federal spending with the new Department of Government Efficiency.
• The pair's budding relationship has grown more entwined since Trump won back the White House, but this is one of their most public disagreements to date.

What he's saying: "They don't actually have the money," Musk said on X late Tuesday night in response to OpenAI's announcement of the project.

• A spokesperson for the White House did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment on Musk's post.

Catch up quick: "The Stargate Project," a joint venture funded by SoftBank, OpenAI, Oracle and MGX intends to invest $500 billion over the next four years building new AI infrastructure in the U.S.

• The project will create hundreds of thousands of jobs, the company said. Trump called it a "monumental undertaking."
• Arm, Microsoft, NVIDIA, Oracle and OpenAI are the initial technology partners.

Driving the news: Musk said he had it on "good authority" that SoftBank secured "well under" $10 billion.

• "Wrong, as you surely know," OpenAI CEO Sam Altman responded to Musk. He urged him to put the country ahead of his own companies.
• "I genuinely respect your accomplishments and think you are the most inspiring entrepreneur of our time," Altman said earlier.

Between the lines: Musk and Altman have had a fraught relationship after a falling-out over the direction of OpenAI, which both men co-founded, and Musk is deep in the latest of several lawsuits he has brought against OpenAI.

• Altman donated to and attended Trump's inauguration.

Go deeper: Trump announces billions in private sector AI investment

Editor's note: This story has been updated with an additional quote from Altman.

Immigration officials can raid churches and schools to arrest undocumented immigrants after the Trump administration scrapped a policy that protected sensitive spaces.

The big picture: President Trump has promised aggressive immigration crackdowns, and the latest directive signals the Department of Homeland Security will consider operations at sites previously deemed off-limits.

• "Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America's schools and churches to avoid arrest," DHS announced Tuesday.
• The policy, issued by Acting DHS Secretary Benjamine Huffman, removes prior guidance to avoid so-called sensitive areas.

State of play: Trump, hours after being sworn in on Monday, issued executive orders that clear the way for the military to help combat illegal immigration.

• He declared a national emergency on the U.S.-Mexico border, called for more barriers at the southern border and designated Mexican cartels as a terrorism threat.

Flashback: Immigrations and Customs Enforcement in a 2011 memo directed officers to avoid arrests, interviews, searches and surveillance at sensitive locations if possible.

• Those locations included schools, hospitals, churches, synagogues, mosques, funeral sites, weddings, marches, rallies or parades.

Zoom out: Immigration advocacy groups in places like Chicago, which Trump has singled out for potential raids, are encouraging undocumented populations to learn their rights.

Go deeper: Trump's orders unleash sweeping limits on immigration, asylum

President Trump threatened to purge officers from the U.S. military upon returning to the White House, and his new administration has already started making leadership changes.

The big picture: The first woman to lead the U.S. Coast Guard has been relieved of her command, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed Tuesday.

Driving the news: Adm. Linda Fagan was relieved of her duties because of "leadership deficiencies, operational failures and inability to advance the strategic objectives of the U.S. Coast Guard," a senior DHS official said in a statement to Axios.

• The statement cites the Coast Guard's role in national border security and the fentanyl crisis, as well as shortfalls in recruitment and the guard's implementation of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies.
• The White House did not immediately respond to Axios' requests for comment on the shift. The U.S. Coast Guard referred questions to DHS.

Flashback: Former President Biden tapped Fagan, a four-star admiral, to lead the Coast Guard in 2022 after she served as its second-in-command.

• Adm. Kevin E. Lunday, who became the branch's vice commandant in June, is now serving as its acting commandant.

Zoom out: Trump and his Secretary of Defense nominee, Pete Hegseth, have blamed DEI initiatives and what they broadly call "wokeness" for undermining military readiness and effectiveness.

• In a confirmation hearing earlier this month, Hegseth tried to distance himself from his past inflammatory claims about women in the military, specifically their service in combat roles.

Go deeper: Trump tests limits of presidential power with Day 1 barrage

Vivek Ramaswamy will leave the Trump administration's new Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, to run for Ohio governor multiple outlets reported on Monday.

Why it matters: Ramaswamy's departure leaves Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who has been increasingly asserting authority within the GOP, at the helm of the project.

• Ramaswamy plans to launch a gubernatorial bid in Ohio, the reports said. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine's second term will end in January 2027.
• A spokesperson for the Trump administration did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.

Context: Ramaswamy rose to political prominence with his failed 2024 presidential bid.

• In his business roles, he fought against environmental, social and governance and diversity, equity and inclusion.

Catch up quick: DOGE's mandate is to crack down on government waste and inefficiency.

• In December, Ramaswamy told Axios' Mike Allen he was hopeful that firing federal workers would be good for them.
• DOGE was targeted by court challenges just as Trump took office.

Between the lines: Ramaswamy on Monday posted a photo on X of himself and Musk with the caption "a new dawn."

• Both attended Trump's inaugural events.

Go deeper: Musk's DOGE targeted by union lawsuit ahead of Trump's executive order

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

Global leaders, current and former U.S. lawmakers, and heads of major U.S. companies descended on Washington, DC, for President Trump's inaugural events over the long weekend.

Why it matters: Trump takes office with Republican control of Congress, support from business and foreign leaders and what's seen as more cultural acceptance of the MAGA movement.

• Follow Axios' live coverage of Inauguration Day.
• Trump's inauguration is taking place inside the Capitol rotunda due to weather.
• Former Vice President Mike Pence, who served with Trump during his first term, was also in attendance.

We'll be tracking some of the notable attendees. Among them:

Current and former members of Congress

Former Republican House Speakers Kevin McCarthy (Calif.), Newt Gingrich (Ga.), and John Boehner (Ohio) trickled into the Capitol on Monday.

• Notably absent was former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) who said she wouldn't attend the inauguration, multiple outlets reported.
• Former Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) was in attendance with his wife, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, who served during Trump's first term and quit her role after the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Tech and business leaders

• Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, owner of X
• Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI
• Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta
• Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, owner of the Washington Post
• Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google
• Rupert Murdoch, former executive chairman of Fox Corp., joined inauguration church services
• Dana White, CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship
• Shou Zi Chew, CEO of TikTok
• Joe Rogan, host of "The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast
• Tim Cook, CEO of Apple

Foreign leaders

• Right-wing leaders, including Argentine President Javier Milei and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, were in attendance.
• Also at the inauguration was Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, who held meetings with Vice President Vance and Musk ahead of the event, the AP reported.

Former U.S. presidents

Former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama attended the inauguration.

• Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former first lady Laura Bush joined, but former first lady Michelle Obama did not.

Go deeper: Trump readies executive blitz in White House return

Editor's note: This story has been corrected. Dana White was misidentified as Joe Rogan in a photo.

Global leaders, current and former U.S. lawmakers, and heads of major U.S. companies descended on Washington, DC, for President-elect Trump's inaugural events over the long weekend.

Why it matters: Trump takes office with Republican control of Congress, support from business and foreign leaders and what's seen as more cultural acceptance of the MAGA movement.

• Follow Axios' live coverage of Inauguration Day.
• Trump's inauguration is taking place inside the Capitol Rotunda due to weather.
• Former Vice President Mike Pence, who served with Trump during his first term, was also in attendance.

We'll be tracking some of the notable attendees. Among them:

Current and former members of Congress

Former Republican House Speakers Kevin McCarthy (Calif.), Newt Gingrich (Ga.), John Boehner (Ohio) trickled into the Capitol Monday.

• Notably absent was former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) who said she wouldn't attend the inauguration, multiple outlets reported.
• Former Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) was in attendance with his wife, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, who served during Trump's first term and quit her role after the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Tech CEOs

• Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and owner of X
• Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI
• Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta

Foreign leaders

Right-wing leaders including Argentinian President Javier Milei and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni were in attendance.

Go deeper: Trump readies executive blitz in White House return

President Trump's Monday inaugural address was about double the length of his 2017 speech, touching on immigration, economy and cultural policy priorities.

Why it matters: Although Trump's first inaugural address was the shortest in modern history, it was memorable for the graphic and violent imagery he used about the country.

• Follow Axios' live coverage of Inauguration Day.

The latest: In his Monday speech, now the longest in modern history, Trump called his return to office the start of a "thrilling new era."

• He became the second president in U.S. history (after Grover Cleveland) to deliver a second, non-consecutive inaugural address.

State of play: During his most recent campaign, Trump called his stream-of-conscious oration "the weave," saying he intentionally delves in and out of topics.

• His rhetoric during the campaign was often violent and included threats to seek retribution against his perceived enemies.
• President Biden's inaugural address was the longest since Ronald Reagan's second term in 1985. Biden's speech focused on unity and the resilience of democracy.

Who gave the longest inauguration speech

Zoom out: Every president since George Washington has delivered an inaugural address, per the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies.

• William Henry Harrison delivered the longest one at 8,445 words, in 1841. He died a month later of pneumonia, some said brought on by exposure to the elements during his ceremony.
• Washington's second inaugural address was the shortest, at 135 words. Franklin D. Roosevelt's fourth in 1945 was the next shortest, at 559 words, according to the committee.

Trump inauguration speech 2017

Flashback: Trump's 2017 inauguration speech was widely seen by opponents as radical and divisive. But his first-term focus on immigration and the economy served as a foundation for his second victory — and today's Republican Party.

• He used the term "American carnage" to describe urban poverty, deserted factories, violent crime and a broken education system.

The intrigue: In December, fundraising for Trump's inauguration was set to surpass that of all past ceremonies.

• Contributions from companies like Meta, Apple, OpenAI, Uber and Amazon have been seen a an effort to build bridges with the incoming administration.

Go deeper: Companies line up to fund Trump's inauguration

Editor's note: This story has been updated with the length of Trump's second inaugural address.

President Biden on Friday shortened the sentences of nearly 2,500 people convicted of nonviolent drug offenses — setting a record in a single presidential term for the most pardons and sentence commutations.

Why it matters: Public attitude on criminal justice and prosecutions for non-violent crimes has shifted dramatically in recent decades. While much of Biden's legacy is set to be eroded by President-elect Trump, his use of presidential clemency power could be remembered.

Context: The thousands pardoned on Friday were "serving disproportionately long sentences compared to the sentences they would receive today," Biden's statement said.

• In 2022, Attorney General Merrick Garland issued a memo to federal prosecutors to end sentencing disparities that led to the disproportionate incarceration of Black people in cases involving crack and powder cocaine.

State of play: After Biden in a shocking move pardoned his son Hunter last year following his conviction on federal gun charges, Democratic and Republican lawmakers re-upped pardon requests.

• The White House is reportedly considering "preemptive pardons" to current and former public officials who could be targeted by President-elect Trump's administration, like former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and Anthony Fauci.

As of early December, Biden had issued 26 pardons, a record low, and commuted 135 sentences.

• Later that month, he commuted the sentences of 1,500 Americans in a single-day record.

What they're saying: Criminal justice advocacy organizations applauded Biden's action on Friday.

• "Cruel and excessive prison sentences that have overwhelmingly harmed Black communities have been the cornerstone of federal drug policy for generations," Kara Gotsch, executive director of the Sentencing Project, said in a statement.
• "Today's commutations from President Biden are a welcome relief for countless families who have endured punishments for their loved ones that far exceed their utility."
• "Too often, our criminal justice reforms only apply to the law going forward, leaving behind the very people and injustices that moved us to change," said a statement from FWD.us, an immigration and criminal justice reform organization.

Zoom out: Presidents tend to hand out more pardons during their final weeks in office.

• President-elect Trump, during his first term, quadrupled his number of pardons in his last few weeks in office, including to some allies, like his former chief adviser Steve Bannon.
• Biden's Friday statement said he'd continue to review additional commutations and pardons.

Go deeper: Biden has some catching up to do on pardons

President Biden on Friday said he believes the Equal Rights Amendment is the "law of the land" as the U.S. Constitution's 28th Amendment — though with only days left in his term, his power on the issue is not immediately clear.

Why it matters: The measure proposed more than a century ago would guarantee equal rights, legally, regardless of sex. The president claims it has met the standards to become part of the constitution, which would require the National Archivist to formally publish or certify it.

• The Biden administration did not immediately respond to Axios' request.
• Last month, the U.S. Archivist Colleen Shogan said that the ERA could not be certified because of "established legal, judicial and procedural decisions" and called on new action from Congress.
• "The underlying legal and procedural issues have not changed," a spokesperson for the National Archives said in a statement to Axios.

What he's saying: "I have supported the Equal Rights Amendment for more than 50 years, and I have long been clear that no one should be discriminated against based on their sex," Biden said in a Friday statement.

• "We, as a nation, must affirm and protect women's full equality once and for all."
• The American Bar Association said the amendment has passed all hurdles to be formally added to the Constitution, Biden said on Friday.

Context: Reproductive rights organizations and advocates have backed the ERA to establish sexual health protections as GOP states limit abortion access, and especially after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.

• In 2020, Virginia became the 38th state to ratify the measure. Proposed amendments become part of the Constitution after being ratified by at least 38 states.,

Between the lines: Just before Virginia ratified the amendment, the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel during President-elect Trump's first term issued a memo claiming it considered the ERA expired since a 1982 ratification deadline was missed.

• The same office affirmed that decision in 2022 in another opinion.

Congress first passed the amendment in 1972 with a 7-year ratification deadline in its preamble (The deadline was extended by three years). By 1982, only 35 states had ratified the ERA.

Go deeper: Biden jabs at Trump in farewell address, but pledges peaceful transition

A growing number of states are banning cellphones in schools — almost always with bipartisan support.

Why it matters: Parents are divided over these policies, which are meant to reduce distractions and boost students' socialization.

Where it stands: Eight states have banned or restricted cellphones in schools.

• Education departments in another 10 states have issued policy recommendations or begun pilot programs to curb phone usage.
• And at least 11 states, as of December, were considering legislation to ban or restrict cellphone use in schools, per health nonprofit KFF.
• Governors in Arkansas, New Hampshire, Iowa, Nebraska and New York have either called for bans recently or indicated that they'll explore such policies this year, the AP reported.

The intrigue: These policies have largely received bipartisan support, much like other actions related to youth digital wellbeing.

• "It doesn't matter if you live in a big city or a rural town, urban or suburban, all children are struggling and need that seven-hour break from the pressures of phones and social media during the school day," Kim Whitman, co-founder of the Phone Free Schools Movement, told the AP.

State of play: 68% of U.S. adults support cellphone bans during class, and about 36% favor an all-day ban, a Pew Research survey found last year.

• Most adults who support cellphone bans want to reduce students' distractions.

The other side: Those who oppose the bans, especially parents of K-12 students, argue that parents should be able to reach their children when needed.

• Many parents see cellphones as critical for safety and connectedness, especially in the face of emergencies like school shootings.

Zoom out: Health experts and policymakers have called for stricter regulations on youth social media use, while social media companies have been reckoning with accountability about their platforms' harmful effects on children.

• Research has found that excessive cellphone use can impact children's mental health.

Go deeper: Congress' online safety push stokes kids' mental health debate

President-elect Trump's Monday inauguration ceremony is set to be colder than the norm.

Why it matters: D.C. is preparing for 250,000 ticketed guests and thousands more at the National Mall for the outdoor ceremony — which has caused emergencies from extreme weather in its history.

• "It's going to be very cold out there for any folks attending the inauguration," Eric Taylor, a forecaster for the National Weather Service in Sterling, Virginia, told Axios.

State of play: Air temperatures during the day on Monday are expected to be in the low- to mid-20s, Taylor said.

• Wind chill factors by about noon will be between 12ºF and 14ºF.
• Monday is set to be more dry than the weekend, which has rain (and possible Sunday snow) on the forecast.
• Breeze could be sustained at 20 to 30 miles per hour at times.

Context: Monday is slated to be cooler than Jan. 20 has been in D.C. in recent decades, per the NWS.

• The normal high for that date is 45ºF and the normal low is 30ºF, calculated from 1991 to 2020 data.

Flashback: Official weather record-keeping for the event began in 1871.

• Inauguration Day, previously held in March, was moved to Jan. 20 in 1937.

President Ronald Reagan was inaugurated and sworn in on both the warmest and coldest Jan. 20s, per the NWS.

• His 1981 inauguration was at 55ºF with mostly cloudy skies. His second ceremony in 1985 had to be held indoors because of 7ºF temperature at noon.

President William Henry Harrison developed pneumonia from the weather on his Inauguration Day in 1841 and died a month later, the NWS reported.

• He rode a horse to and from the Capitol without a hat or overcoat and delivered an hour and 40 minute long speech.

President William Taft's 1909 ceremony was forced indoors because of a storm that brought 10 inches of snow to D.C.

• "It took 6,000 men and 500 wagons to clear 58,000 tons of snow and slush from the parade route," per the NWS.

President Franklin Roosevelt's second ceremony holds the record rainfall for the date at 1.77 inches.

• "At the president's insistence, he rode back to the White House in an open car with a half an inch of water on the floor," NWS said. "Later, he stood for an hour and a half in an exposed viewing stand watching the inaugural parade splash by in the deluge."

Go deeper: Flags to fly at full-staff for inauguration after Trump's complaints

Democratic women senators grilled Pete Hegseth, President-elect Trump's pick for Defense secretary, during his Tuesday confirmation hearing over his stances on women in the military.

Why it matters: Hegseth, an Army combat veteran, previously said he doesn't believe women should serve in combat roles — and had to answer to women sharply questioning him on that and his subsequent change in stance.

What they're saying: "You will have to change how you see women to do this job well, and I don't know if you are capable of that," Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) said.

Catch up quick: Hegseth said in a podcast hosted by Shawn Ryan on Nov. 7: "We need moms, but not in the military, especially in combat roles."

• He said in the same interview having women in combat roles "hasn't made us more effective."

Zoom in: Gillibrand referenced the statements during Hegseth's confirmation hearing.

• "Please explain these types of statements because they're brutal, and they're mean, and they disrespect men and women who are willing to die for this country," she said.
• Hegseth responded:  "I would point out I've never disparaged women serving in the military. I respect every single female service member that has put on the uniform past and present."
• He answered to Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) that he supports women serving in combat roles and said his critiques stemmed from specific instances of seeing lowered standards.

Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) descibed Hegseth's responses as inconsistent.

• "On the one hand, you say that women are not competent, they make our military less effective," Shaheen said. "And on the other hand, you say 'oh no, now that I've been nominated to be the secretary of defense, I've changed my view on women in the military.'"
• Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), who lost both legs and partial use of her right arm while deployed to Iraq, said: "This hearing now seems to be a hearing about whether or not women are qualified to serve in combat, and not about whether or not you are qualified to be secretary of defense."

Zoom out: Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) also questioned Hegseth on sexual assault allegations against him.

• A woman told police Hegseth sexually assaulted her in 2017 after allegedly taking her phone, blocking the door to a hotel room and refusing to let her leave.
• His attorney has said a payment was made to the women as part of a confidential settlement.
• Hegseth has denied the sexual assault allegations.

Go deeper: Five questions Hegseth dodged at his Defense Department confirmation hearing

Flags at the U.S. Capitol will fly at full-staff during President-elect Trump's inauguration despite President Biden's directive that they remain at half-staff through January to honor former President Carter's death.

Why it matters: House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and some Republican governors are promising to fly flags at full-staff Monday after Trump repeatedly complained about them being lowered for his swearing in.

Driving the news: Johnson announced Tuesday that flags at the Capitol will fly at full-staff for the inauguration and then return to half-staff the next day in honor of Carter.

Zoom out: An increasing number of Republican governors have ordered that flags at state buildings be flown at full-staff on Inauguration Day.

• These include Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds.
• Some cited a federal statute that calls for the flag to be displayed 24 hours a day on certain occasions for "patriotic effect," instead of from sunrise to sunset.
• "While we honor the service of a former President, we must also celebrate the service of an incoming President and the bright future ahead for the United States of America," Abbott's announcement said.

Between the lines: Flags at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club returned to full-staff days after Carter was buried in Plains, Georgia, AP reported.

• Trump took to Truth Social in early January to complain: "The Democrats are all 'giddy' about our magnificent American flag potentially being at 'half mast' during my inauguration," he wrote, incorrectly using the term to refer to a flag on a ship.
• "Nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it," he added. "Let's see how it plays out."

Go deeper:

• Trump inauguration 2017 vs. 2025: What's changed
• Gov. Cox faces flag choice for Trump's inauguration during Carter mourning period

Editor's note: This story was updated with additional states that have said their flags will be full-staff on Inauguration Day.

Americans have consistently viewed medical workers, K-12 teachers and military officers as the most ethical professions — but even their ratings have dropped considerably, new Gallup polling shows.

Why it matters: Americans' opinion of the ethics of various professions has stalled at its lowest point — reflective of declining confidence in U.S. institutions overall.

• "Americans interact with numerous professionals in their daily lives, while depending on others they've never met to maintain an efficient, fair and secure society," per the annual survey data, released Monday.
• "Whether reflecting personal experience or secondhand reports, Americans' sense of how much they can trust each profession varies widely, likely influencing how they engage with each."

The big picture: The average honesty and ethics ratings for 11 core professions was 30% in Monday's report, down from 40% in 2005.

• Three professions had "majority negative" ratings: — TV reporters, members of Congress and lobbyists.
• Those were followed by roles including advertising practitioners, car salespeople, business executives and state officeholders.
• Day care providers, funeral directors, police officers and auto mechanics enjoyed "net positive" ratings.

The intrigue: Three of the five professions with "majority positive" ratings were in medical fields, but nursing home operators had "net negative" ratings.

• Despite being among the highest in the list, trust in medical doctors and pharmacists has dropped below pre-pandemic levels.
• Polling released last year separately showed that more people are trusting in their own ability to assess health information or turning to friends for guidance amid lack of trust in public health agencies.
• Grade school teachers also received "majority positive ratings," but Americans have expressed growing dissatisfaction with K-12 education.

Zoom in: Trust in judges and clergy have fallen the most, long-term, although ratings were still net positive for both.

• Trust in judges reached a low of 28% in the honesty and ethics rating, a 21-point decrease since the early 2000s.
• Public approval of the Supreme Court nearly reached a record low after the court concluded its most recent term, per previous Gallup polling. Approval plunged in particular among Democrats as the high court's rulings have leaned conservative.
• Meanwhile, every age group has seen declines in religious affiliations during the past decade.

State of play: U.S. trust in mass media hit a historic low last year, and Monday's report echoes low ratings of TV and newspaper reporters.

• 55% of respondents rated TV reporters as having "majority negative" honesty and ethical standards, a nine percentage point drop since the early 2000s.
• 45% said the same of newspaper reporters, which have had consistently low ratings over the years.

Flashback: Nurses have earned the highest rating every year but one since they were added to the survey in 1999.

• "The exception was 2001, when firefighters — included only that year — earned a record 90% trust rating after their heroism in responding to the 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers," the report said.

Go deeper: Media trust hits another historic low

Methodology: Telephone interviews were conducted Dec. 2-18 with a random sample of 1,003 adults living in all 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. The margin of error is ±4 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.