Senate Democrats want to leave the issue of trans athletes playing in women's sports to state and local governments.

Why it matters: Democrats privately admit they need a sharper response to counter Republican attacks on their support for transgender rights, especially when it involves sports.

• In the Senate, their emerging strategy is to argue that one part of the issue is best left to the states, while acknowledging concerns about athletes gaining an unfair advantage.
• "There are basic issues of fairness here," said Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) "There are really important issues that we should be discussing on the local level, within sports leagues and within conferences."

Between the lines: The Democratic messaging effort has been spearheaded by Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), sources tell Axios.

• Baldwin, the first openly gay person elected to the Senate, faced a barrage of attacks on the topic in her 2024 reelection campaign.
• She feared Republicans were flooding the zone with their attacks without Democrats having a clear and consistent rebuttal.
• "Republicans in Washington are saying they know better than parents and local school districts," she said in a statement. "They are wrong. I trust parents, schools and local sports leagues to make these decisions for their children."

Zoom in: The issue was thrust into the public Thursday by California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), who broke with progressives by saying transgender participation in sports was an "issue of fairness."

• "It's deeply unfair," Newsom, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, told Charlie Kirk on his inaugural podcast, "This Is Gavin Newsom."
• Senate Democrats this week blocked a bill that would have banned trans athletes from women's sports. Not a single Democrat voted to bring the bill to the floor.

What they are saying: Some Senate Democrats agreed with Newsom on the sports fairness issue, but they said to be careful that the overall conversation doesn't demonize transgender athletes. They also want to avoid federal overreach.

• "It's leading to more bullying. It's leading to more mental health issues as people are feeling targeted," Booker told Axios. "Yes, when it comes to sports leagues, they have to find a way to create fairness."
• Said Sen. Angus King (I-Maine): "I understand the concern. I have a daughter who was a high school athlete. Interestingly, when I asked her about this issue, she said, by all means, there should not be a federal ban."
• "Every state and every community is going to come to their own decision on it," Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) told Axios.

The bottom line: "Everyone deserves a level playing field, but the governing bodies — the parents, the coaches, the NCAA ... need to make those decisions," said Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.).

• "We let local schools make those kinds of decisions," said Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) "There's no one set of facts. These are going to be pretty complicated situations."

Senate Democrats are indicating they won't tank a short-term government funding package, barring any eleventh-hour GOP surprises.

Why it matters: A truly clean funding bill will make life easier for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).

• House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), with President Trump's help, is steadily building House GOP support to extend last year's spending levels through Sept. 30 without any significant policy changes.
• Schumer has been clear that he wants to avoid a shutdown. Even talking about wanting one is a big no-no.

If the GOP can get a clean continuing resolution (CR) through the House, and avoid multiple GOP defectors in the Senate, it should be doable to get enough Dems on board to reach 60 votes, multiple sources tell Axios.

• "Republicans are responsible for funding the government. ... They haven't engaged in discussions with us yet, either me" or House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), Schumer said on Tuesday. "So we have to wait to see what their plan is."

The big picture: The math leaves Schumer with lots of breathing room to let other irate Democrats express their fury with Trump.

• "I don't want to see another year of them dismembering the government," Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) told Axios on Wednesday when asked whether he would support a stopgap package.
• "It's not something that I want to see," Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) said on Wednesday.

Between the lines: Appropriators on Wednesday made clear that they were pursuing a plan B in case a yearlong CR doesn't survive the House or the Senate.

• Appropriators from both sides of the aisle said they were close on a top-line agreement on fiscal year 2025 funding levels.
• Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) has called for Congress to pass a shorter stopgap bill that would allow lawmakers to pass individual spending bills.
• "We cannot stand by and accept a yearlong power grab CR that would help Elon take a chainsaw to programs that families rely on and agencies that keep our communities safe," Murray said this week.

What we're watching: The heaviest lift is on Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), who are navigating slim majorities.

• That task looked simpler Wednesday after House Freedom Caucus members met with Trump at the White House and gave the green light.
• "We're ready to advance the ball next week," Rep Chip Roy (R-Texas) said.

A Democratic boycott is developing ahead of President Trump's address to Congress on Tuesday, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: Democratic leaders have asked lawmakers to show up to the speech with people affected by DOGE and Trump's federal funding freeze.

• Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), one of the most senior Democrats in the Senate, will not attend Trump's speech on Tuesday, Axios has learned
• Neither will Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), who will instead host an online town hall.

Zoom in: On the House side, Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.) told Axios she does not plan to attend and will instead participate in a MoveOn livestream with Senate Democrats.

• "I know I would hear more of the same [lies] if I attended tonight. I want to be part of an alternative event that will be fact checking in real time. That's the best way I can use my voice tonight for Vermonters," she said.
• Rep. Sean Casten (D-Ill.) also plans to skip the speech, his office told Axios.
• Several other House Democrats told Axios last week they were on the fence about attending, with Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) saying: "As of now, I don't have any reason to go."

Catch up quick: Democrats on Capitol Hill are split on how to best handle Trump's first big address to Congress of his second term.

• They have a guest list that they hope will showcase what they argue are the harms of Trump's first month in office.
• House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) wrote in a letter to his caucus Monday that the decision to attend is a "personal one" and that he understands members will "come to different conclusions."
• "However, it is important to have a strong, determined and dignified Democratic presence in the chamber. The House as an institution belongs to the American people, and as their representatives we will not be run off the block or bullied," he added.

Go deeper: Fuming Democrats struggle with Trump speech strategy

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

Democratic lawmakers, united in their fury over DOGE, are diverging on how to use President Trump's address to Congress next week as the effective launchpad for Resistance 2.0.

Why it matters: It's a question that has repeatedly splintered party members when faced with inflammatory speeches on Capitol Hill: Should they show up and protest from within, or boycott and counterprogram on the outside?

• House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) want members to attend and bring special guests who have been negatively affected by the administration.
• "We ask that House Democrats attending the Joint Address bring a guest who has been harmed by the Trump administration's early actions," the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC) told congressional offices in a memo obtained by Axios.

Zoom in: However, there are lawmakers in the House and Senate who believe a different form of resistance — nonparticipation — may be a better way to meet the moment.

• Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) told Axios he is leaning against attending the speech because "when Trump does it, it's not a serious event."
• "We want to make [clear] that things are not business as usual. Things are falling apart," said Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), a DPCC co-chair who is undecided on attending.

What we're hearing: Other lawmakers told Axios their plans fell through or they will take their spouses, as is common.

• Rep. Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.), Jeffries' top Democrat on the House Administration Committee, said he committed weeks ago to give his plus-one to a Republican colleague.
• "I hadn't really given much thought to bringing someone, partly out of my frustration with the president," Morelle told Axios.

Zoom out: Democrats have been debating the best method to fight their way out of the political wilderness. Initially, party leadership declined to respond in kind to Trump's flood-the-zone strategy.

• But under a barrage of admonishment from their grassroots to "fight harder," many Democrats have shifted to a more proactive posture of resistance.
• Leaders are trying to balance those two approaches by urging Democrats to stay laser-focused on hitting Musk and GOP spending cuts — including with Trump's speech.
• "It is more important than ever that House Democrats tune out the stream of chaos and ... communicate with precision on the issues that matter," said the DPCC memo.

By the numbers: Nearly a dozen House and Senate Democrats told Axios they are either leaning against attending the speech or undecided.

• Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) all declined to commit to attending.
• So did Reps. Don Beyer (D-Va.), Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) and Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.).
• "As of now, I don't have any reason to go," said Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas). "I know what he's going to say — he's going to get up there, he's going to lie, he's going to praise [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and all kinds of other nonsense."

The other side: "I know that many of my colleagues are eager to sit in and express our profound opposition to everything going on," said Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.).

• "It is far better to push back inside the room, I think, than outside."

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is privately pushing Democrats to fill their guest lists next week with people affected by federal job cuts and the funding freeze.

The big picture: Senate Democrats are planning to bring guests to President Trump's joint speech to Congress whose backgrounds connect to the results from the president's first 100 days in office.

• DOGE: The guests are expected to include a child with a genetic spinal condition who is alive because of an NIH program that was recently cut; an Army vet close to retirement who was fired from Veterans Affairs, and a fired Department of Agriculture employee who worked in rural development.
• GOP budget plans: Democrats plan to bring a person who relies on Medicaid to survive.

Between the lines: Democrats are still trying to figure out what their opposition should look like.

• Schumer's team told Democratic offices it wants their guests to get "influencer engagement" ahead of the speech.
• Senate Democrats have turned to social media as one of their main frontiers in opposing Trump's agenda.

Go deeper: Jeffries' plan to dampen Trump's first big speech

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Schumer's meeting lasted less than an hour.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Both decisions sent shockwaves throughout Washington.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Zoom in: The Trump White House is in retreat.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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