Fresh off a week of being yelled at back home, Republicans returned to Capitol Hill suddenly pressing Elon Musk to project a kinder, friendlier face of DOGE.

Why it matters: Republican and Democratic congressional districts alike have been rattled by Musk's tactics for slashing government funding and terminating chunks of the federal workforce.

• "When you have a lot of people who are scared and a lot of people who are angry, of course you should take it seriously," said Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.), one of several House Republicans who were grilled on DOGE at tense town halls last week.
• McCormick noted that Musk told Republicans to be more compassionate in 2022. "He's kind of forgotten some of that," McCormick said of Musk. "I want to be his conscience."
• Said Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.): "We can all agree on removing fraud, waste and abuse. ... Does it also mean that you remove benefits from those that need it? The answer is no."

State of play: The potential for anti-DOGE backlash was made all too real for Republicans last week, when angry constituents flooded their town halls and protested outside their offices in opposition to DOGE.

• Several House Republicans besides McCormick also faced raucous town hall audiences, while dozens of others faced protests outside of their district offices.
• Some Republicans have dismissed the sudden burst of local anti-DOGE energy as the work of liberal activist groups — but others are not so quick to shrug it off given the echoes of 2009 and 2017.

Between the lines: "It would be more helpful if some of those DOGE folks showed more sensitivity to the people who are being terminated this way ... who didn't do anything wrong," said one House Republican who was granted anonymity to speak candidly.

• "Some of that stuff is very necessary to reduce our spending, but we should show compassion for the people who are no longer getting a paycheck, and we should tighten up our messaging," the lawmaker said.
• Another House Republican vented that "a lot of people are losing their jobs, and they don't understand why."
• A third said Musk is "more liked by people in the White House than anyone here because we have to deal with the ramifications of what he says."

Zoom in: House Republicans vented about DOGE officials' tactics and lack of communication with Congress at their closed-door conference meeting Tuesday, according to multiple members in attendance.

• Members want to "communicate to the White House that there has to be a little more strategy and a little more recognition that these are people," according to the second House Republican who spoke anonymously.
• Said a fourth House Republican: "All of us are waiting to hear what's going to happen, and I'd rather not. I'd rather be told what the plan is, because we're certainly going to be asked questions about it."

Zoom in: There was also talk of holding an info session on town hall "best practices," including tips for not getting riled up by provocative activists and giving them a viral moment, the fourth lawmaker said.

• Some Republicans told Axios they are being responsive to what they have heard from constituents by pushing the administration to reinstate federal workers they think were wrongly fired.

Yes, but: Many Republicans maintained town halls and protests should be taken with a grain of salt, if not altogether discounted, because of liberal groups directing their members to show up in force.

• "There's some dissent out there, but there's a heck of a lot of support," said Rep. Dan Meuser (R-Pa.).
• Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) told Axios: "I don't know why you'd want to hold a town hall right now. ... You know the left is going to set some people up in there just to be rabble-rousers."
• "Let's keep winning. That's it," said Nehls. "Town halls can come later."

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is once again grappling with persistent right-wing defectors ahead of a key budget vote that could come as soon as Tuesday evening.

Why it matters: The vote on a budget resolution is the critical first step towards passing the massive fiscal bill that President Trump has put forth.

• "Every time we've had a big vote on the House floor, we're talking to members all the way up until the moment the vote closes," House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) said at a press conference.
• But Johnson, acknowledging the uncertainty, told reporters: "There may be a vote tonight, there may not be — stay tuned."

State of play: Several GOP lawmakers said Tuesday they remain opposed to the resolution, which would allow for $4.5 trillion in tax cuts, a $4 trillion debt ceiling increase and $2 trillion in spending cuts.

• "I'm very straightfoward with my opposition," said Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.), telling reporters that "a number of members have concerns."
• Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) told Axios: "I'm still a no."

Between the lines: With a 218-215 majority, Republicans may not be able to afford the handful of defections that are currently expected.

• Democratic leaders are pressing for maximum attendance on their side to ensure Johnson has as little room for error as possible, Axios previously reported.
• Some Republicans are crossing their fingers that several older or ailing Democrats will be absent: "We can afford to lose three or four, depending on how many Dems show up," said one GOP lawmaker.

What we're hearing: In the conference meeting, Republicans framed a vote against the budget resolution as a vote against Trump's agenda, according to lawmakers who were present.

• One House Republican, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told Axios that leadership argued "if you don't support this budget resolution, that you're going to slow down the president's agenda — and you yourself will be responsible."
• That tactic seemed to fall flat with holdouts, however: Spartz said that leadership "shouldn't try to jam members with President Trump."

What they're saying: Some rank-and-file Republicans, coming out of the conference meeting, expressed a degree of skepticism that the scheduled 6:30pm vote will go ahead as planned.

• "I don't know that they can pull this together. It's hard to say," says Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (R-Wis.). "Sounds like there's a handful of members that aren't there yet."
• Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.) argued Johnson should hold the vote even if the measure isn't poised to pass: "Roll the dice ... put it on the floor and see."

While DOGE has begun facing a measure of GOP backlash, some Republicans are privately brushing off a spate of raucous protests and town halls in their districts targeting President Trump's government efficiency efforts.

Why it matters: The muted reaction signals at least some willingness, even by electorally vulnerable Republicans, to continue marching into this firestorm on behalf of the president to whom they've tethered their fates.

• Democrats, however, see echoes of their triumphant 2018 election cycle and are eager to press their advantage.
• "House Republicans have galvanized voters across the country to come out in protest against their Medicaid cuts, veteran layoffs, and defunding of health care for 9/11 first responders," said CJ Warnke, a spokesperson for Democrats' House Majority PAC.

Driving the news: Angry constituents flocked to House Republicans' town hall events and district offices this week to protest DOGE's efforts to slash spending and lay off huge chunks of the federal workforce.

• Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.) faced a large and testy audience at a town hall on Thursday, with Reps. Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.), Stephanie Bice (R-Okla.) and Scott Fitzgerald (R-Wis.) also getting heated questioning.
• Swing-district Reps. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.), Ken Calvert (R-Calif.), Scott Perry (R-Pa.), Tom Kean Jr. (R-N.J.), Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), Ryan Mackenzie (R-Pa.) and Bryan Steil (R-Wis.) all had demonstrations outside their offices.

What we're hearing: One swing-district House Republican, speaking on the condition of anonymity to share candid thoughts, told Axios they have "zero concerns" about a protest they're expecting outside their office.

• "It's 2017 all over. They've hated Trump since 2016. Same folks largely," the lawmaker said, although they added, "Most hate [Elon] Musk based on the calls."
• "That's all manufactured bulls**t for likes and clickbait," said another House Republican, who asked for anonymity to speak candidly about the upswell in protests.

Reality check: 2017 preceded a GOP wipeout in the 2018 midterm elections. Democrats took control of the House for the first time in nearly a decade by riding a wave of anti-Trump sentiment.

• Strategists on both sides expect any wave on either side to be far smaller next year, but Democrats are bullish they can at least retake the House by harnessing anger toward the administration.
• "House Republicans can run from town halls and protests, but they can't hide from their own constituents — and it will cost them in 2026," said Warnke.

Between the lines: The liberal groups who have bombarded Democratic lawmakers into demonstrating more active resistance to the administration are not shying away from their role in organizing these confrontations.

• MoveOn said in a press release: "MoveOn members and allies will show up at congressional-led town halls and congressional offices across the country, targeting House Republicans whose votes will be crucial in opposing Trump and Musk's harmful policies."
• The Working Families Party and Indivisible similarly lauded the protests, with Indivisible framing them as part of their "Week of Action."

Longtime Sen. Mitch McConnell's (R-Ky.) announcement Thursday that he will not seek reelection in 2026 has set off a furious scramble for the state's first vacant Senate seat in 15 years.

Why it matters: A large cohort of ambitious Kentucky Republicans has long been angling to succeed the 83-year-old former Senate GOP leader, who has held his seat since 1985.

• The state's other senator, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), was first elected in 2010.

Driving the news: McConnell, the longest serving Senate party leader in U.S. history, said in a floor speech that his "current term in the Senate will be my last."

• "Regardless of the political storms that may wash over this chamber ... I assure our colleagues that I will depart with great hope for the endurance of the Senate as an institution," he said.
• The Kentuckian made no public indication of who he may support to replace him — though his endorsement may not help in Trump's GOP.

State of play: Former state Attorney General Daniel Cameron, the unsuccessful GOP nominee for governor in 2023, responded quickly by launching his campaign to succeed McConnell.

• "Kentucky, it's time for a new generation of leadership in the U.S. Senate. Let's do this," Cameron said in a post on X, along with a logo making clear he is running for U.S. Senate.
• Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.) also released a statement saying he's "considering running for Senate" and is "encouraged by the outpouring of support and my family and I will be making a decision about our future soon."
• Both men previously worked for McConnell — Barr as a college intern and Cameron as the senator's legal counsel.

Yes, but: Other prominent Kentucky politicians just as rapidly took themselves out of the running.

• Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, seen as one of the only Democrats who could seriously contest the seat, is "not running for Senate," his spokesperson Eric Hyers said in a post on X.
• House Oversight Committee chair James Comer (R-Ky.) "will not be running for Senate in 2026 but is strongly considering a run for Governor in 2027," his spokesperson Austin Hacker told Axios in a statement.
• Rep. Morgan McGarvey (D-Ky.) is also not running for the seat, a source familiar with his thinking told Axios.

Zoom in: National Democrats are signaling plans to potentially target Barr's U.S. House seat should he vacate it to run for Senate.

• "KY-06 could become a competitive race with a strong Democratic candidate and with Trump's approval numbers starting to sink," House Majority PAC spokesperson C.J. Warnke told Axios.
• The Democratic PAC already had the Barr's seat as one of its "districts to watch" — though it went for President Trump last year by nearly 27 percentage points. Barr hasn't faced a serious challenge since the 2018 Democratic wave election.
• Torunn Sinclair, a spokesperson for Republicans' Congressional Leadership Fund, told Axios: "Democrats have no shot here. President Trump remains extraordinarily popular in Kentucky, while Democrats are in constant disarray and have dismal approval numbers."

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) is telling his members to bring guests to President Trump's address to Congress next month who have been negatively impacted by the administration, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: The March 4 address will be the first Trump has given to Congress since taking office — and it could make or break his efforts to pass a major fiscal package.

• Trump is encountering early headwinds as some in his party bristle at DOGE's efforts to upend the federal government and at his recent comments on Ukraine.
• With a roughly one-seat margin in the House, he will have little room for error.

Driving the news: On a virtual caucus call on Wednesday, swing-district Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Nev.) asked for messaging guidance for the speech, according to three members who were on the call.

• Jeffries responded that members should bring guests to the speech who have been hurt by DOGE or will be hurt by the budget congressional Republicans are proposing, the lawmakers told Axios.
• The suggestion comes as Jeffries' messaging arm has been instructing members for weeks to hold events in their districts with constituents who have been directly affected by the administration's cuts.

Between the lines: It is common for lawmakers to bring guests to State of the Union addresses and other presidential speeches to Congress with a political or policy agenda in mind.

• Typically, however, the topics are disparate and driven by an individual member's pet issues.
• But Democrats are unusually unified around opposing DOGE and the GOP budget as their grassroots base pushes them to do everything within their power to push back.

Zoom out: Jeffries argued on the call that Trump's polling numbers and economic fundamentals are sagging, casting it as a reversal since his November election win, lawmakers told Axios.

• The Democratic leader told members to keep hammering the GOP in their districts ahead of Congress' return to session next week.
• House Judiciary Committee ranking member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) also told colleagues that House Democrats' litigation task force is tracking 75 lawsuits against the administration and that the "forces of democracy" are already winning a dozen cases.

Editor's note: This article has been updated with further details from the call.

As the Trump administration continues its crusade to pare down the federal job rolls and slash federal spending, some Republicans on Capitol Hill are growing unnerved by what they see as an imprecise exercise.

Why it matters: The job and funding cuts are now hitting GOP lawmakers' districts and states. There's also a larger conflict brewing over whether the administration can simply bypass Congress on these decisions.

• DOGE's efforts to shutter the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and other agencies could bring matters to a head, one House Republican told Axios.
• "I think you're going to see a clash when they ... start abolishing [agencies]," the lawmaker said. "Say like USAID, right? We authorized that. That's a creature of Congress."
• "If they try to do something like that, then you're going to get into a constitutional argument or crisis."

Driving the news: DOGE's spree of job cuts is starting to target federal roles that even some of Trump's Republican allies in Congress may deem too essential to sacrifice.

• That includes the Federal Aviation Administration firing several hundred of its 45,000 employees amid a string of fear-inducing plane crashes.
• The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which runs the National Weather Service and helps combat natural disasters, is also on the chopping block, Axios' Andrew Freedman and Ben Geman reported.
• The administration even fired over 300 workers at the National Nuclear Security Administration — which manages the U.S. nuclear arsenal — but has since scrambled to reinstate most of them, according to CNN.

What they're saying: Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) told Axios the administration is moving "too fast." She warned Elon Musk's team should wait until agency heads are confirmed and can take "a more surgical approach."

• She said some recent actions "violate restrictions that are in current law" and the team is "making mistakes," referencing the accidental firing of officials working on bird flu.
• "Before making cuts rashly, the Administration should be studying and staffing to see what the consequences are. Measure twice before cutting. They have had to backtrack multiple times," said Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.).
• Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) also has concerns and told Axios of her state's many federal workers: "We all want efficiencies, there is a way to do it, and the way these people have been treated has been awful in many cases. Awful."

Zoom in: Several other lawmakers, including Sens. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.), have criticized the various agency layoffs as well, according to Politico.

• Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) told RadioIowa it is "a tragedy for people that are getting laid off," but that "this is an executive branch decision."
• "Congress can't do anything except complain about it," he said.

The other side: "President Trump has enjoyed broad support on his plan to ensure that taxpayer-funded programs align with the mandate the American people gave him in November," said White House spokesperson Anna Kelly.

• Kelly said that DOGE is "already uncovering waste, fraud, and abuse" and that Trump will "cut programs that do not serve the interests of the American people and keep programs that put America First."
• A White House official pointed Axios to statements of support from 17 Senate Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.).

Zoom out: While Republicans have largely applauded the swiftness of DOGE's hacking and slashing, some are quietly fuming that their Constitutional role in controlling federal funds could be steamrolled in the process.

• The House Republican who spoke anonymously warned that many conservatives are "very constitutionalist" and may be inclined to protect Congress' power if forced to do so.
• "Even though it's our guy in the White House, if there's a lot of executive overreach, we want to protect the institution of Congress," they said.

Between the lines: Despite taking a back seat in Trump's "government efficiency" drive, GOP lawmakers are not without leverage.

• Trump will need his whole party on board in Congress when it comes to passing his massive budget reconciliation bill later this year.
• In the House, Republicans have a razor-thin majority and cannot afford more than a couple of defections on a party-line bill — meaning Trump will have to keep nearly every GOP lawmaker sated.

Editor's note: This article has been updated with comments from the White House.

Top Democrats on the Hill suspect President Trump will ignore one of the many major court rulings that'll be coming his way and are gaming out legal and political responses behind the scenes.

Why it matters: Federal judges are the main obstacle to Trump's efforts to remake the federal government. Trump has said he'll obey court rulings. But he and Elon Musk have questioned whether the judicial branch should be able to stop the executive.

Democrats are meeting with state attorneys general, top lawyers, litigation firms, constitutional experts and advocacy organizations, multiple top lawmakers told Axios.

• "Looking into all the implications and all the strategies … is officially a big part of what we're doing," said Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.).
• Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), a co-chair of the litigation task force leading the effort, confirmed to Axios: "We are certainly having that conversation."

Zoom in: Rep. Max Frost (D-Fla.), a member of Democratic leadership, told Axios that Trump "obviously hasn't learned his lesson from Jan. 6. They don't see that anything went wrong ... and that scares me."

• Trump "has his own personal militia that he essentially gave permission to do exactly what they did … on January 6," said Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.).
• "So yeah, I do worry about that. How could you not, given what we've been through," she said.

State of play: Ousted officials, Democratic state attorneys general, and other plaintiffs have moved quickly to sue the Trump administration to block efforts to push out thousands of federal workers and shut down agencies.

• Attempts to end birthright citizenship, offer "buyouts" to federal employees, give DOGE access to sensitive systems and shut the U.S. Agency for International Development have all been blocked by federal judges.
• House Democratic caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) told Axios: "Nobody is above the law, no matter how many times Donald Trump thinks he is. We'll let this process go through the courts, and we'll be prepared to talk about it and react."

The other side: Trump told reporters last week that he'll always abide by the courts, always abide by them. And we'll appeal."

• But he and his GOP allies have assailed the federal judiciary, with Trump saying last week that "maybe we have to look at the judges." At least two House Republicans are planning efforts to impeach specific judges.

Harrison Fields, White House principal deputy press secretary, told Axios, referring to past criminal cases against Trump: "It's extremely rich of Democrats to now be concerned about a constitutional crisis, when they advocated for and participated in the greatest constitutional crisis in American history."

• "The real crisis Democrats are facing," Fields added, "is their inability to accept defeat, but elections have consequences and the American people decisively rejected their tried-and-failed resistance playbook at the ballot box."

Reality check: Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) — another task force co-chair, and a former Jan. 6 committee member — cautioned against "leaping to catastrophic thinking."

• "There are a lot of intermediate steps that can be taken by courts to force compliance with their lawful orders," Raskin said.
• Those include courts placing liens on bank accounts and possessing personal property.

The bottom line: "We've been winning in all venues ... even with Trump-appointed judges," Huffman said of the DOGE-related court cases.

• "The real question now is: How much will this administration comply with court orders."

House Republicans are planning to introduce long-shot articles of impeachment against at least two of the federal judges who have blocked President Trump's efforts to upend the federal government.

Why it matters: The measures are part of a growing public conflict between Republicans and the federal judiciary as Trump bristles at obstacles to his "government efficiency" agenda.

• Trump further raised the temperature this week by saying at an Oval Office news briefing with DOGE head Elon Musk: "Maybe we have to look at the judges because I think that's a very serious violation."
• Vice President J.D. Vance has also suggested that federal judges have been overstepping their authority and "aren't allowed to control the executive's legitimate power."

Driving the news: Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) is working on articles of impeachment against U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell Jr., who ordered the administration to lift its federal spending freeze, Clyde's office confirmed to Axios.

• In a post on X this week, Clyde called McConnell a "partisan activist weaponizing our judicial system to stop President Trump's funding freeze on woke and wasteful government spending."
• Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.) has said he plans to introduce articles of impeachment against District Court Judge Paul Engelmayer, who blocked DOGE from accessing Treasury records, on similar grounds.
• The Rhode Island and New York Southern District Courts — McConnell's and Engelmayer's venues, respectively — did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Between the lines: Clyde and Crane would need majorities in the House to impeach the two judges and and two-thirds majorities in the Senate to convict them. There are only 53 Senate Republicans.

• Judicial impeachments are rare and are usually brought for issues like corruption, perjury or seriously illicit personal conduct.
• The last successful impeachment of a federal court judge was in 2010 and concerned false financial disclosures.

Elon Musk's slash-and-burn approach is giving the White House genuine street cred with House conservatives. But it might not be enough to compensate for the outrage he's provoked among House Democrats.

Why it matters: If Democrats hold the line — and withhold their votes to fund the government — it will be exceedingly difficult for House Speaker Mike Johnson to avoid a government shutdown.

• Musk is flipping the traditional equation, in which Democrats vote to fund the government and Republicans feel compelled to do so under duress.
• While not all Democrats are on board with holding the government hostage to their anti-DOGE demands, many are clearly contemplating it.

Zoom in: For all the outraged Democrats that Johnson might lose because of Musk, he'll be on the hunt for Republican votes to replace them.

• "It helps," said Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.). "However, the baseline needs to be intact at $2 trillion," he added, referring to how much spending he wants to cut in the (separate) reconciliation bill.
• "That's just additional," said Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.). "We appreciate it, but that's not enough."
• "We're excited to see it," said Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio). However, "you're looking at two different things. What DOGE is working on is mostly stuff that we have to deal with by March 14."

By the numbers: In the last few government funding votes, more Democrats than Republicans have voted to prevent a shutdown.

• In December, Johnson lost 34 House conservatives on funding the government. In September, the number was even higher: 82 House Republicans voted against it.
• In both cases, every House Democrat supported it.

A closed-door meeting for House Democrats this week included a gripe-fest directed at liberal grassroots organizations, sources tell Axios.

Why it matters: Members of the Steering and Policy Committee — with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) in the room — on Monday complained activist groups like MoveOn and Indivisible have facilitated thousands of phone calls to members' offices.

• "People are pissed," a senior House Democrat who was at the meeting said of lawmakers' reaction to the calls.
• The Democrat said Jeffries himself is "very frustrated" at the groups, who are trying to stir up a more confrontational opposition to Trump.
• A Jeffries spokesperson disputed that characterization and noted to Axios that their office regularly engages with dozens of stakeholder groups, including MoveOn and Indivisible, including as recently as Monday

Zoom in: "There were a lot of people who were like, 'We've got to stop the groups from doing this.' ... People are concerned that they're saying we're not doing enough, but we're not in the majority," said one member.

• Some Democrats see the callers as barking up the wrong tree given their limited power as the minority party in Congress: "It's been a constant theme of us saying, 'Please call the Republicans,'" said Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.).
• "I reject and resent the implication that congressional Democrats are simply standing by passively," said Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.).

The other side: "People are angry, scared, and they want to see more from their lawmakers right now than floor speeches about Elon Musk," Indivisible co-founder Leah Greenberg told Axios.

• "Indivisible is urging people who are scared to call their member of Congress, whether they have a Democrat or Republican, and make specific procedural asks," Greenberg said.
• "Our supporters are asking Democrats to demand specific red lines are met before they offer their vote to House Republicans on the budget, when Republicans inevitably fail to pass a bill on their own."
• MoveOn officials declined to comment.

Editor's note: This article has been updated to add comments from Jeffries' office, including that it disputes another Democrat's characterization of his feelings about the groups.

Democrats are locking arms against House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on government funding, vowing to use the process to try to roll back many of President Trump's efforts to upend the federal government.

Why it matters: Johnson attempted to shift the blame for a potential shutdown onto House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries' (D-N.Y.) shoulders Friday morning.

• The Democratic leader, Johnson told reporters, seems "to be trying to set up some sort of a government shutdown" and has been "unresponsive the past two days or so."
• Jeffries pushed back on that claim, telling Axios later on Friday he is "continuing to negotiate a bipartisan agreement" ahead of the March 14 federal funding deadline.
• Republicans had still not released their proposed budget bill as of Friday, Jeffries also noted at a press conference.

State of play: Jeffries said Monday in a letter to his Democratic colleagues that he has "made clear to House Republican leadership" that "any effort to steal taxpayer money from the American people ... must be choked off in the upcoming government funding bill, if not sooner."

• The comment came after the Office of Management and Budget issued a now-rescinded memo freezing all federal grants and loans, which locked some states out of the federal Medicaid portal.
• Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) are also trying to counter Elon Musk's DOGE team with a bill to restrict access to the Treasury Department's payment system.

What we're hearing: Coming in and out of a meeting with Jeffries on Friday, several members of the centrist Blue Dog Coalition — the most likely Democrats to break ranks on government funding — signaled they are firmly behind their leader.

• "We're not saying we want a government shutdown," said Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas). "We're with the leader in negotiating but to say there are certain things that are important to us."
• Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) told Axios: "I think that the Republican Party won a mandate and have the votes that they need to pass the funding bill. If they can't get the votes themselves, they're going have to talk to Democrats."

Between the lines: The cavalier tactics of Elon Musk and DOGE — freezing funds and eliminating agencies that have been authorized by Congress — have embittered Democrats who may have otherwise been cooperative.

• "I don't see how any rational lawmaker ... could vote for a funding bill where the funding in the law could not wind up [serving] its intended purpose," said Progressive Caucus chair Greg Casar (D-Texas).
• Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), a member of Jeffries' leadership team, told Axios: "I think we are very concerned about what Donald Trump and the White House will do, separate of our negotiations."

Rep. Val Hoyle (D-Ore.) said Thursday she is leaving the Congressional DOGE Caucus due to Elon Musk's slash-and-burn tactics as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency.

Why it matters: It's the latest sign of rising Democratic frustration with Musk even from the centrist lawmakers who were most eager to work with him.

Driving the news: Hoyle, a swing-district lawmaker, said in a NewsNation interview that "most of my colleagues who are in this caucus — which, by the way, isn't working with Elon Musk, he's off on his own — they're operating in good faith."

• "But, fundamentally, I don't see how we can actually do this work when Elon Musk is blowing things up," she continued. "It's like trying to replace your roof when someone's throwing dynamite through the window.
• "So I'm leaving the DOGE Caucus, I will continue to do the work to find efficiencies, but right now I just don't think it's possible with what's happening."

Zoom in: Another Democrat in the predominantly Republican DOGE Caucus, Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), told Axios of his membership on Tuesday: "Whether I stay in it or not, we'll see."

• Asked again Thursday night whether he currently remains in the group, Moskowitz said he does.
• Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Nev.) told Politico he is is staying in as well to "to make sure that we have a voice at the table to protect my constituents."

More from Axios:

• DOGE staffer with racist social media posts resigns
• DOGE Treasury access limited amid privacy lawsuit
• DOGE staffer with racist social media posts resigns
• DOGE targets government media subscriptions after MAGA attacks

A group of House and Senate Democrats said they were denied access to the Environmental Protection Agency's headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Why it matters: It is the third time this week that Democratic lawmakers were blocked from an agency that has been targeted by President Trump and Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency.

• On Monday, a large group of Democrats tried to enter the U.S. Agency for International Development — which the administration has moved to shut down — but were refused.
• The following day another cohort of Democrats were denied access to the Department of the Treasury, where DOGE staffers have accessed a payment system that doles out funds for federal agencies.

Driving the news: Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), who held a press conference with a group of House Democrats and environmental groups, said in a social media post that the lawmakers tried and failed to enter the EPA building.

• "We were just denied entrance into the EPA after asking to meet with a DOGE representative. More to come," he wrote in a post on X.
• Markey was joined by Reps. Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.), Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.) and Luz Rivas (D-Calif.).

What to watch: A group of at least 20 House Democrats led by Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) plans to go to the Department of Education on Friday to try to secure a meeting with Acting Secretary Denise Carter, Takano's office said.

• The lawmakers sent Carter a letterThursday requesting an "urgent" meeting regarding the Trump Administration's "reported efforts to dismantle" the DOE.

Democratic centrists find themselves in an increasingly hostile posture toward the Trump administration over the shock and awe tactics of Elon Musk's DOGE team.

Why it matters: These Democrats were singing a very different tune before President Trump's inauguration, expressing a willingness — even an eagerness — to work with the new president.

• The souring of that bipartisan good spirit could come back to bite Trump when it comes time to fund the government and raise the debt ceiling later this year.
• That's doubly so if Democrats retake the congressional majority in 2026.
• Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), one of a handful of Democrats in the GOP-led DOGE Caucus, said of his membership in the group: "I look forward to going to the next meeting. Whether I stay in it or not, we'll see."

What they're saying: "Trump has all but poisoned the atmosphere. He's declaring war on not only the Democratic Party but on the Constitution and government as we know it," said Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.).

• Moskowitz said Musk is "forcing" Democrats into a position of opposing the administration, telling Axios: "I don't know that the DOGE Caucus has a purpose anymore. It appears Elon ... thinks he can do this all himself."
• Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine), one of the most centrist Democrats in Congress, praised Trump's tariffs but added that his constituents "voted for Donald Trump, not Elon Musk."
• Golden said of Musk: "If I had a staffer like that, I'd probably fire him." Asked if Musk's actions have hampered the possibility of bipartisan collaboration, Golden told Axios: "Probably, right? But we'll see."

State of play: Trump and Musk have moved quickly to try to upend the federal government by freezing federal funds, offering buyouts to government workers and trying to shutter entire agencies.

• DOGE has even tried to access the Treasury Department's payment system, which disburses most of the funds that keep federal agencies running.
• Democrats have alleged many of these DOGE-led initiatives are in violation of federal statutes, the Constitution or both.
• Inundated with infuriated outreach from their grassroots base, congressional Democrats have tried to use their limited power as the minority party to counter Trump's agenda and stage acts of resistance.

Zoom in: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) has signaled that Democrats will try to use a March 14 deadline to fund the federal government to counter Trump's most high-profile DOGE initiatives.

• Centrist Democrats would normally be reluctant to use the threat of a government shutdown as leverage, but several signaled to Axios they are behind Jeffries on this.
• "Leader Jeffries' statement is a reminder that any final funding bill requires bipartisan compromise," said Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas).

Yes, but: Some Democrats continue to hold out hope that bipartisan collaboration will be possible.

• Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.), the co-chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, said Trump "hasn't reached out to any of the Democrats yet," but added he is "not going to judge the whole thing by the first few weeks."
• Even Jeffries told Axios: "We continue to work with anyone who is sincere about getting things done for the American people."

The bottom line: That forbearance may not last forever, and some Democratic moderates are warning Trump will severely regret it down the line if he doesn't reverse course soon.

• Rep. Greg Landsman (D-Ohio) told Axios: "The list of things that would have to be true to get any bipartisan deal gets longer and longer with every crazy and reckless thing Trump and Musk do."
• Moskowitz said: "They're going to have to come to Democrats to pass stuff. What's happening now may be putting us on a path that that's going to be impossible."

Go deeper: DOGE staffer with racist social media posts resigns

Editor's note: This article has been updated with comment from Rep. Greg Landsman.

Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) said Wednesday he plans to introduce articles of impeachment against President Trump after just two weeks of the new president's second term.

Why it matters: The effort is almost certain to fail, but it is the latest example of progressive Democrats trying to revive the anti-Trump resistance that helped sweep them into power during the last Trump administration.

Driving the news: In a House floor speech, Green took aim at Trump for saying at a press conference with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the U.S. will "take over the Gaza strip" and "own it."

• "Ethnic cleansing in Gaza is not a joke, especially when it emanates from the president of the United States," Green said.
• Green continued: "I rise to announce that the movement to impeach the president has begun. I rise to announce that I will bring articles of impeachment against the president for dastardly deeds proposed and dastardly deeds done."

Between the lines: Green is known in Congress as a bombastic and prolific speaker, and as one of Trump's most persistent Democratic critics.

• In 2017 — long before the two successful impeachment efforts against Trump — the Texas Democrat forced a vote on impeachment that just 58 of his Democratic colleagues supported.
• It is not clear whether he will once again force a vote or what the articles will say. His spokesperson Teque'ila Lewis told Axios he will "publish everything for everyone at the same time."
• "They are still a work in progress," she added.

What we're hearing: Senior Democratic sources brushed off Green's efforts, casting him as a backbencher who is not in coordination with leadership.

• One senior House Democrat, asked whether Green's articles might gain traction, told Axios: "No."
• The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Congressional Democrats' offices are being inundated by phone calls from angry constituents who feel the party should be doing more to combat President Trump and his administration.

Why it matters: Some lawmakers feel their grassroots base is setting expectations too high for what Democrats can actually accomplish as the minority party in both chambers of Congress.

• Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) told Axios: "What I think we need to do more is: Put the onus on Republicans, so that the calls that we're getting are directed toward Republicans."
• "There has definitely been some tension the last few days where people felt like: you are calling the wrong people. You are literally calling the wrong people," said one House Democrat.

What we're hearing: More than a dozen Democratic lawmakers and aides said in interviews with Axios that their offices have received historically high call volumes in recent days.

• Some staffers said they hadn't seen this many calls since seminal events like the Oct. 7 attack, the Brett Kavanaugh hearings or even the Trump impeachment proceedings.
• Aaron Fritschner, a spokesperson for Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), said his office's phones have been "ringing off the hook without pause since we opened yesterday morning."
• On social media sites such as X and Bluesky, another aide said, "Every Dem is getting lit up by the neo-resistance folks being like 'do more.'"

What they're saying: "We had the most calls we've ever had in one day on Monday in 12 years," said Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.).

• Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), who has served in Congress since 1997, told Axios: "I can't recall ever receiving this many calls. People disgusted with what's going on, and they want us to fight back."
• Former House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said his office has received "hundreds, maybe thousands" of calls.

State of play: After a week of being caught flat-footed by President Trump's and Elon Musk's stunning moves to upend the federal bureaucracy, Democrats have spent the last few days flooding the zone with acts of resistance.

• They've rallied outside of multiple federal agencies that Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has targeted, trying unsuccessfully to gain entry to the buildings and interview staffers.
• House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) has vowed to use a March 14 federal funding deadline as leverage to try to "choke off" any efforts to defund programs like Medicaid.
• Democratic committee leaders have also sent Trump and his administration a flurry of letters demanding information on DOGE's shock and awe tactics.

Yes, but: Democrats lack many of the crucial legislative and investigative tools afforded to the congressional majority that would give them the kind of power needed to thwart Trump.

• Democrats' letters are little more than paper if Trump chooses to ignore them — only the majority has the power to issue subpoenas. Republicans can also keep their bills from being voted on.
• "We are going to use every tool we have, but I think there is this sense that we have legislative power, and we don't," said the House Democrat who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
• Said Hoyer: "We are in the minority, and that makes it difficult for us to respond."

The other side: Progressive groups that have been leading the charge to flood Democrats' phone lines with calls for resistance are not about to let up.

• "Our member energy is high and this won't be the last any office hears from everyday Americans who want us to fight harder to push back," said Britt Jacovich, a spokesperson for MoveOn.
• Indivisible spokesperson Mary Small said her group has led 31,400 calls to senators and just under 4,000 to House members in the last two weeks.
• "I'm not surprised members are experiencing a high volume of calls, because I think people are scared and are looking for leadership from Democrats on how to fight back," Small told Axios.

Democrats are bowing to grassroots pressure and unleashing a wave of angry spectacles to show they are doing something to fight the Trump administration's stunning attempts to reshape the federal government.

Why it matters: "I think what you're hearing ... from people is: We just can't do things as usual. We can't be like, 'Oh let's let the long arc of a congressional session happen as we hope to stop Elon Musk and Donald Trump,'" a senior House Democrat told Axios.

• "That's not a thing. No one f***ing cares about that," the lawmaker said. "People want us to be doing more aggressive actions."

Driving the news: Just on Monday, Democrats unloaded a flurry of letters, press conferences and media events and outlined an array of new tactics to try to counter Trump's efforts to slash spending, shutter agencies and lay off federal officials.

• House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) unveiled a 10-part plan for countering Trump that includes using the federal funding process to thwart his efforts to "defund programs important to everyday Americans."
• Jeffries said Democrats will also introduce a bill to prevent Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency from accessing the Treasury Department's payment systems.
• A group of House and Senate Democrats spoke to protesters outside the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which Trump has moved to shut down. They were denied entry to the building.
• Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) said he will place "blanket holds" on Trump's State Department nominees until his efforts to shutter USAID are ended.
• Democrats on the House Oversight Committee sent Trump a letter demanding a massive trove of documents on his efforts to reconfigure and slash the federal bureaucracy.
• Democrats on the House Natural Resources Committee urged chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) to probe Trump's inspector general firings.
• A trio of House Democrats from New Jersey said they made an "unannounced visit" to an ICE detention center in their state and questioned agents there.

What they're saying: "There's a lot going on — far more than most people know about from social media and newspapers," Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) said of Democrats' efforts to resist Trump.

• Huffman, who leads Democrats on the Natural Resources Committee, said he is "still pushing for more, but I'm pleased with how things are revving up."
• "We're going to use every legal, political and constitutional means at our disposal to stop this reign of terror targeting congressional programs and federal workers," said House Judiciary Committee ranking member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.).
• Raskin added, "You're going to see growing creative opposition everywhere."

Yes, but: Democrats are also trying to reconfigure the expectations of their furious activist base.

• "I totally understand the 'do something' voices, but often they don't know the things we already are doing. We need to do a better job showing them," said Huffman.
• "I get thousands of suggestions on social media ranging from totally infeasible and illegal things (like "lock someone up") to interesting strategies like supporting class action litigation against Musk/DOGE for messing with our private taxpayer data," Huffman said.

The bottom line: "My grandfather told me that duck hunting was a lot of fun until the ducks start firing back," said Raskin.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Monday unveiled a 10-part plan for House Democrats' efforts to counter many of President Trump's moves to upend the federal bureaucracy.

Why it matters: There has been rising tension between Democratic lawmakers and the party's grassroots over how the minority party, which has very little real power, can combat the new administration's most inflammatory moves.

Driving the news: In a "dear colleague" letter to House Democrats, Jeffries vowed to use a March 14 federal funding deadline as leverage to prevent Trump from freezing or diverting congressionally appropriated funds.

• "I have made clear to House Republican leadership," he wrote, that "any effort to steal taxpayer money from the American people ... must be choked off in the upcoming government funding bill, if not sooner."
• That is in direct response to a now-rescinded Office of Management and Budget memo that ordered federal grants and loans frozen, leading to widespread confusion and locking states out of the Medicaid portal.
• Jeffries also said Democrats will introduce a bill to prevent "unlawful access" to the Treasury Department's payment system after Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency reportedly obtained forced access to it over the objections of top officials.

Between the lines: With Republicans commanding a razor-thin majority in the House, Democrats believe Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) will be forced to go to them to fund the government and raise the debt ceiling.

• That would give them the opportunity to try to temper what they see as the excesses of the GOP trifecta now governing Washington, D.C.
• Some Republicans had hoped to include the debt ceiling in the massive party-line fiscal bill they are planning, but Johnson has signaled it will likely have to be passed on a bipartisan basis.

Zoom in: On top of those moves, Jeffries previewed a continuation of the public messaging campaign that Democrats credit for the rescission of the OMB memo.

• He urged members, for example, to reach out to canvass their districts for constituents affected by Trump's actions, saying he plans to hold a tele-town hall Monday night.
• He also wrote that Democrats on the House Oversight and Judiciary committees will lay out for their colleagues ongoing lawsuits to prevent some Trump acts like firing inspectors general and purging the civil service.

A congressional delegation will visit New Orleans on Monday to review security for the Super Bowl — an unusual step that underscores heightened tension around the Feb. 9 event, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: The city is taking extraordinary security measures for the Super Bowl in the wake of the deadly New Year's Day terrorist attack on Bourbon Street.

• Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said Wednesday that law enforcement will conduct bag checks at checkpoints in the French Quarter between Feb. 5 and 10.
• Vehicle traffic will also be restricted in the area, and coolers and ice chests will be prohibited — measures responding to the methods used by the New Year's Day attacker.

Driving the news: The delegation will be led by Rep. Dale Strong (R-Ala.), the chair of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology, a spokesperson for the panel told Axios.

• Lawmakers will visit the site of the New Year's Day attack with officials from the Department of Homeland Security, FBI and New Orleans police.
• They will then tour the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and the Caesars Superdome and be briefed by NFL and law enforcement officials.

Zoom in: Strong will be joined in New Orleans by Reps. Julie Johnson (D-Texas), Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) and Nellie Pou (D-N.J.).

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details and corrected to reflect that the visit is Monday (not Friday).

Congressional offices are being warned not to use DeepSeek, an upstart Chinese chatbot that is roiling the American AI market, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: Congress has struggled to navigate the security and administrative challenges posed by the rapid advancement of AI technology.

• "At this time, DeepSeek is under review by the CAO and is currently unauthorized for official House use," the House's Chief Administrative Officer said in a notice to congressional offices obtained by Axios.

What they're saying: The notice warned that "threat actors are already exploiting DeepSeek to deliver malicious software and infect devices."

• "To mitigate these risks, the House has taken security measures to restrict DeepSeek's functionality on all House-issued devices," it continued.
• Staffers are prohibited from installing DeepSeek on any official phones, computers and tablets, the notice said.

Zoom out: This is far from the first time the CAO has restricted staffers' use of an AI product, though other targeted companies have been based in the U.S.

• In 2023 the office set limits on the use of ChatGPT, telling offices they can only use the paid version of the OpenAI chatbot for certain tasks.
• The CAO also told staffers last April that they could not use Microsoft Copilot, though the company told Axios it was working on a suite of government-oriented tools it hoped would be allowed.

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