Live Updates: Trump Says There Is ‘No Deal’ on Ukraine After Summit With Putin  —  President Trump and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia offered vague statements about progress after their nearly three-hour meeting.  But they took no questions.  —  Here's the latest.

The Dangers and Absurdities of Trump's DC Occupation  —  Trump compels his followers to endorse obvious lies.  It's accelerating the country's descent into authoritarianism.  —  Pocket  —  It was 8 PM, humid, and I was by myself, across the street from where my kids went to elementary school …

Trump admin backs down on DC police control after striking deal … U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes indicated at a hearing Friday she would grant the D.C. attorney general's request for a temporary restraining order if the Justice Department did not follow through on rewriting the order by Friday evening.

Kristi Noem is living rent-free in home used by Coast Guard commandant  —  A DHS spokesman said Noem must live on the military base because she had been “so horribly doxxed and targeted that she is no longer able to safely live in her own apartment.”  —  Department of Homeland Security …

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott immediately calls second special session for redistricting … “Delinquent House Democrats ran away from their responsibility to pass crucial legislation to benefit the lives of Texans,” the Republican governor said in a statement.  “We will not back down from this fight.

Tom Cruise Rejected Getting a Kennedy Center Honor From Trump (Report)  —  The ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ star has turned down the prestigious arts award, as the president says he plans to personally host this year's ceremony.  —  Getting Tom Cruise on stage with Donald Trump is a real mission impossible.

Scoop: White House loyalty rating for companies  —  The West Wing has created a scorecard that rates 553 companies and trade associations on how hard they worked to support and promote President Trump's “One Big Beautiful Bill,” a senior White House official tells Axios.

The Bad Math Driving Democratic Infighting  —  Everyone just chill the f*** out!  —  Two recent developments from deep inside Democratic politics strike me as important barometers for those of us interested in the future of the party.  —  First, the New York Times opinion writer Mara Gay published …

NASA's acting chief calls for the end of Earth science at the space agency … Sean Duffy, the acting administrator of NASA for a little more than a month, has vowed to make the United States great in space.  —  With a background as a US Congressman, reality TV star, and television commentator …

Where homicide rates are highest: Blue cities in red states  —  To hear President Trump tell it, the nation's murder problem is particularly bad in New York City, Chicago, Baltimore, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. — Democrat-run cities in Democrat-led states (or district, in D.C.'s case).

Exclusive: VA cancels employees' unpaid maternity leave  —  New and expecting parents who work at Veterans Affairs are getting approved maternity and paternity leave canceled after their union contract was terminated by the White House, according to two internal memos viewed by Axios.

Trump's ICE Spent Half a Million on Tricked-Out Trucks for a Hype Video  —  The vehicles, purchased for “recruitment purposes,” were styled to look like Trump's private jet — another big expense … The Department of Homeland Security posted a video Thursday on X featuring music by rapper DaBaby …

US military deploying over 4,000 additional troops to waters around Latin America as part of Trump's counter-cartel mission  —  The US military is deploying more than 4,000 Marines and sailors to the waters around Latin America and the Caribbean as part of a ramped-up effort to combat drug cartels …

Texas 2026 Poll: Cornyn and Paxton in Dead Heat for GOP Senate Nomination  —  Home Polls Texas 2026 Poll: Cornyn and Paxton in Dead Heat for GOP Senate Nomination  —  Voters Split on Texas Redistricting and Call for Legislators' Arrests  —  The Emerson College Polling survey …

Nobody's Buying Homes, Nobody's Switching Jobs—and America's Mobility Is Stalling  —  The paralysis has left many people in houses that are too small, in jobs they don't love or shackled with ‘golden handcuffs.’ For everyone, there are economic consequences.  —  Americans are stuck in place.

Kevin McCarthy reemerges to fight California redistricting … Ross, who helped campaign for California's independent redistricting commission, is helming the nascent pitch against the measure targeting center-left voters — with funding from independent redistricting commission champion Charles Munger Jr.

Kennedy dismisses 2028 speculation amid attacks from Loomer … Kennedy's lengthy post touted his work since taking the top spot at HHS to advance his “Make America Healthy Again” agenda, a policy vision featuring pillars from his failed 2024 presidential campaign that he first unveiled after endorsing Trump last year.

Solar panels that fit on your balcony or deck are gaining traction in the US  —  When Terrence Dwyer received a knock on his door and a flyer for a solar panel system small enough to fit on his deck, he was quickly sold.  Solar systems that plug into regular wall outlets have been popular …

Trump says he does not believe Xi will act on Taiwan  —  U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that Chinese President Xi Jinping told him China would not invade Taiwan while Trump is in office.  —  Trump made the comments in an interview with Fox News, ahead of talks …

The Official Voice of the US Government Is Cruel, Gross, and Weird.  What Is That Doing to Us?  —  In March, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested a woman they accused of drug trafficking and entering the country illegally.  Standing in a parking lot, they photographed her …

Trump Set to Blow Millions on ICE Barbie PR Blitz as Her Roasting Spirals  —  BIG SPENDER  —  The DHS will pour a fortune into its “Stronger Border” ad campaign as Secretary Kristi Noem weathers a relentless storm of mockery.  —  EXCLUSIVE  —  The Trump administration is set to spend …

Officers Clear More Homeless People from Sites Around Washington  —  Local police now under federal oversight dismantled encampments, discarding tents and other belongings.  —  Several homeless encampments in Washington were cleared out by Friday, as President Trump's efforts to take control …