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Date: 2025-08-22 Page is: DBtxt003.php txt00028235


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Peter Burgess COMMENTARY



Peter Burgess
Axios Entertainment Login All topics Axios Search Politics & Policy DOGE Axios Vibes Donald Trump Race and Equity Immigration FAA closes helicopter route near D.C. airport after fatal crash By Sareen Habeshian Inside House Dems' furious anti-Schumer movement Inside House Dems' furious anti-Schumer movement What to know about the wartime authority Trump could use in mass deportations What to know about the wartime authority Trump could use in mass deportations First look: Third Way's plan for Dems to fight back First look: Third Way's plan for Dems to fight back Focus group: Trump swing voters in Michigan have buyers' remorse Focus group: Trump swing voters in Michigan have buyers' remorse All stories Ivana Saric Updated 40 mins ago - Politics & Policy Trump administration targets 45 colleges for their DEI programs Universities being investigated by the Education Department for alleged 'race-exclusionary practices' As of March 14, 2025 A map shows the 51 universities being investigated by the Education Department for alleged 'race-exclusionary practices' including 45 schools being investigated for alleged 'race-exclusionary practices in their graduate programs' and seven for alleged 'impermissible race-based scholarships and race-based segregation.' The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, is being investigated for both. Data: Department of Education release; Map: Axios Visuals The Department of Education said Friday it is investigating 45 colleges over allegations that they participated in 'race-exclusionary practices.' Why it matters: It's the latest attempt by the Trump administration to crack down on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, which have been repeatedly targeted since Trump came into office. Go deeper (1 min. read) Dan Primack 54 mins ago - Business David Sacks and his VC firm sold $200 million in crypto assets David Sacks David Sacks. Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) David Sacks, the venture capitalist advising President Trump on crypto and AI policy, sold $85 million of crypto-related assets in order to satisfy government ethics rules, according to a White House memo. Sacks' investment firm, Craft Ventures, divested another $115 million of crypto-related assets. There was no mention of AI-related divestitures. Go deeper (<1 min. read) April Rubin 1 hour ago - Politics & Policy Carney defends Canada's sovereignty in first presser as prime minister Mark Carney signs a paper Mark Carney officially signs the Oath Book and the Instrument of Advice during his swearing-in ceremony as Canada's 24th Prime Minister at Rideau Hall on March 14 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Photo: Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images In his first remarks as prime minister of Canada on Friday, Mark Carney categorically shot down the notion that the U.S. would annex Canada as its 51st state. Why it matters: Carney enters the role during a politically and economically volatile time for Canada, amid threats from the U.S., its closest ally and neighbor, during the Trump administration. Go deeper (1 min. read) Andrew Solender 2 hours ago - Politics & Policy Jeffries sidesteps Schumer questions amid shutdown revolt Reps. Pete Aguilar, Hakeem Jeffries and Katherine Clark hold a press conference in a wood paneled studio in front of a row of flags. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries holds a press conference at the U.S. Capitol with Democratic caucus chair Pete Aguilar and Minority Whip Katherine Clark on March 14. Photo: Allison Robbert/Bloomberg via Getty Images. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) passed up several opportunities Friday to offer support for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) ahead of a vote on funding the federal government. Why it matters: Jeffries' caucus is in open rebellion against Schumer as House Democrats pressure Senate counterparts to defy their leader and vote against Republicans' stopgap spending measure. Go deeper (1 min. read) Brittany Gibson 3 hours ago - Politics & Policy One Columbia student leaves country, another arrested as DHS targets protesters A poster taped to a lamppost on March 13, 2025, in New York City protests the arrest of pro-Palestinian activist and Columbia graduate student Mahmoud Khalil for leading demonstrations at Columbia University. A poster taped to a lamppost on March 13, 2025, in New York City protests the arrest of pro-Palestinian activist and Columbia graduate student Mahmoud Khalil for leading demonstrations at Columbia University. Photo by Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images A Columbia University student left the country after having a student visa cancelled and a second student was arrested for overstaying an expired visa, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Both students had participated in pro-Palestine protests. Why it matters: The State Department is exercising a seldom-used power to remove legal immigrants connected to protests. Go deeper (1 min. read) Courtenay Brown 5 hours ago - Politics & Policy Trump's immigration factor Illustration of a prison fence with the fence shaped into dollar signs. Illustration: Lazaro Gamio/Axios Volatile trade policy is getting all the media attention lately. But another risk to the growth outlook is also playing out — an end to the high immigration rates that were a feature of the U.S. economy in recent years. Why it matters: Most economic policymakers say immigration helped loosen the tightest labor market in decades and eased inflation. Whatever your views on the policy, plummeting border crossings — paired with White House deportation plans — mean economic adjustment ahead. Go deeper (1 min. read) Kathleen Hunter 6 hours ago - Politics & Policy Trump praises Schumer's 'courage' in backing spending bill Chuck Schumer Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer at the U.S. Capitol on March 11. Photographer: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images President Trump said it 'took 'guts' and courage' for Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to agree not to stand in the way Friday of a Republican bill to avert a government shutdown at midnight. Why it matters: Trump's public praise could further enrage some Democrats who have vied this week to block the short-term funding bill. A handful of Democrats will need to support the bill for it to advance. Go deeper (1 min. read) Dan Primack 6 hours ago - Business BlackRock's Panama Canal deal isn't a sure bet Photo illustration of a collage featuring Larry Fink, Donald Trump, an aerial map of the Panama Canal, and a canal lock. Photo illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Photos: Planet Observer/Universal Images Group via Getty Images and Bonnie Cash and Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images BlackRock's landmark deal for two Panamanian ports is in danger of running aground, threatened by geopolitical forces outside of its control. Driving the news: Panama's Maritime Authority requested all legal and financial documents involved in the sale, while China urged Hong Kong-based seller CK Hutchinson to 'think twice' about a plan that it called a 'betrayal.' Go deeper (1 min. read) Ivana Saric 9 hours ago - Politics & Policy Homeland Security raids Columbia University dorms but no arrests made The Columbia University campus Columbia University campus. Photo: Luiz C. Ribeiro/New York Daily News/Tribune News Service via Getty Images Federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security raided two Columbia University dorm rooms Thursday night, the school said in a statement. Why it matters: The news comes days after federal agents arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and Columbia University alumnus, allegedly for organizing pro-Palestinian activity on campus. Khalil has not been charged with a crime. Go deeper (1 min. read) Stef W. Kight , Brittany Gibson 11 hours ago - Politics & Policy Scoop: ICE already short $2 billion as Trump's immigration crackdown ramps up Photo illustration of an ICE agent looking at a dollar bill locked behind a chain link fence Photo illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Photo: Christopher Dilts/Bloomberg via Getty Images The agency charged with carrying out President Trump's mass deportation promises has warned Congress it is short a whopping $2 billion for this fiscal year, Axios has learned. Why it matters: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) repeatedly has faced significant budget shortfalls in recent years. Trump's immigration plans — which include deporting 'millions' of unauthorized immigrants — would rack up costs even more. Go deeper (2 min. read) Zachary Basu , Neal Rothschild 20 hours ago - Politics & Policy Liberals enter the MAGA lion's den Illustration of double doors with two, gold elephant door knockers. Illustration: Allie Carl/Axios Deprived of all levers of federal power, and with their party's popularity at rock bottom, some Democrats are taking a polarizing new tack: Engaging with the enemy. Why it matters: Backlash against cultural elitism — and a reluctance to take risks — fueled the party's loss in 2024. Ambitious Democrats are reckoning with the need to reach beyond their base as they try to claw out of the wilderness. Go deeper (2 min. read) Rebecca Falconer 22 hours ago - Business Newsmax agreed to pay Smartmatic $40M to settle defamation suit ewsmax signage during the Republican National Convention (RNC) at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US, on Thursday, July 18, 2024. Newsmax signage during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, last July. Photo: Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg via Getty Images Newsmax agreed to pay Smartmatic $40 million in the conservative cable network's settlement of the defamation lawsuit over the airing of 2020 election falsehoods, per a regulatory filing. The big picture: The companies reached a settlement last September that includes the cash settlement 'payable over time and the issuance of a five year cash exercise warrant to purchase 2,000 shares of Series B preferred stock at an exercise price of $5,000 per share,' per the filing. Go deeper (<1 min. read) Russell Contreras Mar 13, 2025 - Politics & Policy Lawyers for Mahmoud Khalil seek immediate release on free speech grounds Hundreds turn out outside of a New York court to protest the arrest and detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder and recent Columbia graduate who played a role in pro-Palestinian protests at the university on March 12, 2025 in New York City. Hundreds turn out outside of a New York court on Wednesday to protest the arrest and detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder and recent Columbia graduate who played a role in pro-Palestinian protests at the university. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images Lawyers for Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia graduate and legal resident from Syria, are asking a federal judge to order U.S. immigration authorities to immediately release him and find his detention in violation of the First Amendment. The big picture: Court documents filed late Thursday show that Khalil's lawyers intend to aggressively challenge the Trump administration's use of a rarely used law that gives the secretary of state the authority to revoke visas from foreigners deemed to be a threat. Go deeper (2 min. read) Andrew Solender Updated Mar 13, 2025 - Politics & Policy House Dems go into 'complete meltdown' as Schumer folds Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, wearing a gray suit and speaking to a crowd of reporters in a yellow hallway. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer speaks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol on March 11. Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images. House Democrats erupted into apoplexy Thursday night after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said he would support Republicans' stopgap government funding measure. Why it matters: House Democrats feel like they 'walked the plank,' in the words of one member. They voted almost unanimously against the measure, only to watch Senate Democrats seemingly give it the green light. Go deeper (2 min. read) Rebecca Falconer Mar 13, 2025 - Business 2nd judge orders agencies to reinstate thousands of fired federal workers Protesters hold signs in solidarity with the American Federation of Government Employees of District 14 at a rally in support of federal workers at the Office of Personnel Management in Washington, DC, March 4, 2025. Protesters hold signs in solidarity with the American Federation of Government Employees of District 14 at a rally in support of federal workers at the Office of Personnel Management last week. Photo: Alex Wroblewski/AFP via Getty Images The Trump administration must reinstate thousands of fired probationary federal workers, a judge said in a temporary restraining order on Thursday. Why it matters: In the second such order to reinstate fired workers on Thursday, U.S. District Judge James Bredar ruled that the lawsuit brought by state attorneys general against 18 agencies was likely to succeed in showing the mass firings 'were unlawful.' Go deeper (1 min. read) Stef W. Kight , Hans Nichols Mar 13, 2025 - Politics & Policy Trump blesses Medicaid scrutiny to pay for mega-MAGA package This is Donald Trump Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images President Trump opened the door Thursday for Senate Republicans to find cost savings in Medicaid as they hunt for ways to pay for his border, defense and tax priorities, Axios has learned. Why it matters: Trump has been emphatic that Medicaid benefits won't be 'touched,' but he endorsed looking for 'waste, fraud and abuse' and even imposing new work requirements. Go deeper (1 min. read) Sommer Brugal , Martin Vassolo Updated Mar 13, 2025 - Axios Miami Miami theater will fight mayor's proposed eviction over 'No Other Land' screening Two filmmakers stand with their Oscar awards. Basel Adra and Yuval Abraham's documentary 'No Other Land' is being screened at O Cinema. Photo: Monica Schipper/Getty Images The fate of O Cinema's South Beach theater will be up for debate next week after the mayor proposed canceling its lease following the screening of an Oscar-winning documentary on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Why it matters: Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner's response to the theater showing 'No Other Land' — which some argue is a violation of the First Amendment — is the latest flashpoint in Miami Beach, where leaders have been accused of silencing pro-Palestinian voices. Last year, the commission barred protesters from obstructing streets or sidewalks in response to demonstrations in the city. Go deeper (2 min. read) Rebecca Falconer Updated Mar 13, 2025 - Politics & Policy Johns Hopkins to slash 2,200 jobs after Trump admin's USAID cuts Low angle view, on a sunny day, of Johns Hopkins Eastern campus in Baltimore, Maryland, July 10, 2004. From the Homewood Photography Collection Johns Hopkins Eastern campus in Baltimore, Maryland. Photo: JHU Sheridan Libraries/Gado/Getty Images Johns Hopkins University said Thursday it's axing more than 2,200 jobs in the U.S. and overseas due to the Trump administration ending over $800 million in USAID funding. The big picture: The Baltimore-based university that's the largest private employer in Maryland appears to be among the hardest-hit research institutions affected by the Trump administration's federal cuts. Go deeper (1 min. read) Hans Nichols , Andrew Solender Mar 13, 2025 - Politics & Policy House Republicans suddenly enjoy a rush of purple seat opportunities Illustration of an elephant with an eyes emoji with purple irises. Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios House Republicans are salivating over their chances in purple seats thanks to ambitious Democrats eyeing newly open Senate slots. Why it matters: Swing-seat survivors are very attractive in statewide races, including to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and the DSCC. Go deeper (1 min. read) Andrew Solender Mar 13, 2025 - Business Democrats fume at DOGE's 'surprise attacks' on their districts House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, wearing a black suit and standing in front of a white backdrop. House Minority Whip Katherine Clark speaks at a press conference at the House Democratic retreat in Leesburg, Virginia on March 12. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images House Democrats are homing in on a new attack against DOGE at their annual retreat: That they don't even get a heads up about cuts that will clobber their constituents. Why it matters: Republicans have been able to work back-channels to get cuts in their districts rolled back, but Democrats don't have the same privilege, as Axios previously reported.

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