The most-promoted news outlets on Apple News and Google News haven’t endorsed a Republican in the last 10 presidential elections -- the latest sign of alleged anti-conservative bias, according to a new analysis.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullinis building a reputation as a Cabinet official willing to do favors for his former colleagues in Congress — even at the risk of drawing a backlash from the White House and MAGA.
Why it matters: Some of Mullin's most high-profile moves — such as pausing ICE agents' traffic stops and delaying border security construction along the Texas border — have come after personal appeals from friends on Capitol Hill.
Zoom in: The approach by Mullin — who served 13 years in Washington as a House member and senator from Oklahoma — contrasts with that of his predecessor at DHS, Kristi Noem, who was criticized frequently for not communicating with Congress.
"Once you leave the Senate, you're eager to please your old friends ... and that's why there's a lot of what seems to be constituent services work happening out of DHS," said Mike Howell, a former DHS attorney during President Trump's first term and leader of the Mass Deportation Coalition.
But Mullin's attention to his ex-colleagues hasn't always worked out.
After an ICE agent fatally shot a man in Maine during a July traffic stop, both senators from that state — Susan Collins (R) and Angus King (I) — were able to quickly reach Mullin and ask for a review of the agency's arrest policy in traffic stops.
Mullin backed a temporary pause in ICE vehicle stops to make arrests — only to be overturned by a furious Trump a day later amid MAGA outrage.
DHS recently moved on a request Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) made to Mullin over concerns about a border plan to build roads and security systems in the Big Bend state and national parks. Cornyn asked Mullin to meet with local stakeholders over the controversial plans, which have angered local residents.
Ten days later, Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott announced a pause on construction in the region in a video while walking through an airport en route to a meeting with those stakeholders.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott later said he'd spoken with Mullin and that the pause in border work "seems to be a consequence of my conversations with the secretary."
Zoom out: Several more moves by Mullin have come after requests by former colleagues and associates.
In May, a call from Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) led to the release from ICE detention of Deisy Rivera Ortega, the immigrant spouse of a U.S. military member who had an active work permit and was applying for legal status through her marriage, according to Duckworth's office.
When Mullin was threatening to cut off international air travel from sanctuary jurisdictions just before the World Cup this summer, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) got the secretary on the phone.
"I served with Secretary Mullin before — we actually worked together on foster care," Bass told local reporters in May, according to her office. Bass added that after speaking with Mullin she "doubted" that he'd follow through on the travel threat.
Bass was right; Mullin dropped the plan.
The intrigue: Shortly after he was confirmed by the Senate last March, Mullin shocked some DHS staffers by getting upset after learning the agency was investigating then-Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.).
The new secretary was angry in part because Swalwell was a member of Congress, according to sources familiar with the internal discussions.
Swalwell was alleged to have hired an undocumented nanny from Brazil. DHS didn't not share an update on the investigation when asked for comment, but a spokesperson disputed the notion that Mullin was upset by the investigation.
What they're saying: Several elected officials have praised Mullin's communication style.
"The level of responsiveness that we have had, the level of communication that we have had, it has been very real. And I just want to say that I know I speak for a lot of governors here when I say we really do appreciate it," gushed Gov. Wes Moore (D-Md.) at the National Governors Associations summer meeting, where Mullin spoke this month.
"I talk to this guy quite a bit," Mullin said of Moore while on stage at the meeting. "And I answer your call, too."
"In his confirmation hearing, [Mullin] vowed to be accessible and communicative should he be confirmed. While serving in his role as DHS secretary, he's continuing this leadership style and is in constant communication with leaders on Capitol Hill, his 22 agency heads, and the White House to deliver on President Trump's promise to protect the homeland," a DHS spokesperson said in a statement.
The other side: Not everyone sees Mullin's accessibility as a positive.
"What I'm seeing is a politician reaching out to other politicians," said Mark Morgan, a former head of ICE and CBPcommissioner in Trump's first term.
"And then I see statements and potential policy and operational strategy being driven by politics, rather than the law and substance."
Vice President Vance hosted a Wednesday evening fundraiser in Southampton, N.Y., for young Republican donors that raised more than $5 million, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: The event drew several up-and-coming donors in their 20s and 30s — providing a glimpse into the finance network Vance is assembling ahead of a possible run for president in 2028.
The players: The fundraiser, which drew about 35 people, was held at the home of 1789 Capital President Omeed Malik.
Attendees included Donald Trump Jr., Polymarket founder Shayne Coplan and GRV Strategies founder Garrett Ventry.
Cantor Fitzgerald President Brandon Lutnick, the son of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, was also there, along with World Liberty Financial co-founder Zach Witkoff, son of senior Trump adviser Steve Witkoff.
Chris Buskirk, a key Vance ally and president of the Rockbridge Network, was a host.
After a reception, there was a more intimate dinner with about 20 people. Reception-goers donated $100,000 to the Republican National Committee. Those at the dinner gave $250,000.
The background: Vance is the RNC's finance chair, a position that has given him entree to the party's top donors.
The vice president has hosted dozens of fundraising events across the country since taking the post last year.
Vance allies say the relationships he's developed in the position have helped him build the kind of fundraising apparatus he'll need if he runs for president.
Vance is expected to reach a decision about his 2028 planssometime after the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
In today's edition: Amazon drones, Stripe OpenRouter, Google Marvell deal, Meta trial, OpenAI IPO, SpaceX Cognition, YouTube v Netflix, Rivian spinoff Also
The suspected launch on Thursday comes a day after North Korea shrugged off a U.S. decision to scale back military drills with South Korea in an apparent bid to resume diplomacy.
Democrats who ooze anti-Trump resistance credibility — even central figures in past Trump impeachments — are struggling to withstand the rise of the Democratic Socialists of America and their allies in party primaries.
Why it matters: In the first Trump administration, involvement in impeachment was a fast-track ticket to Democratic stardom. Now it's seen as little more than set-dressing for an unpopular party establishment.
"Being aggressive on accountability and corruption (such as with impeachment) is not enough," one House Democrat told Axios in a text message.
Democratic primary voters, the Democrat said, "are looking for us to be more aggressive and bold on a whole host of issues. ... Standing up to Trump is a must, but it's not enough in 2026."
Another House Democrat said of impeachment: "Members now realize that it's not that big of a deal. It's old hat ... Especially when you can't deliver."
Driving the news: Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, who rose to prominence as a witness in Trump's first impeachment, suffered an upset loss in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Florida on Tuesday to DSA member Angie Nixon.
Vindman — like his twin brother, Rep. Eugene Vindman (D-Va.) — used his reputation as a seminal Trump Resistance 1.0 figure to raise astonishing sums of money, bringing in more than $16 million as of July 29.
Nixon, a three-term state representative, raised just under $1 million over the same period, while incumbent GOP Sen. Ashley Moody brought in roughly $11 million.
Zoom out: Vindman's loss comes after Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), an impeachment manager during Trump's second impeachment trial in 2021, lost to DSA-affiliated challenger Melat Kiros in a June 30 primary.
Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.), who leaned heavily into impeaching Trump over the past two years, was also unseated by DSA-affiliated state Rep. Donavan McKinney.
Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.), the highly visible lead counsel for the House Intelligence Committee during Trump's first impeachment, lost his primary to progressive former New York City comptroller Brad Lander.
Several other well-known anti-Trump figures either lost or withdrew from Democratic congressional primaries this year.
The list includes Rep. Al Green (D-Texas), George Conway, Olivia Troye and Lev Parnas — though not all of them lost to more progressive rivals.
What they're saying: "In Trump's first term, grassroots anger was primarily focused on Donald Trump and Republicans. This time around … that anger extends to the Democratic establishment as well," said Joel Payne, a spokesperson for the progressive group MoveOn.
"What we hear from our members is a clear demand for change and that includes within the Democratic Party. Voters are done with the status quo and every electoral result we are seeing validates that."
Said progressive Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.): "The key issues motivating Democrats right now are Medicare for all, taxing billionaires, and no foreign wars, including no aid to Israel. Democrats want bold leadership on these issues in addition to standing up to Trump."
What we're hearing: Several lawmakers told Axios they believe this trend is weakening the momentum behind impeaching Trump in 2027.
"If all we do is go back to the failed strategy of impeachment, we will find ourselves back in the minority pretty quickly," said a third House Democrat.
A fourth said House Democrats "are much more focused on investigations than impeachment."
Yes, but: Others argued that the failure of these Democrats doesn't necessarily eliminate the possibility of Trump being impeached if the party retakes the House.
"I don't think impeachment is a way to stardom," a fifth House Democrat said, but "for those that lost, I think it had more to do with them running bad campaigns."
A sixth House Democrat told Axios: "I think once we start doing investigations, it will be something that could become inevitable. ... I haven't heard any lack of appetite for moving forward."
The bottom line: "Trying to impeach Trump isn't going to automatically win you a primary," said a seventh House Democrat, "you also have to have an ear to the ground in your district."
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