Congress: The Senate & The House

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? Dems defy Jeffries

23 House Democrats broke with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries today in voting to rebuke Rep. Chuy García (D-Ill.) for effectively ensuring his chief of staff will replace him in Congress.

Why it matters: Jeffries strongly opposed the "misguided resolution," he said in a statement this morning with Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) and Democratic Caucus chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.).

• Paper copies of the statement were present on lawmakers' chairs when they arrived for today's Democratic caucus meeting, sources told us.

What's next: Progressive Caucus members have discussed retaliating against Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.), who introduced the reprimand, with a resolution accusing her of violating a pledge not to take corporate PAC money, as we first reported.

Go deeper

— Andrew Solender

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? NASA do-over

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has scheduled a Dec. 3 hearing for Jared Isaacman, the billionaire entrepreneur and commercial astronaut renominated to lead NASA, before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.

Why it matters: A second hearing will mean Isaacman will not be confirmed by the Senate in the next batch of nominees, which will likely see the floor in the first week of December.

• The hearing will force Isaacman to defend some positions he took in a 62-page manifesto —titled "Project Athena" — circulated on Capitol Hill earlier this year. Portions of it were publicized by Ars Technica in November.
• But it will also preserve his ability to be reported out of the committee — a second time, with a bipartisan vote.

Go deeper

— Hans Nichols, Marc Caputo and Stef Kight

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❄️ Scoop: First post-shutdown CODEL

A bipartisan group of senators is planning to head north this weekend for the annual Halifax International Security Forum in Canada, we have learned.

Why it matters: The shutdown's over, and CODELs are back. The first Senate sortie is to a country where trade talks with Trump are frozen.

• The Halifax forum, normally a routine stop on the international security circuit, is complicated this year.
• Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has banned Pentagon officials from attending the forum, where a high-ranking DoD official typically attends.
• Trump hasn't removed the additional 10% tariffs he announced in October, despite Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney apologizing to Trump for an anti-tariffs ad run by a provincial governor.

Driving the news: Despite the diplomatic chill, a bipartisan group of nine senators — including four Republicans — plans to attend the forum.

• The delegation will be led by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a longtime Halifax attendee.
• She'll be joined by Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.).

Flashback: In May, Shaheen led a similar CODEL to Canada, but Cramer was the only Republican who attended.

• In October, Shaheen and Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho) — the Foreign Relations Committee chair — met with Carney during the Canadian leader's trip to Washington for talks with Trump.

— Hans Nichols

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Congress Votes on Epstein

Congress approved a bill yesterday directing the Justice Department to release unclassified files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The House passed the bill 427-1, while the Senate agreed to deem the legislation passed as soon as it arrived in the chamber. President Donald Trump, who initially opposed the measure, is expected to sign it into law. The Epstein Files Transparency Act directs the attorney general to release records concerning Epstein, his former associate and convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, and others referenced in Epstein's criminal activities. Information tied to ongoing investigations or containing sensitive victim data can be withheld. Trump has urged the Justice Department to investigate prominent Democrats and financial institutions for potential ties to Epstein. See a timeline here. The push for transparency follows the release of more than 20,000 pages of Epstein-related documents last week, some of which mention Trump (see previous write-up). The president maintains his friendship with Epstein ended in the early 2000s, before Epstein's 2008 conviction.

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?️ Near-unanimous Epstein vote

Jeffrey Epstein victims speak on Capitol Hill yesterday before a House vote to release files related to the convicted sex offender. Photo: Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images The Senate yesterday unanimously passed a bill to compel the Justice Department to release files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, sending it to President Trump's desk, Axios' Stephen Neukam writes. Why it matters: Trump said he'll sign the bill. But the files still may not be released anytime soon. The Senate passed the bill by unanimous consent, which required the green light from all 100 senators, just hours after it cleared the House via a near-unanimous vote — and before the bill had even technically been sent over. Just one lawmaker — Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.) — ended up voting against the bill. ? What we're watching: The bill allows DOJ to withhold information that could interfere with an ongoing federal investigation, meaning Trump's recent demand that the DOJ investigate Epstein's ties to other powerful figures could halt the process.

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⚡️ Jeffries faces "Mamdani revolution"

Photo illustration: Allie Carl/Axios. Photos: Angelina Katsanis, Michael M. Santiago and Noam Galai/Getty Images

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is emerging as the left's latest target in its campaign to unseat as many establishment House Democrats as they can, particularly in New York. "People are pissed, they're sad, they're concerned," former Progressive Caucus co-chair Rep. Marc Pocan (D-Wis.) told us. Why it matters: The establishment isn't going down without a fight, despite what one House Democrat dubbed the "Mamdani revolution." That same House Democrat told us: "Every young idealist says, 'If [New York City Mayor-elect Zohran] Mamdani can do it, so can I.' Never mind that Mamdani is an exceptional talent." Mamdani himself isn't fully on board with all these efforts, telling a local TV station about potential Jeffries challenger Chi Ossé: "Right now is not the time to be engaging in that kind of a primary." But a Justice Democrats spokesperson told us the group is "very interested in building on Zohran's momentum" and that "you can expect more news on that in the coming weeks." Driving the news: Chuck Park, a former New York Economic Development Corporation staffer, launched a bid against Rep. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.). He joins Michael Blake, a former state Assemblyman and Democratic National Committee vice chair, who is challenging Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.). Rep. George Latimer (D-N.Y.) told us he "wouldn't be surprised if I have a primary opponent" backed by the Democratic Socialists of America. Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.), the chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, will "likely" be a target as well, a progressive consultant told us. New York City comptroller Brad Lander and New York City council member Alexa Avilés are both seen as possible challengers to Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.), whose district Mamdani won overwhelmingly. Zoom in: Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), a longtime New York City politico, told us: "Brad Lander will win." Nadler later called us to walk back his comments, saying, "I really don't know who's going to win." "I was reacting to some public polling I saw," he added. "I'm not even sure Brad's running." Said Goldman spokesperson Simone Kanter: "The Congressman is eager to put his record in Congress against anyone who wants to challenge him over the next seven months. Whether it is Brad or anyone else, they will face the fight of their life if they choose to run against Dan Goldman." — Andrew Solender

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? ACA enhanced subsidies look doomed

Lawmakers are losing hope for a deal to extend the Affordable Care Act's enhanced subsidies, with leaders in both parties admitting the odds of a bipartisan deal are slim to none. Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), a leadership member, told us today it "seems imaginary" that Republicans can find 13 votes to extend ACA tax credits. Why it matters: The Senate will vote next month on extending the subsidies, which cover 22 million people and expire at the end of the year. But Republicans are uniting against an extension, with President Trump pushing against it. That leaves Democrats arguing internally over what to do next. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) proposed this week that Democrats unite around a package that would repeal $1 trillion in GOP health care cuts, expand Medicare and lower prescription drug prices, we first reported. Moderates want to pursue a proposal that could pick off some Republican support and, against all odds, pass the Senate. A Senate Finance Committee hearing on the issue today descended into familiar partisan sparring, and no productive bipartisan ACA talks have taken place behind the scenes. The bottom line: Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), also a member of leadership, told reporters she expects a side-by-side vote on partisan health care bills next month. "We're going to settle on a package of our own," she said, adding, "rather than trying to get a bipartisan vehicle right now. I don't see that happening." — Stephen Neukam, Stef Kight and Peter Sullivan

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Republicans shun Trump's $2,000 giveaway

From leadership to Trumpy freshmen, GOP senators are not enthused by Trump's idea of sending $2,000 checks to Americans.

• "I'm not nuts for it," Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) told us.

Why it matters: Many senators think such a move would require congressional authorization, and they'd rather see the money go toward reducing the deficit.

• Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters yesterday that the tariff revenue is "considered to be substantial at this point and hopefully can be put to a useful purpose. Again, in my view, one of which would be repaying the debt."
• "I think it would be good to use the tariff revenues to pay down the debt and the deficit," Capito told us.
• "I think we should pay down the deficit," said Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio).

Between the lines: "I think it's got to come through Congress," said Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.).

• White House officials say they're looking at ways to send out the checks without congressional sign-off.

The bottom line: Cramer conceded it can be argued that "lower-income Americans deserve a break. Maybe they do, but I also think that, you know, it's got potential to be somewhat inflationary."

• Asked if Trump would need congressional approval for such a move, Cramer said: "He'll test it. That's my guess."

— Stef Kight

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House gets back to work and quickly falls into cycle of punishing its own The U.S. House is back in session after a multi-week hiatus, but its agenda has been overtaken by a sudden flurry of censures, reprimands and the investigation of members, leaving little bandwidth for legislating. Read more.

What to know: With few bills to consider — and no quick fix for the problem of skyrocketing health insurance premiums — the House has instead devoted time to lawmakers’ demands to punish each other for their personal and political transgressions in showy spectacles on and off the chamber floor.   There have been at least a half-dozen efforts this year to censure or other reprimand lawmakers, largely from Republicans seeking to punish Democrats — though Democrats have been retaliating with their own threats to file actions against Republicans.

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? Death threats surge

Democratic lawmakers say threats coming into their offices have surged dramatically after President Trump said comments they made are "punishable by DEATH!"

• "We've had hundreds and hundreds, if not, you know, closer to a thousand threats," Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) told NBC News, adding that the Senate sergeant-at-arms has arranged for her to have "24/7 security."

Why it matters: The spike comes against the backdrop of a broader uptick in threats against members of Congress and incidents of political violence that have Washington, D.C., increasingly on edge.

• House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and his deputies said in a statement yesterday: "We have been in contact with the House Sergeant at Arms and the United States Capitol Police to ensure the safety of these Members and their families."
• "Yes, there's been an uptick in threats," a spokesperson for Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.) told us.
• Reps. Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.) and Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.) also told us today that they have faced a surge in threats, with Goodlander saying: "When the president of the United States threatens anyone with violence ... it has an impact."

Between the lines: In a video posted to social media on Tuesday, the lawmakers urged military service members to defy any unlawful orders they may be given.

• Trump responded in a series of posts, accusing the lawmakers of "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR" and suggesting their comments were "punishable by DEATH."
• Rep. Jason Crow's (D-Colo.) office went so far as to ask the Capitol Police to investigate Trump, calling his posts "threatening, intimidating, and concerning" in an email we first reported.
• Trump told Fox News host Brian Kilmeade today: "I'm not threatening them, but I think they're in serious trouble."

What they're saying: "As you might expect, we are monitoring the situation very closely," said Rep. Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.), the ranking member of the House Administration Committee, which oversees members' security.

• "[We] continue to urge everyone, especially the President, to refrain from highly inflammatory rhetoric."

— Andrew Solender

ps:You knew that would happen!!!!!

 

• ?‍♀️ Rep. Jason Crow's (D-Colo.) office is seeking a U.S. Capitol Police investigation into President Trump for "intimidating, threatening and concerning" social media posts he made yesterday. Go deeper.

ps:Well that'll never happen!!

• ☎️ Rep. Eugene Vindman (D-Va.) urged Trump to release the "shocking" transcript of his 2019 phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Go deeper.

ps:I'll be very surprised if that ever happens!!

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Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, former Trump loyalist, says she is resigning from Congress

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, a loyal supporter-turned-critic of President Donald Trump who faced his political retribution if she sought reelection, said Friday she is resigning from Congress in January.

https://apnews.com/article/marjorie-taylor-green-congress-resigns-trump-maga-5f42d4893343babc8e87da1491a0de2b?

?️ MTG out

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) is resigning from Congress after her messy split with President Trump, the Georgia Republican announced in a post yesterday evening.

• Why it matters: Greene was one of Trump's earliest allies. But she broke with Republicans over health care costs and foreign policy, and her relationship with Trump dissolved over her push to release the Epstein files, Axios' Kate Santaliz writes.

Between the lines: Trump's political operation in recent days had been fielding interest from potential MTG challengers.

• One name mentioned in pro-Trump circles is Clayton Fuller, a northwest Georgia district attorney who ran unsuccessfully against Greene in 2020.

Go deeper: Congress' crazy week ... Alex Isenstadt contributed.

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U.S. House committee opens probe of Georgia Republican Collins

WASHINGTON — Georgia Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Collins and his chief of staff are under investigation by the House Ethics Committee, though the panel didn’t detail Friday why it’s looking into their actions.

https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/11/21/repub/u-s-house-committee-opens-probe-of-georgia-republican-collins/?

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The worst good-paying job

Death threats and infighting are spurring a growing number of House Republicans to consider quitting Congress mid-term, Axios' Kate Santaliz and Andrew Solender write.

• Why it matters: The abrupt resignation of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) has rattled her colleagues. Some are questioning whether the job is still worth it when the work is drowned out by censures, violent threats and loyalty tests to President Trump.

⚠️ Threats against lawmakers have surged. After the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in September, members say the atmosphere feels even more volatile.

• Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) told Axios the threats have been a factor in members' decision to leave. "It takes a toll on people," he said.
• Retiring Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) and Greene both cited the uptick in political violence as part of their reasons for leaving Congress.

?️ State of play: 41 members have already announced they plan to call it quits at the end of their term, with more expected to follow. Most House lawmakers make $174,000 a year.

• Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), who is retiring in 2027, told Axios he was "so angry" at the Trump administration's proposed 28-point Russia-Ukraine peace plan last week that he "thought about" resigning early. But "in the end I have a commitment to our constituents to fulfill my term," Bacon said.
• Another House Republican, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told Axios that while they're not likely to resign, "the thought has crossed my mind": "I know I'm not the only one."

? Zoom in: Since July, House members have spent only a handful of days in Washington. Earlier this month, they returned from a seven-week recess to a schedule dominated by punitive resolutions targeting their own colleagues.

• Rank-and-file members of both parties are relying on procedural workarounds, notably discharge petitions, to force votes on broadly popular bills. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) would like to limit those workarounds, as Axios first reported.
• With a razor-thin majority (currently 219-213), a few defections can derail everything, making legislating more difficult.

?️ The big picture: MTG fumed yesterday that Congress has been "sidelined by Johnson under full obedience" to the White House.

• Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.) echoed Greene's sentiment, writing on X: "I can't blame her for leaving this institution that has betrayed the American people."

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? Sneak peek: What it's like to be Speaker

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) uses a very personal interview on "The Katie Miller Podcast" to warn fellow Republicans that "the antisemitism stuff ought to be universally rejected and called out," and appeal to them to "put that aside."

• "I'm very insistent about that," Johnson told Katie Miller, a former Trump official, on an episode of her podcast posting at 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday. "We've got to love everybody, and certainly the Jewish people."

Why it matters: Miller's podcast, which launched in August, has quickly become a favored destination for powerful newsmakers. A furious debate over Israel, antisemitism and hate speech has engulfed MAGA this fall.

Miller asked the speaker — during a joint interview with his wife, Kelly, a pastoral counselor, taped last week in the Speaker's Ceremonial Office in the Capitol — if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is a great world leader, and whether the Republican Party's schism over antisemitism is "overblown."

• "I wish we could put that aside. And I wish that everybody would acknowledge the importance of that relationship," Johnson says during the 51-minute interview. "There are lots of scripturally based, biblical reasons to support Israel."

? Asked "which AI" he uses, the speaker replied: "I don't, actually. In fact, I don't even really use my phone much at all. I don't really have time for social media."

• "It's like I text and call. ... If I'm going to sit down and, like, write a speech or something, I mean, it has to be my own — personal."

? Behind the scenes: Johnson — who's second in line to the presidency, after the vice president — says the modern speakership, which includes "fundraising, the politics, the member management," means he's dealing with members 24-7, even "last Christmas, I'm taking calls from members with their drama."

• "Literally hundreds of calls and text messages in a day," he said. "The peril is, I don't know how important that was [that] I missed. And sometimes I'll find out a week or two later and, like: 'Oh my gosh, I didn't know.' Now, most people, if they can't reach me that way, then they'll call the team and [say], 'Go get him, he's got to hear this.' ... But, boy, I miss a lot of stuff, and I'm constantly apologizing to people."

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• ? House lawmakers want Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei to testify about Chinese state actors using his AI company's tools in a wide-reaching cyber-espionage campaign, Axios' Sam Sabin exclusively reports. Go deeper.

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?️ Another House Republican quits

Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas), one of President Trump's tightest allies, said he'll retire from Congress rather than seek reelection next year, Axios' Andrew Solender and Kate Santaliz report.

• Why it matters: Nehls, a former sheriff first elected in 2020, joins a rapidly growing group of House members in both parties who have decided to call it quits, either to run for higher office or leave politics entirely.

Within hours of his announcement, his identical twin brother, Trever Nehls, said he plans to run for the seat.

• Read on.

 

Lawmakers voice support for congressional reviews of Trump’s military strikes on boats Lawmakers from both parties said Sunday they support congressional reviews of U.S. military strikes against vessels suspected of smuggling drugs in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, citing a Washington Post report that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a verbal order for all crew members to be killed as part of a Sept. 2 attack. Read more.

What to know: The lawmakers said they did not know whether last week’s report was true, and some Republicans were skeptical, but they said attacking survivors of an initial missile strike poses serious legal concerns. “This rises to the level of a war crime if it’s true,” said Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va.   President Donald Trump said on Sunday the administration “will look into” the matter but added, “I wouldn’t have wanted that — not a second strike.” The president also defended Hegseth. “Pete said he did not order the death of those two men,” Trump said. He added, “And I believe him.”   Meanwhile, Trump confirmed that he had recently spoken with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. “I wouldn’t say it went well or badly,” Trump told reporters, when asked about the call.

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• ?️ Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee are investigating FBI Director Kash Patel's reported use of a government jet to visit his girlfriend and take other personal trips, Axios has learned. Go deeper.

 

? Johnson's red alert

Data: Axios research and NPR; Note: Excludes representatives who died while in office; Table: Danielle Alberti/Axios House lawmakers are quitting Congress at a record rate: Republican retirements and resignations have outpaced Democrats by a nearly 2-to-1 ratio in the first 11 months of the year. Why it matters: In previous cycles, the party with more departures tends to lose seats — if not the majority. Call it the congressional JOLTS rate. Like its Bureau of Labor Statistics counterpart, a high reading for one party doesn't predict a House flip any more than a bad JOLTS number calls a recession. But it's not a great sign for Speaker Mike Johnson, who needs to worry that early GOP retirements could strip him of his gavel this year. The record number of exits also guarantees the next Congress will look considerably different than the current one, forcing leaders of both parties to contend with fresh faces and new challenges. Driving the news: Forty-four lawmakers — more than 1 in 10 — have announced they plan to leave the chamber or already have. Mid-cycle redistricting, awaiting word from the Supreme Court, will likely further decimate the ranks of incumbents. By the numbers: In 2018, 34 House Republicans decided not to run for reelection, compared to only 18 Democrats before their party wrested control from the GOP. At this stage of the 2018 cycle, the trend had already emerged, with 26 planning to depart, compared to 12 Democrats. In 2022, a similar pattern emerged. By the end of the year, 31 Democrats had retired, versus 18 Republicans, ahead of a GOP takeover. Between the lines: This cycle, the retirement itch isn't affecting vulnerable members, with two exceptions: Rep. Jared Golden of Maine for the Democrats and Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska for the GOP. There's been a concerted, and so far successful, effort from GOP leadership to persuade battleground members, like Reps. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) and Zach Nunn (R-Iowa), to stick around. Both parties feel confident that their most endangered incumbents will stick around and help their side fight for the gavel. The bottom line: Retirement announcements are likely to go vertical in the coming months. "The time to watch is really between Thanksgiving and Christmas. That's when you see the most departures," former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy told us. "I'd always go after members in that period to give them a taste of what was to come, if they decided to stay for another cycle." — Kate Santaliz and Hans Nichols

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? All-in on House specials

Data: AdImpact; Chart: Erin Davis/Axios Visuals Republicans have spent $3.3 million to defend a congressional seat in Tennessee that President Trump won by 22 percentage points, according to AdImpact. Zoom in: "The whole world is watching Tennessee right now, and they're watching the district," Trump said over Johnson's speaker phone during a rally ahead of tomorrow's 7th Congressional District special election to replace former Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.). "It's a big vote and it's gonna show something," Trump said. "And it's gonna show that the Republican Party is stronger than it's ever been." A new Emerson College poll shows Republican candidate Matt Van Epps leading Democrat Aftyn Behn by only 2 percentage points. Zoom out: In Florida's 6th District, Republicans spent more than $4 million to elect Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.) in a district Trump won 65%-35%. Fine ended up winning by 14 points in April. In that state's 1st District, also in April, the GOP put in about $1 million to retain a seat Trump won 68%-31%. Rep. Jimmy Patronis (R-Fla.) ended up winning by 15 points. The other side: Democrats have barely had to spend to defend their open seats in open elections in Arizona and Virginia. — Hans Nichols

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⚡️Jeffries: "The White House is lying"

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries signaled today that Democrats are unlikely to pursue impeachment against Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth over alleged follow-up strikes against boats in the Caribbean.

• "Republicans will never allow articles of impeachment to be brought to the floor of the House of Representatives, and we know that's the case," Jeffries said at a press conference.

Driving the news: White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt denied today that Hegseth was the one who ordered a second strike on an alleged Venezuelan drug boat on Sept. 2 to take out survivors of an earlier strike.

• Leavitt said Hegseth "authorized Admiral [Frank] Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes. He worked well within his authority and the law."
• "The White House is lying, but that's no surprise," Jeffries said at his press conference when we asked about Leavitt's comments.
• "It is my understanding that Pete Hegseth, the so-called secretary of defense, was absolutely involved. I think he may have even recently acknowledged that because the facts are incapable of being disputed."

What to watch: The top Republicans and Democrats on both the House and Senate Armed Services committees have said they plan to vigorously investigate the reporting.

• Jeffries leaned on those probes as the alternative to impeachment, telling reporters: "What's on the table is a meaningful investigation, which we can hope would be bipartisan."

What's next: Jeffries' Democrats may force the issue either way. Rep. Shri Thanedar, the Michigan Democrat who briefly forced (and then pulled) a Trump impeachment vote in May, told us he's considering introducing impeachment articles against Hegseth.

— Andrew Solender

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?️ Driving the day: Unlikely House battleground

Tennessee's 7th Congressional District was designed just a few years ago to hand Republicans an easy win — but this year it has become an unlikely battleground with a credible Democratic candidate vying for an upset, Axios Nashville's Adam Tamburin writes.

• Why it matters: Republicans and Democrats alike are looking at today's special election for the seat as a critical bellwether heading into the 2026 midterms.

Trump won the district by 22 points in 2024. But the race has gotten surprisingly tight, drawing national attention and a flurry of last-minute campaigning.

• The latest Emerson College poll shows Republican Matt Van Epps leading Democrat Aftyn Behn by only 2 points, within the margin of error.

? Between the lines: Democrats are emboldened by a wave of big wins in November that saw liberals of all stripes outperforming expectations across the country.

• Behn's campaign message has been laser-focused on affordability.

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? Dems rage over briefings

Key Senate Democrats say they weren't briefed on the second strike against survivors of the September attack on a suspected drug trafficking boat off the coast of Venezuela.

• "The DoD owes the entire committee, the House and the Senate answers to this," Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) told us.

Why it matters: Lawmakers have battled with the White House for months about the administration's sharing of information about military activities — with Democrats complaining they've been iced out.

• The congressional backlash had gotten to the point that President Trump ordered more briefings, saying he kept "getting calls about this from congressmen," as we scooped in November.

Zoom in: Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), an Armed Services Committee member who is also the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations panel, said she didn't know about a second strike "until it was reported."

• Administration officials "certainly didn't tell us" there were survivors who were hit with a second strike, Kelly said today.
• Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) told us, "We have not seen the videos, we have not been briefed on any of that."

Between the lines: The White House said yesterday that U.S. Special Operations Command head Adm. Frank Bradley, and not Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, directed the strike.

• "I don't remember them sharing those details that [White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt] shared at the podium," Kelly told us.

What's next: Sens. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Jack Reed (D-R.I.), the top lawmakers on the Armed Services panel, will meet with Bradley this week and have publicly pledged to investigate the situation.

• Rosen said it was "her understanding, per Jack Reed, that we will be having an investigation ... so that means that we have the subpoena power to call people there."

— Stephen Neukam

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?? Johnson vs. Stefanik

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) is publicly feuding with House Speaker Mike Johnson and accusing him of siding with Democratic Rep. "Jamie Raskin against Trump Republicans."

• Stefanik is a member of Johnson's leadership team, even as she runs for governor of New York.

Zoom in: Stefanik is now threatening to tank the National Defense Authorization Act vote over the omission of her provision that would require the FBI to notify Congress when opening a counterintelligence investigation into candidates for federal office.

• "I don't exactly know why Elise won't just call me," Johnson said. "I texted her last night and said I would help figure out what happened."
• He added he supports her provision but argued it was removed because "the two chairs and the two rankers in both chambers did not agree."
• "I had nothing to do with it, so I don't know why she's frustrated with me."

Stefanik quickly shot back, posting on X: "Just more lies from the Speaker. ... This is his preferred tactic to tell Members when he gets caught torpedoing the Republican agenda."

Between the lines: Today's eruption is an escalation of their problems that date back to earlier this year.

• Stefanik has reportedly blamed Johnson for delaying and ultimately killing her nomination as UN ambassador to keep his narrow GOP House majority from further dwindling, which Johnson has denied.
• Johnson subsequently gave her a largely symbolic role as chair of House GOP leadership.

The bottom line: The rift widened further today when Stefanik signed onto Rep. Anna Paulina Luna's (R-Fla.) discharge petition to ban members of Congress from trading individual stocks.

— Kate Santaliz and Andrew Solender

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? First look: Isaacman's encore testimony

Jared Isaacman performs at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis., on July 22. Photo: Austin DeSisto/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Trump's nominee to lead NASA will tell senators tomorrow that he is "not here for personal gain," is committed to returning Americans to the Moon, and wants to push even deeper into space, according to remarks we've obtained. Why it matters: Jared Isaacman — a private astronaut and billionaire entrepreneur — wants to convince senators that his approach to NASA will be determined, but not disruptive. "If confirmed, I am here to bring urgency and extreme focus to the mission — to work with the best and brightest at NASA to lead humanity's effort to unlock the secrets of the universe and ensure American leadership across the last great frontier," Isaacman plans to say. Driving the news: This will be Isaacman's second appearance before the Commerce Committee. He testified in April, but Trump withdrew his nomination in June before renominating him in November. Senate Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz (R-Texas) will praise Isaacman in his opening remarks: "Mr. Isaacman will prioritize stability, accountability and respect for the men and women who make the agency's missions possible." "Jared, I know you are as committed as I am to American supremacy in the final frontier. The United States must remain the unquestioned leader in space exploration, and this imperative is why we must confirm your nomination as expeditiously as possible." — Hans Nichols

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? Widespread GOP revolt

The public criticisms are starting to pile up against Speaker Johnson: Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), a member of Johnson's own leadership team, publicly attacked him this week, telling The Wall Street Journal that Johnson is "a political novice" and predicting that "the majority of Republicans would vote for new leadership." A group of House conservatives derailed Johnson's legislative agenda for the week, withholding support for name, likeness and image legislation. GOP leadership aims to bring the bill up tomorrow, but conservatives are dug in. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) moved yesterday to file her discharge petition on banning members of Congress from trading individual stock, and it's already picking up a wide swath of GOP support. Between the lines: Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), who is already forgoing a reelection bid to run for governor, plans to speak with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) next week, sources familiar with the matter told Axios. The meeting, first reported by the New York Times, comes after Greene announced her plans to resign from Congress on Jan. 5. Mace wants to "pick her brain" about "the bullsh*t that is the House," the sources said, including members being "taken for granted," the need to use discharge petitions to get bills passed and Johnson not codifying any of Trump's executive orders. A source familiar with the situation told us that Mace doesn't dislike Johnson but wants change. — Kate Santaliz and Andrew Solender

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? Hegseth's big day

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth likely broke some Pentagon regulations when he shared sensitive information on his cellphone earlier this year, according to Democratic senators who reviewed an internal report.

• But he didn't appear to break the law.

Driving the news: A redacted version of the inspector general's report is scheduled for release tomorrow, as we scooped yesterday.

• Navy Adm. Frank M. "Mitch" Bradley is also scheduled to brief senior lawmakers on the Venezuelan boat strikes.

What we're watching: After processing the report, some senators were scathing of Hegseth's role in "Signalgate" controversy and used the incident to call for his resignation.

• "They very clearly stated he should not be using his cellphone and putting … this kind of information on an unclassified system," Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) told The Wall Street Journal.
• "Pete Hegseth is the least qualified Secretary of Defense in American history," Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said on X. "He is a national embarrassment who is putting the safety of our servicemembers at risk."
• Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said on X today that he was "shocked" by the report: "I believe there is a need for further investigation and likely action."

The other side: The administration is standing behind Hegseth, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt saying today: "This review affirms what the administration has said from the beginning — no classified information was leaked, and operational security was not compromised."

• "President Trump stands by Secretary Hegseth," Leavitt said.

— Hans Nichols and Stephen Neukam