North America

AI tools are aiding would-be spies

AI tools are now exacerbating a largely hidden problem that frontier AI companies have been contending with for years: the risk that employees will exploit their access to spy on their employers. Why it matters: The same AI tools that companies are racing to release can also help people plan crimes and develop the technology to carry them out, creating another security headache for the companies building them. Driving the news: Federal prosecutors charged Abdulrahman Alfozan, a Saudi national who has been an OpenAI engineer since July 2025, with allegedly attempting to intercept private conversations at OpenAI. Around Sept. 30, the company found a "surreptitious audio recording device" that was plugged into a USB port in the back of a television in an executive conference room. OpenAI said in a post on X that it used its own AI models to help "understand the device and where it had come from." Zoom in: Investigators allege Alfozan used AI tools to research company meeting rooms and develop recording equipment, according to an FBI affidavit . Alfozan used a "productivity agent" to ask basic information about OpenAI's offices, the documents say. Those queries included: "What meeting was this presented at and when was it record?," "List meeting rooms in (company) that are 6+", and "can you list today's meeting in this room." Investigators also said that an AI chatbot account tied to his spouse asked the model to build a "continuous audio recorder" and to add "browser access an controls," as well as encrypt the memory card where the recordings were saved. The complaint didn't s

DOJ gave California a voter list, a 48-hour deadline — and a threat of court action

The Trump administration is threatening emergency court action unless California officials investigate potential ineligible voters within 48 hours and set aside ballots from anyone whose citizenship they cannot verify, according to two letters sent to state officials from the Justice Department. Why it matters: With voting already underway, President Trump 's DOJ could delay ballots from eligible Californians mistakenly flagged as noncitizens and set up a court fight just three weeks before Election Day. Driving the news: Acting Deputy Attorney General R. Trent McCotter sent a letter Tuesday to Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Dean Logan along with a thumb drive of "likely noncitizens who were sent a vote-by-mail ballot," according to a copy of the letter shared with Axios. McCotter asks local officials to investigate their citizenship status by noon October 15. The letter did not say how many people are on the list. For anyone whose status can't be confirmed, DOJ asks the officials to "segregate—not cancel" those ballots and suspend signature verification or counting of any ballots already returned. DOJ also asks officials to withhold ballots from people on the list unless their citizenship has been confirmed. California Secretary of State Shirley Weber received a similar letter . Friction point: McCotter closed his letter with a threat: "If you cannot implement this process by then, given the ongoing federal election, the United States will have no choice but to seek emergency relief." What they're saying: "This should not be controversial, as the crimin

Exclusive: White House probes claims of missing Kennedy Center money in "MAGA blood feud"

President Trump has directed his White House counsel to examine explosive allegations dropped on him Friday in the Oval Office: Former Trump attorney Alina Habba told the president that another one of his top advisers — former Kennedy Center leader Ric Grenell — failed to deposit a multimillion-dollar donation that her billionaire husband made to the center a year ago, according to four senior administration officials and three insiders briefed on the controversy. Grenell denied the accusations as "absurd" and a "lie." Habba and her husband, Turhan Mildon, declined to comment through a spokesperson. Why it matters: The extraordinary row between the two top-tier presidential advisers and former allies provides a rare and acrimonious behind-the-scenes glimpse into the intersection of power, influence and money in Trump's Washington. The total value of the contribution in question: nearly $6 million, White House sources said Habba told them. A senior administration official cautioned that "these are only allegations. We don't know if they're true. This could be a misunderstanding." Said another: "POTUS doesn't want to deal with this. Of course, he's concerned. But if there is missing money, this is a big, big problem." Just a few months ago , Grenell was friends with Mildon and Habba. But he was notably absent from their $10 million wedding that was attended by Trump world officials, power brokers and luminaries last month. "This is the ultimate MAGA blood feud," said one Trump world insider with knowledge of the conflict. Zoom in: The dispute grew out of a friendship between

Americans are losing faith in their fellow voters

Data: Gallup ; Chart: Axios Americans' trust in their fellow citizens' democratic judgment has fallen to its lowest recorded level in more than five decades, according to a new Gallup survey. The big picture: Americans' growing distrust of political leaders and institutions now extends to one another, with Democrats and Republicans showing similar levels of skepticism. By the numbers: 51% of U.S. adults have a great deal or fair amount of trust in Americans as a whole to make democratic judgments, per Gallup. That's the lowest reading since Gallup began tracking the measure in 1974. The distrust cuts across party lines: 53% of Democrats, 51% of Republicans and 49% of independents trust Americans' ability to make democratic decisions. Flashback: Trust stood at 86% in 1976 and 78% in both 2002 and 2005. Trust has stayed below 60% since 2018, according to Gallup. State of play: Americans have more trust in their local government (67%) and state government (55%) than in their fellow citizens' democratic judgment (51%). The survey also found that 42% of Americans trust politicians who hold or seek public office, while 33% trust the news media. Zoom out: Americans' confidence in major U.S. institutions, including Congress, the presidency and the banking system, has also fallen to historically low levels. Methodology: Gallup surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults by landline and cellphone Sept. 1–17, 2026; the weighting-adjusted margin of error was plus or minus 4 percentage points.

New inflation warning sign

America's inflation problem is becoming harder to contain, with new evidence Wednesday that price pressures are extending beyond the war-related energy shock rattling the global economy . Why it matters: Inflation is squeezing household budgets and dimming hopes for relief. It is also increasing the prospect that the Fed will have to raise interest rates further. What they're saying: "Higher energy costs are beginning to seep into broader services prices, increasing the risk that this inflation burst will persist," Fitch Ratings economist Olu Sonola wrote in a note. The Consumer Price Index report "stands out as the first of the year in which price pressure appeared to be showing up in most corners of the consumption basket at once," Glenmede's Jason Pride wrote. By the numbers: The CPI rose 0.6% in September from the prior month, accelerating from August's 0.4% increase. The index increased 3.7% in the 12 months through September, compared with 3.4% in the prior month. Gasoline prices surged 9% in September, accounting for more than half of the monthly jump in consumer prices. Core prices, which exclude food and energy, advanced 0.3% for the second consecutive month. The annual rate accelerated to 2.6% from 2.4%. The intrigue: Over the past three months, core CPI has risen at a 3.4% annualized rate, up notably from 2% in August — a sign that underlying inflation pressures are strengthening. Inflation was stubborn in parts of the services economy that are less directly exposed to the energy price surge. Shelter costs accelerated last month, rising 0.4%, while used car price

After Trump’s Russian diesel deal, will Europe give Ukraine the support it needs?

After Trump’s Russian diesel deal, will Europe give Ukraine the support it needs? Expert comment jon.wallace 14 October 2026 The new row between Washington and Kyiv must not distract Europe’s leaders from the urgent matter at hand: how to sustain Ukraine’s economy through the winter. An intervention by President Donald Trump this week has once again created problems for Ukraine’s war effort. The president’s deal with Moscow, which could see millions of barrels of Russian diesel released to global markets, was condemned by Democrats and even some prominent Republicans in the US. Trump openly framed the deal as an effort to secure ‘Lower prices for Americans’ as midterm elections approach in November. It is uncertain that the deal will do much to swing votes back to the president’s party. But it has created another open dispute between Trump and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy – at precisely the moment when Ukraine needs renewed, focussed support from its allies. A mounting Russian assault Recent weeks have seen a noticeable shift in Russia’s war strategy. Some had expected Putin to order a new wave of mobilization and a renewed offensive in the Donbas. Instead, he has moved to intensify Russia’s ballistic missile and drone campaign, with the aim of breaking Ukraine’s economy. There has been a marked uptick in attacks on ports, grain storage and shipping, seemingly to block Ukrainian agricultural exports. Key bridges across the River Dnipro in Kyiv have been hit. So have railways across the country. And attacks have continued on Ukraine’s energy grid (despite the ‘ energy cease

Social Security recipients will see rise in monthly payments next year

Data: Social Security Administration; Chart: Neil Irwin/Axios Social Security recipients will see the largest rise in their monthly payments in four years in January, with a 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment. Driving the news: The Social Security Administration announced the 2027 COLA adjustment for 76 million recipients of retirement and disability benefits, which by law is calculated based on the Consumer Price Index for the July-through-September quarter. That will increase the average retiree's benefits by $900 a year, or $75 a month. The agency also said that the cutoff for Social Security taxes will rise to $192,300 in 2027, from $184,500 this year. Income above that threshold is not subject to payroll tax. How it works: The adjustment is, by statute, determined by the year-over-year change in CPI for the third quarter. Thus, the September data released this morning was the final input needed to calculate the adjustment. Between the lines: The adjustment will mean more nominal income for seniors and disability recipients, amounting to a mild fiscal stimulus come January. However, it also accelerates Social Security's looming fiscal problems, with its trust fund scheduled to expire in six years. The most recent projections issued by the program's trustees assumed a 0.9 percentage point lower COLA for 2027, the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget notes.

Major Richard S. Heyser’s U-2 Mission Discovers Soviet Missiles in Cuba

A U.S. Air Force reconnaissance flight photographed evidence that the Soviet Union was installing nuclear-armed ballistic missiles in Cuba, touching off the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Reforming regulation: A proposal to end unsound cost-benefit analysis requirements for tax and transfer rules

Inflation heats up as gas prices surge

Data: Bureau of Labor Statistics ; Chart: Courtenay Brown/Axios U.S. inflation picked up in September as soaring energy prices added to already stubborn price pressures, the Labor Department said on Wednesday. Why it matters: The latest Consumer Price Index shows that the inflation fight is far from over — and makes further Federal Reserve interest rate hikes more likely as Americans struggle with higher costs. By the numbers: CPI rose 0.6% in September from the prior month, with the annual inflation rate at 3.7%, the government said. That compares with a 0.4% monthly increase and a 3.4% annual rate in August. Core prices, which exclude volatile food and energy costs, gained 0.3% on the month, compared with a similar monthly gain in August. In the 12 months through September, core CPI rose 2.6%, up from 2.4% the prior month. Zoom in: The latest figures capture the toll of the Middle East war on American consumers as disruptions to global energy supplies push up fuel prices. Gasoline prices spiked 9.1% in September after climbing 3.9% in August, when they accounted for more than a third of the monthly increase in consumer prices. Prices for shelter, one of the largest components of the index, increased 0.4%, compared with a 0.3% gain in August. Food prices were flat, compared with a slight 0.1% increase the previous month. Zoom out: The surge in fuel prices has prompted extraordinary measures from the Trump administration, particularly as soaring diesel costs threaten to push up prices for goods transported across the country . President Trump temporarily eased restrictions

Dispatch from Killhouse: Ukraine’s Lessons for US Army Drone Training

Inside a bunker, a pilot operates a first-person-view drone, unable to see the aircraft directly. A navigator plots a grid and helps search a degraded video feed. Somewhere in the […]

Apple bets AI can finally make us want a smart home

Apple's big new hardware bet for the AI era is here, and it's a ... smart display? Why it matters: Cue the time machine and let's head back to 2014, when Amazon's Alexa shocked the tech world and led us to imagine a Jetsons-style home would be ours in the near future. It wasn't, but Apple believes it could come soon. The iPhone maker is betting that modern AI can finally make good on that vision, unveiling a slew of new smart home devices Tuesday. Between the lines: While the smart home has largely failed to live up to its promise, modern AI could help address its biggest shortcoming: getting devices to just work without requiring users to become amateur IT experts. Apple's new products emphasize easy setup and integration with its existing ecosystem, while AI could help diagnose problems and coordinate devices. "The capabilities that AI would bring in helping make sure that these devices can solve their own problems and work together is really interesting to me," Paul Gagnon, a vice president at market research firm Circana, told Axios. Driving the news: Apple's announcements Tuesday included a new smart display, a revamped speaker, an updated streaming device and a collection of connected home accessories developed with partners. HomeView: Apple's new $299 smart display features a 7-inch screen and an AI-powered Siri that can respond to requests, control connected devices and recognize different household members to deliver personalized information. It will ship next month and comes in two versions, one that can hang on a wall and the other a tabletop device reminiscent o

AI's extreme heat challenge is moving from prediction to protection

Cities and researchers are using AI to map and predict extreme heat risk, but new research suggests it's used far more to identify where people are in danger than to help officials respond. Why it matters: As climate change intensifies extreme heat, better predictions won't protect vulnerable communities unless governments can turn them into action. U.S. deaths associated with high temperatures rose 53% from an annual average of 2,670 in 2000–2009 to more than 4,000 in 2010–2020, according to a 2025 Yale study . Driving the news: A study published in Climate Risk Management examined existing research on how AI and machine learning are being used to manage extreme heat. Of the research papers reviewed, 98.4% focused on prediction and 59.2% on prevention. That's compared with just 10.4% on response, 3.2% on recovery and 1.6% on preparedness — a disparity the authors call a "research-to-implementation gap." The research is heavily focused on using AI to forecast dangerous heat and identify who's at risk, with far less attention on how it can help officials decide what to do next. "Where AI can actually add value is where prediction is central to the decision-making, and that's in scale or providing more granularity," said Karishma V. Patel, a RAND policy researcher who co-authored the study. State of play: Turning sophisticated heat predictions into government action requires more than advanced models. Cornell researcher Jennah Gosciak told Axios that having "robust data systems" that can ingest data from a variety of sources and then make it usable to practitioners "is most o

Exclusive: AI safety money floods into political races

Advocates for AI safety and regulation are emerging as a force in U.S. elections, spending nearly $50 million this election cycle on candidates who favor regulation, a new analysis shared exclusively with Axios shows. Why it matters: The safety spending points to the unusual power dynamics in the AI race, where researchers shape policy and regulation in ways that differ at times from the priorities of the companies where they work. The researchers add to the advocacy and giving of an array of AI safety groups that have been well-funded for years, including from Coefficient Giving, a philanthropy with close ties to many top AI executives, especially at Anthropic. Driving the news: AI safety groups and individual donors have spent $48 million this cycle on Democratic and Republican races, according to new figures shared first with Axios. That includes donations from researchers, such as OpenAI's Juan Felipe Cerón Uribe and Redwood's Aryan Bhatt. It also includes Guardrails Alliance, a tech-worker-backed AI safety group that has raised $11.7 million between its super PAC and 501(c)(4). The big picture: Taking AI industry money has grown complicated due to viral warnings of catastrophic AI risk from the very same industry developing it and data center NIMBYism mobilizing communities in blue and red districts alike. OpenAI president Greg Brockman pulled a planned second $25 million donation from Leading the Future, a super PAC backed by tech execs and investors, in part because of an internal revolt at OpenAI. Forces favoring AI acceleration — who earlier in the year appeared to

Trump plays Russian roulette on eve of midterms

President Trump is indulging his fondness for Vladimir Putin at a moment of acute political peril, forcing Republicans in the midterms to take cover as he showers Moscow with one-sided concessions. Why it matters: With just three weeks until the election, Trump is rekindling a decade-long, scandal-scarred relationship with a dictator reviled by most Americans — including his own supporters. Driving the news: Since speaking with Putin on Friday, Trump has embarked on a remarkable five-day campaign of diplomatic concessions and cover for Russia — sparking bipartisan blowback just as voters prepare to cast their ballots. On Friday, Trump announced a deal to unleash millions of tons of Russian diesel onto global markets, easing sanctions designed to starve Moscow's war revenues. On Saturday, Trump lashed out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for striking Russian refineries and demanded that Kyiv replace its leader. On Sunday, Trump blindsided Zelensky by declaring an immediate "energy ceasefire." Russia has continued attacking Ukrainian energy infrastructure, with no apparent consequences from Washington. On Monday, Trump dismissed months of intelligence-based reports that Russia was enabling Iran's war effort by supplying information about U.S. military assets. On Tuesday, Trump doubled down on the diesel deal and brushed off concerns that the proceeds could finance Russia's war machine, even as GOP senators labeled it a "betrayal" and "a gift to our adversary." Between the lines: The benefits to Russia are clear. Far less apparent is what Trump's concessions accomplis

Ossoff rejects 2028 buzz amid bruising night of Senate debates

Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) delivered another debate performance tailor-made for social media Tuesday night, feeding the presidential speculation he insists is entirely misplaced. Why it matters: A darling of the Democratic internet and a favorite to win the party's nomination in 2028, Ossoff emphatically ruled out a White House bid and pledged to serve a full six-year Senate term if re-elected. "He is running. He's going to be your DSA candidate," Republican challenger Rep. Mike Collins countered, seeking to paint Ossoff as a socialist with ambitions beyond Georgia. The big picture: Georgia was one of three battleground states hosting Senate debates Tuesday night, with candidates in Iowa and Maine also clashing over President Trump's foreign policy, the cost of living and their records in Washington. In Georgia, Ossoff and Collins traded vicious personal attacks throughout their second and final debate, reprising a feud that has become a viral spectacle online. "Will you commit tonight that for the remainder of this campaign — it's just three weeks, Mike — you won't allow any more neo-Nazi propaganda to be produced from your house?" Ossoff demanded , referring to Collins' son-in-law, an alleged white nationalist influencer. Collins accused Ossoff of inciting threats against his family, then attacked him over campaign support from billionaire Reid Hoffman, who had ties to Jeffrey Epstein. "Mike, you really want to bring up the Epstein files?" Ossoff shot back , pointing to Collins' initial vote against releasing the documents — a position he reversed after Trump changed course.

The progressive case for Social Security and Medicare reform

Drones Are Threatening U.S. Assets Overseas, but Their Threat to the U.S. Homeland is Higher

The recent arrest of five men near RAF Fairford Airbase in the United Kingdom as part of a suspected Iranian terror plot against the base and an “unspecified new threat” to use drones to attack U.S. assets stationed at Fairford prompted the United States to remove all 12 of its B-1 Lancer bombers from the […] The post Drones Are Threatening U.S. Assets Overseas, but Their Threat to the U.S. Homeland is Higher appeared first on The Soufan Center .

Judge orders White House to reinstate press access until litigation concludes

A federal judge on Tuesday ruled the Trump administration must continue to grant CNN, MS NOW and Politico access to the White House grounds while the lawsuit filed by the three news organizations continues. Why it matters: It marks a major win for the news outlets as it maintains their White House access and signals the judge believes their legal claims could succeed on their merits. Judge Timothy Kelly, an appointee of President Trump, awarded a temporary restraining order to the plaintiffs on Sept. 24 that mandated the White House reinstate the outlets' credentials for 14 days. Last week, Kelly extended that through Oct. 13. The preliminary injunction preserves the outlets' access until the case is resolved, which could take weeks, months or years. Zoom in: "Defendants (except for President Trump) and their agents, representatives, and all persons or entities acting in concert with them, shall not execute, implement, or enforce the September 18, 2026, decision to revoke the White House 'hard pass' press credentials held by employees of CNN, MS NOW, and POLITICO," Kelly's court order said. What they're saying: In a statement, Theodore J. Boutrous, Jr., attorney for CNN, MS NOW, and Politico, said the ban "blatantly and explicitly violated due process and the First Amendment." "The harm this ban did to our clients, the First Amendment, and the public as a whole is profound," he said. "The Court was right to enjoin the White House from enforcing this 'unconstitutional ban on the free press' for the foreseeable future." Yes, but: The judge's ruling doesn't guarantee that the

Mike Johnson's Latino voter problem keeps getting worse

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) needs Latino voters to stick with Republicans as they did in 2024. But new polling shows they're drifting back toward Democrats at levels not seen in years. Why it matters: Latino voters souring on President Trump has been part of the mood music of the president's second term. Democrats hope this helps them replicate the landslide from Trump's first midterm in 2018. The big picture: Democrats have their widest lead of the year against Republicans, 57% to 31%, on the generic congressional ballot, according to new polling from Equis Research. In battleground districts, Democrats lead 62%–38% among likely Latino voters in two-way races, ahead of the party's 2022 level of 57%. That's well above the 49% of Latinos who voted Democratic in 2024, but below the 67% who backed Democrats in 2018, according to Equis , a leading authority on Latino voting behavior. Zoom in: Republicans were convinced that Trump's undeniable gains in 2024 represented the beginnings of a real realignment, but poll after poll this year has indicated that Latino voters haven't found a permanent home in the GOP. In Florida, GOP Rep. María Elvira Salazar has addressed Trump directly in a campaign ad about his immigration crackdown. The Equis survey, conducted Sept. 23–Oct. 2, provides fresh evidence of Trump's declining support among Latino voters. Trump's approval rating stands at just 30%, compared with 65% disapproval. That's a 35-point deficit — and a new low in Equis surveys. Between the lines: Economic concerns — and rising gas prices — are driving much of the dissatis