US federal government

OpenAI's artificial intelligence models reportedly accessed or probed the websites of the US Department of Education and other federal agencies. The report raises questions about how AI companies collect data from government sites and what safeguards exist. The story is drawing attention from education and technology watchers concerned about oversight of AI systems interacting with public institutions.

The White House has asked leading US AI labs, including OpenAI and Anthropic, to reserve access to their new frontier models for US government safety testing before sharing them with independent evaluators. The request signals Washington's push to place federal review ahead of third-party assessment as advanced AI systems are rolled out. Commentators are weighing what this means for the balance between government oversight and independent scrutiny of leading AI developers.

The Trump administration is seeking to prevent the restoration of climate change and diversity-related information at US historical sites. The move suggests an effort to keep such material removed from exhibits or signage at federally maintained locations. The news has drawn attention amid broader debates over how climate science and diversity topics are handled across government institutions.

Journalist Ken Klippenstein reports that US federal authorities have been scrutinizing critics of artificial intelligence under foreign agent framing, suggesting some AI skeptics are viewed as potential instruments of foreign influence. The report is drawing attention and debate about whether legitimate policy criticism of AI is being conflated with foreign interference, and what that means for free speech and public discourse on AI regulation.

The US government is moving to simplify environmental reviews for natural gas projects, a step officials describe as making project development easier. The change could speed up permitting for pipelines, terminals and other gas infrastructure, cutting the time and paperwork developers face. Environmental groups are likely to object that weaker reviews raise risks to air, water and affected communities.

Germany is creating a digital archive to preserve American climate data that researchers fear could be removed or altered under the Trump administration. The project, described as a digital Noah's Ark, would store US government climate datasets outside the United States. Scientists say safeguarding records on temperatures, emissions and extreme weather is vital for ongoing research, and the initiative reflects growing concern that federal climate information may no longer be reliably maintained.

Axios has published a breakdown of which US senators are spending the most taxpayer money on flights. The report details the travel expenses recorded by individual senators, drawing attention to how federal lawmakers use official travel budgets. The figures are prompting discussion about government spending and whether the amounts are justified, particularly for senators from states far from Washington.

The US Department of Justice is offering federal grants to local police departments that assist with immigration enforcement. The move, reported by local outlets in Washington state, effectively ties funding to cooperation with federal immigration priorities, a longstanding flashpoint between the federal government and so-called sanctuary jurisdictions that limit such cooperation. The policy is likely to draw legal challenges and debate over the role of local police in federal immigration work.

Bitcoin is undergoing what analysts describe as its biggest regime change yet, moving away from trading as a high-beta bet on Federal Reserve policy toward behaving more like a hedge against US Treasury and fiscal risks. Market watchers say this reflects growing investor interest in bitcoin as a store of value amid concerns over government debt and deficits.