CNN – US Politics

By Jessie Yeung, CNN (CNN) — Two Republican senators have released the first batch of text messages retrieved from Dr. Anthony Fauci’s former government phone as part of an investigation into his leadership and actions during the Covid-19 pandemic – including messages in which he discusses the possible risks and safety of the vaccine during

CNN By Kevin Liptak, Alejandra Jaramillo, Donald Judd, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump secretly slipped out of Turkey last month on an alternate military plane, which he boarded while hidden inside a catering truck, as part of an elaborate ruse prompted by an Iranian threat, according to a US official. The clandestine security plan

By Kevin Liptak, Alejandra Jaramillo, Donald Judd, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump secretly slipped out of Turkey last month on an alternate military plane, which he boarded while hidden inside a catering truck, as part of an elaborate ruse prompted by an Iranian threat, according to a US official.The clandestine security plan — first

By Betsy Klein, CNN (CNN) — Olivia Rodrigo, Katy Perry, Noah Kahan and Sabrina Carpenter all have well-documented histories of speaking out against President Donald Trump. But when it comes to use of their music by the White House, not everyone is so vocal.In recent days, Taylor Swift’s music quietly disappeared from TikTok posts from

By Alejandra Jaramillo, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump said Monday that “jihadists” are being elected “all over the place” — trying a new, incendiary line of attack against Democrats with the midterm election just three months away.“Well, the one thing is, we have jihadists being elected all over the place,” Trump told reporters in

By Hannah Rabinowitz, CNN (CNN) — Todd Blanche was sworn in as attorney general on Monday in an Oval Office ceremony led by his former Donald Trump defense-team colleague, Judge Emil Bove.The swearing-in was held without press access. Blanche’s family members, including his wife, daughter and granddaughter, attended. Blanche told CNN he was “feeling good”

CNN By Hannah Rabinowitz, CNN (CNN) — Todd Blanche was sworn in as attorney general on Monday in an Oval Office ceremony led by his former Donald Trump defense-team colleague, Judge Emil Bove. The swearing-in was held without press access. Blanche’s family members, including his wife, daughter and granddaughter, attended. Blanche told CNN he was

By Adam Cancryn, Sarah Owermohle, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday aimed at reshaping the federal government’s approach toward childhood vaccines, insisting that infants should receive fewer immunizations over a longer period despite little scientific evidence supporting such sweeping changes.The wide-ranging order proposes reducing the total number of immunizations

By Haley Britzky, CNN (CNN) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushed Congress to approve a sharp increase in the Pentagon’s budget during a ceremony on Monday to rename a base for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham.Graham, a veteran who was long known for his advocacy for expanding the military, died suddenly last month following an

By John Fritze, CNN (CNN) — Daniel Grand wanted to host a small prayer session at his home near Cleveland. Instead, he wound up on a four-year pilgrimage to the Supreme Court.Grand, an Orthodox Jew, had invited about a dozen people to his rec room in early 2021 for a minyan, a prayer gathering of

By Katelyn Polantz, CNN (CNN) — The charges at a monthlong criminal trial in Washington’s federal court last month were fairly straightforward: That one man had allegedly held up seven 7-Elevens and a few other gas stations in spring 2023 and stolen cars.But the trial of Shamell Naquan Joyner had a twist. While deliberating, jurors

By Aleena Fayaz, CNN (CNN) — Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed on Sunday described a “really warm” conversation with former President Barack Obama as the party seeks to find a path forward following last week’s bruising primary.“I like to keep private conversations private, but it was a really, really warm conversation,” El-Sayed told CNN’s

By Michael Williams, CNN (CNN) — Rep. Max Miller will remain in his race for reelection, despite abuse allegations that have rocked his campaign and prompted growing calls from fellow Republicans for him to drop out.Miller, who has denied the allegations of abuse from his ex-wife, has consistently maintained that he would remain in the

By Isabelle Khurshudyan, Piper Hudspeth Blackburn, CNN (CNN) — The premise sounds almost fictional: one boy and one girl from every state, territory and some tribal nations, flown to a private campus in Ohio to compete in a televised athletic contest called the Patriot Games — a Trump-backed youth competition with obstacle courses, patriotic testimonials

By Koko Nakajima, CNN (CNN) — The Senate on Saturday narrowly confirmed Todd Blanche to be the next US attorney general, overcoming concerns about his past work as a personal lawyer for former President Donald Trump that helped spur opposition from within the Republican party.Ultimately the path to confirmation for Blanche, who spent weeks courting

By Priscilla Alvarez, CNN (CNN) — Industry groups ranging from construction to agriculture are raising concerns with the Trump administration over its ongoing immigration crackdown, arguing it is undercutting President Donald Trump’s agenda and weakening the economy, according to multiple groups who spoke with CNN and sources close to the White House.Worker shortages have been

By Betsy Klein, Thomas Bordeaux, Devan Cole, Kristen Holmes, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump has dug himself a hole.The future of construction on his sprawling East Wing ballroom is uncertain after a divided appeals court ruled Friday that he is unlawfully constructing the project.What happens next could be up to the nation’s highest court

By Morgan Rimmer, CNN (CNN) — The Senate passed a bill on Saturday that would extend government funding to December 11 in a bid to avert a shutdown ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.The chamber moved to tackle the funding deadline over a month in advance of the September 30 deadline. It’s not yet clear

By Hannah Rabinowitz, CNN (CNN) — Todd Blanche, who risked his career as a prestigious member of New York’s legal establishment to keep Donald Trump out of jail, was confirmed on Saturday as the attorney general.Blanche, 52, will now permanently act as the nation’s top law enforcement officer under the leadership of his former client.He

By Aleena Fayaz, CNN (CNN) — The Pentagon on Friday revoked former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall’s access to classified information following an “unauthorized disclosure” to a media outlet around President Donald Trump’s Qatari-gifted Air Force One jet, Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell announced.“Effective immediately, the Department of War has REVOKED former Secretary of the

By Zachary Cohen, CNN (CNN) — Over the last few weeks, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Dan Caine has privately made clear to other top Trump advisers that the US needs to find an off-ramp from the war with Iran — because the military options on the table to escalate the conflict could backfire

By Jennifer Hansler, CNN (CNN) — Concerns are mounting about the wellbeing of an American detained in Russia since 2022, with an advocate alleging he has been subjected to physical and psychological torture.Robert Gilman is “near death” after falling into a dissociative stupor more than six weeks ago, according to Eric Lebson, the chief strategy

By Devan Cole, CNN (CNN) — Justice Samuel Alito, one of the Supreme Court’s staunchest conservatives, does not plan to retire before the court finishes its upcoming session, he said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal published Friday.“Obviously I’m here for another term,” Alito told James Taranto. He said that calls for him

By Kara Scannell, CNN (CNN) — A former federal prosecutor sued the Justice Department alleging he was unlawfully fired hours after an online commentator surfaced a nearly decade-old blog post he authored that was critical of President Donald Trump.Will Rosenzweig, who worked as an assistant US attorney in the Southern District of Florida for five

By Haley Britzky, Zachary Cohen, Jennifer Hansler, CNN (CNN) — Recent US intelligence assessments indicate Russian President Vladimir Putin could try to test NATO’s resolve by launching a limited attack on an allied country within the next few years, according to three sources familiar with those reports.The intelligence assessments outline several possible scenarios for Russian

By Morgan Rimmer, CNN (CNN) — The Senate on Friday passed a major Russia sanctions bill, named for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, who played a key role in the painstaking negotiations over the legislation that lasted over a year.The bill ultimately sailed through the Senate on bipartisan vote, 86 to 11. It would next

By Holmes Lybrand, CNN (CNN) — After the protracted demise of the $1.776 billion fund meant to pay perceived victims of government lawfare, prosecutors say they don’t have to give a now-pardoned January 6, 2021, defendant her restitution money back.It’s all because she never appealed her conviction.Prosecutors have taken a narrow approach to who is,

By Donald Judd, CNN (CNN) — Hillary Clinton blasted President Donald Trump’s overhaul of the White House in an interview posted Friday, telling podcast host Kara Swisher that Trump’s “tackied up” decor is “reminiscent” of dictator Saddam Hussein’s palaces in Iraq.“It’s sad to me — it’s sad that it’s so tackied up, and it’s a

By Devan Cole, Betsy Klein, CNN (CNN) — A divided federal appeals court ruled Friday that President Donald Trump is unlawfully constructing a massive new ballroom at the White House, teeing up a high-stakes showdown over the issue before the Supreme Court.“Whether or not a massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide

By Andrew Kaczynski, Em Steck, CNN (CNN) — The top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee is calling on Goldman Sachs to sever all remaining ties with Kathy Ruemmler, the firm’s former chief legal officer, following her testimony last month about her relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.In a letter sent on Friday to Goldman CEO David