National Politics

Political questions from Democrats and a new Republican litmus test have suddenly become complicating factors in one of President-elect Joe Biden’s most critical choices: picking a new Attorney General to lead the Justice Department out of its highly politicized era. This creates competing realities for Biden. He must get an attorney general confirmed by a

President Donald Trump’s political operation has raised more than $207 million since Election Day, as the President inundates his supporters with fundraising appeals and refuses to concede his White House loss, according to figures released Thursday night by his campaign. The vast majority appeared to flow to Trump’s campaign coffers, the Republican National Committee and

President-elect Joe Biden said Thursday that he had asked Dr. Anthony Fauci earlier in the day to stay on in his role and to be a chief medical adviser in Biden’s incoming administration. “I asked him to stay on in the exact same role he’s had for the past several presidents, and I asked him

The White House liaison to the Justice Department has been barred from entering the building after she attempted to access sensitive information about possible election fraud, CNN has learned. Heidi Stirrup was put in the position after chief of staff Mark Meadows informed federal agencies in September the White House was replacing all of their

Embattled Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn met with White House chief of staff Mark Meadows for the second day in a row on Wednesday as President Donald Trump remains frustrated no Covid-19 vaccine has been granted US emergency approval yet. The previously unscheduled meeting comes as Trump and White House officials have grown

The Trump administration’s most senior intelligence official issued a stark warning Thursday that China is preparing for “an open-ended period of confrontation with the US,” urging bipartisan action to address “the greatest threat to America today” and to “democracy around the world since World War II.” Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe also charged in

President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris may have been fierce rivals in the Democratic primary, but now, as they prepare to take control of the White House, they say they are full partners who agree on how to approach the country’s most pressing issues. “Look, there’s not a single decision I’ve made yet about personnel

Joe Biden said Thursday he would keep his commitment to nominate a Cabinet that reflects America’s diversity, as the President-elect faces increasing pressure to appoint Black and Latino nominees to remaining high-level Cabinet positions. “I’m going to keep my commitment that the administration, both in the White House and outside in the Cabinet, is going

Republican Sen. Mitt Romney on Thursday blasted President Donald Trump’s leadership — or lack thereof — during the deadly coronavirus pandemic as “a great human tragedy.” “Well, this hasn’t been the focus of his rhetoric, apparently, and I think it’s a great human tragedy, without question,” Romney told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on “The Situation Room”

It was Thanksgiving, but instead of being seated at an elaborate table dressed with gold silverware, expensive china and a buffet of chilled seafood, turkey and beef tenderloin, waited on by household staff, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner were in the wilderness of Maryland. Tiffany Trump was there, too. Camp

The final version of the National Defense Authorization Act has a provision that would effectively block President Donald Trump’s attempt to significantly reduce US troops in Germany, a move the President said was because of Berlin’s failure to spend adequate amounts on defense. The bill “prevents reduction in the number of U.S. forces stationed in

President Donald Trump and Attorney General William Barr had a “contentious,” lengthy meeting inside the West Wing this week after Barr told The Associated Press in an interview that the Justice Department had uncovered no evidence of fraud that would change the election outcome, one person familiar with the meeting who spoke on the condition

Federal career employees across the Trump administration are fearful of losing their job protections and potentially their jobs, as agencies begin to implement a recent executive order signed by President Donald Trump. The Office of Management and Budget inside the White House has been one of the most aggressive in making the change. A majority

High-level negotiations over an economic stimulus package are intensifying as congressional leaders and top senators are pushing to reach a major agreement that has eluded Washington for months. For much of the year there has been partisan bickering and negotiations that have broken down repeatedly, but momentum is finally building — as Senate Majority Leader

After more than 30 defunct lawsuits in 30 days, attempts by President Donald Trump and his backers to overturn the election of Joe Biden as the next president have failed in court — sometimes repeatedly, with judges gutting claims and shutting down all possible legal avenues to interfere with the Electoral College. The President’s effort

A group of lawmakers and civil rights groups are demanding that President-elect Joe Biden appoint Black and Latino nominees to some of the remaining high-level Cabinet positions, as Biden faces increasing pressure to diversify his administration. The push comes as activists and elected officials insist that Biden is not doing enough to meet his promise

Jeffrey Zients is President-elect Joe Biden’s choice to be the White House coronavirus coordinator, or “czar,” a source familiar tells CNN. Zients, a top economic adviser under President Barack Obama and a co-chair of Biden’s transition team, was widely expected to get this appointment. The announcement is expected to be formally made in the coming

With a rush of pardons expected before President Donald Trump leaves office, the White House has been holding multiple pardon meetings since the election, involving the White House counsel’s office and other staff, two senior administration officials told CNN. The meetings include a list of potential pardon cases to be considered and ideas of who

Former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton are volunteering to get their Covid-19 vaccines on camera to promote public confidence in the vaccine’s safety once the US Food and Drug Administration authorizes one. The three most recent former presidents hope an awareness campaign to promote confidence in its safety and effectiveness would