Politics

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

By Kara Scannell, CNN (CNN) — Journalist Don Lemon asked a judge to dismiss an indictment tied to his presence at a protest in a Minnesota church earlier this year, arguing the charges violate the First Amendment and are a result of a vindictive prosecution.“The record could not be more clear that Mr. Lemon has

By Kaanita Iyer, Alayna Treene, Aileen Graef, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump distanced himself from voters’ ire with Republicans ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, telling Punchbowl News in an interview released Friday he thinks voters are angry with the party more generally, but not him.“The question is will they vote? ‘Cause a lot

By Edward-Isaac Dovere, CNN (CNN) — Kamala Harris thinks Joe Biden had too much faith in Republicans, and she’s jabbing at him for it.“We cannot sit around hoping Republicans will have an ‘epiphany’ and do the right thing,” the former vice president will say in a speech Friday night in New Orleans, “because the American

By Kaanita Iyer, Hannah Rabinowitz, CNN (CNN) — Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska said Friday she will vote against Todd Blanche’s nomination to be attorney general, narrowing his chances at Senate confirmation for the role.With Sen. Mitch McConnell absent and all Democrats expected to vote against the confirmation, Blanche cannot afford to lose any

By Patrick Svitek, CNN (CNN) — Mike Rogers, the Republican nominee for Senate in Michigan, is stepping up his efforts to appeal to Democrats after their party picked progressive Abdul El-Sayed as their standard-bearer in the battleground race.In a new video first shared with CNN, Rogers speaks directly to camera to make his case to

By Devan Cole, CNN (CNN) — A judge on Thursday officially tossed out a case the Justice Department brought against former Olympian David Hearn, whom they had accused of feloniously vandalizing the Reflecting Pool earlier this summer.Judge Todd Edelman stopped short of barring prosecutors in Washington, DC, from being able to revive the same case

CNN By Devan Cole, CNN (CNN) — A judge on Thursday officially tossed out a case the Justice Department brought against former Olympian David Hearn, whom they had accused of feloniously vandalizing the Reflecting Pool earlier this summer. Judge Todd Edelman stopped short of barring prosecutors in Washington, DC, from being able to revive the

By David Wright, Katie Doran, CNN (CNN) — Former Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher defeated conservative firebrand Rep. Andy Ogles on Thursday in the Republican primary in the state’s newly redrawn 5th District, in the latest loss for a Trump-backed candidate.Hatcher will face Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder, who won the Democratic primary, in November.While President

By Sean Lyngaas, CNN (CNN) — A cyberattack on water systems in a dozen states is exposing years of under-investment in critical infrastructure and how US adversaries can threaten services that everyday Americans take for granted, according to industry experts and current and former US officials.The cyber intrusions in some cases led to water pressure

By Annie Grayer, Ellis Kim, Lauren Fox, CNN (CNN) — Embattled GOP Rep. Max Miller is facing growing calls from Senate Republicans to resign or end his reelection bid – but has so far vowed to remain in the race as he denies abuse allegations from his ex-wife.Sen. Jon Husted, an Ohio Republican, said on

By Priscilla Alvarez, John Fritze, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump is taking another swing at limiting so-called birth tourism and birthright citizenship, citing a “very unfortunate decision” in the Supreme Court this year that struck down his earlier attempt to curb birthright citizenship.He signed executive orders on the subject Thursday, which appear to largely

By Clare Foran, CNN (CNN) — Sen. Mitch McConnell said on Thursday that he has been discharged from the rehabilitation center where he had been recovering after a fall and will continue to recover at home.“Earlier today, I was discharged from the rehabilitation center to continue my recovery at home. Elaine and I are grateful

By Tami Luhby, CNN (CNN) — Elon Musk promised his Department of Government Efficiency would slash $2 trillion in federal spending and post its accomplishments on a “Wall of Receipts” website for all to see.But that published tally incorrectly estimated some savings or did not provide evidence to support some claims, according to a US

By Kevin Liptak, Kristen Holmes, Zachary Cohen, Alayna Treene, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump has privately complained in recent days that disclosures on the dwindling US munitions stockpile make the United States look weak at a critical juncture, senior US officials said, as he repeatedly threatens additional military action to try and motivate Iran