Politics

By Aleena Fayaz, CNN (CNN) — At a ceremony in front of the iconic cascading fountain at Meridian Hill Park in Washington, DC, earlier this month, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and top US officials touted President Donald Trump’s efforts to make the city “safe and beautiful.” But less than two weeks later, the historic park

By Eric Bradner, CNN Grand Rapids, Michigan (CNN) — Key Democratic establishment figures believe Abdul El-Sayed will blow the party’s chances of holding onto a critical Senate seat this fall. He is out to prove them wrong — and to show that they misunderstand what voters really crave. Michigan’s August 4 Democratic Senate primary is

By Karina Tsui, Brian Stelter, Kaitlan Collins, Kevin Liptak, CNN (CNN) — Four New York Times journalists who reported on security concerns surrounding a Qatari-gifted jet serving as the new Air Force One have been subpoenaed by the Justice Department, the news outlet reported early Saturday. The journalists –– Julian E. Barnes, Eric Lipton, Tyler

By Mary Kay Mallonee, CNN (CNN) — A federal judge on Friday dismissed the seditious conspiracy case against several Proud Boys members — granting a request from Trump’s Justice Department and undoing one of the Biden administration’s most celebrated victories against those who it said inspired the January 6, 2021, attack on American democracy. US

By Adam Cancryn, CNN (CNN) — Vice President JD Vance is leasing part of a sprawling, multimillion-dollar property in rural Virginia to serve as an additional residence for his family, two people familiar with the matter told CNN. The new rental residence is part of the historic Wolver Hill Farm, which spans nearly 500 acres

CNN By Ethan Cohen, Jeff Zeleny, CNN (CNN) — Maine Democrats are embarking on a two-week sprint to pick a new nominee for one of the year’s most important races in the wake of Graham Platner’s decision to end his Senate campaign after allegations of sexual assault, which he denies. On July 25, about 600

By Morgan Rimmer, CNN (CNN) — Bipartisan senators announced an agreement with the Trump administration on Friday to move ahead with an updated Russia sanctions package, but it remains unclear if President Donald Trump will directly back the bill’s passage. The package would allow Trump to place heavy tariffs on imports from nations that import

By Piper Hudspeth Blackburn, Logan Schiciano, CNN (CNN) — For Barry Lee Williams, a visitor to Washington, DC, the last day of President Donald Trump’s Great American State Fair coincided with a literal religious experience. At 81, Williams was among at least 190 people to be baptized over the past 16 days on the National

By Zachary Cohen, Tal Shalev, CNN (CNN) — The Israeli intelligence shared with the Trump administration of Iranian threats to assassinate President Donald Trump reflected a desire among elements of Tehran’s hardline leadership to target the American leader, according to an Israeli source and a US official, rather than a specific, detailed plan to carry

By Betsy Klein, Kaitlan Collins, CNN (CNN) — The White House is making security-focused upgrades to its front door, an official told CNN, in a project that’s expected to take months. The changes, which sources said have long been advocated by the US Secret Service, are aimed at fortifying the White House entrance at the

By Adam Cancryn, Alejandra Jaramillo, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump said Friday that he will not sign a bipartisan housing bill in protest of Republicans’ inability to advance separate elections overhaul legislation, dealing a major political blow to vulnerable lawmakers in his own party. The housing bill is set to become law at midnight

By Annie Grayer, CNN (CNN) — Emergency responders took Sen. Mitch McConnell to an ambulance on a stretcher after being called to his home last month for a report of an unconscious person, according to new video of the incident and an eyewitness account. A neighbor of McConnell told CNN that they opened their door

By Sean Lyngaas, Tierney Sneed, CNN (CNN) — The White House on Thursday fired the leadership of the federal agency that provides funding and security guidance to election officials, according to sources familiar with the matter and an email reviewed by CNN — a move that’s already raising alarm bells among election officials about federal

By Pamela Brown, Kevin Liptak, CNN (CNN) — Israel shared intelligence with the United States that Iran had recently devised a new plan to assassinate President Donald Trump, two sources familiar with the matter told CNN, adding another layer of tension as a ceasefire deal between the countries comes under strain. One of the sources

By David Wright, Kaanita Iyer, CNN (CNN) — Marine veteran Victor Marx, whose wild claims – including saying he was forced to kill a man at age 7 – have drawn widespread attention and significant skepticism, will win the Republican nomination for governor in Colorado, CNN’s Decision Desk projects. Marx, a ministry leader and martial

By Annie Grayer, CNN (CNN) — Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley has asked FBI Director Kash Patel to defend his use of FBI aircraft and purchase of BMWs in a letter obtained by House and Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats and reviewed by CNN, an indication that the powerful Republican chairman is conducting his own oversight

CNN By Adam Cancryn, David Goldman, CNN (CNN) — The US on Tuesday launched new strikes against Iran and reimposed sanctions on Iranian oil sales in retaliation for a series of attacks on commercial ships near the Strait of Hormuz. In a statement posted on X, US Central Command said its forces had “begun launching

By Arit John, Arlette Saenz, Jeff Zeleny, CNN (CNN) — Soon after news broke Monday that a woman who had previously dated Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner accused him of rape — an allegation he has denied — his campaign reached out to former Sen. Barbara Boxer. The retired California Democrat had drafted an

By Ethan Cohen, Jeff Zeleny, CNN (CNN) — Maine Democrats are embarking on a two-week sprint to pick a new nominee for one of the year’s most important races in the wake of Graham Platner’s decision to end his Senate campaign after allegations of sexual assault, which he denies. On July 25, about 600 delegates

By Holmes Lybrand, CNN (CNN) — The man accused of shooting two National Guard members, killing one, in Washington, DC, in 2025 has been admitted to a city hospital after he refused to eat and sometimes drink in prison as he awaits trial. During an emergency hearing Thursday, DC federal Judge Amit Mehta said Rahmanullah

By Kaanita Iyer, CNN (CNN) — New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez is accusing the US Justice Department of withholding access to unredacted files related to late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, arguing that the lack of cooperation is preventing the state from bringing justice to survivors. “Every day that the USDOJ withholds these records,

By John Fritze, CNN (CNN) — When it comes to the Supreme Court, President Donald Trump has become a believer in unlikely second chances. In the days since the court’s term ended last week with a flurry of high-profile opinions, the president and his legal team have floated the idea of invoking a longshot request

By Kristen Holmes, Kevin Liptak, Holmes Lybrand, Alayna Treene, Betsy Klein, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump’s decision to depart Turkey on an older plane while sending his new, Qatari-gifted jet ahead to England was driven at least in part by security concerns around the escalating conflict in Iran, according to four US officials. Two

By Holmes Lybrand, CNN (CNN) — Former Olympic canoeist David Hearn pleaded not guilty in Washington, DC, Superior Court Thursday to damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, prompting a raucous scene at the courthouse where supporters chanted his name and accused the Trump administration of abusing the justice system. Hearn, 67, was indicted on July

By Aleena Fayaz, CNN (CNN) — Three more people have been criminally charged with destruction of property at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Officers say they detained Cameron Thiers, Sophie Dennison-Gibby and Justin Carreno one Saturday afternoon in June and described in court documents witnessing them peeling and removing pieces of blue paint from the

By Eric Bradner, Jeff Zeleny, Arlette Saenz, Alison Main, CNN (CNN) — Maine Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner said in a video statement Wednesday he was suspending his campaign, taking aim at the Democratic establishment while clearing the way for the party to select a new candidate to take on Republican Sen. Susan Collins in

WKYT By Ellis Kim, Ted Barrett, Lauren Fox, CNN (CNN) — US Sen. Mitch McConnell has been hospitalized for about a month, and it’s still not clear why he was admitted or what his condition is. Aides for the Kentucky Republican have been fiercely protective of his condition – publicly and privately – during his