CNN – US Politics

By Oren Liebermann, CNN Simi Valley, California (CNN) — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Saturday announced a $1 billion military aid package for Ukraine as he forcefully argued for US leadership around the world. “The troubles of our times will only grow worse without strong and steady American leadership,” Austin said in his fourth consecutive

CNN By Natasha Bertrand and Haley Britzky, CNN Washington (CNN) — “Get Pete Hegseth on the phone!” It was March 2018, and then-President Donald Trump was meeting with his Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary, Dr. David Shulkin, about how to reform veteran health care. But it was Hegseth, then a Fox News personality, whose opinion

By Alex Marquardt, Katie Bo Lillis and Natasha Bertrand, CNN (CNN) — Biden administration officials, watching the remarkable speed of the Syrian rebel advance, increasingly see the possibility of the regime of Bashar al-Assad falling within days, five US officials told CNN. If the American analysis proves true, it would represent a spectacularly fast fall

By Natasha Bertrand and Haley Britzky, CNN Washington (CNN) — “Get Pete Hegseth on the phone!” It was March 2018, and then-President Donald Trump was meeting with his Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary, Dr. David Shulkin, about how to reform veteran health care. But it was Hegseth, then a Fox News personality, whose opinion Trump

By Gregory Krieg, Kristen Holmes and Alayna Treene, CNN (CNN) — The Notre Dame Cathedral provided the luminous backdrop for President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the geopolitical stage Saturday, when French officials put an ornate line under the five-year project to restore the soaring landmark with a reopening ceremony featuring dozens of world leaders. Trump,

By Evan Perez and Holmes Lybrand, CNN (CNN) — While President-elect Donald Trump’s controversial pick for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, is beginning the process to undergo an FBI background check, the intensive review may not provide the answers that either Democrats or Republicans are seeking. That’s because a nominee doesn’t “pass” a background check, and

CNN By Michael Conte and Alex Marquardt, CNN Washington (CNN) — The family of Austin Tice, a freelance journalist held in Syria since 2012, said they have new confirmation that he remains alive and well. In a news conference, the family also expressed deep frustration with the Biden administration for telling them in a meeting

By Michael Conte and Alex Marquardt, CNN Washington (CNN) — The family of Austin Tice, a freelance journalist held in Syria since 2012, said they have new confirmation that he remains alive and well. In a news conference, the family also expressed deep frustration with the Biden administration for telling them in a meeting Friday

By Fredreka Schouten and David Wright, CNN (CNN) — Democrats emerged from their bruising election losses in November with a decidedly mixed financial picture, new federal filings show. The Democratic National Committee appeared flush with cash, despite recent post-election staff cuts, and a leading liberal super PAC appeared to have tens of millions of dollars

By Tami Luhby, CNN (CNN) — The fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has revealed many Americans’ fury and frustrations with their health insurance coverage. They have taken to social media to relay their stories, even as others have said they like their coverage. CNN would like to talk to readers about their experiences

By John Fritze, CNN (CNN) — The Supreme Court agreed Friday to decide whether the families of victims of terrorist attacks in Israel may sue the Palestinian Authority in federal court for hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. The Supreme Court agreed to hear two cases: one from family members who sued the Palestinian

By Katelyn Polantz, CNN (CNN) — A January 6 defendant on Friday taunted a federal judge’s decision to send him immediately to prison for one year for his role in the US Capitol riot, shouting as he was being handcuffed that President-elect Donald Trump would pardon him. The rioter, Philip Sean Grillo of New York

By Devan Cole, CNN (CNN) — A federal judge has rejected a challenge to the Naval Academy’s use of race in its admissions practices, ruling that the school has “established a compelling national security interest” in maintaining diversity within the US military. While the ruling issued Friday by US Senior District Judge Richard Bennett, a

By Kristen Holmes, Shania Shelton and Aaron Pellish, CNN (CNN) — President-elect Donald Trump on Friday said he has confidence in Pete Hegseth, even as he acknowledged “people were a little bit concerned” about his pick to lead the Pentagon amid a series of allegations related to drinking and sexual misconduct. “Looks like Pete is

By Sarah Ferris, Annie Grayer and Clare Foran, CNN (CNN) — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez announced on Friday that she is jumping into the race to be the top Democrat on the influential House Oversight Committee. The New York Democrat wrote in a letter to colleagues, “I write to you today to seek your support to

By Kaanita Iyer, CNN (CNN) — Pete Hegseth’s name has been submitted to the FBI for a background check, his attorney told CNN Thursday, as some lawmakers call for more vetting of President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to run the Pentagon. “He received the forms yesterday from the FBI, and we’re working on them right now,”

By Fredreka Schouten, David Wright and Alex Leeds Matthews, CNN (CNN) — Elon Musk plowed at least $260 million into efforts to send Donald Trump back to the White House, new filings show – a massive infusion that makes him one of the largest single political underwriters of a presidential campaign and underscores the outsized

CNN By Casey Tolan, Curt Devine, Rob Kuznia and Brian Stelter, CNN Minneapolis (CNN) — When President Donald Trump first considered Pete Hegseth for a Cabinet position in 2017 and 2018, he marveled at a soldier who seemed straight out of central casting. The telegenic Fox News host, a decorated combat veteran with a chiseled

By Casey Tolan, Curt Devine, Rob Kuznia and Brian Stelter, CNN Minneapolis (CNN) — When President Donald Trump first considered Pete Hegseth for a Cabinet position in 2017 and 2018, he marveled at a soldier who seemed straight out of central casting. The telegenic Fox News host, a decorated combat veteran with a chiseled jaw

By Kristen Holmes, Jeremy Herb and Alayna Treene, CNN (CNN) — Donald Trump’s allies are scrambling to save Pete Hegseth after the president-elect’s pick to lead the Pentagon struggled to win over skeptical Republicans in a flurry of meetings on Capitol Hill this week. Trump is still standing by his choice, telling Hegseth he wants

By Katie Lobosco, CNN Washington (CNN) — President-elect Donald Trump has named Billy Long, a former Republican congressman from Missouri, to head the Internal Revenue Service, signaling plans to oust current Commissioner Danny Werfel before his term expires in 2027. Replacing Werfel, who was picked by President Joe Biden, could mean a major shift at

By Clare Foran, Sarah Ferris, Haley Talbot and Annie Grayer, CNN (CNN) — House Republicans voted on Thursday to block a Democrat-led effort to release a long-awaited Ethics Committee report on allegations against former GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida. The House took a step to effectively shut down a resolution from Democrats that would

By Marshall Cohen, MJ Lee, Paula Reid and Katelyn Polantz, CNN (CNN) — Senior Biden White House aides, administration officials and prominent defense attorneys in Washington, DC, are discussing potential preemptive pardons or legal aid for people who might be targeted for prosecution by President-elect Donald Trump after he retakes power, multiple sources told CNN.

By Annie Grayer, CNN (CNN) — Chelsea Manning, the former Army intelligence analyst behind one of the largest leaks of classified information in history, was among a group of activists arrested Thursday outside of House Speaker Mike Johnson’s office after taking part in a protest advocating for transgender rights. The protest took place outside of

CNN By Hannah Rabinowitz and Michael Williams, CNN Washington (CNN) — A yelling match erupted during a congressional hearing Thursday on the attempted assassinations against President-elect Donald Trump, as one congressman accused acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe of attending a 9/11 memorial event as part of a publicity stunt. The tense exchange occurred during

By Hannah Rabinowitz and Michael Williams, CNN Washington (CNN) — A yelling match erupted during a congressional hearing Thursday on the attempted assassinations against President-elect Donald Trump, as one congressman accused acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe of attending a 9/11 memorial event as part of a publicity stunt. The tense exchange occurred during the

By Tierney Sneed, CNN (CNN) — The recent reversals by two US district judges on plans to step down from their seats, effectively denying President-elect Donald Trump the opportunity to replace them, has put attention on other judges slated to create prized appellate vacancies but who could have a change of heart now that its

By Rene Marsh, Ella Nilsen, Tami Luhby, Chris Isidore and Phil Mattingly, CNN (CNN) — Vivek Ramaswamy, the incoming co-chair of President-elect Donald Trump’s commission to cut government spending, has set his sights on money the Biden administration is dispersing in its final days in office, including a key loan to a rival company of

CNN By Joan Biskupic, CNN Chief Supreme Court Analyst (CNN) — As Chief Justice John Roberts set the tone for what appears to be a Supreme Court majority to uphold state bans on gender-affirming care, his remarks Wednesday recalled his attitude nearly 10 years ago when the court declared a constitutional right to same-sex marriage. “Just

CNN By Joan Biskupic, CNN Chief Supreme Court Analyst (CNN) — As Chief Justice John Roberts set the tone for what appears to be a Supreme Court majority to uphold state bans on gender-affirming care, his remarks Wednesday recalled his attitude nearly 10 years ago when the court declared a constitutional right to same-sex marriage. “Just

By Joan Biskupic, CNN Chief Supreme Court Analyst (CNN) — As Chief Justice John Roberts set the tone for what appears to be a Supreme Court majority to uphold state bans on gender-affirming care, his remarks Wednesday recalled his attitude nearly 10 years ago when the court declared a constitutional right to same-sex marriage. “Just who

By Oren Liebermann, CNN (CNN) — In their first ever call, Russia’s defense chief cautioned the top US general about a large-scale Russian military exercise in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, according to a US official, with tensions running high between the two countries over the escalating war in Ukraine. The call between Chief of Russian

CNN By John Fritze and Devan Cole, CNN (CNN) — The Supreme Court was more than an hour into its feisty debate over gender-affirming care when Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson invoked one of the most significant civil rights precedents in the nation’s history. A liberal named to the court by President Joe Biden two years

By John Fritze and Devan Cole, CNN (CNN) — The Supreme Court was more than an hour into its feisty debate over gender-affirming care when Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson invoked one of the most significant civil rights precedents in the nation’s history. A liberal named to the court by President Joe Biden two years ago,

By John Fritze, CNN (CNN) — Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch announced Wednesday that he will recuse himself from a case dealing with a western railway line after Democratic lawmakers called attention to the fact that a longtime ally of his could benefit from the court’s decision. The court’s clerk notified attorneys in the case

By Kate Sullivan, CNN (CNN) — President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday announced former Sen. Kelly Loeffler as his pick to lead the Small Business Administration. “Kelly will bring her experience in business and Washington to reduce red tape, and unleash opportunity for our Small Businesses to grow, innovate, and thrive. She will focus on ensuring

CNN By John Fritze and Devan Cole, CNN (CNN) — The Supreme Court was more than an hour into its feisty debate over gender-affirming care when Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson invoked one of the most significant civil rights precedents in the nation’s history. A liberal named to the court by President Joe Biden two years

By Sean Lyngaas, CNN Washington (CNN) — US officials believe Chinese hackers breached at least eight US telecommunications providers in their quest to spy on top US political figures as part of a hacking campaign that has affected dozens of countries worldwide, a White House official said Wednesday. “Right now, we do not believe any

By Devan Cole, John Fritze and Tierney Sneed, CNN (CNN) — The Supreme Court appeared likely to back a divisive Tennessee law that bans gender-affirming care for minors after more than two hours of oral arguments on Wednesday in which the court delved into a culture war battle that has become even more politically fraught

By Nick Valencia and Jason Morris, CNN (CNN) — President-elect Donald Trump has asked a court to dismiss the criminal case against him related to efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia. In a filing on Wednesday, Trump and his attorney argued that the Georgia state Court of Appeals lacks jurisdiction to “entertain

By Tami Luhby, CNN (CNN) — Tens of thousands of Social Security Administration staffers can continue teleworking into 2029 under a recent deal signed between their union and the agency. The agreement comes as the incoming Trump administration and its newly created Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, vow to require federal workers to return

By Kristen Holmes and Kate Sullivan, CNN (CNN) — President-elect Donald Trump has replaced his pick to serve as the top lawyer in his White House, in an abrupt move that signals how quickly fortunes can shift in Trump’s orbit as a result of internal division. Trump announced Wednesday that he had chosen his campaign’s

By Eric Bradner, CNN (CNN) — Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary, was defiant Wednesday in the face of doubts that he can win confirmation as he met with Republican lawmakers and sought to address concerns about a series of misconduct allegations. Hegseth vowed to “fight like hell” to win confirmation — and

By Arlette Saenz, Sam Fossum and Vasco Cotovio, CNN Luanda, Angola (CNN) — President Joe Biden grinned as he posed for photos with the leader of Angola before departing the country Wednesday, capping off an historic trip that was overshadowed by controversy stemming from Biden’s decision to pardon his son Hunter and unexpected turmoil from

By Sean Lyngaas, CNN (CNN) — UK and US authorities on Wednesday announced a major crackdown on a pair of billion-dollar money laundering rings that officials say has cleaned money for Russia’s elite, cybercriminals and drug-runners around the world. The US Treasury Department sanctioned alleged senior members of one of the money-laundering rings, while the

By Ethan Cohen, Jack Forrest and Sarah Ferris, CNN (CNN) — Republican Rep. John Duarte has conceded to his Democratic challenger Adam Gray in California’s 13th Congressional District, Duarte campaign spokesman Duane Dichiara confirmed to CNN. The five counties in the district certified their results Tuesday, leaving Gray with a 187-vote lead. The contest was

By Annie Grayer, CNN (CNN) — Elon Musk’s promise to severely slash government spending has found glimmers of support from some unlikely allies: Democrats. Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz joined a Republican-led congressional caucus supporting President-elect Donald Trump’s newly formed Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, co-led by Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna

By Andrew Kaczynski, CNN (CNN) — Vivek Ramaswamy, the co-chair of the proposed Department of Government Efficiency alongside billionaire Elon Musk, has a lengthy history of attacking his partner’s ties to China, frequently referring to Musk as a “circus monkey” and a puppet for the Chinese Communist Party. Ramaswamy’s critiques, reviewed by CNN’s KFile, include

By Marshall Cohen, CNN (CNN) — The federal judge who oversaw Hunter Biden’s tax case blasted President Joe Biden for trying to “rewrite history” in his justification for pardoning his son. District Judge Mark Scarsi wrote in a five-page order Tuesday that some of the “representations contained” in the president’s Sunday statement announcing the pardon

By Sarah Ferris, Lauren Fox, Manu Raju and Zachary Cohen, CNN (CNN) — Donald Trump’s choice of Pete Hegseth to run the Defense Department is in jeopardy amid questions from some key GOP senators over whether he’s fit for the job. The pressure is forcing the president-elect’s team to maneuver behind the scenes to avoid

CNN By Em Steck and Andrew Kaczynski, CNN (CNN) — As protests broke out across American cities in June 2020, Pete Hegseth, co-host of the weekend “Fox & Friends” show, joined an on-air panel to discuss the situation in Seattle, where protestors had created a self-declared autonomous zone around a few blocks near downtown. Hegseth,

By Kristen Holmes, Evan Perez and Holmes Lybrand, CNN (CNN) — Kash Patel, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to run the FBI, was recently informed by the bureau that he had been targeted as part of an Iranian hack, two sources familiar with the matter told CNN. Hackers are believed to have accessed at least some

By Michael Williams, CNN Washington (CNN) — Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are suggesting the country stop its biannual ritual of falling back and springing forward – advocating a permanent end to time changes in a move that has garnered broad support in the past. In a series of posts on X last week, both

By Alejandra Jaramillo, Jack Forrest and Kate Sullivan, CNN (CNN) — Chad Chronister, a Florida sheriff, has withdrawn from consideration as President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration, he announced Tuesday. “Over the past several days, as the gravity of this very important responsibility set in, I’ve concluded that I must respectfully

By Paula Reid, CNN (CNN) — Defense lawyers for President-elect Donald Trump are using President Joe Biden’s pardon of his son Hunter to argue that Trump’s conviction in his Manhattan hush money case should be dismissed. “Yesterday in issuing a 10 year pardon to Hunter Biden that covers any and all crimes whether charged or

By Em Steck and Andrew Kaczynski, CNN (CNN) — As protests broke out across American cities in June 2020, Pete Hegseth, co-host of the weekend “Fox & Friends” show, joined an on-air panel to discuss the situation in Seattle, where protestors had created a self-declared autonomous zone around a few blocks near downtown. Hegseth, speaking

By Alejandra Jaramillo, Holmes Lybrand, Kaitlan Collins and Evan Perez, CNN (CNN) — Donald Trump’s transition team has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Justice Department, paving the way for the team to seek FBI background checks on the president-elect’s appointees. The agreement, announced by the Trump team on Tuesday, outlines the terms of

KEYE, KSTU, SPECTRUM-NEWS-AUSTIN, WLKY, WTVF, CNN By Devan Cole, Paula Reid and John Fritze, CNN Washington (CNN) — The Supreme Court will dive headfirst into the politically fraught issue of transgender rights on Wednesday when it hears a challenge to Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors in the highest-profile case of the fall. Attorneys

By John Fritze, CNN (CNN) — A majority of the Supreme Court on Tuesday appeared skeptical that Holocaust victims and their families are permitted to haul Hungary into American courts to recover property stolen during World War II, with several justices fearing that would open the United States up to a flood of similar litigation

By Sean Lyngaas, CNN Washington (CNN) — US officials are still trying to help major telecom providers evict Chinese government-backed hackers from their networks and don’t have a timeline for when that will be done, officials said Tuesday. “We’re still figuring out just how deeply and where they’ve penetrated, so until we have a complete

By Sam Fossum and Arlette Saenz, CNN (CNN) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday acknowledged how the horrific history of slavery has connected the United States and Angola while delivering a hopeful vision for the future in a major speech from a country that was the point of departure for millions of enslaved Africans. “Our

CNN By MJ Lee, Paula Reid and Michael Williams, CNN (CNN) — President Joe Biden’s decision to pardon his son has left some Democrats fuming over his choice to repeatedly and unequivocally claim that he would never take that step, even though a pardon long appeared possible to Hunter Biden’s legal team. Multiple officials who

By Nikki Carvajal and Jennifer Hansler, CNN (CNN) — The Biden administration is rushing assistance to Ukraine in an effort to put Kyiv “in the strongest possible position” as Russia steps up its attacks and President Joe Biden prepares to leave office in less than two months. “Today, we are announcing a $725 million security

By Annette Choi, CNN (CNN) — Twenty-seven states have passed bans on gender-affirming health care for transgender children and teenagers, according to a CNN analysis of data from the Movement Advancement Project, a nonprofit think tank that advocates for LGBTQ rights. An estimated 40% of transgender youth ages 13 to 17 live in these states,

By Oren Liebermann, CNN (CNN) — An Army general who oversaw the US withdrawal from Afghanistan was promoted to a four-star officer after a Republican senator dropped a hold on his nomination, according to a Senate aide. The Senate on Monday confirmed Lt. Gen. Chris Donahue to be the commander of US Army Europe-Africa by

By Ted Barrett, Lauren Fox and Morgan Rimmer, CNN (CNN) — Key Republican senators promised on Monday that President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the FBI, Kash Patel, will be vetted through the confirmation process. At the same time, two incoming committee chairs suggested openness to Patel and Trump’s other nominees not undergoing full FBI

By Donie O’Sullivan, CNN (CNN) — The creator of a widely debunked movie that became a central pillar in the false narrative that the 2020 election was stolen has admitted that some of the film’s claims are flawed. The movie, “2,000 Mules” by far-right activist Dinesh D’Souza, promoted a false conspiracy theory that vote drop

CNN By Donie O’Sullivan, CNN (CNN) — The creator of a widely debunked movie that became a central pillar in the false narrative that the 2020 election was stolen has admitted that some of the film’s claims are flawed. The movie, “2,000 Mules” by far-right activist Dinesh D’Souza, promoted a false conspiracy theory that vote

CNN By MJ Lee, Paula Reid and Michael Williams, CNN (CNN) — President Joe Biden’s decision to pardon his son has left some Democrats fuming over his choice to repeatedly and unequivocally claim that he would never take that step, even though a pardon long appeared possible to Hunter Biden’s legal team. Multiple officials who

By Alayna Treene and Kristen Holmes, CNN (CNN) — President-elect Donald Trump is planning to visit Paris later this week to attend the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral on December 7, his first overseas trip since his election in November to a second term in office. Trump’s team has been in discussions for days with

By Annie Grayer and Sarah Ferris, CNN (CNN) — House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is facing his first big leadership test in the new Trump era as congressional Democrats push for a shakeup in their party’s approach to countering the incoming president. A handful of House Democrats are taking the rare step of challenging older

By MJ Lee, Paula Reid and Michael Williams, CNN (CNN) — President Joe Biden’s decision to pardon his son has left some Democrats fuming over his choice to repeatedly and unequivocally claim that he would never take that step, even though a pardon long appeared possible to Hunter Biden’s legal team. Multiple officials who recently

By Haley Britzky, CNN Washington (CNN) — The surprise offensive on Aleppo by Syrian rebel groups has left the US in the difficult position of not fully supporting either side while also maintaining a force posture of nearly 1,000 troops in Syria as part of the ongoing mission to fight ISIS. Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder,

By Annie Grayer, CNN (CNN) — US Capitol Police arrested a Democratic staffer on Monday morning after he entered a House office building with four ammunition magazines and 11 rounds of ammunition, according to a statement provided to CNN. The staffer, Michael Hopkins, told the officers that he forgot the ammunition was in the bag,

By John Fritze, CNN (CNN) — The Supreme Court on Monday pressed the Food and Drug Administration on whether it followed the law in its effort to keep flavored e-cigarettes off shelves, weighing a lawsuit from a multibillion-dollar industry that has come under scrutiny because its products are popular with school-aged children. After more than

By Eric Bradner, CNN (CNN) — Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Defense, was pushed out as the head of two veterans’ advocacy organizations amid internal allegations of mismanagement and personal misconduct, The New Yorker reported Sunday. A whistleblower report obtained by the magazine alleged that, during his time leading

By Betsy Klein, CNN (CNN) — The White House has been spruced up and transformed into a gilded winter wonderland after more than 300 volunteers and residence staff spent the holiday weekend decking the halls for the final time under the Biden administration. The theme of this year’s decorations, the Office of the First Lady

By Jack Forrest, CNN (CNN) — Kash Patel, Donald Trump’s pick to lead the FBI and an ardent supporter of the president-elect, has vowed to help dismantle the same organization he’s poised to lead. The former public defender is widely viewed as a controversial figure and one whose value to the president-elect largely derives from

By Joan Biskupic, CNN Chief Supreme Court Analyst (CNN) — When the Supreme Court hears an appeal Wednesday from transgender youths challenging a Tennessee ban on their medical care, fundamental principles forbidding sex discrimination will be on the line. The justices’ view of whether landmark decisions tracing back a half-century apply to transgender rights will affect

By Andrew Kaczynski, CNN (CNN) — Karoline Leavitt, President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming White House press secretary, deleted two social media posts she shared after the January 6, 2021, riot at the US Capitol — including a retweet praising then-Vice President Mike Pence for certifying the 2020 election. The post included a video of Pence calling

By CNN staff (CNN) — President Joe Biden announced Sunday that he has pardoned his son Hunter Biden, who faced sentencing this month on gun crime and tax convictions, marking a reversal as he prepares to leave office. Read the president’s full statement about the pardon here. The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc.,

CNN By Marshall Cohen and Betsy Klein, CNN Washington (CNN) — President Joe Biden announced Sunday that he has pardoned his son Hunter Biden, who faced sentencing this month for federal tax and gun convictions, marking a reversal as he prepares to leave office. “Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter,” the president

CNN Analysis by Stephen Collinson, CNN (CNN) — President Joe Biden’s pardon of his son Hunter deepened an entanglement of politics and the rule of law that has tarnished faith in American justice and is almost certain to worsen in Donald Trump’s second term. The Sunday evening move was a stunning development since Biden came

CNN By Marshall Cohen and Betsy Klein, CNN Washington (CNN) — President Joe Biden announced Sunday that he has pardoned his son Hunter Biden, who faced sentencing this month for federal tax and gun convictions, marking a reversal as he prepares to leave office. “Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter,” the president

By Marshall Cohen and Betsy Klein, CNN Washington (CNN) — President Joe Biden announced Sunday that he has pardoned his son Hunter Biden, who faced sentencing this month for federal tax and gun convictions, marking a reversal as he prepares to leave office. “Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter,” the president said

CNN By Betsy Klein and Isabelle D’Antonio, CNN (CNN) — Donald Trump has selected billionaire Massad Boulos to serve as his senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs — the second time in as many days the president-elect has chosen a family member for a key post. Though Trump didn’t mention it in his

By Betsy Klein and Isabelle D’Antonio, CNN (CNN) — Donald Trump has selected billionaire Massad Boulos to serve as his senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs — the second time in as many days the president-elect has chosen a family member for a key post. Though Trump didn’t mention it in his announcement

CNN By Jack Forrest, CNN (CNN) — Kash Patel, Donald Trump’s pick to lead the FBI and an ardent supporter of the president-elect, has vowed to help dismantle the same organization he’s poised to lead. The former public defender is widely viewed as a controversial figure and one whose value to the president-elect largely derives

By Arlette Saenz and Betsy Klein, CNN (CNN) — President Joe Biden will fulfill a two-year promise to visit Africa as he departs Sunday night for Angola, a trip aimed at highlighting US investment in the continent under his watch in the face of China’s deepening inroads in the region. Biden’s three-day visit to oil-rich

By Kaanita Iyer, CNN (CNN) — President-elect Donald Trump said he would require countries that are part of BRICS — a China- and Russia-backed group of emerging economies — to commit to not creating new currency or face 100% tariffs during his administration. “The idea that the BRICS Countries are trying to move away from

CNN By Holmes Lybrand, Zachary Cohen, Evan Perez and Kristen Holmes, CNN (CNN) — President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday that he intends to nominate Kash Patel to serve as FBI director, in an extraordinary announcement that once in office Trump would move to replace the current director, Christopher Wray, before his term expires. “I am

By Holmes Lybrand, Zachary Cohen, Evan Perez and Kristen Holmes, CNN (CNN) — President-elect Donald Trump plans to nominate firebrand loyalist Kash Patel to serve as FBI director, an extraordinary move that would put a self-described enemy of the so-called deep state as the head of the nation’s top law enforcement agency — a role

By Kaanita Iyer, CNN (CNN) — The mother of Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Defense, sent an email to her son in 2018 that sharply criticized his treatment of women, The New York Times reported Friday. Penelope Hegseth told her son in the email that there are “many” women

By Alejandra Jaramillo and Isabelle D’Antonio, CNN (CNN) — Donald Trump has selected his son-in-law Jared Kushner’s father, Charles Kushner, to serve as the next US ambassador to France, the president-elect announced Saturday. “I am pleased to nominate Charles Kushner, of New Jersey, to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to France. He is a tremendous

By Alayna Treene and Kit Maher, CNN (CNN) — President-elect Donald Trump had dinner with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday evening at Mar-a-Lago. The meeting came just days after Trump promised massive hikes in tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada starting on the first day of his administration, specifically calling for a

CNN By Kit Maher, CNN (CNN) — Tesla CEO Elon Musk had a seat at the family table for Thanksgiving dinner at Mar-a-Lago, joining President-elect Donald Trump, Melania Trump and their 18-year-old son Barron, in the latest indicator of Trump’s growing bond with the world’s richest man. Musk was seated right next to Trump in

By Kit Maher, CNN (CNN) — Tesla CEO Elon Musk had a seat at the family table for Thanksgiving dinner at Mar-a-Lago, joining President-elect Donald Trump, Melania Trump and their 18-year-old son Barron, in the latest indicator of Trump’s growing bond with the world’s richest man. Musk was seated right next to Trump in a

By Curt Devine, CNN (CNN) — As part of his campaign to reclaim the White House, Donald Trump made clear that in a second term in office, he’d move tens of thousands of federal jobs outside the “Washington swamp” and into “places filled with patriots who love America.” “This,” Trump said in one campaign video,

By Zachary Cohen and Holmes Lybrand, CNN (CNN) — At least six Democrats in Congress say they were targeted with a bomb threat over the Thanksgiving holiday. Four Democratic representatives from Connecticut said Thursday they were targeted with bomb threats while home celebrating Thanksgiving with their families. Sen. Chris Murphy’s office said he was also