Politics

CNN By Hannah Rabinowitz, Evan Perez, CNN (CNN) — On the short drive from the White House to the Supreme Court on Wednesday, Pam Bondi was informed by the president that she was being removed as attorney general. But for 24 hours, Bondi acted the part. She emerged from the car smiling and sat next

By Hannah Rabinowitz, Evan Perez, CNN (CNN) — On the short drive from the White House to the Supreme Court on Wednesday, Pam Bondi was informed by the president that she was being removed as attorney general. But for 24 hours, Bondi acted the part. She emerged from the car smiling and sat next to

By Adam Cancryn, Kristen Holmes, CNN (CNN) — When President Donald Trump ousted his attorney general, Pam Bondi, it sent a clear message to his remaining Cabinet members: The job security they’ve enjoyed until now is no longer guaranteed. Trump has grown increasingly willing to fire top officials who he believes are underperforming, amid deepening

By Tierney Sneed, CNN (CNN) — A new memo from the Justice Department says President Donald Trump no longer has to follow a Watergate-era law barring him from holding on to presidential records when he leaves office. It is the latest action by the administration to stymie transparency, government watchdog groups say, and yet another

By Tami Luhby, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump is seeking $152 million to cover the first year of costs to reopen the infamous Alcatraz prison as a secure facility. The funds, requested as part of the White House’s budget blueprint, would be part of a $1.7 billion proposed boost to the Federal Bureau of

By Katherine Koretski, CNN New York (CNN) — New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani will host a rally next week to mark 100 days since his inauguration. The event will take place at the Knockdown Center, a live music venue in Maspeth, Queens, on Sunday, April 12. The mayor will deliver a rally-style address at

CNN By Joan Biskupic, CNN Chief Supreme Court Analyst (CNN) — Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito was taken to a hospital after becoming ill last month at a Federalist Society dinner in Philadelphia, according to people with knowledge of the March 20 incident, which had not been previously reported. The justice was evaluated and administered fluids

CNN By Haley Britzky, Alayna Treene, Allegra Goodwin, Brad Lendon, Isaac Yee, Kevin Liptak, Kristen Holmes, CNN (CNN) — A US fighter jet has been shot down over Iran, three US sources said, confirming Iranian state media reports. US forces have launched search and rescue efforts, two of the sources said. One of two crew

By Joan Biskupic, CNN Chief Supreme Court Analyst (CNN) — Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito was taken to a hospital after becoming ill last month at a Federalist Society dinner in Philadelphia, according to people with knowledge of the March 20 incident, which had not been previously reported. The justice was evaluated and administered fluids for

By Tami Luhby, Adam Cancryn, CNN (CNN) — The White House is seeking roughly $1.5 trillion for defense as part of a fiscal 2027 budget request — a proposal that would boost military spending to its highest point in modern history as the Trump administration wages its war with Iran. The blueprint released Friday —

By Jennifer Hansler, CNN (CNN) — The US State Department on Wednesday announced a series of changes to the US foreign service test with a specific focus on eliminating alleged “diversity, equity, and inclusion” as the Trump administration attempts to reshape the diplomatic corps. In its statement announcing the changes, which also includes new curriculum

By Ariel Edwards-Levy, Jennifer Agiesta, CNN (CNN) — Americans’ views of both the Democratic and Republican parties remain deeply negative, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS. And in an election year that may turn on which party voters see as the lesser of two evils, the Democrats hold an early advantage. About

CNN By Ariel Edwards-Levy, Jennifer Agiesta, CNN (CNN) — Americans’ views of both the Democratic and Republican parties remain deeply negative, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS. And in an election year that may turn on which party voters see as the lesser of two evils, the Democrats hold an early advantage.

CNN By Holmes Lybrand, Evan Perez, Katelyn Polantz, Kara Scannell, CNN (CNN) — Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who President Donald Trump tapped Thursday to serve as the interim head of the Justice Department, managed the day-to-day operations of the department over the past year, often taking a more public-facing role when Pam Bondi was

By Holmes Lybrand, Evan Perez, Katelyn Polantz, Kara Scannell, CNN (CNN) — Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who President Donald Trump tapped Thursday to serve as the interim head of the Justice Department, managed the day-to-day operations of the department over the past year, often taking a more public-facing role when Pam Bondi was in

CNN By Haley Britzky, Natasha Bertrand, CNN (CNN) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday fired the US Army chief of staff and two other generals as the Iran war continues. Hegseth told US Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George to retire immediately, a Pentagon official told CNN. He also fired two other Army

By Haley Britzky, Natasha Bertrand, Jim Sciutto, Tal Shalev, CNN (CNN) — Roughly half of Iran’s missile launchers are still intact and thousands of one-way attack drones remain in Iran’s arsenal despite the daily pounding by US and Israeli strikes against military targets over the past five weeks, according to recent US intelligence assessments, three

By Haley Britzky, Natasha Bertrand, CNN (CNN) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday fired the US Army chief of staff and two other generals as the Iran war continues. Hegseth told US Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George to retire immediately, a Pentagon official told CNN. He also fired two other Army generals

By Tierney Sneed, CNN (CNN) — Democrats compared President Donald Trump’s latest attempt to overhaul elections to George Orwell’s “1984,” in one of three lawsuits now challenging Tuesday’s executive order, which instructs the US Postal Service to determine who does and doesn’t receive a mail ballot. Democratic congressional leaders and organizations, as well as two

By Adam Cancryn, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump has repeatedly sought to tamp down the surging price of oil by telling investors what they’re eager to hear: The war in Iran is almost over. But after hearing that message for weeks, with fighting ongoing and no plan for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, they’re

By Annie Grayer, Michael Williams, CNN (CNN) — During his confirmation hearing last month, Markwayne Mullin promised to make changes at the Department of Homeland Security if he were to be confirmed as its next secretary. He called the controversial policy under outgoing Secretary Kristi Noem that required her approval of contracts exceeding $100,000 “micromanaging.”

By Betsy Klein, Devan Cole, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump’s sprawling ballroom project officially got the green light on Thursday from a board that oversees planning for federal buildings and land, marking the latest step in an accelerated process that now faces some legal uncertainty. Despite more than 32,000 public comments overwhelmingly opposed to

CNN By Kristen Holmes, Kaitlan Collins, Hannah Rabinowitz, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump has fired Pam Bondi as attorney general. She will be replaced for now by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who will serve as acting attorney general, Trump said. The president wrote on Truth Social that Bondi would be “transitioning to a

By Kristen Holmes, Kaitlan Collins, Hannah Rabinowitz, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump has fired Pam Bondi as attorney general. She will be replaced for now by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who will serve as acting attorney general, Trump said. The president wrote on Truth Social that Bondi would be “transitioning to a much

By Joan Biskupic, CNN Chief Supreme Court Analyst (CNN) — When Chief Justice John Roberts and the eight associate justices took the Supreme Court bench on Wednesday for a fundamental debate over American identity, they did not acknowledge the presence of Donald Trump in the courtroom. That was not unexpected: Wednesday marked the first time in

By Ellis Kim, Lauren Fox, Sarah Ferris, Kit Maher, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump on Friday officially signed a memorandum ordering all Department of Homeland Security employees be paid amid the ongoing partial government shutdown. The move expands Trump’s earlier directive for DHS to unilaterally pay Transportation Security Administration workers in a bid to

By David Wright, Fredreka Schouten, CNN (CNN) — Barack Obama’s past comments are haunting Democrats’ efforts to draw new congressional districts in Virginia as they try to give their party an edge in the battle for control of Congress. The former president, still one of the Democratic Party’s most popular figures, has endorsed and appeared

CNN By Kaitlan Collins, Kristen Holmes, Alayna Treene, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump has privately mused about firing his Attorney General Pam Bondi and replacing her with EPA administrator Lee Zeldin, multiple sources familiar with the matter told CNN. Frustrated by the backlash and anger in his base over the administration’s handling of the

By Kaitlan Collins, Kristen Holmes, Alayna Treene, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump has privately mused about firing his Attorney General Pam Bondi and replacing her with EPA administrator Lee Zeldin, multiple sources familiar with the matter told CNN. Frustrated by the backlash and anger in his base over the administration’s handling of the Jeffrey

By Arit John, CNN (CNN) — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said Tuesday she would vote against sending any military aid to Israel, including defensive supplies, a marked shift from a Democrat deemed a potential 2028 presidential candidate. Ocasio-Cortez told members of the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America Tuesday that she would

By Sarah Ferris, Aileen Graef, CNN (CNN) — Days after a messy intra-party blowup, President Donald Trump and GOP leaders are projecting unity on a plan to reopen the Department of Homeland Security amid the longest-ever partial government shutdown. But it’s not yet clear how long it will take to restore funding since the plan

By Ariel Edwards-Levy, CNN (CNN) — Just one-third of the public believes President Donald Trump has a clear plan to handle the situation in Iran, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS, underscoring the deep skepticism ahead of his Wednesday night White House address on the war. Americans’ already broad disapproval of US

CNN By John Fritze, Tierney Sneed, Devan Cole, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump’s push to end automatic birthright citizenship was met by a suspicious Supreme Court on Wednesday, with liberal and conservative justices raising tough questions about reimagining the way citizenship has been understood in the United States for more than a century. Over

By Lauren Chadwick and Catherine Nicholls, CNN (CNN) — For years, President Donald Trump has voiced sharp criticism of NATO, including a slew of statements since the beginning of the Iran war. In two recent interviews, he has said he would consider taking the significant step of withdrawing the United States from the alliance altogether.

By John Fritze, Tierney Sneed, Devan Cole, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump’s push to end automatic birthright citizenship was met by a suspicious Supreme Court on Wednesday, with liberal and conservative justices raising tough questions about reimagining the way citizenship has been understood in the United States for more than a century. Over the

By Edward Wu, Molly English, CNN (CNN) — Two special election victories in Florida provided more evidence that the Democratic success in elections since Donald Trump’s return to the White House rests not just on a motivated base but also on winning over Republicans and independents. More registered Republicans than registered Democrats voted in two

By Jennifer Agiesta, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump’s approval rating for handling the economy has fallen to a new career low of 31%, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS, reflecting growing pessimism among Americans over the issue they consistently describe as the most important. Roughly two-thirds of Americans say Trump’s policies

By Lauren Fox, Sarah Ferris, CNN (CNN) — What started as a shutdown face-off between Republicans and Democrats morphed into a full display of disunity between GOP leaders just months ahead of the midterm elections Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s decision to leave immigration enforcement funding out of a deal with Democrats to reopen the

By Kylie Atwood, Jennifer Hansler, CNN (CNN) — After President Donald Trump floated on Monday the possibility of expanding the Iran war by potentially striking water treatment plants in Iran, some Gulf countries reiterated grave concerns to the Trump administration about any strikes on civilian infrastructure and the risk of an intensifying tit-for-tat escalation, according

By Betsy Klein, CNN Washington, DC (CNN) — President Donald Trump finally got the Kennedy Center reception he’s always wanted. He just had to gut the board of trustees, reshape its leadership and staffing, overhaul its programming, and prepare for a $257 million renovation that he says will require a two-year closure starting this July.

By Sean Lyngaas, CNN (CNN) — Suspected North Korean hackers have bugged a software package that has been used by thousands of US companies in a major supply-chain attack that could take months to recover from, security experts said Tuesday. Experts who are responding to the hack told CNN they expect a long-term campaign to

By Tierney Sneed, Kit Maher, Fredreka Schouten, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump signed an executive order Tuesday that seeks to task the federal government – through the US Postal Service – with determining who receives a mail ballot. The executive order is Trump’s latest attempt to unilaterally shape how elections are run. It comes

CNN, POOL, TRUTH SOCIAL , @REALDONALDTRUMP, NATIONAL CAPITAL PLANNING COMMISSION, WHITE HOUSE, Truth Social / @realDonaldTrump By Devan Cole, Betsy Klein, CNN (CNN) — A federal judge on Tuesday blocked President Donald Trump from moving ahead with any further work on a massive new $400 million ballroom on the former site of the White House

By Jennifer Hansler, Mohammed Tawfeeq and Jeremy Diamond, CNN (CNN) — American journalist Shelly Kittleson was kidnapped in Baghdad, Iraq, on Tuesday, sources and her media outlet said. The US government is tracking her kidnapping and working with the Iraqis to secure her release, a US official said. It is unclear who is responsible for

By Holmes Lybrand, CNN (CNN) — FBI agents who say they were summarily fired for investigating President Donald Trump following his first term have filed a class-action lawsuit arguing they were improperly dismissed from the agency. The lawsuit demands the three agents be reinstated and could, if successful, open the door for at least 50

By Alayna Treene, Kevin Liptak, Jennifer Hansler, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump and his administration increasingly believe that they can’t promise to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as a prerequisite to declaring “mission accomplished” in the war with Iran, sources familiar with the discussions tell CNN. Inside the White House, many top officials recognize

By Paula Reid, Casey Gannon, CNN (CNN) — The Supreme Court on Wednesday will hear its biggest case of the term: about whether President Donald Trump’s effort to limit birthright citizenship through executive order is constitutional. This case will not be easy to win – a ruling for Trump would upend a long-standing tenant of

By Devan Cole, Betsy Klein, CNN (CNN) — A federal judge on Tuesday blocked President Donald Trump from moving ahead with any further work on a massive new $400 million ballroom on the former site of the White House East Wing. “The President of the United States is the steward of the White House for

By John Fritze, Devan Cole, CNN (CNN) — The Supreme Court on Tuesday endorsed a religious counselor’s challenge to Colorado’s ban on “conversion therapy” for gay and transgender minors, saying it likely violates the First Amendment, handing the LGBTQ community another setback in a decision that will reverberate in nearly half the country. The 8-1

By Aileen Graef, CNN (CNN) — Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday announced he’s written a book about his “personal journey” in faith as speculation rises about his presidential aspirations. “I’ve been writing this book for a long time, and I’m honored to finally be able to share the full story with you all. Communion

By Zachary Cohen, Kristen Holmes, CNN (CNN) — In the immediate lead-up to the first bombs being dropped on Iran last month, President Donald Trump met with a small group of advisers to discuss options. He made it clear that he wanted to launch a military campaign alongside Israel, multiple sources familiar with the matter

By John Fritze, CNN (CNN) — In the 26 years since she fled Colombia for the United States, “Pilar” has received her working papers, graduated high school, established a career as a paralegal and purchased a home in Florida. But under the legal theory President Donald Trump is defending at the Supreme Court to end

By Piper Hudspeth Blackburn, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump on Monday shared renderings of what his future presidential library could look like, offering a look into how the planned Florida-based center might eventually commemorate him. In the nearly two-minute-long video shared by the president on Truth Social, a skyscraper dominates the Miami skyline with

By Betsy Klein, CNN (CNN) — Travelers in South Florida might soon find themselves transiting through Trump International Airport. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law Monday that could rename the Palm Beach International Airport to the “President Donald J. Trump International Airport” after the state’s House and Senate passed the legislation last

By Devan Cole, CNN (CNN) — Several people who were at the US Capitol during the January 6, 2021, insurrection are suing the police agencies that worked to defend the building that day, asking a federal court to award them millions of dollars in damages for the “physical and emotional injuries” they say were inflicted

By Kevin Liptak, Jennifer Hansler, Kylie Atwood, CNN (CNN) — As President Donald Trump’s envoys gear up for another go at diplomacy with Iran, a major question hovers over their efforts: do the officials they’re communicating with have the juice to make a deal? It’s not entirely clear to American officials whether the regime figures

By Annie Grayer, Morgan Rimmer, CNN (CNN) — Lawmakers have departed Washington for spring recess locked in a stalemate over funding for the Department of Homeland Security. But even as their movements outside the halls of Congress face increased public scrutiny, Republican leaders are showing no signs they’ll force their members to come back early

By Piper Hudspeth Blackburn, Isabelle D’Antonio, CNN (CNN) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday the Army pilots who flew Apache helicopters over Kid Rock’s Nashville-area home were no longer suspended and the incident would not be investigated. Hegseth reposted a video from Kid Rock, thanking the longtime supporter of President Donald Trump and saying

By Katelyn Polantz, CNN (CNN) — A former federal immigration prosecutor and whistleblower who has taken issue with Trump administration leadership has now gone to Capitol Hill, saying the internal watchdog offices of the Justice Department are doing nothing to investigate his and other complaints. Lawyers for Erez Reuveni, who was fired last year after

By Tami Luhby, CNN (CNN) — Tens of thousands more Department of Homeland Security workers are being paid during the record partial government shutdown after President Donald Trump ordered the agency to send Transportation Security Administration employees their back pay. And soon tens of thousands of other DHS staffers — including Federal Emergency Management Agency

By Kara Scannell, CNN (CNN) — Federal prosecutors in Manhattan are exploring whether certain lucrative bets placed on prediction markets have violated insider trading and other laws, multiple sources told CNN. The chiefs of the securities and commodities fraud unit of the US attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York recently met with

By Joan Biskupic, CNN Chief Supreme Court Analyst (CNN) — As the Supreme Court considers the future of birthright citizenship, some advocates fighting President Donald Trump are speaking directly to conservative justices on how fundamental one’s faith can be to identity and citizenship. Several groups that have filed briefs in the case to be argued Wednesday

By Gabe Cohen, CNN (CNN) — An outside contractor installed in the Department of Homeland Security by then-Secretary Kristi Noem and her adviser Corey Lewandowski, gained outsized influence over the Federal Emergency Management Agency over the past year, with a major hand in steering the disaster agency’s spending and day-to-day operations, according to sources who

By Brian Todd, Nicky Robertson, CNN (CNN) — Vietnam veteran Jayson Carter is preparing for his worst-case scenario — having to live out of his car. Carter, a 78-year-old who served in the Air Force, is homeless and staying in a facility for veterans in Memphis, Tennessee. He’s one of more than two dozen veterans

By Edward-Isaac Dovere, CNN San Antonio (CNN) — The veteran who arrived a few minutes late to the matcha shop down the street from Fort Sam Houston hovered behind Ruben Gallego, trying to figure out where to sit. Gallego stopped talking and turned around. With an edge in his voice that he tried to cover

By Fredreka Schouten, CNN Alpharetta, Georgia (CNN) — Brad Raffensperger generally avoids the explosive topic that made him famous. As the state’s top election official, Raffensperger refused Donald Trump’s demand to “find” the votes needed to overturn the president’s 2020 loss in the Peach State. Now, as a candidate for the Republican nomination for Georgia

By John Fritze, CNN (CNN) — Justice Brett Kavanaugh sounded like a fired-up prosecutor last year as he shot off a withering series of nuts-and-bolts questions about how President Donald Trump would carry out his plan to rewrite of the way birthright citizenship has been understood in the United States for more than a century.

By Steve Contorno, Jeff Simon, CNN Grapevine, Texas (CNN) — A decade ago, Jessica Luebbers could not have imagined supporting Marco Rubio for president. His acrimonious race to stop Donald Trump’s march to the White House in 2016 left a bitter taste in her mouth. But as she and hundreds of other Trump supporters gathered

By Daniel Dale, CNN (CNN) — When President Donald Trump says “nobody” knew or expected something, that often means lots of people knew or expected it. Trump made wildly inaccurate “nobody” claims about multiple subjects during his first presidency. Perhaps most famously, he declared in 2017, while trying and failing to pass a replacement for

By Adam Cancryn, Sarah Ferris, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump’s conflicting signals over the future of the war in Iran have spurred deepening frustration among GOP lawmakers and allies who fear the administration still lacks a clear endgame after four weeks of fighting. Trump over the last several days has simultaneously expressed a desire

By Holmes Lybrand, CNN (CNN) — As the US sends large numbers of troops to the Middle East, preparing for a possible ground incursion, Iran’s willingness to inspire lone-wolf attacks, lead cyber hacks, and conduct assassination operations abroad is likely to increase, terrorism experts and US law enforcement officials told CNN. In the early days

By Eric Bradner, Steve Contorno, CNN Grapevine, Texas (CNN) — The Conservative Political Action Conference’s annual gathering in Texas — like most of its meetings over the last decade — was largely a pro-President Donald Trump pep rally. But several moments over CPAC’s first two days made clear that there are also rifts on the

By Katherine Koretski, CNN New York (CNN) — The New York City Council approved legislation Thursday that would require police to publish plans to establish buffer zones at schools and houses of worship during protests. The move places Mayor Zohran Mamdani in the middle of another political fight. He declined Friday to say whether he

By Tami Luhby, Kaitlan Collins, CNN (CNN) — With Congress’ debate over Department of Homeland Security funding now likely to extend for at least several more days, President Donald Trump on Friday issued a promised executive action that Transportation Security Administration employees be paid immediately. “I hereby direct the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination

By Evan Perez, Sean Lyngaas, Holmes Lybrand, CNN (CNN) — Hackers connected to the Iranian government accessed FBI Director Kash Patel’s personal email and posted materials — including photos and documents — taken from his account, a person familiar with the breach confirmed to CNN. The hackers have published a series of photos of Patel

CNN By Ted Barrett, Morgan Rimmer, CNN (CNN) — The Senate unanimously moved to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security, except for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and part of Customs and Border Protection, in a rare overnight session. The agreement would fund other parts of the department, such as the Transportation Security Administration

By Tierney Sneed, Jason Morris, CNN (CNN) — A lawyer for Fulton County warned a federal judge Friday that if he did not scrutinize the criminal search warrant the Justice Department used to obtain 2020 Atlanta-area election records, it could embolden the Trump administration to seize ballots in the midst of an election in the

By Steve Contorno, Jeff Simon, CNN Grapevine, Texas (CNN) — As the daughter of an American oil field worker living in Iran in the 1970s, Blake Zummo watched as the streets around her regularly descended into violence in the years before the Iranian revolution. Now 62 and residing in Texas, she rejects arguments — including