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Top Democrat is investigating Jared Kushner’s financial investments after CNN report

By Majlie de Puy Kamp, Katie Polglase, Allegra Goodwin, Em Steck, CNN (CNN) — A top Democratic lawmaker is seeking information on Jared Kushner’s financial investments following a CNN investigation last week that found his private equity firm is the largest shareholder in an Israeli company backing businesses involved in Israel’s military campaigns. Rep. Robert

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Whistleblower says Trump demanded FBI probe into protesters over a TikTok he saw

By Holmes Lybrand, Evan Perez, Priscilla Alvarez, CNN (CNN) — The FBI opened preliminary investigations targeting anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement protesters in Southern California, a former FBI intelligence official alleged in a whistleblower complaint, adding that she believed the move violated the law and agency policy. The investigations were opened in early 2025 in the

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Buttigieg, Gallego and other potential 2028 Democratic contenders set to discuss party’s future at post-midterms meeting

By Patrick Svitek, CNN (CNN) — A group of potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidates is heading to Denver days after the midterms to discuss the party’s future, in one of the party’s first major gatherings following the election. Attendees will include former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and former US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel, as

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US and China discussing reciprocal nuclear site visits amid concerns about a new arms race

By Kylie Atwood, Davis Winkie, CNN (CNN) — The Trump administration has discussed beginning reciprocal nuclear site visits with China and plans to continue pushing for that possibility during in-person meetings in the coming months, according to sources familiar with the matter. The discussions, which have been informal and preliminary, come amid mounting US concerns

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Are political debates really necessary? Whatever you think, they’re disappearing from the political landscape

This year, 36 governors’ races are on the ballot, and according to ABC News, 21 of them are expected to be decided without a single debate.

In Senate contests, the numbers are nearly identical. Political debates have been a staple of American democracy for generations. And those who’ve studied the events say we’re missing out when they don’t happen.

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Supreme Court declines First Amendment case of students forced to remove ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ sweatshirts

By John Fritze, CNN (CNN) — The Supreme Court on Monday declined to take up a First Amendment appeal from two middle school students who were ordered to remove sweatshirts emblazoned with the words “Let’s Go Brandon,” steering clear of a case that could have clarified the power schools have to police potentially offensive speech

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Inside Democrats’ efforts to secure Election Day and respond to fears of Trump interference

By Annie Grayer, Fredreka Schouten, CNN (CNN) — Ahead of the November midterm elections, top Democrats are planning for doomsday scenarios for how President Donald Trump and his administration could intervene in the voting process and laying the groundwork for a forceful response. In closed-door meetings, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has convened Democratic senators,

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Former GOP congressman and longtime Rubio friend sentenced to 10 years for secret Venezuela lobbying

Associated Press Miami (AP) — A former Miami congressman and longtime friend of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was sentenced Friday to 10 years in prison in connection with a secret $50 million lobbying campaign on Venezuela’s behalf during the first Trump administration. Republican David Rivera has been jailed since jurors found him guilty

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President Donald Trump speaks on screens during the first day of the Republican Midterm Convention at the American Airlines Center in Dallas

‘God made Trump’ ad and at least 12 others are part of controversial taxpayer-funded ad campaign

By Betsy Klein, CNN (CNN) — The Trump administration has created at least 13 campaign-style ads as part of its controversial taxpayer-funded, multi-million-dollar effort to promote President Donald Trump and his policies. Yet-to-be-aired spots include a trio of ads highlighting the US military and operations in Iran and Venezuela, one called “God Made Trump” and

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Trump administration shifts funds from human rights to supporting far-right causes

By Jennifer Hansler, CNN (CNN) — The US State Department directed millions of dollars originally earmarked to promote human rights to promote far-right causes including Afrikaner rights in South Africa, safeguarding “Western civilizational norms,” and documenting “backsliding” in Europe related to mass migration, a source familiar with the matter told CNN. The funds, which come

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In warning letter, VP Vance says Dems are ‘prepared to pour millions’ into Idaho to flip Risch seat

Many Idaho residents recently received a fundraising appeal in the mail from U.S. Vice President JD Vance to support Idaho’s longtime Republican U.S. Sen. Jim Risch in his campaign for reelection, claiming Democrats were “prepared to pour millions of dollars into Idaho” to defeat the incumbent in what Vance said is an “urgent national race.”

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Former olympian David Hearn stands with his attorney Norman Eisen as he speaks to reporters and protesters gathered after his arrangement at Moultrie Courthouse in Washington

Trump’s threats against Olympian leads judge to permanently dismiss Reflecting Pool damage charges

By Holmes Lybrand, CNN (CNN) — A federal judge on Thursday dismissed charges against David Hearn, the former US Olympian initially accused of damaging the Reflecting Pool at the Lincoln Memorial, with prejudice, citing President Donald Trump’s comments to ensure charges cannot be brought in the future. The judge found Hearn faced threats of a

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Democrats say Sanders needs to step up in midterm fight. His allies say he’s doing more than most.

By Sarah Ferris, Patrick Svitek, CNN (CNN) — Bernie Sanders has spent the last decade growing his political movement by muscling left-wing hopefuls through Democrat-on-Democrat primary fights across the country. Now for the first time, Sanders’ handpicked candidates are battling it out in some of the toughest – and most expensive – races of the

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‘Trump, Trump, Trump,’ Democrats’ hold on California and other takeaways from the governor debate

By Eric Bradner, Patrick Svitek, CNN (CNN) — Xavier Becerra, the Democratic favorite in California’s race for governor, sought to tie his Republican opponent Steve Hilton to the policies of President Donald Trump as the two debated Wednesday night on CNN. “You’re going to end up with Trump results if you follow Steve Hilton’s plan,”

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Members of the military listen as US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth gives an address at Marine Corps Base Quantico on September 30 in Quantico

Hegseth announces new autonomous weapons command while repeating attacks on ‘woke’ culture during speech to troops

By Davis Winkie, Haley Britzky, CNN (CNN) — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced a new Pentagon autonomous warfare command in a speech on Wednesday to troops at the military base in Quantico, Virginia, a sequel to the speech he delivered last year to senior officers that focused on fitness and culture. Hegseth said the

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Whiplash over ICE arrests exposes disconnect between Trump and Markwayne Mullin

By Priscilla Alvarez, Kristen Holmes, CNN (CNN) — When word of an internal Immigration and Customs Enforcement leadership call over the weekend leaked to media outlets, some Trump administration officials came to believe the agency planned to limit arrests of undocumented immigrants to those with criminal histories. The perceived softening of the administration’s hardline stance

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US Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming speaks to reporters outside of the Senate Chambers during a vote in the US Capitol Building on May 11 in Washington

GOP senator blocks resolution that criticized Trump’s taxpayer-funded ads

By Morgan Rimmer, CNN (CNN) — A GOP senator blocked a resolution on Tuesday that criticized the Trump administration’s recent taxpayer-funded ads promoting President Donald Trump. Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming objected to the Democrat-led measure, which stated that taxpayer funds should not have been used for the controversial ads. The measure, from Democratic

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Trump administration escalates feud with federal judges

By Tierney Sneed, Hannah Rabinowitz, CNN (CNN) — The Justice Department filed a judicial misconduct complaint against nearly all the federal district judges in Minnesota, Attorney General Todd Blanche announced on Wednesday, escalating tensions between the Trump administration and the judicial branch. The administration’s demand that the judges be disqualified from immigration-related cases was prompted

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The Supreme Court on September 29 allowed the Trump administration to restart its program of removing migrants to countries other than their homeland without giving them an opportunity to raise human rights concerns

Supreme Court allows Trump to restart controversial deportations to countries that migrants have no connection to

By John Fritze, CNN (CNN) — The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed the Trump administration to restart its program of removing migrants to countries other than their homeland without giving them an opportunity to raise human rights concerns, and said it would hear arguments in the case later this year. The decision marked the third

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President Donald Trump applauds on stage during the America.gov launch event at Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington

What to know about America.gov, the Trump administration’s new AI-driven services website

By Adam Cancryn, CNN (CNN) — The Trump administration thinks the federal bureaucracy is way too complex for Americans to navigate — and it believes that artificial intelligence can help. President Donald Trump on Tuesday unveiled America.gov, a government website meant to serve as a one-stop shop for people trying to accomplish basic tasks like

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A Google co-founder is spending $100 million to defeat California’s wealth tax. It could become one of his best investments

By David Wright, Clare Duffy, CNN (CNN) — Google co-founder Sergey Brin has funneled just over $100 million to a group trying to defeat a one-time state tax on California’s billionaires this November. That seems like a lot of money, except Brin’s net worth – estimated around $270 billion, top five globally, according to Bloomberg’s

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Hegseth directs military to defend US midterm elections from foreign interference

By Sean Lyngaas, CNN (CNN) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has signed a memo directing the military to defend the US midterm elections from foreign interference, the Pentagon said Monday. US Cyber Command, the military’s cyberwarfare unit, and combat support agencies will “deploy advanced intelligence and cyber capabilities” to “identify, disrupt, and neutralize foreign interference

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Kurt Olsen, key Trump 2020 election denier, departs Justice Department ‘grand conspiracy’ investigation

By Hannah Rabinowitz, Tierney Sneed, CNN (CNN) — A lawyer who aided President Donald Trump’s 2020 election reversal schemes has left the sweeping federal investigation into the president’s foes, a person familiar with the matter told CNN. The lawyer, Kurt Olsen, departed the so-called “grand conspiracy” investigation, the person said. The source initially told CNN

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President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House

Trump personally helped orchestrate taxpayer-funded ads promoting himself and his policies, source says

CNN By Kristen Holmes, Betsy Klein, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump has personally driven the controversial, taxpayer-funded video ads promoting himself and his administration’s policies, including helping select the imagery and videos used, a source familiar with the matter told CNN. Two Trump advisers familiar with the ads said that they were being created

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Trump personally helped orchestrate taxpayer-funded ads promoting himself and his policies, source says

By Kristen Holmes, Betsy Klein, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump has personally driven the controversial, taxpayer-funded video ads promoting himself and his administration’s policies, including helping select the imagery and videos used, a source familiar with the matter told CNN. Two Trump advisers familiar with the ads said that they were being created in-house

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Inside the Trump campaign strategy to reverse Republicans’ dwindling hopes of winning the midterms

By Kristen Holmes, Alayna Treene, CNN (CNN) — The midterms mood among Donald Trump’s inner circle has soured as GOP candidates openly break with the president and his approval ratings hit an all-time low, prompting a largely unspoken but age-old question: How does an unpopular president best help his party keep control of Congress? Trump

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A California sheriff seized ballots. The court ruling shutting the probe will resonate nationwide

By Jeremy Herb, Tierney Sneed, CNN (CNN) — The California Supreme Court shut down a right-wing sheriff’s efforts to seize and investigate ballots over debunked allegations of vote “discrepancies,” in a legal fight that has helped election officials prepare for any similar attempts during November election. Sheriff Chad Bianco’s March seizure of 650,000 ballots from

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Two senior FBI agents ousted over investigation into alleged harassing calls to wife of Trump adviser Stephen Miller

By Josh Campbell, CNN (CNN) — Two veteran FBI agents overseeing counterterrorism operations in the nation’s capital have been removed from their jobs and reassigned over the handling of an investigation involving Katie Miller, the conservative podcaster and wife of senior White House adviser Stephen Miller, according to two people familiar with the move. Michael

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Trump declines to say if Ukraine can manufacture Patriot missiles to fend off Russian attacks

By Logan Schiciano, Julia Benbrook, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump on Saturday declined to say whether he agreed to allow Ukraine to manufacture Patriot missiles to fend off Russian attacks, an assertion made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a day earlier. The two leaders met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly

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Whistleblowers accuse Kennedy Center officials of halting planned repairs later used to justify closure

By Aleena Fayaz, Sunlen Serfaty, CNN (CNN) — Whistleblowers are alleging that Kennedy Center officials halted plans earlier this year to repair leaks in the building, which the Trump administration has highlighted as its reason to close the storied arts institution. In a letter to Congress Thursday, obtained by CNN, a lawyer representing the anonymous

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