Politics

By Devan Cole, CNN (CNN) — A federal judge considering whether to indefinitely block President Donald Trump’s executive order banning transgender service members described it on Tuesday as having “unadulterated animus” toward transgender Americans. “We’re dealing with unadulterated animus,” US District Judge Ana Reyes said during a hearing Tuesday in a case challenging the ban,

By Devan Cole and Tierney Sneed, CNN (CNN) — A federal judge declined on Tuesday to temporarily block Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency from accessing federal data systems at a slew of executive branch agencies. The decision by US District Judge Tanya Chutkan is an early blow to efforts by a group

By Zachary Cohen, Alayna Treene and Hadas Gold, CNN (CNN) — The Trump administration has quietly fired multiple members of the “privacy team” and other officials from the office that oversees the hiring of federal workers, a move that limits outside access to government records related to the security clearances granted to Elon Musk and

By Jeff Zeleny and Kevin Liptak, CNN Palm Beach, Florida (CNN) — As President Donald Trump orders federal workers to return to the office, he spent the fourth straight day at home here at his Mar-a-Lago resort. The president arrived at the Trump International Golf Course on Tuesday morning, just before 10 a.m. ET, following

By Katelyn Polantz, Jamie Gangel, Dana Bash and Ella Nilsen, CNN (CNN) — The top criminal prosecutor in the Washington, DC, US Attorney’s Office, Denise Cheung, resigned Tuesday after declining a request from her Trump-appointed superiors to open a grand jury investigation that she viewed as premature, according to multiple people familiar with the matter.

By Kara Scannell and Lauren del Valle, CNN (CNN) — The federal judge overseeing the corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams has scheduled a hearing Wednesday to consider the Justice Department’s controversial motion to dismiss the charges. This will be the first public face-off since seven federal prosecutors, including the interim US

By John Fritze, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump and top allies who have questioned the constitutionality of recent court orders blocking the administration’s agenda touted similar rulings by federal courts as “great news” and “brilliant” when they paused President Joe Biden’s policies. When a federal judge in Texas halted a Biden administration pause on

CNN By Gloria Pazmino and Mark Morales, CNN (CNN) — Four top deputies in Eric Adams’ administration submitted their resignations Monday, in the latest sign of the New York City mayor’s cratering support among rank-and-file workers and the city’s elected officials. Maria Torres-Springer, first deputy mayor; Anne Williams-Isom, deputy mayor for health and human services;

By Associated Press (AP) — The Social Security Administration’s acting commissioner has stepped down from her role at the agency over Department of Government Efficiency requests to access Social Security recipient information, according to two people familiar with the official’s departure who were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. Acting Commissioner Michelle King’s departure

By Kevin Liptak and Jeff Zeleny, CNN (CNN) — As President Donald Trump presses ahead with his attempt to end the war in Ukraine, he is leaning on an old ally: Saudi Arabia’s powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose success in mediating an end to the conflict could deepen his already warm ties to

By Gloria Pazmino and Mark Morales, CNN (CNN) — Four top deputies in Eric Adams’ administration submitted their resignations Monday, in the latest sign of the New York City mayor’s cratering support among rank-and-file workers and the city’s elected officials. Maria Torres-Springer, first deputy mayor; Anne Williams-Isom, deputy mayor for health and human services; Meera

CNN Editorial Research (CNN) — Here’s a look at the life of hedge fund executive and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Personal Birth date: August 21, 1962 Birth place: Conway, South Carolina Birth name: Scott Kenneth Homer Bessent Father: Homer Gaston Bessent Jr., real estate developer Mother: Barbara McLeod Bessent Marriage: John Freeman (2011-present) Children: Cole

By John Fritze, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump is heading to the Supreme Court for the first time in his second term, using an emergency appeal to call on the justices to let him fire the head of a government ethics watchdog agency. The case, Bessent v. Dellinger, could eventually help clarify whether Congress

By Alayna Treene and David Goldman, CNN (CNN) — Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency is seeking access to the Internal Revenue Service’s highly sensitive taxpayer data system, a source familiar with the move told CNN. The IRS, which contains private data on millions of Americans’ tax returns, Social Security numbers and banking information, is

By Jeff Zeleny and Kevin Liptak, CNN Washington (CNN) — Joe Biden left the White House nearly a month ago, but he’s never far from Donald Trump’s mind. The former president has been a recurring punchline – and punching bag – in nearly every appearance Trump has made since returning to power. With Republicans in

By Curt Devine, Majlie de Puy Kamp and Audrey Ash, CNN (CNN) — Canceled meetings, blocked webpages and limited updates on life-threatening diseases spreading across the country. These are some of the real-world implications caused by the vague and sweeping mandates President Donald Trump’s administration has imposed on federal health agencies in recent weeks amid

By Edward-Isaac Dovere and Gloria Pazmino, CNN New York (CNN) — Eric Adams has united Democrats in New York City. From across the boroughs and otherwise warring ideological factions, there is widespread agreement that the mayor has little to no chance of winning the Democratic primary in June — and that he shouldn’t even try.

By Pete Muntean, CNN (CNN) — The Trump administration has started firing hundreds of Federal Aviation Administration probationary employees who maintain critical air traffic control infrastructure, according to their union. An exact number of firings is not yet known, but the head of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, AFL-CIO, said that “several hundred” workers started

CNN By Betsy Klein, Katelyn Polantz and Zachary Cohen, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump on Saturday offered a cryptic, one-sentence insight into what appears to be the guiding philosophy behind the first weeks of his presidency — and his expansive and unprecedented efforts to reshape the use of executive authority. “He who saves his

By Betsy Klein, Katelyn Polantz and Zachary Cohen, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump on Saturday offered a cryptic, one-sentence insight into what appears to be the guiding philosophy behind the first weeks of his presidency — and his expansive and unprecedented efforts to reshape the use of executive authority. “He who saves his Country

By Aileen Graef and Isabelle D’Antonio, CNN (CNN) — The Department of Education sent a “Dear Colleague” letter Friday threatening the federal funding of any academic institution that considers race in most aspects of student life. The letter — geared toward all preschool, elementary, secondary and postsecondary educational institutions, as well as state educational agencies

By John Fritze, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump will ask the Supreme Court to allow him to fire the head of a government ethics watchdog agency in the first appeal from his litigious second term to reach the nation’s highest court. At the center of the appeal is Hampton Dellinger, who leads the Office

By Arit John, CNN (CNN) — In his nearly four weeks in office, President Donald Trump has unveiled a constant stream of policy priorities in quick succession, from shrinking government, to cutting taxes, to waging a war on diversity initiatives, illegal immigration and transgender rights. His allies in the states are rushing to keep up.

By Steve Contorno and Alayna Treene, CNN (CNN) — Through blunt conversations and terse texting exchanges, Steve Bannon, the populist strategist and nationalist firebrand, tries to keep tabs on the inner workings of the White House. His inquiries fan out across the top rungs of President Donald Trump’s administration, and one official said they often

By Edward-Isaac Dovere, CNN (CNN) — Amid Democrats’ shock and bickering over how much to respond to President Donald Trump is a deeper question rippling through leaders across the Capitol and across the country: How much should they rely on the same institutional and procedural maneuvers they used during the first Trump term, and how

By Betsy Klein, Samantha Waldenberg, Jennifer Hansler and Mariya Knight, CNN (CNN) — Top Trump administration officials are set to meet with senior Russian officials to begin talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, according to multiple sources. National security adviser Mike Waltz, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff

By Zachary B. Wolf, CNN Washington (CNN) — When we asked you, readers of CNN.com and the What Matters newsletter, for your questions about the whirlwind of news that has been Trump 2.0, thousands rolled in. I’ve taken a sampling of the questions and either tried to answer them or gotten input from CNN reporters

By Tierney Sneed and Katelyn Polantz, CNN (CNN) — “I don’t know.” That’s the answer that Justice Department attorneys, when asked basic questions by judges about President Donald Trump’s dramatic overhaul of the federal government, have been forced to offer in multiple court hearings as the legal challenges move at lightning speed. The government attorneys

By Sean Lyngaas, CNN (CNN) — In less than a month in office the Trump administration has simultaneously dismantled foreign aid programs that support fragile democracies abroad and put on leave federal workers who protect US elections at home in a move that current and former officials say abandons decades of American commitments to democracy.

By Eric Bradner and Lauren Fox, CNN (CNN) — Sen. Mitch McConnell was a generational force for the Republican Party — using procedural tactics and political will to stymie much of former President Barack Obama’s agenda, hand President Donald Trump key first-term political victories and deliver a 6-3 conservative Supreme Court majority. Now he’s the

By Jamie Gangel, CNN (CNN) — The Trump administration is forcing out senior leadership at the National Archives and Records Administration in a major shakeup, according to a source familiar. President Donald Trump has been highly critical of the archives since the agency asked the Department of Justice to investigate Trump’s mishandling of classified documents

By Priscilla Alvarez and Gabe Cohen, CNN (CNN) — One week into the Trump administration, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem issued a directive that the Federal Emergency Management Agency should stop sending money to non-governmental organizations that she characterized as helping “illegal aliens.” But the memo didn’t address money that flowed to state and local

By Kara Scannell, Evan Perez, Hannah Rabinowitz and Jeremy Herb, CNN (CNN) — The morning after the mass resignation of prosecutors sparked a crisis inside the Trump Justice Department, acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove led a meeting with the Justice Department’s public integrity section. His message: They had to choose one career lawyer to

CNN Editorial Research (CNN) — Here’s a look at the life of Jon Huntsman, former Utah Governor and 2012 Republican presidential candidate. Personal Birth date: March 26, 1960 Birth place: Palo Alto, California Birth name: Jon Meade Huntsman Jr. Father: Jon Meade Huntsman Sr., billionaire chemical magnate Mother: Karen (Haight) Huntsman Marriage: Mary Kaye Cooper

CNN By Andrew Torgan and Daniel Wine, CNN (CNN) — Could a hit TV show with a catchy theme transform an entire industry? “The Love Boat,” which has been described as “the greatest product placement” ever, is arguably the catalyst for the modern cruising boom and the massive ships that invite you to “come aboard

By Hannah Rabinowitz, Kara Scannell and Evan Perez, CNN (CNN) — A federal prosecutor assigned to the corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams resigned Friday in a blistering letter that accused top leaders at the Justice Department of looking for a “fool” to dismiss the criminal charges. The attorney, Hagan Scotten, is

By Hannah Rabinowitz, Evan Perez and Paula Reid, CNN (CNN) — The Trump administration has gutted the federal government’s ability to fight public corruption in a matter of weeks. Since Inauguration Day, the Justice Department has paused all investigations into corporate foreign bribery, curtailed enforcement of a foreign agent registration law and deemphasized the criminal

By Kevin Liptak, CNN (CNN) — The swift succession of dignitaries visiting President Donald Trump in the Oval Office over the past two weeks well exceeds the start of most recent presidencies — with only his first administration as the exception. The meetings so far have not resulted in major new announcements, as is sometimes

By Marshall Cohen, CNN (CNN) — After accruing immense governmental power over the past month, tech billionaire Elon Musk got his biggest boost yet this week when President Donald Trump signed an executive order giving him broad authorities over the hiring and firing of federal workers. Musk heads into the weekend not only as the

By Tami Luhby, Rene Marsh, Matt Egan and Sean Lyngaas, CNN (CNN) — The Trump administration broadened its effort to terminate thousands of probationary workers on Thursday, instructing agencies on a call to move forward with the layoffs. Officials have set their sights on probationary workers, who have typically been employed for less than a

By Jessie Yeung, CNN (CNN) — Vice President JD Vance warned on Thursday that the United States could hit Russia with economic and military “tools of leverage” if Russian leader Vladimir Putin doesn’t negotiate a peace deal with Ukraine in good faith. Speaking to the Wall Street Journal on Thursday, Vance said the option of

By Pamela Brown, CNN (CNN) — At least one member of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency team visited the Internal Revenue Service offices in Washington on Thursday as part of its mission to evaluate and potentially downsize government agencies, two people familiar with the matter told CNN. The DOGE member, Gavin Kliger, made a

By Kaanita Iyer, CNN (CNN) — Danielle Sassoon, who resigned from her position as Manhattan’s top federal prosecutor, oversaw all investigations into federal crimes in the Southern District of New York, including the corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams that the Trump administration has directed be dropped. Sassoon, the acting US attorney

CNN By Hannah Rabinowitz, Kara Scannell and Evan Perez, CNN (CNN) — A federal prosecutor assigned to the corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams resigned Friday in a blistering letter that accused top leaders at the Justice Department of looking for a “fool” to dismiss the criminal charges. The attorney, Hagan Scotten,

By CNN staff (CNN) — The acting US attorney for the Southern District of New York, Danielle Sassoon, resigned from her position in a letter to the attorney general. Sassoon’s letter ripped into the Justice Department over the decision to drop criminal charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil

By Zachary Cohen, Jeremy Herb and Alex Marquardt, CNN (CNN) — US intelligence agencies recently warned both the Biden and Trump administrations that Israel will likely attempt to strike facilities key to Iran’s nuclear program this year, according to sources familiar with the assessments. Israel’s willingness to use military force runs counter to President Donald

By Daniel Dale and Natasha Bertrand, CNN Washington (CNN) — President Donald Trump and ally Elon Musk are misleadingly depicting a Pentagon defense contract that was awarded during Trump’s first presidency. The $9.1 million contract was awarded to Thomson Reuters Special Services, a company that provides “data-driven solutions” to the federal government and other clients,

By Kara Scannell, Evan Perez, Hannah Rabinowitz and Jeremy Herb, CNN New York (CNN) — Three senior Justice Department officials in New York and Washington resigned Thursday instead of complying with orders from the Trump administration to dismiss the corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. The flurry of resignations in protest represents

By Katelyn Polantz and Devan Cole, CNN (CNN) — A federal judge has extended the pause on the Trump administration’s dismantling of USAID for another week after an extensive hearing Thursday. The case is one of the most significant early tests of President Donald Trump’s power to reduce the federal workforce and shutter an agency.

By David Wright, CNN (CNN) — Minnesota’s Democratic Sen. Tina Smith announced Thursday that she will not seek reelection in 2026, a decision that could spark a competitive Democratic primary as the party faces a challenging Senate map next year. “I’ve decided not to run for re-election to the Senate in 2026,” Smith wrote on

By Matt Stiles, CNN (CNN) — The US Senate on Thursday voted to approve Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, clearing the way for one of President Donald Trump’s more controversial Cabinet appointments. The vote split mostly on along party lines, with 52 Republicans supporting the

CNN Editorial Research (CNN) — Here’s a look at the life of Democratic US Senator and 2020 presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren. Personal Birth date: June 22, 1949 Birth place: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Birth name: Elizabeth Ann Herring Father: Donald Herring, salesman and maintenance man Mother: Pauline (Reed) Herring, department store worker Marriages: Bruce Mann (July

CNN Editorial Research (CNN) — Here is a look at the life of former US Attorney General Pam Bondi. Personal Birth date: November 17, 1965 Birth place: Tampa, Florida Birth name: Pamela Jo Bondi Father: Joseph Bondi, educator Mother: Patsy (Hammer) Bondi Marriages: Scott Fitzgerald (1997-2002, divorced); Garret Barnes, (1990-1992, divorced) Education: University of Florida,

By Priscilla Alvarez and Haley Britzky, CNN Washington (CNN) — Officials at the Department of Homeland Security and the Defense Department are racing to set up multiple tent facilities in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to house thousands of migrants, but the scattered efforts have prompted questions internally about who’s in charge and what will happen once

By Jeremy Herb, Ella Nilsen, Rene Marsh and Priscilla Alvarez, CNN (CNN) — Federal agencies across Washington are finding ways to keep funding frozen even after judges last month temporarily blocked the White House’s effort to pause trillions of dollars in federal assistance. FEMA has clawed back $80 million intended to help New York City

By John Fritze, CNN (CNN) — Even though most Americans don’t like some of the Supreme Court’s highest-profile recent decisions, a new poll Thursday found that a vast majority believe presidents must still honor them. Eighty-three percent of Americans believe a president is required to follow the Supreme Court’s rulings, according to a Marquette Law

CNN By Rene Marsh and Tami Luhby, CNN (CNN) — Scores of firings have begun at federal agencies, with terminations of probationary employees underway at the Department of Education and the Small Business Administration, federal employees and union sources told CNN Wednesday. The firings mark the first from the Trump administration as President Donald Trump

By Rene Marsh and Tami Luhby, CNN (CNN) — Scores of firings have begun at federal agencies, with terminations of probationary employees underway at the Department of Education and the Small Business Administration, federal employees and union sources told CNN on Wednesday. The probationary employee firings mark the first from the Trump administration as President

CNN By Jake Tapper, Pamela Brown, Piper Hudspeth Blackburn and Betsy Klein, CNN (CNN) — The newly constituted board of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has elected President Donald Trump as its chairman. “It is a Great Honor to be Chairman of The Kennedy Center, especially with this amazing Board of Trustees. We

By Paula Reid, Tami Luhby and Devan Cole, CNN (CNN) — A federal judge in Boston on Wednesday allowed the Trump administration to move forward for the moment with its deferred resignation offer for federal employees. US District Judge George O’Toole said federal employee unions, which brought a lawsuit on behalf of their members, are

By Kaanita Iyer, CNN (CNN) — US Agency for International Development employees this week recounted the panic they experienced in the days after they were ordered to return from their assignments in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Several employees, as part of a lawsuit filed Tuesday by a group representing the agency’s foreign service members,

By Sarah Ferris, Manu Raju and Ali Main, CNN Washington (CNN) — Speaker Mike Johnson’s budget plan is in trouble as multiple GOP hardliners seek last-minute changes that could risk support from the party’s centrist middle — jeopardizing leadership’s plans to kickstart President Donald Trump’s agenda in Congress. Just hours after the House GOP’s compromise

Analysis by Zachary B. Wolf, CNN (CNN) — The Mack truck Elon Musk and President Donald Trump are driving through the government as we know it is fueled by some stories that aren’t true, but fester anyway. Justifying their plan to gut the federal workforce and slash government spending, Musk and Trump told tales on

By Daniel Dale, CNN Washington (CNN) — President Donald Trump keeps making false claims about not only the 2020 election he lost but the 2024 election he won. When a Fox News anchor noted to Trump, in an interview segment that aired Monday, that Vice President Kamala Harris received 75 million votes in the 2024

By Jake Tapper, Pamela Brown, Piper Hudspeth Blackburn and Betsy Klein, CNN (CNN) — The newly constituted board of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has elected President Donald Trump as its chairman. “It is a Great Honor to be Chairman of The Kennedy Center, especially with this amazing Board of Trustees. We will

CNN By Morgan Rimmer and Katie Bo Lillis, CNN Washington (CNN) — The Senate voted Wednesday to confirm former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence, a major win for President Donald Trump as Gabbard had been among the most controversial of his Cabinet picks. The vote was 52-48 mostly along party lines,

CNN By Kaitlan Collins and Kevin Liptak, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump said negotiations to end the Ukraine war will start “immediately” after holding a “lengthy and highly productive” telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday morning. The call, which is the first known conversation between the presidents since Trump assumed office

By Kaitlan Collins and Kevin Liptak, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump said negotiations to end the Ukraine war will start “immediately” after holding a “lengthy and highly productive” telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday morning. The call, which is the first known conversation between the presidents since Trump assumed office last

By Morgan Rimmer and Katie Bo Lillis, CNN Washington (CNN) — The Senate voted Wednesday to confirm former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence, a major win for President Donald Trump as Gabbard had been among the most controversial of his Cabinet picks. The vote was 52-48 mostly along party lines, though

By Tami Luhby, CNN (CNN) — The next stage of the Trump administration’s efforts to slash the federal workforce is underway. Agency leaders have been told to begin preparations for large-scale layoffs, known as reductions in force, or RIFs, under an executive order President Donald Trump signed Tuesday. They will work with Elon Musk’s Department

By Katelyn Polantz and Manu Raju, CNN (CNN) — Eight inspectors general whom Donald Trump fired from their federal agency watchdog posts are suing for their jobs back, adding to the legal scrutiny over Trump’s first weeks of decisions in the White House and raising questions about his political intentions. They say that Trump shouldn’t

By Daniel Dale, CNN Washington (CNN) — Elon Musk acknowledged Tuesday that there might not have been a federal plan to spend $50 million on condoms for Gaza — two weeks after the White House press secretary told the false story at an official briefing and more than a week after the president baselessly doubled

CNN Analysis by Clare Sebastian, CNN (CNN) — Wednesday’s meeting at the NATO headquarters in Brussels was, on paper, about coordinating military aid for Ukraine and welcoming the new US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth into the international fold. In practice, it was a day that saw the Trump administration upend the alliance’s approach to

By Natasha Bertrand, Clare Sebastian and Haley Britzky, CNN Brussels (CNN) — US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday that the war between Ukraine and Russia “must end,” that Kyiv joining NATO is unrealistic and that the US will no longer prioritize European and Ukrainian security as the Trump administration shifts its attention

By John Fritze, CNN (CNN) — Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor said Tuesday that she has faith federal court orders will be honored in the United States amid a roiling debate over President Donald Trump’s commitment to following judicial rulings that have put some of his policies on hold. “Court decisions stand,” the high court’s

By Devan Cole and John Fritze, CNN (CNN) — Recent court orders slowing down or indefinitely blocking President Donald Trump’s policy blitz have raised the specter that the executive branch might openly flout the federal judiciary and prompted questions about how judges would respond. Any decision by the administration to defy federal courts would immediately

CNN By John Fritze, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump’s purge at independent agencies is putting a target on a nearly 100-year-old Supreme Court precedent that protects certain officials from the political whims of the White House. Since taking office four weeks ago, Trump has rapidly fired a member of the National Labor Relations Board,

By John Fritze, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump’s purge at independent agencies is putting a target on a nearly 100-year-old Supreme Court precedent that protects certain officials from the political whims of the White House. Since taking office four weeks ago, Trump has rapidly fired a member of the National Labor Relations Board, two

CNN By Jennifer Hansler, Anna Chernova and Sean Lyngaas, CNN (CNN) — Accused Russian money launderer Alexander Vinnik is being released from US custody in exchange for Marc Fogel, a Trump administration source told CNN Wednesday. Vinnik is accused of running a multibillion-dollar cryptocurrency exchange that allegedly did business with drug dealers and identity thieves.

CNN By Kit Maher, Jennifer Hansler and Piper Hudspeth Blackburn, CNN (CNN) — Marc Fogel, an American teacher detained for more than three years in Russia, was welcomed back to the US by President Donald Trump on Tuesday night after the White House secured his release in an “exchange.” Fogel arrived at the White House

CNN By Alexandra Banner, CNN (CNN) — An American teacher who was wrongfully detained in Russia is back on US soil after the White House secured his release in an “exchange.” Learn more about Marc Fogel, who was arrested in 2021 at a Moscow airport for carrying cannabis and given a 14-year sentence at a

CNN By Kevin Liptak, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump made no attempt Tuesday to soften his proposal to relocate Palestinians in Gaza and redevelop the land into premium housing, even as his guest in the Oval Office, King Abdullah II of Jordan, suggested the Arab world was opposed. Trump repeated his view that Palestinians

By Kevin Liptak, Jeff Zeleny and Tami Luhby, CNN (CNN) — Elon Musk, the world’s richest man who is now leading a sweeping effort to reshape the federal government, offered the most sustained defense of his far-reaching moves during a question-and-answer session in the Oval Office late Tuesday. As President Donald Trump watched from his

By Jennifer Hansler, CNN (CNN) — The inspector general of the US Agency for International Development was fired on Tuesday, a day after his office released a report critical of the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the agency, a source familiar with the matter told CNN. Paul Martin was informed by an email from the

By Hannah Rabinowitz, CNN (CNN) — The top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee is alleging that Kash Patel, President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the FBI, is “personally directing the ongoing purge” of bureau employees. In a letter to the Justice Department’s inspector general Tuesday, Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin said that he had received

By Sarah Ferris, CNN Washington (CNN) — As Rep. Nancy Mace prepared to speak, she took out a Bible and — as if she were in a courtroom, instead of on the House floor — she placed her right hand and swore to tell the “whole truth.” The South Carolina congresswoman then delivered a damning

CNN By Annie Grayer, CNN Washington (CNN) — Congressional Republicans are publicly projecting that they’re in lockstep with the way President Donald Trump and Elon Musk are attempting to slash the federal workforce. But under the surface, some GOP lawmakers are growing concerned by the effort to usurp Congress’ control of the federal purse strings.

By Priscilla Alvarez and Gloria Pazmino, CNN (CNN) — The Department of Homeland Security announced Tuesday that it fired four Federal Emergency Management Agency officials over payments provided to New York City to house migrants, arguing without evidence that the officials circumvented leadership. The firings come after Elon Musk, who’s running President Donald Trump’s Department

By Zachary Wolf, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump has barreled into his second term. Elon Musk has been given power to try to remake the US government and Trump is using executive power in unique new ways to challenge how Americans view the US Constitution. Let us know your questions below about Trump’s moves

CNN By Katelyn Polantz, Tierney Sneed and Jeremy Herb, CNN (CNN) — Among dozens of court cases challenging President Donald Trump’s policies, one case this week has moved faster than most. In less than 24 hours, the American medical community and dozens of universities secured an early win in blocking the Trump administration’s effort to

By Katelyn Polantz, Tierney Sneed and Jeremy Herb, CNN (CNN) — Among dozens of court cases challenging President Donald Trump’s policies, one case this week has moved faster than most. In less than 24 hours, the American medical community and dozens of universities secured an early win in blocking the Trump administration’s effort to cut

By Kit Maher, Jennifer Hansler and Piper Hudspeth Blackburn, CNN (CNN) — Marc Fogel, an American teacher detained for more than three years in Russia, was welcomed back to the US by President Donald Trump on Tuesday night after the White House secured his release in an “exchange.” Fogel arrived at the White House late

By Tierney Sneed, CNN (CNN) — A federal judge on Tuesday ordered the Trump administration to restore certain public health webpages and datasets that federal health agencies had wiped from the internet in recent days. The new temporary restraining order from Judge John Bates came in a legal challenge brought by a doctors’ group that

By Kara Scannell, CNN New York (CNN) — Conservative firebrand Steve Bannon pleaded guilty to defrauding donors in a fundraising effort to build a wall along the southern US border in a deal that allowed him to avoid prison. Bannon pleaded guilty to one state felony count of a scheme to defraud in the first

By Veronica Stracqualursi and Jamie Gangel, CNN Washington (CNN) — The FBI has discovered about 2,400 new records related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy from a new records search following an executive order from President Donald Trump. The FBI said in a statement Monday that it performed a new search of records

By Katelyn Polantz and Veronica Stracqualursi, CNN (CNN) — The Trump administration’s effort to cut back on federal funding for the National Institutes of Health for research programs at universities and medical systems has been blocked nationwide. On Monday, lawyers representing dozens of research institutions told Judge Angel Kelley of the federal district court of

By Hannah Rabinowitz, Evan Perez, Paula Reid and Katelyn Polantz, CNN (CNN) — On January 6, 2021, Emil Bove sat in lower Manhattan, watching on television as a pro-Trump mob invaded the US Capitol, violently attacking police and temporarily causing Congress to suspend its certification of Joe Biden’s electoral victory. Bove at the time helped

By Annie Grayer, CNN Washington (CNN) — Congressional Republicans are publicly projecting that they’re in lockstep with the way President Donald Trump and Elon Musk are attempting to slash the federal workforce. But under the surface, some GOP lawmakers are growing concerned by the effort to usurp Congress’ control of the federal purse strings. And