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A guide to Pete Hegseth’s confirmation hearing

CNN By Kaanita Iyer, CNN Washington (CNN) — Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Pentagon, will face a Senate panel Tuesday for his confirmation hearing as he is expected to be questioned over allegations ranging from sexual assault to excessive drinking in the workplace. Hegseth has denied all accusations and made several

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In deleted tweets, Trump’s incoming AI and crypto czar argued Trump Jan. 6 rhetoric not covered by First Amendment

By Andrew Kaczynski, CNN (CNN) — Tech-entrepreneur David Sacks, the incoming White House czar for AI and cryptocurrency, has a reputation for staunchly defending online free speech, including when he criticized tech companies for silencing conservative voices in the run-up to the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol. But there’s one person whose

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Special counsel report condemns Trump’s ‘criminal efforts to retain power’ in 2020

By Tierney Sneed, Marshall Cohen, Holmes Lybrand and Evan Perez, CNN (CNN) — Special counsel Jack Smith and his team believed they could have secured a conviction against Donald Trump over his attempt to subvert the 2020 election, according to a report released early Tuesday that details the president-elect’s “criminal efforts to retain power.” The

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US encounters European skepticism in last-ditch push to seize $300B in Russian assets for Ukraine leverage

By Kayla Tausche, Alex Marquardt, Jennifer Hansler and Oren Liebermann, CNN (CNN) — With just days left before handing over the keys to the US government, the Biden administration is making a last-ditch effort to seize hundreds of billions of dollars in Russian assets as future negotiating leverage for Ukraine, according to two senior administration

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Special counsel who investigated Hunter Biden criticizes President Biden in final report

By Marshall Cohen, CNN (CNN) — The Justice Department special counsel whose six-year case into Hunter Biden was short-circuited last month by the unconditional pardon President Joe Biden granted to his son, criticized the outgoing president in his final report Monday. Special counsel David Weiss chastised President Biden as part of the 280-page report for

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Newt Gingrich Fast Facts

CNN Editorial Research (CNN) — Here is a look at the life of former US House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Personal Birth date: June 17, 1943 Birth place: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Birth name: Newton Leroy McPherson; adopted at a young age by stepfather Robert Gingrich and took his last name Father: Newton C. McPherson, mechanic Mother: Kathleen

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Defense pick Pete Hegseth repeatedly criticized removing names of Confederate generals from US bases

By Andrew Kaczynski, CNN (CNN) — Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of defense, has voiced strong opposition to removing the names of Confederate generals from US military bases, repeatedly saying the names should be changed back. Hegseth, a National Guard veteran and longtime Fox News host, has described the renaming efforts as

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California Democrats get an early taste of new clashes with Trump as wildfires rage on

By Gregory Krieg, CNN (CNN) — President-elect Donald Trump launched a new round of criticism Sunday targeting Democrats over their efforts to tame the Southern California wildfires, ripping rival liberal leaders as “incompetent” witnesses to “one of the worst catastrophes in the history of our Country.” Trump’s Truth Social post is the latest in a

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Senate immigration bill aims to overturn Supreme Court precedent in a sea change for legal system, experts say

By Tierney Sneed, CNN (CNN) — Anti-immigrant state officials and federal judges would have new power to dictate immigration enforcement — including whether to detain individual migrants — under a GOP bill that has passed the House and is moving forward in the Senate with bipartisan support. The Laken Riley Act aims to overturn Supreme

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Trump’s Cabinet picks face tests of loyalty during upcoming confirmation hearings

By Steve Contorno, Lauren Fox and Ted Barrett, CNN (CNN) — Senate confirmation hearings set to begin this week are likely to reveal a defining trait uniting Donald Trump’s incoming Cabinet, regardless of their diverse political backgrounds and uneven qualifications: an unflinching allegiance to the president-elect. For weeks, Trump’s handpicked nominees have undergone rigorous preparations

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Special counsel Jack Smith has resigned

By Dan Berman, Katelyn Polantz and Tierney Sneed, CNN (CNN) — Special counsel Jack Smith has resigned from the Justice Department effective Friday, according to a court filing. The filing comes amid a legal fight to stop Attorney General Merrick Garland from releasing the special counsel’s report of his investigations into then-President Donald Trump’s efforts

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Trump border czar privately tempers Republican lawmaker expectations on administration’s initial deportation operation

By Annie Grayer, CNN (CNN) — President-elect Donald Trump’s border czar Tom Homan has privately told Republican lawmakers to temper their expectations for the incoming administration’s initial deportation operation, citing limited resources, according to multiple sources involved in the conversations. While Trump’s allies have floated measures to detain and deport people residing in the US

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More than a dozen states have passed new laws that led to restrictions on pornography. Now, the Supreme Court will weigh in

By Isabelle Chapman, Casey Tolan and Allison Morrow, CNN (CNN) — In Texas, Florida, and more than a dozen other states, users who try to access the world’s largest pornography website are greeted by a surprising sight: a message on a black screen telling them they’re blocked because of the actions of their state legislature.

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Biden slams Meta’s decision to get rid of fact-checking in wide-ranging Q-and-A with reporters

CNN By Samantha Waldenberg, Alejandra Jaramillo and Arlette Saenz, CNN Washington (CNN) — President Joe Biden said Friday that Meta’s decision to get rid of fact checkers and replace them with user-generated community notes is “really shameful” as he answered questions from reporters on a number of subjects following a speech on the economy. Biden

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Biden slams Meta’s decision to get rid of fact-checking in wide-ranging Q-and-A with reporters

By Samantha Waldenberg, Alejandra Jaramillo and Arlette Saenz, CNN Washington (CNN) — President Joe Biden said Friday that Meta’s decision to get rid of fact checkers and replace them with user-generated community notes is “really shameful” as he answered questions from reporters on a number of subjects following a speech on the economy. Biden appeared

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Supreme Court to review Obamacare’s no-cost coverage of cancer screenings, heart statins and HIV drugs

By Tierney Sneed and Tami Luhby, CNN (CNN) — The Supreme Court said Friday it will review the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act’s no-cost coverage mandates for certain preventive care services, putting the landmark health care law in front of the justices again just as President-elect Donald Trump – who tried to repeal the

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Federal judge slams Rudy Giuliani as ‘outrageous and shameful’ as she holds him in contempt in 2020 election defamation case

By Katelyn Polantz, CNN (CNN) — Rudy Giuliani has been held in contempt of court for the second time in a week, as the former New York mayor and top Donald Trump lawyer’s fall from grace continues because of the false information he spread after the 2020 election. District Judge Beryl Howell’s ruling Friday came

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New intelligence suggests ‘Havana Syndrome’ possibly caused by foreign weapon; overall assessment remains ‘very unlikely’

By Katie Bo Lillis and Alex Marquardt, CNN (CNN) — New intelligence has led two US intelligence agencies to conclude that it’s possible a small number of mysterious health ailments colloquially termed as Havana Syndrome impacting spies, soldiers and diplomats around the world may have been caused by a “novel weapon” wielded by a foreign

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Biden extends temporary deportation protections for nearly 1 million immigrants ahead of anticipated Trump crackdown

By Priscilla Alvarez, CNN Washington (CNN) — The Biden administration on Friday extended temporary deportation protections for hundreds of thousands of immigrants residing in the United States as communities brace for the incoming Trump administration. The relief – known as Temporary Protected Status – applies to people who would face extreme hardship if forced to

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Chinese hackers breached US government office that assesses foreign investments for national security risks

CNN By Sean Lyngaas, CNN (CNN) — Chinese hackers breached the US government office that reviews foreign investments for national security risks, three US officials familiar with the matter told CNN. The theft, which has not previously been reported, underscores Beijing’s keen interest in spying on a US government office that has broad powers to

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Trump Organization’s new ethics plan pledges Donald Trump will separate himself from his private business interests

By Fredreka Schouten, CNN (CNN) — The Trump Organization on Friday announced that President-elect Donald Trump will not have any involvement in managing his real estate and branding empire during his second term and appointed an outside ethics adviser to monitor major company actions – part of several measures the organization said it was taking

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Tulsi Gabbard changes tone on surveillance powers she once sought to dismantle

By Zachary Cohen and Katie Bo Lillis, CNN (CNN) — President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to serve as director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, is voicing support for a key government surveillance authority she once sought to dismantle. The shift comes amid lingering uncertainty about Gabbard’s path to confirmation despite her having spent the last several

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Biden admin imposes harsh sanctions on Russian oil industry to cut off funding for Ukraine war effort

By Jennifer Hansler and Matt Egan, CNN (CNN) — The Biden administration on Friday targeted Russia’s energy sector, including its oil industry, with some of its harshest sanctions to date meant to cut off funding for Moscow’s war against Ukraine. The sweeping moves, taken just over a week before President Joe Biden leaves office, come

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Chinese hackers breached US government office that assesses foreign investments for national security risks

By Sean Lyngaas, CNN (CNN) — Chinese hackers breached the US government office that reviews foreign investments for national security risks, three US officials familiar with the matter told CNN. The theft, which has not previously been reported, underscores Beijing’s keen interest in spying on a US government office that has broad powers to block

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5 things to know for Jan. 10: Los Angeles wildfires, Trump sentencing, TikTok ban, Immigration, Climate

CNN By Alexandra Banner, CNN (CNN) — Several iconic and beloved landmarks in Los Angeles have fallen victim to wildfires this week. Luckily, the Getty Villa museum in the Pacific Palisades narrowly escaped destruction, with fire prevention systems saving its priceless collection of Greek, Roman and Etruscan antiquities. Here’s what else you need to know

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Federal appeals court allows Garland to release special counsel’s final Trump report, but more legal fights expected first

By Tierney Sneed and Katelyn Polantz, CNN (CNN) — Special counsel Jack Smith’s report on his election subversion and January 6, 2021, investigation of Donald Trump can be made public, a federal appeals court ruled Thursday, while leaving in place a lower judge’s three-day hold that could give Trump time to ask the Supreme Court

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NATO takes control from US of air defenses in Poland crucial to supporting Ukraine days before Trump takes office

By Oren Liebermann and Natasha Bertrand, CNN (CNN) — NATO has taken over air defenses in Poland from the US just days before the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, according to a NATO spokesman, with questions looming about the incoming administration’s approach to the alliance and to Ukraine. NATO assumed command and control from the

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House passes International Criminal Court sanctions bill in response to Netanyahu warrant

By Clare Foran and Haley Talbot, CNN (CNN) — The House passed a bill on Thursday to sanction International Criminal Court officials – in response to the court issuing an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The ICC’s targeting of Netanyahu has sparked backlash from Republicans and Democrats in Congress. The GOP-led Senate

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Fact check: As wildfires rage, Trump lashes out with false claims about FEMA and California water policy

By Daniel Dale, CNN Washington (CNN) — Another natural disaster, another series of false claims from President-elect Donald Trump. For years, Trump has littered his statements on California wildfires and other disasters with inaccurate assertions. He did it again on Wednesday as wildfires raged in Los Angeles County. Here is a fact check. FEMA funding

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Eyes on US Supreme Court as NY’s highest court rejects Trump’s bid to postpone sentencing in hush money case

By Nicki Brown, Jeremy Herb, Kara Scannell, Lauren del Valle and John Fritze, CNN (CNN) — New York’s highest court on Thursday rejected President-elect Donald Trump’s bid to postpone his sentencing in the hush money case, leaving the US Supreme Court as his last chance to delay Friday’s scheduled hearing. Trump appealed to both the

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Garland tells Congress he plans to make Jack Smith report on Trump cases available once courts allow

By Katelyn Polantz, CNN (CNN) — Attorney General Merrick Garland told Congress he plans to make special counsel Jack Smith’s report on the cases against Donald Trump available to committee leaders and, ultimately, the public, once courts allow, marking the formal end of Smith’s office. Garland noted he believes even the part of the report

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Danish officials fear Trump is much more serious about acquiring Greenland than in first term

By Natasha Bertrand and Katie Bo Lillis, CNN (CNN) — When President-elect Donald Trump mused about buying Greenland from Denmark during his first administration, the Danish prime minister called the idea “absurd” and rebuffed him outright. Now, Danish officials are being warned by Trump allies and advisers that he is serious, multiple Danish officials told

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Trump says it ‘doesn’t matter’ whether Republicans use one or two bills to pass his agenda

By Sarah Ferris, Eric Bradner and Annie Grayer, CNN Washington (CNN) — President-elect Donald Trump stressed in a meeting with the Senate GOP on Wednesday that he wants to pass his agenda as urgently as possible, while downplaying divisions over specific strategy among Republican leaders on Capitol Hill. Inside the room, Trump delivered wide-ranging remarks

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Politics may have driven pre-election leak of Trump DOJ Covid nursing home probe, watchdog suggests

By Tierney Sneed, CNN (CNN) — Multiple senior officials in the Justice Department under the first Trump administration improperly leaked non-public details of inquiries into Covid-19 deaths at nursing homes in Democratic-led states, according to a newly-released inspector general report released following a CNN Freedom of Information Act request. The report expressed suspicions that the

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Gold-plated watches and electoral map sneakers: Trump’s newest merchandise raises conflict of interest questions

By Fredreka Schouten and Steve Contorno, CNN (CNN) — In the two months since the election, President-elect Donald Trump has urged his nearly 8.5 million followers on Truth Social to buy limited edition guitars that bear his signature and Trump-themed fragrances that “represent winning.” A $899 gold-plated inauguration edition was recently added to the line

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Garland asks court for permission to release special counsel report on Jan. 6 insurrection before Trump takes office

By Katelyn Polantz, CNN (CNN) — The Justice Department told a federal appeals court on Wednesday that Attorney General Merrick Garland intends to release the January 6-related volume of its final report of special counsel Jack Smith before Donald Trump takes office. However, Garland does not plan to publicly release the part of Smith’s report

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Senate GOP pushes for Gabbard hearing before inauguration, but Democrats resist setting date for next week

By Zachary Cohen, Katie Bo Lillis, Clare Foran and Ted Barrett, CNN Washington (CNN) — Senate Republicans are pushing to hold a confirmation hearing for Tulsi Gabbard before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, but Democrats are resisting setting a date for next week as the Intelligence Committee has not yet received key paperwork on the nomination,

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Pete Buttigieg Fast Facts

CNN Editorial Research (CNN) — Here’s a look at the life of Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and former 2020 Democratic presidential candidate. Personal Birth date: January 19, 1982 Birth place: South Bend, Indiana Birth name: Peter Paul Montgomery Buttigieg Father: Joseph A. Buttigieg, an English professor Mother: Anne

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GOP-led immigration legislation passes House in first bill of new Congress, but faces uncertain future in Senate

By Clare Foran and Haley Talbot, CNN Washington (CNN) — The House voted on Tuesday to pass a GOP-led bill to require detention of undocumented migrants charged with certain crimes, but the measure faces an uncertain future in the Senate in a sign of the challenges facing Republicans despite controlling both chambers of Congress. The

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Trump spent years trying to undermine Jack Smith. Now he wants to block special counsel’s final word

By Tierney Sneed and Katelyn Polantz, CNN (CNN) — District Judge Aileen Cannon on Tuesday blocked the public release of special counsel Jack Smith’s final report on his investigations into President-elect Donald Trump. The court fight that prompted Cannon’s order is the capstone of Trump’s yearslong assault on the institution of special counsels, and the

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Pentagon reaches settlement that could restore benefits to LGBTQ+ veterans discharged under ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’

By Haley Britzky, CNN (CNN) — Thousands of LGBTQ+ US military veterans who were discharged under the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy due to their sexuality could soon have an easier path to accessing more benefits for their service, according to a proposed legal settlement with the Pentagon. The settlement agreement comes from a legal

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