Politics

By MJ Lee, CNN (CNN) — President Joe Biden announced Thursday that he is commuting the sentences of some 1,500 individuals and pardoning 39 people convicted of non-violent crimes – marking a broad use of the presidential clemency power just weeks from the end of Biden’s administration. White House officials are billing Thursday’s move as

By Betsy Klein, CNN (CNN) — First lady Jill Biden is looking to a post-White House future building on work she began while in office to shine a light on women’s health, a chronically underfunded and under-researched space – and one impacting half the population. At a White House event Wednesday, geneticist Dr. Marlena Fejzo

By Arit John, CNN (CNN) — Republicans in the North Carolina House pushed through a measure restricting the powers of the incoming governor and other Democrats, overriding outgoing Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto. The bill passed with 72 members voting for the override and 46 against. Three House Republicans who opposed the measure last month

By Natasha Bertrand, Katie Bo Lillis and Nechirvan Mando, CNN (CNN) — The US’ key anti-ISIS partners in Syria said on Wednesday that the ISIS detention facilities they guard are coming under attack and that they have been forced to halt anti-ISIS operations, complicating the US military’s efforts to prevent the terror group from reconstituting

By John Fritze and Katelyn Polantz, CNN (CNN) — William J. Hennessy Jr., a veteran sketch artist who gave Americans striking views from inside courtrooms during some of the nation’s most important legal dramas, died on Monday. From the Supreme Court to high-profile criminal trials to the Senate chamber during President Donald Trump’s impeachment in

By Samantha Waldenberg and Betsy Klein, CNN Washington (CNN) — One of President Joe Biden’s former top communications advisers ravaged the president’s messaging rollout strategy around his decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden, lambasting the situation as “exceptionally poor timing” in a major public rebuke of her former boss. “In the middle of a

CNN By Evan Perez and Holmes Lybrand, CNN (CNN) — FBI Director Chris Wray will resign at the end of the Biden administration, the agency said Wednesday, as it became clear he would be forced out by President-elect Donald Trump. Trump, who originally nominated Wray after firing the previous FBI director, previously announced he will

By Steve Contorno and Kristen Holmes, CNN (CNN) — Donald Trump once publicly speculated that Time would never name him the news magazine’s “Person of the Year.” Now, the honor has been bestowed on him twice. Time on Thursday named Trump as this year’s choice, recognizing the president-elect as the individual or group deemed to

By Evan Perez and Holmes Lybrand, CNN (CNN) — FBI Director Chris Wray will resign at the end of the Biden administration, the agency said Wednesday, as it became clear he would be forced out by President-elect Donald Trump. Trump, who originally nominated Wray after firing the previous FBI director, previously announced he will nominate

By Jennifer Agiesta, CNN (CNN) — Most Americans expect President-elect Donald Trump to do a good job upon his return to the White House next month (54%) and a majority approves of how he’s handling the presidential transition so far (55%), according to a new CNN Poll conducted by SSRS. Trump won the presidency last

By Edward-Isaac Dovere, CNN Los Angeles (CNN) — Diplomatic and depressed as they have been in public, a small group of Democratic governors are deep into behind-the-scenes preparations and deliberations over how to balance the politics of pushing back on what they are expecting from President-elect Donald Trump’s next turn in the White House. Since

By Annie Grayer, Clare Foran and Haley Talbot, CNN Washington (CNN) — The House voted on Wednesday to pass a critical defense policy bill known as the National Defense Authorization Act, which includes a ban against gender-affirming care for some transgender children that further inflamed the politics around the must-pass piece of legislation. The legislation,

By Priscilla Alvarez, CNN Washington (CNN) — President Joe Biden is facing mounting pressure from Democratic lawmakers and allies to extend protections to immigrants in the United States amid party fears over President-elect Donald Trump’s promise of mass deportations. Behind the scenes, senior Biden administration officials are wrestling with what, if anything, more can be

By Paula Reid, Devan Cole, Katelyn Polantz and Casey Gannon, CNN (CNN) — President-elect Donald Trump’s Justice Department is preparing to go on the anti-“woke” offensive against diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives that have been a cause célèbre of the right, two sources familiar with the incoming administration’s plans told CNN. Trump’s pick to lead

By Alayna Treene, Kristen Holmes and Steve Contorno, CNN (CNN) — The epicenter of Donald Trump’s transition is gradually shifting from south Florida to Washington, DC, to prepare for the president-elect’s return to the country’s seat of power, even as he prefers to bask in the afterglow of his electoral triumph from Mar-a-Lago. Key allies

By Brian Rokus and Rashard Rose, CNN (CNN) — US Capitol Police arrested a person who Rep. Nancy Mace said “physically accosted” her Tuesday, the South Carolina Republican said in a post on X. “I was physically accosted tonight on Capitol grounds over my fight to protect women. Capitol police have arrested him. All the

By Rashard Rose, CNN (CNN) — President-elect Donald Trump has selected Andrew Ferguson as his choice for Federal Trade Commission chair. “Andrew has a proven record of standing up to Big Tech censorship, and protecting Freedom of Speech in our Great Country,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social on Tuesday. Ferguson serves as

By Kristen Holmes, CNN (CNN) — President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday named former Fox News personality Kimberly Guilfoyle as his pick to be the US ambassador to Greece. “For many years, Kimberly has been a close friend and ally. Her extensive experience and leadership in law, media, and politics along with her sharp intellect make

By Clare Foran and Brian Stelter, CNN Washington (CNN) — Senate Republicans on Tuesday blocked an effort by Democrats to pass a bipartisan bill that would give journalists greater protections under federal law – a move that comes in the wake of President-elect Donald Trump opposing the measure. Trump called on Republicans to “kill this

CNN By Clare Foran, Manu Raju, Morgan Rimmer and Ted Barrett, CNN (CNN) — GOP Senate Leader Mitch McConnell tripped on Tuesday, spraining his wrist and sustaining “a minor cut to the face,” his office said in a statement. The incident is the latest in a high-profile string of health issues for the 82-year-old Kentucky

By Jennifer Hansler and Katie Bo Lillis, CNN (CNN) — The US government is rushing to uncover new information on the whereabouts of Austin Tice following the collapse of the Syrian government this weekend. The stunning fall of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime presents an opportunity to try to gather fresh intelligence about the American journalist

By Tierney Sneed, CNN (CNN) — President Joe Biden and key Democrats have come out against a once broadly bipartisan bill that would create 63 new permanent judgeships now that President-elect Donald Trump would be the one to fill 22 of them. The White House said Tuesday that Biden would veto the bill – passed

By John Fritze, CNN (CNN) — The Supreme Court appeared poised Tuesday to significantly weaken the scope of environmental reviews of major infrastructure projects in a case that could hand President-elect Donald Trump an early win on an issue he often hammered on during his first term. If the court backs the plan to build

By Clare Foran, Manu Raju, Morgan Rimmer and Ted Barrett, CNN (CNN) — GOP Senate Leader Mitch McConnell tripped on Tuesday, spraining his wrist and sustaining “a minor cut to the face,” his office said in a statement. The incident is the latest in a high-profile string of health issues for the 82-year-old Kentucky Republican.

By Kara Scannell, Jeremy Herb and Lauren del Valle, CNN (CNN) — The New York attorney general and the Manhattan district attorney both said Tuesday they will not dismiss their historic cases against Donald Trump now that he’s been reelected president. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, argued in a filing made public Tuesday

By Hannah Rabinowitz, Evan Perez and Katelyn Polantz, CNN (CNN) — The Justice Department secretly obtained phone records from two members of Congress and 43 staffers – including Kash Patel, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the FBI – during sweeping leak investigations during Trump’s first term, according to a watchdog report released Tuesday. The

By Kaanita Iyer, CNN (CNN) — Ketanji Brown Jackson is set to fulfill another one of her life’s goals. The first Black woman to sit on the Supreme Court is set to appear in a Broadway show on Saturday when she takes the stage in a one-night performance in “& Juliet.” It’s a walk-on role

By Marshall Cohen and Zachary Cohen, CNN (CNN) — Donald Trump derailed his 2020 election subversion indictments by winning back the White House, but dozens of his allies still face state criminal prosecutions that he, even as president, can’t shut down through his Justice Department or short-circuit with pardons. Since the election, Democratic prosecutors in Georgia,

By Alex Marquardt, MJ Lee, Jennifer Hansler and Kristen Holmes, CNN (CNN) — The Biden White House is working increasingly closely with officials from the incoming administration as it races to try to reach a ceasefire and hostage deal to halt the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas before Donald Trump is inaugurated on

By Jack Forrest, CNN (CNN) — Two former high-ranking Syrian intelligence officials have been charged with war crimes for allegedly torturing Americans and other civilians who were deemed enemies by the Syrian government and held in a military prison, the Department of Justice said Monday. US prosecutors say the two officials in former President Bashar

By Clare Foran, Manu Raju and Lauren Fox, CNN (CNN) — Top GOP senators on Monday signaled support for Donald Trump’s plan to oust the current FBI director in favor of firebrand loyalist Kash Patel, while keeping the door open for Pete Hegseth, who faces a slate of misconduct allegations, as the president-elect’s pick to

By Natasha Bertrand and Haley Britzky, CNN (CNN) — The US military is again pausing flights of it troubled V-22 Osprey fleet “to determine if any additional safety measures are necessary,” a Navy spokesperson said Monday. “Today, Naval Air Forces directed an operational pause for all U.S. Navy CMV-22B Ospreys following a recommendation from Naval

By Katelyn Polantz, CNN (CNN) — A judge has paused an ongoing lawsuit against Linda McMahon, Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Education Department, that accuses her and the company she once led, World Wrestling Entertainment, of failing to act on allegations of sex abuse of children who helped ringside at wrestling events in the

By John Fritze, CNN (CNN) — The Supreme Court declined Monday to hear an appeal from a group of parents who say their Wisconsin school district is hiding transgender support plans involving their children. Three conservatives said they would have heard the case: Justices Brett Kavanaugh, Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas. While the Supreme Court

By John Fritze, CNN (CNN) — The Supreme Court on Monday declined to decide whether three elite Boston public schools violated the Constitution with a zip-code based admissions policy intended to ensure racial diversity. The appeal landed at the high court more than a year after a landmark 6-3 ruling ended affirmative action at universities

By Colin McCullough, CNN (CNN) — Lara Trump said Sunday that she is stepping down as co-chair of the Republican National Committee. “The job I came to do is now complete and I intend to formally step down from the RNC at our next meeting,” Trump said in a post on X. Trump, the daughter-in-law

By Evan Perez, Zachary Cohen and Holmes Lybrand, CNN (CNN) — Years before he was Donald Trump’s pick to lead the FBI, Kash Patel was a midlevel Justice Department lawyer who once drew the ire of a Texas judge who described Patel as being precisely the kind of federal bureaucrat he has vowed to weed

CNN By Aaron Pellish, CNN (CNN) — President-elect Donald Trump in a television interview that aired Sunday previewed a sweeping agenda for his first days in office, outlining how his administration will prioritize deporting migrants with criminal records, vowing to pursue pardons for January 6 defendants on his first day, and raising the possibility that

By Betsy Klein, Aileen Graef, Kayla Tausche, Jack Forrest and Isabelle D’Antonio, CNN (CNN) — President Joe Biden on Sunday called the extraordinary fall of the Assad regime in Syria “a moment of risk” and “historic opportunity” while offering a blueprint for how the US plans to support the region. Speaking at the White House

By Daniel Dale, CNN Washington (CNN) — President-elect Donald Trump repeated numerous false claims during an interview that aired Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” – including his old lie that the US is the world’s only country with birthright citizenship. Trump reiterated his intention to try to end birthright citizenship, in which, under the

By Aaron Pellish, CNN (CNN) — President-elect Donald Trump in a television interview that aired Sunday previewed a sweeping agenda for his first days in office, outlining how his administration will prioritize deporting migrants with criminal records, vowing to pursue pardons for January 6 defendants on his first day, and raising the possibility that former

By Manu Raju, Sarah Ferris and Lauren Fox, CNN (CNN) — For more on the GOP agenda in the new Congress, watch CNN’s “Inside Politics Sunday with Manu Raju” this Sunday at 8 a.m. ET and 11 a.m ET. Republicans from Capitol Hill to the White House are battling internally over the basic tenets of

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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