Politics

CNN By Kevin Liptak, Michael Williams, Nikki Carvajal, Alayna Treene and Arlette Saenz, CNN Washington (CNN) — When Qatar’s prime minister emerged Wednesday to declare — at long last — that a ceasefire-for-hostage deal had been struck in Gaza, representatives for two American administrations were on hand in Doha to bask in the victory. The

By Kevin Liptak, Michael Williams, Nikki Carvajal, Alayna Treene and Arlette Saenz, CNN Washington (CNN) — When Qatar’s prime minister emerged Wednesday to declare — at long last — that a ceasefire-for-hostage deal had been struck in Gaza, representatives for two American administrations were on hand in Doha to bask in the victory. The cooperation

By Rene Marsh, Daniel Strauss and Alayna Treene, CNN (CNN) — President-elect Donald Trump has privately encouraged Vivek Ramaswamy to consider an appointment to the US Senate seat recently vacated by Vice President-elect JD Vance if offered the position by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, according to a source familiar with the discussions. Ramaswamy, a former

By John Fritze and Devan Cole, CNN (CNN) — A majority of the Supreme Court signaled Wednesday that Texas may be permitted to require some form of age verification for pornographic sites, but left open the possibility that deeper First Amendment questions may not be resolved immediately. After two hours of oral argument, the court’s

CNN By Jeremy Herb, CNN (CNN) — Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees for key roles in the intelligence, foreign policy and law enforcement agencies all pledged to keep politics out of their offices amid concerns from Democrats that the president-elect will carry out his vows to go after his political enemies once in office. Trump’s nominee

By Jeremy Herb, CNN (CNN) — Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees for key roles in the intelligence, foreign policy and law enforcement agencies all pledged to keep politics out of their offices amid concerns from Democrats that the president-elect will carry out his vows to go after his political enemies once in office. Trump’s nominee for

By Jennifer Agiesta, CNN (CNN) — President Joe Biden will leave office with his approval rating remaining at the lowest level of his term and his favorability rating close to his personal low, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS. Americans broadly view Biden’s four years in office more as a failure than

By Arlette Saenz, CNN Washington (CNN) — First lady Jill Biden expressed her disappointment with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a new interview with The Washington Post, providing rare public comments about the fractured relationship between her husband, Joe Biden, and Pelosi following the president’s departure from the 2024 race. “We were friends for

By Natasha Bertrand, CNN Washington (CNN) — The secrecy surrounding Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s hospitalizations in late 2023 and early 2024 “increased unnecessarily” the risks to US national security, the Pentagon’s inspector general concluded in a report released on Wednesday. The nearly year-long review — which the IG says examined more than 56 million

By Eric Bradner, CNN (CNN) — President-elect Donald Trump’s picks for attorney general, secretary of state and several other key Cabinet posts are set to appear in front of Senate committees Wednesday for high-stakes confirmation hearings. The hearings, five days before Trump takes office, come as the Republican-led Senate appears to be largely falling in

By Sean Lyngaas, Priscilla Alvarez and Kevin Liptak, CNN (CNN) — Some of President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks and top national security staff are expected to meet Wednesday with President Joe Biden’s National Security Council in the White House to walk through how the US government responds to a range of homeland security threats and

CNN By Kevin Liptak, CNN Washington (CNN) — Former first lady Michelle Obama will not attend Donald Trump’s inauguration next week, her office said Tuesday, without providing an explanation for her decision. “Former President Barack Obama is confirmed to attend the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies. Former First Lady Michelle Obama will not attend the upcoming inauguration,”

CNN By Jeremy Herb, CNN (CNN) — Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Pentagon, acknowledged Tuesday he is “not a perfect person” but was defiant in the face of multiple allegations surrounding his past conduct during a contentious confirmation hearing. Hegseth dismissed the allegation that he sexually assaulted a woman in 2017 as

CNN By Jeremy Herb, CNN (CNN) — Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Pentagon, acknowledged Tuesday he is “not a perfect person” but was defiant in the face of multiple allegations surrounding his past conduct during a contentious confirmation hearing. Hegseth dismissed the allegation that he sexually assaulted a woman in 2017 as

By Samantha Waldenberg and Alayna Treene, CNN (CNN) — There will be no pre-inaugural tour of the vice president’s residence for the incoming Vance family, two sources familiar with JD Vance’s plans told CNN, who noted he has not received an invitation to the residence from its current occupant, Vice President Kamala Harris. The nicety

By Jennifer Hansler, Samantha Waldenberg and Patrick Oppmann, CNN Washington (CNN) — The Biden administration announced Tuesday that it will remove Cuba from the state sponsor of terrorism list – a move taken in the twilight of the administration that is likely to be reversed by the incoming team. President Joe Biden will notify Congress