National Politics

By Natasha Bertrand, Kylie Atwood, Sean Lyngaas and Jennifer Hansler, CNN Russia refused to release Paul Whelan alongside Brittney Griner unless a former colonel from Russia’s domestic spy organization currently in German custody was also released as part of any prisoner swap, US officials told CNN, even as the US offered up the names of

By Katelyn Polantz, Casey Gannon, Hannah Rabinowitz, Lauren Koenig and Kristen Holmes, CNN A federal judge declined to hold former President Donald Trump in contempt of court in a closed-door hearing on Friday, two sources familiar with the matter told CNN. The sources also told CNN that Chief Judge Beryl Howell instead pressed the Trump

By René Marsh, CNN Big Oil companies have engaged in a “long-running greenwashing campaign” while raking in “record profits at the expense of American consumers,” the Democratic-led House Oversight Committee has found after a year-long investigation into climate disinformation from the fossil fuel industry. The committee found the fossil fuel industry is “posturing on climate

By Katie Lobosco, CNN President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness program remains blocked by federal courts for now. But for some borrowers, the yearslong federal pandemic pause on payments delivers an even bigger benefit. For most federal student loan borrowers, balances have been frozen since March 2020. But those who are enrolled in the existing

By Jeremy Herb, CNN Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema is leaving the Democratic Party and registering as a political independent, she told CNN’s Jake Tapper in an exclusive TV interview. “I’ve registered as an Arizona independent. I know some people might be a little bit surprised by this, but actually, I think it makes a lot

By Manu Raju and Melanie Zanona, CNN As a right-wing faction threatens to tank his speakership ambitions, House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy delivered a promise: “I’ll never leave,” making clear he has no plans to drop out of the race even if the fight goes to many ballots on the floor. “I’ll get 218,” McCarthy

By Jennifer Agiesta and Ariel Edwards-Levy, CNN Americans’ views of the state of the nation have bounced back slightly since earlier this year, a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS finds, but public perception of the economy remains grim. Nearly half of Americans say they’re financially worse off than they were a year ago, the

By Annie Grayer, Zachary Cohen and Pamela Brown, CNN The House select committee investigating the January 6, 2021, insurrection is considering criminal referrals for at least four individuals in addition to former President Donald Trump, multiple sources told CNN. The panel is weighing criminal referrals for former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, right

By Katelyn Polantz, Kaitlan Collins, Evan Perez and Zachary Cohen, CNN The Justice Department is asking a federal judge to hold Donald Trump in contempt of court for failing to comply with a subpoena issued this summer ordering the former president to turn over records marked classified, two sources familiar with the matter told CNN.

By Kevin Liptak and Phil Mattingly, CNN President Joe Biden had already personally informed Cherelle Griner that her wife was being released from Russian detention when aides arrived with more news: Brittney Griner was now securely out of Russia — and on the telephone. “It’s Joe Biden,” the president said when the call was patched

By Kaitlan Collins, Ariane de Vogue and Tierney Sneed, CNN Former President Donald Trump does not plan to appeal to the Supreme Court a lower court order that put an end to the special master review of documents seized from his Mar-a-Lago estate, a source familiar with the matter tells CNN. Last week, a federal

By Katie Lobosco, CNN The Biden administration awarded $36 billion Thursday to prevent cuts to the pensions of roughly 357,000 union workers and retirees. It’s the largest federal award of its kind, according to the White House. The funding comes from the American Rescue Plan, a federal pandemic aid package passed by Congress in 2021

By Jason Morris and Eric Fiegel, CNN Former national security adviser Michael Flynn is appearing Thursday before an Atlanta-area special grand jury probing efforts by former President Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia. CNN spotted Flynn, who was escorted by a small entourage, walk up the stairs of the