National Politics

By Jennifer Hansler, CNN (CNN) — The Trump administration is removing numerous career ambassadors from their posts abroad, marking the latest shake-up of the US State Department and diplomatic corps. At least two dozen senior diplomats have received notice that they must leave their roles next month, sources said. They were appointed to ambassadorships around

By Piper Hudspeth Blackburn, CNN (CNN) — The Trump administration has signaled to the Smithsonian Institution that the White House could withhold federal funding from the museum organization if it does not comply with the administration’s unprecedented, sweeping review. In a Thursday letter to Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch III, White House officials said funds are

By Steve Contorno, CNN Phoenix (CNN) — This weekend’s gathering of young Republicans and conservative influencers in the Arizona desert offered a glimpse into the divisions already fraying President Donald Trump’s coalition even before its lame-duck leader is out of the picture. Enter Vice President JD Vance, a figure many in the movement view as

By Kevin Liptak, CNN (CNN) — The US is pursuing a vessel in international waters near Venezuela on Sunday after attempting to intercept it, a US official said, as President Donald Trump’s administration tightens its crackdown on the country’s oil industry. The tanker, called Bella 1, was sailing toward Venezuela to pick up oil. It

By Jennifer Agiesta, Amy O’Kruk, CNN (CNN) — About half of Americans say they’ve already given the 2028 presidential election, set to be the first race since 2016 without a sitting president vying for the nomination on either side, at least some thought, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS. With nearly three

By Sarah Ferris, Manu Raju, CNN (CNN) — When Rep. Dan Goldman first ran for Congress in 2022, he was cheered on the left as the party’s top lawyer during President Donald Trump’s first impeachment. Three years on, the Manhattan Democrat is in the fight of his political life against New York City Comptroller Brad

CNN By Kevin Liptak, CNN (CNN) — Personnel from the United States boarded and seized a vessel off the coast of Venezuela on Saturday, according to a US official familiar with the matter, as the Trump administration ramps up pressure on Caracas. It was the second known instance of the US interdicting a vessel near

By Kevin Liptak, CNN (CNN) — Personnel from the United States boarded and seized a vessel off the coast of Venezuela on Saturday, according to a US official familiar with the matter, as the Trump administration ramps up pressure on Caracas. It was the second known instance of the US interdicting a vessel near Venezuela

By CNN staff, CNN (CNN) — The Justice Department released thousands of files related to sex offender and accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein after Congress passed a law forcing the Trump administration to do so. Friday’s release didn’t contain all the files as the DOJ said it will continue releasing more in the coming weeks.

By Steve Contorno, Jeff Simon, CNN Phoenix (CNN) — At 23, Caleb Gasca has checked off several traditional markers of adulthood. He graduated college, found a job in a construction office and got married. But living with his wife’s parents in San Bernardino County, California, he still feels as though his life has yet to

CNN By Tricia Escobedo, Andrew Torgan, CNN A detailed tip on Reddit helped lead investigators to the gunman behind the deadly Brown University shooting. Whether the person who posted it will ever receive the $50,000 reward is unclear — partly because of the way the FBI worded the offer. Here’s what else you need to

By Kevin Liptak, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump came to North Carolina on Friday to talk about the economy. He ended up explaining how his wife organizes her lingerie drawer. “I think she steams them,” he offered at one point, hoping to underscore the violation Melania Trump felt when, in his telling, FBI agents

By MJ Lee, Devan Cole, CNN (CNN) — The Justice Department’s partial release of its files related to Jeffrey Epstein on Friday marked a moment of triumph for Epstein survivor Maria Farmer and her sister Annie, who have said for years that Maria had filed one of the first complaints against Epstein in the 1990s.

By Tierney Sneed, CNN (CNN) — A top Justice Department attorney argued in court on Friday that President Donald Trump’s inflammatory rally speech before the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol was at least partially aimed at furthering the broader interests of the United States. At the civil lawsuits hearing that Democratic members

CNN By Zachary Cohen, Haley Britzky, CNN (CNN) — The US struck multiple targets in Syria on Friday that the US military tied to ISIS as retaliation for the recent attack that killed two American service members there, according to two US officials. “I am hereby announcing that the United States is inflicting very serious

By Jennifer Hansler, CNN (CNN) — US Secretary of State Marco Rubio decried the “status quo” with the Maduro government as “intolerable” as the Trump administration on Friday announced new sanctions on family members of the embattled Venezuelan leader. For months, the administration has carried out a campaign of deadly military strikes in the Caribbean

By Terence Burlij, CNN (CNN) — Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik announced Friday she was ending her short-lived bid for governor of New York and would not run for another term in Congress. “While spending precious time with my family this Christmas season, I have made the decision to suspend my campaign for Governor and will

By Tami Luhby, Adam Cancryn, Meg Tirrell, CNN (CNN) — In his latest effort to lower drug costs, President Donald Trump unveiled Friday “Most Favored Nation” pricing deals with nine more pharmaceutical companies. The president also announced he would call a meeting next week or early January with health insurers to push them to lower