National Politics

By Alayna Treene, Aaron Pellish, Kate Sullivan and Kristen Holmes, CNN (CNN) — Donald Trump’s transition team is quietly strategizing how to assuage the anti-abortion wing of the Republican Party amid concerns that Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s past comments supporting abortion access could complicate his confirmation as the president-elect’s pick to lead the Department of

By Eric Bradner, Priscilla Alvarez and Kayla Tausche, CNN (CNN) — President-elect Donald Trump’s pledge to impose massive tariffs was an early warning shot to try to force the hand of allies and adversaries to come to the negotiating table on immigration and trade issues, a transition official told CNN. Trump on Monday vowed hikes

By Betsy Klein, Arlette Saenz and Priscilla Alvarez, CNN (CNN) — President-elect Donald Trump’s team has signed an agreement with the Biden White House unlocking key transition briefings and activities after a lengthy delay that stemmed, in part, from the Trump team’s concerns over a mandatory ethics agreement. Trump transition officials could soon have access

CNN By Joan Biskupic, CNN Chief Supreme Court Analyst (CNN) — The morning after Donald Trump was reelected president, Justices Samuel Alito and Elena Kagan began jousting more than usual. They personify the ideological and political gulf on America’s highest court. Alito, a 74-year-old Trenton, New Jersey, native is prepared to tear through decades-old landmarks, while

By John King, CNN Bethlehem, Pennsylvania (CNN) — Pat Levin, 95 years young, is wrestling daily with something new and depressing. “It’s left me very afraid,” she said of the 2024 election. “Afraid of the future. Afraid of everything.” That Donald Trump will be president in her twilight is by far the biggest slice of

By Priscilla Alvarez, Ashley Killough and Tierney Sneed, CNN (CNN) — Texas is quickly becoming the blueprint for how incoming Trump officials expect to work with states on border security – a stark pivot from recent years when it was the epicenter of a bitter feud between state and federal officials. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott

By Joan Biskupic, CNN Chief Supreme Court Analyst (CNN) — The morning after Donald Trump was reelected president, Justices Samuel Alito and Elena Kagan began jousting more than usual. They personify the ideological and political gulf on America’s highest court. Alito, a 74-year-old Trenton, New Jersey, native is prepared to tear through decades-old landmarks, while Kagan,

CNN By Alexandra Banner, CNN (CNN) — Starbucks is being forced to pay its baristas manually after a ransomware attack disrupted a software system it uses to track manage employees’ schedules. The coffee chain joins a growing list of companies affected by the hack of Blue Yonder, a cloud services provider that serves grocery stores

By David Goldman, CNN (CNN) — President-elect Donald Trump on Monday promised massive hikes in tariffs on goods coming from Mexico, Canada and China starting on the first day of his administration, a policy that could sharply increase costs for American businesses and consumers. The move, Trump said, will be in retaliation for illegal immigration

By Andrew Kaczynski, CNN (CNN) — Republican Rep. Nancy Mace as recently as last year called herself “pro-transgender rights” and said she supported children exploring gender identities with different hairstyles, clothing and preferred pronouns, a stark contrast to more recent comments that have put her in the national spotlight. Last week, the South Carolina Republican

CNN By Tierney Sneed, Devan Cole and John Fritze, CNN (CNN) — Even before special counsel Jack Smith formally asked that his criminal cases against Donald Trump be dismissed, it was already guaranteed the president-elect would never see a jury. Smith on Monday dropped both the 2020 election subversion prosecution against Trump and the charges

By Tierney Sneed, Devan Cole and John Fritze, CNN (CNN) — Even before special counsel Jack Smith formally asked that his criminal cases against Donald Trump be dismissed, it was already guaranteed the president-elect would never see a jury. Smith on Monday dropped both the 2020 election subversion prosecution against Trump and the charges accusing

By Oren Liebermann and Lauren Fox, CNN (CNN) — A Republican senator has blocked the promotion of a general who oversaw the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, according to a source familiar with the matter, as President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to go after the officials involved in the withdrawal. Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma blocked

CNN Analysis by Stephen Collinson, CNN (CNN) — Special counsel Jack Smith set out to prove in the United States of America v. Donald J. Trump that even presidents are not above the law. Instead, his failed prosecutions ended up making Trump even more powerful as the ebullient president-elect prepares to return to office on

By Sara Murray, Kristen Holmes and Kate Sullivan, CNN (CNN) — Attorneys for Donald Trump conducted an internal investigation into allegations that one of his top aides, Boris Epshteyn, has sought to gain financially from his influence with Trump and others in the president-elect’s orbit, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter. The internal

By Betsy Klein, CNN Washington (CNN) — President Joe Biden tapped into his presidential pardon power in the waning days of his tenure Monday, granting clemency to a pair of lucky turkeys and kicking off the holiday season. “Based on their temperament and commitment to being productive members of society, I hereby pardon Peach and

By Devan Cole, CNN (CNN) — The Supreme Court declined Monday to hear a challenge from major tobacco companies to the Food and Drug Administration’s requirement that they place graphic health warnings on cigarette packages and in advertisements. The FDA issued a rule in 2020 that requires health warnings on cigarette packages and in advertisements,