National Politics

By Sean Lyngaas, CNN (CNN) — The USS Gerald R. Ford, America’s largest and newest aircraft carrier, returned to port in Virginia on Saturday after nearly a year at sea that included participating in the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, the Iran war, a shipboard fire and repeated plumbing issues. It goes down

By Alayna Treene, Adam Cancryn, CNN (CNN) — As Donald Trump grew increasingly frustrated with diplomatic efforts to end the war with Iran, administration officials were closely watching whether the president’s trip to China — a nation with close ties to Tehran — would yield a significant breakthrough. But Trump landed stateside Friday with seemingly

By John Fritze, CNN (CNN) — The Supreme Court on Friday tossed out an emergency request from Virginia officials to reinstate a congressional map that would have benefited Democrats in this year’s midterm election, a widely expected decision that represented the court’s latest foray into a nationwide redistricting war. The decision thwarts Democratic plans to

By Edward-Isaac Dovere, Marshall Cohen, CNN (CNN) — Tina Peters, the Republican former election clerk imprisoned for crimes related to efforts to overturn the 2020 election, will receive clemency from Colorado’s Democratic Gov. Jared Polis and soon be released from custody, Polis exclusively told CNN. The decision followed a statement in Peters’ clemency application, obtained

By Hannah Rabinowitz, CNN (CNN) — It was two years ago when a pregnant teenager first reached out to a Tennessee couple on Instagram who had desperately been trying to adopt a baby for nearly a decade. Their relationship would eventually devolve from designing a nursery over the phone to threats of murder and a

By Hannah Rabinowitz, Evan Perez, CNN (CNN) — The US Justice Department is working to secure criminal charges against former Cuban president Raúl Castro, according to sources familiar with the matter. The scope of the investigation is unclear. But federal prosecutors have examined a number of possible charges, including some related to the Cuban military’s

By Lauren Fox, Ellis Kim, CNN (CNN) — When Rep. Emilia Sykes met with Democratic leaders about the pervasiveness of sexual harassment on Capitol Hill, she made one thing very clear to Hakeem Jeffries: this could not just be a women’s issue. “This could all be eliminated and we wouldn’t even be here if these

By Andrew Kaczynski, Sarah Ferris, Ellis Kim, CNN (CNN) — Top House Republicans have grown increasingly concerned by Rep. Tom Kean Jr.’s mysterious absence from the chamber. Now his father, former New Jersey Gov. Tom Kean Sr., is seeking to offer assurances that his son will be returning soon — though he, too, declined to

By Alejandra Jaramillo, Sunlen Serfaty, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump announced Friday that his “National Garden of American Heroes” will be built in West Potomac Park, advancing a yearslong push for a sweeping sculpture park honoring hundreds of prominent Americans ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026. “I’m proud to announce the site

CNN By Betsy Klein, Simone McCarthy, Kristen Holmes, CNN Beijing (CNN) — President Donald Trump departed Beijing Friday afternoon local time without any immediate sign that the US and China have resolved thorny challenges dogging their fractious relationship, but with a freshly stabilized relationship with Chinese leader Xi Jinping – for now. The leaders covered

By Arit John, CNN Bakersfield, California (CNN) — Even when he was a child, healthcare was top of mind for Humberto Rico. Like many children who grew up in the Central Valley — known for having some of the worst air quality in the country — he had asthma that would sometimes leave him bedridden

By Patrick Svitek, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump wants to take down Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, who voted to convict Trump during his second impeachment and has been a critic of parts of his “Make America Healthy Again” agenda. Trump endorsed Rep. Julia Letlow to run against Cassidy and most other challengers dropped out.

By Betsy Klein, Simone McCarthy, Kristen Holmes, CNN Beijing (CNN) — President Donald Trump departed Beijing Friday afternoon local time without any immediate sign that the US and China have resolved thorny challenges dogging their fractious relationship, but with a freshly stabilized relationship with Chinese leader Xi Jinping – for now. The leaders covered a

By Adam Cancryn, CNN (CNN) — The Trump administration is racing to fill a widening leadership vacuum within the US Department of Health and Human Services, amid months of upheaval that have shaken Americans’ trust and stoked GOP fears of a backlash at the ballot box in November. Senior health officials plan to settle on

By John Fritze, CNN Aventura, Florida (CNN) — Justice Clarence Thomas lamented the heightened security that has become necessary for members of the Supreme Court in recent years, telling an audience in Florida on Thursday that it is now far more difficult for him to take part in activities outside the courthouse. The observation, which

By Haley Britzky, CNN (CNN) — This week Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth abruptly cancelled two US military deployments to Europe and ordered the removal of other personnel from the continent, according to two defense officials, in a series of moves meant to reduce the number of US troops following criticism by President Donald Trump about

By Kaanita Iyer, CNN (CNN) — The FBI is offering $200,000 for information that could lead to the arrest of a former Air Force intelligence specialist who was charged in 2019 with spying for Iran. In an announcement Thursday, the FBI said it is still trying to locate Monica Witt, who it believes defected to

By Morgan Rimmer, Ted Barrett, CNN (CNN) — The Senate on Thursday moved to bar senators from being paid during government shutdowns. Pushed by Louisiana Republican Sen. John Kennedy, the measure took on renewed significance in the wake of two history-making shutdowns in recent months: A 43-day federal government shutdown in 2025 and a record-breaking

By Priscilla Alvarez, Michael Williams, CNN (CNN) — US Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks told CNN Thursday he was stepping down from his post, effective immediately, marking the latest senior immigration official to leave the Department of Homeland Security since Secretary Markwayne Mullin stepped into the top job. In a statement, Banks said he was