Politics

By Devan Cole and Hannah Rabinowitz, CNN (CNN) — The Biden administration on Thursday moved one step closer to enacting a rule requiring people who sell firearms online and at gun shows to conduct background checks on their potential customers. The finalized rule aims to close what gun control advocates call the “gun show loophole”

By Samantha Waldenberg and Michael Williams, CNN Washington (CNN) — The United States’ commitments to the defense of Japan and the Philippines remain “ironclad,” President Joe Biden said on Thursday as he hosted the leaders of those countries amid their separate territorial disputes with China. The comments came as Biden hosted the first ever trilateral

By Fredreka Schouten and Tierney Sneed, CNN (CNN) — Republican leaders are encouraging their supporters to vote by mail in this year’s consequential presidential election, even as their party pursues lawsuits and legislation that would make it harder for those votes to count. The Republican National Committee and the Mississippi Republican Party are suing the

By Kylie Atwood, CNN (CNN) — European diplomats in Washington are frantically working to set up meetings with allies of former president Donald Trump as they prepare for his potential return to the White House, sources familiar with the effort tell CNN. At face-to-face sit-downs in private DC clubs, hotels, embassies and think tanks around town, diplomats are asking

By Aaron Pellish, CNN (CNN) — Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s campaign manager said on Wednesday that New York campaign staff member Rita Palma was fired after she told GOP voters in a meeting last week that preventing President Joe Biden’s victory was her “number one priority” and encouraged them to volunteer for former President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania. “We terminated

By Cindy Von Quednow and Jack Forrest, CNN (CNN) — The 18-year-old accused of pledging allegiance to ISIS and planning attacks against churches in Idaho pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a federal terrorism charge, according to the court docket. Alexander Scott Mercurio pleaded not guilty to attempting to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign

KXLY, KOOTENAI COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT, DISTRICT OF IDAHO, CNN By Cindy Von Quednow and Jack Forrest, CNN (CNN) — The 18-year-old accused of pledging allegiance to ISIS and planning attacks against churches in Idaho pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a federal terrorism charge, according to the court docket. Alexander Scott Mercurio pleaded

CNN By Andrew Kaczynski and Em Steck, CNN (CNN) — The Republican National Committee last week sent out a scripted call to voters’ phones on behalf of new co-chair Lara Trump saying Democrats committed “massive fraud” in the 2020 election. It’s the latest example of how the RNC under the former president’s daughter-in-law is perpetuating

By Kaanita Iyer, CNN (CNN) — President Joe Biden’s former chief of staff said Tuesday that the president is too focused on infrastructure and should instead prioritize Americans’ economic concerns as he seeks another term, Politico reported. “I think the president is out there too much talking about bridges,” Ron Klain said Tuesday evening, Politico

By Betsy Klein, CNN (CNN) — Former President Bill Clinton, former first lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, actor Robert De Niro, and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos are among the distinguished guests arriving at the White House Wednesday evening for an official state dinner with Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. The glitzy, black-tie dinner is among the

By Oren Liebermann, CNN (CNN) — On the edge of the East China Sea, CNN was on board a B-52 bomber as it turned northeast – toward Alaska, the US and Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana – when the oil pressure gauge for one of its engines began flickering erratically. Nineteen hours into one of the longest military missions the US

CNN By Oren Liebermann, CNN (CNN) — On the edge of the East China Sea, CNN was on board a B-52 bomber as it turned northeast – toward Alaska, the US and Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana – when the oil pressure gauge for one of its engines began flickering erratically. Nineteen hours into one of the longest military missions the

CNN By Kristen Holmes, Melanie Zanona and Manu Raju, CNN (CNN) — As Mike Johnson stares down a serious threat to his speakership, he’s taking steps to show alignment with the most powerful figure in the Republican Party: Donald Trump. Johnson has made plans to trek down to Mar-a-Lago on Friday to appear at a

By Nicole Chavez, CNN (CNN) — A bipartisan pair of senators have introduced legislation aimed at strengthening federal efforts to counter antisemitism. The bill – S 4091 or the Countering Antisemitism Act – is sponsored by Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada and Republican Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma. Under the legislation, the President would

By Arit John, CNN (CNN) — Abortion politics have been thrust into the spotlight in Arizona, where the state Supreme Court’s decision this week to revive a Civil War-era total abortion ban has sent Republicans scrambling to distance themselves and given Democrats new hope they can make gains in the battleground state. The court’s long-awaited

By Betsy Klein, CNN Washington (CNN) — President Joe Biden defended his handling of the economy hours after a key economic report found that progress on slowing inflation has stalled, a continued bane on Biden’s presidency. US consumer prices picked up again last month, marking a 3.5% increase for the 12 months ended in March,

By Andrew Kaczynski and Em Steck, CNN (CNN) — The Republican National Committee last week sent out a scripted call to voters’ phones on behalf of new co-chair Lara Trump saying Democrats committed “massive fraud” in the 2020 election. It’s the latest example of how the RNC under the former president’s daughter-in-law is perpetuating lies

CNN Opinion by Norman Eisen (CNN) — There has been some head-scratching about what former President Donald Trump is up to in his defense in the hush money payment trial against him, for which jury selection begins Monday. He keeps filing motions that seem certain to lose, and then when they do he sometimes refiles them again. Some have

CNN By Steve Contorno and Kate Sullivan, CNN (CNN) — Donald Trump said Wednesday he would not sign a national abortion ban if elected to the White House again, reversing a promise the former president made as a candidate in 2016 and stood by during his first term in office. Trump’s latest shift on abortion

By Kit Maher, CNN (CNN) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told donors and supporters at an appreciation retreat over the weekend that he would help fundraise for former presidential rival Donald Trump, two sources familiar with the details told CNN. “He’s committed to helping Trump in any and every way,” said Texas businessman Roy Bailey,