National Politics

By John Fritze, CNN (CNN) — The Supreme Court’s conservative majority on Tuesday signaled it will require schools to provide opt-outs for parents who have religious objections to LGBTQ+ books read in elementary schools, an outcome that would continue the court’s years-long push to expand religious rights. During more than two hours of feisty oral

By Kylie Atwood and Jennifer Hansler, CNN (CNN) — Secretary of State Marco Rubio rolled out the first stage of a major plan to reorganize the US State Department on Tuesday with changes that will eliminate 132 domestic offices, cut around 700 positions in Washington, DC and close offices focused on war crimes and global

By Gabe Cohen and Annie Grayer, CNN (CNN) — At a time when critical funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency has slowed to a crawl, some states — with Republican governors — have been luckier than others in prying money loose. The Trump administration directed FEMA to prioritize payments to GOP-led Missouri and Virginia

By Arit John and Eva McKend, CNN (CNN) — Democrats’ efforts to land on a winning message against President Donald Trump have led the party to consider how fully to embrace a new, politically complex cause: pressuring the administration to follow a Supreme Court order to facilitate the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia. The party

CNN By Betul Tuncer and Sylvie Kirsch, CNN (CNN) — GOP Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida faced frequent shouting from the crowd at a contentious town hall on Monday with a number of attendees asking critical questions about the Trump administration and the Department of Government Efficiency. The congressman repeatedly asked the crowd to let

By Betul Tuncer and Sylvie Kirsch, CNN (CNN) — GOP Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida faced frequent shouting from the crowd at a contentious town hall on Monday with a number of attendees asking critical questions about the Trump administration and the Department of Government Efficiency. The congressman repeatedly asked the crowd to let him

By Piper Hudspeth Blackburn, CNN (CNN) — The Department of Education announced on Monday that it will restart collecting federal student loans in default on May 5, ending a pandemic-era pause that began roughly five years ago. More than 5 million borrowers are in default, the department said in a news release. Federal student loans

By Betsy Klein, CNN (CNN) — The logos of Big Tech companies and key associations were featured prominently Monday at the White House Easter Egg Roll, offering an unprecedented scene and use of the grounds to promote private business. Children danced on the grass as a military band performed Martha and the Vandellas’ “Nowhere to

By Kevin Liptak, CNN (CNN) — When the newly elected Pope Francis returned to the front desk of his hotel in Rome to personally settle his bill a day after being introduced to cheering crowds in St. Peter’s Square in 2013, it was a first glimpse into the modesty that would come to define his

By John Fritze, CNN (CNN) — The Supreme Court agreed Monday to hear arguments in a case against the US Postal Service filed by a Texas woman who claims her carrier declined to deliver the mail to her rental properties because she is Black. Lebene Konan, a realtor and licensed insurance agent, alleged that the

By Josh Campbell and Kit Maher, CNN (CNN) — Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem fell victim to a thief while eating dinner at a downtown Washington, DC, restaurant Sunday night, the secretary confirmed Monday. Noem, who was asked about the theft at the White House Easter Egg Roll, acknowledged the incident and said

By Fredreka Schouten, David Wright and Alex Leeds Matthews, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump’s inaugural committee collected a staggering $239 million for the festivities surrounding his swearing-in this year — with some of the nation’s wealthiest people and biggest companies writing large checks as they sought to ingratiate themselves with the Republican ahead of

By Natasha Bertrand, Jake Tapper, Haley Britzky and Zachary Cohen, CNN (CNN) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared detailed plans about a military operation against the Houthis in Yemen on a second Signal group chat, this one on his personal phone and including his wife, lawyer and brother, three people familiar with the chat told

By Tierney Sneed, Tami Luhby and Sarah Owermohle, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump’s Justice Department is defending the Affordable Care Act before the Supreme Court – a notable contrast to his first term, when his administration sought to repeal the law in Congress and then refused to defend it in a major challenge brought

By Kaanita Iyer, CNN (CNN) — Sen. Chris Van Hollen, who recently met with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, slammed the Trump administration for its handling of the Maryland man’s mistaken deportation, telling CNN it poses a threat to “the constitutional rights of everybody in America.” Van Hollen, in an interview that aired Sunday on CNN, argued

By Edward-Isaac Dovere, CNN (CNN) — Democrats’ panic over what they stand for and whether they can credibly compete beyond the bluest states is already erupting in the rush to recruit Senate candidates across the country for next year — a desperate effort to dig out from years of losses that have them far from

By John Fritze and Devan Cole, CNN (CNN) — Less than two weeks after the Supreme Court allowed President Donald Trump to use a controversial 18th century wartime authority to speed deportations, the issue has rocketed back to the justices in a second short-fuse appeal with enormous potential consequences. The situation was entirely foreseeable. After