National Politics

By Michael Conte and Alex Marquardt, CNN Washington (CNN) — The family of Austin Tice, a freelance journalist held in Syria since 2012, said they have new confirmation that he remains alive and well. In a news conference, the family also expressed deep frustration with the Biden administration for telling them in a meeting Friday

By Fredreka Schouten and David Wright, CNN (CNN) — Democrats emerged from their bruising election losses in November with a decidedly mixed financial picture, new federal filings show. The Democratic National Committee appeared flush with cash, despite recent post-election staff cuts, and a leading liberal super PAC appeared to have tens of millions of dollars

By Tami Luhby, CNN (CNN) — The fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has revealed many Americans’ fury and frustrations with their health insurance coverage. They have taken to social media to relay their stories, even as others have said they like their coverage. CNN would like to talk to readers about their experiences

By John Fritze, CNN (CNN) — The Supreme Court agreed Friday to decide whether the families of victims of terrorist attacks in Israel may sue the Palestinian Authority in federal court for hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. The Supreme Court agreed to hear two cases: one from family members who sued the Palestinian

By Devan Cole, CNN (CNN) — A federal judge has rejected a challenge to the Naval Academy’s use of race in its admissions practices, ruling that the school has “established a compelling national security interest” in maintaining diversity within the US military. While the ruling issued Friday by US Senior District Judge Richard Bennett, a

By Kristen Holmes, Shania Shelton and Aaron Pellish, CNN (CNN) — President-elect Donald Trump on Friday said he has confidence in Pete Hegseth, even as he acknowledged “people were a little bit concerned” about his pick to lead the Pentagon amid a series of allegations related to drinking and sexual misconduct. “Looks like Pete is

By Sarah Ferris, Annie Grayer and Clare Foran, CNN (CNN) — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez announced on Friday that she is jumping into the race to be the top Democrat on the influential House Oversight Committee. The New York Democrat wrote in a letter to colleagues, “I write to you today to seek your support to

By Kaanita Iyer, CNN (CNN) — Pete Hegseth’s name has been submitted to the FBI for a background check, his attorney told CNN Thursday, as some lawmakers call for more vetting of President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to run the Pentagon. “He received the forms yesterday from the FBI, and we’re working on them right now,”

By Fredreka Schouten, David Wright and Alex Leeds Matthews, CNN (CNN) — Elon Musk plowed at least $260 million into efforts to send Donald Trump back to the White House, new filings show – a massive infusion that makes him one of the largest single political underwriters of a presidential campaign and underscores the outsized

By Casey Tolan, Curt Devine, Rob Kuznia and Brian Stelter, CNN Minneapolis (CNN) — When President Donald Trump first considered Pete Hegseth for a Cabinet position in 2017 and 2018, he marveled at a soldier who seemed straight out of central casting. The telegenic Fox News host, a decorated combat veteran with a chiseled jaw

By Kristen Holmes, Jeremy Herb and Alayna Treene, CNN (CNN) — Donald Trump’s allies are scrambling to save Pete Hegseth after the president-elect’s pick to lead the Pentagon struggled to win over skeptical Republicans in a flurry of meetings on Capitol Hill this week. Trump is still standing by his choice, telling Hegseth he wants

By Katie Lobosco, CNN Washington (CNN) — President-elect Donald Trump has named Billy Long, a former Republican congressman from Missouri, to head the Internal Revenue Service, signaling plans to oust current Commissioner Danny Werfel before his term expires in 2027. Replacing Werfel, who was picked by President Joe Biden, could mean a major shift at

By Clare Foran, Sarah Ferris, Haley Talbot and Annie Grayer, CNN (CNN) — House Republicans voted on Thursday to block a Democrat-led effort to release a long-awaited Ethics Committee report on allegations against former GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida. The House took a step to effectively shut down a resolution from Democrats that would

By Marshall Cohen, MJ Lee, Paula Reid and Katelyn Polantz, CNN (CNN) — Senior Biden White House aides, administration officials and prominent defense attorneys in Washington, DC, are discussing potential preemptive pardons or legal aid for people who might be targeted for prosecution by President-elect Donald Trump after he retakes power, multiple sources told CNN.

By Annie Grayer, CNN (CNN) — Chelsea Manning, the former Army intelligence analyst behind one of the largest leaks of classified information in history, was among a group of activists arrested Thursday outside of House Speaker Mike Johnson’s office after taking part in a protest advocating for transgender rights. The protest took place outside of

By Hannah Rabinowitz and Michael Williams, CNN Washington (CNN) — A yelling match erupted during a congressional hearing Thursday on the attempted assassinations against President-elect Donald Trump, as one congressman accused acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe of attending a 9/11 memorial event as part of a publicity stunt. The tense exchange occurred during the

By Tierney Sneed, CNN (CNN) — The recent reversals by two US district judges on plans to step down from their seats, effectively denying President-elect Donald Trump the opportunity to replace them, has put attention on other judges slated to create prized appellate vacancies but who could have a change of heart now that its