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The Lead with Jake Tapper
CNN's lead DC anchor and chief Washington correspondent, Jake Tapper, hosts this two-hour long weekday afternoon program, with headlines from around the country and the world, the top stories in national and international news, politics, health, money, the environment, sports and popular culture. The Lead also concentrates on bringing stories that aren't found on front pages—buried leads—to the forefront.
President Trump is setting the stage for the one of the biggest sporting events on the globe — the 2026 World Cup. Somehow, he has earned himself a peace prize in the process. Plus, did the US Supreme Court just create a rush to redraw congressional maps mid decade nationwide?
Dec 6, 2025
It was the grainy video that spurred conspiracy theories for years and now the FBI says they finally know who put those pipe bombs outside the Republican and Democratic National Committee headquarters.
Dec 5, 2025
A Pentagon watchdog points fingers at Pete Hegseth and sources say that the inspector general report finds that he risked endangering the lives of US troops by sharing sensitive war plans in a Signal group chat. Plus, chilling new footage from Jeffrey Epstein’s private island.
Dec 4, 2025
President Trump appears to doze off during his own cabinet meeting while just minutes earlier we learn new details about that second follow-up strike on the suspected drug boat. Plus, as many Americans are struggling with the cost of living, Donald Trump says that any questions about affordability are a Democratic scam.
Dec 3, 2025
President Trump and his top national security officials meet behind closed doors about the next steps for Venezuela. This comes as lawmakers from both parties are raising grave concerns about a follow-up strike on an alleged drug vessel in the Caribbean where the US military killed survivors of the first strike.
Dec 2, 2025
President Trump is escalating his already aggressive immigration crackdown in the wake of the shooting of two National Guardsmen in Washington, DC. He’s taking an even closer look at immigrants legally in the United States and those waiting to get in.
Nov 29, 2025
Two West Virginia National Guardsmen were shot in downtown Washington, DC just blocks away from the White House. Both guardsmen are in critical condition and officials are calling this a targeting shooting saying they were ambushed by a lone gunman.
Nov 27, 2025
Signals emerge that the United States and Ukraine are closer to a plan that could be the first step toward negotiating an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine. Plus, behind the scenes discussions on Capitol Hill about health care reform.
Nov 26, 2025
A federal judge tosses the indictments against two perceived Trump opponents, former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. A look at why the judge says the Trump loyalists behind those indictments was unlawfully appointed.
Nov 25, 2025
Polar opposites of the American political spectrum, Donald Trump and Zohran Mamdani, meet at the White House. Also, a look into what the people of Ukraine want from the resolution to the war. Plus, the holiday rush begins one week out from Thanksgiving.
Nov 22, 2025
