What we covered here
• Shutdown deal reached: Lawmakers have reached a bipartisan funding deal to avoid a government shutdown, according to Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer’s office. The deal separates DHS funding from a larger spending package and temporarily funds the department while the parties debate broader reforms to ICE, sources told CNN.
• What now? The Senate has stalled on its government funding deal with the White House and did not take any votes tonight, with senators blocking speedy consideration of the package. Even if the Senate passes the package, it would need final approval in the House, and it’s not yet clear when the chamber will return.
• Fed news: Separately, he said tonight he’s planning to announce his pick for the next chair of the Federal Reserve tomorrow morning. Trump is expected to announce his intent to nominate Kevin Warsh to be the next chair, according to two people involved in the process.
Our live coverage has ended. Get the latest on the funding deal here.
Trump's funding deal with Senate leaders hits a snag as senators refuse to allow a quick vote ahead of shutdown deadline
The Senate has stalled on its government funding deal with the White House and will not be taking any votes tonight, with senators blocking speedy consideration of the package on the floor.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters as he left the Capitol, “I hope we can get these issues resolved. Right now, we got snags on both sides, but tomorrow’s another day.”
Any one senator can object to quick consideration of a measure on the floor, slowing down the process.
GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham told reporters that he is one of the senators blocking the deal, though Thune noted that Graham is not the only Republican with concerns. Graham called the agreement to move ahead with five funding bills and pass a short-term extension for Department of Homeland Security funding a “bad deal,” as Democrats push for changes to ICE’s tactics and protocols. This comes after President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social in favor of the Senate moving forward with their agreement.
Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, argued that ICE agents are being “demonized,” and said the way they are being treated is “unconscionable,” objecting to a renegotiation of the DHS funding bill.
He also said he was frustrated by the House’s move to repeal a measure that senators tucked into a previous funding bill. The provision would require the Justice Department and FBI to notify the Senate when a lawmaker is under investigation and if their personal information is being subpoenaed, as Graham’s was, along with several other senators, during Jack Smith’s investigation after the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack.
Lawmakers can also sue the DOJ under the provision, and can be awarded $500,000 or more in damages for each violation by the government if their cases are successful. However, Graham told reporters on Thursday night that the Senate Ethics Committee informed him that he cannot benefit financially from this measure.
“The Ethics Committee said I can’t benefit. I said, ‘fine, it’s not about me.’ 190 private groups had their phone records, you know, messed with. I want notification,” he told reporters. “I’m not going to ignore what happened. If you were abused — you think you were abused, your phone records were illegally seized, you should have your day in court. It’s up to you to prove it. Every senator should want to make sure this never happens again.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said of Republicans, “they need to get their act together,” though he would not say anything about holds among the Democratic senators. He pointed to Graham’s hold as the sole problem, despite Thune saying both Republicans and Democrats have issues they are working through.
FBI Director Kash Patel says judge found probable cause for search of Fulton County elections office
FBI Director Kash Patel said a judge in Georgia found probable cause for a search warrant that allowed agents on Wednesday to seize hundreds of boxes of ballots from an elections office in Fulton County.
A source familiar with the matter previously told CNN the search was related to an effort by the Justice Department to seize election records and search for alleged voter fraud in the county, including Atlanta, which has long been a centerpiece of President Donald Trump’s baseless claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him.
“You saw trucks, you saw material being removed, and what the FBI will do is now analyze that information, and we will take the next investigatory steps with our Department of Justice partners,” Patel explained.
Patel cautioned it will take time to go through all the evidence the FBI seized.
County elections officials raised concerns, warning that they could no longer guarantee that the ballots are safe and secure.
“For anybody to hint that this FBI or this Department of Justice is mishandling evidence is just flat out political buffoonery. We will maintain the chain of custody. We will secure it like we always do,” Patel said.
Some context: The FBI served a warrant Wednesday at the Fulton Country Election Hub and Operations center in Fulton County, Georgia, as it probes alleged voter fraud in the 2020 election. The Justice Department previously sued Fulton County officials to force them to hand over records related to the 2020 election. A judge has not ruled in the case yet.
Trump says he's held conversations with Iran as he spells out demands for a deal
President Donald Trump said Thursday he’s been holding conversations with Iranian leaders and is planning on further discussions, as he threatens military action against the country.
“I have had and I am planning on it,” he said when asked about the status of his conversations with Tehran after threatening earlier this week a major strike unless the regime agreed to a deal.
“We have a lot of very big, very powerful ships sailing to Iran right now, and it would be great if we didn’t have to use them,” Trump said.
The president did not say to whom he spoke, and the White House did not immediately provide more details. But Trump did describe the message he conveyed.
“I told them two things,” Trump said. “Number one, no nuclear. And number two, stop killing protesters. They’re killing them by the thousands, 837 hangings two weeks ago, but they’re going to have to do something.”
Trump praises the "beautiful glamour" of first lady's documentary
President Donald Trump on Thursday heaped praised upon first lady Melania Trump at the red carpet premiere of her documentary, “Melania.”
Describing the movie as “beautifully shot,” Trump complimented the way the film displays the glamour of America and the White House.
“For the first time, there’s a great glamour, beautiful glamour. And you learn it’s about the White House, it’s about our country, and we need a little glamour. I like glamour,” Trump said.
Trump called Melania a “historian” whose opinions have become stronger during the family’s second term in the White House.
“I think she’s got stronger opinions now,” Trump remarked. “It comes with experience.”
Trump rebuffs suggestion of corruption concerns around Amazon's "Melania" doc deal
President Donald Trump rebuffed the suggestion Thursday that the remarkable sum of money Amazon MGM Studios spent on first lady Melania Trump’s documentary – $40 million to acquire the film, plus $35 million for marketing, according a source familiar with the matter – could constitute corruption.
“No, I don’t know, I mean I don’t know really, I’m not involved, that was done with my wife,” Trump told a reporter on the red carpet ahead of a premiere event at the Kennedy Center Thursday.
The president also swatted away the idea that the vast amount of money Amazon paid for the documentary was an attempt by CEO Jeff Bezos to get in Trump’s good graces, calling the New York Times reporter who asked the question “fake news.”
“I think it’s going to be, I think it’s a very important movie, I think it really going to be very important, it shows life in the White House. It’s a big deal actually,” Trump added.
Trump says Gabbard was present during FBI search of Georgia election office "to try to keep the election safe"
President Donald Trump praised Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard for “working very hard to try to keep the election safe” when asked by CNN why she was present during an FBI search of an elections office in Fulton County, Georgia, earlier this week.
“She’s working very hard to try to keep the election safe, and she’s done a very good job,” Trump told CNN’s Betsy Klein on Thursday as he attended the premiere of the first lady’s documentary, “Melania,” at the Kennedy Center. “You’ll see some interesting things happening. They’ve been trying to get there for a long time.”
The FBI served a warrant Wednesday at the elections office as it probes alleged voter fraud in the 2020 election.
Gabbard and FBI Deputy Director Andrew Bailey were both observed on the scene by CNN crews.
Trump says he'll announce Fed chair Friday morning
President Donald Trump said Thursday evening that he’s planning to announce his pick for the next chair of the Federal Reserve on Friday morning.
“I’m going to be announcing, I think, a really great choice tomorrow,” Trump said while arriving at the premier of first lady Melania Trump’s documentary. He described the pick as “somebody that is very respected, somebody that’s known to everybody in the financial world,” but did not identify the person.
Kevin Warsh, a former Fed governor and finalist for the role, was at the White House Thursday, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Trump says he is “working hard” alongside bipartisan members of Congress to pass government funding deal
President Donald Trump said in a post on social media Thursday that he is “working hard” alongside both Democrat and Republican members of Congress to get a government funding deal passed before this weekend’s deadline.
“I am working hard with Congress to ensure that we are able to fully fund the Government, without delay. Republicans and Democrats in Congress have come together to get the vast majority of the Government funded until September, while at the same time providing an extension to the Department of Homeland Security,” the president wrote. “Hopefully, both Republicans and Democrats will give a very much needed Bipartisan ‘YES’ Vote.”
The president’s post comes just after Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer’s office said a bipartisan funding deal has been reached and as Senate GOP leaders try to set up a Thursday vote.
Trump declines to take questions from reporters for a second time today
President Donald Trump declined, for the second time today, to take questions from reporters during an event at the White House.
Trump — whose administration has faced heat this week over its immigration crackdown in Minnesota — also declined to take questions during a roughly 90-minute Cabinet meeting Thursday morning. His restraint was notable for a president who often answers reporter questions multiple times per week.
At Thursday’s afternoon executive order signing for an addiction initiative, the president spoke for a few minutes before turning things over to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as well as Kathryn Burgum, who’s married to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.
CNN’s Kaitlan Collins pressed the president earlier as to why he was not answering questions.
He responded, “Thank you.”
See what happened earlier:
President Trump declined to take questions at his Cabinet meeting today and made no mention of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem amid scrutiny over the administration’s handling of protests in Minnesota. CNN's Kaitlan Collins reports.
Schumer says funding deal reached as Senate GOP leaders try to set evening vote to avert shutdown
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer’s office says a bipartisan funding deal has been reached to avoid a government shutdown as Senate GOP leaders try to set up a Thursday vote.
The deal, according to the minority leader, includes the separation of the five bipartisan appropriation bills that Democrats had asked for and a two-week stopgap funding extension for the Department of Homeland Security.
Senate GOP leadership is now taking steps to schedule a vote for Thursday night.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune and his leadership team are currently seeing if they can get all of their members to agree to swiftly move the package, three sources familiar with the matter told CNN.
The deal signals that GOP leaders moved toward Democrats’ demands, stripping the DHS bill from the larger funding package and instead temporarily funding DHS while the two parties debate broader reforms to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, two of the sources said.
The two-week extension to DHS funding is the time frame that Senate Democrats had been pushing for and shorter than what the White House had initially offered.
If an updated package is passed by the Senate, however, it would have to be approved by both chambers, meaning the narrowly divided House would have to return to Washington and final approval could be delayed until Monday. Speaker Mike Johnson has not committed to exactly when the House will return.
Trump signs executive order launching government-wide initiative to combat drug addiction
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday that launches a government-wide initiative to combat drug addiction.
“The Great American Recovery Initiative will bring together federal, state, local and private sector resources to support addiction recovery, treatment and prevention, and it will help mobilize the full resources and authority of the federal government to help stop this tremendous plague,” the president said in the Oval Office, flanked by his Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Drug overdose deaths in the US surged to record highs during the Covid-19 pandemic, fueled by fentanyl. But CDC data shows that rates have been declining since 2022, recently dropping back to pre-pandemic levels. Still, the most recent data shows that more than 70,000 people in the US died from a drug overdose in the past year.
In 2024, about 17% of people ages 12 and older — more than 48 million people — had a substance use disorder, according to survey data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. This share has held relatively steady for the past few years.
Jeffries says he's been in talks with Johnson on "substance" of DHS reforms
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries was careful Thursday not to draw any red lines on the length of a short-term funding extension for the Department of Homeland Security or what a package for DHS reforms would need to earn Democratic votes in the House.
“We will have to evaluate the totality,” he told CNN on any package.
Jeffries also told CNN that he is in communication with Speaker Mike Johnson on the “substance” of any DHS spending package that would come later. Johnson will soon have just a one-vote margin to try and move any spending bills in his conference and will almost certainly need the help of Democrats.
Even if the Senate can move a government funding package that includes five appropriations bills and a stopgap measure for DHS, it is likely the House won’t return until Monday to pass the revised package. House Democrats are slated to have a call tonight to discuss their strategy, CNN has reported.
“In terms of timing, that is going to be his decision,” Jeffries said of when the House would return fo Washington.
Pressed on if House Democrats are satisfied with the proposals Senate Democrats put forward yesterday, Jeffries said his caucus will have to evaluate a package when it actually comes together, but that they largely share the same objectives.
“The overarching objectives that Senate Democrats are trying to achieve, we share. We’ve gotta make sure that DHS conducts itself like every other agency in the country that the masks come off , that there are body cameras that there are judicial warrants required before ICE can storm homes or rip people violently out of their cars,” Jeffries said.
Meanwhile, ethics report finds "substantial evidence" against Democratic lawmaker consistent with federal indictment
The House Ethics Committee released a report on Thursday finding “substantial evidence” against Florida Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick that aligns with the federal indictment against her.
McCormick was indicted in November on charges of stealing federal disaster funds and using the funds to support her 2021 campaign.
The 59-page report found “substantial evidence of conduct consistent with the allegations in the indictment.” As part of its investigation, the investigative subcommittee issued 59 subpoenas.
Cherfilus-McCormick said in response that she is confident “the full facts will make clear I did nothing wrong.”
“Today’s action was taken without giving me a fair opportunity to rebut or defend myself due to the constraints of an ongoing legal process. I reject these allegations and remain confident the full facts will make clear I did nothing wrong. Until then, my focus remains where it belongs: delivering for my constituents and continuing the work they sent me to Washington to do,” the congresswoman said in a statement.
The report states that Cherfilus-McCormick initially produced “some documents” in response to the investigation but then invoked her Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination.
The Ethics Committee will hold a hearing on the findings on March 5.
Democratic lawmakers seek short-term DHS funding patch as negotiations continue
Some Democratic lawmakers say they are only willing to entertain a short-term extension of funding for the Department of Homeland Security in the ongoing negotiations over government spending.
The White House and senators are seeking to avoid a partial shutdown by advancing a package of bills to extend funding for several key agencies. But a key sticking point is how long a funding patch for DHS would last.
The administration is seeking a six-week extension, senators said. But some Democrats signaled they wouldn’t support a patch that lasted more than two weeks.
- House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries: “I think the most important thing right now is to separate out the five bills that are bipartisan, to avoid those departments, which are critical, from shutting down,” Jeffries said. He told CNN, “We’ve got to see if progress is really being made that’s meaningful and dramatically reforming the way in which the Department of Homeland Security conducts itself.”
- Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith echoed similar sentiments, adding, “The next thing is to come to an agreement on these basic common-sense fixes that will at least stop the worst of the abuses that we’re seeing in Minnesota and around the country. So, in my mind, it should be days and not weeks,” she said, referring to short-term funding for the agency.
- Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal told reporters, “For me, two weeks would be the outer limit,” adding, “It gives us enough time to impose these restraints and reforms.”
- Virginia Sen. Mark Warner: “I think we need the shortest time possible.”
And here’s some of what we’re hearing from Republicans:
- Wyoming Sen. Cynthia Lummis expressed reluctance about splitting off DHS funding from the rest of the package. “No, I’m not okay with it, but that’s where we find ourselves. And so sometimes to fund the government, you end up having to vote for things that 48 hours ago you wouldn’t have dreamed you would vote for.”
- Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy was bullish a deal could be reached tonight, but he took a dimmer view on longer-term negotiations over DHS funding and ICE policies. “I don’t think the Democrats can propose anything unless it looks like they are gutting Homeland Security and ICE like a fish, and that’s not something that the Republicans are going to vote for,” Kennedy said, predicting DHS could later face a prolonged shutdown.
This post has been updated with additional lawmaker reactions.
White House and Senate Democrats try to resolve final sticking point over DHS bill to avoid shutdown
An agreement between the White House and Senate Democrats to avert a government shutdown is facing one final sticking point: how long to temporarily extend funding for the Department of Homeland Security to give them time to cut a deal to rein in ICE practices, according to multiple senators in both parties.
Democrats are saying they won’t support a short-term funding extension that lasts more than two weeks. The Trump administration, meanwhile, is pushing for six weeks.
Sen. Chris Coons says there’s “unanimity” in the Democratic caucus that two weeks is the longest they’re willing to go. “Two weeks is a long time,” he said.
Several Democratic senators, including Tina Smith of Minnesota and Chris Murphy of Connecticut, were pushing for a short-term funding bill to last “days, not weeks.”
“More people can get killed in two weeks,” Murphy told CNN.
Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin, however, argued Congress will need at least two weeks procedurally to renegotiate, consider and pass a new DHS funding bill.
“It’s too short. We can’t do it in two weeks,” he told reporters.
“By the time you go through the amendments, you go through cloture, you go through all that, it’s probably not enough. We asked for six – I mean, we may settle at three, we may settle at five, we may settle at six, I don’t know. But two, if that’s what they’re insisting — OK, maybe. But they got to be realistic on the time frame,” he said.
GOP Sen. Thom Tillis indicated he’s open to a “middle ground” for the stopgap extension.
“I think most people realize we need to take the win. My goodness. How many times do we get an opportunity to pass five regular report, regular order appropriations bills. I mean, they’re about as — that’s about as rare as unicorns around here. So take the win there and then negotiate,” he said.
Coons indicated that the bigger fight is yet to come: Getting the White House and Republicans to come to an agreement over what restrictions to add into the long-term DHS funding legislation.
Trump will sign executive order launching new initiative to combat drug addiction
President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order today that will launch a new initiative to combat drug addiction, a White House official said.
The signing is set to take place this afternoon in the Oval Office, per press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
CBS News was first to report on the president’s expected order.
Pause on Russia-Ukraine attacks discussed during trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi
Discussions about a temporary halt in attacks on energy infrastructure took place during trilateral meetings between US, Ukrainian and Russian officials in Abu Dhabi last week, a person familiar with the discussions said.
American officials raised the idea of such a halt. At the time, it wasn’t clear whether Moscow would agree to the pause, which comes amid a cold snap that has sent temperatures plummeting.
On Thursday, President Donald Trump said Russia had agreed to halt attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities for a week, though it wasn’t clear when such a pause would begin.
“I personally asked President (Vladimir) Putin not to fire into Kyiv and the various towns for a week. And he agreed to do that,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting. “And I have to tell you, it was very nice. A lot of people said, don’t waste the call, you’re not going to get that. And he did it and we’re very happy that they did it.”
Russia has been pounding Ukraine’s critical infrastructure over the past weeks and hit a civilian train on Tuesday.
Republicans signal some openness to ICE reforms
Some Republican lawmakers are signaling that they are open to considering reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement in light of the recent killings of US citizens by federal immigration officials in Minneapolis.
“Democrats are wanting some reforms that make sense to me, body cameras making ICE more like other agencies, but that’s a band aid. I’m willing to entertain some reforms to make sure that we rein in ICE appropriately and make it more professional,” Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham told reporters on Capitol Hill Thursday.
Indiana Republican Sen. Todd Young told reporters he’s “perfectly happy to have a conversation about body cameras, very good idea for anyone in law enforcement.”
He continued: “I hope that … the tragic incidents that have occurred in Minneapolis will help build a stronger immigration enforcement system.”
GOP Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy, meanwhile, told reporters, “Every federal agency can be improved but I’m not going to try to make reforms with a gun to my head.”
Democrats have demanded changes to ICE as part of talks over how to fund the Department of Homeland Security and other key federal agencies as a government funding deadline looms.
Here's a look at the key moments from Trump's Cabinet meeting
President Donald Trump just wrapped a meeting with his Cabinet, where he discussed a host of issues, including government shutdown negotiations, the future of Venezuela, the economy and war in Ukraine.
The roughly 90 minute meeting ended without the president taking questions.
Also notable: neither Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem nor Attorney General Pam Bondi spoke during the meeting — despite the tense situation on the ground in Minneapolis this week following the deadly shooting of Alex Pretti by federal agents.
If you’re just joining us, catch up on key moments from the meeting:
- Shutdown talks: Trump said he was optimistic that Congress would avert a government shutdown, saying negotiators were “working on that right now.” He added, “I think we’re getting close. The Democrats, I don’t believe, want to see it either.” Earlier today, Bipartisan senators blocked a massive spending bill, but a last-minute scramble continues for a deal to avert a costly government shutdown.
- Ukraine war: The president said that he personally contacted Russian President Vladimir Putin and requested he not fire on major cities within Ukraine, including Kyiv, citing frigid temperatures in the region. Trump did not specify when he spoke to Putin, but his claims come after a deadly Russian drone strike on a civilian train in the Kharkiv region on Tuesday.
- Venezuela: Trump said he spoke to Acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez and informed her the US would be “opening up” the commercial airspace above Venezuela even though it is not technically considered closed. “American citizens will be, very shortly, able to go to Venezuela, and they’ll be safe there” Trump said.
- “Boring” prior meetings: In a moment of levity, Trump said his Cabinet meeting today would run shorter than the last one, which he said, “got pretty boring.” Trump addressed reports about him closing his eyes during a previous meeting, insisting that he wasn’t sleeping. “I just closed them, because I wanted to get the hell out of here,” he said. Watch that moment in the clip below:
Trump joked about last Cabinet meeting, where he repeatedly appeared to doze off. He called the meeting “pretty boring” and insisted he wasn’t sleeping.
