New CNN poll: 61% of Americans oppose Trump’s ‘big, beautiful’ bill
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What we covered here
• DOGE cuts package: A vote-a-rama is underway in the Senate on President Donald Trump’s package to formalize Department of Government Efficiency spending cuts. After the series of amendment votes, a final vote on the package will take place. If it passes with changes, it’ll return to the House for final approval by a Friday deadline.
• Fed chairman: Trump said it’s “highly unlikely” he will fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell after reports suggested he was considering the move, adding a caveat: “unless he has to leave for fraud.”
• SDNY firing: Maurene Comey, a federal prosecutor in Manhattan — and the daughter of former FBI Director James Comey — has been fired from her job in the Southern District of New York, according to people familiar with the situation. Comey was a prosecutor in the case against Jeffrey Epstein and more recently against Sean “Diddy” Combs.
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Our live coverage of Donald Trump’s presidency has ended for the day. Follow the latest updates or read through the posts below.
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Murkowski argues for necessity of public broadcasting and attacks the White House spending cuts package
From CNN staff
Sen. Lisa Murkowski arrives for a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on Wednesday.
Francis Chung/Politico/AP
GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who voted against advancing the White House’s package codifying some Department of Government Efficiency spending cuts, made the case in a post on X for protecting public broadcasting for emergency alerts.
Murkowski pushed back on the argument that cutting funding to public broadcasting will push back against politicization of local media.
“Some colleagues claim they are targeting ‘radical leftist organizations’ with these cuts, but in Alaska, these are simply organizations dedicated to their communities. Their response to today’s earthquake is a perfect example of the incredible public service these stations provide. They deliver local news, weather updates, and, yes, emergency alerts that save human lives,” she wrote.
She added that while Alaska’s tsunami warnings have been canceled, “the warning to the U.S. Senate remains in effect.”
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Trump says FBI could look at Epstein case as part of broader review of law enforcement matters
From CNN’s Donald Judd
President Donald Trump said today he was open to the FBI examining the Jeffrey Epstein case — as part of a larger look at unrelated law enforcement matters.
In an interview with conservative commentator John Solomon, Trump lumped the Epstein case with other law enforcement matters that have annoyed him, including prior special counsel investigations of him and his campaign. He suggested that an FBI examination of those matters could also include the Epstein case.
Asked if “one big prosecutor” would look at it all, Trump deflected.
“In the case of Epstein, they’ve already looked at it and they are looking at it, and I think all they have to do is put out anything credible,” he said.
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Trump dodges on removing Powell as Fed chair, but acknowledges it could "disrupt the market"
From CNN’s Donald Judd
President Donald Trump declined to say if he was considering removing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, acknowledging in an interview that aides have warned him doing so would disrupt the stock market.
The president also dismissed that he was the one who originally appointed Powell to the post, telling Solomon: “He was recommended to (former Treasury Secretary Steven) Mnuchin.”
Some context: Trump has railed against Powell for months, demanding lower interest rates. But Fed officials have continued to hold rates steady this year, and Powell has cited concerns about inflation related to Trump’s tariffs.
In recent days, Trump has turned his attention to a $2.5 billion renovation plan at the Federal Reserve, with aides — and now Trump — suggesting the over-budget refurbishments could offer grounds for Powell’s removal.
Earlier Wednesday, the president said it’s “highly unlikely” he would fire Powell, though he added a caveat: “unless he has to leave for fraud.”
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Here's what happened today in politics as the Senate vote-a-rama continues on Capitol Hill
Epstein news: Maurene Comey, a federal prosecutor in Manhattan – and the daughter of former FBI Director James Comey – has been fired from her job in the Southern District of New York, according to people familiar with the situation. Comey was a prosecutor in the case against Jeffrey Epstein and more recently against Sean “Diddy” Combs. Meanwhile, Trump dodged a question today on if he’d consider appointing a special counsel for the investigation into Epstein. Some GOP lawmakers are calling for the administration to release more details about the investigation — even as the president doubled down on his dismissal and said the probe was a “hoax.”
Powell’s future: Trump, who appointed Jerome Powell to be Federal Reserve chair, claimed to be surprised that Powell had been chosen as Fed chair. Trump also said today it’s “highly unlikely” he would fire Powell after reports he was considering the move. House Speaker Mike Johnson said that he’s unsure if Trump should fire Powell. Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana told CNN that if Trump were to fire Powell, the stock market would crash.
Redistricting talk: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez suggested that New York Democrats should try to redraw congressional maps in their state if Texas Republicans move forward with a redistricting plan in order to flip more seats red in 2026. Rep. Tom Suozzi, who won a competitive special election to get his New York seat, said that Democrats should “probably not” redistrict, explaining, “we’ll have to wait and see what happens, but the reality is that Democrats are going to face a big challenge come 2030.”
Medicaid moves: GOP Sen. Josh Hawley defended his newly introduced bill to reverse some of the cuts to Medicaid, just weeks after voting to pass the legislation. Hawley told CNN’s Manu Raju he chose to support the megabill because it enacted work requirements for Medicaid and provisions to prevent undocumented immigrants from getting coverage under the program. “I liked all of that, but there are aspects of it didn’t like and I think these future cuts to hospitals with Medicaid is a mistake,” he said.
Warning for future candidates: Senate Majority Leader John Thune in a Fox News interview warned that GOP Senate candidates for 2026 must be “very supportive of the president’s agenda,” after Sen. Thom Tillis announced he would not be running for re-election after he voted against advancing the president’s sweeping agenda bill.
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Analysis: Vance is on record pace for tie-breaking votes as Trump’s fraught agenda makes way through Congress
Analysis from CNN's Aaron Blake
Vice President JD Vance attends a cabinet meeting at the White House on July 08, in Washington, DC.
In fact, Vance is on pace to nearly double the current record for tie-breaking votes in a four-year period. Vance has broken ties five times this month alone.
And he’s been called on to break ties on major votes much more often than his predecessors – even as his nearest competitors generally had smaller majorities.
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10 GOP senators urge administration not to withhold education funding as Senate votes on DOGE cuts
From CNN’s Morgan Rimmer
As the Senate continues its extended voting series on the White House’s spending cuts package, 10 Senate Republicans have written to the Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought urging him not to withhold education funding — including for certain grant programs.
The letter was signed by Sens. Susan Collins, Shelley Moore Capito, Lisa Murkowski, John Boozman, Katie Britt, Deb Fischer, John Hoeven, Jim Justice, Mitch McConnell and Mike Rounds.
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Trump takes credit for sweet change to Coca-Cola
From CNN's Betsy Klein
Coca Cola products are seen in a Publix grocery store in Miami Beach, Florida in May 2022.
Jeff Greenberg/Universal Images Group Editorial/Getty Images/File
President Donald Trump announced what could be refreshing news to some Americans on Wednesday: thanks to him, Coke is changing its American recipe.
Coca-Cola did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment.
Trump announced the bubbling development on a day otherwise consumed by instability in the Middle East, speculation over whether he’ll fire the Federal Reserve chair and mounting outrage from his MAGA base over his administration’s handling of the investigation into deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The president’s devotion to Diet Coke has been well-documented, including his “Diet Coke button,” a small wooden box with a red button on the Resolute Desk of the Oval Office that summons a presidential valet to deliver the beverage.
He has, however, sparred with the company in the past, including in 2021, when Coca-Cola spoke out against its home state of Georgia’s laws restricting voting access. His properties, however, continued to sell its products.
Even back in 2012, the then-businessman posted that the company was “not happy” with him, but conceded, “That’s okay, I’ll still keep drinking that garbage.”
Things appeared to sweeten in January when Coca-Cola chairman James Quincey presented Trump with an Inaugural Diet Coke Bottle ahead of his second swearing-in. That commemorative bottle — and Trump’s Wednesday announcement — are just some of many examples that underscore the president’s newfound power in corporate America in his second term.
American Coca-Cola is made with high-fructose corn syrup, something that Trump’s Health and Human Services secretary, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., has aggressively advocated against. Its Mexican counterpart is made with cane sugar, a significant export of the country, and is commercially available in the US.
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Trump dodges on if he'd appoint a special counsel for Epstein investigation: "I have nothing to do with it"
From CNN's Donald Judd
President Donald Trump speaks to reporters after signing the "Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act," in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on Wednesday.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images
President Donald Trump dodged a question Wednesday on if he’d consider appointing a special counsel for the investigation into accused sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
Asked by CNN at the White House if he was considering appointing a special counsel, Trump replied: “I have nothing to do with it.”
Earlier in the day, Trump lashed out against some of his supporters pushing for increased transparency into the Epstein investigation, calling them “weaklings” who are falling prey to Democratic “bulls**t” about the late sex offender. He concluded in a social media post that he no longer wants their support.
A slew of lawmakers have also called for increased transparency around the Epstein investigation, including Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert, who called for a special counsel in a post on X Tuesday.
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Fact Check: Trump, who first appointed Powell, claims he was "surprised" Powell was appointed
From CNN’s Daniel Dale
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell departs after speaking at a news conference on May 7, in Washington, DC.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
While criticizing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell again today, President Donald Trump claimed to be surprised that Powell had been chosen as Fed chair.
“He’s a terrible Fed chair. I was surprised he was appointed – I was surprised, frankly, that Biden put him in and extended him. But they did,” Trump said.
“He’s strong. He’s committed. He’s smart,” Trump said at one point. At another, he said, “During his five years at the Fed, Jay has earned the respect and admiration of his colleagues for his hard work, expertise and judgment.”
Trump signs legislation cracking down on illicit fentanyl
From CNN's Alejandra Jaramillo and Alayna Treene
President Donald Trump signs the "Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act," during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House, on Wednesday, in Washington, DC..
Alex Brandon/AP
President Donald Trump signed a bill into law today aimed at cracking down on illegal fentanyl during a ceremony from the East Room.
The president highlighted several notable event attendees, including Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin of Virginia, Sens. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, and his nominee to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration. He also called out several GOP congressmen, and House Speaker Mike Johnson attended the event as well.
The Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act, which recently secured bipartisan approval in both the House and Senate, reflects a major priority for the president, who has cited the illegal trafficking of fentanyl as a core reason behind his tariff threats toward Canada, Mexico and China.
Under the legislation, all fentanyl-related substances, including imitation versions of the drug, will be designated as Schedule I controlled substances, placing them on the Drug Enforcement Administration’s list of the most dangerous drugs.
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NOW: Trump signs bill aimed at cracking down on illicit fentanyl
From CNN staff
President Donald Trump speaks before signing the "Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act," in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on Wednesday.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images
President Donald Trump is holding a bill signing ceremony in the East Room of the White House for legislation aimed at cracking down on illegal fentanyl.
Families who have lost loved ones due to fentanyl use are in attendance.
More on the bill: The Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act, which recently passed both the Senate and the House with bipartisan support, represents a key priority for the president who has claimed the illicit flow of fentanyl is one of the underlying reasons for his tariff threats against Canada, Mexico and China.
The bill will place all fentanyl-related substances, specifically, copycat versions of the drug, on the US Drug Enforcement Administration’s list of most dangerous drugs, classifying them as Schedule I under the Controlled Substances Act.
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Here's what to know about clashes in Syria as Rubio says parties have reached an agreement
From CNN's Aditi Sangal, Eyad Kourdi, Catherine Nicholls, Eugenia Yosef, Mostafa Salem and Mohammed Tawfeeq
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said today that the parties involved in clashes in Syria “have agreed on specific steps that will bring this troubling and horrifying situation to an end tonight.”
He did not specify the steps in his post on X, but said the agreement will “require all parties to deliver on the commitments they have made and this is what we fully expect them to do.”
Israeli strikes: Israel carried out a series of powerful strikes on the Syrian capital Damascus Wednesday, escalating a campaign it says is in support of the Druze. At least three people were killed and 34 others were injured in the attacks, the Syrian health ministry said. Syria has strongly condemned Israel for striking several government buildings in Damascus, calling it a “dangerous escalation.”
Why is Israel striking? Israel, which has been carrying out strikes on Syria since the fall of the Assad regime last December, says it is attacking Syria to protect the Druze. However, another incentive behind Israel’s decision to strike could be related to its opposition of the current Syrian government. Rubio said the US is “very concerned” about the strikes.
CNN’s Kylie Atwood and Hira Humayun contributed to this report.
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Firing Powell as Federal Reserve chair would lead to stock market crash, Republican senator says
From CNN’s Nicky Robertson, Veronica Stracqualursi and Manu Raju
Sen. John Kennedy speaks to members of the media on Wednesday.
CNN
Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana told CNN that if President Donald Trump were to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, the stock market would crash.
Earlier, Trump said it’s “highly unlikely” he will fire Powell after reports suggested he was considering the move, adding a caveat: “unless he has to leave for fraud.”
Separately, House Speaker Mike Johnson said that he’s unsure if Trump should fire Powell.
“I’m really not sure. … I have been not happy with the leadership there, personally,” he said. Asked if he would like to see Powell removed, Johnson said good leadership is needed at the Federal Reserve and interest rates need to be adjusted.
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Some GOP lawmakers says they want to see more information about Epstein investigation
From CNN's Dianne Gallagher, Alison Main, Manu Raju, Veronica Stracqualursi, Illeya Robinson-Williams, Lauren Fox, Casey Riddley and Nicky Robertson
This photo provided by the New York State Sex Offender Registry shows Jeffrey Epstein, March 28, 2017.
New York State Sex Offender Registry via AP
Some Republican lawmakers are calling for the Trump administration to release more details about the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein — even as the president doubled down on his dismissal and said the probe was a “hoax.”
Others are carefully calibrating how to both continue pushing for the release of additional files and stay in President Donald Trump’s good graces.
Earlier today, Trump said he’d permit his Justice Department to release any more “credible” details, but urged his supporters — and the lawmakers — to move past the controversy.
Here’s what some are saying:
Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina said he disagreed with Trump’s demands that Americans move on from questions about the DOJ’s handling of the Epstein case. “I think it’s despicable and I believe anybody who had anything to do with it or any knowledge of it should be held accountable. So just release the damn files. This could be over in an instance. And it is what it is,” he said on “Good Morning BT with Bo Thompson & Beth Troutman” on WBT Radio.
Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri said he thinks Attorney General Pam Bondi should release all “credible and appropriate” information about Epstein and said the Senate Judiciary Committee should hold hearings. “What I think is maybe a little difficult to believe the idea that DOJ and the FBI, who prosecute cases related to this, don’t have any idea who Epstein’s clients were and that he had no record of it,” he said.
House Speaker Mike Johnson also said all “credible information” related to Epstein should be publicly released. “We’re for transparency. I’ve been saying the same thing. I mean, you need to have all of the credible information released for the American people to make their decision,” he said.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, when asked about the president decrying Republicans who are still asking questions about Epstein, said, “I think there is going to be more to come on that.” She also called for more transparency, but wouldn’t commit to signing onto Rep. Thomas Massie’s discharge petition, which aims to force a vote to compel the DOJ to release more information.
Rep. Eric Burlison of Missouri, said the Epstein issue is the “number one” thing that has come up in constituent calls to his office over the past week. “This is kind of highlighting the frustration the American people have where they feel like … they can’t trust their government,” he said.
House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer said he’s had “a lot of discussions” with members of his committee who have questions about Bondi’s comments in the past, when she indicated an Epstein “client list” was sitting on her desk, compared to now. “There are a lot of discussions taking place as to what legal options there are, so we’ll just see what happens,” he said.
This post has been updated with comments from more lawmakers.
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Trump will sign legislation targeting illicit fentanyl. Here's what you need to know
From CNN's Alayna Treene
Plastic bags of fentanyl are displayed on a table at the US Customs and Border Protection area at the International Mail Facility at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, in 2017.
Joshua Lott/Reuters/File
President Donald Trump will host congressional leaders and families affected by the fentanyl epidemic on Wednesday for a signing ceremony on bipartisan legislation that would strengthen prison sentences for fentanyl traffickers, White House officials have told CNN.
What is the bill? The Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act, which recently passed both the Senate and the House with bipartisan support, represents a key priority for the president who has claimed the illicit flow of fentanyl is one of the underlying reasons for his tariff threats against Canada, Mexico and China.
What would it do? The bill will place all fentanyl-related substances, specifically, copycat versions of the drug, on the US Drug Enforcement Administration’s list of most dangerous drugs, classifying them as Schedule I under the Controlled Substances Act.
Why crack down further? The Trump administration argues the move will limit the incentive for cartels to create new synthetic, fentanyl-like drugs to evade the reach of the Controlled Substances Act.
“Under the HALT Fentanyl Act, anyone who possesses, imports, distributes, or manufactures any illicit FRS (fentanyl-related substances) will be subject to criminal prosecution in the same manner as any other Schedule I controlled substance,” a White House document on the legislation obtained by CNN reads.
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Senate kicks off vote-a-rama on White House DOGE cuts package
From CNN’s Morgan Rimmer and Ted Barrett
A view of the Senate floor on Wednesday, as a voting session to formalize Department of Government Efficiency spending cuts takes place.
Senate TV
With a deadline to act looming, the Senate has kicked off its voting session on President Donald Trump’s package to formalize Department of Government Efficiency spending cuts.
Lawmakers can force as many votes as they want during the vote-a-rama, as the voting session on amendments is called, but the amendments in this case must be “germane” to the bill. That means the universe of the kinds of amendments that can be offered is more limited than what you might see in a typical vote-a-rama.
Still, the process allows Republicans an opportunity to make changes to the legislation and provides Democrats an opportunity to force their Republican colleagues to vote on politically contentious issues.
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What's happening at the White House and on Capitol Hill the rest of the day
From CNN staff
President Donald Trump welcomed Bahrain’s crown prince and prime minister to the White House this afternoon for a lunch and bilateral meeting.
Here’s what else is coming up in Washington:
At around 3 p.m. ET, Trump will hold a bill signing ceremony for legislation aimed at cracking down on illegal fentanyl.
Later, he is scheduled to have dinner with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani. It comes as negotiations on a Gaza ceasefire have stuttered after both Israel and Hamas accused each other of blocking an agreement.
Meanwhile, lawmakers on Capitol Hill are expected to vote on the GOP effort to codify Department of Government Efficiency spending cuts.
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"We are on our way towards a real de-escalation," Rubio says as Israeli strikes continue in Syria
From CNN's Alejandra Jaramillo
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on May 21 in Washington, DC.
John McDonnell/Getty Images
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday the United States is working toward “real de-escalation” amid Israeli strikes in Syria following a new wave of deadly sectarian violence there.
“It’s complicated obviously. These, these are historic, long-time rivalries between different groups in the Southwest of Syria, Bedouins, the Druze community, and it led to an unfortunate situation and a misunderstanding it looks like, between the Israeli side and the Syrian side,” Rubio said.
“So, we’ve been engaged with them all morning long and all night long with both sides,” he added. “And we think we’re on our way towards a real de-escalation and then hopefully get back on track in helping Syria build a country and arriving at a at a situation there in the Middle East is far more stable.”
Rubio said within the next few hours it is possible to see “some real progress to end” what we have been seeing over the last hours.
The United States views the situation as “worrisome,” according to the US special envoy for Syria, Tom Barrack, and has reportedly urged Israel to halt its strikes.
But on Wednesday, Israel warned it would intensify attacks if Syrian government forces do not withdraw from the southern Syrian city of Suwayda, where clashes broke out over the weekend between Druze forces and Bedouin tribes, prompting an intervention by the Syrian government.
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Tariff revenues will rise by August 1 deadline, Trump says
From CNN’s Elisabeth Buchwald
President Donald Trump takes questions from the press during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House on Wednesday.
Nathan Howard/Reuters
President Donald Trump told reporters that revenues from tariffs will rise come August 1, during an Oval Office meeting with Bahrain Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa today.
Trump said that “the tariffs haven’t really kicked in that much,” adding that he expects revenue collections will immediately go even higher after the August 1 deadline he set for higher tariffs takes effect.
So far, during the current fiscal year, the United States collected $126 billion in tariff revenue, compared to $71 billion collected by this time last year, according to Treasury Department records.
