Kaanita Iyer - Politics Reporter
Kaanita Iyer
Politics Reporter
Kaanita Iyer is a reporter covering politics for CNN in Washington, DC.
Latest
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Trump tells WSJ he takes a higher daily dose of aspirin than his doctors advise in lengthy interview on his healthJan 1, 2026President Donald Trump told The Wall Street Journal in an interview published Thursday that he takes a higher dose of aspirin than his doctors have recommended, blaming that for the visible hand bruises that have generated renewed questions about his health. -
Trump vetoes two bipartisan bills, marking first vetoes of second termDec 31, 2025President Donald Trump issued the first vetoes of his second term Tuesday, blocking two bipartisan, infrastructure-related bills. -
Man charged with allegedly threatening Kennedy Center presidentDec 31, 2025The Justice Department charged a Virginia man on Tuesday for allegedly sending a threatening text message to presidential envoy and Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell. -
Why the US is targeting the diversity visa lottery and what it means for applicantsDec 19, 2025The State Department is indefinitely pausing a visa program intended to admit certain individuals to the United States, known as the diversity visa program. -
Kennedy Center gets new signage bearing Trump’s nameDec 19, 2025New signage is being installed at Washington, DC’s performing arts center on Friday to include President Donald Trump’s name. -
Bipartisan push to reform censure process emerges in Congress after flurry of complaints brought against lawmakersDec 18, 2025Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are pushing to make the censure process more difficult after the House weighed three separate complaints against sitting members this week. -
Justice Department tried to bring a third felony charge against Letitia JamesDec 18, 2025The Justice Department tried to add a third felony charge related to mortgage fraud against Letitia James when attempting to reindict the New York attorney general last week, according to court documents. -
Trump tests the First Amendment: A timelineDec 18, 2025Within weeks of retaking the White House, President Donald Trump boasted that he had “brought free speech back to America.” But since then, he has tested the limits of the First Amendment time and again. -
Tracking Trump’s retaliationDec 8, 2025Trump has so far used his second term to make good on his promise, enacting what in many cases appears to be payback against a wide swath of critics and perceived political enemies. -
Hegseth defends action in the Caribbean amid mounting questionsDec 7, 2025Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday defended the Trump administration’s military actions against alleged drug boats in the Caribbean, saying it shows “the strength of American resolve.” -
National Park Service overhauls free admission days to include Trump’s birthdayDec 6, 2025Visitors will now have to pay a fee on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth. -
Stefanik says her provision is back in key defense bill after taking spat with Johnson publicDec 3, 2025After 24 hours in a public disagreement with House Speaker Mike Johnson, GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik announced she had gotten a legislative priority back into the annual defense policy bill. -
Who is National Guard shooting suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal?Nov 30, 2025The Afghan man who allegedly shot two National Guard members in Washington, DC, last week went from being a US partner in Afghanistan to spending the last few years in Washington state with his family, where, according to reports and sources who spoke to CNN, he had a hard time assimilating and dealt with lingering PTSD. -
FDA official plans to change vaccine approval process, claiming that Covid-19 shots caused child deathsNov 30, 2025A senior Food and Drug Administration official on Friday said the agency will change its vaccine approval process, alleging that Covid-19 vaccination resulted in the deaths of 10 children. -
US will reexamine all green cards issued to people from 19 countries as Trump administration ramps up immigration crackdownNov 28, 2025The US will reexamine all green cards issued to people from 19 countries “of concern” at President Donald Trump’s direction, as the Trump administration intensifies its immigration crackdown following the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, DC. -
Suspect identified as 2 National Guard members remain in critical condition after targeted shooting near White HouseNov 27, 2025The Department of Homeland Security has identified the suspect involved in the Wednesday shooting of two National Guard members, who remain in critical condition.
About
Kaanita Iyer is a reporter covering politics for CNN in Washington, DC.
Iyer reports on the top politics stories of the day, while also working across teams to develop creative and visually engaging ways to tell complex stories.
She was previously an associate politics writer and helped cover breaking news, reproductive rights, President Donald Trump’s legal troubles and the 2024 presidential election.
Iyer also served as an associate producer where she focused on elevating the CNN Politics digital report and enhancing the audience experience.
Iyer joined CNN in 2021 as a news associate in the Washington, DC bureau, where she assisted in newsgathering efforts and worked with show teams. She also interned with the CNN Politics team in 2019 and helped cover Trump’s first impeachment.
Iyer graduated in 2021 from the University of Maryland, where she majored in Journalism and Government & Politics, with a concentration in international relations
