Michael Williams - Reporter, CNN Politics
Michael Williams
Reporter, CNN Politics
Michael Williams is a reporter at CNN covering the federal government and Trump administration, with a focus on the Department of Homeland Security.
Latest
Sen. Thom Tillis announces he’s not seeking reelection, a day after voting against Trump’s agenda bill
Jun 30, 2025
Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina announced Sunday he is not seeking reelection next year, a day after he was one of only two Republicans who voted against advancing President Donald Trump’s sweeping agenda bill.
Pentagon reveals new details about US strikes against Iran but leaves key questions unanswered
Jun 26, 2025
The Pentagon on Thursday released new details about how the US prepared for its marathon bombing mission against three Iranian nuclear sites, the crews that carried out the daring weekend raid, and how Iran tried fortifying one of the sites that held critical aspects of its nuclear program.
DOGE-driven cuts could weaken administration’s ability to handle Iran conflict
Jun 26, 2025
The US military’s strikes in Iran over the weekend prompted a swift response from across the federal government to react to any fallout, but current and former officials say the administration’s DOGE-driven cuts to a host of agencies have made it harder to grapple with the conflict and prepare for potential retaliation.
White House’s DOGE spending cuts request runs into criticism, questions from some Senate Republicans
Jun 25, 2025
The head of the White House budget office on Wednesday defended the Trump administration’s push to enact sweeping cuts to federal funding, even as some Republican senators voiced concerns and raised questions about the breadth of them.
Cat naps, ‘piddle packs’ and amphetamines: Here’s what it can take to complete a marathon bombing run
Jun 24, 2025
The US bombing mission that targeted three nuclear facilities in Iran over the weekend was a massive undertaking that required its B-2 bomber pilots to test the limits of human endurance during a 37-hour mission.
US senator forcefully removed from DHS event in LA, triggering Democratic outcry on Capitol Hill
Jun 12, 2025
US Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla was forcefully removed from a press conference in Los Angeles Thursday and coerced to the ground after attempting to ask Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem a question.
US withdraws some diplomats and military families from Middle East amid Iran tensions
Jun 12, 2025
The US State and Defense departments on Wednesday made efforts to arrange the departure of non-essential personnel from locations around the Middle East, according to US officials and sources familiar with the efforts.
List of ‘sanctuary jurisdictions’ removed from DHS website after law enforcement outcry, questions about accuracy
Jun 2, 2025
The Department of Homeland Security removed a list of hundreds of so-called sanctuary jurisdictions that it published on its website Thursday following questions about its accuracy and pointed criticism from a major group representing law enforcement.
‘Time is of the essence’: Pause on international student visa interviews sends schools on another Trump-induced scramble
Jun 2, 2025
At Mount Holyoke College, a liberal arts school some 90 miles west of Boston, administrators have few answers so far for their perspective international students who are no longer certain they will be allowed to study in the US.
Former Rep. Charlie Rangel, trailblazing New York lawmaker, dies at 94
May 26, 2025
Charles B. Rangel, a civil rights activist, war hero and trailblazing New York congressman whose career saw the high school dropout rise to become one of the most influential Black politicians in modern history, died on Monday. He was 94.
DHS says it’s in beginning stages of ‘vetting process’ for immigrant reality TV show
May 17, 2025
The Department of Homeland Security is reviewing a reality TV pitch where immigrants would compete for American citizenship, according to a spokesperson who said in a statement to CNN that “the show in question is in the very beginning stages of that vetting process and has not received approval or denial by staff.”
Exclusive: DHS civil rights office opened investigation into Mahmoud Khalil’s arrest days before office was dissolved
May 15, 2025
DHS’s oversight arm opened an investigation into the controversial arrest of Mahmoud Khalil only days before officials working for that office were placed on administrative leave.
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May 12, 2025 – Donald Trump presidency news
May 13, 2025
The US and China agreed to drastically roll back tariffs on each other’s goods for an initial 90 days, de-escalating a punishing trade war and buoying global markets.
Senior Justice Department officials tapped by Trump to run Library of Congress are denied access
May 12, 2025
Two senior Justice Department officials appointed by President Donald Trump to run the Library of Congress were denied access on Monday, according to a person familiar with the interaction.
About
Michael Williams is a reporter at CNN covering the federal government and Trump administration, with a focus on the Department of Homeland Security. He previously covered the White House. Prior to joining CNN in 2023, Williams reported for several local newspapers across the country, covering beats including politics, criminal justice, extremism and misinformation, health and business. A native of Florida, Williams graduated from the University of Central Florida with a journalism degree.
