The Lead with Jake Tapper

Gov. Steve Bullock touring stage ahead of CNN debate; O'Rourke, Buttigieg aim to recapture lost momentum; Poll: Biden top choice of Dems in new national pollTo learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trump goes after Rev. Sharpton after slamming Rep. Cummings; Attacks on Cummings come one week after Trump lashed out at 4 Democratic women of color; Mulvaney: Trump's comments on Cummings are not about race; GOP Meadows yet to defend "best friend" Cummings after attacks; Michigan gov. talks 2020 Dems & beating Trump in her state; Michigan Dem. Party Black Caucus endorses Kamala Harris; Harris' "M...

Pelosi: "I'm not trying to run out the clock" on impeachment; Pelosi: I have no "hatchet" to bury with Ocasio-Cortez; Trump complains about Fox poll showing him losing to Biden; Harris on upcoming CNN debate: I was raised to be polite; Mayor Buttigieg calls out Pres Trump as racist; Yang jokes He'll attack Bennet at debate: "You know what you did"; Trump advisers point to Biden, Harris & Warren as...

Pelosi: I won't discourage Dems from backing impeachment; Trump tires to claim victory, as Mueller says he's not exonerated; Dems grapple with next move as Trump declares victory; Intel Chair Schiff: Not sure country benefits from impeachment; 5 inmates to be executed, ending 16-year federal death penalty hiatus; Biden camp jabs Harris: He's about more than selling t-shirts; Biden on second debate...

Mueller refuses to say if his report recommends impeachment; Some 2020 Dems renew impeachment calls after Mueller testimony; Trump's first reaction: "We had a very good day today"; Trump after Mueller testimony: "Today proved a lot to everybody"; Following Mueller testimony, Senate Dems to push for legislation to secure election; Mueller's testimony repeatedly refutes claims made by Trump; Mueller...

Sources: Trump irritated, not anxious, ahead of Mueller testimony; Mueller makes last-minute ask to swear in deputy for hearing; Trump: "Pleased" with deal that would add to soaring national debt; GOP divided over budget plan, some call it "best possible deal"; Trump in 2016: I could get rid of debt in eight years; Trump's top economic adviser: Trump will be tougher on spending after re-election;...

Trump calls four Dem congresswomen of color "racist"; Trump: Four Dem congresswomen of color are "easy to handle"; Nadler: Mueller lays out Trump's high crimes & misdemeanors; Justice Dept. does not have a copy of Mueller's opening statement; Sources: Dems focusing on five specific areas of obstruction; Republicans plan to question Mueller on origins of probe; Trump says he's "best thing" to happe...

Armed U.S. aircraft escorting commercial cargo ship after Iran seize two tankers; UK: no British citizens abroad ship seized by Iran; Trump: I believe all people are "good people", after attacking dems; Booker campaign signals he'll target Biden in debate; Warren: "delighted" to share debate stage with Sanders; Trump accusers grapple with furious backlash, death threats; Women who accused trump wo...

Trump claims he disagrees with "send her back" chants, despite staying silent, allowing them to continue; Trump took 13 seconds to speak after "send her back chats"; Dem Rep. Omar: Trump is a "racist and a fascist"; Sen Graham called Trump "Racist" in 2015 & now he says he's not; Trump's racist rhetoric echoes language of past leaders; Trump silent for 13 seconds during "send her back" chants; now...

Sources: House will likely vote to table impeachment resolution; Source: Dem leadership prefers to kill impeachment resolution; Source: Moderate Dems felt vote over Trump racist tweets backfired, forced them to defend 4 progressives; Trump hits campaign trail as GOP defends his racist tweets; Sources: Trump & WH advisers believe criticizing Dem congresswomen is advantageous in 2020; Dem congresswo...

Dems to vote on resolution to condemn Trump's racist attack; Trump again defends his racist on U.S. lawmakers; House GOP leaders defend Trump's racist attacks on lawmakers; Rep McCarthy & Sen. McConnell say Pres. Trump is not a racist after Trump sends racist tweets; McConnell: president Trump is not a racist; GOP Leaders meeting with Pres. Trump this hour after spending day defending his racist t...

Booker: Trump "fanning the flames" of racial violence; 2020 candidate Booker on Trump's racist attack; Booker: The country will "rise up" to fight Trump's racism; Booker: No "equivalency" between what Dems and Trump say; Trump calls recent deportation raids "successful"; Trump admin yet to show results of deportation raids; Sanders defends "Medicare for all" amid Biden's criticism; Prosecutors pus...

Labor Secretary Acosta resigns, as Trump weighs replacing director of national intelligence Dan Coats; Sources: Trump weighing replacing DNI Dan Coats; Louisiana Governor: "No one should take this storm lightly"; Tropical storm Barry to swamp Gulf Coast already waterlogged from recent flooding; Tropical storm Barry threatening Gulf Coast region with unprecedented flooding; Dem lawmakers get emotio...

Miami Mayor reacts to planned immigration raids; Many undocumented families living in fear of upcoming raids; WH hosts right-wing internet personalities at social media summit, not tech leaders; Twitter & Facebook not invited to White House media summit; Biden unleashes on Trump in foreign policy pitch; Biden: world sees Trump as "insincere, ill-informed and impulsive"; Biden: If I'm president, th...

Acosta blames state prosecutor's office: They were ready to let Epstein walk without jail time; Acosta defends secret plea deal for Jeffrey Epstein; Acosta: We now have hindsight & live in a different world; Acosta: We did the deal because we wanted to see Epstein in jail; Harris follows Warren and Sanders in attaching campaigns to Ocasio-Cortez; Pelosi makes unity pitch after spat with Ocasio-Cor...

Joe Biden calls for labor secretary Acosta to resign; Top Dems call for labor secretary Alex Acosta to resign for role in cutting "deal of a lifetime" for Jeffrey Epstein; Bill Clinton statement: "knows nothing" of alleged Epstein crimes; Biden on Obamacare: starting over would be a "sin"; Biden fiercely defends Obamacare as rivals call to replace it; Harris struggles to clarify "Medicare for all"...

Prosecutors: Epstein "was well aware" many victims were minors; Prosecutors: Epstein sexually abused "dozens of minor girls"; Prosecutors charge politically-connected financier Jeffrey Epstein with operating trafficking ring, sexually abusing minors; Trump on accused predator Epstein in 2002: "terrific guy"; Any moment: Women's soccer world champions return to U.S.; Warren raises $19.1M in 2nd qua...

Trump falsely claims citizenship question often included; Source: justice dept to pursue census citizenship question; Sources: Trump frustrated with commerce secretary Ross; Trump: border detention centers are "run beautifully"; Former VP Biden defends his record on busing; VP Biden defends himself: "Look at my record"; Biden on Harris's attack: I didn't want to get into that scrum; Biden: I wasn'...

USGS seismologist: chance of another damaging quake today; USGS: At least 58 aftershocks after 6.4 earthquake; Kern County Fire: Ridgecrest Hospital is being evacuated; Officials report broken water mains, rock slides, power lines down; Largest earthquake in 20 years hits Southern California; USGS: At least 73 aftershocks after 6.4 earthquake; Source: Military chiefs concerned about politicization...

Source: Military chiefs concerned about politicization of July 4th; WH refuses to say how much July 4th event will cost taxpayers; Wash. Post: Parks dept. to divert $2.5M to help pay for July 4th event; Trump says he's "absolutely moving forward" with census citizenship question contradicting his own officials; 2020 Dems descend on Iowa ahead of July 4th celebrations; Biden campaign raised $21.5 m...

Trump claims military "thrilled" to be on display at July 4th event; Trump's July 4th event criticized as politicizing military; Trump to speak from the National Mall on July 4th; WH defends July 4th extravaganza as "patriotic"; Escalating tensions; Pres Trump to Iran: you are "playing with fire"; Retired Four Star General launches national service campaign; Trump baby blimp gets permit for July 4...

New CNN Poll: Biden support down 10%, support for Harris up 9%; New CNN Poll: Only 4 candidates polling above 5%: Biden 22%, Harris 17%, Warren 15% and Sanders 14%; New CNN Poll: Harris, Warren make steep gains after first debates; NYT: Trump may allow N. Korea to keep nukes in exchange for freeze; Ivanka embraces role as top adviser, diplomat & daughter; Trump praises Putin, Kim Jong Un & Saudi C...

Biden defends record after bruising debate; Source close to Biden on debate performance: "Not great"; Swalwell to Biden: "Time to pass the torch"; Booker reacts to Biden's fierce defense of civil rights record; Biden: I never ever opposed voluntary busing; Harris targets Biden for opposing federally mandated busing; Biden tries to explain busing stance: I was against the federal government orderin...

What the first debate means for candidates' strategies tonight; Frontrunners to square off in second Dem debate tonight; Biden, Sanders, Harris & Buttigieg in debate tonight; Obama campaign strategist on make-or-break debate moments; Supreme court rules fed courts can't stop questionable political district mapping; Chief Justice Roberts sides with liberals on census case, conservatives on district...

President Trump to Mueller: "Does it ever stop?"; Trump slams Mueller testifying, accuses Dems of "Do-Over"; President Trump's lawyer responds to Mueller testifying; Image of dad and toddler drowned in Rio Grande illustrates humanitarian crisis at the U.S. Border; Trump on Photo of drowned migrants: "I hate it," it could stop if the democrats change the laws; Warren leads in polls among her debate...