The Lead with Jake Tapper

A diplomatic spat between Israel and the United Nations has broken out, with Israeli officials calling for the resignation of Secretary General Antonio Guterres. This as the main UN agency working in Gaza said it will be forced to halt its operations later today due to a lack of fuel, exacerbating a grave humanitarian crisis. Plus, Rep. Mike Johnson secured the speaker's gavel without losing any G...

It has been 17 days since the horrific terrorist attacks by Hamas which caught Israel by surprise, setting off a cascade of responses and consequences that now includes a humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The World Health Organization said that six hospitals have shut down due to a lack of power. A spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces says no fuel will enter Gaza because of concerns it will be stole...

Hamas has released two more of the hostages it kidnapped from Israel during the October 7th terrorist attack, according to multiple sources. Plus, the United Nations is calling the situation in Gaza hospitals “dire” as a low rate of humanitarian aid trucks have entered Gaza. Also, according to sources, intelligence shows Iranian-backed militias are ready to ramp up attacks against U.S. forces.  Fo...

Two U.S. citizens, Judith Tai Raanan and her 18-year-old daughter Natalie Raanan, who had been kidnapped by Hamas, have been released and are now back in Israel. Israel believes Hamas still has around 200 hostages and believes most of them are still alive. Plus, humanitarian aid that has been stuck in Egypt should reach Gaza within "24-48 hours," US President Joe Biden said Friday. Also, an airstr...

President Biden will address the nation from the Oval Office this evening for only the second time in his presidency. He is going to try to convince Americans why it is critical to provide tens of billions of dollars to support two allies in their two wars, Israel and Ukraine. Plus, our correspondents in the Middle East provide updates on the conflict, including the likeliness of the Rafah Crossin...

President Biden arrived in Israel hours after a devastating explosion in the courtyard of a Baptist hospital in Gaza. The president said earlier today that the deadly hospital tragedy in Gaza may have been caused by Palestinians. Biden also announced Israel agreed that humanitarian assistance can cross into Gaza from Egypt.  For daily information on the Israel-Gaza conflict, check out CNN’s podcas...

The Israel Defense Forces said the cause of a blast at a hospital in Gaza which has likely killed hundreds of people was a Palestinian Islamic Jihad group. However, Palestinian officials blamed ongoing Israeli airstrikes for the lethal incident. The blast resulted in Jordan cancelling a planned summit between President Biden and the leaders of Jordan, Egypt, and the Palestinian Authority. Plus, Re...

New warnings emerge about the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Today, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken returned to Israel after meeting with multiple allies throughout the Middle East, trying to get a humanitarian corridor open for innocents to evacuate Gaza before Israel ramps up attacks on Hamas.  For daily information on the Israel-Gaza conflict, check out CNN’s podcast ‘T...

Israel’s military has issued a warning to 1.1 million people living in northern Gaza to evacuate amid signs that Israel is set to ramp up its retaliatory offensive against Hamas. Also, House Republicans have picked Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) as their new speaker nominee just hours after Rep. Steve Scalise won the speaker nomination but dropped out of the race abruptly. For daily information on the I...

America’s top diplomat delivered an in-person message to the Israeli people who are greiving and wounded. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States will never back down from its support of Israel. He is on his way to meet with other US allies in the region, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, UAE, Qatar, and Jordan after standing side by side with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.  For da...

Behind closed doors today, the majority of Republicans chose Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) to be their nominee to succeed Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif) as speaker. Plus, the war in the Middle East appears to be expanding as Israel has now formed an emergency wartime government. The Israeli government is also accusing the Iranian regime of giving the green light to Hamas.  For daily information on the...

As the death toll rises in both Israel and Gaza, the White House says 20 or more Americans are missing in Israel, this in addition to the 14 Americans killed in Israel. President Biden pledged full support for Israel. A spokesman for the Israeli military says several rockets were also fired from Syria. This as Israeli airstrikes pound Gaza while Hamas launches more rockets. To learn more about how...

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that Israel’s response to the attacks carried out by Hamas is just beginning. The United State is surging military aid to Israel after the attack left at least 900 dead in Israel, while more than 680 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli military according to Gaza’s health ministry. President Biden said at least 11 Americans have been killed i...

Sources tell CNN that just ousted Kevin McCarthy will leave Congress before the end of his term, perhaps as soon as a new speaker is elected. This as Donald Trump endorses a replacement for House speaker who once was called a legislative terrorist by a past Republican speaker. Plus, a bold message arrives in exclusively to CNN from a female activist behind bars in Iran who was just awarded the Nob...

Sources tell CNN that Donald Trump wants to go to Capitol Hill to add his two cents on the debate over who should be the next speaker of the House. But, do Republican lawmakers want him there? Plus, one of the deadliest strikes hits Ukraine since the beginning of Russia’s invasion leaving more than 50 civilians dead. Also, facing bipartisan pressure to address the border crisis, the Biden administ...

The race for House speaker begins after Kevin McCarthy was fired in a historic vote. We analyze how we got to this political moment. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) joins to discuss if Jim Jordan or Steve Scalise would be more promising regarding bipartisan legislation. Plus, the US will transfer seized weapons from Iran to Ukraine as Biden worries about the future of funding for Ukraine amid the ch...

Today’s The Lead showcast has been pre-empted by breaking news coverage of the House vote to oust Kevin McCarthy as speaker. For recent news updates be sure to check out CNN’s ‘5 Things’ at: edition.cnn.com/audio/podcasts/5-things. Thanks for listening. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With millions of dollars on the line and his future businesses in New York at stake, Donald Trump shows up for day one of his civil fraud trial, blasting not only prosecutors, but insulting the very judge who will decide how much Trump must pay in a case where he has already been found liable for fraud. Plus, the Fulton County district attorney overseeing the Georgia election subversion case, issu...

House Speaker McCarthy was unable to deliver a spending bill to deliver to the Senate in order to avoid a shutdown. Will he risk his job by cutting a deal with Democrats in order to get the government up and running? Plus, New York City is under a state of emergency as a month’s worth of rain is expected to fall in just hours. Also, an arrest has been made in the decades long case of the murder of...

With two days left until a government shutdown, tensions erupted between GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and Speaker McCarthy as House Republicans met behind closed doors according to a source in the room. Also, GOP candidates spar in the second debate for the Republican presidential nominee, calling out an absent Donald Trump. Plus, a look at America’s mental health crisis which has some of the best...

Tonight, Republican presidential candidates will fight for second place in GOP polling as the frontrunner, Donald Trump, skips the debate. Our panel discuss what messaging, positions, and strategies the candidates may take on key issues. Plus, in an effort to avoid a government shutdown, a new short-term bill was outlined by Speaker McCarthy which would include provisions for the border.  To learn...

As former President Trump is vying for another term in the White House, threatening to dismantle political norms, investigate his adversaries, and seek retribution for perceived slights, former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson joins for an extensive interview. She discusses why Trump should never be president again, why she came forward to testify, how seriously she takes Trump’s threats, if Tr...

Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) said there is a good reason he had nearly $500,000 in cash in his home as he denies the federal bribery charges against him. Plus, with less than a week until a government shutdown, House Speaker McCarthy tells CNN that he is not worried about getting ousted if he cuts a deal with Democrats. Also, a look at what Trump and Biden's planned visits to Michigan amid the Unite...

A sweeping indictment accuses Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) with accepting bribes, pressuring a US official, and spilling sensitive information to benefit a foreign government. Prosecutors allege bribes included gold, cash, a luxury vehicle, and more. Plus, Congress leaves for long weekend with just 8 days left to fund government and prevent a shutdown. Also, Ukraine strikes the Russian Black Sea...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksy visits Washington D.C., requesting assistance in Russia’s war with Ukraine. Plus, according to sources, House GOP leaders send members home for the week amid deep divisions and a looming shutdown. Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) and Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) join to share plans to reach consensus with GOP hardliners. Also, the FBI has been asked to assist in an...