The Lead with Jake Tapper

A jury has awarded more than $26 million in damages after finding the White nationalists who organized and participated in a violent 2017 rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, liable on a state conspiracy claim and other claims. The jury in the murder trial of Ahmaud Arbery began deliberating today on the charges facing Travis McMichael, his father Gregory McMichael and their co-defendant William "R...

The defense delivered their final arguments today in the trial of Gregory McMichael, Travis McMichael and William "Roddie" Bryan Jr., the three men charged with murder in the death of Ahmaud Arbery. Defense attorney Jason Sheffield filed for a mistrial over protests outside the courthouse.  The suspect in Sunday's fatal parade incident in Waukesha, Wisconsin has been identified at Darrell Brooks....

The jury handed in their verdict today in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial: not guilty on all five counts. President Biden later commented that he stands by the verdict and that he believes the United States jury system works.  The House passed President Biden’s $1.9 trillion Build Back Better Act which would expand social services for Americans, work to mitigate the climate crisis, and increase access...

The man who shot unarmed black jogger Ahmaud Arbery took the stand today as prosecutors tried to punch holes in his story. Travis McMichael, his father Gregory McMichael and their neighbor William Bryan Jr. face charges including malice and felony murder in the death of Arbery. New revelations are sparking scrutiny over a controversial document known as the Steele Dossier nearly five years after i...

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill passed a censure resolution largely along party lines for Republican congressman Paul Gosar of Arizona after he posted an anime video depicting him kill Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and attack President Biden. This will be the first time in more than ten years the House has taken this most severe form of punishment. Now, Gosar will be removed of his committee assignments...

President Biden wraps up the first stop of his infrastructure bill road tour in New Hampshire selling his legislative accomplishment. Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus Rep. Pramila Jayapal joins to discuss how the infrastructure law will impact public transit and how Biden’s Build Back Better act will affect childcare, drug costs, and more. With the independent Congressional Budget Off...

CNN airs the closing arguments of the Kyle Rittenhouse trial live on the final day before the jury begins deliberations. The defense argued Kyle acted in self-defense, was not looking for trouble, and that his actions are protected under Wisconsin law.  President Biden signs his $1.2 trillion infrastructure package at the South Lawn of the White House with congressional members of both parties in...

A federal grand jury has indicted former Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon for contempt of Congress, the Justice Department announced Friday. Bannon faces two charges: one count related to his refusal to appear for a deposition and another related to his refusal to produce documents. Bannon’s charges may push other Trump allies to appear before the January 6th committee to avoid similar charges. T...

The White House announced that recent inflation is not temporary and will likely continue through the start of 2022. With the cost of gas, food, and some commercial items continuing to inflate, passing the social safety net legislation may prove more difficult with moderate senators expressing economic concerns.  The trial of three men charged in the murder of Ahmaud Arbery began today in Glynn Co...

With consumer prices rising to levels unseen since 2008, Biden speaks live from Baltimore, Maryland about rising inflation concerns. Biden noted that his infrastructure bill will generate jobs as it addresses infrastructure issues within the country. How long will it take before the economy rebounds? Defendant Kyle Rittenhouse testified today giving his account of the night he fatally shot two peo...

The House committee investigating the deadly January 6th riots has subpoenaed 10 new Trump loyalists including Trump senior advisor Stephen Miller and former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany. Testimony for this new group of Trump associates remains uncertain as the DOJ has yet to pursue criminal charges against Steve Bannon for failing to appear before the House.   New research shows t...

Police are in the early stages of a criminal investigation to determine what caused eight people, ages 14-27, to die when a crowd surged at a music festival in Houston, Texas on Friday. Dozens more were injured with concertgoers describing a chaotic scene of people being trampled. It could be weeks before the official cause of death is known for the victims.  Six new close Trump associates have be...

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announces the House will vote tonight on Biden’s infrastructure bill. But, the back-and-fourth amongst congressional Democrats continues as six moderates are calling for the Congressional Budget Office to analyze the bill before the vote while progressives say the review of 17 Nobel prize-winning economists should have sufficed. Pelosi then announced her compromis...

Congressional Democrats are debating if Terry McAuliffe lost the Virginia Governor's race because of a comment he made suggesting parents should not be telling schools what to teach, a line which would later be taken out of context. Now, chairwoman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus Pramila Jayapal suggests education could become a central fixture in the 2022 midterms.  The criminal case in t...

The 2021 election results are in: Republican Glenn Youngkin seizes control of the Virginia Executive Mansion, Democrat Eric Adams wins the mayoral race in New York City, Minneapolis rejects an initiative to replace the city’s police department, and New Jersey is still awaiting to determine the winner of a tight gubernatorial race. President Biden speaks live on the FDA authorized and CDC recommend...

A new poll finds the ‘big lie’ and other conspiracy theories flourishing with 30% of Republicans saying violence may be justified to ‘save the U.S. and 20% of Americans agreeing with the core tenets of QAnon. Robert P. Jones, CEO of the Public Religion Research Institute, joins to give his perspective on the results of his organization’s non-partisan survey. As internal tensions continue to rise w...

Parents are one step closer to getting their children ages 5-11 vaccinated against COVID-19 after the FDA granted emergency use authorization to Pfizer. Plus, a closer look at Virginia’s tight governor’s race. And, the person responsible for guns on the set of the film “Rust” speaks out for the first time. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more abou...

As the President heads to Rome in advance of a crucial climate summit, the House Speaker urges Congress not to “embarrass” Biden on the world stage and pass his Build Back Better agenda. Biden’s arrival at COP26 will come amidst fears the world is on the precipice of a global energy crisis. What might that mean for you and your family? And, the Santa Fe sheriff reveals who investigators are focuse...

With Dems deadlocked, the President could head across the pond without a deal on his climate and spending package. Hundreds of thousands are left without power after the Northeast is hit by a bomb cyclone. The new tech that will allow passengers to breeze through airport security -- but at what privacy cost? To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more ab...

The President visits Connecticut touting his massive agenda, but it’s still stalled by his own party. An FDA advisory panel approves booster shots for millions more Americans. A British lawmaker is killed after being stabbed multiple times while meeting with voters. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.c...

Leaked records show FB knew its platforms were being used for human trafficking, spreading extremism, and fomenting violence. What did Zuckerberg know, and when did he know it? Plus: Could two COVID vaccines soon be available for kids? And: What went wrong on the “Rust” movie set? To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit p...

The drug maker says its COVID vaccine is super effective in little kids. Plus: Alec Baldwin responds after he killed a woman with a prop gun. And, a town in Michigan has its water supply cut off after poison was found in the pipes. A case of environmental racism? To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/...

As the former Trump adviser faces prosecution, the former Prez desperately tries to keep secret White House record while his successor prepares to face the American people in a special CNN Town Hall. Plus, the latest in the increasingly bizarre Petito-Laundrie case. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.c...

The President unveils a scaled back – but still massive – social safety net bill. Plus: The new White House plan to vaccinate the youngest Americans … and what could be a clue in the search for Brian Laundrie. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

January 6 committee gets closer to holding Trump ally Steve Bannon in contempt of Congress. President Biden holds critical meetings with fellow Dems, still divided over his transformative spending plans. More mixed messages on mixing and matching COVID vaccines.  To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/...