The Lead with Jake Tapper

Any moment now we are expecting team Trump to appeal the ruling by the Colorado Supreme Court that Trump disqualified himself from the 2024 ballot for engaging in an insurrection. A former U.S. attorney general under Trump is here to discuss. Plus, new signs from both Israel and Hamas that a temporary pause might be on the table. Also, the US has reached an agreement to secure the release of six w...

Democratic Senator John Fetterman from Pennsylvania joins to discuss border security, his party backing Israel wholeheartedly, and says he's not a Progressive. Also, a volcanic eruption is creating warnings and wonder around the world. Plus, GOP presidential hopefuls blitz Iowa as caucuses near.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The White House is pushing Israel to adjust its rules of engagement after the IDF accidentally killed three hostages. New gripping accounts emerge from hostages formerly held by Hamas describing their horror while in captivity including dodging airstrikes from Israeli forces. Plus, Jews in America are being targeted again, after more than 200 fake bomb threats and SWAT calls in one week alone. We...

A jury ordered Rudy Giuliani to pay nearly $150 million to two Georgia election workers for the harm caused by defamatory statements he made about them following the 2020 election. Freeman and Moss were awarded more than $16 million each for defamation, $20 million each for emotional distress and $75 million total in punitive damages, stemming from a series of statements Giuliani and others, inclu...

CNN’s Clarissa Warn gains access to southern Gaza to report first-hand on the horrifying reality on the ground as Biden has a new message for the government of Israel. Also, an exclusive CNN investigation into the nation’s largest credit union, Navy Federal, reveals an alarming disparity between White and Black applicants. Plus, deliberations are underway in the defamation lawsuit against Rudy Giu...

A federal judge has just paused Donald Trump’s 2020 election interference case which could lead to his March 2024 trial being delayed. Plus, the White House is working to square Biden’s “indiscriminate bombing” comment with claim that Israel is trying to limit civilian causalities. This as political appointees and Biden administration staffers are expected to hold a vigil in front of the White Hou...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met on Capitol Hill with lawmakers and at the White House to request aid and make the case that his country is fighting a losing battle with Russia. Plus, Present Biden privately tells supporters that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu needs to change his strategy and his plans for Gaza and that Netanyahu himself needs to change. Will Biden's comments impact t...

For the very first time, the U.S. Supreme Court will decide if Donald Trump can be prosecuted for the things he did as president. Plus, as the humanitarian catastrophe worsens, critical aid into Gaza is delayed at one crossing and completely cut off at another. What is being done by President Biden and others to alleviate the suffering? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/ad...

Essentially trapped in Gaza, what do some Palestinians really think of Hamas and the conflict? Plus, the state of Texas is pushing back on a court order that allowed a woman to terminate a high-risk pregnancy. The case challenges one of the strictest abortion bans in the nation. Also, Hunter Biden speaks out on Republicans who want to tie his legal problems to his father. Learn more about your ad...

Liz Cheney joins to talk about Tump, Kevin McCarthy, House Speaker Mike Johnston, and her fears for what the U.S. might look like in 2025. Plus, a look at the threats to public officials, lawmakers, and election workers. Who is making them, why, and what can be done? Also, Trump is in court today as GOP rivals campaign in New Hampshire and Iowa.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoi...

Three people were killed and one person is in critical condition after a shooting on the UNLV campus, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police said Wednesday. The suspect was also killed, police said. Plus, in a vote that is happening now, Senate Republicans are threatening to block funding for Israel and Ukraine. Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware joins discuss what’s in the aid package.  Learn mor...

New warnings of an apocalyptic situation in Gazza as Israel takes deadly aim at Hamas. Plus, Chairman of the Intelligence Committee Sen. Mark Warner joins to discuss the GOP being willing to block Ukraine and Israel aid if border funding is not included.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donald Trump is now claiming President Biden, not himself, is a threat to American democracy. This as there is six weeks left until the Iowa caucuses. Plus, Israel is expanding its war, targeting Hamas in all of Gaza, even in the south where Israel first told Palestinians to flee for safety.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, regrettably, is over and the White House is blaming Hamas. Now, Israeli strikes resume in Gaza while Prime Minister Netanyahu is facing new criticism and tough questions about warnings his government received and dismissed as recently as last summer about impending Hamas attacks. Also, the locks have been changed on George Santos's office already, just hours...

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is back in Israel trying to stop the war from restarting. Can he help secure the release of the eight Americans still being held hostage by Hamas before bombs start dropping again? Plus, one of the innocent Palestinian college students in Vermont describes the moment the gunman came after him and his friends. His family says this crime was motivated by bigotry....

As the truce expiration looms, Israel says a new group of hostages has been freed including an American citizen. Some of the hostages’ families sit down with Jake for an exclusive interview. This as Qatar says 30 Palestinians, 16 minors and 14 women, are being released Wednesday in exchange for the release of hostages in Gaza.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Officials say thirty more Palestinians were freed from Israeli prisons as 12 more hostages were freed from Hamas, but not two American women. What happened to the deal cut last week that was thought to have included them? Plus, a CNN exclusive with the father of Emily Hand, the 9-year-old kidnapped by Hamas. Also, former Republican Congressman Liz Cheney is naming names and shares what fellow Repu...

After more than 50 days of being held captive by Hamas, 11 more hostages are freed tonight after Israel and Hamas agree to pause fighting for a few more days, leading to more hostage releases to come. Plus, a look at the Palestinian prisoners who Israel is letting go and the two-tiered justice system for many of them that led to so many being held without trial in the first place. Learn more about...

Today's show was preempted by CNN's continuing live coverage of the Middle East hostage release. If you haven’t already, please check out CNN’s other podcasts and showcasts at cnn.com/audio.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As today's show begins, the FBI is investigating a car explosion at the US-Canadian border near Niagara Falls. Two people in the car died. This happened just a few hours ago at the Rainbow Bridge connecting New York and Canada. According to law enforcement services, the car accelerated in the US side, went airborne, and crashed and exploded near a checkpoint. In response, authorities shut down all...

As today show begins we're awaiting word on a deal to release some of the hostages kidnapped by Hamas. The full Israeli cabinet is meeting to give what is believed to be a final approval of the deal. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously asked them to support the deal.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First: Donald Trump pushes back on a federal judge who put limits on what the former president can say and where he can say it. We take you inside the courtroom and explain why today's hearing matters so much.  Plus: Big news for the White House today about the fate of the hostages kidnapped by Hamas and the negotiations to get them released.  And: Hundreds of employees at tech giant OpenAI threat...

The remains of a hostage are found inside Gaza making it the second such discovery this week as Israeli forces comb areas around the Al-Shifa hospital and uncover evidence of a hidden terrorist operation run by Hamas. Plus, in the 2024 race, age is still a problem, perhaps a bigger problem, for President Biden, as voters in a key primary state weigh in on a brand-new CNN poll. Also, a Republican w...

The special counsel investigating hunter Biden is now using a Los Angeles grand jury as part of the investigation into the business dealings of President Biden's son. Plus, inside the scathing House Ethics Committee report on Rep. George Santos which reviews the alleged trips he bought and the campaign money he used to buy Botox and settle his own credit card debt. Also, new video shows a tunnel s...

A hospital in Gaza is now a military scene where Israel and the U.S. say Hamas is hiding a command center. But, what is the goal of this specific operation? Also, Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie joins to comment on Nikki Haley suggesting she might pardon Donald Trump. Plus, Hunter Biden wants to subpoena Donald Trump.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adc...